Management Response

Recommendation:

Evaluation recommendation 1 - Communication and Collaboration Amongst Stakeholders (Private sector companies, provincial Governments, UN Agencies, development partners, IPs, CSOs and UN Women) 1.1 Employ new and innovative ways of engaging private sector support (an example is where a private company using services/finished products of women HBWs, as in Vehari, could provide resources to the DAC for enhancing training and capacity building of women HBWs) for women’s economic participation at the district level. 1.2 Showcase effective WEP projects for adaption and replication in Pakistan.

Management Response:

Management response 1 - UN Women is in agreement with the recommendation. 1.1 UN Women plans to ensure the employment of new and innovative ways to engage private sector in the current and future programming. One of the UN Women projects to be funded by Benetton includes the recommendation 1. This project starting in the second half of 2016 maintains an innovative approach to engage 5-7 companies in Sialkot who had signed Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEP) under the Norway funded Phase II Project in 2015. The Benetton project specifically focuses on improving women’s access to sustainable livelihoods options in Sialkot district by supporting them in availing formal employment opportunities with the private sector companies, thereby allowing them to have higher and steadier incomes. This intervention will also enhance women’s access to skills enhancement programs, income generating opportunities, awareness about their rights, gender issues, importance of vocational education, leadership skills and provide a conducive environment to encourage them to break the barriers of tradition and become part of the formal workforce. Women will be able to work outside of their homes and independently if their family members, especially the men, are also convinced of the benefits associated with women’s mobility and economic productivity through the interventions that are aimed to bring change in beliefs, attitudes and behaviors. UN Women has developed two more concept notes delineating private sector coordination as one of the areas to employ to improve women’s access to income generation opportunities. 1.2 The Benetton project is planned to have far reaching results in women’s economic and social empowerment as well as act as a showcase project for adoption and replication in other districts. Women informal workers will be facilitated in receiving extensive trainings (including literacy and information technology trainings depending on their education level) from the selected public and private skills enhancement providers to improve their chances of accessing formal employment opportunities in the garment factories in Sialkot. Also, this intervention is aligned with UN Women Global Strategic Plan Development Results Framework Impact 2, Outcome 2.2 (Women’s sustainable livelihoods enhanced by gender-responsive services and access and control over means of production and resources). Moreover, the formal employment opportunities will ascertain women’s access to sustainable livelihoods options. Similarly, the other concept notes if funded and implemented will also promote WEP projects for further replication.

Key Actions Responsible Deadline Status Comments ADDED TO RECOMMENDATION 2 ------------------------ 2.1 Implementation of Benetton project on empowerment of garment workers UN Women WEE programme 2018/06 No Longer Applicable ADDED TO RECOMMENDATION 2 Sep 30, 2020 - Benetton project ended in 2017 ADDED TO RECOMMENDATION 2 ------------------------ 2.2 Finalization and implementation of other proposed projects submitted to donors • Economic Empowerment of Excluded Women and Transgender in Pakistan (2016-2019) submitted to potential donors UN Women WEE Programme 2019/12 Ongoing ADDED TO RECOMMENDATION 2 Sep 30, 2020 - The project with the support of RNE was implemented from 2017-2020 ADDED TO RECOMMENDATION 2 ------------------------ 2.3 Implementation of data collection project in collaboration with Bureau of Statistics, Punjab (BOSP) UN Women WEE Programme 2016/12 Completed ADDED TO RECOMMENDATION 2 Sep 30, 2020 - The data was collected and report compiled ADDED TO RECOMMENDATION 2 ------------------------ 2.4 Uniformity in baseline surveys • Implementation of Benetton project on empowerment of garment workers UN Women WEE programme 2018/06 No Longer Applicable ADDED TO RECOMMENDATION 2 ADDED TO RECOMMENDATION 2 ------------------------ 2.5 Continued partnerships with NCSW and Ministry of Finance • Economic Empowerment of Excluded Women and Transgender in Pakistan (2016-2019) submitted to potential donors UN Women WEE Programme 2019/12 Ongoing ADDED TO RECOMMENDATION 2 Sep 30, 2020 - Technical assistance was provided to Ministry of Finance on GRB under the project supported by RNE. ADDED TO RECOMMENDATION 2 ------------------------ 2.6 Advocacy efforts towards the ratification of ILO Convention 177 (1996) in collaboration with ILO Economic Empowerment of Excluded Women and Transgender in Pakistan (2016-2019) submitted to potential donors UN Women WEE Programme 2019/12 Ongoing ADDED TO RECOMMENDATION 2 Sep 30, 2020 - Continued advocacy undertaken to promote the cause of HBWs ADDED TO RECOMMENDATION 2 ------------------------ 2.7 Strengthen linkages with district line departments and expand DACs to Tehsil level UN Women WEE Programme 2019/12 Ongoing ADDED TO RECOMMENDATION 2 Sep 30, 2020 - The activity was undertaken in three provinces under the project supported by RNE 1.1 Develop intervention taking into account the evaluation recommendation of focusing on the private sector – Benetton Project UN Women WEE programme 2018/06 No Longer Applicable Agreement signed with the donor (Benetton) on 27 June 2016 and the first installment received on 15 July 2016. The Project is currently in the inception phase. Sep 30, 2020 - The Benetton project ended in Dec-2017 1.2 Initiate the private sector specific project activities - Benetton Project UN Women WEE programme 2017/06 No Longer Applicable Agreement signed with the donor (Benetton) on 27 June 2016 and F first installment from received on 15 July 2016. The Project is currently in the inception phase. >>>DEADLINE IS AUGUST 2016<<< Sep 30, 2020 - The project ended in Dec 2017. 1.3 Encourage at least another 10 private sector companies to sign on WEP UN Women WEE programme 2017/12 Completed Agreement signed with donor (Benetton) on 27 June 2016 and the first installment received on 15 July 2016. The Project is currently in the inception phase Sep 30, 2020 - 16 private sector companies signed the WEP under the project

