Management Response

: Albania
: 2022 - 2025 , Albania (CO)
: Final Evaluation of UNJP on EVAW Phase I (2018-2021)
:
: Albania
:

N/A
: Approved
Recommendation: Operational recommendation. Strengthen the coordination between implementing UN agencies on: 1) Clearly highlighting areas in which other programmes are complementing to different outputs or outcomes. 2) Regularly capture and discuss best practices and approaches across agencies and disseminate lessons learnt for further scaling-up. 3) Providing space for more strategic and forward-looking conversations on areas such as sustainability or comparing and assessing approaches of delivery
Management Response: In their future programmatic interventions, UN Agencies will leverage existing interagency mechanisms to identify and foster complementarities between programmatic interventions such as the Gender Thematic and Results Group, the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (CF) Outcome Groups and the UN Country Team meetings. Discussions would, provided by UN Agencies. These discussion forums would also provide for capitalizing on best practices in addressing GBV and foster coordinated approaches by all relevant stakeholders, sharing on a more regular basis lessons learned and developing strategies to ensure sustainability of actions.
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Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Ending violence against women (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Internal coordination and communication
Organizational Priorities: UN Coordination
UNEG Criteria: Effectiveness, Gender equality
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Plan at least one meeting of the GTRG or UNSDCF Outcome 4 Results Group dedicated, or partly dedicated, to discuss interagency synergies in the area of EVAW. Ensure inclusion of EVAW activities in the UN JWPs for the year and results in the UN Annual Progress Report. UNDP, UN Women and UNFPA 2023/12 Completed The GTRG was briefed about the UN JP EVAW Phase II during its second regular meeting held in June 2023. In addition, the GTRG held thematic discussions pertaining to EVAW with a focus on the criminal code during the GTRG regular meeting in Q1 and Q3, with presentations from the Centre for Legal and Civic Initiatives and from UNICEF. In addition, during the GTRG meeting in Q3 the 16 Days Campaign to End Violence Against Women was jointly discussed to promote interagency coordination. UNSDCF output 4.1 is focused on violence against women and children and it includes sub-outputs on the UN JP EVAW Phase II, and relevant updates will be shared in preparation of the annual report of the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework.
In new interventions, include lessons learnt and best practices on adequate response to preventing and ending violence against women and girls at the local level UNDP, UN Women and UNFPA 2023/12 Completed The Prodoc for the new phase of the UN JP was built on lessons learned and best practices of the implementation of Phase I including the regional geographic approach that the UN JP has adopted, promoting and enhancing CSO engagement, ensuring engagement from the media and increase outreach to men and boys - to name a few. The section “lessons learned” in the UN JP Project Document offers a detailed overview of the key learnings from the first phase of the UN JP that have fed into the design of the second phase. These lessons learned are reflected upon and integrated continuously in the implementation approach of the UN JP.
Present the main results of the EVAWIA JP Phase I in interagency/multi stakeholder forums at national/regional/global level with the aim to promote learning and exchanges on other similar experiences. UNDP, UN Women 2023/06 Completed A dedicated meeting organized with the Evaluation Reference Group in July 2022. In addition, the evaluation was presented at the Development Partner Coordination Group on Gender in October 2022
Recommendation: Operational recommendation. Mobilize resources to support the development of clear monitoring tools and reporting: 1) Diminish the number of output and outcome indicators, while avoiding duplications. 2) Link activities, results, and outcomes more clearly to document change, and to support the comparison between approaches used and identification of best practices. 3) Include outcome indicators that assess the degree of implementation of policies/legislation across different sectors and municipalities, in order to identify best practices. 4) Identify ways to measure in the impact of awareness raising efforts and support learning.
