Management Response

: Independent Evaluation Service (IES)
: 2022 - 2023 , Independent Evaluation Service (IES) (EO)
: Evaluation of Engagement with Civil Society in the Americas and Caribbean
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: Independent Evaluation Service (IES)
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Response from UN Women Americas and the Caribbean Regional Office (ACRO) and Civil Society Division (CSD): In line with UN Women’s 2022-2025 Strategic Plan and Regional Strategic Note, the work with civil society organizations (CSOs) is crucial in implementing UN Women’s triple mandate. UN Women Regional Office for Americas and the Caribbean (ACRO) has a strong and long-term commitment to the engagement with civil society organizations and the support to the participation of diverse civil society representatives on international conferences and fora. The evaluation covers the period from 2018 to 2023, which were critical years for UN Women to support CSOs in a context of pushbacks for women rights and COVID-19 emergency. During the period under revision on this evaluation, ACRO was committed to CSOs in the region by supporting their participation on strategic dialogues and spaces, providing grants to their institutional strengthening, partnering with them on programmatic initiatives and strengthening dialogue spaces and alliances. The role played by CSOs, especially the feminist and women ones, in advancing and defending women’s rights in Latin America and the Caribbean is complementary to the initiatives undertaken by UN Women at the country and regional level. In this regard, cooperation with civil society organizations is inherent to UN Women’s nature and part of its identity, and this cooperation is implemented through a variety of modalities such as implementation agreements, support for their participation at regional and international forums, creation and maintenance of multistakeholder coalitions, regular meetings and Civil Society Advisory Groups (CSAGs). In recent years, political polarization in many countries and the advance of anti-rights groups is making the work of civil society organizations, especially feminist and women's organizations, more difficult. This makes it necessary for UN Women to review its methods of working with and supporting civil society organizations to ensure that this support is as strategic as possible. To this end, UN Women’s has carried out an evaluation that will allow it to enhance accountability, support learning and guide organizational decision making. The findings and recommendations of the evaluation will support UN Women ACRO to strengthen its engagement with civil society organizations and to focus its portfolio on initiatives with added value and greater potential of impact based on the following key evaluation conclusions: the strength of UN Women’s partnership with feminist and women’s organizations in the Americas and Caribbean region has been and will continue to be the bedrock for effectively achieving its mission of gender equality and women’s empowerment; UN Women used engagement modalities for its partnerships with civil society organizations in a complementary manner across its integrated triple mandate to achieve policy results; UN Women effectively reached the CSO representatives of priority groups facing greater discrimination and vulnerability through agreements and other forms of engagement agenda-setting and network-building; the policy and procedures for managing UN Women’s formal partnerships with CSOs hindered the Entity’s efficiency and broader reach to civil society; and UN Women’s role in convening civil society with other actors produced notable achievements through conferences, movements and normative processes linked to the regional gender agenda in the Americas and Caribbean. In partnership with HQ Civil Society Division & Policy, Programme and Intergovernmental Division, UN Women ACRO aims to address the issues raised by these conclusions and the evaluation recommendations by proposing a management response with objective, feasible and focused actions, taking advantage of the lessons learned and the smart practices identified on this evaluation and other analogue assessments. Response from the UN Women Policy, Programme and Intergovernmental Division (PPID): UN Women acknowledges the extensive process and insights arising from the evaluation, in particular the usefulness of the policies, procedures, and systems that UN - Women has prioritized and put in place in the recent years to enhance partnerships with the Civil Society and have resulted in expansion of partnerships with Civil Society organisations. A key lesson learnt is the challenge of formulating corporate recommendations based on an evaluation of one region. UN Women notes the need for standardized use of the existing frameworks, noting that in ACRO this will need to be strengthened. UN Women has been doing a continuous improvement approach, including ongoing work to review and enhance further the existing partnership and collaboration procedures and mechanisms.

: Approved
Recommendation: RECOMMENDATION 1 UN Women should produce a suite of internal guidance and tools for UN Women offices to support civil society engagement in common areas of challenge and opportunity
Management Response: The development of internal guidance documents and tools will be done taken advantage of the existing guidelines and in coordination with HQ and COs to promote ownership.
