4 January 2020: In 2019 I was team member for the global evaluation of UNICEF’s two consecutive Gender Action Plans (GAPs), led by UNICEF NYHQ. I undertook field research in Bangladesh, Colombia and Ghana supplemented by remote interviews and an extensive literature review, followed by analysis of findings of the evidence.
The evaluation findings include evidence that the GAPs helped create some important foundations for UNICEF efforts related to gender-equality work, such as providing the organizational framework for UNICEF’s programmatic work and building the base for UNICEF’s gender architecture and systems. The findings also indicate that under GAP 1, resources allocated to gender-equality purposes were successfully secured, allowing UNICEF to dedicate efforts and awareness, particularly to targeted priorities.
Nevertheless, the evaluation findings show limited aspirations and insufficient accountabilities for broad-based ownership of the GAPs. Furthermore, there is still limited comprehensive gender-equality permeation within programmes, institutional capacity and systems to fully achieve gender equality mainstreaming across UNICEF.
Read more about the report here: www.unicef.org/evaldatabase/index_103801.html and access the pdf here: www.unicef.org/evaldatabase/files/UNICEF-GAP_report.pdf