Management Response: In the process of developing the future programmatic work of implementing UN Agencies, resources will be provided to contribute to a better monitoring and reporting framework that would be enable to better capture change at the output and outcome level
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Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Ending violence against women (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Alignment with strategy
Organizational Priorities: Culture of results/RBM
UNEG Criteria: Gender equality, Impact, Effectiveness
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
The new programme monitoring matrix to be developed in full reflection of evaluation recommendations, including ensuring that a monitoring and reporting specialist is foreseen and is responsible solely for monitoring and reporting on the project. UN Women 2023/12 Completed M&R capacities are in place for the UN JP including a UN JP Coordinator. The PMF was developed responding to the suggestions of the evaluation, with outcome indicators measuring policy and legal changes, duplications of indicators were avoided, and the number of indicators was reduced to 29 compared 33.
In future interventions, include activities on the replication of CRM functionality assessment report in order to draw comparisons with the baseline assessment report of 2019 and provide recommendations for adequate implementation of legislation UNDP 2023/12 Completed This analysis was planned as part of UN JP output 2.1 and will be completed by end of 2023 and presented to key stakeholders.
Recommendation: Programmatic recommendation. Continue working with the Parliament and NHRIs focusing on: 1) New MPs and especially male MPs should be more involved. Further, MPs need to be more involved in sharing the key findings and best practices from the projects, to understand the main problems and gaps so they can help influencing policy processes. 2) Research and findings could be presented to MPs in a very summarized manner. 3) Training the MPs on GRB was identified as a good practice that should continue. 4) The oversight role of Parliament and NHRIs should be strengthened by providing clear and updated evidence to support this role. Legal changes have different and sometimes unforeseen effects which often remain not fully assessed and thus failing to make it to policy for increased efficiency of GBV actions. 5) Work with the Parliament could also be strengthened by bringing into the discussions with MPs, any relevant CSOs, NHRIs and donors, so a concerted action on advocacy, visibility and funding is built.
Management Response: UN Agencies will continue to work with Parliament and NHRIs in areas of oversight, advocacy and strengthening the legislative monitoring in the area of EVAW.
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Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Ending violence against women (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Capacity development, National ownership
Organizational Priorities: Partnership
UNEG Criteria: Effectiveness, Impact, Human Rights, Gender equality
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Future interventions to include areas of cooperation and support for strengthening the role of Parliament and HR institutions to strengthen policies and further improve legislation that address gender-based violence UNDP, UN Women and UNFPA 2023/12 Completed UN JP output 1.1 is dedicated to increasing engagement with the National Human Rights institutions to strengthen their role in monitoring the implementation of VAW legislation. In addition, dedicated activities and support have been planned with the Parliament and they have started to be implemented. All UN Agencies are actively engaging the Members of Parliament and the National Human Rights Institutions in addressing gender-based violence as part of the UN Joint Programme. UN Women is supporting the Ombuds person in establishing a Femicide Watch, and is providing support to the Parliament and the Women Alliance of MPs, in addressing violence against women, including by providing expertise to the members of the Women Alliance. UNFPA is working closely with the Population Parliamentary Group, including on issues pertaining to VAW.
Recommendation: Programmatic recommendation. Foster strategic partnerships with CSOs and empowering them in service provision, and advocacy focusing on: 1) Mechanisms that incentivize CSOs networking and engagement in advocacy through joint efforts could be defined. 2) Re-thinking of interventions should be done with the purpose of further enhancing the local/national capacities, specifically focusing on encouraging activism. 3) Empower CSOs to advocate jointly for increased funding for social care services.
Management Response: In the process of developing the future programmatic work of implementing UN Agencies, resources will be provided to contribute to a better monitoring and reporting framework that would be enable to better capture change at the output and outcome level
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Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Ending violence against women (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: National ownership, Capacity development, Advocacy
Organizational Priorities: Partnership
UNEG Criteria: Gender equality, Human Rights, Sustainability, Impact, Effectiveness
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Future interventions to envisage partnerships with CSOs engaging them at municipal level in advocacy, awareness raising actions and service provision. UNDP, UN Women and UNFPA 2023/12 Completed The second phase of the UN Joint programme includes specific outputs and interventions aiming to strengthen partnerships with CSOs at local level, including on awareness raising and provision of services- see for instance outputs 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1 and 2.2. At the time of reporting, 16 CSOs have been engaged by the PUNOs and as implementing agents/responsible parties across all municipalities target of the UN JP, and several of them are actively working at the local level to strengthen service provision and raise awareness about VAW and reporting mechanisms, including Human Rights for Democracy Centre (HRDC), Shelter Edlira Haroximeri, Association Gender Peace and Security (AGSP), Women Forum Elbasan (WFE), Different and Equal (D&E), Albanian Disability Rights Foundation (ADRF), Vatra, Another Vision, Woman to Woman, Albanian Woman in Audiovisual, amongst others. All CSOs will continue to be engaged until the end of the UN JP.
