Management Response

: Mozambique
: 2017 - 2020 , Mozambique (CO)
: WPS MTE
:
: Mozambique
:

UN Women welcomes the mid-term evaluation report, its findings and recommendations, which largely reflect its own analysis and perspectives, with a few exceptions that are addressed in this document. As such, this Evaluation will directly feed into the Women, Peace and Security project implementation and will also inform the development of the new UN Women Mozambique Country Office Strategic Note, subsequent Annual Work Plans as well as future project proposals. While the following Management Response is based on each of the twenty overall recommendations made in the evaluation report, it is to be considered as a working document which shall be updated as appropriate.
: Approved
Recommendation: Effectiveness
Management Response: UN Women has been working with key academies to develop WPS training modules to be incorporated in the military and police academies. UN Women is advocating for these specifically developed WPS modules to be incorporated within the national existing circular as a sustainability measure and to reduce the potential loss of knowledge associate with personnel rotation (as all new recruits would undergo the WPS training). Within this strategy, the responsibility would be under the respective sectors, Police and Defence, and not MGCAS to adopt and ensure the consistent conduct of the training recruits. MGCAS, as also reflected in the National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security, is expected to monitor the implementation of the of the WPS interventions, including trainings. This monitoring activity is also reflected in the UN Women and MGCAS annual work plan for 2021. However, given the rapidly changing context—the rapidly unfolding conflict in Northern Mozambique and the rapidly increasing militarized response—UN Women has been facing greater resistance in the incorporation and prioritization of WPS agenda in the security and defence sector. In regard to the additional training to district and provincial government institutions, this activity was planned to be implemented in 2019 and 2020. The respective funds allocated to this activity have already been exhausted. However, a WPS training is being specifically developed for women and women´s organizations, UN Women management team will analysis the possibility of opening an exception and inviting district government personnel to participate in the virtual component of the training.
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Description: Support the consolidation of WPS modules within Military and Police academies, as well as negotiating a mechanism within MGCAS to ensure that when personnel is changed, institutional memory and training on WPS is provided to the new officials. If possible additional training should be provided in the districts were there has been a recent change in personnel.
Management Response Category: Partially Accepted
Thematic Area: Peace and security (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Knowledge management
Organizational Priorities: Not applicable
UNEG Criteria: Effectiveness
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Develop the capacity of security and defense personnel on the WPS Agenda: 1. Develop a WPS Module for police and defense academies; 2. Conduct a WPS training of trainers for key personnel of police and defense academies (with specific focus on increasing the capacity of the trainers to adequately deliver); and 3. Monitor the implementation of the module and the quality of the trainings being facilitated by the academies. Joaquim Chissano university 2021/12 Completed A training module was developed in partnership with UJC in 2021. In addition, a series of trainings for security and defence personnel took place in 2021 in different provinces of Mozambique.
Incorporate district personnel in the WPS training for women and women´s organizations • Invite provincial governments to nominate key personnel to partake in the training • Conduct the WPS training • Monitor the results of the training Joaquim Chissano University 2021/12 No Longer Applicable Unfortunately, due to connective issues, it was not possible to have district government representatives in the WPS trainings. However, we did expand the level provincial participation in the trainings (specially of women-led organizations). And as the project will end in March 2022 allowing only time to conclude the Final Evaluation this will no longer be done and will be considered in case the project continues in phase 2 depending on the RM.
Recommendation: Efectiveness
Management Response: UN Women agrees that MGCAS (including the provincial and district representations) plays a key role in the monitoring of the implementation of the project as well as the National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security. As result, UN Women has made it a priority area in the 2021 Annual Work Plan with MGCAS. In 2020 and 2021 monitoring field visits were impacted by the COVID-19.
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Description: More time should be allowed for future monitoring visits from MGCAS. Within these visits, DPGCAS members from other districts could be included to facilitate learning by doing, lesson sharing and integrating the viewpoint of those also involved in the provision of service delivery.
