Institutional mechanisms for effective gender mainstreaming into policies and programmes

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7

UNITED NATIONS

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCa

ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR AFRICA

African Centre for GenderandDevelopment (ACGD)

Seventh African Regional Conference on Women

Decade Review ofthe tmplementatton ofthe Dakar andBeqtng Platform/orAction (Bel)mg+l0)

6 -14October 2004 Addis Ababa,Ethiopia

II

Drstr LlMITED

ElECAlACGDIRC VIII04/15 5October2004

One-n.1 English

Institutional Mechanisms for effective gender mainstreaming into

policies and programmes

Abbrevianons

ACGD ADB AU

t\PA BPFA CAFRAD CEEAC

COMESA CWD

ECA

ECA/SRO

ECOWAS GDD GFP M&E

MEO

NGM NGOs NGP

OAU

PAlD PFJ\

REC

SADe SMEO

Afncan Centre for Gender and Development Afncan De, elopn.ent Bank

Afncan Union

Afncan Plan of Acnon Beijing Platform for Action

African Trammg and Research Centre¹⁰

Adrmmstranon

for

De,

eloprnent Communaute econormque des etats de I Afnque centrale

Common Market for Eastern and Southern Afnca Commmee on Women and De, elopment

Econormc Commission for Afnca

Economic Commission for Afnca/Sub-regional Office Economic Community of West

Afncan

States

Gender Disaggregated Data Gender FocaJ Points Morutonng and E,aluanon Monnonng and E, aluanon Office Nauonal Gender Machmenes Non-go,ernrnernal Orgaruzanons National GenderPohcy

Orgamzanon of African Urutv

Pan- African lnsntute for De, elopment Platform for Action

Regional Economic Cornmurunes

Southern Afnca DevelopmentCornmumrv Sectoral Momtonng and E\ aluanon Officer

PART ]: OVERVIEW

1. Background and context

Although mamstreammg gender In all government policies, plans and programmes was recognized at the Fourth World Conference on Women as the most viable strategy for anammg gender equality, the SIxth Afncan Regional Conference on Women In ]999 which conducted the mid-decade review of Beijmg Platform for Action Regional Conference found that few countnes had estabhshed the necessary msnruuonal mechanisms for gender mamstreammg For example, only]8countnes reported to have formulated or to be In the process of forrnulatmg national gender pohcres that would guide national development Moreover, out of those that had national gender pohcies, hardly any of them had put In place the necessary msntunonal mechanisms to monitor and coordinate implementation or the resources to ensure the requisne skills either for gender mamstrearmng or momtonng

and

evaluating rmplernentanon and Its Impact The Conference therefore adopted the Afncan Plan of Acnon (APA) to accelerate the implementauon of the Dakar and Beijmg Platforms for Action through nauonal, sub-regional and regional pans of action Among other things, the APA focuses on the msntuuonal mechamsms for mamstrearnmg gender namely

• Strategies and mechanisms for accelerating the mtegranon of a gender approach m policies, plans and programmes

• Strategies and mechanisms for monitoring and evaluating the rmplemenianon ofPFAsand

• Coordinanon and accountabihty machmenes and strategies for hannomous rmplementauonof nauonal acnon plans,

• Mobihzauon of resources for the implernentanon of the Platforms for Action, In response to the APA. the Economic Commission for Africa's (ECA) Afncan Centre for Gender and Development (ACGD) took up the challenge In2000~

and formulated a Momtonng and Evaluanon (M & E) Programme along the recommendations of the APA to accelerate the follow-up of the Dakar and Beijmg PJatfonns for Acuon

The M&E Programme alms to budd the capacity of member States to formulate comprehensive gender pohcy frameworks and put m place the necessary Gender Management System 10 Include Institutional and capacity building mechanisms for the implementauon of the Dakar and Beijmg Platforms for Action These 3 areas offocusare momtored at National, Sub-Regional and Regional levels

2.

Purpose of

the

Symposium

Th]S Symposium, which IS orgarnzed, jointly by ECA and the Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues (DESAlOSAGJ) IS aimed at providing a forum to

dISCUSS and learn from the findings of the momtonng and evaluation of the msntunonal mechanisms for gender mamstrearmng m the 18 countnes that parucrpated In the ECA M & E Programme It will assist ECA Member Stales to explore ways of implementmg the recommendations arising from the dehberanons

~

'"

and to learn from the examples of the good practices adopted to mainstream gender as well as the challenges encountered m the process

(a) Overall objective of the Symposium

The overall objecuve of the Symposium thereforeISto review the status of the msntunonal mechanisms for gender mamstrearmng Into national policies, plans and programmes In the 18 parncipatmg counrnes and draw lessons for effective mechamsms

(b) Specific objectrves of the Symposium The specific objectives of the Symposium are

To review and appraise achievements made and constraints encountered In

• The formulation and implernentanon of nanonal gender policies

• The formulation and rmplernentauonof sectoral gender pohcies

• Insntutronahzanon of capacity burlding programmesIn sectoral mimstnes and national gender machmenes

• The creation of functional Coordmauon and Accountabihty mechanisms

II To exarnme the Issue of accountabihry for gender rnamstreammg10 terms of the locus of responsibihty, Ole mechamsms for enforcing accountabihty and the ensuing rmphcations for non performance

m To share mformation on examples of good practice WIth regard to the successful implementauon of functional mstituuonal mechanisms

IV To make recommendations on the way towards the estabhshment of more effective gender rnamstreammg mechamsms