Recommendation: Programmatic recommendation. A more consistent outreach to the population using different channels of communication should be prioritised focusing on increasing awareness of women, men and specially boys, on prevention, reporting and support available on: 1) Ensuring that pre/post-surveys are applied to try to measure the relative effectiveness of different platforms of communication. 2) Work with communication companies to consolidate more realistic audience results, that avoid duplication in the counting of viewers/audience and/or provides a better reflection of who the viewers of the different channels are and what is the added value of each of the channels used. 3) Set differential approaches to reach communities in rural areas as well as marginalised communities and people with disabilities. 4) Continuation of education and awareness of the younger generation, teachers, parents and communities.
Management Response: Recommendation fully accepted. UN Agencies will continue to strengthen their strategic use of different communication channels and will adopt a more strategic outreach strategy to communicate results, with an enhanced focus on reaching out to the most vulnerable communities including women with disabilities. In addition, UN Agencies will continue to work with youth and with the education sectors to maximize the potential of young people as agents of change
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Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Ending violence against women (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Advocacy
Organizational Priorities: Partnership, Youth engagement, Engaging men and boys
UNEG Criteria: Effectiveness, Relevance, Impact, Gender equality
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Future interventions to include, as part of the partnerships with CSOs, outreach to women with disabilities, Roma and Egyptians, LGBTI communities, etc. UNDP UN Women UNFPA 2023/12 Completed Across all components of the UN JP, PUNOs have a strong focus on the LNB approach, and output 1.3 on awareness raising includes specific activities on outreach to women from disadvantaged communities, and output 2.2 on socio-economic reintegration which has activities with explicit focus on integration of all women survivors, including women with disabilities, Roma/Egyptian, and LBTI. In addition, all Calls for Proposals issued for partnerships with CSOs include the requirement to work with people experiencing multiple vulnerabilities and report against indicators in a disaggregated manner. UN Women has also a specific project component on intersectionality of VAW. UNFPA adopts a community-based model that engages medical staff and community mediators.
Future interventions to include specific indicators that measure outreach (including to vulnerable communities) and communication of results UN Women, UNDP, UNFPA 2023/12 Completed UN JP EVAW Phase II includes specific PMF indicators that measure outreach and communication of results as part of UN JP output 1.3. These include: - Indicator 1.3a: Number of interactions through social media - Indicator 1.3e: Number of people participating in VAW awareness raising activities (disaggregated by sex) Indicator 1.3e will be modified to also capture multiple vulnerabilities. In terms of communication of results, the UN JP developed a communication plan which includes indicators on communications-related activities that will showcase programmatic results. In terms of outreach to vulnerable communities including with communications-related activities. Across all project components, implementing partners and responsible parties have been specifically requested to include an element of awareness raising and outreach to vulnerable communities.
At least one activity in future interventions will continue to focus on awareness raising of teachers, parents and students UN Women, UNFPA 2023/12 Completed UN JP EVAW Phase II includes activities with teachers and students as part of the component on ESD. In addition, UN Women will work with parents as part of the component on engagement of men and boys. Both interventions are part of UN JP output 1.2 on engagement of men and boys.
