In Human Resources Development gender is viewed through the lens of gender parity.
Dashboard and more information about gender parity in the UN
As part of the UN’s commitment to transparency and accountability, the interactive Gender Parity Dashboard shows the latest gender balance data for Phase I of the UN System-wide Gender Parity Strategy. The dashboard focuses on the target population of international staff in the UN Secretariat (only), as defined in the Strategy. You can drill down on gender balance by entity and professional level, including for UNEP.
Image: Example of UNEP Gender Parity Dashboard (August 2023)
Training
I Know Gender 1-2-3: Gender Concepts to get Started; International Frameworks for Gender Equality; and Promoting Gender Equality throughout the UN System
Management
UN System-wide Action Plan on Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-SWAP)
In 2012, spearheaded by UN Women, the United Nations agreed on the UN System-wide Action Plan on Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-SWAP). The Action Plan implements the 2006 United Nations System-wide Policy on GEEW of its highest executive body, the UN Chief Executives Board (CEB), chaired by the UN Secretary-General. The UN-SWAP enabled gender issues to be mainstreamed systematically and measurably into all major institutional functions of the UN system entities. While the first phase of UN-SWAP implementation focused on gender mainstreaming and planning, the current second phase (UN-SWAP 2.0) is designed to focus on results and includes monitoring activities and outcomes for gender-related Sustainable Development Goal results. UN-SWAP 2.0 consists of 17 Performance Indicators organised in six performance areas aligned with the CEB Policy on gender equality and the empowerment of women (see graph).
The UN-SWAP rating system consists of five levels. The ratings allow UN entities to self-assess and report on their standing with respect to each indicator, and to move progressively towards excellent performance. As such, the rating system is intended as an aid to promote leadership and direction and enhance coherence. The five levels of the rating system are: • Exceeds requirements • Meets requirements • Approaches requirements • Missing • Not applicable. At a minimum, each UN system entity should aim to achieve “meets requirements”. Meeting requirements is, however, a starting point, rather than the conclusion of an entity’s promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women. It is anticipated that all UN entities will aspire to “exceed requirements”, with the UN thereby being an institutional leader in gender equality and the empowerment of women.
Below are the reports of the past 3 years in which UNEP has made significant improvements.
UN-SWAP 2.0 Performance 2020
Percentage of performance indicators meeting or exceeding the requirements: UNEP 47%; UN Secretariat: 71%; UN System: 68%.
Most significant gains: In 2020, UNEP exceeded the requirements for four indicators and met them for another four indicators. Most significantly, UNEP newly exceeded the requirements for Policy and Leadership, both of which have been identified as key drivers for progress, as well as in the Knowledge and communication area.
Areas for improvement: UN Women encourages UNEP to prioritize the eight indicators that were rated approaching requirements.
UN-SWAP 2.0 Performance 2021
Percentage of performance indicators meeting or exceeding the requirements: UNEP 82%; UN Secretariat: 74%; UN System: 70%.
Most significant gains: In 2021, UNEP exceeded the requirements for four indicators and met them for another 10 indicators. Significantly, UNEP newly met the requirements for Strategic planning gender-related SDG results, Financial resource allocation, Equal representation of women, Organizational culture, Capacity assessment and Coherence.
Areas for improvement: UN Women encourages UNEP to prioritize the three remaining indicators approaching requirements (Reporting on Gender-Related SDG Results, Evaluation and Financial Resource Tracking) to reach full compliance in the current UN-SWAP implementation period. In particular, UN Women urges UNEP to finalize the update of the Policy and Strategy for Gender Equality and the Environment.
UN-SWAP 2.0 Performance 2022 (not published yet)
Percentage of performance indicators meeting or exceeding the requirements: UNEP 94%; UN Secretariat: 78%; UN System: 74%.
Most significant gains: In 2022, UNEP exceeded the requirements for six indicators and met them for another 10 indicators. Significantly, UNEP newly met the requirements for the Evaluation indicator. UNEP also newly exceeded the requirements for the Reporting on gender related SDG results indicator and the Organizational culture indicator.
Areas for improvement: UN Women encourages UNEP to prioritize the remaining indicator approaching requirements, Financial resource tracking.
Contacts
For any query, please contact the Gender and Safeguards Unit at the Policy and Programme Division via unep-gender@un.org.