©

Expected outcome

It IS

expected

that

the Symposium will

Advance the process of practical Implementation of gender mamstreammgby exarmnmg the roles, processes, and good practices adopted by functional

msntuuonal

mechamsms

n Contnbute to forging stronger partnerships among governments at all levels to promote gender mamstreammg into Afnca' s development

11] Contnbute to strengthening synergies between rnamstreammg work of the Umted Nations and efforts undertaken at nauonal and regional levels, and also support the catalytic role of the

Comrmssion

on the Status of Women]0

gender mamstreaming worldwide

(I)

IV Present the recommendations of the Symposium to the Mimstenal Session of the Seventh Afncan Regional Conference on Women (Beijmg

+

10) for adoption

v Present the report of the Symposium to the Comrmssron on the Status of Women m March 2005

PART II: THE ECA MONITORING AND EVALUATION PROGRAMME

1. The Monitonng and Evaluation Tool

The Momtonng and Evaluation Tool JS the component of the M&E Programme that constitutes a set of indicators for momtonng and evaluating the

implementanon

of lhe Afncan Plan of Action ItIS developed for use at national, sub- regional and regional levels In order to obtain concrete, specific and time-bound results

The Tool focuses on the following sub-components of the Momtonng and Evaluation Programme

(a) lmplementatum ofthe monuortng component at the national level

This component includes

I

Promotmg the formulation and rmplementanon of National Gender Pohcy Framework,

(n) Promonng the creation of and/or strengthenmg National Coordmanon Mechamsms for the coordmauon of the Afncan Plan of Acnon acuvmesIn all sectors,

(111) Promoting the estabhshment and effective use of Accountabihty Mechanismsfor governments, and

(IV) Promot.mg Capacity Building fOT gender analysis, planmng and prograrnmmg

(b) The tmplementatum of the monuonng component at the sub..regional and regional levels

At the sub-regional and regional levels, the Regional Economic Communines (RECs) and the regional msutunons (DAU, ECA and ADB), respectively, used the Momtonng and Evaluanon Tool to momror and evaluate the degree and process of gender mamstreammg In therr mstitunons They were to focus on the coordmauon and accountabihry mechanisms for gender mamstreammg withm the msntuuons as well as the provisions set aside to ensure the requisite capacity for rnamstrearmng gender

©

Capacity Budding In monitoring and evaluation

The Capacity Buildmg Component facihtated the rmplementation of the Momtonng and Evaluation Programme It compnsed of a senes of Trammg Workshops on the actual implementanon of the Programme and was conducted from Apnl 2002 to June 2003 For the national particrpants, the Workshops were organized m the 5 sub-regions

m

collaboration with ECA's Sub-regional Offices (SRDs) m either Enghsh or French For the parncrpants from the RECS and the regional mstitunons (DAU and ADB) a separate trammg Workshop was organized

2. Traimng

The M&E Programme was launched m 2002 with the orgamzanon of Capacity Building Workshops After vahdation of the M & E Tool by an ad hoc Committee of Experts and theECA Committee on Women and Development (CWD), ECA partnered with a number of insntutions namely the Pan Afncan Insntute for Development, ABANTU for Development, SADC Secretariat, CAFRAD and La Francophome to conduct a senes of Capacity Building workshops on the actual nnplementanon of the Programme In each of the 5 sub-regions of the Afncan continent These workshops were conducted from mid-Apnl 2002 to June 2003 a) Capacity Budding Workshops

{t}Selection and Trairung ofParttctpants

Due to hrmted resources, 21 countnes representing all of the five sub- regions of Afnca and members of the Committee on Women and Development (CWD) were selected to parucipare In the Programme Angola, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Benm, Cameroon, Comoros, Cote d'Jvorre, Repubhc of Congo, Djiboutr, Gabon, Nigeria, Swaziland, Seychelles,Sudan, Chad, Tanzama, Togo, Zambia and ZImbabwe In the end,Morocco and Egypt did not partICIpate rn the trammg Cote d'Ivoire though trained was unable to implement the Programme due to mtemal mstabihty m thecountry

The Programme monitored and evaluated gender pohcy frameworks, msntunonal mechanisms and capacity buildmg m 6 strategicallyselected sectors namely gender, finance, plannmg, agriculture, trade and Industry and health These sectors were selected because of their specific mandates and the fact that their acceptance to integrate gender Internally would have a mulnpher effect both on other rmrnstnes and on women m general Countnes were free, however to focus on addruonal sectors of their choice usmg the Momtonng and Evaluation Tools provided by the Progranune

Accordingly, each of the 18 parncipatmg countnes rnennoned above, were Invited to nommate 6 Momtonng and Evaluation Officers In conformity

With a pre-defined profile from the strategic sectors The selecuon process took into consideranon gender balance

It

was also deemed necessary for non- governmental orgamzanons (NGOs) that are Involved In development acnvmes

related to the objectives of the Platforms for Action to participate at the national level The national coordmatmg NGOs, one par country were therefore mvited to parncrpate

M&E Officers were also nornmated by some Regional Econormc Commumties (RECs) namely the Southern Afnca Development Community (SADC), Common Market for Eastern and Southern Afnca (COMESA), Comrnunaute Econormque des etats de I' Afnque centrale (CEEAC), and Economic Commumty of West Afncan States (ECOWAS) as well as the Afncan Umty/Afncan Union (OAD/AU), the ECA and the Afncan Development Bank (ADB) These Momtonng and Evaluation Officers (MEO) were nommated based on theirrole forcollecting the necessary mformation and data, producing momtonng reports and discussmg them WIth the deCISJOD- makers Withintheir orgamzations

