Management Response

: Pakistan
: 2015 - 2016 , Pakistan (CO)
: End Term Evaluation of Women Leadership and Social Reconstruction Project
:
: Pakistan
:

Recommendations made from the end-of-project evaluation report have been accepted
: Approved
Recommendation: 1.Institutional partnerships strengthened by WLSR should be taken forward strategically and Gender Child Cells (GCC’s) supported. 1.1 Continued support is recommended for the Disaster Management Authorities (DMAs), women’s machineries and other relevant departments. New partners beyond the women’s machineries are also needed such as Planning and Development departments at the provinces. The success of the GCCs and the momentum created requires continued support. UN Women should provide bridge funding until such time that these positions are either added to the provincial Annual Development Planning or other sources of funding identified.
Management Response: UN Women is in agreement with the recommendation. 1.1 The accomplishment of the GCCs and the momentum created is important and should not be lost. Resource Mobilization efforts by the UN Women Pakistan are being vigorously pursued. To this effect, concept notes have been submitted to donors including Swiss Development Corporation and Department for International Development (DFID), whereby considerations are in progress. One key element included in these proposals is continued support to GCCs, DMAs, women’s machineries and other relevant government line departments. As UN Women continues to scope for donor interest, any further programmatic investment from UN Women is contingent upon availability of funding.
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Description: Institutional partnershps
Management Response Category:
Thematic Area: Peace and security (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Capacity development, Not applicable
Organizational Priorities: Partnership, Humanitarian action
UNEG Criteria: Effectiveness, Efficiency, Sustainability, Human Rights, Gender equality
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
1.1 Develop interventions, considering the evaluation recommendation of focusing and enhancing the capacity of the GCCs, DMAs and Women’s machineries and by expanding its work with Planning and Development Department WLSR Unit, UN Women 2017/03 Ongoing The Concept Note submitted to SDC and DFID in January 2017 for funding consideration - Follow up with donors will be done in the 1st Quarter of 2017 Sep 30, 2020 - Subsequently, an 18-month project with the support from DFID was implemented in KP merged districts that provided support for issuance of CNICs and TA to SWWED, KP
Recommendation: 2. Continue Capacity-building on Gender Equality (GE). Consistent support is recommended for capacity building on gender and equality issues of government officials, parliamentarians (women’s political caucus and other members, both male and female) and the Civil Society Organizations (CSOs). UN Women should work with interested donors and partners to ensure that capacity building is institutionalized to mitigate the effects of the frequent staff turnover in government offices and include technical assistance, experiential learning and support constant engagement with women and communities to enhance understanding of WLSR issues. 2.1 UN Women should conduct a needs assessment of specific partners, such as the Disaster Management Authority (DMAs) to identify the areas for which capacity building is required on an on-going basis and those that should be addressed on an annual basis, keeping staff turnover in mind. 2.2 For example, partners can be made aware of the national and provincial Disaster Risk Reduction/Management (DRR/M) policies and how these link to the international commitment such as Hyogo and Sendai Frameworks. The specific focus should be on women and vulnerable populations and how to ensure their participation and involvement. 2.3 Other areas include using Multi Cluster Initial Rapid Assessment (MIRA), assessing livelihood needs of women in the aftermath of disasters, etc.
Management Response: UN Women is in agreement with the recommendation. UN women agrees to provide continued support for capacity building of government officials and parliamentarians on gender equality issues. Frequent staff turnover within the bureaucracy is a common challenge faced by many programmes in Pakistan and in order to build institutional capacities as opposed to individual capacities, it is important to invest in capacities across the various tiers of the organization so that there is continuity and a critical mass of gender sensitive officials to keep progress on track. As this is contingent on funding availability, UN Women will continue to seek donor support for this activity.
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Description: Capacity development
Management Response Category:
Thematic Area: Peace and security (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Capacity development
Organizational Priorities: Partnership
UNEG Criteria: Impact
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
2.1 Conduct needs assessment of the NDMA/DMAs to assess capacity gaps and technical support needed for addressing the needs of women and vulnerable population WLSR Unit, UN Women 2017/06 Overdue-Not Initiated Initiation of activity 2.1 subject to availability of funding Sep 30, 2020 - not done
2.2 Advocate and engage the Gender Humanitarian Task Force to develop guidance across UN System for adoption of Sendai and Hyogo recommendations linking DRM policies of NDMA to international commitments WLSR Unit, UN Women 2017/06 Ongoing Initiation of activity 2.2 subject to availability of funding Sep 30, 2020 -Gender and Humanitarian Task Force notified during Covid 19 Response 2020
2.3 Through UN Women - UNOCHA Joint Action Plan, advocate and promote humanitarian actions addressing the livelihood needs of women pre, during and post disasters WLSR Unit, UN Women 2017/06 Ongoing UN Women will provide technical inputs to the Assessment Working Group for mainstreaming women’s livelihoods concerns Sep 30, 2020 - A work plan for COVID response has been developed in collaboration with NDMA and OCHA.
