Commissioning Unit: | Afghanistan |
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Evaluation Plan: | 2015-2020 |
Evaluation Type: | Project |
Completion Date: | 12/2017 |
Unit Responsible for providing Management Response: | Afghanistan
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Documents Related to overall Management Response: |
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Key Action Update History
The six policies that have been revised and finalized should now enter the implementation phase. It is the role of MoWA to closely monitor the progress to make sure policies do not remain inactive. Nonetheless, MoWA still needs to be further strengthened to be able to achieve this role and lobby for the other reviewed policies and strategies to be finalized and adopted as well as maintain a coordinating and oversight role that ensures a pro-active uptake of the Policy Review Toolkit by government offices.
Management Response: [Added: 2017/12/13] [Last Updated: 2021/01/24]
Agreed. The successor of GEP II, Enhancing Gender Equality and Mainstreaming in Afghanistan (EGEMA), will capacitate MoWA’s Policy unit to review and integrated gender in policies/strategies and take coordination and oversight role for policy implementation. EGEMA would place significant emphasis for implementation of policies which were already revised and will support their capacity to oversee their implementation outcomes.
Key Actions:
Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
MoWA Policy Unit, sectorial ministries (policy, human resources, gender, finance and M&E departments’ key staff) and other relevant staff of MoWA trained on gender mainstreaming and policy implementation
[Added: 2017/12/13] |
Policy Unit of MoWA, and EGEMA’s Policy and Planning Specialist | 2016/10 | Completed | ||
To review 10 polices and 2 sector specific policy review toolkits developed
[Added: 2017/12/13] [Last Updated: 2018/07/10] |
Policy Unit of MoWA, And EGEMA’s Policy and Planning Specialist | 2018/05 | Completed | The policy revision team, established within MOWA with the Project’s support, has reviewed and provided recommendation for engendering 11 policies of line ministries along with their 6 strategies. Revision process with technical support of UNDP involved development of recommendations on improving internal working conditions to enable women to grow professionally within abovementioned institutions as well as measured to expand women’s opportunities and access to basic services, such as health, education and etc . History | |
Review four policies/strategies of line ministries reviewed on gender mainstreaming basis
[Added: 2017/12/13] |
EGEMA’s Policy and Planning Specialist | 2017/03 | Completed | 3 National Consultants for supporting the offices of the Minister and the Deputy Minister of Policy and Technical Affairs hired under IC arrangement |
The operationalization of the database is also central to the success of monitoring NAPWA. Hence MoWA and other relevant government agencies at national and subnational level require training and further support on how to effectively maintain and use the database.
Management Response: [Added: 2017/12/13] [Last Updated: 2021/01/24]
Agreed. Operationalization of NAPWA database is planned under EGEMA project. EGEMA will train a number of staff from 6 key ministries on how to use and maintain the database effectively.
Key Actions:
Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Capacity Building of MoWA’s M&E and Statistics Units are built to manage and administer the NAPWA online database
[Added: 2017/12/13] |
M&E of MoWA and EGEMA Data Analyst | 2016/10 | Completed | The action carried-out in coordination and partnership with UN Women-Afghanistan | |
Develop and implement 3 years’ strategy on NAPWA online database
[Added: 2017/12/13] [Last Updated: 2018/07/10] |
M&E of MoWA and EGEMA Data Analyst | 2018/05 | Completed | As a result of extensive capacity building trainings, ten Government staff (female) improved their skills (by approximately 60%, following analysis of assessment of knowledge) and understanding of the National Action Plan for Women in Afghanistan (NAPWA) online database in the Monitoring Department as well as Policy Directorate of MOWA. History | |
Capacity building of relevant staff from 6 line ministries and directorates on NAPWA online database
[Added: 2017/12/13] [Last Updated: 2018/07/10] |
M&E officer of MoWA and EGEMA Data Analyst | 2018/05 | Completed | The NAPWA database was revised with UNDP’s support following restructuring of the NAPWA’s reporting forms for each Ministry and Institutions. The restructured database is now compliant with monitoring and evaluation standards. The data collection and management mechanism in the form of standard operating procedures (SOP) was finalized and presented to the MOWA management . History |
Strong foundations for GRB have been laid down, however both MoF and line ministries still require further capacity development and training to become fully ready for implementation of GRB. However, other development partners have shown their willingness to technically support the MoF with GRB and this gives room to the GEP project to concentrate on other policy issues.
Management Response: [Added: 2017/12/13] [Last Updated: 2021/01/24]
Agreed. During EGEMA Design phase, UN women has accepted to take over the GRB support to the ministry of finance. EGEMA will no longer support MoF on GRB, however, it helps establish the capacity inside MoWA to work with MoF on GRB.