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Peace and security (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: National ownership
Organizational Priorities: Culture of results/RBM
UNEG Criteria: Effectiveness
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
1. Support the MGCAS, DPGCAS and SPMAS (representations at central, provincial and district levels) monitoring activities. UN Women, SDSMAS and DPGCAS 2021/12 Completed UN Women and its responsible partners have been supporting the monitoring of the implementation of the project at district level by SPAS and DPGCAS.
Recommendation: Efectiveness
Management Response: Although it is a good recommendation to have a more vast monitoring group. This recommendation goes beyond the scope of the project design. It was not planned or budgeted for monitoring missions/visits to include representatives from externa parties. Given this reality, it would be very difficult to accommodate this recommendation due to budgetary constraints. However, the country office can consider this in next projects/programmes to be designed.
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Description: The monitoring visits could include representatives from external parties, for example members of the academic institutions, former alumni from long courses and/or CSO representatives. This has the potential to increase independence in the findings and evaluate learning gaps for future trainings.
Management Response Category: Rejected
Thematic Area: Peace and security (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Oversight/governance
Organizational Priorities: Culture of results/RBM
UNEG Criteria: Effectiveness
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
No action planned for this recommendation N/a 2021/11 No Longer Applicable N/a
Recommendation: Capacity Building
Management Response: UN Women has been implementing this monitoring strategy. UN Women, and its responsible partners, have developed a database with key information of all the beneficiaries per activity. In addition, all implemented partners are strongly encouraged to conduct pre and post tests to all training activities.
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Description: Any future capacity building should ensure the consolidation of a database of alumni, and agreement to implement pre and post trainings surveys (at least two post-training surveys). Job-rotation frequency can be measured using this surveys, to better plan future capacity building programmes.
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Peace and security (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Capacity development
Organizational Priorities: Organizational efficiency
UNEG Criteria: Effectiveness
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
N/a n/a 2021/11 No Longer Applicable No recommendation is planned for this action as this was rejected.
Recommendation: Monitoring
Management Response: UN Women has initiated to work with all its responsible partners to consolidate a database of all alumni. There is no need to commission a new entity to do this compilation, but rather UN Women will work with all current and existing responsible partners of the project to finalize this compilation.
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Description: Consolidate a database of former alumni to allow post-training surveys and interviews to be implemented before or during the final evaluation. As UJC or UEM have a strong relationship with MINT and MDN, they could be commissioned to start the process immediately, so this is ready before the end of the project or the commissioning of a new evaluation.
Management Response Category: Partially Accepted
Thematic Area: Peace and security (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Oversight/governance
Organizational Priorities: Culture of results/RBM
UNEG Criteria: Effectiveness
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
UN Women team has developed a model for responsible partners to use and UN Women works with them to adopt into each specific training context. The responsible partners are also expected to reflect the change in knowhow and knowledge (measured through the pre and post tests) to be reflected in the progress reports submitted to UN Women. UN Women 2021/11 Completed No action is planned for this recommendation as it is already being done. Moreover, the country office will continue implementing this practice in different projects/programmes as well.
Recommendation: Monitoring
Management Response: UN Women agrees that there is a need to monitor the impact of the trainings on the defence sector in Mozambique. As a result, UN Women has designed a second phase of the partnership with UJC that includes a design of WPS module of defence training academies as well as a training of trainers on the same. This will be followed with a strong monitoring mechanism.
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Description: Agree with Ministry of National Defence (MDN) a strategy to monitoring and evaluate training results within the institution. Given the insight and access that the Joaquim Chissano University (UJC) has within MDN, this can be planned and negotiated through the university.
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Peace and security (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: National ownership
Organizational Priorities: Culture of results/RBM
UNEG Criteria: Effectiveness
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Develop a monitoring framework a monitoring framework for evaluating the impact of the trainings on WPS in the defence sector. UN Women and Joaquim Chissano University 2021/11 Completed Un Women supported UJC in producing a tool to assess the results of the trainings.
Recommendation: Monitoring
Management Response: All responsible partners report on quarterly (or in some cases monthly) basis on the implementing of the project. During this reporting, they always reflect on the delivery compared to the baseline data of the project.
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Description: All delivery partners from outcome 2, should check their delivery plans against the baseline study, and produce a short update about the ways in which their delivery plans are consistent with the baseline, and what adaptations are needed or have been done.
Management Response Category: Partially Accepted
Thematic Area: Peace and security (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Capacity development
Organizational Priorities: Culture of results/RBM
UNEG Criteria: Effectiveness
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
UN Women conducts regularly review project performance matrix. On a monthly basis, UN Women conducts an in-depth programme meeting with all the review the programme implementation and reporting according to the delivery plans and indicators previously established (in accordance with the targets established. Moreover, it is also part of the UN Women monitoring plan to conduct routine field visit to the project sites. UN Women 2021/12 Completed Due to end of the project this activity will no longer be applicable. However lessons will be included as part of the CO practice and also in case the project continue in phase 2.
Recommendation: Efficiency
Management Response: UN Women has analyzed the possibility of duplication of efforts between the WPS project with other existing projects. There is little to no chance of this occurring in most districts in which the project is being implemented as UN Women has no other project being implemented in the same location. The only exception was the districts affected by cyclone IDAI in Sofala. In this case, UN Women worked directly with the specific responsible partner to clearly distinguish and report separately the different interventions of each project to mitigate the risk of double reporting. In regards to the funding distribution, the funding distribution was done according to the level of impact of conflict in the respective districts. All the decisions with regard to the funding distribution followed by several consultations and discussions with the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Action. As well as the Government of the Kingdom of Norway in regards to the IDAI recovery support.
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Description: Request local partners of output 2.1. to determine possible sources of duplication with other projects implemented in the area and to assess and mitigate possible misperceptions about funding distribution.
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Peace and security (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Not applicable
Organizational Priorities: Operational activities
UNEG Criteria: Efficiency
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Frequently analysis the possible geographic duplication between different UN Women projects as well as analysis on the efficiency of utilizing the same responsible partner between different projects. UN Women and Responsible Parties 2021/11 Completed Geographic duplication was monitored and there was none in the reporting period.
Recommendation: Additional Funds
Management Response: UN Women agrees that if we have a second phase of the project, the support to women´s organizations, including through the solidarity camps, should be prioritized. UN Women will pay special attention to provide clear guidance to partners about UN Women´s terms and procedures prior to engaging with them. However, UN Women cannot compromise its terms and procedures to better accommodate the demands of its partners (which in many cases this is challenge that is presented). In next similar projects, the CO will ensure that clarifies its procedures to avoid misinterpretation.
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Description: If additional funding is available, additional Solidarity Camps should be given a priority. Clearer guidance needs to be provided by UN Women for the presentation of transportation and food invoices in future Solidarity Camps.
Management Response Category: Rejected
Thematic Area: Peace and security (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: South-South cooperation
Organizational Priorities: Not applicable
UNEG Criteria: Efficiency
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
No action planned N/a 2021/11 No Longer Applicable No action planned as the recommendation was rejected
Recommendation: Additional funds
Management Response: When designing new projects or if additional funds are allocated to the existing project, UN Women will review the monitoring mechanisms for measuring behavioural change as result of the engaging men and boys as active agents in the promotion of the empowerment of women and gender equality. The HeForShe campaign ended in 2018, but methodologies of engaging men and boys is still being used. UN Women will also employ the lessons learnt and good practices adopted on the implementation of the Spotlight Initiative (as the project specifically has a thematic of engagement of men and boys in the elimination of gender-based violence in Mozambique). For example, under the Spotlight Initiative, UN Women has been bringing community leaders for capacity building, reflections sessions; boys regularly meeting together as boys to discuss about harmful/positive masculinities, e.g.: “Quinta da Malta.” UN Women will also adopt the good practice of conduct multi-sectorial monitoring visits. However, UN Women has not been working with HOPEM since 2014 so it might not directly engage with HOPEM teams in the monitoring visits but will consider having different civil society and women-led organizations in which we work regularly with to be part of the monitoring visits.
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Description: Identify and implement new mechanisms to measure behavioural change as a result of the #HeForShe campaigns. This could be done through online surveys but will be better implemented with new monitoring visits from the HOPEM teams.
Management Response Category: Not applicable
Thematic Area: Ending violence against women (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Advocacy
Organizational Priorities: Engaging men and boys
UNEG Criteria: Efficiency
Key Actions
Key Action not added.
Recommendation: Additional Funds
Management Response: UN Women agrees that there is a need for greater advocacy and the development of specific interventions that seek to increase women’s participation in DDR processes. However, the programme design did not foresee interventions in DDR. The expectation of developing specific standalone interventions focused on DDR within the current WPS programme are not realistic. UN Women has been and will continue to try to mobilize resources to promote for women participate in and benefit from the DDR processes in Mozambique. Nevertheless, UN Women has partially accepted and tried to the recommendation into the scope of the existing programme. UN Women as specific activity focused on the building the capacity of women and women´s organizations in conflict prevention, mediation and resolution. Within this capacity building training, a specific module on DDR will be developed; the module will contain key information about the ins and outs of DDR processes as well as the critical role of women and women´s organizations in DDR processes.
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Description: Given lack of progress on output 3.1., three recommendations were provided by women organisations, which could be considered both for future programmes or for additional advocacy work in this project. • Publicly lobbying to increase women's participation in peacebuilding and DDR processes at the provincial level, through UN Women offices and other Spotlight Initiative partners. • Help locate all female combatants, women in support roles and dependents (of combatants) and refer them to development assistance programs. • Adequately inform women about the eligibility criteria, goals and benefits of DDR programs.
Management Response Category: Partially Accepted
Thematic Area: Peace and security (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Promoting inclusiveness/Leaving no one behind
Organizational Priorities: Not applicable
UNEG Criteria: Efficiency
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
1. Develop a module on DDR to be embedded in the WPS training with a focus on conflict prevention, mediation and resolution. 2. Deliver the training to women and women´s organizations 3. Monitor the results of the training UN Women and Joaquim Chissano University 2021/12 Completed DDR module was embedded in the WPS training for civil society as well as the WPS cafes
Recommendation: Monitoring
Management Response: UN Women agrees that it is important to foster the development of follow up actions within the respective institutions of the Alumni. In Q1 and Q2 of 2020, UN Women initiated several attempts to receive information and follow up with the alumni. This initiative faced several challenges as the alumni were not also the most responsive or collaborative. In Q3 of 2020, UN Women worked with UJC to invite all the alumni to partake in the development of the academic course on WPS. As recommended, the same approach can be undertaken with the WPS modules for the security and defence academies. Moreover, we can schedule a virtual meeting with the alumni to create room for updates and exchange between the alumni. However, the recommendation for the alumni to be part of monitoring visits has budgetary implications as that would require the physical dislocation to the project districts. Due to financial constraints, it would not be possible to integrate the alumni into the monitoring visits. Furthermore, in future projects and interventions, UN Women will explore how to integrate the alumni in the research and designing of proposals of interventions related to WPS.
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Description: A new attempt to increase the value for money of the post-graduate GRÓ-GEST can be trial in the last months of implementation by promote a new online or in-person encounter between all the alumni and request them to explore joint mechanisms in which one of their postgraduate projects (or new ones) can be supported. Some ideas mentioned during data collection include: o Supporting the development of WPS modules to be implemented within Police and Military Academy; o Being part of monitoring visits to beneficiary district areas with the specific aim of evaluating the results of the training provided and learning gaps; and o Development research, pilots and proposals regarding mechanisms in which women participation in peacebuilding, DDR and reconciliation forums can be expanded.
Management Response Category: Partially Accepted
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Promoting inclusiveness/Leaving no one behind
Organizational Priorities: Not applicable
UNEG Criteria: Effectiveness
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Seek the support of the alumni of the of the post-graduate course facilitated by Gro-GEST in the development of the WPS modules for the defence and security sector training academies. UN Women 2021/12 Completed Requested in the WPS trainings and cafes
Organize a follow up meeting and exchange with the alumni of the of the post-graduate course facilitated by Gro-GEST. UN Women and Joaquim Chissano university 2021/12 No Longer Applicable Due to end of project this activity is no longer planned to be implemented and as it was not initially planned as part of the project was not possible to integrate at the end of the project.
