Management Response

: Regional Office for Arab States (Egypt)
: 2025 - 2025 , Regional Office for Arab States (Egypt) (RO)
: ROAS SN Evaluation
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Regional Office for Arab States (Egypt)

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The management overall agrees with the recommendations and has developed a detailed action plan to address the recommendations.
: Approved
Recommendation: Refine ROAS’ strategic direction by ensuring that the Strategic Note adequately reflects the subregional contextual realities, particularly the distinct contexts of countries affected by conflict, guided by the new Strategic Plan; and by fostering cross-thematic collaboration and planning mechanisms to maximize impact
Management Response: ROAS management agrees with the recommendation and recognizes the need to sharpen strategic positioning to reflect the diverse and evolving realities across the Arab States region. The new Strategic Note (2026-2029) has been strengthened to ensure clearer alignment with the new Strategic Plan and to better capture the differentiated needs of countries affected by protracted crises, sudden-onset conflicts, and climate-related vulnerabilities. At the same time, ROAS is committed to enhancing cross-thematic coherence and collaboration to maximize programmatic impact and reinforce its leadership across normative, coordination, and operational mandates.
More detail
Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Alignment with strategy
Organizational Priorities: Not applicable
UNEG Criteria: Relevance
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Through its new SN, ROAS has established three clear regional priorities across normative, coordination, and operational domains that reflect subregional diversity, including fragile and conflict-affected settings, protracted humanitarian crises, and emerging climate-related risks. This prioritization will guide resource allocation and partnership engagement. ROAS Senior Management, ROAS Strategic Planning Unit, ROAS Technical/ Programme Units 2025/12 Completed
Through the implementation of the new SN (2026-29), ROAS has articulated its distinct value addition within the humanitarian architecture, building on its work to date and leveraging UN Women’s role in the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC). This includes in 2026 the roll-out of a region/multi country project in Iraq and support to Gaza/oPt. ROAS Humanitarian Action Unit 2027/12 Initiated
ROAS will identify its role in the CF in KSA in 2026 and continue as an NRA in Kuwait and Bahrain. ROAS will build on the GCC Strategy under development at HQ level, to integrate it into the Regional Partnerships and RM Strategy. The integration of the GCC Strategy component will help clarify the subregional vision and priorities, ensuring alignment and complementarity with the UAE-based Liaison Office and strengthening engagement with regional institutions and partners. Strategic Partnerships Unit, Coordination unit 2026/12 Initiated
Under the new Regional SN, ROAS has strengthened structured collaboration across thematic portfolios to enhance coherence and impact. This will be materialized throughout the SN Implementation, with focus on integration of WPS-HA approaches and WEE/social norms pillars. ROAS Strategic Planning Unit, 2027/05 Initiated
Under the new Strategic Note, ROAS has consolidated the Ending Violence Against Women (EVAW) portfolio to enhance strategic focus ROAS Strategic Planning Unit, EVAW Unit 2025/12 Completed
Recommendation: Consolidate strategic partnerships and coalition-building approaches. ROAS should consolidate its strategic partnership portfolio and deepen inclusive collaboration with CSOs, grassroots movements and women-led organizations, while simultaneously strengthening coordination with other UN entities at the regional level to catalyse collective action.
Management Response: ROAS management agrees with the recommendation and acknowledges that strengthened, more structured partnerships are essential to advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment across the Arab States region. Through the development of a Regional Partnerships and RM Strategy, the Regional Office will refine its partnership approach to deepen engagement with civil society, grassroots movements, youth-led and women-led organizations, while reinforcing UN system coordination to promote collective advocacy, normative implementation, and joint action.
More detail
Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Not applicable
Organizational Priorities: Partnership
UNEG Criteria: Effectiveness
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Establish a strategic partnerships focal person and regional approach Regional Strategic Partnerships Unit, Technical/Programme Units 2027/12 Initiated
ROAS will leverage the Gender Equality Acceleration Plan as a platform to revitalize and strengthen UN system-wide collaboration, fostering joint programming, shared accountability, and coordinated advocacy to accelerate progress on gender equality. ROAS Coordination Unit, 2027/12 Initiated
Recommendation: Strengthen operational efficiency and effectiveness. To improve regional support functions, ROAS should reinforce systems in results-based management, knowledge management and conduct a functional analysis to ensure its structure is “fit for purpose.”
Management Response: ROAS management agrees with the recommendation and recognizes that strengthening internal systems and organizational alignment is essential to delivering high-quality, results-oriented support across the Arab States region. The Regional Office will undertake a functional review and reinforce results-based management (RBM), knowledge management (KM), and data systems to ensure that its structure, capacities, and processes are aligned with the priorities of the new Strategic Note and enable evidence-based programming and accountability.
More detail
Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Alignment with strategy, Oversight/governance, Internal coordination and communication
Organizational Priorities: Not applicable
UNEG Criteria: Efficiency
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
ROAS will conduct a functional review to assess whether its organizational structure, roles, and workflows are fit for function and aligned with Strategic Note priorities. Human Resources and Operations 2026/12 Initiated
ROAS will address RBM capacity gaps through regular training and practical guidance on results-based planning, monitoring, and reporting. Dedicated monitoring, reporting, and evaluation focal points will be designated across thematic portfolios to strengthen technical quality, consistency, and accountability. A quality assessment of COs donor report will be conducted in Q2 to potentially revise the current Delegations of Authority. Strategic Planning Unit, Data & Results Team, Technical Leads 2027/12 Initiated
ROAS will develop a regional strategy and roadmap for the Gender Data and Statistics portfolio strengthen programme implementation coherence and monitoring Data & Results Team 2027/12 Initiated
ROAS will ensure that all programmes, particularly large-scale regional initiatives, include clear, time-bound targets and robust monitoring systems. Data & Results Team, Technical Leads, Strategic Planning Unit 2027/12 Initiated
Recommendation: Integrate disability inclusion and leave no one behind across all phases of programme management. ROAS should integrate disability inclusion and leave no one behind across all phases of programme management and clarify its intersectional approach.
Management Response: The SN 2026 has been developed with more clarity on the LNOB principle and its implementation. ROAS will strengthen internal capacities, systems, and accountability mechanisms to ensure inclusive programme design, implementation, monitoring, and reporting.
More detail
Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: National ownership
Organizational Priorities: Not applicable
UNEG Criteria: Human Rights, Gender equality
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
ROAS will integrate disability inclusion at all stages of the programme cycle in alignment with UN Women’s commitments under the UN Disability Inclusion Strategy and the Enability Audit DI focal point 2027/12 Initiated
ROAS will strengthen the systematic collection and use of disaggregated of DI data in its montiroting system Data & Results Team 2027/12 Initiated
ROAS will build internal capacity and a shared understanding of intersectionality to support LNOB and disability inclusion. This includes training and guidance for regional and country-level staff, strengthening the role of LNOB and disability focal points, and institutionalizing periodic LNOB audits to assess inclusivity and identify gaps for corrective action. ROAS Technical Leads 2026/12 Not Initiated