Key Actions:
Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
to improve policy development capacity of relevant MoWA officials to follow up on GRB
[Added: 2017/12/13] |
Policy unit in MoWA and EGEMA team | 2016/05 | Completed |
The recently introduced M.A program has immense potential to become a regionally and globally recognized degree producing the much needed gender activists and cadres to drive the gender agenda in Afghanistan. However, this entails further support to the Institute until it is fully institutionalized into the University systems. Gender is a new academic concept for the Kabul University hence, although the KU has a number of professors in subjects closely related to gender issues, it does not have professors with particular specialization on gender studies. Therefore, to achieve a wholesome success story of the Gender Institute, it is imperative to help build the capacity of its professors to give them a firm understanding of theoretical and academic aspects of gender. In the interim, the suggestion of inviting guest lecturers from within and outside Afghanistan is quite noble as it exposes the current students as well as staff to established gender academics.
Management Response: [Added: 2017/12/13] [Last Updated: 2021/01/24]
Agreed. The successor project has embraced the support needed to institutionalize the Master Degree Programme into the University system. Professors of Master Degree Programme will get gender focused capacity building programmes in the form of trainings, professor exchange Programme or guest lecturer.
Key Actions:
Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Involve Gender Experts available locally and internationally as Guest Lecturers to KU
[Added: 2017/12/13] |
EGEMA Gender Specialist and Kabul University | 2017/06 | Completed | ||
Establish partnerships with tow relevant institutions internationally
[Added: 2017/12/13] |
EGEMA Gender Specialist, Kabul University and Partner University | 2017/02 | Completed |
For future interventions, it is highly recommended to plan economic activities providing a full continuum of support especially for businesses. This entails taking groups through a full value chain in business development as one-time support may produce excellent results in the short run, however, without enough foundation to sustain the results.
Management Response: [Added: 2017/12/13] [Last Updated: 2021/01/24]
Partially agree. This might be quite ambitious considering the short project duration of the successor project. However, the successor project takes measures to provide marketing support through different means to the extent possible.
Key Actions:
Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
to provide start up package and Marketing support in for targeted women in 3 provinces
[Added: 2017/12/13] |
EGEMA/Livelihood and International consultant | 2017/03 | Completed |
It is highly recommended to conduct detailed market/business analysis before embarking on any economic activity and support only activities that have value for money and good return of investment.
Management Response: [Added: 2017/12/13] [Last Updated: 2021/01/24]
Agreed. Detailed Market Analysis will be conducted to identify activities that have greater value for money and potential for sustainability.
Key Actions:
Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Undertaking value chain analysis and market assessment
[Added: 2017/12/13] |
EGEMA/Livelihood Specialist, MAIL, MOWA, MOCI, ACCI, AISA | 2016/12 | Completed | assessment is needed to identify livelihood opportunities with potential for sustainability |
Working directly with beneficiaries in the provinces has produced high operations cost for UNDP hence substantially decreasing the value for money and rate of return on investment mainly due to additional costs associated with security risk. To ensure having a maximum amount of budget directly invested on Afghan women, it is highly recommended that UNDP subcontract economic activities to NGOs or local firms; or implement through the government by adopting NIM modality.
Management Response: [Added: 2017/12/13] [Last Updated: 2021/01/24]
Agreed. UNDP will consider the outsourcing of economic empowerment activities at the provincial level.
Key Actions:
Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Livelihood opportunity for women in Daikundi to be outsourced
[Added: 2017/12/13] [Last Updated: 2018/07/10] |
EGEMA/Livelihood Specialist, MAIL, MOWA, MOCI, ACCI, AISA | 2018/05 | Completed | Daikundi new business project on beekeeping (Ref to EGEMA report) emplys 200 women and was outsourced to a private company for execution based on competitive selection History |
The evaluation team also highly recommends continued support of the Kabul PTDC for another year or two as it has great potential for women’s economic empowerment and sustainability once its foundations are properly set.
Management Response: [Added: 2017/12/13] [Last Updated: 2021/01/24]
Agreed, UNDP will continue supporting Production, Trainng and Demonstration Center PTDC while giving significant importance to and exit strategy that ensure sustainability.
Key Actions:
Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Continue financial and technical Support to Production,
[Added: 2017/12/13] |
EGEMA/Livelihood Specialist, MAIL, | 2016/09 | Completed | ||
Demonstration and Training Centre for women
[Added: 2017/12/13] |
MOWA, MOCI, ACCI, AISA | 2016/12 | Completed | ||
Development of customized training curriculum covering all necessary value chain steps
[Added: 2017/12/13] |
EGEMA/Livelihood Specialist, MAIL, MOWA, MOCI | 2016/11 | Completed |
Though the Women Assistance Centers (WACs) had significantly positive results and surpassed targets, this activity has many other development players working on it including other UNDP projects and UNWomen. In future gender projects development, this activity can therefore be left to other players who can efficiently and effectively provide the full package under this activity.