Recommendation: Programmatic recommendation. A greater focus on geographical coverage and outreach on: 1) Future interventions need to also focus on smaller communities and remote areas with the support of local CSOs to improve outreach and service delivery. 2) Combining synergies with CSOs active in the targeted areas might be more effective for the consolidation of results. Stakeholders have also suggested the need to diversify the CSOs to ensure that capacities do not remain concentrated in a few organisations. This is particularly the case for CSOs located in remote areas and which could be empowered through mentoring/coaching of larger CSOs or umbrella organizations in order to improve service delivery.
Management Response: UN Agencies will build on partnership developed with CSOs to enable better geographical coverage and diversify outreach to the most vulnerable women and girls. The work with CSO would still be implemented in full synergy/alignment with LGUs which remain principle duty bearers for ensuring services in the communities.
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Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Ending violence against women (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Capacity development
Organizational Priorities: Humanitarian action, Operational activities
UNEG Criteria: Gender equality, Effectiveness
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Future interventions to include partnering with CSOs and municipalities in key target areas identified jointly by implementing partners, to maximize geographical and target groups outreach to provide services for women and girls, survivors of violence UNDP, UN Women and UNFPA 2023/12 Completed The second phase of the UN JP EVAW builds on strong partnerships with CSOs and Local Government Units in preventing and addressing violence against women. These partnerships are already being further strengthened during Y1 of implementation, with 16 CSOs engaged in programme implementation and strong buy-in from municipalities and local partners. In terms of geographic outreach, the geographical focus of UN JP phase II was developed following a 3-months inception phase which included consultations with implementing partners and CSOs, national human rights institutions, institutional counterparts and in close coordination with the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, and based on the 2022 figures of cases of violence against women in each region. UNDP and UN Women do not have overlapping geographical focus when it comes to strengthening the Coordinated Referral Mechanism to avoid duplication of efforts. Other components of work are being implemented in the same localities to maximise impact, including awareness raising. UN Participating Agencies are in close communication and coordination if implementing activities in the same municipality and/or with the same partner to avoid overlapping efforts.
Future interventions to support grassroots CSOs through capacity building activities in different programmatic interventions to increase their engagement and contribution in the area of violence against women. UNDP, UN Women and UNFPA 2023/12 Completed The UN JP Phase II Foresees, as part of output 1.1 and output 3.1, the expansion of the Monitoring Network on GBV to additional members, who will be trained to monitor and report compliance between national and international standards on VAW. In addition, the project team promotes capacity building of CSO partners through regular capacity building activities on topics such as financial reporting, project planning and results-based management.
Recommendation: Programmatic recommendation. Capitalize and consolidate the best practices initiated through this UNJP and considering other successful interventions supported by different actors. Reflections need to take into account the approaches at the local level and CSOs, sharing good practices/approaches from the field and going beyond the higher-level achievements (ie strategy, legal changes etc). The dissemination of good practices will also serve to other municipalities
Management Response: Capitalizing on best practices and boosting champions among service providers has been successfully embraced throughout programme implementation and the UN Agencies will continue to do so in future programmatic work.
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Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Ending violence against women (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Knowledge management
Organizational Priorities: Not applicable
UNEG Criteria: Effectiveness, Gender equality, Sustainability
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
In the new joint programme foresee work with ‘champions’ of good practices at local level, foster exchanges and peer to peer networking UNDP, UN Women and UNFPA 2023/12 Completed The UN JP EVAW Phase II includes, as part of outcomes 2 (output 2.1) and 3 (output 3.2), awareness raising activities and engagement of actors at local level as well as exchanges and networking events amongst DV coordinators and other partners. During the first year of implementation, in the context of the 16 Days of Activism, in both 2022 and 2023, the UN Joint Programme offered opportunities to celebrate good practices and identify ‘champions’ at local and central level for individuals who effectively promote the fight to end violence against women. Dedicated networking activities carried out during the first year of implementation brought together local DV coordinators. The project also includes dedicated activities focused on exchanges in country and abroad, which will take place in Y2 and Y3 of implementation.
Recommendation: Programmatic intervention. Future interventions should explicitly include strategies targeting disadvantaged communities, minority groups and those living in rural/remote areas and strengthen efforts to reach out to them. This should be focused on strong knowledge on their specific circumstances feeding into the designing of tailored outputs fostering their resilience and empowerment through a human rights-based approach.
