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INTEGRATING GENDER EQUALITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS IN EVALUATION: CHALLENGES AND LESSONS LEARNED FROM
DEVELOPING AND PILOTING THE UNEG GUIDANCEADDING VALUE
Belen Sanz Luque
UNIFEM
Canadian Evaluation Society – Annual Conference
Ottawa, 2 June 2009
Session Contents
1. Background: gender equality and human rights in the development context and evaluation
2. Process for developing UNEG evaluation guidance to integrate gender and human rights
3. Lessons learned and challenges ahead4. Conclusions
1. Background: gender equality and human rights in development and evaluation
Evolution of development models
1960‐1970s – economic growth model, pro‐growth strategies1980 – 1990s – focus on poverty, pro‐poor growth strategies – variables of inequality and exclusion1990 – 2000s – focus on human development, participatory development, ownership and empowerment
Gender equality
Social movements to recognize the differential impacts and needs of different social groupsGender equality – feminist movement and development actors to claim the role of women in development and later of gender dimensionsEvolution of gender development theory90’s and 1995 ‐ Women’s World Conference –assumption of men & women equal benefit from development challenged
Gender equality agenda
BPfA ‐ built strongly on CEDAW (1979) as the international bill for women’s human rights Elimination of discrimination in all spheres of women’s lives – from education, health, employment, family life and access to public office…
Strategy accepted ‐ Gender mainstreaming and women’s empowerment as the strategy to achieve gender equality (ECOSOC, 1997)
Gender equality
Evolution paralleled by new approaches to examine differential impacts of development on social groups (Bamberger, Podems, 2002)
Gender equality Boserup (1970s), women in developmentMoser (1980, 1990s), gender and development
Analytical framework – gender analysis (HAF) – focus on needs and constraints by women in development (access & control to resources and gender roles, sex dissagregated; activity profile for time allocation)
Gender equality
Influence on research and evaluation practice
the “unitary household” model challenged
the examination of gender based violence at different levels
the acknowledgement of gains by introducing gender analysis in development planning
Bamberger & Podems (2002)
Gender dimensions
Critics of HAF limitations highlight that it doesn’t challenge critical gender power imbalancesFurther evolution of the framework:Moser ‐ distinction between practical and strategic gender needs, where the latter focuses on women’s situation of subordination or discriminationPRSP GA Framework – by identifying key dimensions of poverty and examining differential impacts on men and women. Introduces need for gender sensitive data collection methods.
Bamberger & Podems (2002)Bamberger, Blackden (2002)
Mukhopadhyay (2004) in Mertens (2009)
Feminist research
Feminist research “has at heart a commitment to change for women” and focus on how research is conducted and with what purpose: Attention to gender as variable of analysisUnderstanding and analyzing gender in contextAttention to researcher subjectivity and negotiation of gender in the research processAttention and commitment to the empowerment of women
(Reinharz, 1992)(Pillow, 2002)
Common ground?
Same focus on need to understand powerUse of analysis to identify the interactions between gender and other variables of discrimination such as ethnicity and classUse of multiple research methods, and emphasis on participatory and qualitative methodsApplication of methods in cross‐cultural contextsRecognize the discomfort of the research process
Implications for evaluationBamberger & Podems (2002), Mertens (2009)
Gender analysis frameworks have great potentialbut only partially used, so…The subject(s) is treated with respect and as an equalExperience is reflected in the questions askedEthical concerns are high priorityResearch is reflexive and consciousness raisingKnowledge is used for change that empower women or change their condition in their particular context, and tranform inequality
Implications for evaluation
Reasoning, emotion, intuition and experience is acknowledges and valuedParticipatory process are usedEvaluation design and analysis beyond sex disaggregation to ensure addressing gender critical issuesAll methods gender sensitiveMultimethod approaches
Human rights agenda
Human RightsUniversal Declaration of HR; Civil and Political Rights; Economic, Social and Cultural RightsRecognition of specific attention needed to most discriminated groups – International ConventionsWomen’s rights acknowledged in all conventions
CEDAWFrom Formal to Substantive equality – equality of results –experience of equality by women in their livesState’s responsibility to develop normative frameworks but also measures for their application and to translate to local actionAll society must be aware and involved in its implementation
Human Rights Based Approach
(2000s)‐ Human Rights Based Approach – effortto operationalize HR in developmentprogrammingDefines three areas:Development cooperation programming should further realization of Human Rights – long term goalHuman Rights standards guide all development cooperation programming – outcome mid term Development cooperation contributes to capacity development of rights holders and duty bearers
Basic Human Rights Based Approach principles
Participation and inclusiveness in the process of decision making by all affected, particularly women and poor
Non‐discrimination especially of vulnerable groups
Empowerment that gives women and men the power, capacities, capabilities and access to resources to enable them to change their lives
Accountability that enables right holders – women and men – to claim their rights and ensures that State fulfill its obligations
HRBA
HRBA is a programming approach that is normatively based on international human rights standards, and operationally directed to promoting and protecting human rights. It aims for the progressive realization of human rights by building the capacities of duty bearers to meet their obligations and rights holders to claim their rights.