Management Response: [Added: 2017/12/13] [Last Updated: 2021/01/24]
Agreed. It was anticipated during the design of the successor project; thus the women assistance centers will not be supported under the new project.
Key Actions:
The sensitization trainings of mullahs are a highly relevant activity in attaining gender equality and women empowerment in Afghanistan. However, there is need for redesigning this activity in a number of ways to increase its impact. A robust monitoring and evaluation system needs to be put in place, starting with a baseline survey on knowledge, attitudes and practices in gender issues of both mullahs and the general populace in various provinces.
Management Response: [Added: 2017/12/13] [Last Updated: 2021/01/24]
Partially Agreed. The successor project intends to strengthen the monitoring system aiming to measure impacts of the intervention on Mullahs. A survey will be conducted to establish basslines among target religious leaders to establish baselines. Further, MoHRA monitoring system will be strengthened to capture required data information on the cases addressed by Mullahs.
Key Actions:
Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Perception Survey will be conducted to evaluate the impact of the conducted activities and establish a baseline
[Added: 2017/12/13] |
EGEMA Gender Specialist and MoHRA | 2017/03 | Completed | ||
Conduct Annual Conference of Mulla’s preaching for Women’s right from Islamic Perspective to discuss their progress in the field, develop new work plan and make suggestion where needed through the help of MoHRA, MoWA and UNDP.
[Added: 2017/12/13] |
EGEMA Gender Specialist, MoWA and MoHRA | 2016/11 | Completed |
Also, it was reported that the trainings are targeting registered mullahs only. There is possibility to extend to unregistered mullahs in the most conservative provinces, however, with a clear plan on how to monitor their activities.
Management Response: [Added: 2017/12/13] [Last Updated: 2021/01/24]
Disagree. The unregistered mullahs are not accountable to MoHRA, hence, it is quite challenging to monitor their activities
Key Actions:
Future projects need to be flexible and not just focus on adhering to the project document as there are situations that demands adjustments. However, a proper management record should be in place to document any changes as well as a record of justifications for changes and deviations.
Management Response: [Added: 2017/12/13] [Last Updated: 2021/01/24]
Agreed. When a need arises the project document for the successor project will be substantively revised to integrate activities that are not anticipated at the first place.
Key Actions:
Future projects need to intensify efforts in developing and maintaining a robust monitoring and evaluation system. Results based management should be followed. Quarterly visits to project sites/provinces by management team are highly recommended
Management Response: [Added: 2017/12/13] [Last Updated: 2021/01/24]
Agreed. The future project will establishes a strong monitoring mechanism including project Monitoring Plans.
Key Actions:
Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Annual Monitoring Plans will be developed and implemented for EGEMA project
[Added: 2017/12/13] |
MoWA and EGEMA team | 2016/09 | Completed | ||
Field visits to monitor progress under three components of EGEMA
[Added: 2017/12/13] [Last Updated: 2018/07/10] |
EGEMA with partners | 2018/06 | Completed | Project adopts M&E Plan and monitoring missions are performed to all project sites. History |
Delays in payments to vendors and partners affect productive partnerships. Future interventions need to identify bottlenecks and address these issues to accelerate the process.
Management Response: [Added: 2017/12/13] [Last Updated: 2021/01/24]
Partially Agree. UNDP will make its best efforts to avoid any delay in the payment of vendors. However, in some cases delay might be caused by late delivery of services and goods.
Key Actions:
Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Monthly financial monitoring mechanism at the project activity level introduced to have right system of forecasting as well as tracking actual expanses to identify under/over performance and proposing correcting actions to avoid unnecessary delays.
[Added: 2017/12/13] [Last Updated: 2018/07/10] |
EGEMA team | 2018/06 | Completed | EGEMA did not face issues with late payments to its vendors to date. History |
AWP indicative activities should be designed in such a way that they all work towards the realization of set main project/ pillar targets. There is a danger of having a number of activities under a pillar that however do not necessarily address the achievement of the set main targets.
Management Response: [Added: 2017/12/13] [Last Updated: 2021/01/24]
Agreed. The AWP for successor project will be in line with targets set forth in the project document.