Recommendation: 3. The Gender Task Force (GTF) needs to be sustained and scaled up to include members from the districts level stakeholders: 3.1 Sustain platforms for sharing information and experiences so that the forum is enriched from the perspectives from districts and these members also benefit from the experience of the provincial level members. Alternatively, the GTF should be extended to the districts i.e. as a pilot, with DMAs UN Women can support district level GTF in the most vulnerable districts to support the work of the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) and facilitate knowledge sharing and capacity building of members on DRR/M and women’s participation in social reconstruction post disasters.
Management Response: UN Women is in agreement with the recommendation. 3.1 As co-chair of the GTF, UN Women will advocate with GTF members and the DMAs for the extension of membership of the GTF at the district level.
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Description: Sustainability of Gender Task Forces
Management Response Category:
Thematic Area: Peace and security (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Capacity development, Promoting inclusiveness/Leaving no one behind, Advocacy
Organizational Priorities: Partnership, Humanitarian action
UNEG Criteria: Sustainability, Human Rights, Gender equality
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
3.1 Include the extension of GTF to district in the agenda of the GTF meeting for discussion. WLSR Unit, UN Women Provincial Leads, Provincial GTFs 2017/03 Ongoing No Funds needed Sep 30, 2020 - Working groups to discuss the gender concerns have been activated during Covid 19 response 2020 in Balochistan and KP
Recommendation: 4. Continued support should be provided to the GCCs: 4.1 The success of the GCCs and the momentum created cannot be lost to bureaucratic processes that undermine the results achieved. WLSR has demonstrated that the GCC is a cost-effective mechanism, which has overall been accepted by the DMAs and has shown its value in making DRR/M gender responsive.
Management Response: The management is in agreement with the recommendation.
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Description: Sustainability of Gender and Child Cells
Management Response Category:
Thematic Area: Peace and security (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Promoting inclusiveness/Leaving no one behind
Organizational Priorities: Humanitarian action
UNEG Criteria: Relevance
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
4.1. UN Women will advocate with the DMAs for institutionalizing support for smooth functioning of the GCCs DMAs 2017/06 Ongoing n/a Sep 2020 -Collaboration with NDMA GCC is in progress.
Recommendation: 5. The community based DRMs and District DRR/M policies should be gender responsive: 5.1 Support community based DRR/M policies through regular community hearings; UN Women should identify donors and lobby with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) for piloting community based DRR/M activities with the Provincial Disaster Management Authorities (PDMAs) in the identified 25 high risk districts. Community hearings are a potent means of airing concerns of marginalized women and groups
Management Response: Management is in agreement with the recommendation. 5.1 UN Women will continue to identify donors and advocate and support NDMA and PDMAs technically to pilot community based DRR/M initiatives in the 25 high risk districts as identified in a study commissioned by UN Women in collaboration with NDMA. This will ensure linkages with communities for making their voices heard.
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Description: Gender responsive DRR/M policies
Management Response Category:
Thematic Area: Peace and security (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Promoting inclusiveness/Leaving no one behind, Not applicable
Organizational Priorities: Humanitarian action
UNEG Criteria: Relevance
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
5.1 Initiate/continue dialogue with NDMA and PDMAs for piloting community based DRR/M in 25 high risk districts. WLSR Unit, UN Women 2017/06 Ongoing Interventions can be funded by government or require donor funding - Discussed with NDMA and discussion ongoing with PDMA Balochistan Sep 30, 2020 - No funds available, can be considered in future interventions
Recommendation: 6. First Responder Training should be supported and extended: 6.1 While it has only been initiated recently and it is too early to assess the results, it appears to have the potential for female leadership as well, since women can also be involved in these trainings, as can women with disabilities and women from minorities.
Management Response: The management is in agreement with the recommendation - UN Women, through the GHTF, GTF and the GCC interface, will continue to advocate for women’s leadership in DRR as well as, including persons with disabilities and minorities. 6.1 As the recommendation highlights it is too early to assess the impact. However, as it appears to have the potential to promote female leadership, therefore, women will be encouraged to be involved in these trainings, especially those with disabilities and from minorities.
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Description: Gender responsive first responder training
Management Response Category:
Thematic Area: Peace and security (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Promoting inclusiveness/Leaving no one behind, Capacity development
Organizational Priorities: Partnership
UNEG Criteria: Human Rights, Gender equality
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
6.1 Discuss and disseminate the First Responder training information at GHTF and GTF and advocate for inclusion of women especially with disabilities and from minorities in the training. WLSR Unit, UN Women 2017/12 Ongoing The training that were conducted did not include women with disabilities and from minorities. Sep 30, 2020 - A 24-month pilot project on WWDs is being implemented in KP and Sindh
Recommendation: 7. Community hearings should be regular feature of the project: 7.1 These are a potent means of airing concerns of marginalized community members especially women identifying what support exists and what the issues and concerns are. Public community hearings can make visible these concerns to the authorities and decision makers at district and provincial level.
Management Response: The management is in agreement with the recommendation. UN Women will include the element of community hearings in future project proposals, as appropriate.
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Description: Enhancing women's voices and visibility in policy planning and decision-making
Management Response Category:
Thematic Area: Peace and security (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Advocacy
Organizational Priorities: Humanitarian action
UNEG Criteria: Sustainability, Relevance
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
7.1 Disseminate the importance of community hearing by sharing the report with different stakeholders and advocate to integrate this component in government’s (DMAs, Social Welfare and Women Development Departments) interaction with communities WLSR Unit, UN Women 2017/06 Ongoing The concept of community hearings included in ongoing discussions with PDMA Balochistan Sep 30, 2020 - Not done
7.2 UN Women will include the element of community hearings in future project funding proposals as appropriate WLSR Unit, UN Women 2017/02 Ongoing The concept of community hearings included in ongoing discussions with PDMA Balochistan Sep 30, 2020 - Not done, can be considered in future interventions
Recommendation: 8. Knowledge and best practices generated through assisting women to obtain CNIC’s: 8.1 Different organizations should be approached to help influence the policies and practices of NADRA that hinder women especially poor women to obtain their basic citizen right.
Management Response: The management is in agreement with the recommendation. 8.1 UN Women will strengthen its advocacy for women’s rights to CNIC with relevant line departments including NADRA.
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Description: Knowledge and best practices generation
Management Response Category:
Thematic Area: Peace and security (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Capacity development, Promoting inclusiveness/Leaving no one behind, Advocacy, Not applicable
Organizational Priorities: Humanitarian action, Partnership
UNEG Criteria: Human Rights, Gender equality
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
8.1 Continue lobby and advocacy with NADRA to extend their outreach to vulnerable women especially in disaster prone areas WLSR Unit, UN Women 2017/02 Ongoing As a pilot 2,200 females were facilitated for the issuance of CNICs in North Waziristan (2015 to 2016). Sep 30, 2020 - 10,000 women facilitated issuance of CNICs under DFID supported project in Merged Districts Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Recommendation: 9. The work with the NUST-CIPS on gender sensitization of peacekeepers should be continued: 9.1 A roster of experience facilitators with different expertise can be maintained at NUST CIPS so that they can invite these individuals as per their need for training. UN Women can identify such experts. 9.2 The work with peacekeepers can be replicated at district law enforcement bodies through organizations already experienced in gender mainstreaming and access to justice and rule of law. This is an area where UN Women can add value to in terms of gender sensitization and highlight gender concerns, as a secondary partner with other agencies that have projects and experience working with law enforcement agencies. Pre-deployment training of peace keepers should be continued by UN Women.
Management Response: The management is in partial agreement with the recommendation. 9.1. UN Women will identify and suggest names to NUST-CIPS to maintain a roster of experienced facilitators with different expertise. 9.2 UN women recognizes the importance of the training on gender mainstreaming in areas of access to justice and rule of law. While UN Women have plans to carry out training for law enforcement agencies and the justice sector, it will be contingent on the availability of funding. Regarding pre-deployment training, UN Women has been delivering periodic/need based sessions at CIPS NUST. However, in future UN Women’s engagement in providing training is contingent upon the availability of human resources/ funding.
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Description: Gender sensitization of Pakistani peacekeepers
Management Response Category:
Thematic Area: Peace and security (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Promoting inclusiveness/Leaving no one behind, Not applicable, Advocacy
Organizational Priorities: Partnership, Humanitarian action
UNEG Criteria: Sustainability, Gender equality, Human Rights
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
9.1 UN Women will identify the names of experts and suggest to NUST/CIPS. WLSR unit, UN Women 2017/04 Overdue-Initiated n/a Sep 30, 2020 No more engagement with NUST/CIPS
9.2 Initiate discussion with NUST/CIPS on creating a pool of experts to carry out the in-house training for peacekeepers. WLSR unit, UN Women 2017/04 Overdue-Initiated n/a Sep 30, 2020 - No more engagement with NUST/CIPS
Recommendation: 10. The Afghan-Pakistan women’s peace dialogue should be made part of the larger regional peace network discussions; 10.1 It should be implemented through CSOs that have the requisite, expertise and experience to implement such a sensitive undertaking, with the technical guidance of UN Women.