Management Response: Applying the principle of intersectionality and Leaving No One Behind, UN Agencies will continue to foster partnership with CSOs that represent disadvantaged communities, minority groups with a focus on the ones living in remote areas
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Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Ending violence against women (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Promoting inclusiveness/Leaving no one behind
Organizational Priorities: Operational activities
UNEG Criteria: Impact, Human Rights, Gender equality
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Future interventions, new joint programme or other programmatic initiatives to include work with CSOs representing R/E, PwDs, LGBTI persons to increase diversity and geographical coverage UNDP, UN Women 2023/12 Completed The UN JP has specific components explicitly targeting women experiencing multiple forms of marginalization and vulnerabilities (see outputs 1.3 and 2.2). A dedicated Call for Proposals on Intersectionality was launched in October 2023 by UN Women, to identify a CSO partner focusing on addressing VAW for women and girls historically belonging to marginalized groups such as LGBTI women, women with disabilities, rural women, migrant women to name a few. In addition, the Calls for Proposal issued by the project encouraged the inclusion of people experiencing multiple forms of discrimination, and responsible parties were also instructed to report disaggregated data by vulnerability categories. Across all UN JP Phase II components, there is a focus on reaching most vulnerable constituencies and responsible parties have been requested to report results disaggregated by such categories.
Recommendation: Programmatic intervention. Future capacity building actions need to integrate clear strategies for increased ownership, consolidation, and institutionalization of trainings, for example ensuring that the courses become part of regular capacity building courses provided to duty bearers. Activities should also consider including higher management levels in the training to support higher sustainability of results
Management Response: UN Agencies will continue to consolidate the established partnership with leading public education institutions and other duty bearers to develop certified trainings of public officials
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Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Ending violence against women (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: National ownership, Capacity development
Organizational Priorities: Operational activities
UNEG Criteria: Effectiveness, Gender equality, Sustainability
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Future interventions will include activities that boost further the partnership with ASPA, School of Magistrates, Academy of State Police in order to include in their training curricula, certified training modules on GBV related legislation UNDP, UN Women, UNFPA 2023/12 Completed The UN JP Phase II includes specific activities with ASPA, the School of Magistrates, and the ASP, as part of output 3.1. This activity has been initiated and an initial meeting was organized with the Academy of State Police on the revision of the curricula on gender based violence and policy on harassment and sexual harassment within ASP.
Recommendation: Programmatic intervention. Consider integrating capacity development to support local stakeholders addressing complex cases coming from marginal communities, including survivors with mental issues, and disabilities. Designing multidisciplinary trainings among relevant public institutions- combining dedicated trainings jointly with CRMs members could be beneficial supporting an integrated response and ensuring that roles of each actor are well understood. A similar approach can be applied for trainings targeting prosecutors and school of magistrates. Mentoring and trainings in the workplace were highlighted as effective approaches that could continue
Management Response: UN Agencies will continue to support to the municipalities, consolidate mentoring and diversify thematic multi sectorial trainings with CRM members
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Description:
Management Response Category: Partially Accepted
Thematic Area: Ending violence against women (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Capacity development
Organizational Priorities: Operational activities
UNEG Criteria: Gender equality, Effectiveness
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Future interventions to include activities on training and mentoring of CRM members on thematic issues aiming to strengthen the multisectoral approach and effective management of cases including women with disabilities UNDP 2023/12 Completed The UN JP Phase II includes several activities, especially under outcome 2 (output 2.1), that involve continued capacity building support in targeted municipalities for the CRMs, both by CSOs (UN Women) and by experts (UNDP), as well as targeted to health officials (UNFPA). These activities are being currently implemented and will continue in Y2 and Y3 of project implementation, with a stronger focus on addressing the capacities to handle cases of women with disabilities.