Recommendation: Update Log Frame
Management Response: No additional activities were created and adopted since the approved project proposal. There were some budget alterations that were conducted within the scope of the project funded by the Government of the Kingdom of Norway. All of these alterations were previously discussed and agree with the Government of the Kingdom of Norway. However, this relocation of funds did not create new additional activities but rather increased the geographic scope of the existing activities. For example, funds were relocated two already existing activities that seek to support the socioeconomic recovery and improve the quality of services provide to survivors of violence. In this sense, the agreed indicators are will relevant to the project and in some cases UN Women has already surpassed the targets of the project. However, it is not a common practice to change the logframe due to surpassing of the initially envisioned targets.
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Description: Update logframe to include additional activities and updated target numbers within output indicators, and change outcome indicators in accordance with recommendations provided in finding 9.
Management Response Category: Rejected
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Evidence, Data and statistics
Organizational Priorities: Culture of results/RBM
UNEG Criteria: Relevance
Key Actions
Key Action not added.
Recommendation: Sustainability
Management Response: UN Women plans on developing an existing plan for the Women, Peace and Security project. Several consultations with key stakeholders, including the responsible partners, will be conducted in the phase of developing the exist plan. The recommendation for lobbying the continued support from Government entities to continue to support the implementation of the National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security will be an integral part of the exist strategy. However, due to the limitation of funds and lack of provision of additional funds, it might not be possible to plan additional visits from UN Women and Donor teams.
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Description: Prepare a sustainability plan for all output and outcomes. Local partners can guide the initial phases of delivery of this plan. But this might require additional visits from donors or UN Women teams to the participating districts, to discuss/present sustainability plans and set realistic expectations from the districts. As part of the sustainability plan, UN Women could lobby MGCAS, MDN and MINT to keep supporting dissemination, career training programmes and implementation of the NAP1325, and report in what has agreed.
Management Response Category: Partially Accepted
Thematic Area: Peace and security (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Resource mobilization
Organizational Priorities: Not applicable
UNEG Criteria: Sustainability
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Develop a comprehensive exiting plan for the project in line with the principles of do no harm and promoting sustainability of the project interventions. UN Women 2021/11 Completed Not only UN Women developed with its partners an exit strategy, but also had been working with the Government of Norway and Iceland to see the possibility of having a second phase of the project.
Recommendation: Sustainability
Management Response: UN Women will continue its efforts to mobilize resources to promote a Mozambique in which all women and girls live a life free from all forms of violence. The recommendations have been well noted and align well with some the mandate and prioritise of UN Women. However, whether or not UN Women will be able to positively respond to the specificities of the recommendations will depend on the availability of resources.
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Description: • Future projects could focus on supporting district level plans, particularly the development of mobile brigades or building of safe spaces for survivors of SGBV. • Future projects could support cross-learning workshops or at least online discussions between members of the Integrated Multisectoral Mechanism from all 14 participating districts. These encounters could be used to evaluate specific learning gaps and allow exchange of experiences. • Future projects should prepare better for the risk of low access and insight to ministries in Mozambique, particularly after national elections. International and local partners recommended that future projects leave some unspent or flexible funding to respond to new government priorities.
Management Response Category: Partially Accepted
Thematic Area: Governance and planning (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Promoting inclusiveness/Leaving no one behind, Capacity development, Knowledge management
Organizational Priorities: Partnership
UNEG Criteria: Sustainability
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Draft concept notes and project documents with focus on ending violence against women and girls and providing essential services to women and girls survivors of violence in Mozambique. UN Women 2022/12 No Longer Applicable The project has ended and being a recommendation that is applicable for the entire CO on resource mobilization efforts it will be considered as part of the CO normal work. The CO has a portfolio on EVAW and concept notes are being drafted in line with the recommendation is made. With the starting on the new SN in 2023 the CO has increased its RM efforts and EVAW is part of it.