UNDP'S CAPACITY BUILDING SUPPORT STRATEGY FOR GENDER MAINSTREAMING OBJECTIVES · To build the capacity among UNDP staff and development partners to adopt a gender mainstreaming approach to all professional activities; and · To contribute to the overall organisational change process at UNDP, especially by strengthening institutional capacity for learning. THE UNDP DEFINITION OF MAINSTREAMING · For UNDP, mainstreaming involves bringing the outcomes of socio-economic and policy analysis into the core decision-making processes of an organisation. · The skills required for mainstreaming are therefore analytic skills, advocacy skills and decision-making skills, in various combinations. · This definition refers to the mainstreaming of all human-centred themes, not only of gender considerations. The skills required are therefore relevant across the board of development activity. STRUCTURE OF THE PROGRAMME The programme is comprised of three elements: 1. a series of "Learning, Consultation and Briefing" (LCBs) workshops and working meetings; 2. a systematic tracking, follow-up and management mechanism to ensure consistent response to recommendations, and continuing support to learning and capacity building; and, 3. comprehensive documentation of each LCB meeting, as well as of background, training and reference materials used. 1. LEARNING, CONSULTATION AND BRIEFING MEETINGS (LCBs) · LCBs are designed to strengthen capacities in analysis, advocacy and decision-making through a combination of approaches relevant for adult learning. · They are usually five-day meetings conducted either for all staff in a single country office, or globally, regionally or sub-regionally for selected staff, especially gender focal points and/or managers. · A standard module format has been developed and tested (see "Session Materials" below). It focuses on six main themes: gender mainstreaming; gender and economic analysis; process and advocacy skills; programme and project entry points for gender mainstreaming; information systems; and strategic planning and development of country office mainstreaming strategies. Learning Learning support constitutes about sixty percent of a typical LCB meeting. Attention is given to the differing skills and capacities needed by managers and operational staff as they exercise their respective accountability for gender mainstreaming. Conceptual clarity and effective application are emphasised. Analytic Skills · Overview of the six principal gender analysis methodologies . · Review of macro, meso and micro-economic concepts, economic literacy. · Gender dimensions of development themes and priorities. Advocacy Skills · Presentation/public speaking. · Summarising issues, and the development of "sound bites." · Constructive feed-back. · Networking skills. Decision-making Skills · Prioritizing issues. · Chairing/facilitating meetings, including time-management. · Brainstorming/reaching conclusions. · Listening skills. Consultation The development of the capacity building programme has been entirely based on consultation and learning from experience. Consultation takes place before, during and after an LCB meeting, and constitutes about twenty percent of a typical LCB. Time is specifically protected during each LCB for peer consultation and networking. · Through the consultative approach the LCB serves as a conduit to headquarters for country office views, fostering institutional learning. · To ensure an effective response to the information gained from consultation, a systematic tracking mechanism is currently being tested as the second element of the programme (see below). · Post-workshop follow-up is also facilitated by networking systems that are currently being developed. Briefing The briefing component of LCB meetings constitutes about twenty percent of the available time. Participants are briefed, and brief each other, on good practice, conceptual issues and policy and operational developments at headquarters and in country offices. 2. TRACKING, FOLLOW-UP AND MANAGEMENT MECHANISM · This system was designed to facilitate continued consultation after each LCB, and to ensure consistent and timely response to workshop recommendations. · All LCB recommendations are recorded and outcomes monitored using a database system. GIDP and the relevant units collaborate to identify and ensure appropriate response to recommendations. · Regular quarterly reports of actions taken and outcomes are planned. · Transfer of this system to other areas, such as cross-thematic programming, and to generate process indicators of mainstreaming achievement, is being tested. · The mechanism is currently being pilot tested at UNDP headquarters, under the management of a full-time coordinator and half-time administrative assistant. 