(u) The Objectives of the Workshops

The pnncipal objective of the trammg Workshops was to train the Momtonng and Evaluation Officers on the Implementation of the Momtonng and Evaluation Programme for the Afncan Plan of Action The workshops also sought to strengthen the commitment of key decision makers to the implementation of the Dakar and Beijing Platforms for Action, toreinforcethe capacity of different rmmstnes and orgamzanons to mainstream the objectives of the Platforms for Action ¹⁰ their msnrunonal development pohcies and programmes, and to promote and budd capacity of Afncan countnes to accurately assess progress over nrne on the status of women following the rmplementation of the Dakar and Beijing Platforms for Action

(Ill) Outcome

To date, a total of ] 40 semor national pohey makers from the 7 selected sectorsandNGOs from 19Afncan countnes havebeen trained.Gender experts from 6 Regional Economic Commumues 2 from AU and 1 from ADB were also tramed

In

the apphcation of the M&E Programme

The training workshops culmmated m the preparation of Plans ofAction which constituted a timeframe to facrhtate the systematic collection of data for the production of a nanonal biannual momtonng reports

3. Implementation of the M & E Programme a) At national level

Momtormg and evaluating the status of the gender

policy framework

The Momtonng component of the M&E Programme was earned out between July 2002 and December 2003 After the trammg workshops, the Sectoral Momtonng and Evaluation Officers (SMEO) were to agree With the decision makers In their respective rmmstnes and orgamzanons )n the case of

NGOs about the acnvities to be monitored, the expected outcome, and the benchmarks The SMEO then camed out basehne morutonng exercises that Involved the collection of relevant data and mforrnanon on the current status of the gender pohcy and the Gender Management System The sectoral baseline momtonng reports were submitted to the National Momtonng and Evaluation Officer (MEO) 10 the rmmstry m charge of gender The NMEOs synthesized the sectoral reports into national basehne momtonng reports and subrrnued them to ECA/ACGD (see Table 1)

The Evaluation component of the Momtonng and Evaluation Programme was earned out at the national level In 2003 In preparation for the regional Conference on Beijing + 10 meeung The evaluation reports were based on a combmanon ofthe findmgs of the continuousmomtonng acnvines all yearround and an assessment of what had changed smce the implementanon of the M & E Programme started Twelve countries conducted either a momtonng or a combmation of a momtonng and evaluation exercise and produced a national report These reports were sent to ACGDIECA for synthesis into this Report (See Table 1)

b) AI the Regional and Sub-regional Level

I

At the subregional and, regional levels the Regional Economic Commumnes (REes) and the contmental insutunons also agreed to evaluate the

t

degree of gender mamstreammg In their msntunons usmg the Momtonng and Evaluation Tool Reports of their findings are to be presented directly to the subregional review meetmgs of the Implementation of BPFA or at the Seventh Afncan Regional Conference on Women (Bejjmg

+

10), respectively

©

Provision of

technical

support to the Monitoring and Evaluation Programme In follow-up to

the

trammg workshops and

the launch of the M&E Programme m the field, a Follow-up Team from ECA visrted selected countnes to track the rmplementanon process. The Team ensured that the implementauon process was on course and provided techmcal advice as needed It IS important to point out, however, that none of the 3 countnes that were trained rn June 2003 (Comoros,DJlboUI1and Angola) benefited from the follow-upVISIts

PART Ill: FlNDINGS OF THE MONITORING AND EVALUA T10N PROGRAMME

The trammg programme m Momtonng and Evaluation was implemented between Apnl 2002 and June 2003 The countnes that were tramed In 2002 (see Table l ) were expected to submn two reports The first report was a combmanon of a baselme and morntonng report that would depict the actual siruanon regarding the msntunonal mechanisms for gender mamstreammg as well as what might have changed In between the ume of traimng and the lime of wntmg the report where applicable. In this regard, Botswana, Swaziland, Zambia, Tanzania, Seychelles Benm, Gabon and Chad (44 4%) subrmtted their first reports The second report expected from those trained bythe end of 2002 was an Evaluation Report of the status of msntunonal rnechamsms by December

1r

2003 Accordingly, Evaluation Reports were received from Zambia, Benm, Sudan, Togo, Nigeria, Chad, Seychelles and Zirnbabwe (44 40/0) As for the countries trained In June 2003 (Angola, Dpboun and Comores), they were expected to dehver their baselme/momtonng report by December 2003 None of them did It IS alsosigmficantto note that none of them benefited from follow-up vrsits by ECAJACGn A total of 12 countnes (66 6o/00therefore submitted at least one report while only 4 countnes (222%) were able to submit bothreports

WhJJe the 6660/0rate of subrmssion of at least onereport IS considered

stansncally

sigmficant for the purposes of results analysis, factual mformanon on the status of mstituuonal mechamsms was also supplemented by the National Evaluation Reports of progress made In the rmplementanon of the BPFA that were submitted to ECA The mforrnanon on the findings of the Momtonng andEvaluauonProgramme on the status of the msntunonal mechanisms for gender mamstreammg 15 therefore obtained from the basehnelmomtonng reports, the Evaluation Reports and extractions from the National Reports on the rmplernentanon of the Dakar and Beijing Platforms for Acuon ( Beijing

+

]0)

