Management Response

: Moldova
: 2012 - 2013 , Moldova (CO)
: MTE Joint (UNDP/UN Women) Integrated Local Development Programme in Moldova
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: Moldova
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MTE Joint (UNDP/UN Women) Integrated Local Development Programme in Moldova produced a number of recommendations for the entire JILDP, with some recommendations being only partially relevant to UN Women, and one recommendation was to UN Women. UN Women MTE management response provides information of applicability of JILDP MTE recommendations to UN Women and key actions UN Women undertakes to implement applicable recommendations.

: Approved
Recommendation: Evaluation Recommendation or Issue 1: Continue support in the area of policy, regulatory coherence, and sector strategies selectively. Implementing the decentralization strategy is the better way of service provision and there should be no going back now. The action plan to implement the decentralization strategy is relevant and should be implemented over a period of time. However, the project does not have the resources to support the government in all areas of the action plan. Neither does it have the resources to help the government implement the options that it puts forward for its consideration. To this end, the project should be very selective in its technical support for policy and strategy development. A number of key local service sectors should be selected and sectoral policy documents elaborated. Studies should be initiated only in correlation with the necessary institutional support and resources to implement the options/recommendations of the study.
Management Response: UN Women, as part of this Joint Programme will ensure gender-mainstreaming of the priority sector decentralization strategies ? such as education, social assistance, and health.
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Description:
Management Response Category:
Thematic Area: Governance and planning (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Not applicable
Organizational Priorities: Not applicable
UNEG Criteria: Efficiency, Sustainability
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
UN Women will ensure gender-mainstreaming of the sector decentralization strategies in the field of education, social assistance, health JILDP 2012/12 Completed Programme Document developed and signed (Activity 1.3 a) under Component 1 of the new phase ProDoc, with strong gender mainstreaming provisions
During the new phase of the Programme UN Women will ensure gender-mainstreaming of the sectoral decentralization strategies in the areas of education, social assistance, health, housing, communal services and public utilities. JILDP 2015/12 Completed gender-mainstreaming consultant for the sectors of education and social assistance worked with the line ministries. Gender and human rights mainstreamed in the draft sector decentralization strategy for education, which provisions later were included in the Code of Education, approved by the Parliament on 17 July 2014. Draft sectoral decentralization strategies in the areas of social assistance, health, housing, communal services and public utilities gender mainstreamed and submitted to the line ministries for approval.
Recommendation: Evaluation Recommendation or Issue 2: Critically provide support for fiscal decentralization for ensuring that the new strategy of giving responsibility to LPAs is supported by predictable resources. Fiscal decentralization is a critical area for priority implementation if the decentralization reform should have its intended effect and be sustainable. Providing power to municipalities without providing them the resources to carry out their new responsibilities only leads to apathy and frustration. The government must be encouraged through policy dialogue to speed up implementation of the fiscal decentralization despite obstacles of budget, law, etc. The government should also be given technical support in the implementation and monitoring of the fiscal decentralization. Five essential areas for fiscal decentralization are: i.) transparency, ii.) predictable and expanded funding directly to the 1st level of the LPAs, iii.) changing the policies to ensure that local governments? own revenue potential is fully utilized, iv.) changing the equalization system that dis-incentives local governments from generating more revenues, and v.) monitoring and evaluation of the fiscal decentralization, and vi) improving local government budgeting and financial management skills and practices to allow for accountable and efficient management of the new powers and resources. There is always doubt about the LPAs to budget and account to the finance ministry responsibly. However, if they are never allowed to manage their own finances independently, the LPAs will never learn.
Management Response: For the remainder of 2012 the programme will give the highest priority and will double its efforts in assisting the Moldovan government in finalizing the draft law on local public finance, introducing a new system of local public finance. For the new phase (2013-2015) the programme will ensure continued support to the government in the implementation of the new local public finance system, as a matter of high priority. During the programme new phase, UN Women will provide technical assistance on gender-responsive budgeting (GRB) to the Ministry of Finance (intergovernmental fiscal policies unit) and local public administration by elaborating a policy paper, developing a draft legal framework and building capacity of the Ministry of Finance and local public authorities on GRB implementation to assist central and local government to raise and spend public money with substantive equality between women and men
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Description:
Management Response Category:
Thematic Area: Governance and planning (SPs before 2018), Global norms and standards (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Capacity development
Organizational Priorities: UN Coordination
UNEG Criteria: Effectiveness, Sustainability, Relevance
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
UN Women will provide technical assistance on gender-responsive budgeting (GRB) to the Ministry of Finance (intergovernmental fiscal policies unit) and local public administration by elaborating a policy paper, developing a draft legal framework and building capacity of the Miinistry of Finance and local public authorities on GRB implementation to assist central and local government to raise and spend public money with substantive equality between women and men JILDP 2015/12 Overdue-Initiated ToR for national GRB consultant is being drafted
Recommendation: Evaluation Recommendation or Issue 3: Set up a governmental system to implement and monitor the decentralization strategy. Central government needs a strong capacity to manage the reform and adapt it to the changing conditions. To this end, the Parity Commission, the Decentralization Policies Division in the State Chancellery and the Ministry of Finance need targeted, substantive, and sustained support. Without empowered political oversight and monitoring, the newly approved decentralization strategy might lose its initial enthusiasm and implementation momentum. An option would be to use existing institutional mechanisms and create a partnership between the Parliamentary Committee on Decentralization and the Congress of Local Public Authorities of Moldova (CALM) for monitoring implementation of the decentralization process. As the country?s only unified local government association representing 500 LPAs, CALM has the ability to help the Parliamentary Committee collect information to assist in its oversight.