3. DOCUMENTATION · Reference and training materials for each LCB are being methodically organised and maintained, using consistent paper-based and electronic filing systems. · UNDP is collaborating with UNICEF, UNIFEM, INSTRAW, DAW, The Commonwealth of Learning and others, to establish and maintain a comprehensive database on all capacity-building and training materials currently in use in the multi-lateral development system. WORKSHOP SESSIONS · All topic modules in the programme follow the same structure to simplify their use by different facilitators. · The structure is that of a pyramid, leading from summary information about a topic to steadily more detailed levels of information. At the "apex" of the pyramid are questions and brief headings on the topic, followed by speakers notes, handouts and other presentation materials. More comprehensive reading and background materials are collected at the back of the module, constituting the "base" of the pyramid. · The programme is developing a broad range of such sets of materials that can be combined in various ways according to need, and also used as stand-alone briefing materials. · Session materials available or in development include: gender and gender mainstreaming; overview of gender analysis tools; the gender focal point function; gender and HIV/AIDS; gender and governance; gender and sustainable energy; facilitation skills; listening skills; presentation skills; and country office tools for gender mainstreaming. LESSONS LEARNED IN DEVELOPING THE CAPACITY BUILDING PROGRAMME · An initial emphasis on gender analysis has been expanded to include the current triple focus on analytic, advocacy and decision-making skills. The formerly optional advocacy and decision-making elements of the workshop have become a requirement for participants. · The consultation component has emerged as the central element of the LCB methodology of capacity building for gender mainstreaming. Participants themselves are also increasingly being recognised as resources to enrich consultation and discussion. · The LCBs have effectively become working meetings -- rather than training sessions -- to advance gender mainstreaming in the context of ongoing work programmes. · The focus has shifted from producing training modules to organising the rich collection of materials produced through the LCBs as resources according to the six main themes of the workshops. · The linkages between this broader type of capacity building and processes of organisational change and institutional learning, especially under UNDP 2001, are being clarified and advocated. · Clearer recognition of specific management skills needed to ensure adequate attention to the institutional context is being incorporated in the materials and tested. · Related to this, and as indicated in the Guidance Note on Gender Mainstreaming, the gender focal point function is increasingly being addressed as a team function. The Resident Representative is seen as the senior gender focal point with ultimate responsibility for gender mainstreaming in the country office, supported by an operational staff member. · A core set of five country office tools and advocacy documents has been defined, which participants discuss in relation to their own work. The identified tools are: (i) a gender mainstreaming strategy; (ii) a gender mainstreaming briefing kit for orientation of new staff and visiting missions; (iii) a national gender profile; (iv) a gender-sensitive National Human Development Report; and (v) gender-sensitive programme and project documents. · Electronic communication, information-sharing and record-keeping have been developed, which are linked to paper-based training materials and documentation, before, during and after a workshop. Thus, LCBs have become an important avenue to build networks on gender issues within UNDP. · The role of institutional partners has been expanded, moving towards an interlocking network of institutions working collaboratively to build capacity for gender mainstreaming. · Collaboration with national and regional training institutions has been initiated, and will be strengthened. · Translators have been systematically included in LCB meetings in order to facilitate the accurate translation of difficult concepts, and to strengthen linkages between English, French and Spanish gender training networks. · Stronger emphasis has been placed on team facilitation, with local gender training expertise always included in the facilitation team. · The agenda for each LCB is finalised only on the first day, after consulting participants. CURRENT STATUS AND FUTURE PLANS · This is a pilot programme with a four-year time-frame, 1996-2000. · The programme has been tested at country office, sub-regional, regional and global levels. · Basic models and materials are approximately sixty percent developed. · The first phase of the pilot, involving primarily regional consultations, was completed during the first half of 1998, to be followed by the second, consolidation phase. The mid-term review report is available from GIDP. · Plans for 1998 and 1999 include: consolidation of the materials for country office use; stronger focus on management dimensions of gender mainstreaming; further development of gender and economics modules; strengthening collaboration with development partners; training of trainers; translation and publication of materials.