Strengths of HRBA and relation with gender
Puts people first and promotes human centred development
Identifies rights holders, such as women, and duty bearers, thereby enhancing accountability for the realization of rights
Normative stance on the side of the most discriminated and excluded, thus compelling focus on groups subject to discrimination like women
Strengths of HRBA
Underlines a holistic understanding of rights Promotes empowerment of people, especially most discriminated through participation and inclusionEfforts directed at the roots of structural injustices and inequalities rather than effects Focus on women and other groups subject to discriminationFocus on the process (how?) and outcomes(what?)
Human Rights and Human Development
Relation with development (1990s) – Human Development (Human Development Report, UNDP)people is first and their choices need to be enlargedbuilding human capabilitiesthe goal is human freedom – to exercise choicesHR and HD are mutually reinforcing
Implications for evaluation
‘A rightsbased evaluation is not just a technical exercise in data collection and analysis. It is a dialogue and a
democratic process to learn from each other, to strengthen accountability and to change power relations between
stakeholders’ (Theis 2004)Focus on people’s knowledge, attitudes and practices This demands tools and approaches appropriate for collecting the required data from the identified sample groups, in suitable formats for themBroader involvement of stakeholders in developing monitoring and evaluation systemsOwnership and accessibility of evaluation results to all groups
Shift of paradigm
“Within a human rights approach, evaluation should focus on the most vulnerable populations to determine whether public policies are designed to ensure that all people enjoy their rights as citizens, whether disparities are eliminated and equality enhanced […]” (Segone, 2004)
“The transformative paradigm is introduced as a shift in basic beliefs that guide research and evaluation, based on a need to prioritize the role of such inquiries in addressing human rights and social justice” (Mertens, 2009)
Implications for evaluation
Gender responsive and human rights based evaluation imply a shift on: What to evaluate, how to evaluate, why to evaluate
2. Process for developing UNEG evaluation guidance
Background
The United Nations Evaluation Group (UNEG) www.uneval.org
The United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) www.unifem.org
Preparation
Taskforce objective: promote systematic integration of GE&HR in UN evaluations through guidance document
Phase I (2007)Produced:
A mapping study of existing guidance documents in a number of institutions; A concept note on the proposed guidance; & An annotated outline indicating the main content of the proposed Guidance document
Development
Phase II – Development of Guidance document (2008)Lead expert – Anthony BeckUNEG Taskforce members ‐UNIFEM, UNCTAD, FAO, UNDP, UNV, UNOIOS, UNICEF, UNDESA, UNOCHA, UNHCR, UNFPA and UNEP
Advisory Group ‐ Michael Bamberger (Senior Evaluation Expert), Katherine Hay (Senior Programme Officer, Evaluation Unit, IDRC), Rangita de Silwa‐de Alwis (Senior Advisor on International Programs, Center for Women, Wellesly College), Daniel Seymour (Chief of Gender and Human Rights Unit, UNICEF) and Lee Waldorf (Human Rights Advisor, UNIFEM)
Expert workshop attended by experts in evaluation in evaluation from within and external to the UN systemPiloting on four UN evaluations:
Evaluation of UNIFEM’s Partnerships with Regional Organizations
Evaluation of the UN Trust Fund in Support of Eliminating Violence Against Women
Evaluation of FAO’s Cooperation with India: Project GCP/IND/174/NET “Promoting Livelihoods Improvements in Dryland Farming in the Deccan Plateau
Evaluation of FAO’s Cooperation with India: Project GCP/IND/175/NET “Andra Pradesh Farmer‐Managed Groundwater Systems”
Training module for UNEG Introductory Course on Evaluation – Integrating Human Rights and Gender Equality in Evaluation
Development
Phase III (2009/2010)UNEG TF Members – UNIFEM, OHCHR, UNOIOS, UNICEF, UNDESA, UNOCHA, UNCTAD, FAO, IFAD, UNV and UNIDO
Finalization of Guidance20‐page document containing checklists, including key considerations in evaluation through this paradigm