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Description: UN Women should produce a suite of internal guidance and tools for UN Women offices to support civil society engagement in common areas of challenge and opportunity
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Leadership and participation in governance systems (SP 2018-2021)
Operating Principles: National ownership, Capacity development, Knowledge management
Organizational Priorities: Partnership, Culture of results/RBM, Organizational efficiency
UNEG Criteria: Relevance, Sustainability, Coherence
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Strengthening the UN Women regional Community of Practice working with CSOs ACRO 2024/05 Not Initiated N/A
Convene a meeting with HQ and COs colleagues to share ideas on how to respond to anti-rights agendas and to promote exchanges on comprehensive civil society complementary partnership strategies while ensuring that existing tools and the needs of each space are taken into account. ACRO with inputs from HQ and COs 2024/05 Not Initiated RO will identify potential participants at HQ and COs and will oversee the overall organization and systematization of the results.
Develop an internal guidance document to facilitate engagement with CSOs, especially feminist and women organizations, in which good practices, resourcing opportunities, measurement tools and communication strategies could be identified, described and systematized for replication. ACRO 2024/09 Not Initiated Considering the workload of the RO, consider the need to hire a specialized consultancy to develop this action.
Validate the internal guidance with RO's CSAG, HQ and COs ACRO 2024/10 Not Initiated RO will convene the validation of the guidance and consultant will be responsible for incorporating inputs into the document.
Convene a meeting with HQ and COs colleagues to share the internal guidance and agree on its implementation measures ACRO 2024/11 Not Initiated N/A
Recommendation: RECOMMENDATION 2 UN Women should consolidate the technical assistance provided for civil society’s use in areas of joint advocacy, agenda-setting, research and communications.
Management Response: The Regional Office will take measures to reinforce the work it has been carrying out to promote substantive participation in global and regional advocacy spaces, promote the development and sharing of knowledge products and the coordination of communication campaigns and other specialized communication tools, among others.
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Description: UN Women should consolidate the technical assistance provided for civil society’s use in areas of joint advocacy, agenda-setting, research and communications.
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Leadership and participation in governance systems (SP 2018-2021)
Operating Principles: Capacity development, Advocacy
Organizational Priorities: Normative Support, Partnership, Culture of results/RBM
UNEG Criteria: Sustainability, Relevance, Effectiveness
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Continue to support representatives of feminist and women's organizations to facilitate their substantive participation in global and regional advocacy spaces. ACRO 2024/03 Ongoing Support to CSOs representatives to facilitate their participation in global (CSW) and regional (new CEDAW GR 40 regional consultation) is already underway.
Reinforce the work already being done for the development of knowledge products with civil society organizations, especially feminist and women's organizations, with focus on data analysis, research, awareness-raising and evidence-based advocacy, especially in the following areas: concerning care, indigenous women and women’s rights defenders, and emerging issues such as violence against women involved in politics and climate change activism. ACRO 2024/03 Ongoing Current RO's PAs with CSOs include a strong component on the development of knowledge products. New PAs with CSOs could be signed if resources are identified.
Implement methods of consultation with regional or national CSAGs, as appropriate, on the most important communication campaigns, especially March 8 and November 25. ACRO and COs 2024/03 Ongoing ROs is already engaged with regional CSAG members to seek their advice and inputs on communication matters and to support their participation at CSW. This initiative will be shared with COs to promote their engagement.
Strengthen the dissemination of knowledge and communication products in different formats among feminist and women's organizations as an effective way to promote capacity building, ACRO 2024/05 Not Initiated RO will coordinate with the communications team to guarantee alignment with corporative strategy.
Creation of a regional strategy for the establishment and management of CSO alliances and multi-stakeholder coalitions with a long-term perspective and a strategy on management of partners expectative in the framework of the midterm review of the RO's Strategic Note. ACRO 2024/11 Not Initiated Considering the workload of the RO, consider the need to hire a specialized consultancy to develop this action, which could be the same consultancy mentioned on Recommendation 1.
