Management Response

: Cameroon
: 2014 - 2017 , Cameroon (CO)
: Mainstreaming gender into humanitarian response
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: Cameroon
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UN Women Cameroon overall welcomes the findings, conclusions and recommendations highlighted by the final project evaluation which with five evaluation criteria (relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, coordination and capacity development) examined the achievement of three outcome areas of the project: 1) increased access to integrated GBV services, 2) crisis-affected women and vulnerable host community's increased income to meet their needs, and 3) gender mainstreaming in the humanitarian coordination system. While being a project final evaluation for accountability, in the context where the succeeding humanitarian project commenced, the exercise placed a strong emphasis on learning both among the UN Women staff and the implementing agencies throughout the process with wide participation of stakeholders at different stages, which led to a list of forward-looking recommendations. Some major recommendations, including those related to improvement in partner coordination, development of communication strategy, regional programming among others, have been already taken into account or being implemented in the succeeding project, relevant programming for the future, and/or in the preparation of the new Country Strategic Note 2018-2020. The evaluation revealed that apart from the intended effects, one of the greatest contribution of the project was an increase in social capital among project participants from different population groups within the refugee camp, as well as in the host communities, even though it was not systematically measured. UN Women Cameroon believes that this social cohesion aspect of the project intervention, linked to the Women, Peace and Security agenda is a key area that helps the crisis-affected communities to transition from humanitarian to early recovery and development phases. In view of the continuum of humanitarian response and development efforts, the recommendation on the needs for longer-term funding cannot be overemphasized. As a learning organization, UN Women Cameroon is committed to utilizing the accepted findings, conclusions and recommendations in its future actions, so long as they remain relevant to the country context.

: Approved
Recommendation: Continue to ensure (and monitor) that implementing partners (i) adapt the project's different activities to the cultural, economic and security context in the Far North, and (ii) address environmental issues related to the humanitarian response in the region more systematically.
Management Response: The recommendation is accepted. The key actions will be Implemented In the on-going project and other initiatives in four areas: cultural, economic, security and environmental contexts.
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Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Peace and security (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Not applicable
Organizational Priorities: Humanitarian action
UNEG Criteria: Relevance
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Adaptation to the cultural context: develop training materials and communication tools in relevant local languages UN Women Cameroon 2018/03 Completed The recommendation has been taken into account in various activities. For example, a training manual was translated into a major local language (Fulfulde). For the 16 days activism and a workshop on women, peace and security around International Women’s Day 2018, visibility materials (T-shirts) carried a message in Fulfulde to better reach the target population.
Adaptation to the economic context: examine economic needs of the target beneficiaries before organizing economic activities, and ensure that types of activities offered take into account what they used to do before the displacement UN Women Cameroon 2018/03 Completed During the project in 2017-2018, the economic needs of the target population and local market situation were examined before implementing activities. The economic activities that beneficiaries had had experiences before displacement were taken into account in the process.
Adaptation to the security context: promote joint missions among GBV actors and joint gender-responsive needs assessments in the high security risk contexts where transport means are limited UN Women Cameroon 2018/03 Completed Field missions have become organized primarily on a joint-basis, with implementing partners and/or other agencies, to address the transport issues in the insecurity context as well as to increase the effectiveness of the monitoring and response measures.
Adaptation to the environment: adopt environmentally-friendly measures or provide means to counter against environmental exploitation and degradation UN Women Cameroon 2018/03 Completed Provision of alternative energy sources was added to the project in 2017, which primarily meant to mitigate the risk of GBV during the search for firewood, but it also addressed the environmental concern to some extent in the region where arrival of displaced population exacerbates the environmental exploitation and degradation.
Recommendation: Improve the rigor and transparency of the beneficiaries selection processes, especially in the area of economic support for women and girls. Ensure that sensitization activities as well as psycho-social and economic support involve more men in the community. Further capitalize on mechanisms for identifying vulnerable cases and resolving conflicts. Review the project economic support strategy through cooperatives, by adopting a forward-looking approach that would take into account the gradual evolution of income-generating activities. Ensure (and monitor) that the budget for economic support activities remain fairly substantial throughout the project, unless there is evidence of greater needs in other areas
Management Response: This has been taken into account especially for the Second Chance Education. The selection process of beneficiaries has been improved. Men and boys were included.
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Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Peace and security (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Not applicable
Organizational Priorities: Humanitarian action
UNEG Criteria: Not applicable
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Review the selection criteria for economic support, and take measures for rigorous implementation of the selection process to identify the most vulnerable, with community participation UN Women Cameroon 2018/03 Completed The selection criteria was reviewed and updated per population type (IDPs, refugees and host community). The implementation of the selection process has become more participatory engaging the community as well as local authorities.
