EVALUATION OF

GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN UNDP

Presentation to the Informal Session of the Executive Board

UNDP Evaluation Office15 December 2005

Focus of Evaluation

Take stock of UNDP’s gender mainstreaming policies and their implementation

Not a detailed description of everything UNDP has done

Assessment of policies and programmes institutional measures

Suggest practical steps towards gendering UNDP’s mainstream development activities to contribute to gender equality and human development

Evaluation Questions

Which results has UNDP achieved in promoting gender equality?

How effectively has UNDP used partnerships? To what extent has Gender Mainstreaming

been institutionalized in UNDP? How effective are the approaches used by

UNDP?

Methods

Team of 7 international and 14 national experts led by Dr Nafis Sadik

Desk review of documents 14 Country Studies

Bolivia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Cameroon, Egypt, El Salvador, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Morocco, the Philippines, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa and Swaziland

and 1 pilot study (Trinidad & Tobago)

Electronic survey among all COs (98 of 166 responses)

Semi-structured interviews with key informants (UNDP HQ, COs, UNIFEM, Executive Board members; and UN agencies, donors, government, civil society in the field)

Consultation with Stakeholders Country reports sent to country offices Preliminary findings presented to UNDP

Executive Team & Gender Task Force ( 28 July)

Preliminary findings presented to the Executive Boards (13 June 2005)

Findings and full report presented to UNDP senior management (12 October 2005)

Main Findings: 1. Policies and Priorities

1987: Gender in Development Programme within BDP to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women in UNDP, provide guidance on gender policy, and advance gender as a cross-cutting theme

1992: Gender located in Bureau for Policy Development (BDP)

1994: Gender Balance in Management Policy (1995-1997)

1996: Administrator’s Direct Line 11 to all Resident Representatives directed 10% of global programming and 20% of regional programming to GM and the advancement of women

1998: Gender Balance in Management Policy Phase 2 (1998-2001)

2000: Gender becomes a strategic goal within UNDP’s Strategic Results Framework (SRF) and a cross-cutting issue in the five practice areas

2001: UNIFEM Executive Director designated champion of gender equality in UNDP

2003: Gender Balance in Management Policy

2004 :gender equality becomes a driver of development effectiveness as well as a service line within the strategic goal of achieving the MDGs and reducing human poverty (MYFF 2004-2007)

2004: UNDP institutes Gender and Diversity Scorecard to measure and monitor the effectiveness of UNDP’s gender balance in personnel policy

June 2005: Executive Board adopts the UNDP Corporate Gender Strategy and Action Plan

UNDP management changed gender mainstreaming structures, allocated insufficient staff and financial resources creating ambiguity and decreased visibility e.g. Gender unit in BDP 2000 - 2004

In spite of the relocation of the Gender Unit under the Director of BDP in 2004, the position does not provide the opportunity and authority to oversee gender mainstreaming UNDP-wide

UNDP’s six regional gender advisors active but have little authority or control over follow-up.

Gender focal points (GFPs) have no clear job description, are often junior-level staff and have other responsibilities.

While modules exists, training has been sporadic and not comprehensive

No benchmarks and poor monitoring of results Islands of good practice exist, but success depends on

individual interest and effort rather than on systematic approach

Main Findings: 2. UNDP’s Capacity & Institutional Structure for Gender Mainstreaming

Lack of pro-active leadership expressing clear commitment in systematic explicit way

Lack of clear and sustained commitment on gender mainstreaming at all levels and no accountability system, e.g., senior management not evaluated in performance reviews or otherwise held accountable for achieving GM

Poorly articulated strategy, lack of visibility of gender and muted advocacy

Lack of explicit, targeted and visible resources for gender has signaled limited commitment at the top (except Japan WID fund, and recent Dutch contribution to Gender Trust Fund)

Main Findings: 4. Leadership and Accountability

In general, uneven results - no clear definition or articulation of GM strategy and gender analyses in all Practice Areas

GM not clearly articulated in most Practice Notes, CCFs and project document

GM most evident during PRSP formulation, MDGs, NHDRs, but gender expertise in poverty limited ; little evidence of effective GM within poverty area except where there are women focused projects

In governance, GM evident in support to women’s national machineries, gender sensitive budgeting, capacity building for women to access political power, constitutional reform to incorporate gender concerns, strengthening women’s role in local governance, strengthening of ombudsman’s office

Main Findings: 5. Gender Mainstreaming in Practice Areas

Resource Allocation Large dependency on resource mobilization and non-

core resources for GM; resource allocation to GM from core resources has been limited, partly due to lack of priority in programmatic work

Not possible to make firm estimates of financial resource allocation to GM due to lack of data and systems

Monitoring and Reporting Monitoring and evaluation at country and programme

level generally do not provide much in-depth information on GM

Main Findings: 6. Resources and Monitoring

Partnership with UNIFEM The majority of COs in survey rated partnership

with UNIFEM as “effective” or “very effective”.

Country studies recorded mixed experience varying from strong to little cooperation with UNIFEM.

Sometimes confusion about roles and responsibilities of UNDP and UNIFEM, also among stakeholders, and sometimes competition and tensions.

Main Findings: 7. Advocacy and Partnerships

Partnerships: UN System

The Resident Coordinator (RC) system is not fully utilized as an opportunity to strengthen partnerships within UN agencies on GM.

In some of the countries visited, the Gender Thematic Groups have ceased to exist and UNDP has not taken action to revive them.

