NEWS

21 January 2009

UNDP GENDER EXPERTS MET WITH THE UNDP ENVIRONMENT TEAM

19 January 2009, gender experts from UNDP met with a team of the UNDP Environment Programme in Kyrgyzstan.

The aim of the work meeting was to present the tasks under the UNDP Global Strategy for Gender Mainstreaming and the Country Strategy of the UNDP in Kyrgyzstan.

Opening the meeting, Manager of the UNDP “Environment Protection for Sustainable Development”, Mira Djangaracheva said: “This meeting is very useful in terms of integrating gender issues in project activities in the new phase of the UNDP Environment Programme. All Working Plans for 2009, including the newly launched projects (for conservation of fisheries, uranium tailings, conservation of pasture in Suusamyr valley, energy efficiency, new financial policies in the context of implementation of global environmental conventions) have been planned taking into account the gender aspects. Now all the Terms of Reference will undergo expertise for gender sensitivity”.

Nurgul Asylbekova, UNDP Country Program Gender Coordinator, in her turn said: “We are here to help make your program gender-sensitive. UNDP deals with problems of human development, and where there is the human dimension, there always is a place for gender issues. Therefore, gender is a common issue for all UNDP programs”.

She noted that the UNDP country office seeks to take into account the gender aspects in its overall activity, management policies, systems and procedures, as well as corporate documents, one of which is the Strategy of Gender Mainstreaming.

Then Nurgul Asylbekova offered to discuss the proposed areas of the Environment Program activity in the field of gender equality, including the following:

• Integration of gender perspectives in national and regional action programs in the field of natural resource management and mitigation of drought - with special focus on strengthening the role of women in these areas.
• Assessing the role of men and women in access to natural resources in the KR.
• Conducting a situational analysis (case study) in the KR State Agency for the Environment Protection and Forestry with a purpose of identifying gender issues and developing recommendations on gender mainstreaming in the work of the agency.
• Ensuring equal privileges for men and women in the pilot programs designed to build capacity in implementing the provisions of the conventions.
• Awareness raising and advocacy of equal opportunity and equal results for men and women in distribution of water resources, as well as measures to protect from floods and natural disasters.

She emphasized the study “Assessment of the Role of Men and Women in Access to Natural Resources in the Kyrgyz Republic”, conducted in 2007 by the Environment Program of the UNDP, and immediately received a new proposal from the participants of the meeting to conduct a similar study in the southern region of Kyrgyzstan, where traditional gender inequalities in access to natural resources is more obvious.

Expert of the Gender Mainstreaming Programme, Janyl Abdyldabek kyzy told participants about the recommended actions for the implementation of gender mainstreaming in environmental issues, including:

• Research - a gender analysis of the impact of environment policies, programs, projects and emergency actions, natural and water resources, development of drought-prone lands, biodiversity, ecosystems, etc.
• Reflecting the role and ensuring women's full participation in environmental management and protection.
• Training and exchange of experience
• Target information campaigns
• Creation of a database of gender statistics

She also presented to participants the gender indicators to measure the progress in “Energy and Environment” area.

Then the participants were given an opportunity to ask questions to experts, to talk about specific projects and discuss the joint plans.

Azat Alamanov, Manager of UNDP / GEF project “Strengthening the Policy and Regulatory Framework for Preserving Biodiversity in the Fisheries Sector”:

“Within our project activity we can use the indicator 5 – “Proportion of men and women in the jobs related with environmental management”.

Ryspek Satylkanov, a CDM Project Expert:

“In rural areas, up to 90% of teachers at schools are women and working with them to promote CDM projects, I see the real areas and the need for introduction of gender aspects”.

Mira Djangaracheva, Manager of UNDP Environment Protection for Sustainable Development Programme:

“We need to study the gender indicators and make proposals for their expanding and introduction in all projects under the UNDP Environment Program”.

Source: CARNet