1. Status ofnationaland sectoral policyframeworks

From the mformation obtamed as explained above, 16 out of 18 (889%) countnes have developed some pohcy framework for the Implementation of the BPFA Nme countnes (500/0) have a national gender pohey namely Benin,Comores, Congo, Djiboun, Swaziland, Tanzania. Togo, Zambia and ZImbabwe Out of the 9 countnes with gender pohcies, 4 were passed by an act of parliament, 2 were approved by the Office of the President, 1 IS pendmg an act of parhament while 2 countnes are awaumg government approval Another3countnes (Tchad, Nigena and Botswana) have National Policies on Women and Development approved by their governments, while another 4 have National Acnon Plans only to Implement the BPFA Su1J 2 counmes (Seychelles and Sudan) are In the process of conducting a gender audit In preparation for the forrnulanon of national gender policies The

siruauon

of Icountryrsunknown (see Table2)

WIth regard to the development of sectoral gender pohcies In various rmmstnes, the majority of the countnes have adopted specific pohcies or plans of action to address gender concerns InBotswana, for example there are sectoral gender action plans In the rrnmstnes of Finance and Development Plannmg, Trade and Industry, Local Governments, Labour and Home Affairs Similar acnon plansexrst In the sectors of agnculture, heaJth, commerce, environment, educationand trammg and finance m Burkma Faso 1n Nigena, gender Issues are addressed 10 the population pohcy, water policy, agnculture, health etc Most countnes In Zimbabwe, all rmmstnes are expected to develop gender sensinve sectoral pohcies Most countries have also promulgated or revised their laws to protect women's human rights as

mdrvrduals,

mothers, wives m such areas as reproductive health, tradinonal practices harmful to women and girls, parental rights, access to educauon and land, mhentance, manta] nghts, widow's nghts etc

2. Institutionalization of traming programmes in gender mamstreaming

WIth regard to systematic programmmg for trammg of staff In the hne

rmmstnes

In gender

analysis,

gender

plannmg

and gender

mamstrearrnng,

only one country, ZImbabwe,

has

developed and Implemented such a programme

The trammg

was based on the

ECA

Momtonng and

Evaluauon

Programme adapted to the needs and specificiues of the country

An

the other countnes have camed out trammg In gender mamstreammg In some sectors e g trammg workshops for Gender Officers, semor staff and

pohce

officersIn selected

mmistnes

and

crvil society orgamzanons In

Botswana, gender

sensinzanon semmars

for management, cadres and gender

focal

points ]n vanous mimstnes In

Tanzama

Except m ZImbabwe, most trammg

programmes

are

not

financed by the government budget but rather by donors

m an

ad hoc manner when resources are successfully

mobilized

3. Instituuonahzanon of Coordination and Accountability Mechanisms

Out of the 18 particrpatmg countries, 12 (666%) depend on the National Gender Machmeries to coordinate the gender programme m the sectoral rmmstnes (see Table 3) Some countries have gender mechanisms at the provmcial and distnct levels also to promote implementation and coordmauon of gender acnvines, e g ZImbabwe and Zambia that have Provmcial and Distnct Gender Councils Moreover, wuhm the sectoral mmistnes, the 12 countries report the appointment of Gender Focal POIntsIn most of the key rmmstnes to ensure mtegration of gender concerns In the sectoral programmes and to coordinate gender acnvines collaboration wfth the National Gender Machmenes While m some countnes a smgle Gender Focal Pomt per mmistry IS expected to perform these tasks, others such as Botswana and

Zimbabwe

have recommended that each Department per

rmrnstry appoints a GFP

who, together would constitute Gender Mmistenal Committees that would coordmate the genderprogrammeInternally moreefficiently The recommendations areyet tobe Implemented Addinonally, about half (6) of these countnes are assisted In the promotion of gender equahty by other structures such as women parliamentary committees or women's nauonal commissions that provide steenng OJ advisory services

The other 6 countnes (333%) have established coordmanon mechanisms outside of the Nauonal Gender Machmenes Out of these, ~ have constituted Inter- rmmstenal/mulusectoral committees to coordinate gender mamstreammg m the hne rmmstnes 1111S IS the case for Angola, Comores, Tanzama and Zambia Angola has created a Mulnsectoral Coordmation Council, Benm has a National Comrmssron for the Promonon of the Advancement of Women. Zambia has a Gender Consultative Forum at the national level as well as

Provmcral

Development and Coordmauon Comrmueesand Distnct Councils Tanzama, on the other hand, uses cabinet meetmgs of semor government officials for the purposes of coordmanng the gender programme In the different sectors As for Burkina Faso, the coordmanon role has been attributed to the Ministry m charge of Plannmg

The concept of accountabdity m relation to governments' commitment to Implement the BPFA was often Interpreted by the parncipatmg countnes to mean Internal follow-up of the implementanon process mcludmg momtonng the status of women

In

this regard therefore, euher the National Gender Machmenes or the

Coordmanon Mechamsms were idennfied as the mechanisms for accountability by the 16(880/0) out of 18 countnes Zambia and Tanzania, however, reporttheexistence of Standmg Parhamentary Committees on gender and women's empowerment which are responsible for holdmg governments accountable Zambia reports In this regard that the Committee does not cover government performance at the provmcial and distnct levels The report also pomts out that the Comrmuee members have not yet been trained In gender to prepare them for assessmg government performance adequately