Recommendation:

Evaluation recommendation 2 - Programming (UN Women, federal and provincial governments, statistical agencies, IPs, CSOs and development partners) 2.1 It is essential to build on Phase I and II by expanding outreach across the country and investing in new partners, either jointly with UN agencies and/or in conjunction with new bilateral donors working on WEE such as JICA; this will also help in reducing the dependence on Norway. 2.2 Provide increased opportunities to women HBWs to access financial literacy, leadership development, technology and life skills training programmes. 2.3 Continue to build linkages and partnerships with MFIs, particularly for organized groups, clusters, associations and unions of women HBWs. 2.4 IP baseline survey forms should be similar for all IPs, conducted by the same firm to provide consistency across data collected, similar information and sampling methodology. 2.5 The strategic partnerships with NCSW and the Ministry of Finance need to continue as they provide UN Women a seat at the table in important federal level institutions. 2.6 Continued advocacy is required for ratification of ILO Convention 177 (1996). 2.7 Develop a strategy to strengthen linkages with district line departments and expand DACs to Tehsil level for wider representation.

Management Response:

Management response 2 - UN Women is in agreement with the recommendation. 2.1 UN Women has submitted project proposals to different donors including JICA, Norway and Benetton to increase its outreach. Similarly, UN Women has initiated a one-year project in 2016 to collect data on home based workers (HBWs) in Punjab in collaboration with ILO, UNIDO and Punjab Bureau of Statistics. 2.2 UN Women in its proposed projects to donors has specifically focused on the capacity enhancement of the right holders by providing them trainings on leadership development, financial literacy, technology and life skills training programmes. 2.3 UN Women plans to strengthen linkages and partnerships with MFIs. The HBWs groups, through a new Project under negotiation, will be connected to different MFIs in order to provide them with financial services. 2.4 UN Women, in its future programming would ensure that IP baseline survey forms are similar for all IPs (if there is more than one IP) to provide consistency across data collected. Or UN Women can plan one comprehensive baseline survey for all project outputs in its future projects to ensure data consistency and informed end term project evaluations. 2.5 The strategic partnerships with NCSW and the Ministry of Finance is considered to be key in women’s economic empowerment agenda. UN Women will continue to strengthen its partnership with NCSW and Ministry of Finance in its current interventions and future programming. 2.6 UN Women will continue advocacy efforts for the ratification of ILO Convention 177 (1996) in collaboration with ILO. In this regard, UN Women, would keep working on the approval and adoption of HBW’ policies and laws in Punjab and Sindh. Through its proposed intervention under future proposed projects, UN Women plans to build the capacity of both HBWs and organizations to minimise the exploitation of right holders i.e. HBWs. 2.7 UN Women has proposed to expand DACs to other districts of different provinces however its representation at the Tehsil level will have to be determined in consultation with the DACs members. UN Women WEE programme along with the DAC members will be involved in developing programme implementation strategies in future programming.