Systematic piloting of GuidanceFinal draft for approval at the UNEG 2010 AGM
Contents of draft UNEG Guidance
Section 1purpose of guidance and key audience; cross‐cutting issues
Section 2Key definitions, concepts and principles behind human rights and gender equality approaches, and their implications for evaluation practiceDefinitions and frameworks for both human rights and gender equalityMandates for both HRBA and GM and the main elements of human rights analysis and gender analysisEthical Framework for Evaluation in the UN (UNEG Ethical Guidelines and Code of Conduct) ‐ cultural sensitivity
Contents of draft UNEG Guidance
Section 3 This Section focuses on integrating human rights and gender equality perspectives into evaluation planning and design – from developing an evaluation policy to recruiting the evaluation team
Evaluability – determine level of focus, strengthen interventionStakeholder Analysis – identifying RH and DBs Evaluation criteria based on principles – participation, inclusiveness, etc.Conducive evaluation approaches – mixed method, participatory, cultural sensitivityTOR, time and cost implications
Contents of draft UNEG Guidance
Section 4This Section provides guidance on how to ensure that human rights and gender equality perspectives are integrated throughout the conduct of the evaluation –adapting methods/using specific methods
Common Methods/Tools – integration in document review, FGDs, etc.Specific tools/techniques – Rights & Results Assessment Tool, Tactical Mapping, Data analysis – multiple lenses, power relationsReporting – reflect findings on HR and GE, recommendations and lessons learned
Contents of draft UNEG Guidance
Section 5 – Highlights of ContentsThis Section sets out key elements to consider in completing the evaluation report, including drafting of recommendations, dissemination of the report and its follow‐up.
Consultation RH/DBs, women, other groups in the finalization of reportAccessible and barrier‐free dissemination – women and other groups subject to discrimination, RH, DBs, etc.Inclusion and tracking of management response to recommendations relevant for HR and GE – stakeholder response to evaluation
Contents of draft UNEG Guidance
Annexes – Eight annexes covering:Human Rights Treaties and Treaty BodiesSample Evaluation TOR that integrates human rights and gender equalityEvaluation of Programme‐Based ApproachesEvaluation of Peacekeeping and PeacebuildingInterventionsEvaluation of Country ProgrammesEvaluation of Sectoral ProgrammesAppreciative InquiryUtilization Focused Evaluation
TF Next steps
20‐page field guide Strengthen more relevant rigorous methodological guidance Address the issue of adequate resources, accountability mechanisms, and follow‐up of evaluation recommendationsDevelop a targeted piloting strategy that will provide systematic feedback on the use of the Guidance documentDevelop a dissemination strategy for the final Guidance document that will ensure its widespread use and accessibility
3. Lessons learned and challenges ahead
Key challenges identified
Implication on HOW we conduct evaluation – shift of paradigm
From “integrating” to making evaluations gender responsive and human rights based
Including guidance on human rights and gender equality in one document given the different mandates and analytical frameworks
Providing guidance on how to integrate human rights and gender equality considerations in interventions not targeted to
Ensuring a correct balance of mixed methods approach (quantitative and qualitative)
Ensuring that all principles are practicable, cost and other implications
Utilization of evaluation for change on women’s condition – women’s human rights
Lessons learned from piloting
Importance of not being prescriptive and respond to contextValidation through piloting by professionals with different levels of expertise Additional efforts to factor in during planningTOR should include this approachRight expertise difficult to findA tool for negotiation
Gender responsive and human rights based evaluations require a shift in how we do evaluation
There is already a wealth of experience we need to draw on and systematize – guidance
This shift provides great value on the use of evaluation for social change
4. Concluding thoughts
THANK YOU!