Objective and Framework Conditions
The Review of the Implementation of Women and Gender Equality Aspects in the Development Cooperation with Angola focuses on how the Norwegian Embassy, representing the Government of Norway (GoN) and its partners can strenghten the work in this field. Focus for the Review is to analyse the gender aspects in the Norwegian development co-operation portfolio and alignment with partners and harmonisation with other donors by looking into the Angolan government’s policy and plans, Norway’s policy and other stakeholders and donors’ gender approach.
The Review has to provide recommendations on the capacity, tools and training needs both within the Embassy and the co-operating partners. It is further requested to analyse the integration of the gender perspective in a few selected key documents and provide recommendations for improvements. The Review takes place as a part of the revision of the strategic framework for the cooperation with Angola, as well as a follow up of the Evaluation of the Norwegian Gender Strategy.
The Embassy wanted a review of activities in two out of three sectors of the ongoing cooperation, namely education and good governance, democracy and human rights. The cooperation in natural resource management, mainly the petroleum sector, was not included in the ToR. The ToR required a methodological approach based on document review, interviews with staff from Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), NORAD and Embassy staff, as well as interviews with partners such as UN agencies, Angolan authorities, national and Norwegian NGOs.
The Review is an appropriate and timely exercise as a follow up of the GoN’s new and strengthened emphasis on women and gender equality in the overall development cooperation as well as a direct link to the recommendations from the Evaluation of the Norwegian Gender Strategy in 2005. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has expressed appreciation that this Review was initiated, since Angola as a post-conflict country is a most relevant case for the implementation of the Plan of Action for the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000) on women, peace and security.
After decades of war the Angolan society is left with basically needs in all sectors. The socio-economic conditions are still striking and all basic infrastructures are destroyed. The transition from emergency assistance to long term development interventions is taking place and the GoA presented in 2003 a strategy for reconstruction and poverty reduction - Estratégia de Combate à Pobreza (ECP) – that includes plans for improving the conditions for women and gender equality measures.
UN has put in place a framework for its cooperation, the UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF), which identifies plans, targets and outputs for the UN agencies, and includes specified targets relating to women and gender equality aspects. However, the UN coordination of gender related work is weak and the UN agencies are still working within a “project mode approach”. The Constitution of Angola ensures the principle of equality and non-discrimination between citizens on the basis of race, gender, political affiliation or religion. GoA has ratified CEDAW and other international and regional conventions related to women’s rights and gender equality. The Ministry of Family and Women (MINFAMU) was established as a full-fledged ministry in 1997 and is the GoA’s gender focal point. However, MINFAMU is marginalized and is not provided necessary resources to fulfil its mandate. UN’s comments to the national reports submitted to CEDAW concluded that inclusion of the legal standards and sanctions that secure equal rights for men and womenshould be given special attention in the process of revising the Angolan Constitution. This will require necessary political will.
This Review concludes that the Norwegian Embassy should improve its dialogue on women and gender equality both with its present and new partners and pay special attention to these issues in the dialogue with the GoA. The UN should take a lead in the dialogue with national authorities.
To read the full report please see link: Final gender review - Angola