Main Findings: 7. Advocacy and Partnerships (con’t)

Key Shortcomings Gender mainstreaming has not been visible and

explicit Until recently UNDP had no corporate strategic plan

on how to operationalise its gender mainstreaming policy; many country offices still lack a gender mainstreaming strategy and action plans.

Steps taken have been too simplistic and too mechanistic, reflecting a lack of understanding and capacity about gender mainstreaming.

As an institution, UNDP has not acted on previous assessments identifying similar shortcomings and has given UNDP staff and partners mixed signals about its commitment to gender mainstreaming and what it expects of them.

Lessons Learnt

Criteria for Success Strong commitment and leadership from management

A clear and proactive strategy and policy for gender mainstreaming

Qualified senior gender expertise to advise on gender mainstreaming in the country programme

Awareness of gender mainstreaming as a collective organization al responsibility

Systematic training on gender mainstreaming concepts, tools and thematic issues

Dedicated financial resources for gender mainstreaming

Lessons Learnt (con’t)

Conclusions

UNDP needs: Pro-active leadership and clear commitment to gender

mainstreaming with accountability and incentives Clear articulation of what UNDP’s gender mainstreaming

mandate means Enhanced capacities for gender mainstreaming, across the

board Stable, core financial commitments for gender mainstreaming UNDP and UNIFEM have different roles in achieving the goal of

gender equality. UNDP is responsible for GM in all its activities; UNIFEM can be an important partner and resource in this respect but can not substitute for UNDP efforts. Strengthening partnerships and clarification of the relationship between UNDP and UNIFEM

An institutional structure to ensure all of the above

Recommendations

1. Senior Management should provide proactive leadership and reaffirm UNDP’s commitment to Gender mainstreaming:

top management to reaffirm commitment and importance of GM

all senior management to provide leadership, set targets for office & individual work plans and be held accountable for results

resident coordinator strengthen leadership on GM within UN Country Team

RC assessment and capacity building measures to assess and train for gender competencies

2. Establish accountability and incentives for gender mainstreaming

criteria/targets in performance assessments

establish rewards system e.g. “Gender Challenge Award”

Recommendations

3. Retain gender mainstreaming approach complemented by gender-specific programs

cross-cutting driver backed up with monitorable targets and accountability

continued need for specific gender equality programmes

gender analysis to be incorporated in policies and programmes

Recommendations

4. Strengthen the institutional framework for GM at HQ

establish Corporate Gender Development Office at highest level within the Associate or Administrator’s Office responsible for agenda setting, oversight and monitoring at corporate level

strengthen capacity and responsibility in all Regional Bureaux

Strengthen technical gender specialists for every practice area, gender expertise in Regional Bureaux, etc.

Recommendations

Role of Gender Development Office The new Corporate Gender Development

Office would be responsible for: Ensuring the visibility of gender mainstreaming within and outside

the organization and support UNDP’s advocacy on gender equality Ensuring that gender mainstreaming is taken seriously by UNDP at

the highest levels Overseeing further development and implementation of UNDP’s

corporate gender mainstreaming strategy and action plan; Setting targets and performance standards, and tracking

performance on the drivers Reviewing country programmes and reporting to the Administrator Monitoring the implementation of policies and action plans Strengthening UNDP’s partnerships to promote gender equality, with

UNIFEM, the DAW, UNFPA, and other UN agencies and treaty bodies such as CEDAW

Initiating a task force to develop a UNDP gender budgeting process (see below)

Developing positive incentives for staff and offices Reporting as requested to the Executive Board, through the

Administrator

5. Strengthen gender expertise in Country Offices

senior Gender Development Specialists in COs or Resident Coordinator Offices (with other UN agencies)

revitalize the Gender Focal Point system

utilize local gender networks and expertise

Recommendations

6. Strengthen GM capacities Knowledge of gender should be made a required

competence in the recruitment of new staff

Incorporation of gender perspectives in training modules

Training must be targeted, systematic and continuous

Systematic training with focus on learning by doing

Improve management of knowledge (documentation, ensuring easy access and sharing of experiences on GM)

Recommendations

7. Make adequate financial resources available for Gender Mainstreaming

From both core and non-core funds and programme & administrative funds should allocate resources to address gender inequality

undertake Corporate Gender Budget Exercise develop guidelines for estimating proportion of

non-gender targeted expenditures contributing to GM

Review and upgrade Atlas system to ensure it can effectively record & track gender allocations and expenditures

Recommendations

Recommendations

8. Define and clarify relationship between UNDP and UNIFEM and strengthen collaboration

develop specific modalities for cooperating with UNIFEM for mutual benefit and to clarify current confusion on roles and responsibilities

appoint a small external working group to undertake and complete above task by June 2006

9. Strengthen advocacy and partnerships UN reform, MDGs and UNDAFs and good entry

points to strengthen GM cooperation within UN system at country level

RRs as RCs should be pro-active in reviving gender thematic groups, joint gender programmes

UNDP should establish and strengthen networks with governments, civil society, and donors and build capacity to reach out , partner with and tap into local networks and gender expertise

Recommendations

Recommendations

10.The Executive Board should promote accountability for gender mainstreaming in UNDP

closely monitor extent and quality of attention to GM in UNDP programs and administrative budgets and act appropriately

monitor follow-up to this evaluation. UNDP should review progress towards gender mainstreaming by 2008 and report to Board

Utility of Evaluation

For senior management to design and refine gender mainstreaming strategy and action plan

For UNDP staff, to build on what has worked

For Executive Board to provide strategic direction to UNDP in order to make a real difference to gender-responsive human development