Project background

The project aims to strengthen the capacities of the Local Government Equal Opportunities Commissions (EOC) and Coordinators as a key element contributing to the gender equality policy at the local level.

By providing technical assistance and training to the gender machinery at the local level the project will support further clarification and implementation of their mandates; enhance their capacity and authority for efficient and effective coordination of gender equality policies and improve understanding and implementation of the concept of gender equality and of the gender mainstreaming in local policy development.

The project has country wide scope and its activities will be implemented in following interrelated and interconnected activities that contribute to each other:

1. Capacity Assessment and Training Needs Assessment of the EOC followed with training for all equal opportunity coordinators;

2. Training of the members/councillors of the equal opportunity commissions and involved stakeholders focused in development of the Municipal Action Plan for gender equality for each respective municipality;

3. Development of the Gender Mainstreaming Web based portal as a toll for horizontal and vertical level networking and experience exchange among and between Ministry of Labour and Social Policy-Sector for Equal Opportunity, Local Government Units and its’ Women and Men Equal Opportunities Commissions at the Local Government.

The project activities will be realised in close consultation and coordination among UNDP and the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy.

The project is based on two-tier assistance strategy. The first one will strengthen the capacities of EOC coordinators in terms of understanding and applying of principles of gender equality and mainstreaming in key areas of local policy development. In doing so, training of all EOC coordinators and their main counterparts among the municipality personnel will be undertaken by means of the training curriculum developed, based on the findings of the capacity and training needs assessment.

The assessment will identify not only individual capacity and training assets and needs but also core organizational and enabling environmental levels. Both the assessment and training curriculum, as well trainings of EOC coordinators will serve the second component of this two-tier strategy, that is support of the development of Local Gender Equality Action Plans.

Main areas of support for this component include training of EOC members in understanding and implementing gender mainstreaming into all areas of work and developing Local Gender Equality Action Plans.

The plans will be developed or updated in line with the national legislative framework for gender equity and key strategic documents and in cooperation with main counterparts on local and national level. So as to foster broad consultation process with relevant partners and additionally reach the broader public, web based platform will be created making key message available nationwide.