Management Response: During the remainder of 2012, the programme will ensure close coordination of efforts of the key partners ? Decentralization Policies Division of the State Chancellery, Special Parliamentary Commission on Decentralization and CALM ? aimed at establishing a system of effective monitoring of the decentralization reform. The new phase (2013-2015) of the programme will include specific interventions aimed at strengthening capacities of the above-mentioned partners, including technical assistance to CALM to ensure greater support to over half of Moldovan LPAs united within CALM, including to CALM Women?s Network. During the remainder of 2012 and the programme new phase, UN Women will keep the HRBA and GE focus high on the coordinated agenda, further deepening the understanding of these approaches among the coordination partners and will ensure inclusion of the Women?s Network in CALM, and development of its capacities.
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Description:
Management Response Category:
Thematic Area: Governance and planning (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Not applicable
Organizational Priorities: Not applicable, Culture of results/RBM
UNEG Criteria: Efficiency
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
UN Women will keep the HRBA and GE focus high on the coordinated agenda, further deepening the understanding of these approaches among the coordination partners JILDP 2012/12 Completed Regular joint meetings took place on a weekly basis
UN Women is to ensure inclusion of the Women?s Network in CALM, and development of its capacities JILDP 2012/12 Completed Activity 1.4 under Component 1 of the new ProDoc
UN Women will keep the HRBA and GE focus high on the coordinated agenda, further deepening the understanding of these approaches among the coordination partners JILDP 2015/12 Overdue-Initiated UN Women is providing technical assistance to CALM Women?s Network in developing its first Strategic Plan
Recommendation: Evaluation Recommendation or Issue 4: Support establishment of e-governance for LPAs The Government of Moldova has been working to promote e-governance and ICT platforms to ensure open government and greater engagement of citizens in government policies and establish a robust service delivery mechanism. Successful pilot has been created with the support of UN Women on establishing an e-governance system at the level of LPA. Such ongoing work should be linked to implement the newly approved decentralization policy and service deliver at the local level. E-government and open government can support decentralization by ensuring: ? Greater access of vulnerable groups and marginalised communities (men and women) to service delivery mechanisms. ? Improved capabilities of the duty bearers (supply side) in implementing policies on the ground and ensuring service delivery. ? Development of capacities of the rights holders, i.e., the poor and the marginalized, including people in need of social protection such as those with disabilities (PWD).
Management Response: The Programme Document for the new phase of the programme (2013-2015) will maintain its support in reflecting specific activities on developing e-governance tools in supporting the LPAs in the improvement of good governance and management in selected public services. UN Women will ensure that new phase of the programme will be developed and implemented with a specific focus on e-governance tools in supporting the LPAs in the improvement of good governance and management in selected public services, with a focus to public services with the highest gender-positive impact
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Description:
Management Response Category:
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Not applicable
Organizational Priorities: Not applicable
UNEG Criteria: Efficiency
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Develop the new phase of the Programme with a specific focus on e-governance tools in supporting the LPAs in the improvement of good governance and management in selected public services, with a focus to public services with the highest gender-positive impact (to be ensured by UN Women) JILDP 2012/01 Completed
Recommendation: Evaluation Recommendation or Issue 5: Pilot inter-municipal cooperation projects and show the way forward for consolidation of LPAs. Thanks to initial work conducted already under JILDP, inter-municipal cooperation is appreciated as a tool for improving efficiency and effectiveness of service delivery. The current legislation allows for pilots of several forms of inter-municipal cooperation for various priority sectors (e.g. education, social protection, energy efficiency, water, and solid waste). UNDP has considerable experience in the region in supporting implementation of IMC (Macedonia, Montenegro, Ukraine). As there is so much work to be done, other development partners can be involved and this work should be coordinated. A good start is the joint conference organized by GIZ (Modernization of Local Public Service in the Republic of Moldova), USAID (Local Government Support Program) and UNDP/UN Women (JILDP). Community projects should also be introduced through inter-municipal cooperation project. The criteria and logic of clustering communities for inter-municipal projects should be well thought through before any action is taken.