Recommendation: RECOMMENDATION 3 UN Women should deepen its focus on priority groups facing greater discrimination and vulnerability through all engagement modalities with civil society by strengthening its intersectional approach.
Management Response: The Regional Office maintains a sustained and long-term commitment to promote better inclusion of women in all their diversity, especially rural, indigenous, Afro-descendant and disabled women, among others. To this end, concrete steps have been taken in recent years to focus support for regional networks and the inclusion of women who face greater discrimination and vulnerability in intergovernmental forums and regional agreements. Special attention will be paid to strengthening this approach in conjunction with HQ and the COs, and in permanent consultation with the networks and organizations of the region and the members of the CSAGs.
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Description: UN Women should deepen its focus on priority groups facing greater discrimination and vulnerability through all engagement modalities with civil society by strengthening its intersectional approach.
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Leadership and participation in governance systems (SP 2018-2021)
Operating Principles: Promoting inclusiveness/Leaving no one behind, National ownership
Organizational Priorities: Partnership, Culture of results/RBM
UNEG Criteria: Effectiveness, Efficiency, Sustainability
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Strengthen the support provided to regional networks and organizations that represent women in all their diversity, especially rural, indigenous, Afro-descendant, LGBTQIA+ and disabled women, among others. ACRO 2024/03 Ongoing Contacts are currently being maintained with the main regional networks working with women in all their diversity to focus the support provided by UN Women. Considering availability of resources, this support could be strengthened.
Strengthen the inclusion of the intersectional perspective as a quality criterion throughout the project and program cycle in all its phases, as well on UN Women calls for proposals, CSAG member selection and other competitive processes. ACRO 2024/03 Ongoing A compilation of available internal guidelines will be made to strengthen these approaches with the program teams.
Facilitate internal learning and reflection sessions with specialized actors to explore different strategic and programmatic approaches to improve the inclusion of women in all their diversity, especially rural, indigenous, Afro-descendant, LGBTQIA+ and disabled women, among others. ACRO 2024/05 Not Initiated A program of internal training sessions will be proposed inviting both UN Women experts and external persons, as relevant.
Take concrete actions to promote the inclusion of women in all their diversity, especially rural, indigenous, Afro-descendant, LGBTQIA+ and disabled women, among others, in calls for proposals, selection of CSAG members and other competitive processes. ACRO 2024/03 Ongoing This is an ongoing initiative, although it will be reviewed and strengthened to ensure better targeting.
Recommendation: RECOMMENDATION 4 UN Women should enhance the corporate policy framework and systems for partnerships with civil society to increase the efficiency, accessibility and reach of its partnerships.
Management Response: UN Women has undertaken significant steps to introduce and provide policy frameworks and procedures for partnerships with civil society partners that have been catalytic in significantly increasing the breadth of CSO partnership base in ACRO and across the regions and HQ. UN Women has undertaken a continuous review of the frameworks to increase further the efficiency, accessibility and reach of partnerships but has been hindered by the prior corporate risk appetite of the organization in this regard.
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Description: UN Women should enhance the corporate policy framework and systems for partnerships with civil society to increase the efficiency, accessibility and reach of its partnerships.
Management Response Category: Partially Accepted
Thematic Area: Leadership and participation in governance systems (SP 2018-2021)
Operating Principles: National ownership, Capacity development
Organizational Priorities: Partnership, Culture of results/RBM
UNEG Criteria: Sustainability, Human Rights, Gender equality, Efficiency, Relevance
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
1. Support Americas and Caribbean Regional Office in strengthening the communication and implementation of the existing CSO partnership frameworks for appropriate and effective implementation by the Region. PSMU to provide additional support to the ACR region to capacitate the Region to be able to undertake the appropriate orientation for their various countries and orientation to their CSO partners following already provided training and orientation by PSMU to all Regions and HQ 2024/08 Not Initiated Extensive orientation provided on launch of policies, procedures and systems, including monthly learning cafés have been undertaken for the Regions and HQ. Additional support to ACR region to further capacitate the RO to undertake appropriate orientation of the offices and partners in the region.