4. Allocation

or

Budget for gendermainstreammg

The M & E study focused on the budget with regard to what IS allocated to National Gender Machmenes,what IS aJlocated to the gender programme Insectoral rmmstnes particularly WIth regard to the collection ofgender disaggregated data and capacity buildmg, as wenasbudgetsallocated to the Coordmanon and Accountabihty Mechamsms to facihtate effective funcnonmg

All the ] 8 countnes expressed concern about the inadequate budget that IS

allocated for the gender programmes both In the National Gender Machmenes andIn the sectoral rmmstnes Those National Gender Machmenes that are housed

In

Mimstnes WIth a hostofportfohos have a particularly difficult problem as they do not have an independent budget that they can run according to their perceived pnonnes, The ZImbabwe National Machinery considered It a special achievement to have succeeded In getting an Independent budget smce 2002 Togo complains that Its budget which represents between 0 0] 8%-0 022% of the national budget has not changed smce ]995 On the other hand, there IS Congo whose National Gender Machinery IS housed In the Mmistry of AgncuJture, LIvestock and Frshenes This rmmstry1Sallocated ] 0% of the national budget which IS quite substantive, relatively speaking, as the National Gender Machmery acknowledges Incontrast,

In

Tchad, the Mmistry ofSOCIal Action, Family and Women Affairs receives Ll 3% of the budget yet, the National Gender Machinery

sun

complains of the Inadequacy ofItS budget.

The inequity of distnbunon of available resources therefore remains an Important Issue

On the question of budgets allocated to trammgIngender mamstreammg, only Zimbabwe reportedan allocation of Z$28rmlhon fortrainmgall Gender FocalPOInts from the hne MmrsmesIn 2002-2003 What was not saidISwhether this budget ora fraction ofIt wouldbe reserved fOT trammg on an on-going baSIS Whtle all countnes have been able10conduct trammg Inone aspect or another, they also reported that the budget ISnormally ad hoc and extra-budgetary Similarly no budget ISallocated for momtonng and evaluation acnviues The M & E Officers trained byECA had to accumulate these tasks on top of their regular dunes Collecuon of gender disaggregated data suffers the same constraintsIn hne rmmsmes zambia ISprobably the exception where 3] 57% of the budget of the hne rmmstnes IS being spent on the collecnon of gender-disaggregated data The Coordmation and Accountabihty Mechamsms10 Zambia are also reported to

be

adequately sourced at the national level but not at the provmcial and distnct levels

5. Findings by the NGOs

This analysis IS silent on the performance of NGOs This IS due to the fact that only 2 countnes made reference to the performance ofNGOs In their reports Dunng the foJlow-up rneenngs

by

ECA, ]1 was clear that NGOs were unable to Implement the Programme due to hrgh turn-overofthe trained M & E Officers The second major constraint was the mabihty of the Coordmatmg NGOsthat were trained toreach aconsensusat the national level on the NGOs that would participate

In

the M

& E Programme This IS consistent with the fact that only one report out of those submitted to ECA was exphcn about the number of NGOs that parucrpated In the Programme on

a continuous baSIS

TheNGO M & E Officers also confirmed during the follow-upmissionsthat they had senous financial constraints In their attempts to Implement the Programme even

In

their own

orgamzauons

The one report that referred to NGOs confirmed that about 20 NGOs (Zambia) parncipated

In

the Programmeand were domg well Inimplernentmgtl

PART IV: ANALYSIS OF THE CONSTRAINTS ENCOUNTERED IN THE IMPLEMENTATJON PROCESS

An analysis of the M & E Reports and the National Evaluanon Reports of BPFA revealed a vanety of constramts that have hampered the estabhshment and the effectiveness of msnrunonal me TIns is consistent ^WIth the fact that mechamsms for gender mamstreammg Among them, 3 interrelated constraints stand out clearly as summanzed below

1. Absence of comprehensive national gender policies to guide gender mainstreami ng

In analyzing the status of national pohcy frameworks, the mformauon collected reveals that at least 88 9% of the parncipatmg countnes have developed some kmd of pohcy framework to guide the implementanon of the Beijmg Platform for Action Out ofthese, 8 ( or 44 4%) countnes have national gender pohcres, 4 of which were passedbyacts of parharnent, 2by the cabinet of the highest authonty and 2 were snll pending government andparhamentaryapproval respectively The other8 countnes WIth gender pohcy frameworks have either pohcres on women and development or national actionplans ItISnot surpnsmg therefore that atleast 40%of the participatmgcountnes cne absence ofcomprehensivegenderpohcresas one ofthe major constraints to gender mainstreammg particularlyIn the hne rmmstnes

A comprehensive nanonal gender pohcy articulates the values on which the commitment to gender equahty IS anchored ]11S exphcit on where the responsibilrty for gender mamstrearmng hes, the Importance for building capacity for gender mamstrearnmg

In

all sectors and at all levels, the collection of genderdrsaggregated data and modahues for momtonng and evaluating implementanon and Its Impact, using well defined gender indicators The comprehensive gender pohcy also calls for a gender sensinve national budget as

wen

as provisions for affirmative action and women empowerment measures Without a comprehensive national gender policy therefore, the National Gender Machmenes are sigmficantly "drsempowered" m their attempts to promote sustainable gender mamstrearnmgInthe hnemmistnes and other

sectors For

the Gender Focal POInts In the different sectors rt IS equally difficult to

have to rely on advocacy alone WIthout the back-up of existmg policies approved at thehighest levelthat make rt a requirement to mainstreamgender and notJustan act of good will ButevenIncases where gender pohcy frameworksexist,theMomtonng and Evaluation Officers ( who are also GFP for the most part) often found that most (policy frameworks) were not a sufficient gender mamstreammg enforcement tool as they Jacked key elements to guide genderrnamstrearnmg Inthe sectoralmimstnesand the authonty to enforce them

