Outcome SLE_D_1.6

1.5.2 Gender coordination strengthen through dialogue, production and analysis for improved programming and financing for gender equality

The UN Partnership for gender mainstreaming in Government Ministries (GiM) is the first-ever ground-breaking multi-stakeholder Joint partnership of UN WOMEN, UNICEF, UNDP, UNFPA and IRISH Aid, supporting the government of Sierra Leone in advancing the rights of women and girls and accelerating gender equality. The Government of Sierra Leone’s Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment (GEWE) Policy was a strong driver to addressing gender inequalities at national and community levels. Thus, with UN Women’s support in mainstreaming has led to effective gender sensitive programs in the government line ministries through the setting up and capacity strengthening of gender focal points and desks. The United Nations Agencies and Development partners, in support of the transformational strategic vision, decided to create a pool fund to enable the implementation of the strategy. The partnership has given UN Agencies a competitive advantage to work together as one UN to support the passing and implementation of the GEWE policy and the GEWE Act 2022. The establishment of the UN Partnership Secretariat, housed in the UN Women Country office, was created to act as a conduit between MDAs and development partners for the implementation of all joint activities to promote gender equality as outlined in the GEWE Policy, GEWE Act 2022 under the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). Gender issues were mainstreamed into public policies, strategies, programmes and projects to promote the implementation of the GEWE policy and the GEWE legislation in sierra leone through UN Women Partnership intervention in establishing and strengthening the institutional capacity of Gender Units in 28 Government Ministries as mandated by the GEWE Act 2022 (see the attached document). Additionally, through UN Women, the UN Partnership secretariat established the groundwork for gender mainstreaming, strengthened the structures to function as catalysts for gender equality and propelled the rights of women and girls by providing technical expertise, developed strategies for increased public awareness and providing access to tools for effective implementation of gender policies and legislation. The secretariat also strengthened working relationships to promote gender-sensitive commitments, enforcement of the law and mainstreaming gender issues into policies. . Capacity-strengthening workshops allowed 60 participants fFrom 30 government ministries to conduct preliminary assessments of their respective ministries and develop action plans for gender mainstreaming using a synergized institutional approach. Through coordinated engagements with government MDAs, CSOs, the private sector and women in leadership, The private sector consultations on the tenets of the GEWE Act increased their knowledge of the GEWE law and introduced them to the UN Women WEPs program, a tool designed to assist companies in identifying and addressing institutional gaps to achieve gender parity which have resulted to fifty of the top companies in Sierra Leone committed to the implementation of the law and work towards achieving 30% women representation in their institutions. For a behavioral and transformative shift in gender equality and women's empowerment, UN Women partnership amplified the voices of women and girls through enhancing coalition for increased community actions for the GEWE policy implementation using a two-pronged approach of direct implementation and gender mainstreaming emphasizing on family-life balance to address gender equality. The regional engagements with stakeholders in Bo, Makeni, Kenema and Port Loko have significantly contributed to transforming social norms for women and girls in Sierra Leone. The HeForShe campaign with Paramount chiefs, religious leaders, women Leaders, Mammy Queens and CSOs working on women's rights to transform male leaders and traditional leaders into becoming advocates to support women's empowerment and the reduction of SGBV in their communities. Afterwards, the Paramount Chiefs developed actions to support community-led initiatives and committed to modeling positive masculinities in their spheres of influence. The male involvement strategy and messaging were cascaded in the communities in a culturally acceptable manner, adopting positive masculinity to promote women's empowerment. Engagement with over 2000 School children and adolescent girls in 4 communities have increased understanding and awareness of gender equality and women's empowerment and engagements. In co-educational schools, male-students were encouraged to support female-students to excel and advocate for gender equality. UN Women’s Regional GEWE popularization consultations have influenced community stakeholders to align their mandates as community influencers with the GEWE Act and outlined some of the barriers preventing them from achieving the benefits of the GEWE Act. The Mamie Queens appealed to UN Women to continue to build their capacity to promote the GEWE act as they are the custodians of women's rights in their communities. The religious leaders gave excerpts from the Holy Koran and the Holy Bible that supported the promotion of women's empowerment and developed an implementation strategy to incorporate Gender Equality and Women Empowerment into their teachings.

The UN system and relevant stakeholders (i.e., government, civil society, development partners and private sector) engage in effective coordination to advance the GEWE agenda in Sierra Leone

The UN GiM Partnership for Gender Mainstreaming in Government Ministries, Departments initiative engendered 30 ministries which increased women's electives and appoitments positions in governance, revised policies to incorporate Maternal issues in RSLAF and other institutions. The UN GiM Partnership for Gender Mainstreaming was at the forefront of strengthening legal frameworks in Sierra Leone including influencing the enactment of the GEWE Act 2022 to address gender imbalances through 30% quota representation of women in public, private sector employment and leadership positions. The programme emphasized the need for affirmative actions and dedicated resources to integrate gender considerations into public and private service delivery which encompasses establishing minimum standards to address discriminatory practices, gender-biased programming, gender-blind budgeting, capacity gaps, and any other obstacles that impede women and girls' engagement in public life for the achievement of gender Equality and women’s empowerment in all spheres of development in Sierra Leone. As mandated by the GEWE Act 2022, UN Women established Gender Units in all 30 ministries within their Planning Directorate to ensure gender transformative planning, budgeting, and decision-making processes at the institutional level. Additionally, the initiative, through MOGCA established a Gender Steering Committee which oversee the functions of the gender offices. UN Women further strengthened the capacity of gender officers, representatives of the gender steering committes (director level) and as well supported to conduct preliminary assessments of their respective ministries and develop action plans for gender mainstreaming as directed by the GEWE Act 2022. The UN GiM partnership effectively coordinates, in collaboration with the MoGCA, and on behalf of the UN member agencies, with government and implementing partners to build and enhance institutional capacities for supporting the implementation of the GEWE Policy and GEWE Act 2022. UN GiM Partnership has laid the foundation for gender mainstreaming and strengthened relationships with stakeholders to promote gender-sensitive commitments, law enforcement, and mainstreaming gender issues into policies as well providing access to tools for effective implementation of gender policies and legislation. The partnership’s community engagement initiatives, involving MDAs, civil society organizations (CSOs), the private sector, and women leaders, played a pivotal role in achieving a legislative milestone that mandates 30% representation of women in public, private sector employment and leadership positions. Additionally, widespread community advocacy efforts have raised awareness of the GEWE Act, engaging Paramount Chiefs, religious leaders, and grassroots groups to shift social norms. The HeForShe campaign has mobilized male leaders to support women’s rights initiatives, further amplifying community-led efforts for gender equality Additionally, the GiM initiative engaged over 2,000 students across four districts in discussions on gender equality. It has also leveraged UN Women’s Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) program to collaborate with 50 private sector companies, supporting their readiness to implement the GEWE Act and promote gender parity and women’s empowerment within their operations. These companies have made committment to incorporate gender issues into their programme.