Engage more men in the community in sensitization, psycho-social support and economic support activities UN Women Cameroon 2018/03 Completed The project in 2017-2018 included men not only as target for sensitization but aslo as beneficiaries of the vocational training and economic activities in an inclusive community development approach.
Improve communication with the target population by implementing agencies. Review all the mechanisms in the community to identify and report GBV cases using community-based approach in collaboration with community workers and GBV committees. UN Women 2018/03 Completed ToRs for the community workers and GBV committees were reviewed and their role was strengthened. Also involving traditional and religious leaders from the onset of the project improved the communication with communities.
Review the economic support strategy, by adopting a more progressive approach by phase UN Women Cameroon 2018/12 Completed Work in progress
Dedicate sufficient budget to economic support UN Women Cameroon 2018/12 Completed More budget has been allocated to economic support in various forms (short-term and longer-term training, combined with economic kits as a start-up material).
Recommendation: Ensure (and monitor) that the cooperation with the other partners involved in the planning and implementation of the next project phase (regardless of whether they belong to the United Nations system or not) be improved in accordance with the Human Right and Gender Equality principles. Ensure that the contracts signed with the implementing agencies include more systematic references to penalties in case of delay or failure in execution
Management Response: This has been addressed. All contracts signed with the implementing agencies include more systematic references to penalties in case of delay or failure in execution. Every effort will be made to more closely monitor and communicate with the partners to ensure the timely implementation and reporting of the activities.
More detail
Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Peace and security (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Not applicable
Organizational Priorities: Humanitarian action
UNEG Criteria: Gender equality
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Provide venues and time for implementing partners to participate in and contribute to the planning of the future programming UN Women Cameroon 2018/03 Completed Given that humanitarian programming is done in a very tight timeline, constant communication with partners on a daily basis including joint missions, coupled with mid-term review and final review with all the implementing partners have become a set of effective instruments to ensure their participation in planning of the future programming.
Improve communication with and amongst partners during the implementation to increase collective ownership of the project UN Women Cameroon 2018/03 Completed In the project 2017-2018, the number of partners was reduced to increase the quality of communication with partners. Joint activities in the field including joint missions, mid-term review and final review all contributed to the improvement of communication between and amongst partners.
Closely follow up all implementing partners, despite their different status, and hold them accountable at the same level UN Women Cameroon 2018/03 Completed Every effort has been made to follow up all partners, but the response from each partner differs, and it is work in progress to hold them accountable at the same level.
Recommendation: Ensure that the project logframe indicate a more realistic and detailed number of deliverables for each of the activities planned during the project follow-up phase. At the same time, if the deliverables included in the contracts signed with the implementing agencies are not the same as those indicated in the logframe, it will be necessary that the logframe be amended and that the reasons for changes be made explicit. Take into consideration the list of factors that have been identified in this evaluation as those that have contributed most to the success of the project and to develop, with the colleagues in Yaoundé and Maroua, a list of activities that could strengthen these further in the future. Similarly, review the list of factors that have been identified as those that have prevented the most the successful completion of the project activities and to develop a list of mitigation strategies. Facilitate the participatory development of a communication strategy and strengthen community workers capacity in communication. Limit the number of the project activities and reduce the project management costs. Adopt innovative procurement mechanisms for increased efficiency.
Management Response: The recommendations are accepted. The key actions will be implemented in the on-going project and future initiatives.
More detail
Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Peace and security (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Knowledge management
Organizational Priorities: Humanitarian action
UNEG Criteria: Impact
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Formulate a clearer logframe and revise it when necessary in a participatory manner, including the consultation with the donor. UN Women Cameroon 2018/03 Completed A clearer logframe was developed and revision was made in consultation with key stakeholders.
Review and monitor all the risk factors and assumptions throughout the project implementation, and take mitigation measures UN Women Cameroon 2018/03 Completed Done.
Develop a communication strategy in a participatory manner, and strengthen community workers' capacity to improve communication in the community UN Women Cameronn 2018/03 Completed A communication strategy was developed in a participatory manner and implemented. Messages for sensitization were also reviewed in a participatory manner with community workers’ inputs.
Reduce the number of activities and try to limit the management cost UN Women Cameroon 2018/03 Completed The number of activities was reduced to some extent. As much as the number of implementing partners was reduced, the indirect cost was saved.
Identify innovative measures for cost efficiency (such as long-term agreement, and listing of high-performing suppliers in relevant sectors etc.) in the region UN Women Cameroon 2018/03 Completed With the creation of a post for admin/finance dedicated to the humanitarian program, the pool of supplies and service providers grew to encourage more competition for efficiency, through coordination with other agencies operating in Maroua
Recommendation: Advocate to donors for strengthening the link between emergencies and development and to extend the duration of the project to 2 years. UN Women could also propose regrouping all the humanitarian projects in Africa funded by the Government of Japan into one single regional program in the future.
