UNIFEM Asia-Pacific and Arab States
Regional Programme for Engendering Economic Governance

demystifying economics and empowering women

 

Second Regional Workshop
on
Gender and Poverty Reduction Strategies

Siem Reap, Cambodia September 17-18, 2003

Introduction

UNIFEM supported the World Bank and ADB in facilitating the Second Regional Meeting on Gender in the PRSP (Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper) attended by senior policy makers from Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Mongolia, Timor Leste and Vietnam. See also the Press Brief (Word, 33k).

The World Bank Gender Advisor for East Asia, Gillian Brown, the UNIFEM Regional Economic Advisor, Lorraine Corner, the UNIFEM consultant on gender-responsive budgeting in Morocco, Nalini Burn, and the UNIFEM Consultant on Engendering the MDGs in Cambodia, Mia Hyun, were each responsible for facilitating a specific module.

The four modules were:

Gillian, Lorraine, Nalini and Mia worked as a facilitating team throughout the workshop, which used very participatory methods. During most sessions, participants carried out the group work in country groups using their national language to facilitate ease of communication. However, some participants decided to work in cross-country groups on the second day.

 

You can download the World Bank's Final Report on the Workshop in Word format (47 pages, 379 Kb). The Report is summarised below.

Objectives

To review and exchange experiences with the gender-sensitive preparation of poverty reduction strategies; to discuss the significance of gender-sensitive indicators in implementation and monitoring of these strategies; and to improve understanding of budgeting and advocating for priority gender-related policies.

Organizers

The World Bank in partnership with UNIFEM, ADB, DFID, Oxfam, The Netherlands government and UNDP.

Participants

Fifty-seven representatives from six countries preparing and implementing poverty reduction strategies (Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Mongolia, Timor Leste and Vietnam) drawn from: government, parliament and civil society organizations. Forty-one observers from donors and other institutions were also present. The list of participants is in Annex 1 of the Final Report.

Process

A participatory process was used with a considerable amount of group work carried out over the two days. The groups were facilitated throughout by the World Bank and ADB country gender coordinators from each country.

Agenda

The workshop agenda is in Annex 2 of the Final Report.

Downloadable Presentations

The presentations listed below are downloadable from this site.

Day 1, Wednesday 17 September 2003

Description of Aims, Agenda, and Process for Day 1 (Powerpoint, 1.34 Mb)
Lorraine Corner, Regional Economic Advisor, UNIFEM

Opening Ceremony

Welcome remarks (Word, 25k)
H.E. Mr Cheap Nhalivuth, Governor, Siem Reap Province

Remarks on Gender and Poverty Reduction Strategies (Word, 100k)
H.E. Mr Kim Saysamalen, Secretary General, Council for Social Development, and Under Secretary of State, Ministry of Planning, Royal Government of Cambodia

Key note speakers

Opening speech (Word, 23k)
Mr Patrick Brandt, Director of Development, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Thailand

World Bank Perspective on Gender integration into Poverty Reduction Strategies (Powerpoint, 345k)
Ms Karen Mason, Director of Gender and Development, World Bank, Washington D.C.

Gender Mainstreaming into Poverty Reduction Strategies: reflections from Oxfam and civil society (Word, 29k)
Ms. Mandy Woodhouse, Regional Gender Focal Point, Oxfam UK, Vietnam

Official opening of the Workshop

Official Opening Speech (Word, 30k)
H.E. Ms Ing Kuntha Phavi, Secretary of State, Ministry of Women and Veterans’ Affairs Royal Government of Cambodia

Module 1 Stocktaking and sharing experience on engendering PRS Processes

Hanoi Action Plan Review (Powerpoint, 14k)
Presenter: Tran Thi Minh Chanh, National Assembly, Viet Nam

Gender Development in Agriculture (Powerpoint, 31k)
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Cambodia

Module 2 Gender-sensitive indicators and monitoring of policy development, planning and implementation including MDGs

Gender Indicators for PRS and MDGs, UNIFEM/UNDP Project (Powerpoint, 1.7 Mb)
Mia Hyun, Poverty Specialist, Cambodia

Monitoring the implementation of PRS process (Powerpoint, 200k)
Thomas Frietas, Lao Hamutuk, Timor Leste

Talking Points arising from Timor Leste presentation (Word, 26k)

Day 2 - Thursday 18 September 2003

Description of Process for Day 2 (Powerpoint, 454k)
Lorraine Corner, Regional Economic Advisor, UNIFEM

Module 3 Costing and budgeting of gender-specific actions in poverty reduction strategies

Gender budgeting linking PRS to budget (Powerpoint, 100k)
Nalini Burn

Module 4 Advocacy for gender-sensitive policy change

Gender Sensitive Policy Development and Advocacy Strategies (Word, 105k)
Mr Han Phoumin, Cambodian Team

Response of Civil Society Towards Indonesia PRS: the Case of GAPRI (Movement for Anti-Impoverishment of Indonesian People) (Powerpoint, 57k)
Presenter: Ms Titik Hartini, ASPUK

Summary of Outcomes and Achievements

Follow-up

"It was important to see the commitment and priority given by so many donors to the issue, and at the same time to see the enthusiasm and commitment in the country delegations. This provided us with encouragement to continue working to overcome the many challenges we still face"

Quote from a World Bank Country Gender Coordinator

dated: 29Oct2003