Management Response: During the 2010-2012 phase the program will finalize its first successful inter-municipal cooperation pilot project in Telenesti. For the new phase (2013-2015), the program incorporate into the new Program Document a dedicated component focusing on inter-municipal cooperation.
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Description:
Management Response Category:
Thematic Area: Governance and planning (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Not applicable
Organizational Priorities: UN Coordination
UNEG Criteria: Effectiveness
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Develop the new phase of the , with UN Women ensuring gender-mainstreaming of the Programme?s inter-municipal cooperation interventions JILDP 2012/12 Completed Activity 2.2, c-d) under Component 2 of the new phase Programme Document HRBA and gender briefing is ongoing
Recommendation: Evaluation Recommendation or Issue 6: Using lessons learnt from existing approaches and models, develop a model of vulnerability approach to community projects that can be easily scalable and replicable for the next phase of the project. The project should continue to deepen understanding of how social exclusion and vulnerability influences local planning and development processes in line with its current direction. It is incumbent on the project to recognize and learn from the differences in the three models of community empowerment piloted by JILDP. All of the models had merit and sound theoretical backing; all sought to integrate gender and human rights principles; and all followed understandable reasoning given the local context and constraints inherent in the project design. While the ?intensive? approach yielded better results in transforming communities and facilitating meaningful participation of vulnerable groups, the ?streamlined? and ?Transnistrian? approaches also developed local capacities to take into account gender and human rights in community processes. Models utilized different funding modalities, and required different investments in terms of time and human resources, offering valuable comparative data that should be fully analyzed at the close of the project cycle. The next phase of the project must bring together different funding and management modalities that draw on the collective JILDP pilot experiences to assemble a single methodological framework for inclusive community empowerment.
Management Response: During its final stage of the current phase (2010-2012), the programme will undertake an analysis of the programme?s interventions on community mobilization and empowerment of women and vulnerable groups, with the view of identifying lessons learned and drawing on the collective pilot experiences to assemble a single methodological framework. The findings of this analysis will be conceptualized in the updated Community Mobilization for Empowerment Guide and the refined approach will become as the basis for the new phase of the programme
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Description:
Management Response Category:
Thematic Area: Governance and planning (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Capacity development
Organizational Priorities: Operational activities, Not applicable
UNEG Criteria: Sustainability
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
UN Women to undertake an analysis of the programme?s interventions in community mobilization and empowerment of women and vulnerable groups JILDP 2012/12 Completed An analysis was carried out during the final stage of the past programme?s phase under facilitation and guidance of an international consultant, hired by UN Women. The findings of this analysis were conceptualized in the updated Community Mobilization for Empowerment Guide.
Develop a project document for the new phase, taking into account the findings of the above-mentioned analysis (UN Women to take an active part in the process) JILDP 2012/12 Completed The refined approach on community mobilization and empowerment of the vulnerable, including women serves as the basis of the new phase of the programme The refined approach stays at the heart of new community facilitation ToRs, under which local consultant(s)has been hired and started its work.
UN Women to take a lead in ensuring empowerment of women and vulnerable groups within the Programme implementation) JILDP 2015/12 Overdue-Initiated The new phase of the programme was initiated that applies a single approach to community mobilization and empowerment of women and vulnerable groups, drawing upon the best practices and lessons learnt from the previous phase; national consultants hired by JILDP (UNDP and UN Women) and started the work on community mobilization and empowerment of women and vulnerable groups
Recommendation: Evaluation Recommendation or Issue 7: Consolidate gender and HRBA models and concepts and incorporate it into all components of the next phase of the project. The project stands out in many ways because of the central attention given to operationalizing gender mainstreaming and HRBA. The tools and system generated by the project on gender and HRBA are innovative and instructional. The project should consolidate all efforts and models in gender mainstreaming and HRBA and design easy to implement models (for scalability and ease to replicate). The JLDP and its key partners the Government, UNDP, UN WOMEN have demonstrated that better results can be achieved by incorporating gender and HRBA at all levels and all activities of a decentralization strategy.
Management Response: The approaches and instrument of HRBA, gender mainstreaming and women empowerment will be placed at the heart of the new programme phase, ensuring that these instruments and approaches are framed across all programme?s levels and interventions.
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Description:
Management Response Category:
Thematic Area: Governance and planning (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Capacity development
Organizational Priorities: Operational activities, UN Coordination, Normative Support
UNEG Criteria: Sustainability, Human Rights, Gender equality
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Develop a new phase of the Programme incorporating gender and HRBA at all levels and in all activities (UN Women to take the lead) JILDP 2012/12 Completed Intensive gender mainstreaming initiated including recruitment of a national consultant on gender mainstreaming and a range of internal programme trainings held on HRBA, gender mainstreaming and women?s empowerment