Closely related to the Issue of a comprehensive gender pohcyIS the need for a strategicNationalAction Plan to Implement the pohcy TIns should bedenved from the provisions of the gender pohcy and formulated wrthm a strategic time frame thereby

hnkmg

nto other national plans, preferably the

national

development plant to facihtate implementanon Some M & E Reports Cited the absence of comprehensive National Action Plans as an Important constramt thatperpetuates ad hoc allocationof resources to genderactrvines, thereby undermmmg their sustamabihty It also hmders the mtegration of gender concerns into macro-economic and SOCIal planmng

2. Inadequate Gender Management System

At least 6]% of the parncipaung countnes CIted the weakness of the Gender Management Systems as a major constraint to effecnve gender mamstrearmng On top of the Gender Management System In most countnes ¹⁵ the National Gender Machmeries. In many cases they conunue to beweakened by unclear mandates that are ill-understood especially by the hne rmrnstnes The cross-cuttmg role of the National Gender Machmenes as the keyadvocates, promoters and backstoppers of gender mamstreammg, therefore1Sbarely understood from their mandates Moreover then location does not give them the visibrhty and clout that IS consistent wnh their role For those that are not equipped WIth National Gender Policies approved at the highest level, effective funcuonmg becomes an uphill battle nght from the start Besides, they contmue to struggle to make do WIth Inadequate resources, both human and financial

Ideally, the National Gender Machmenes are assisted by the Gender Focal Points that are bemg gradually rnamstreamed m most sectoral rmmstnes Thenrole IS

to facihtate gender mtegranon Into the programmes of their rmmstnes and to rnomtor thenrmplementauon and progress made In reality, however, the role of the GFPIS

not mamsrreamed mto their Job descnpnon but ratherIS added on to theirdally dunes thereby overloading them and making it impossible to be effective Moreover, their skills and knowledgeofgenderIssuesis limned as there is no requirement for specific quahficanons or tramrng before their appointment The add-on nature of therr role also precludes the allocation of the necessary resources to Implement their tasks GFP are therefore programmed to fall for the most part LInked to this problem 1S the continuous turnover of GFP thereby making It difficult to mamtam contmuiry

The Nanonal Coordination Mechanism JS another organ of the Gender Management System It IS intended to monitor, evaluate and coordinate the gender programme m all the sectors mcludmg the civil society and the private sectors It should work In collaboration WIth Nauonal Gender machmenes and the GFP Ordmanly, II should be a multi-sectoral, mulndisciplrnary body WIth powers to demand comphance tosuchrequirements as implementauon of the pJanned acuvines,

regular subrmssion of morntonng reports, and implementanon of the recornmendanons of the Coordmauon Mechanism The fact that over 66 6% of the parncipatmg countnes depend on the Nanonal Gender Machmenes to coordinate gender acnviues ]n all the other sectors with the back up of an ill-equipped team of GFP creates a major constraint to effective gender

mamstrearmng

10 the hoe rmrnstnes The task IS too big for a small structure with lnmted budget and hmited staff In the few Instances where Coordmatmg Mechanisms exist outside or the National Gender Machmenes, they are faced by such constraints as

inadequate

capacity of the membershrp to pJay their role effectively They are aJso hrmted by msufficient budgets to carry out their momtonng, evaluation and coordmanon acnvmes Addmonally, they do not have sufficient authonty to demand comphance With then demands and recommendations from the hoe rmmstnes And for the most part their acnvrties do not extend to the provinces and the distncts Gender Issues are therefore little understood and less stlll mtegrated Into the local sectoral programmes

The Issue of Accountability Mechanism remains the least understood and therefore the least comphed

WIth

Only two countries were reported to use Parliamentary Committees for the purposes of enforcing accountabrhty regarding gender mamstrearnmg The Committees require subrmssion of reports on gender acnviues from specified sectors which they review and document their findings What

]S

not clear

IS

the consequences of non-compliance on the part

of the

actors and

the

extent of the powers of the Committee The constraint of inadequate capacity of the Committee members to handle the subject matter and the need to ensure their adequate preparation for this role 1$also pointed out But the overwhelming concernIS

the absence of Accountability Mechanisms In the majority of the countnes and the fact that this gap seems to go unnoticed Unless this gap IS closed, mamstreammg genderWI]] contmue to remain a theoreucal concept

3.

Inadequate resources for and interest In gender mainstreaming activities

Perhaps this IS the constrain that demonstrates most clearly the .gap between commitments made and the will to honour them Hardly any country slopped the Issue of inadequate budget as a constraint to effective gender mamstreammg Not only are the resources Inadequate to recruit the requisne staff, but there are no standing capacity buildmg programmes to ensure that those who are recruited have the skills to deliver There does not seem tobe enough mterest to ensure returns for mvestmg In this sector The Gender Management System as reviewed above not onlyhas the least budget but ^IS also characterized by a mis-match between the required skills and the results expected At the Ime rmmstnes allocanon of resources to gender acuvmes is equally inadequate Among other things. this reflects where gender Issues fall m the rank of pnonties of decision makers