Future interventions will include activities on raising awareness among women with disabilities and from disadvantaged communities, about accessible mechanisms to report violence and accessible services. UN Women 2023/12 Completed All activities that will be conducted with the CRMs include an awareness-raising component and aim to target women living in rural areas and historically marginalized women and girls. For example, the work on socio-economic reintegration (output 2.2) includes specific activities on awareness raising for women living in rural areas on reporting on VAW. In addition, as part of output 1.3 on awareness raising, UN Women is engaging ADRF as a partner to develop and implement awareness raising campaigns for women belonging to traditionally marginalized communities, including on avenues for reporting VAW. This work will continue for the whole duration of the UN JP.
Recommendation: Programmatic intervention. Focusing on media. Local journalists are not likely to be included in trainings, but also, they are more likely to change mentalities. Mentorship could be supported for young and local journalists, encourage exchanging of experiences between local and national journalists and involve reporters from different sectors. Focusing on the editorial level and promoting female leadership, reporting standards and constructive journalism were identified as entry points to support media. Create an enabling environment that promotes a stronger role of the Albanian Media Authority to ensure best and minimum standards is also important.
Management Response: UN agencies have already begun to work with the media in the context of existing programmatic intervention and will continue to do so, strengthening further their outreach to the media and women journalist in particular and increase their capacities to act as change agents. In addition, UN agencies will work closely with the Albanian media Authority to ensure that the broadcasting code is gender responsive.
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Description:
Management Response Category: Partially Accepted
Thematic Area: Ending violence against women (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Capacity development
Organizational Priorities: Partnership
UNEG Criteria: Gender equality, Impact
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
In the context of new programmatic interventions, include initiatives to engage the media including organizing the media forum at least once per quarter to increase knowledge and awareness of journalists on gender-responsive media reporting and best practices, pending availability of sufficient funds UN Women 2023/12 Completed As part of the UN JP, there are dedicated activities with the media as part of outputs 1.2 and 1.3. A media forum was convened on 17-18 November 2023, ahead of the 16 days of Activism, which included dedicated sessions on the role of the media in reporting violence against women. This engagement was the third one organized this year by UN Women in the context of complementary efforts to increase media’s awareness in reporting violence against women in politics (May 2023) and on GRB (October 2023). These efforts will continue in Y2 and Y3 of implementation.
In future interventions, include, as part of the the 16 Days Campaign, outreach activities and work with media and PR companies to ensure airtime and coverage of the issue of VAW in Albania UNDP, UN Women and UNFPA 2023/12 Completed A dedicated UN JP Phase II output (output 1.3) is dedicated to awareness raising on VAW, including by increasing its visibility with the public. In Y1, during the 16 Days Campaign to End Violence Against Women, the media company A2CNN signed the Women Empowerment Principles and granted airtime to UN Women officials to increase visibility around the issue of VAW. In addition, all PUNOs made media appearances including through radio, TV broadcasts and others (UN Women: 5 media appearances in national radio, A2CNN, Report and Clan News). Engagement of non-traditional partners including the Tirana Football Club also increased VAW visibility during the campaign and reached non-traditional audiences.
In the context of new programming, include activities that will support the Albanian Audiovisual Agency to promote and monitor the revised Broadcasting Code for Audiovisual Media, which includes a special chapter on gender equality and non-discrimination, pending availability of sufficient funds UN Women 2023/12 Ongoing
Recommendation: Programmatic intervention. Gender indicators and data collection by different key institutions remains an important direction of work which requires further attention to support consolidation of data and information management systems that possibly speak to each other. There is a need for greater clarity on the prospects and possible interface between REVALB and NERSCS. The used indicators should be carefully reviewed with data requested by NERCS to avoid possible overlapping of data entry and keep in REVALB only the more specific data. REVALB data could also be better used to inform policymaking, including budgeting.
Management Response: UN Agencies will continue efforts to consolidate the support to strengthen gender disaggregated data using existing systems and support in complimenting these data for informed policy and decision-making processes.
