United Nations Development Programme

Gender

From infrastructure projects, to support to women in decision-making positions, UNDP/PAPP has an extensive portfolio of projects and programmes that have contributed to the empowerment of Palestinian women. In 2004, UNDP/PAPP supported the newly established Palestinian National Authority (PNA) Ministry of Women's Affairs through the provision of technical support, particularly in the area of strategic planning. Through UNDP/PAPP's assistance, the Ministry of Women's Affairs defined its main aim as "empowering and supporting Palestinian women to actively participate in building and developing a democratic Palestinian state."

The gender assessment of UNDP/PAPP’s programme and operations carried out in March – May 2007 established a baseline for gender mainstreaming and provided recommendations to guide action in developing and implementing a comprehensive PAPP vision, strategy and programme for the oPt. In mid 2008, a senior Social Development and Gender Advisor joined PAPP to lead the implementation of UNDP’s Gender Equality Strategy as a cross-cutting issue in all UNDP/PAPP programming.

The main objectives are:
UNDP’s corporate mandate includes six practice areas: 1) Democratic Governance, 2) Poverty Eradication, 3) Crisis Prevention and Recovery 4) HIV/AIDS, 5) Energy and Environment, 6) Women's Empowerment. The organization’s gender mainstreaming policy is outlined in UNDP’s Empowered and Equal: Gender Equality Strategy 2008-20111. This strategy is being adapted for use in oPt. However, ongoing conflict and the need for a humanitarian response creates a difficult working environment in which to advance UNDP’s development agenda, and while there is a statement of support of gender equality in the Palestinian’s Authority’s Palestinian Reform and Development Programme (PRDP) there is as yet no clear gender equality strategy for oPt.

Accomplishments in 2008 include

• In view of the ongoing humanitarian emergency, through its work on Early Recovery in the CAP 2009, UNDP is playing a leading role in gender mainstreaming in the Humanitarian Country Team, working closely with the IASC (including the GenCap advisor).
• UNDP led the UN country team in fielding a mission by Ms Mary Robinson, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, on the 8th anniversary of Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security.
• UNDP is successfully positioning gender mainstreaming as a cross-cutting issue through its technical advice to both the PA and other UN agencies and NGOs.