The contmued knowledge gap In the lme mmistnes with regard to gender

Issues

also has been linked to lack of

Interest by decisron

makers

There IS ShU

httle

apprecianon of

the lmk between the Impact and

sustamabrhry of

the sectoral programmes and their responsiveness to gender concerns Moreover, the perpetual dearth of gender disaggregated data and researched mforrnauon on gender further perpetuates the gender bhnd sectoral programmes and pohcies

PART V: CONCLUSlON AND RECOMMENDATlONS

The

Momtonng and Evaluation Programmme on the status of the

Insntunonal Mechanisms

m

18

Afncan countries shows that

srgmficant

progress has been made to estabhsh the requisne mechamsms for gender rnamstrearmng nationally In most of the sectors National Gender Polley Frameworks are m place as are most components of the Gender ManagementSystem

In

practicallyevery country, attempts have been made to mtegrate gender m some of the programmes of the hne rmmstnes parucularly m the sectors that parucipated In theM & E Programme even though they have been slow m adjusting their pohciestobe In hne WIth thenationalgender policies

The

study, however, reveals a

discrepancy

between the

commitments

made

and

the state oftheir implementanon The state of the Gender PolicyFrameworks and the Gender Management Systems, for example, remain a major constramt to effective gender mamstrearnmg They require comprehensive review and up-gradmg to render them complete and effecnve tools for promoting gender equality Despne the Jow knowledge level of gender Issues In the sectors the Interest tofill this gap ISnot apparent from the study One country reports that although about 80% ofthe hnermmstnes seem to be rmplemennng gender Into then programmes, only about 5% are actually mtegratmg It Understanding of the hnkage between the sustamabihry of success of the sectoral programmes and gendermamstreammg1Sstill theoretical and superficial at best Moreover, the allocation of the necessary human and financial resources to ensure that the different components of the msntutional mechanisms for gender mamstreammgare fully functionalremainsillusive

The M & E Programme therefore bnngs to the surface the urgency of re- exarmnmg the msntutional mechamsms for gender rnamstrearmng and to reaffirm where the responsibihty for perpetuatmg the discrepancy between commitments and unplementatron hes It IS cnncal to rdentify which components of the msntunonal mechanismsare notfunctional and why Normally,theaccountabihty mechanismshould provide the answer to that quesnon And yet, according to the reports, It IS the one mechanism that IS absent except In two countnes where Its effectiveness ISyet tobe determined The very mechanism that IS supposed to keep track of performance In gender mamstreammg and to take corrective measures In a timely manner IS the mechamsm that ^ISmexistent

In

the majorityof the

counmes

It ISthereforeevident that we cannot conunue to expect gender mamstreammg to be ImplementedIndevelopment pohcies,programmesandstrategieswnhoutpumngInplacean enforcement mechamsm Recommendations

As a way forward, the following recommendations are proposed

In order to ensure that viable mstituuonal mechanisms for gender mamstreammg are m place, the Symposium should address the following questions WItha view to formulatmg appropnate recommendauons

1 How should gender pohcies be strengthened to better guide gender rnamstreammg m all sectors?

"\

2 What strategies shouldbeadopted to close the capacity (skills/knowledge) and budget

gap In

the hne mmistnes?

3 WhereISthe locus of responsibihty for gender rnamstreammg?

4 Where IS the locus of responsibrhty for holding the rmplementers of gender rnam strearnmg accountable?

5 What should be the consequences for failure to deliver?

6 How can accountabihty for mtegraung gender into developtnent plans, sector by sectorbehnked to the NEPADPeer Review Mechanism?

7 GIven the posiuve expenence of the countries that particrpated

In

the M & E Programme In raising awareness of the Importance of estabhshmg functional msntunonal mechanisms for gender mamstrearnmg, what VIable partnerships should be created to support the Implementation of the Programme not only in the countries whereIthas been launched but also m all the rernammg countnes

Table 1: Submission of Reports by Countries

Countries Date Trained Date Monitoring Report Subnutted Date Evaluation Evaluation Report Submitted

reoort expected Yes No report expected Yes ^No

Nlgcna Jun-03 Dec-02 X Dec-03 X - Jan 04

Soudan Jun-03 Dec-02 X Dec-03 X - Dec 03

Burkina Faso Jun-03 Oec-02 X Dec-03 X

BenIII Jun-03 Dec-02 X - Feb 03 Dec-03 X - Nov 03

T020 Jun-03 Dec-03 X-Jan 03 Dec-03 X - Mar

Zambia Jun-02 Dec-02 X Dec-03 X - Dec 03

Swaziland Jun-02 Dec·02 X -Jan 03 Dec-03 ^X

Botswana Jun-02 Dec-02 X· Mar- Dec-03

Tanzama 1un-02 Dec-02 X Dec-03 X

ZImbabwe luo-02 Dec-02 X Dec-03 X· May 03

Seychelles lUll-02 Dec-02 X Dec-OJ

X-

Mar

Cameroun Dec-02 Jun-03 X Dec-03 X

ConSto Dec-02 lun-03 X -Jun 03 Dec-03 ^X

Gabon Dec-02 Jun-03 X Dec-03 X

Tchad Dec-02 lun-03 X Dec-03 X - Jail 04

Comores lun-03 Dec-03 X Dec-03 X

Djrboun Jun-03 Dec-03 X Dec-03 ^X

Angola Jun-03 Dec-03 X Dec-03 X

15

Table 2: Status of the national and sectoral gender policies

Country National Gender Policy Framework Sectoral Gender Pohcy Framework

Status Tvue Level or Annroval

EXIsts Non- EXIstent

Angola X The strategyand strategic framework Government Access tormcrocredit, girls access to national education, center for the promotion of genderequality for jundical assistance,equahty at the work place, Commercral

until 2005 Code,Constuutional Law

Botswana X Women andDevelopmentPohcv Mmistnes of Finance and Plannmg, Trade and Industry

