Management Response

: Kazakhstan
: 2022 - 2023 , Kazakhstan (CO)
: Final evaluation of the project “Assistance in strengthening national capacity, coordinating, and creating effective interdepartmental measures to implement family and gender policies, expand women's contribution to national production and its growth in order to effectively implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1, 5, 8 and 10 and introduce a multisectoral approach to combat domestic violence in the Republic of Kazakhstan" (the Umbrella Project)
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: Kazakhstan
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Final Evaluation of the project “Assistance in strengthening national capacity, coordinating, and creating effective interdepartmental measures to implement family and gender policies, expand women's contribution to national production and its growth in order to effectively implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1, 5, 8 and 10 and introduce multisectoral approach to combat domestic violence in the Republic of Kazakhstan” jointly implemented by UN Women, and UNICEF, UNFPA and UNDP in Kazakhstan was conducted by independent international and national evaluation experts Anita Ramsak and Maira Zeinelova. The final evaluation of the project provided an opportunity to assess the overall impact of the project on achieving its objectives. It allowed stakeholders to understand the extent to which the project has contributed to strengthening national capacity, coordinating interdepartmental measures, and achieving the targeted outcomes related to SDGs 1, 5, 8, and 10. Moreover, the evaluation results offered evidence of progress toward Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1 (No Poverty), 5 (Gender Equality), 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), and 10 (Reduced Inequalities). It provided insights into the project's contribution to these global goals and helps measure the alignment of project outcomes with broader international development objectives. Based on the findings of the evaluation, important recommendations made for future interventions in the field of family and gender policies, SDGs implementation, and combating domestic violence. These recommendations can guide the development of more targeted and impactful programs in the future. Recommendations of the final evaluation serve as a critical tool for learning, accountability, and evidence-based decision-making. It provides stakeholders with valuable insights into the achievements, challenges, and lessons learned from the project, ultimately contributing to the improvement of future initiatives in Kazakhstan and potentially influencing broader global development strategies.

: Approved
Recommendation: Continue building capacities of relevant government agencies on human rights-based programming and results-based management, including on designing results-based MEL systems with meaningful and measurable results-based indicators combining qualitative and quantitative approaches and disaggregated data collection. These need to be liked to a clear and realistic theory of change. Consider integrating tools such as human interest or human change stories or outcome harvesting methodology into the MEL systems to allow for more effective tracking of the qualitative aspects of the change. Ideally, the project, depending on the strategic focus and quality of the MEAL system, shall be linked to broader action plans and programs of relevant institutions to allow for measuring effectiveness and achieved changes over time and improvement programming synergies (linked to Conclusion 3 & 2).
Management Response: UN Women acknowledges the importance of strengthening its capacities in human rights-based programming and results-based management, and UN Women committed to implementing the suggested measures outlined in recommendation. To address the recommendation, we will focus on different key actions included below in the areas of capacity development, MEL System Enhancement, Incorporation of Innovative Tools and Strategic Linkages.
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Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Oversight/governance, Capacity development, Knowledge management
Organizational Priorities: Culture of results/RBM, Organizational efficiency
UNEG Criteria: Effectiveness
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
UN women will conduct skill development consultation meetings with relevant government institutions on human rights-based programming and results-based management to enhance understanding and application of results-based Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) systems. Programme Team UN Women Kazakhstan CO 2025/03 Initiated The consultation sessions will be conducted with relevant government entities with whom Country office is planning to cooperate within the new Tied Grant initiatives.
To UN Women will conduct training session for key national partners to design MEL systems with meaningful and measurable indicators, including qualitative and quantitative approaches for a holistic assessment of project outcomes. Programme Team UN Women Kazakhstan CO 2025/03 Initiated
To ensure incorporation of Innovative Tools during the project document development UN women will integrate tools such as human interest or human change stories into MEL systems. Programme Team UN Women Kazakhstan CO 2025/03 Initiated In 2024 the country office is planning to present several project proposals to government of Kazakhstan during this process the recommendations will be considered.
