The evaluation reviewed progress across UNICEF’s Gender Action Plans (GAP 2: 2018–2021, GAP 3: 2022–2025), assessing both programmatic results and gender-related organisational changes and performance enablers. The findings highlight key successes, areas for improvement, and recommendations to enhance gender equality across UNICEF’s programming and operations. Crucially, the evaluation has helped shape the strategic direction of a potential new Gender Action Plan or similar initiative, guiding gender equality efforts for the next four years.
Scope and methodology
This multi-country evaluation covered the period from 2018 to 2023 and all of UNICEF. The evaluation was mixed-methods and theory-based, using appreciative enquiry and a case study approaches. It used UNICEF gender integration continuum to reflect on the progress made on gender both institutionally and programmatically at different levels:
The evaluation team also referred to the socio-ecological model (SEM)to help assess whether an approach, intervention of programme is transformative and to what degree.
This evaluation is grounded in a wide range of data and evidence, including:
-
the participatory development of a Theory of Change
-
an extensive review of secondary evidence (468 documents manually and through natural language processing);
-
secondary analysis of UNICEF quantitative data;
-
eight country case studies involving a diverse set of 518 internal and external stakeholders, including young people who participated in UNICEF programmes and UNICEF staff through participatory workshops. The countries selected were the Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Bangladesh, Mozambique, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Peru, with Fiji and Myanmar as supplementary case studies;
-
key informant interviews and focus group discussions at the global and regional level with 64 people;
-
an all-staff survey (884 responses);
-
and a comparative analysis looking at differing approaches to the integration of gender across similar organizations: the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Global Affairs Canada, and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
For the first time in a global evaluation at UNICEF, we had the privilege of setting up and collaborating with a Youth Advisory Group (YAG) to facilitate active youth engagement and ensure that the voices, experience, and priorities of adolescent girls and boys were reflected in the evaluation. We engaged the YAG the inception, data collection and reporting stages, to receive feedback and develop youth-friendly dissemination products.
Findings and way forwards
-
The evaluation found that the GAP frameworks and Gender Policy have established robust foundations and transformative visions towards achieving gender equality, and this momentum should be sustained through a GAP 4.
-
There is still insufficient clarity among staff members in operationalizing the action plan for gender transformative results across various contexts, and inconsistency in accountability mechanisms to ensure the adherence to global guidance, especially at the Country Office level.
-
While there is strong gender architecture at the HQ level, there is a need to strengthen institutional enablers at the regional and country levels. Programming modalities demand reformation for effective partnerships with CSOs led by women and adolescents.
Highlighted Resources
-
Case study reports:
