Thematic Area: Poverty Reduction & Achievements of the MDGs

Gender Mainstreaming Progress Report Quarter 1 2008
Gender Mainstreaming Progress Report Quarter 2 2008
Gender Mainstreaming Progress Report Quarter 3 2008

[Last Updated July 2008]

Project Start Date: March 2007
Project End Date: February 2010
Project Location: Kabul
Status of the project: Ongoing
Partners: Ministry of Womens’ Affairs (MoWA), Ministry of Economy

Background

In line with the UNDP corporate policy and strategy, UNDP Afghanistan seeks to support national development goals and strategies on gender equality in two ways: (1) through gender-focused projects that help build national capacity to address gender inequality and promote women’s human rights; and (2) by ensuring that related issues of gender inequality are considered in all of UNDP Afghanistan programme and projects in the three pillars and operations. It is also recognised that these two approaches have to be linked for better results and effectiveness.

Many of the UNDP projects in Afghanistan are missing opportunities to support equal development and participation for women and men. UNDP Afghanistan is yet to clearly integrate the principle of gender equality in staff recruitment, orientation, guidance and job performance assessment.

A new gender-focused initiative

“Gender Mainstreaming in Afghanistan” is an initiative that seeks to design a gender strategy, improve systems, tools and accountability instruments so that as an institution, UNDP Afghanistan practices the universal human rights principles of non-discrimination and equality both in its way of doing business (operations) and through its programme.

The project will be the vehicle for building the capacity of UNDP Afghanistan in order that it can effectively contribute to the national goal on gender equality as contained in the Interim Afghanistan National Development Strategy (I-ANDS) and Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Staff Development and Practice-based Learning

The project will develop the knowledge and skills of UNDP staff to recognise gaps in gender equality and to design projects that will effectively contribute to reducing gender gaps. In addition, UNDP project managers and staff will be trained in ensuring gender sensitive/responsive project implementation, monitoring and evaluation.

UNDP Country Office and Project Staff in management and operations will be involved in building a gender-friendly work environment, as well as accountability for gender related policies and benchmarks. The main outcome is enhanced capacity of UNDP to work for gender equality in Afghanistan.

How will the project achieve its Objectives?

Using the capacity development approach, this project will facilitate changes in the enabling environment, as well as in the organizational and individual levels, both within programme and operations and will do so in three phases, namely

1. Preparatory and consensus building to establish a core of advocates and champions for gender equality and empowerment of women within UNDP Afghanistan
2. Modelling and foundation setting to facilitate innovation and practice in gender responsive project management, implementation, monitoring and evaluation
3. Consolidation and institutionalization to establish policies and procedures, and monitoring and accountability mechanisms, as well as means of sustaining capacity.

Six projects were selected to model gender mainstreaming. Representing the three pillars of the Country Programme of UNDP Afghanistan, these projects are:

• Afghanistan Sub-national Governance Programme (ASGP)
• Enhancing Legal and Electoral Capacity for Tomorrow (ELECT)
• Comprehensive Disaster Risk Reduction Programme (CDRRP)
• Capacity for Afghan Public Service (CAP)
• Support to the Establishment of Afghan Legislature (SEAL)
• Joint National Youth Project (JNYP)

Where will the ‘Gender Mainstreaming’ Project be Piloted?

The Project will be implemented in UNDP CO in Kabul and in Mazar-e-Sharif in Balkh Province where UNDP is setting up a regional office and has a number of projects operational. The modelling approach will produce tools and mechanisms for institutionalizing and sustaining the gender capacity.

The project will supplement the activities envisaged under the “Gender Equality” Project of UNDP by facilitating co-ordination and promoting synergy with related UNDP supported projects in key ministries and in the provinces.

What has been done so far?

Approved on 22nd October 2007, the Gender Mainstreaming in UNDP Afghanistan Project was launched on 1st November 2007 with a learning session opened to all UNDP staff. Entitled “Gender mainstreaming in UNDP – How is that done? Ask your questions; let’s find the answers,” the launching event sought to inspire the staff to take part in the gender capacity development process being offered by the project. Three Afghan UNDP staff members, who had returned from a regional workshop on gender mainstreaming in UNDP, shared good practices and lessons learned on gender mainstreaming in other UNDP country offices.

Through the process employed, the session sought to demonstrate the project approach as it facilitates the capacity development of UNDP Afghanistan in gender mainstreaming: a participatory approach that builds ownership by the concerned managers and staff of the various capacity objectives or project outputs. The engagement of the National staff was given the highest priority.

Activities planned in 2007 as start-up activities were implemented. Initial expected results was for the participating units and projects to include in their 2008 annual work plan gender related activities in line with ANDS and CPAP benchmarks related to the goal of gender equality and the approach of gender mainstreaming.

• The Learning Session on 1st November and the Project Team Meeting on 28th October clarified to the various UNDP officers and staff what their respective roles and obligations are to implement the corporate policy of gender mainstreaming.
• The Workshop on Gender Mainstreaming in Projects on November 5 and 6 guided the staff of the participating projects in defining the gender concerns of their respective projects and in outlining activities to address these.
• A total of eight (8) national and international staff were encouraged to take part in a training abroad where they acquired specialized knowledge and skills on gender mainstreaming, such as in disaster management and in governance.

Throughout these first two months of implementation, the message conveyed was that the Gender Mainstreaming in UNDP Afghanistan project gives ample opportunity and technical and financial resources that will support capacity development. However, projects, units and individuals will need to take on their appropriate role and responsibilities.

Advocacy for increased institutional support for the crèche yielded a positive response from the UNDP senior management who came to realize that for many female employees, they could not continue to work if there was no child care support available in UNDP. The continued operation of the crèche is momentarily assured for the duration of the project although the Committee faces the challenge of ensuring sustainability of the crèche beyond the life of the project.

What are major targets for 2008?

Within the first two months of 2008, the Gender Mainstreaming Specialist helped members of project team to plan their 2008 activities in line with key outputs, i.e.

• Increase the gender ration in UNDP Afghanistan especially at the professional levels (Human Resource Manager)
• Improve gender sensitivity of personnel across all levels in UNDP Afghanistan (Learning Manager)
• Establish a community of practice on gender mainstreaming across the three programme pillars (Learning Manager and Gender Focal Points in the programme units)

Advice was also given to the pilot projects in terms of their work plans for 2008:

• ELECT towards improving outreach by the Independent Election Commission to female voters in line with voter registration
• SEAL towards integrating the gender equality agenda in the capacity building programme for parliamentary staff
• JNYP in conduct of sub-national consultations among young people on the ANDS
• ASGP in the finalization and launch of its indicators on good governance.

Contacts:

Rosanita Annie Serrano, Gender Specialist, (rosanita.serrano@undp.org)
Yama Helaman, Programme Officer, (yama.helaman@undp.org)

Gender Awareness and Development Manual
Gender Mainstreaming Manual