To ensure alignment with institutional strategies for measuring effectiveness and achieving changes over time UN women will discuss it with key stakeholders during the Steering committee meetings of the projects. Programme Team UN Women Kazakhstan CO 2024/12 Initiated
Recommendation: Design future projects using the support of TOC to help identify needed linkages and gaps, and assess the ability of the listed activities to contribute to the change envisaged. This might also support improving the strategic focus of the projects, reducing the fragmentations, and improving the project’s coherence
Management Response: The recommendation is accepted by UN Women. The key actions stated below, describe concrete measures to carry out the implementation of the recommendation, and most of them refer to the development of project document phase.
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Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Knowledge management, Alignment with strategy
Organizational Priorities: Organizational efficiency, Operational activities, Culture of results/RBM
UNEG Criteria: Effectiveness, Relevance
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
The new project documents developed by UN Women in cooperation with government institutions will be carefully reviewed to identify potential gaps in project design and implementation, as well as maintain linkages between project activities and the desired change and project outcomes. UN Women Kazakhstan CO 2025/04 Initiated Country office will deliver capacity building sessions to its project teams on designing of the project documents considering the recommended areas.
To build the capacity of project staff UN Women will provide training and workshops for project teams on the principles and application of Theory of Change and TOC as a tool for strategic planning and impact assessment. UN Women Kazakhstan CO 2025/04 Initiated
Recommendation: Ensure more inclusive project design while engaging and reaching out to all stakeholders playing a role in specific interventions to ensure smoother implementation of the project and increased ownership at all levels. This shall include designing effective consultation mechanisms with final beneficiaries, particularly the most socially vulnerable women, to hear their perspectives and inform interventions
Management Response: The recommendation is accepted by UN Women. UN Women to ensure the alignment with the requirements of development of project documents in cooperation with national partners will take below described actions
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Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: National ownership, Promoting inclusiveness/Leaving no one behind
Organizational Priorities: Culture of results/RBM
UNEG Criteria: Human Rights, Gender equality, Effectiveness
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Establish and implement effective consultation mechanisms with final beneficiaries, with a particular emphasis on socially vulnerable women through utilization of the communication channels, such as focus group discussions, surveys, and community meetings, to gather input. UN Women Kazakhstan CO, Government institutions 2025/04 Initiated In 2024 the country office is planning to present several project proposals to government of Kazakhstan during this process the recommendations will be considered.
Implement specific initiatives to empower socially vulnerable women, ensuring their active participation in project design. Tailor communication and engagement strategies to address the unique needs and perspectives of this group. Government institutions and UN Women Kazakhstan CO 2025/04 Initiated
Recommendation: Ensure that reporting requirements by donors and existing procedures are fully understandable to all partners, ideally at the design stage, and if not at least at the inception stage of the project and support the MEL system and collection of indicators therein. This requires developing effective reporting tools and obligations and necessary capacity-building opportunities, such as webinars, to explain different requirements and provide necessary clarifications
Management Response: The recommendation is accepted by UN Women. UN Women will take further actions to implement the recommendation.
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Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Knowledge management
Organizational Priorities: Operational activities, Culture of results/RBM
UNEG Criteria: Effectiveness
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
UN Women will organize consultative sessions to provide comprehensive training on reporting obligations and procedures to partners to address specific needs and challenges faced by partners in understanding reporting requirements. UN Women Kazakhstan CO, Government institutions 2026/01 Initiated In 2024 the country office is planning to present several project proposals to government of Kazakhstan during this process the recommendations will be considered.
