Mandate
PROJECT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
The goal of the Gender Mainstreaming Project is to build the capacity of government
officials to mainstream gender in the (i) formulation, (ii) implementation, and (iii)
monitoring and evaluation of government policies, plans, programmes and projects in
all areas of development. The following are the key objectives of this 3-year project:
• Gender sensitization of senior and mid-level Planning and Development
(P&D) officials at the federal, provincial and district levels;
• Develop capacity for gender analysis, planning and monitoring and evaluation;
• Establish gender disaggregated database using information and
communication technology (ICT) skills and competencies;
• Develop institutional mechanisms and procedures for systematic
gender mainstreaming and accountability in government.
SCOPE OF THE PROJECT
The basis of the Gender Mainstreaming Project is the Gender Mainstreaming Framework developed after detailed
consultation with the stakeholders and finalized with the Planning and Development Division of the Government of
Pakistan, and in line with the framework the Project attempts to achieve the five clear-cut objectives common between the
two; sensitization, training, gender disaggregated databases, knowledge-based networking, and advocacy for
institutionalization of gender mainstreaming responsibility and accountability.
The sensitization aspect has been geared towards policy- decision-makers at very senior positions, whilst the training
component has been geared towards that level of government which is dealing more directly in a hands-on manner with
policy and development issues. Sensitization also covers the data managers in order to make them more aware of the
need for gender disaggregated data, and thus create a demand for it. The hardware requirements have been
approximately assessed so that the project can provide for the essential equipment that is required to create and / or
modify such databases. Knowledge-based networking in terms of connectivity and creation of discussion forums and
groups will involve exercising an innovative approach in order to produce results. In order to support the two objectives of
gender disaggregated databases and knowledge-based networking, computer-related and web construction trainings have
also been included. In order to create awareness of the need for formal institutionalized systems of allocation of
responsibility and channels of accountability for gender mainstreaming, sensitization of legislators has been identified as a
tool.
The heart of the project is the planning and development departments, mandated with the development policy planning
and project appraisal. However, other key departments are also targeted. This targeting is based on the long-listing of the
departments as provided for in the Rules of Business, and then identifying the departments of immediate relevance to the
objectives. Thus, a draft targeting strategy is proposed for the future also, by listing the departments as primary,
secondary and tertiary targets. The attached departments and the autonomous bodies have not been listed in the table,
since they are an area that could not be attended to within the scope of this project. However, based on this tentative
listing, it is the primary targets that this project proposes to focus on. The secondary and tertiary target departments can
be the focus of a future project / pipe-line project, along with the attached departments and the autonomous bodies.
Departments
Within the departments that this project focuses on, it is the planning wings / planning cells that have been tuned into. It
is here that the basic project documents and / or policy proposals are drafted before going to the planning and
development departments for appraisal / approval. Therefore, the offices and personnel connected to planning in
approximately ten departments have been included in the scope of this project. (There is a slight variation between the
provincial governments and between the federal and provincial governments in titles, etc., and how departments are
grouped together.)
The following departments have therefore been included in the project ambit
• Planning and Development Department
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Education Department
Environment Department
Finance Department
Health Department
Labour Department
National Institute of Public Administration
Public Health Engineering (Water and Sanitation) Department
Services and General Administration Department
Social Welfare and Women's Development Department
Economic Affairs Division
The Gender Mainstreaming Project will be housed in the federal Planning and Development Division, and the provincial
Planning and Development Departments. Development in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas is planned in the FATA
Secretariat, a part of the establishment of the Governor N.-W.F.P., and the implementation of the Project in that
secretariat is proposed to be part of the overall N.-W.F.P. capacity building effort. The Federally Administered Northern
Areas, though not enjoying the legal status of a province, nevertheless has a secretariat form of administration, and
therefore it is proposed that the Project for that area be housed in the Northern Areas Planning and Development
Department. Similarly, the Azad Jammu and Kashmir component will be housed in the P&DD AJK.
Education sector work is important for the creation of the human resource base required for sustainable development.
Because of its nature, the health department is more aware of gender and gender issues than other line departments, and
also recognizes the need for gender disaggregated data. Gender analysis hands-on skills are, however, equally required in
this department.
R2V.COM
Environment is a cross-sector issue like gender mainstreaming, and for purposes of responsibility has been treated
similarly, with the creation of an Environment Department, usually located within another department. The two crosssector issues are interlinked, and literature and experience has indicated that environmental and sustainable development
issues often involve an intimate linkage with gender and women. Environment departments have therefore been added to
the target organization list.
Finance Department's role as the funding agency for governmental effort in development is central, and the recognition of
gender mainstreaming in this department is of considerable long-term importance. The direct issue relating to this
department is of gender budgeting; however, at this stage both sensitization and skills development in the context of
gender analysis for mainstreaming would be the primary interest.
Under the Rules of Business, the Economic Affairs Division, Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs, is the responsible
agency for assessment of requirements, programming and negotiations for external economic and technical assistance to
Pakistan from various countries and international organizations.
The TNA found the health sector personnel to be relatively more aware of gender and gender issues. However, the role of
this main social sector department is central to long-term sustainable development and it is therefore critical that gender
sensitive perspectives and relevant skills become inherent in the working of this department.
The National Institutes of Public Administration (NIPAs) exist in all provincial capitals, and are mandated with public sector
training programmes, and thus become the natural choice for provision of gender mainstreaming training programmes for
the provincial and district governments. The FATA component, as part of the overall N.-W.F.P. component of the project,
can use the NIPA located in Peshawar . Alternate arrangements will need to be made for the FANA component of the
project. Though NIPAs already include gender sensitization as a component of their major training courses, and have
provided short awareness trainings confined to this subject. However, these institutions do not have the in-house capacity
to conduct gender analysis skills training, and the necessary capacity will have to be contracted in for the duration of the
training courses from the private sector. Therefore, in terms of project implementation NIPAs can be utilized for the rollout
facilities for training. In addition to the use of such facilities, personnel from NIPA have also been included as subject /
targets of the training so that gender analysis skills are also imparted to some of the permanent NIPA staff.
Water supply (and sanitation) has for some time been considered as women's development activity because of the gender
roles assigned by society. The investment in this sector has brought partial results, partly because of the lack of gender
analysis exercised in policy and project development. This sector would therefore need to be focused in terms of
sensitization as well as skills development.
Services and General Administration Department, in some provinces bifurcated in two, (and the Establishment Division at
the federal level) is the human resource wing of the government, and thus dealing with issues such as recruitment policy,
rules governing service conditions, etc. How public sector employment policy affects women is a subject that has so far
only had a cursory examination. Women's employment (in both the public and the private sectors) has been advocated by
various quarters, and the necessary awareness and skills in the S&GAD (and Establishment Division) will allow for a better
policy analysis.
Women's Development Departments have the mandate for policies and programmes related to women, but because of its
very nature gender mainstreaming cannot be treated as a sector in the formal governmental structures because much of
the substantial work is to be incorporated in the formulation and implementation related decision making processes of the
other departments. Therefore, the creation of these departments has only partially addressed the issues, and they
continue to focus largely on women specific development issues. Gender sensitization may or may not be a superfluous
issue for these departments, but the need for gender analysis skills is understood and recognized. Such skills will allow
better analysis as well as greater contribution to the work of the other, related departments.
The project whilst addressing the essential needs of the federal and provincial governments in a prioritized manner does
also take into account the results of the devolution of power process being undertaken by the government, and also
attempts to address the gender analysis / mainstreaming needs of the district governments. Within this tier of local
government, the seven primary groups have been identified, with the focus of attention at this level also being the
planning-related Finance and Planning Group of Offices.