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Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Ending violence against women (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Evidence, Data and statistics
Organizational Priorities: Operational activities
UNEG Criteria: Efficiency, Gender equality
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Organize a meeting with MoHSP representatives with the focus on the systematic use of REVALB by local and MoHSP users to ensure data can inform policies and decision-making processes UNDP 2023/12 Completed A dedicated session on REVALB was carried out for the MoHSP as well as coaching sessions on how to use the system for local coordinators.
Recommendation: Programmatic intervention. Further technical support is needed for the management of social services at the local level’s administrative units. Interventions could focus on fostering cooperation among public and non-public actors to provide services together as part of a consolidated network of local social services. While at the same time fostering intermunicipal cooperation and further consolidation of best practices. Wellbeing is an essential entry point for further support and dedicated work component. Working in DV there is a need for available and adequate psychosocial support and supervision for the professionals engaged both at the service delivery and management level. Resilience building activities should be integrated in future actions as a key element.
Management Response: UN Agencies will continue to consolidate work with and support to the public and non-public social care providers across municipalities
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Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Ending violence against women (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Capacity development, National ownership
Organizational Priorities: Operational activities
UNEG Criteria: Gender equality, Efficiency
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Support participation of social administrators in the capacity building of public and non-public service providers to the victims of GBV/DV at local level in coordination with other programmes working on social inclusion and protection UNDP 2023/12 Completed Social Administrators have been part of CRM activities and trainings in geographical areas that are most in need
In the context of the new JP, include activities that foster existing collaboration between CSOs which provide services to survivors of VAW and public service providers in selected municipalities and extend it on other areas of the country UN Women, UNDP 2023/12 Completed Opportunities for collaboration between CSOs and public service providers are planned as part of the regular operations of the UN JP, including through with joint meetings which already took place during the 16 Days Campaign, and joint training sessions. These efforts will continue for the whole duration of the UN JP as part of outputs 2.1 and 3.2
Recommendation: Programmatic intervention. UN agencies need to engage and possibly take the lead in facilitating a strategic conversation to determine the feasibility of an exit strategy in the medium and longer term, together with other development partners active in the area, setting common indicators of success, assessing budget allocations and the financial gap, as well as the efficiently and ownership level of CRMs and services established through their support. An open strategic discussion across the agencies is necessary, and particularly at the higher level, on the over reliability on international support and engage jointly to increase the government ownership and commitment. Future programming should ensure a better coordination with EU and national accession priorities.
Management Response: UN Agencies will approach exit strategy through encouraging ownership of responsible public institutions in creating strong base for medium- and long-term sustainability of interventions and by fostering stronger coordination with the EU Delegation in the country. However, based on the current country context, UN Agencies do not believe that a discussion around the development of an exit strategy is timely considering the multiple areas of support that have been requested by the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, including in the area of EVAW, to the international community including the UN Agencies implementing this Joint Programme. In addition, as highlighted in several reviews including the CEDAW Concluding Observations in 2016, the capacities of the national gender machinery remain limited from both financial and human resources perspective, which would hamper full ownership and handover of responsibilities to the national partners
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Description:
Management Response Category: Partially Accepted
Thematic Area: Ending violence against women (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: National ownership
Organizational Priorities: Partnership
UNEG Criteria: Sustainability, Gender equality
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
In the new JP, the Terms of Reference and Membership list of the Joint Project’s Steering Committee will include other relevant international partners, including representatives of the EU Delegation, and meetings will address importance of sustainability of programmatic interventions by strengthening ownership of responsible public authorities UNDP, UN Women, UNFPA 2023/12 Completed The UN JP Steering Committee includes a list of Observers including the EU Delegation, NHRIs and others that will be determined and invited based on the topic of discussion and in agreement with all PUNOs.
Future programmatic work on VAW will continue to create synergies and coordination with other relevant interventions. UN Women 2023/12 Completed All existing and planned work to address violence against women is complementary to the focus of other interventions by the PUNOs, such as the regional GRB project which includes costing of services for survivors of VAW (UN Women), the Leave No One Behind Joint Programme which aims to ensure access to public services and opportunities for all vulnerable persons, as well as promoting their participation in decision-making and promoting institutional accountability (all PUNOs); the regional UN Joint Programme Youth for Peace, Equality and Trust which promotes social cohesion, gender equality and enhanced trust, mutual understanding, and diversity amongst youth in Albania and in the region (all PUNOs); and the Sexual and Reproductive Health flagship intervention (UNFPA). In Y2 and Y3 of implementation, these efforts and synergies will continue to be strengthened.