UN Women will provide to partners detailed documentation outlining reporting expectations and procedures. UN Women Kazakhstan CO, Government institutions 2026/01 Initiated
UN Women will use project Steering committee meetings to establish regular communication channels to keep partners informed of any updates or changes to reporting requirements. UN Women Kazakhstan CO, Government institutions 2026/01 Initiated
Recommendation: Clear guidelines and processes for contributing and approving outputs developed by the projects might want to be considered in future multi-partner projects, setting reasonable deadlines and expectations to avoid unnecessary delays and last-minute interventions, which, as a consequence, put a strain on the quality of the outputs and relationships. Such a mechanism might be particularly relevant in the context of the National Commission, where the feedback is expected to be provided by a number of stakeholders, who often work on a voluntary basis and might have other priorities and parallel obligations
Management Response: The recommendation is accepted by UN Women. UN Women in response to the recommendation concerning the development of clear guidelines and processes for contributing and approving outputs in multi-partner projects, we acknowledge the importance of this suggestion and are committed to implementing measures to enhance efficiency, quality, and stakeholder relationships
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Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Capacity development, National ownership
Organizational Priorities: Culture of results/RBM
UNEG Criteria: Effectiveness, Efficiency
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Develop a strategic framework outlining clear guidelines and processes for output contributions and approvals within the context of multi-partner projects. UN Women Kazakhstan CO, Government institutions 2026/01 Initiated
Work closely with partners to establish realistic and achievable deadlines for the submission and approval of project outputs. UN Women Kazakhstan CO, Government institutions 2026/01 Initiated
Establish a feedback mechanism to collect input from stakeholders on the effectiveness of the contribution and approval processes. UN Women Kazakhstan CO, Government institutions 2026/01 Initiated
Recommendation: Ensure that extensive risks and mitigation analysis is performed for each project at the design stage, including the risks and constraints linked to national institutional set-ups and related processes (particularly expected delays in fund disbursements, resource constraints, and lengthy decision-making processes), and adequately design the projects anticipating such limitations. Depending on the project's size, governmental institutions' anticipated resource constraints could be mitigated by seconding a person responsible for a project at the key responsible institution to ensure smooth coordination and implementation of the project, including coordinating different outcomes and ensuring effective responses
Management Response: The recommendation is accepted by UN Women CO. Country office to ensure the alignment with the requirements of development of project documents in cooperation with government institutions will take below described actions.
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Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Oversight/governance
Organizational Priorities: Organizational efficiency
UNEG Criteria: Efficiency
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
During the project document design stage country office will establish a standardized process for conducting thorough risk identification sessions UN Women Kazakhstan CO 2025/04 Initiated
The country office will collaborate with relevant government bodies and stakeholders to gain insights into the institutional landscape to identify and document risks associated with national institutional set-ups, funding disbursements, resource constraints, and decision-making processes. UN Women Kazakhstan CO 2025/04 Initiated
Recommendation: Continue efforts to strengthen the national gender mechanisms, particularly the National Commission of Women, on different levels, including by (i.) supporting the Commission to institutionalize the written reporting obligations of the institutions on how they are mainstreaming gender equality in their work and status of the implementation of the Commission's recommendations; (ii.) supporting strengthening Commission's presence at the local/akimat levels; (iii) continuous capacity building provision on most pressing concepts of gender equality, which can also be developed into the online self-paced courses; (iv) designing and/or strengthening mechanisms and strategies to directly involve final beneficiaries in the work of Commission, including those most vulnerable groups. (v.) supporting Commission with a design of a comprehensive MEAL system allowing for monitoring its effectiveness and inducing learning. Different UN agencies currently providing capacity building to the Commission may also consider developing joint online and offline training packages for new Commissioners to ensure synergies, prevent overlap and maximize resources
Management Response: The recommendation is accepted by UN Women CO. Country office will work on capacity building of key national partner.
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Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Capacity development, National ownership
Organizational Priorities: Culture of results/RBM
UNEG Criteria: Sustainability
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
UN Women will continue to strengthen capacity of National Commission for Women’s Affairs through provision of expert and technical support, including developing joint online and offline training packages for new members of National Commission to ensure synergies, prevent overlap and maximize resources UN Women Kazakhstan CO 2026/01 Initiated
Recommendation: Continuously work with and build capacities of the National Statistics Committees to maximize the findings of the knowledge products developed through such projects and their effective usage for evidence-based decision-making. To prevent fragmentation and support the maximization of limited resources available within the Bureau, consider working with Bureau through a unified UN approach, where one UN agency would coordinate efforts and capacity-building opportunities related to effective data collection and management
Management Response: The recommendation is accepted by UN Women CO. Country office will work on strengthening the capacities of the Bureau for National Statistics in terms of effective gender related data collection.