2. Review key thresholds of the small grants policy with a view to enhance accessibility, including potentially related to the minimum period of an organization’s legal status, the maximum total eligible funding and other relevant changes to policy criteria PSMU 2024/12 Initiated PSMU has initiated this process through survey from Regions and HQ on their experiences in use of small grants and has incorporated the experiences. This is to be finalized as part of the finalization of the over-arching granting procedure.
3. Simplify reporting requirements by reducing the frequency and by streamlining processes, where allowed by corporate policies and procedures PSMU 2024/12 Initiated This is subject to the endorsement of internal approval mechanisms based on the risk tolerance and risk appetites.
4. Support acceleration of the use of the UN Partner Portal in the region for enhanced uptake that will help achieve economies of scale for UN Women and partners PSMU 2024/10 Initiated PSMU has initiated processes for accelerating the use of the UN Partner Portal across the organization and will provide additional support to the ACR region
5. Further enhance the accessibility and inclusion of youth and emerging CSOs to partnership opportunities in conjunction with participatory spaces PSMU 2024/10 Not Initiated UN Women definition of CSOs already has inclusion of youth however, PSMU will revise CSO partnership collaboration procedures to further enhance the accessibility and inclusion of youth . UNW procedures for CSO partnership collaboration already provide for inclusion of emerging CSOs through small grants and sub-granting mechanisms
6. Enhance existing partner management tools, systems for tracking partnership management processes, by considering a partner interface and enhancing the current partner management dashboards PSMU 2024/10 Initiated PSMU has already commenced benchmarking with other UN Entities to embed partner interface to our Partnership management system and is in the process of evaluating enhancement to the current partner management system dashboards.
Recommendation: RECOMMENDATION 5 UN Women should reinvigorate movement-building, participatory spaces and alliances to forge greater linkages between networks of feminist and women-led organizations at country and regional levels, including by leveraging guidance on CSAGs.
Management Response: Since 2020, the RO has implemented concrete initiatives to strengthen the relationship with feminist and women's organizations throughout the region, such as the convening of regular open meetings with senior management, support for their participation in intergovernmental forums or the renewal of the CSAG at the regional and country levels. These measures will be strengthened to reaffirm the RO’s engagement with CSOs, as well as UN Women will foster the exchange of experiences and smart practices between diverse offices and units, also strengthen guidance on how to have a stronger and qualified civil society participation.
More detail
Description: UN Women should reinvigorate movement-building, participatory spaces and alliances to forge greater linkages between networks of feminist and women-led organizations at country and regional levels, including by leveraging guidance on CSAGs.
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Leadership and participation in governance systems (SP 2018-2021)
Operating Principles: Alignment with strategy, National ownership, Internal coordination and communication
Organizational Priorities: Partnership, Normative Support, UN Coordination
UNEG Criteria: Relevance, Effectiveness, Sustainability
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Promote exchange within the regional UN Women's Community of Practice working with CSOs on CSAGs management. ACRO in coordination with COs 2024/04 Overdue-Not Initiated N/A
Facilitate virtual meetings between the CSAGs of the RO and the COs to promote good practices and the exchange of experiences. ACRO in coordination with COs 2024/06 Not Initiated N/A
Facilitate virtual meetings between the CSAGs in other regions and countries to amplify the good practices and exchange of experiences, including of the CSAG case study carried out by the Evaluation team. CSD in coordination with RO 2024/09 Not Initiated N/A
Continue regular open meetings with feminist and women's organizations that includes political meetings, with the ROs senior management, and technical meetings with ROs and specialists from the Regional Office and/or COs ACRO 2024/03 Overdue-Not Initiated N/A
Provide guidance and support on the amplification of multistakeholder partnerships best practices and experiences towards a strengthened political engagement strategy with feminist intergenerational civil society, including women’s rights groups. Civil Society Division 2024/09 Not Initiated N/A