Management Response

: Independent Evaluation Service (IES)
: 2014 - 2015 , Independent Evaluation Service (IES) (EO)
: Evaluation of UN Women's Normative Support Work and its Operational Linkages
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Independent Evaluation Service (IES)

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(Summary from official response submitted to OIOS). UN Women will make use of the findings and recommendations of this evaluation, including in the context of the Mid Term Review of its current Strategic Plan. UN Women notes that strengthening the linkages between normative and operational work is constrained by the persistent significant under funding of the Entity. Some of the recommendations contained in the report are not resource neutral and UN Women’s ability to fully comply with them depends – at least in part - on the future increase of available resources. Without undermining further scope for improvement, UN Women is of the view that collaboration and coordination between HQ and the field is overall effective and robust. The 2014 reporting process for field offices has raised the bar considerably in terms of how the organization systematically tracks the links between normative and operational work – and in particular how support to the implementation of norms and standards is done at field level. This includes the finalization and roll out of a new results management system for the organization. UN Women has contributed to the increased visibility and awareness of gender issues in the global policy arena. This success is due to UN Women’s investment in substantive and technical expertise, knowledge bases, sustained advocacy efforts, extensive alliance and partnership building and proactive outreach efforts among all stakeholders, which, in turn, led to more systematic global attention to GEWE. UN Women notes that the corporate strategy on the implementation of its system wide and Inter Agency coordination mandates is central to strengthening its overall direction and capacity to fully capitalize on partnerships with UN organizations.

: Approved
Recommendation: In the context of the mid-term review of its strategic plan in 2016, UN-Women should define how it will address key issues within its six impact areas. Specifically, UN-Women should develop theories of change which represent a visual roadmap conveying what UN-Women aims to achieve and how it intends to achieve it at global, regional and country level. These will represent an overarching and organic framework for action, based on country needs and global norms and will be reflected in country strategic notes. Indicators of Achievement: Description of how key issues will be addressed, with accompanying theories of change
Management Response: UN Women agrees with recommendation 1:The midterm review (MTR) of the UN Women Strategic Plan 2014-2017 will reflect agreements on the new development agenda and the outcomes of the 20 year review of implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action. The MTR will also present an overview of major results achieved, as well as those from across evaluations, including this one. An internal reference group will be established to ensure engagement and involvement across the organization (including the field offices) in the review process. The MTR will also benefit from and be informed by the discussions and deliberations on the UN fitness-for-purpose and the ECOSOC Dialogue on the longer term positioning of the UN Development System. In addition, the MTR will greatly benefit from the new results management system that UN Women developed and rolled out for the preparation of its annual report on the implementation of the Strategic Plan. The new reporting process and system for field offices has considerably enhanced the capacity of the organization to systematically track the links between normative and operational work – and in particular how norms and standards are pursued and implemented at field level. As part of the MTR process, UN-Women will review and analyze performance information from the system and from other sources such as evaluations to rigorously interrogate the implicit theory of change that is reflected primarily in the development results framework of the Strategic Plan, and to support the development of a more explicit theory and strategy in relation to the organization’s main areas of focus.
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Description:
Management Response Category:
Thematic Area: Governance and planning (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Internal coordination and communication, Not applicable
Organizational Priorities: Partnership
UNEG Criteria: Effectiveness
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Training module designed on developing a theory of change for UN-Women’s work. Planning and Programme Guidance Unit 2015/10 Completed This was completed in 2015 and distributed to all offices.
Further enhancement of the UN-Women results management system to enable more rigorous analysis of programme effectiveness. Planning and Programme Guidance Unit 2015/12 Completed All three main pillars of the results management system have now been completed (planning, monitoring and reporting) and the RMS is now a powerful tool for managing and measuring the effectiveness of UN Women's programming work. We will nonetheless continue to add more modules and features in 2016 and 2017.
Development of a more explicit theory of change in relation to UN-Women’s main areas of work Policy Division 2016/06 Completed In Q4 of 2015 UN Women developed 12 Flagship Programming Initiatives. The FPIs are all closely aligned with the entity’s SP and are all designed around a theory of change.
