outcome XM-DAC-41146-ECU_O_4

Empowered people: to foster an empowered workforce and promote an inclusive organizational culture.

In 2024, the Ecuador office has made significant progress in fostering an empowered workforce and promoting an inclusive organizational culture, aligning with the objectives of Output SP 4. Staff safety and well-being have been key priorities throughout the year. Sessions provided by DSS and OCR ensured that all personnel were equipped with the necessary tools to navigate challenges securely, while counseling services were made available to support colleagues' mental health as needed. Capacity building and professional growth opportunities have been pivotal in empowering staff. The implementation of the Quantum system required significant investment in virtual, in-person, and online training, contributing to the development of new competencies across the team. Staff participation in training sessions offered by headquarters and the Regional Office highlighted their commitment to continuous professional development. These efforts included participation in the Project and Portfolio Management PPM Workshop in Panama by three National Officers, as well as individual training achievements such as completing workshops on disability, gender-responsive evaluation, human rights responsibilities, and women, peace, and security. These collective efforts demonstrate the office's commitment to nurturing an inclusive and high-performing organizational culture, where staff are empowered to contribute meaningfully to the achievement of shared goals. Cursos

outcome XM-DAC-41146-ECU_O_5

Products services and processes: whose horizon is a CO that efficiently and effectively fulfills all institutional processes that promote the integrated execution of its normative, programmatic, and coordination mandate.

During this period, significant progress was made in ensuring the Country Office fulfills its normative, programmatic, and coordination mandates efficiently and effectively. Timely reporting to donors was a major achievement, with narrative and financial reports completed and delivered for 10 key projects, including Phase 1 of Spotlight, PRM-funded initiatives for displaced women, and various regional and local gender-focused programs. These efforts highlight the office’s ability to manage complex portfolios and meet donor requirements. In the area of evaluations, the report on the Armed Forces Gender Equality Plan was finalized, presenting findings that led to policy reforms and increased female participation, while also identifying monitoring and control challenges. A four-day training on human rights-based and gender-responsive evaluation further enhanced institutional capacity by strengthening the skills of 62 participants, including staff from governmental institutions, UN Women, and civil society. Efforts to improve monitoring systems included the development of an online platform for data and indicator collection aligned with institutional policies, alongside the renewal of the portfolio monitoring working group to optimize project supervision and tracking. The annual UNCT-SWAP analysis, led by UN Women, revealed significant progress in gender equality and inter-agency coordination, with dimensions such as Government engagement and gender mechanisms surpassing performance standards. Workshops and the Gender Group work plan follow-up were pivotal in ensuring rigorous methodological reviews and informed decision-making. All joint programs during this period incorporated gender-mainstreamed approaches, while communication campaigns effectively reached target populations with impactful messages, and monitoring reports reflected comprehensive disaggregated data. However, challenges were identified, particularly in the regression of gender parity and resource indicators. These require a strengthened focus on parity strategies, improved gender mainstreaming in recruitment and retention processes, and enhanced implementation of the Gender Equality Marker (GEM) to ensure greater coherence and quality in sub-output ratings. The UNCT's strong political and institutional positioning was also evident in its alliance with the Ministry of Women, demonstrating its capacity to influence public policy effectively. These efforts collectively underscore the Country Office's commitment to advancing its mandate sustainably and strategically. sp 5 statement