Management Response: The management is in agreement with the recommendation.
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Description: cross border dialogue
Management Response Category:
Thematic Area: Peace and security (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Advocacy
Organizational Priorities: Humanitarian action
UNEG Criteria: Sustainability
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
10.1 Explore with NGOs/CSOs the interest and possibility of Afghanistan Pakistan women’s peace dialogue to be part of larger peace network discussion. WLSR Unit, UN Women 2017/06 Overdue-Initiated Some donors are interested to support the dialogue and concept note has been submitted. Sep 30, 2020 - No funds made available
10.2 UN Women will engage with Afghanistan Country Office to explore possibility of linking Afghanistan Pakistan dialogue with regional peace network. WLSR Unit, UN Women 2017/06 Overdue-Initiated Some donors are interested to support the dialogue and concept note has been submitted. Sep 30, 2020 - No further support received
10.3 UN Women through the KP and Balochistan GTF will initiate discussions on the need of local women’s peace coalition to support the protection of women and girls in displacement and transition. WLSR Unit, UN Women 2017/06 Overdue-Initiated Some donors are interested to support the dialogue and concept note has been submitted. Sep 30, 2020 - UN Women is part of the working groups prioritizing needs and protection of women in KP and Balochistan during covid 19 response
Recommendation: 11. Project Management and Governance: 11.1 Enhance support to the sub-offices of UN Women: Sub-offices should be tasked with exploring funding opportunities at provincial level, which the Country Office can take forward. Financial authority up to a certain limit for high impact initiatives should be given to sub offices. However, capacities at sub offices vary, and there are technical and operational limitations that would need to be resolved first. 11.2 Turnover and processing times for documents should be reduced and approval layers optimized: Operational checklists for processing documents and financial statements need to be rationalized, and communicated to all relevant staff in a timely manner. 11.3 Duration of project should be minimum of three years even if it is part of the Annual Work plan (AWP): Designing it as a 3-5-year project that is divided into annual goals and target for the AWP will provide continuity and emerging lessons from the field to be integrated into the project.
Management Response: 11. UN Women is in agreement with the recommendations, with some minor reservations. 11.1 Enhance support to the sub-offices of UN Women: UN Women Country Office has already granted financial autonomy based on technical and operational capacity present at each sub offices. Sub-offices are encouraged to seek resource mobilization opportunities. As a pilot action, funds for Programme activities/resource mobilization were put at the disposal of each Sub-offices. To be noted, the actual decision-making on funding rests with the donors in Islamabad. Hence, the opportunity for resource mobilization at the sub-national level is limited. Sub-offices however, can and do provide useful information on donors’ activities and priorities in the provincial level which UN Women Islamabad has been using/can use to more effectively advocate for its programming support. 11.2 All relevant policies and templates are available on UN Women’s SharePoint as well as the website. The Country Office is in touch with Regional Office and Head Quarters to fast track financial statements and processes. Priority for fast tracking is obtained depending on the independent merit of task and the urgency. 11.3 UN Women will endeavor to find 3-year funding; however, this is based on donor priorities and funding streams. The CO has endeavored to ensure that all new proposals for projects are for a longer term (3-5 years) and are funded against the AWP.
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Description: Project management
Management Response Category:
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Capacity development, Internal coordination and communication, Not applicable
Organizational Priorities: Culture of results/RBM, Not applicable
UNEG Criteria: Sustainability, Effectiveness, Efficiency, Impact
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
11.1 The Country office will continue to provide autonomy to sub offices based on their technical and operational capacity, and encourage them to explore funding opportunities at provincial level. This will be dependent also on the minimum staff compliment required for these functions based on the set policies/guidelines. UN Women’s Operations and WLSR Unit 2017/12 Ongoing n/a Sep 30, 2020 - Sub Offices strengthened, Head of Sub Offices deployed in provinces
11.2 The CO will revisit various processes to further streamline and minimize processing time where ever possible. UN Women’s Operations and WLSR Unit 2017/12 Ongoing n/a
11.3 The CO will continue to encourage staff to visit Share point to review the various policies and guidelines. UN Women’s Operations and WLSR Unit 2017/12 Ongoing n/a
11.4 New proposals for projects will be developed for a longer term (3-5 years). UN Women’s Operations and WLSR Unit 2017/12 Ongoing n/a Sep 30, 2020 - The recommendation followed and subsequent projects developed mostly for 3 years (WEE, PVE, RoL etc.)