Recommendation: UN-Women should further enhance the synergies between its two subprogrammes by making linkages between them more systematic, regular, and – where appropriate – formal. This should build upon good practices and lessons learned from existing mechanisms in order to further strengthen communication and coordination between Subprogramme 1 and Subprogramme 2 in all phases of normative support work. Indicator of Achievement: More systematic and regular linkages between the two subprogrammes
Management Response: UN Women agrees with recommendation 2: Every organization makes decisions with regard to how to structure itself and its programmes internally to deliver on its mandate, and every organization subsequently strives to strike a balance between clear lines of accountability and maximizing collaborative and cross-divisional effectiveness. UN-Women is like other organizations in this regard and has worked consciously and consistently since its foundation to maximize the potential of its mandate and staff members and to build synergies across its programmes. To that end it is noted that several action have already been undertaken or are currently underway to address this recommendation. For example, a working group on the post 2015 development agenda and Financing for Development has been coordinating internal work and strategizing the engagement with external partners (including member states, UN entities and civil society). The working group specifically brings together all relevant divisions in both sub-programmes in HQ, as well as all regional offices. In addition, preparations for major initiatives, such as the annual session of the Commission on the Status of Women, are undertaken through a number of formal cross-divisional working groups, including a Steering Committee bringing together all divisions in both sub-programmes. UN Women has also taken steps to formalize the planning process for Senior Management Team meetings, including maintaining proper records and sharing key outcomes with all staff, including through Town Hall meetings and communication to all staff. It should also be noted that the two Assistant Secretary-Generals heading each sub-programme continuously work with divisions in the other sub-programme, including through formal meetings with Division Directors and staff. The entity will work on further enhance linkages between the Policy and Intergovernmental Support Divisions, as well as between the UN System Coordination and the Programme Divisions, which are in separate sub-programmes.
More detail
Description:
Management Response Category:
Thematic Area: Governance and planning (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Internal coordination and communication
Organizational Priorities: Partnership, Operational activities
UNEG Criteria: Effectiveness
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Analysis of good practices and lessons learned from existing mechanisms EDO/IGSD/PD 2015/12 Completed UN Women documented lessons learned from some existing internal coordination mechanisms. For example, an analysis of CSW preparations has been systematically documented. Adjustments have been made to existing mechanisms. For example, the internal coordination group on the 2030 Agenda now includes wider representation, including from field offices.
Revision of UN-Women’s programme and operations manual to further enhance the synergies between its two subprogrammes Planning and Programme Guidance Unit 2015/09 Completed UN Women has a revised draft of the Programme and Operations Manual.To further enhance synergies between its two subprogrammes and building on a review of existing mechanisms, UN-Women established a unified, organization-wide annual work planning system. HQ guidance for annual work planning was harmonized with field level guidance starting in 2016. In 2017, all annual work plans were entered in the common online results management system, allowing for better information-sharing and monitoring of progress against corporate targets. The guidance for annual work planning includes a peer review process with the participation of senior managers, Chiefs of Section and Regional Directors and were successful in fostering interdivisional exchange and sharing of good practices.
Recommendation: UN-Women should further strengthen the existing linkages between its HQ and field offices, including enhanced support to field offices in the implementation of the GEEW framework, including by: a) Ensuring the participation of Regional Directors in Senior Management Team meetings where the topic(s) discussed would benefit from their direct input, and regularly sharing minutes or summaries of all Senior Management Team meetings with Regional Directors; b) Enhancing the terms of reference for Thematic Advisors in the regional offices to provide more guidance to country offices on strategies and tools to implement the normative framework, including on how to use theories of change at country level for the implementation of that framework; and c) Organizing regular regional meetings of UN-Women country representatives to share experiences in the implementation of GEEW norms and standards, and to draw lessons learned to better inform normative support work at all levels Indicators of Achievement: - Inclusion of Regional Directors in relevant Senior Management Team meetings and sharing of minutes or summaries; - Enhanced Terms of Reference of Thematic Advisors; and - Regular UN-Women country representatives’ meetings organized at regional level
Management Response: UN Women agrees with recommendation 3: As an organization with a growing field presence and a commitment to supporting countries to implement the GEEW framework, UN-Women works diligently to maintain strong links between its field offices and headquarters but recognizes that every opportunity for improving both vertical and horizontal linkages within the organization should be exploited. The implementation of the regional architecture (endorsed by the Executive Board in 2012 and rolled out in 2013) is critical in that regard, and will continue to be regularly monitored to ensure effective empowerment of field structures and strong linkages between country offices, regional offices and HQ. In addition, the oversight and quality assurance system has been strengthened to ensure support to field offices in the implementation of the GEEW framework. This is most evident through the establishment of a Peer Review Group, comprised of the Directors of every HQ division, which meets with regional office and country office staff to work on the formulation of programmes and plans, including on ensuring strong and strategic links between the normative and operational dimensions of the organization’s work at every level. Within the context of the regional architecture and strengthened systematic dialogue between field offices and HQ on plans and programmes, UN-Women agrees that the specific measures recommended under a), b), c) will be considered as part of a broader effort to ensure stronger linkages between HQ and field offices, including on normative developments, which UN Women is pursuing. In addition, the quality assurance system has been strengthened to ensure support to field offices in the implementation of the GEEW framework. The Peer Review Group for the formulation of Strategic Notes and Annual Work Plans, which brings together all divisions (from both sub-programmes) to support planning of ROs and COs, including of the normative-operational linkage. In 2014, UN Women has created an Extended Management Team that brings together Divisional Directors, Section Chiefs, Thematic Heads, and Regional Directors. UN Women is in the process of enhancing the working methods of the Extended Management Team and refine its purpose, including with the objective of strengthening linkages between HQ and field offices. UN Women would also note that the Director of the Programme Division, which directly supervises the work of Regional Directors, sits on the Senior Management Team and has primary responsibility to ensure that relevant agenda items and outcomes of Senior Management Team meetings are discussed and shared with Regional Directors as appropriate. Nevertheless, UN Women agrees that the direct participation of Regional Directors to relevant Senior Management Team meetings will be beneficial to further enhancing coherence and communication flows.
More detail
Description:
Management Response Category:
Thematic Area: Governance and planning (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Internal coordination and communication
Organizational Priorities: Operational activities, Partnership
UNEG Criteria: Effectiveness
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Working methods of the SMT/EMT reviewed and updated EDO 2015/09 Completed As per the evaluation’s recommendations, the Terms of Reference of the Senior Management Team were revised to ensure an increasing involvement of Regional Directors. As a practice, Regional Directors have been invited to attend all Senior Management Team meetings. In addition, minutes of the meeting were shared with the Extended Management Team, which includes all Section Chiefs and regional directors. Extended Management Meetings, organized on a quarterly basis, have also been an opportunity to foster cross-divisional planning and interaction between HQ and the field. Regional Directors have also been invited to attend Executive Board sessions in order to foster greater synergies at this level too.
Training module designed on developing theories of change for UN-Women’s work and rolled out to regional advisors on Strategic Planning and Coordination. For future recruitment, the ToR of all regional advisors covering strategic planning and coordination in regional offices will include explicit reference to the use of theories of change and related strategies for linking normative and operational work Planning and Programme Guidance Unit 2015/10 Completed A training module on developing theories of change was developed in 2015 as part of a set of 10 training modules on results-based management (RBM). Since then, the RBM training modules have been used by Regional Planning and Coordination Specialists. As of March 2017, over a thousand (1057) participants, including UN Women staff, other UN agencies and national partners, have participated in trainings, workshops and other processes using the training materials as a resource.
Organize annual virtual regional meetings of Reps from 2016, except in years when there is a global retreat Planning and Programme Guidance Unit 2016/01 Completed Even better than virtual meetings, from end 2015 on it was decided that there would an annual meeting of Reps. The first round took place in November 2015 and the second round is scheduled for June 2016.
Recommendation: UN-Women should, in consultation with its United Nations partners, further clarify complementarities with regard to implementing the GEEW normative framework. Building upon existing tools, UN-Women should identify specific ways in which it can best utilize the comparative advantage of its partners to strengthen implementation of the gender equality normative framework. Indicators of Achievement: Clearer complementarities between UN-Women and its United Nations partners in the implementation of the GEEW normative framework.
Management Response: UN Women agrees with recommendation 4:The entity notes that the revised recommendation is more consistent with the current discourse on a UN fit for purpose, which suggests a fundamental departure from interventions that are mainly based on rigid divisions of labour, towards a much more integrated way of working with other UN partners, building on horizontal coherence, integration, synergies and collaborative approaches. UN Women will work consistently with this forward looking fundamental shift. UN Women recognizes that further strengthening the partnerships with other UN agencies is critical. Subject to availability of resources, the Entity will increase its capacity to leverage the UN system, and support the strengthening of its gender equality work based on the needs identified from the UN SWAP implementation results. UN Women will also execute the updated strategy for implementing its System-wide and Inter Agency mandates for GEEW, which will also be complemented by an underlying theory of change further articulating the various elements of its UN coordination mandate. UN Women is currently undergoing a corporate formative evaluation of the first four years of implementation of its System-wide and Inter Agency mandates for GEEW. That exercise will provide additional elements of lessons learned for UN Women’s coordination role, including as regards the complementarities with other UN partners.
More detail
Description:
Management Response Category:
Thematic Area: Global norms and standards (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Not applicable, Internal coordination and communication
Organizational Priorities: Partnership, Not applicable
UNEG Criteria: Effectiveness
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Conduct a corporate formative evaluation of the first four years of implementation of UN System-wide and Inter Agency mandates for GEEW Evaluation Division 2015/12 Completed UN Women conducted a corporate formative evaluation of the first four years of implementation of UN System-wide and Inter Agency mandates for GEEW.
Update strategy for implementing UN System-wide and Inter Agency mandates for GEEW, complemented by an underlying theory of change Coordination Division 2016/01 Completed Following the corporate formative evaluation, UN Women has an updated Theory of Change.
Support UNDG revision of programming guidance (UNDAF) to UN country teams to reflect gender equality and women’s empowerment framework Coordination Division 2016/01 Completed UN Women led the revision of UNDAF guidance which contains GEEW as a key programming principle endorsed by the UNDG in Feb 2017. The new Strategic Plan 2018-2021 of UN Women, UNICEF, UNDP, UNFPA indetify GEEW as a area of strengthened collaborative advantage drawing on UN system wide efforts to implement Beijing Platform for Action and relevant instruments.