Experience on GM in the SWAp on Education in Kyrgyzstan

1. Experience on GM in the SWAp on Education in Kyrgyzstan Sagipa Djusaeva Programme Specialist, UN Women in EECA sub-region

2. Entry points • Support to EC Delegation in Kyrgyzstan on integrating GE in programming at country level; • Donor coordination on SWAp on Education;

3. Process Analytical work Training / consultations Training/coaching to the staff of the EC Country Office Training on GE and AE to women NGOs; Training to key sectoral ministries, including the Ministry of Education; Round table consultations between donors and CSOs; Workshop for the Parliament groups and members of Alliance of Women’s Legislative Initiatives • Country Development Strategy (CDS) - Education section; • NAP on Achieving GE for 2007-2010 ; • National programs in education sector; • EC Strategy on Assistance for Central Asia 2007-2013; • Action Fishe to support SWAp on Education

4. Results • Recommendations on GM of Regional Strategy of EU on Assistance to the Central Asia for 2007 – 2013; • Integration of gender sensitive activities into the Action FisheSupport to the Education Sector (SWAP); • Recommendations to the draft National Strategy on Education Development

5. Recommendations to the Strategy on Education Three blocks: • Increasing access to pre-school education and revision the methodologies for pre-school education; • Measures to address the issues of professional segregation; • Gender expertise of methodologies and handbooks at all levels of education (especially pre-school and secondary education)

6. Policy Frameworks for Financing for GE Country Development Strategy (CDS 2008-2011) (CDS-2012-2020) National Action Plan on Gender Equality (NAP 2007-2010) (NAP 2012-2015) Strategy on Education (2012-2020) Mid-term Action Plan (2012-2015) Mid-term Expenditure Framework (2012-2015)

7. Next steps in SWAp on Education in KYR • Consultations at province level; • Revision of EDS and Mid-term programme to integrate the findings from the discussions; • Submission of the EDS to the Government; • Presentation of the EDS in the Parliament; • Following the endorsement of the EDS – donor coordination on SWAp on Education

8. Challenges • Capacity of the staff of the EC Delegation on Gender Mainstreaming: • Awareness of international gender commitments (CEDAW, BPFA, MDGs); • Knowledge of national GE commitments and priorities defined in the CDS, NAP, sector specific strategies • Motivation for GM: • High workload and perception of GM as an additional work; • Reliance of GM function solely on gender focal point ; • Organizational set up for institutionalized GM • Capacity and motivation of partners in the key ministries on GM; • Lack of accountability system for GE; • Inconsistencies and fragility in sectoral policy making and public administration

9. Recommendations • The need in systematic increase of capacity of the EC Delegation (and other donor offices) employeesin understanding of the advantages of gender mainstreaming in project activities, and specifically knowledge on: • Concept of gender equality; • International standards on WHRs and GE, including major conventions and agreements in human rights area ratified by Kyrgyzstan; • National gender priorities to be duly reflected in programs of the EC Delegation; • Gender responsive budgeting and provision of aid based on gender equality and human rights principles, • Gender analysis and gender monitoring standards and tools.

10. Recommendations • Create motivation by operationalizing standards and requirements to gender mainstreaming into the EC strategies/projects at country level: • Integrate gender amendments into the EC Strategy; • Institutionalize training on GM for the staff; • Allocate percentage of total working hours of the employees for monitoring the gender mainstreaming within their respective areas of work; • Allocate percentage of total working hours of an executive officer responsible for gender issues for efficient performance of her functions • Expand cooperation with and use capacity of local gender experts having sufficient specialised knowledge in GM into national, regional and sectoral policies / programs.

11. Recommendations • Improve accountability mechanisms for gender equality within the country offices of donor agencies; • Ensure alignment of the donors' country strategies and programmes with the national GE priorities; • Ensure sustainable links with the women's civil society organizations and government institutions in charge of the national GE policies. • Institutionalize positive experience of involvement of civil society organizations and gender experts into the discussion of the country support strategies and project of the EC delegation and other donor country offices; • Review the experience on SWApon health care sector and organize the process of open consultations with key ministries, involved into aid receipt, coordination (Ministry of Finance, Ministry for Economic Development and Trade, Ministry of Education, and etc.) and civil society organizations, including women NGOs.