Key Actions Responsible Deadline Status Comments 2.1 Implementation of Benetton project on empowerment of garment workers UN Women WEE programme 2018/06 No Longer Applicable Agreement signed with the donor (Benetton) on 27 June 2016 and the first installment received on 15 July 2016. The Project is currently in the inception phase. Sep 30, 2020 - The project was closed in 2017. 2.2 Finalization and implementation of other proposed projects submitted to donors • Economic Empowerment of Excluded Women and Transgender in Pakistan (2016-2019) submitted to potential donors UN Women WEE Programme 2019/12 Ongoing Subject to funding - Project concept notes, budgets and results frameworks developed and submitted to donors Sep 30, 2020 - The project with the support of RNE was implemented from 2017-2020 2.3 Implementation of data collection project in collaboration with Bureau of Statistics, Punjab (BOSP) UN Women WEE Programme 2016/12 Completed Letter of Agreement signed with BOSP and the first installment to BOSP released. The Programme team is now supporting BOSP in developing questionnaire for the survey. Sep 30, 2020 - The data was collected and report compiled 2.4 Uniformity in baseline surveys • Implementation of Benetton project on empowerment of garment workers UN Women WEE programme 2018/06 No Longer Applicable Agreement signed with the donor (Benetton) on 27 June 2016 and the first installment received on 15 July 2016. The Project is currently in the inception phase. Sep 30, 2020 - Not possible as the project closed in 2017 2.5 Continued partnerships with NCSW and Ministry of Finance • Economic Empowerment of Excluded Women and Transgender in Pakistan (2016-2019) submitted to potential donors UN Women WEE Programme 2019/12 Overdue-Not Initiated Subject to funding - Project concept notes, budgets and results frameworks developed and submitted to donors 2.6 Advocacy efforts towards the ratification of ILO Convention 177 (1996) in collaboration with ILO Economic Empowerment of Excluded Women and Transgender in Pakistan (2016-2019) submitted to potential donors UN Women WEE Programme 2019/12 Overdue-Not Initiated Subject to funding - Project concept notes, budgets and results frameworks developed and submitted to donors 2.7 Strengthen linkages with district line departments and expand DACs to Tehsil level UN Women WEE Programme 2019/12 Overdue-Not Initiated Subject to funding - Project concept notes, budgets and results frameworks developed and submitted to donors

Recommendation:

Evaluation recommendation 3 - Evidence based policy formulation (Federal and provincial government statistical agencies, CSOs and development partners) 3.1 Increase collaboration with the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS); and support a national level demographic survey as numbers and evidence of the large section of the population that are HBWs, is essential for their legal recognition as workers. 3.2 Analysis of the extensive data collected on women HBWs through the Punjab and Sindh LHRD surveys needs to be undertaken as this will provide evidence for advocacy on the HBW Policy and law.

Management Response:

Management response 3 - UN Women agrees with the recommendation 3.1 UN Women is closely coordinating with UNFPA and other relevant agencies to support the Government of Pakistan in conducting a national household census. Through UN Women’s advocacy in the previous years, ‘place of work’ has been added as a category in the Census questionnaire that will ensure that HBWs are enumerated during the exercise. Unfortunately, the Government has postponed the Census and future date has not been confirmed yet. UN Women will continue to coordinate with UNFPA to enable the Government to conduct a gender responsive census exercise. UN Women in collaboration with ILO and UNIDO has also initiated a provincial level demographic survey to produce number and assess the socioeconomic profile of HBWs in Punjab. BOSP is undertaking this exercise and this would not only support the legislation and policy making process but would also aim to inspire other provinces to conduct such surveys in Pakistan. UN Women has also added one HBWs survey in Sindh in one of the proposed interventions for mobilizing resources on women’s economic empowerment 3.2 UN Women plans to analyse the extensive data collected on women HBWs through the Punjab and Sindh LHRD surveys to strengthen its advocacy efforts towards the HBW Policy and law through its proposed interventions on women’s economic empowerment.

Key Actions Responsible Deadline Status Comments 3.1 Implementation of data collection project in collaboration with Punjab Bureau of Statistics UN Women WEE Programme 2016/12 Completed Letter of Agreement signed with BOSP and the first installment to BOSP released. The Programme team in now supporting BOSP in developing questionnaire for the survey. Sep 30, 2020 - The data was collected and report compiled. 3.2 Analysis of the data collected by LHRD Sindh and Punjab UN Women WEE Programme 2017/06 Overdue-Not Initiated Subject to funding - Project concept notes, budgets and results frameworks developed and submitted to donors