Management Response: The recommendations are accepted. The key actions will be implemented in the on-going project and future initiatives.
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Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Peace and security (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Advocacy
Organizational Priorities: Humanitarian action
UNEG Criteria: Sustainability
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Advocate to donors for longer-term funding to strengthen the linkage between emergencies and development. UN Women Cameroon 2018/03 Completed The next project funded by Japan will be a 2 year project. It is part of the nexus on Humanitarian development peace.
Reorganize country-based humanitarian projects into a regional program UN Women Cameroon 2018/03 Completed Country-based humanitarian projects were consolidated into a regional program considering the regional dimension of the crisis, and a regional proposal was submitted to some donors.
Recommendation: Ensure that the lessons learned in the past as well as during the evaluation on coordination and resource integration guide UN WOMEN’s engagement and collaboration with implementing partners, national authorities and donors in the future. Strengthen the presence of Maroua staff in the regional GBV coordination as well as their links with other organizations’ activities in GBV and in all other sectors in the Far North. Seek further synergies between the resources of the project and those of other partners.
Management Response: The recommendations are accepted. The key actions will be implemented in the on-going project and future initiatives.
More detail
Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Peace and security (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Not applicable
Organizational Priorities: Humanitarian action
UNEG Criteria: Not applicable
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Document, utilize and manage lessons learned and knowledge products to inform the program UN Women Cameroon 2018/12 Completed Lessons learned from previous initiatives were all taken into account in the project 2017-2018. Knowledge product to document the UN Women humanitarian response model in the Cameroonian context is currently being developed.
Strengthen the regional GBV coordination (involving other key actors such as health), as well as in all other sectors in Maroua in view of gender mainstreaming GenCap 2018/12 Completed GenCap and UN Women staff strengthened gender mainstreaming in different sectors by setting up a group of gender focal points from each sector in Maroua and Yaounde. Regional GBV coordination was enhanced in 2017 by involving other UN agencies (UNOCHA, UNHCR and UNFPA) and DRPROFF more systematically and developing a common reporting tool.
Identify opportunities to create synergies with other interventions UN Women Cameroon 2018/12 Completed operating in the region The 16 days activism campaign in 2017 for example was organized in partnership with other members of GBV working group, to put together resources and communicate coherent messages as a group to the target population.
Recommendation: Conduct a rigorous analysis of the partners’ capacity in the field before the roll-out of the envisaged training and coaching activities. Develop a capacity development program on results based management including monitoring and evaluation for all its implementing partners as well as UN Women staff, and ensure the availability of adequate resources to implement it. Strengthen the capacity of humanitarian actors in the Far North region in gender-responsive programming using the gender marker system in closer collaboration with UNOCHA.
Management Response: The recommendations are accepted. The key actions will be implemented in the on-going project and future initiatives.
More detail
Description:
Management Response Category: Accepted
Thematic Area: Peace and security (SPs before 2018)
Operating Principles: Capacity development
Organizational Priorities: Humanitarian action
UNEG Criteria: Sustainability
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Conduct a rigorous analysis of the partners’ capacity in the field, and develop and conduct a capacity development program for partners, with various modalities (distance coaching, online courses, mutual learning etc.) UN Women Cameroon 2018/12 Completed Partners’ capacity building was given more attention, and done through mostly traditional modalities (training, distance coaching, during field missions)
Develop and conduct a capacity development program for UN Women Maroua on results-based management including monitoring and evaluation and other relevant areas UN Women Cameroon 2018/12 Completed Knowledge ofRBM and M&E was addressed during the mission from Yaounde, to some extent. A training session by HQ for humanitarian actors in the field is planned sometime in 2018, where these aspects should be addressed. All staff have been trained in RBM with the support or regional office. In addition regular sessions have been undertaken to be more RBM focussed. Implementing partners also receive support on result based management
Strengthen the capacity of humanitarian actors in gender mainstreaming through the support of GenCap Un Women Cameroon 2018/03 Completed GenCap and UN Women strengthened the capacity of humanitarian actors. The work is ongoing with the national expert for gender in humanitarian actions.
Promote gender-responsive monitoring and evaluation in closer collaboration with UNOCHA UN Women Cameroon 2018/12 Completed UNWOMEN supports the Humanitarian Need Overview Process with Gender Analysis and Scoring Projects Posted on Online Project System. The CO also supports gender focal points from different sectors on the use of gender analysis and inequality tools in the planning cycle; in day-to-day activities