Key Actions:
Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Make sure the project AWP is in-line with targets in Project document
[Added: 2017/12/13] |
Project Manager/Monitoring Specialist | 2016/08 | Completed |
4.2 RECOMMENDATIONS
The six policies that have been revised and finalized should now enter the implementation phase. It is the role of MoWA to closely monitor the progress to make sure policies do not remain inactive. Nonetheless, MoWA still needs to be further strengthened to be able to achieve this role and lobby for the other reviewed policies and strategies to be finalized and adopted as well as maintain a coordinating and oversight role that ensures a pro-active uptake of the Policy Review Toolkit by government offices.
The operationalization of the database is also central to the success of monitoring NAPWA. Hence MoWA and other relevant government agencies at national and subnational level require training and further support on how to effectively maintain and use the database.
Strong foundations for GRB have been laid down, however both MoF and line ministries still require further capacity development and training to become fully ready for implementation of GRB. However, other development partners have shown their willingness to technically support the MoF with GRB and this gives room to the GEP project to concentrate on other policy issues.
The recently introduced M.A program has immense potential to become a regionally and globally recognized degree producing the much needed gender activists and cadres to drive the gender agenda in Afghanistan. However, this entails further support to the Institute until it is fully institutionalized into the University systems. Gender is a new academic concept for the Kabul University hence, although the KU has a number of professors in subjects closely related to gender issues, it does not have professors with particular specialization on gender studies. Therefore, to achieve a wholesome success story of the Gender Institute, it is imperative to help build the capacity of its professors to give them a firm understanding of theoretical and academic aspects of gender. In the interim, the suggestion of inviting guest lecturers from within and outside Afghanistan is quite noble as it exposes the current students as well as staff to established gender academics.
Management Response: [Added: 2021/01/24] [Last Updated: 2021/01/24]
Key Actions:
4.4 RECOMMENDATIONS:
For future interventions, it is highly recommended to plan economic activities providing a full continuum of support especially for businesses. This entails taking groups through a full value chain in business development as one-time support may produce excellent results in the short run, however, without enough foundation to sustain the results.
It is highly recommended to conduct detailed market/business analysis before embarking on any economic activity and support only activities that have value for money and good return of investment.
Working directly with beneficiaries in the provinces has produced high operations cost for UNDP hence substantially decreasing the value for money and rate of return on investment mainly due to additional costs associated with security risk. To ensure having a maximum amount of budget directly invested on Afghan women, it is highly recommended that UNDP subcontract economic activities to NGOs or local firms; or implement through the government by adopting NIM modality.
The evaluation team also highly recommends continued support of the Kabul PTDC for another year or two as it has great potential for women’s economic empowerment and sustainability once its foundations are properly set.
Management Response: [Added: 2021/01/24] [Last Updated: 2021/01/24]
Key Actions:
4.5 RECOMMENDATIONS
Though the WACs had significantly positive results and surpassed targets, this activity has many other development players working on it including other UNDP projects and UNWomen. In future gender projects development, this activity can therefore be left to other players who can efficiently and effectively provide the full package under this activity.
The sensitization trainings of mullahs are a highly relevant activity in attaining gender equality and women empowerment in Afghanistan. However, there is need for redesigning this activity in a number of ways to increase its impact. A robust monitoring and evaluation system needs to be put in place, starting with a baseline survey on knowledge, attitudes and practices in gender issues of both mullahs and the general populace in various provinces.
Also, it was reported that the trainings are targeting registered mullahs only. There is possibility to extend to unregistered mullahs in the most conservative provinces, however, with a clear plan on how to monitor their activities.
Management Response: [Added: 2021/01/24] [Last Updated: 2021/01/24]
Key Actions:
4.7 RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Future projects need to be flexible and not just focus on adhering to the project document as there are situations that demands adjustments. However, a proper management record should be in place to document any changes as well as a record of justifications for changes and deviations.
2. Future projects need to intensify efforts in developing and maintaining a robust monitoring and evaluation system. Results based management should be followed. Quarterly visits to project sites/provinces by management team are highly recommended.
3. Delays in payments to vendors and partners affect productive partnerships. Future interventions need to identify bottlenecks and address these issues to accelerate the process.
4. AWP indicative activities should be designed in such a way that they all work towards the realization of set main project/ pillar targets. There is a danger of having a number of activities under a pillar that however do not necessarily address the achievement of the set main targets.
5. New projects and subsequent activities should be designed in line with available committed resources. There is always room for expansion of activities and scope of project vs developing a huge project with limited resources and working on reducing activities.
6. Three-year project life-spans seem short to be able to measure impact for the project’s activities especially around policy reviews and integration as well as measuring social and economic transformation. We recommend that future projects are designed to be implemented over 4-5 years or if they are to be 3 years, due care should be taken in setting out achievable and measurable project activities and targets within the proposed project life-span.
Management Response: [Added: 2021/01/24] [Last Updated: 2021/01/24]
Key Actions: