Management Response

: Multi-Country Office for India, Bhutan, Maldives, and Sri Lanka
: 2016 - 2016 , Multi-Country Office for India, Bhutan, Maldives, and Sri Lanka (MCO)
: End line evaluation of RNE supported project “Promoting Women's Political Participation in Sri Lanka”
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Multi-Country Office for India, Bhutan, Maldives, and Sri Lanka

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The Evaluation Report commends the relevance of the project in enhancing Women’s Political Participation in Sri Lanka, further acknowledging the critical role played by UNW in building the capacities of the organizations/institutions both government and non-government engaged in the electoral processes. The Evaluation further recognises UN Women’s investment towards capacity building as a catalytic and strategic force to ensure institutionalization and sustainability of interventions related to promoting Women’s Leadership and Political Participation in the country. The Report on the other hand makes a few critical observations on the design of the intervention, that will be used to strengthen the design of future programmes. It is noteworthy that some of the recommendations may not be strongly supported by evidence. While the UN Women management team made consistent efforts to inform the inception report and draft evaluation report however were not diligently followed through by the Evaluator. While the language was revised in the draft report, based on the comments provided by the Evaluation Specialists, the final evaluation report illustrates that the comments were not adequately addressed. That said the UN Women MCO is working on integrating some of the useful insights that emerged in the Evaluation on Women’s Political Participation in Sri Lanka.

: Approved
Recommendation: Recommendation 1: It is possible to change sexist attitudes of the populous by ‘Re-Framing’ the argument. Instead of Women Empowerment, etc. term it “Partnership for Democracy”.
Management Response: UN Women in Sri Lanka is actively working towards challenging gender stereotypes and changing mindsets. Through this project UN Women aimed to work towards building the capacity of both Government and Non-Government stakeholders towards enhancing women’s political participation. We believe that re – framing the argument or changing the dialogue to “Partnership for Democracy” is likely to undermine the engendered outcome while not necessarily providing any more support than we have already garnered. Through this project UN Women in Sri Lanka was able to establish and engage Women Parliamentary Caucus and Eight Political Parties of Sri Lanka in the dialogue for Women’s Political Participation and Leadership.
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Description:
Management Response Category: Rejected
Thematic Area: Leadership and political participation (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Capacity development, Advocacy
Organizational Priorities: Not applicable
UNEG Criteria: Relevance
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
No action required - 2018/03 Completed
Recommendation: RECOMMENDATION 2 Strategy to promote women’s political participation by focusing on obstacles and enablers and learning from similar programmes in other countries of Asia and Rwanda.
Management Response: UN Women through its work focusses on building an enabling ecosystem for Women to be able to lead and participate in leadership positions. UN Women uses a three-pronged strategy to build this ecosystem: a) Building capacity of the government and non-government stakeholders on Gender Responsive Governance b) Building capacity of the potential and elected women representatives to be able to be able to effectively participate in leadership positions c) Challenge existing gender stereotypes and change mindsets. All our programme interventions are informed by evaluations of similar interventions and programmes both internal and external to UN Women, focusing on what has worked and what has not, in the past. UN Women will continue to do so in the future.
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Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Leadership and political participation (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Advocacy, Knowledge management, South-South cooperation
Organizational Priorities: Not applicable
UNEG Criteria: Effectiveness
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
All our programme interventions are informed by evaluations of similar interventions and programmes both internal and external to UN Women, focusing on what has worked and what has not, in the past. UN Women will continue to do so in the future. UN Women 2019/03 Overdue-Initiated
Recommendation: RECOMMENDATION 3 Activism for Women: Holding campaigns, having workshops and trainings are essential. They help disseminate knowledge. This focus must be sustained in for future projects.
Management Response: UN Women will continue working towards building capacities of the stakeholders through campaign, trainings and workshops.
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Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Leadership and political participation (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Knowledge management
Organizational Priorities: Not applicable
UNEG Criteria: Effectiveness
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
UN Women will continue working towards building capacities of the stakeholders through campaign, trainings and workshops. UN Women 2021/03 Overdue-Initiated
Recommendation: RECOMMENDATION 4 Political participation of women: While political participation of women is essential, there must be a greater discourse on the best ways of achieving this. These include a discussion on the validity of demanding special provisions for women through a quota system when (a) no quota system has been set aside for women in other sectors and they have excelled in those areas; and (b) the quota system highlights the fact that women are a group to be protected (i.e. Article 12(4), Sri Lanka Constitution 1978) and therefore not equal to men; and (c) a quota system is required at nomination from party level as this might make the political parties more democratic.
Management Response: The suggestion to have greater dialogue on best ways enhance Women’s Political Participation, is well taken. However, UN Women has already validated the demands of special provisions for women through quota system after analysing similar provisions made in other countries and found it empowering for women
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Description:
Management Response Category: Partially Accepted
Thematic Area: Leadership and political participation (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Alignment with strategy
Organizational Priorities: Not applicable
UNEG Criteria: Effectiveness
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
No action required - 2018/03 Completed
Recommendation: RECOMMENDATION 5 Voter Education: Voter education to the public should be undertaken along with women’s activism. This is clearly not part of this project as it stands. However, it is possible to fill this lacuna in future proposals, as highlighted by the suggestion made by the Ms. Swarna Sumanasekara, the Chairperson of the National Committee on Women. It is possible to train women who are politically active to go back to their respective Districts to educate the populous. This has to include education on the Constitution and the need for Constitutional reform. As Hon. Dr. Fernandopulle noted, “In the Constitution, Article 12 (4) women have been lumped with disabled people and children. Because of that, that it is established that special laws should be enacted by them. Women should not be treated as a vulnerable group”
Management Response: The project in consideration did not focus on voter’s education but rather building capacities of stakeholders and raising awareness on Gender Responsive Governance. The suggestion on including voter’s education in future projects is well received.
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Description:
Management Response Category: Partially Accepted
Thematic Area: Leadership and political participation (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Alignment with strategy
Organizational Priorities: Not applicable
UNEG Criteria: Relevance
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
No action required - 2018/03 No Longer Applicable
Recommendation: RECOMMENDATION 6 Internal democracy in political parties: As long as there is no transparency and accountability in the nomination process in the political parties, it is unlikely that a quota alone will ensure that the best female candidate is selected. There is a shortfall in terms of party support for female candidates as noted both by the elite in the party and by those who want to get into mainstream politics. For example, Dr. Sudharhani Fernandopulle, Chairperson of the Parliamentary Women’s Caucus, noted that “Party structure from top to bottom are not open to women leaders. This structure has to change if we are to give effect to democratic ideals. Therefore we have to attract able women to support the party … Women’s Wing have not promoted and protected women’s rights as expected of them. Instead, they have been utilized in canvassing and gaining more votes for the parties.” Moreover, the demand for a set of criteria for female candidates has resulted in the creation of a document by the National Committee on Women. As this set of criteria is presented only for women. It is vital to enhance the internal democracy of political parties through systematic campaigns and continued discussions.
Management Response: UN Women through this project worked towards building the capacities of a Women Parliamentary Caucus and eight political parties of Sri Lanka. Going ahead, UN Women will continue its work with political parties and women caucus to sensitize them on Gender Responsive Governance.
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Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Leadership and political participation (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Alignment with strategy
Organizational Priorities: Not applicable
UNEG Criteria: Relevance
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
UN Women will continue its work with political parties and women caucus to sensitize them on Gender Responsive Governance. UN Women 2021/03 Overdue-Initiated
Recommendation: RECOMMENDATION 7 Capturing the Motivation of Women: It is possible to capture motivation by women who wish to or are part of the politics of Sri Lanka. It is difficult to find out, as one politician noted, whether “Women in the country are not ready and women in the parties still not interested.” A gendered evaluation can highlight the lacuna in protection or motivation, which then can be filled.
Management Response: The recommendation to capture the motivation of women is well received and UN Women acknowledges the potential of such an exercise. However, there is no universally accepted methodology of identifying and capturing motivations.
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Description:
Management Response Category: Rejected
Thematic Area: Leadership and political participation (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Alignment with strategy
Organizational Priorities: Not applicable
UNEG Criteria: Relevance
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
No action required - 2018/03 Completed