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Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Capacity development, National ownership, Evidence, Data and statistics
Organizational Priorities: Culture of results/RBM, Operational activities
UNEG Criteria: Sustainability
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
UN Women will work closely with Bureau for National Statistics to integrate findings into evidence-based decision-making processes. UN Women Kazakhstan CO and relevant UN Agencies 2026/02 Initiated
To strengthen the capacity of the Bureau for National statistics UN Women will organize joint workshops and training sessions in collaboration with the relevant UN agencies. Capacity building sessions will aim to facilitate knowledge exchange and skill development opportunities to enhance the capabilities of Bureau members. UN Women Kazakhstan CO and relevant UN Agencies 2026/02 Initiated
Recommendation: Continue supporting women entrepreneurship centres while addressing some of the identified opportunities to maximize their functioning, efficiency, and effectiveness, including by developing (i.) an effective information management system containing all information for each woman/case supported; (ii.) an automated system of accepting applications (iii.) feedback mechanisms from beneficiaries and comprehensive monitoring mechanism to monitor outcomes and assess the achievements of the support provided; including tracking success cases. Additionally, any WEE interventions should be accompanied by suitable behavioural change and information campaigns on WEE, which also target husbands and men to contribute to a more supportive environment for women's entrepreneurship. Additionally, project partners can also consider integrating GBV and WEE components, including into the entrepreneurial work centres, to help to address some of the tensions that promoting the WEE in a fairly patriarchic society might entail, as well as maximizing the opportunity centres to support awareness raising around GBV and VAVC
Management Response: In response to the recommendation to continue supporting women entrepreneurship centers (WECs) while maximizing their functioning, efficiency, and effectiveness, we commit to implementing the following strategies:
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Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Women economic empowerment (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Capacity development, Promoting inclusiveness/Leaving no one behind
Organizational Priorities: Organizational efficiency, Engaging men and boys, Culture of results/RBM
UNEG Criteria: Sustainability, Efficiency, Effectiveness
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Provide ongoing capacity-building programs for entrepreneurship center staff, focusing on the effective implementation of behavioral change campaigns and GBV components. UN Women Kazakhstan CO and relevant national partners 2026/02 Initiated
Leverage Women’s entrepreneurship development centers as platforms for awareness-raising initiatives on gender equality, WEE, and GBV. UN Women Kazakhstan CO and relevant national partners 2026/02 Initiated
Recommendation: Continuous implementation of extensive transformative behavioural change campaigns using innovative and interactive approaches, which have the potential to address the root causes of gender inequality, is needed. Nevertheless, given the specific context of Kazakhstan, these need to be accompanied by adequate tools and mechanisms to assess their impact, including gender-transformative potential and contribution to transforming gender norms. Such efforts will also allow for learning for different enstatites currently designing such campaigns
Management Response: The recommendation is accepted by UN Women CO. Country office will consult with the key national partners to identify collaborative efforts to transforming gender norms in the society.
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Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Global norms and standards (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: National ownership
Organizational Priorities: Not applicable
UNEG Criteria: Impact, Gender equality, Human Rights
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
UN women will consult and discus with key national partners regarding the future perspectives of establishment of the transformative behavioral change campaigns tailored to address the root causes of gender inequality. UN Women Kazakhstan CO 2026/01 Initiated
Recommendation: Build on UN Women’s coordinating mandate in GEWE and continue supporting cross-sectorial engagement in gender equality projects, including capitalizing on UN Women's convening role to bring together key stakeholders to foster joint programming, advocacy, and awareness-raising efforts. This can also include ensuring civil society participation in programming in different thematic areas, not only as sub-contractors but project partners. As well as working through its coordination mandate, in cooperation with newly developed relationships with the Resident Coordinator's Office, continue to optimize the expertise, programs, and resources on GEWE by different UN agencies while seeking opportunities for future joint programing. At the same time, all UN agencies need to work on the diversification of funds to ensure a level of independence from government-shifting gender priorities while allowing for long-term strategic focus on interventions
Management Response: The recommendation is accepted by UN Women CO. Country office will take below stated actions within its mandate advancing gender equality principles
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Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Resource mobilization
Organizational Priorities: Operational activities, UN Coordination
UNEG Criteria: Coherence
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Implement capacity-building initiatives for UN agencies and partners on gender-responsive programming, ensuring a shared understanding of best practices and principles. UN Women Kazakhstan CO 2025/03 Initiated