Gender mainstreaming advisory (UNW-SEA) Gender mainstreaming advisory (UNW-SEA) UN Women har ansökt till Sveriges ambassad om finansiering på ca 16,4 MSEK för att genomföra projektet " Gender mainstreaming advisory services to the North Macedonian administration at central level" (kortfattad projekttitel: Gender Equality Facility in North Macedonia) i Nordmakedonien under perioden 2020-2022.

Insatsen syftar till att öka långsiktig kapacitet och kompetens hos nyckelpersoner i regeringen som har mandat att arbeta med europeisk integration och jämställdhet. Detta väntas bidra till att dessa nyckelpersoner integrerar jämställdhetsmål i processer för planering och policy samt att de utför sitt mandat effektivt och i linje med Europeiska rådets beslut (25.03.2020) om att inleda anslutningsförhandlingar med landet.

Projektets mål är att stimulera reformprocesser och policys samt att utveckla mer hållbara institutioner med fokus på de institutioner som är direkt engagerade i förberedelserna och planeringen av landets anslutningsprocess till EU. 

Insatsen föreslås fokusera på två kompletterande delar:

-Expertstöd för att förbättra integreringen av genusperspektiv i IPA-stödda åtgärder med fokus på sektorstyrningsstrukturer så som IPA-enheter, IPA-samordnare och sektorarbetsgrupper; i direkt samarbete med Sekretariatet för europeiska frågor (Secretariat for European Affairs, SEA).

-Stärka kapaciteten att integrera genusperspektiv i dokument och processer i det nationella programmet för antagande av EUs regelverk vid Ministeriet för arbetsmarknad- och socialpolitik. Detta utförs i direkt samarbete med ministeriets avdelning för jämställdhet. Fokus kommer främst att ligga på personal i ministerier och specifikt den viktiga rollen som samordnare för lika möjligheter.

Vidare kommer projektet även att: 

-Öka kunskapen och kapaciteten hos utvalda civilsamhällesaktörer samt stärka deras vilja att förespråka och bidra till genus-responsiva beslutsprocesser, samt att effektivt engagera sig i och följa upp IPA-relaterade styrningsprocesser med genusglasögon.

-Stödja regeringen för att bemöta de betydande och genusspecifika socioekonomiska utmaningarna som följer av åtgärderna för att begränsa spridningen av Covid-19. 

UN-Women kommer att genomföra insatsen i nära samarbete med Sekretariatet för europeiska frågor och ministeriet för arbete och socialpolitik i Nordmakedonien.

Sida är den enda givare som har blivit inbjuden av UN-Women och SEA att finansiera denna insats. The UN Women applied to the Embassy of Sweden for funding of about 16,4 MSEK to carry out the "Gender mainstreaming advisory services to the North Macedonian administration at central level” in the Republic of North Macedonia during 2020-2022 (shorth project title: Gender Equality Facility in North Macedonia) . The intervention aims at increasing long-term capacities and skills of key Government personnel mandated for European Integration and Gender Equality to mainstream Gender Equality goals into the country’s planning and policy processes, so they perform their mandate efficiently and in line with the European Council’s decision of 25th March 2020 to open accession negotiations with the country.  
The project aim is to stimulate reform processes and policies and to accomplish development of more sustainable institutions, by focusing the institutions that are directly engaged in the preparation and planning of country’s EU accession process.

The intervention is proposed under two complementary strands of engagement:

-In direct partnership with the Secretariat for European Affairs, the project will provide expert support for enhancing the integration of gender perspectives into IPA-supported actions, focusing on sector governance structures such as IPA Units, IPA Coordinators, and Sector Working Groups.
-In direct partnership with the Equal Opportunities Department at the Ministry for Labour and Social Policy, the project will strengthen the capacities of line ministries to mainstream gender into documents and processes of the National Programme for the Adoption of the Community acquis, focusing on staff in line ministries and particularly on the essential role of Equal Opportunity Coordinators.

The Project will also attend:
- Strenghtening knowledge and capacity building for selected CSO actors will to advocate for and to contribute in gender-responsive policy making processes, as well as to effectively engage in IPA-related governance processes and their monitoring through gender-lens.
- Supporting the Government in responding to the significant and gender – specific socio- economic challenges which result from the measures to contain the COVID 19 pandemic.

UN Women will implement the intervention in close cooperation with the Secretariat for European Affairs and the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy of the Republic of North Macedonia.

Sida is the only donor invited by UN Women and the Secretariat for European Affairs for support of this intervention. The project Gender mainstreaming advisory services to the North Macedonian administration at central level (Gender Equality Facility) contributed to administrative capacity building on central and local level and to enabling the public administration to comply with global norms and standards on gender equality and women empowerment. It was about integrating gender equality perspectives at all stages and levels of policies and strategic programmes prepared by the public administration, by focusing on noticing and addressing the existing gender equality gaps and related lack of knowledge in the responsible institutions. Further, the capacity of the relevant central and local institutions will be strengthened in transposition of the EU gender equality acquis and their performance.

The overall objective of the project was to further strengthen capacity and skills of key Government personnel in North Macedonia mandated for European Integration and Gender Equality, to perform their mandate efficiently for enhanced transposition of the European Union Gender Equality Acquis and in line with the Gender Equality Strategy 2020-2025.
The expected single Outcome was:  Key Government personnel, mandated for European Integration and Gender Equality, are incapacitated to implement the EU Gender Equality Acquis
The planned Output 1 was: Secretariat for European Affairs, Sector Working Groups, and IPA units have the knowledge and skills to include gender perspective in programming, implementation, reporting, monitoring and evaluation for IPA programmes
The output related activities, among other, included strengthening capacities and enabling preparation of strategic documents like Country Gender Profile , as well as implementation of basic and advanced training on Gender Mainstreaming in IPA including provided direct guidance and advice on gender mainstreaming and analysis in priority reform areas and relevant EU chapters (19,22,23,24).

The Output 2 attended: National Gender Mechanisms have the administrative capacities to perform gender mainstreaming of National Program for the Adoption of the Acquis planning processes, and to implement Gender Equality legislation and policy in line with EU regulations and international obligations.
Support to gender mainstreaming in the drafting and revision of sector strategies, programmes, action plans and funds in priority areas, as well as guidance for introducing EU sector specific gender-mainstreaming, was provided to relevant local counterparts for improved gender responsive and national policy dialogue and for implementing the EU Gender Equality acquis.

This project is in compliance to Sida's Strategy for Sweden's Reform Cooperation with Western Balkans and Turkey 2021-2027  by promoting democracy, which is focusing on human rights, the rule of law and gender equality. Moreover the project was supporting reforms and capacity building of institutions in relation to EU integration process of North Macedonia .
Further, this project  directly supported the implementation of Agenda 2030, especially contributing to achieve the SDG 5.
The program was initiated and developed in cooperation with the local institutions and it was adjusted to the national context.
The project implementation period was from December 2020- September 2023. Implementing partner is UN Women.  Total project budget 16.4 mSEK.
The Agreement with Un Women on this project has expired and the contribution is Closed .