Recommendation: Programmatic intervention. Addressing of all forms of violence beyond domestic violence. Review the current system to better plan the institutional mechanisms needed for effective prevention and addressing other forms of violence. Other mechanisms of sexual violence, early marriages, human trafficking in relation to early marriages and sexual exploitation as well as safe cities for ensuring basic standards across cities, are key priorities
Management Response: UN Agencies will focus their support to address in a holistic and comprehensive manner all forms of violence against women and girls in Albania, benefiting from the accumulated experience with the support provided in the DV area.
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Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Ending violence against women (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Oversight/governance
Organizational Priorities: Operational activities, Normative Support
UNEG Criteria: Gender equality, Relevance, Human Rights
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
In the future interventions, activities that would address other forms of violence against women and girls and GBV through improving normative framework and support services to victims of these forms of violence UNDP, UNFPA, UN Women 2023/12 Completed In the UN JP Phase II, a dedicated outcome (outcome 3) is dedicated to providing policy advice and support to improve the normative framework on VAW and more strongly align it with international standards, including by addressing all forms of violence against women (beyond domestic violence). In Y1, UN Women has strongly engaged in the review of the new Criminal Code of Albania and promoting the inclusion of all forms of violence against women as criminal offences, including digital violence and violence against women in politics. In addition, UNFPA has increased advocacy against harmful practices with a focus on gender-biased sex selection and child marriage. In addition, as part of the Calls for Proposals issued for the selection of implementing partners and responsible parties within UN JP outcome 2, CSOs and partners have committed to increase awareness about all forms of violence. These efforts will continue in Y2 and Y3 of implementation.
Organize a meeting with MoHSP representatives with a keen focus on further consolidation of LILIUM Center support services provided to sexual violence victims, outside family relations as well as discuss plans of the MoHSP for scaling up LILIUM Centers in other regions in the country UNDP 2023/12 Completed UNDP will continue support to the current centre and discussions are ongoing for potential scaling up in other centres in the country.
In the new joint programme include activities to scale up the good practices of establishing policy and procedures that safeguard women and men in the workplace in public and educational institutions from all forms of violence, harassment and sexual harassment UNDP, UN Women 2023/12 Completed UN JP EVAW Phase II includes dedicated activities under outcome 3 to increase awareness and address violence and harassment in the workplace, in line with ILO Convention 190. In Y1, UN Women had three meetings with partners in Tirana, Elbasan and Vlora to discuss safety of women in the workplace and accessing services on VAW. More activities focused specifically on violence and harassment in the workplace will be planned in Y2 and 3 of implementation.
As part of future interventions, include advocacy initiatives with relevant institutions on assessing the legal framework to include prevention and protection from all forms of gender-based violence, beyond domestic violence UNDP, UN Women 2023/12 Completed The UN JP Phase II includes dedicated activities under outcome 3 on ensuring that the legal and normative framework addresses all forms of violence. In 2023, a review of the new Criminal Code was conducted and a number of recommendations on the sections on EVAW were shared with the Ministry of Justice, including on the need to criminalize all forms of violence including violence against women in politics, digital violence, sexual violence/rape and others.
In the context of the new JP, include activities aiming to support to CSOs to strengthen their advocacy, monitoring role in addressing violence against women as well as and service provision to survivors of these forms of violence UN Women 2023/12 Completed The Project includes dedicated activities within outputs 1.1 and 3.1 aiming to strengthen the advocacy and monitoring role of the Monitoring Network Against Gender Based Violence, coordinated by CLCI. The Network has already produced two shadow reports in 2023, one on GREVIO and one on CEDAW, and was represented at the formal CEDAW session in Geneva.