Burkma Faso X Plan d'acuon national Gouvemement Mmisteres de I'agnculture, sante, commerce. environnement, educatron et formation. econorme, finance Propnete agraire et fonciere, Trafic des enfants, Ie code Penal

Benin X Polttique Nationale de la Promotion gouvemernent L'rntegranon de la perspectrve genre dans tous les plans,

de la Femme programmes eteolurquesde l'Etat est encours

Cameroon X Plan d'acnon national Gouvemement Lesrmmsteresde I'agriculture, sante, commerce environnemenr, education et formauon, economIC, finance et deJustice

Comoros X Pohtique nauonale de genre Parlement LesMIOlsttres de l' Agriculture, sante, envrronnement, tducatlOn et formation. pauvrete,Justice, Parlernent

Repubhc of X Pohuque nanonale de genre Parlement Lesrmrusteresde I'agnculuire, sante, commerce envrronnement, Congo Plan d'acuon national Gouvernement education et formauon, economle. finance, plan, Protection des

rrnneurs , la recherche.l'mformanon et de documentatron

Djiboun X Pohuque nation ale de genre Parlement lesrmrnsteresde l'agnculture, sante, environnement, education el formation,econorme Ie code de la farmlle, le code~nal

Gabon X Plan d'acuon national Gouvernement Tous les rmmsteres

Nigena X National pohcyon Women Government Mnnstryof Health. Food and Nutrition, Jaws against traffrc m persons. the family law, human rights laws to remforce women's nzhts

Swaziland X National GenderPolicy Cabinet Some Mimstnes

Seychelles X Conducunz a fender audit Some rmmstnes e g .Mimstryof Education

Sudan X Conducting a coder audit to develop Mimstry of agnculture

Women's National Policy(2004)

TChad X Pohuque d'Itltegratlon de la femme Gouvemement Mmlsltres de l'agnculture, sante, commerce envsronnement,

au Devcloppement educanonet formanon, economre,finance,Justice

Tanzania X National Gender Pohcv Parhament Aanculture and LIVestock Pohcv and Finance

Togo X Plan d'acnon nanona! Gouvernement les muusteresde J'agnculture, sante, commerce envrronnement, Polmque nanonale de genre Non adoptee tducauon et fortnatlon,economre,travail, Code P60at etDrortde

I'enfant

Zambia ^X Nanonal Gender Policy Govememel'jt All R;ovemtnent Mimstnes

Zimbabwe X National GetlderPolley Cabmet 2001 Each line ministryISexpected

to

drawupsectoralgenderpohcies

Table 3: Institutionalization of Coordinanon and Accountability Mechanisms

Country NatIOnal Gender Machinery System

or

^Gender Coordmatlon Mechamsm Accountability

Focal Points Mechanism

Angola Ministry for the Family and the Promotion of Gender focal POints National Gender Machmery None Woman

Botswana The National Council on Women Gender focal points National Gender Machmerv None

Burkma Faso Mrmstere de la promotion de la femme Points focaux de • La coordmation Nationale du Plan d'acnon (CN- None genre PAPF)._prtsld~Dar Ie Premier Mimstre

Benin LeMirnsterede la Farrulle, de la Protection POints focaux de Comrrussron Nanonale de la promotion de la Femme None

Sociale et de Solidante Genre

Cameroon Mrrusterede la Condinon ftmmme PointsIocaux de Nanonal Gender Machmery None Genre

Comoros LaDirection Gentralel Nationale des affaires LeCormte Multrsectonel Consultant et de None

sociales et de la condiuon femlnme Coordinanon

Republic of Mmrstere de I' Agriculture. Peche et elevage en Pomts focaux de Mecamsme Nauonal de Genre None Conao charee de la Promotion de la femme Genre

DJlooUU Mimstere de la promotion de la femme. du POints focaux de Le Cormte Technique Intersectonel None bien-etre familial et des affaires sociales Genre

Gllbon Mmistere de la Farmlle, de la protection de Pomts focaux de Mecanisme National de Genre None l'enfant et de la nrornotion de la femme Genre

NI~ena Federal rmrnstrv of women Affairs Focal POInts Gender National Machmerv None

Swaziland Gender Unit Gender National Machmerv None

Seychelles Gender Umt in the Mimstryof SOCial AffairS Focalpoints Gender National Machmery None and emelovmem

Sudan General "DIrectorate for Women andParmly Gender National Machmery None AffairsInthe MInistry of Welfare and SOCial

Development

Chad LeMltIlst~rede l'acuon sociale et de la farmlle Po11'1Isfocaux de Mecamsme National de Genre None en charze de \a promotion de la fetnme Genre

Tanzania Mrrnstry of CommunrtyDevelopment. Gender Gender focalpomts Cabinetmeetings Standing Parhatnentary

and Children Comrmttee

Togo Mrmsteredes AffalresSOClales en charge de la Pomts focaux de Mecamsme Nattonal de Genre None

eromouon de la fetn1l'le Genre

Zambia Committee of Permanent Secretarieson Gender Gender Consultative Forum S~dlngParhamentary

andDevelopment cotnttll ttee

Zimbabwe Gender Debartment Gender focalpOInts Na1l611al Gender Machmerv None

..