CANADEM GSO Progress Report - 2010 |
CANADEM has had a busy year in Kabul! With Technical Advisors in the ministries of Education, Finance, Justice, Interior, Energy and Water, Rural Rehabilitation and Development, the Independent Directorate for Local Governance and the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission, our TAs have been active in promoting institutional reform and democratic governance within the Government of Afghanistan.
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GSO's priorities this past year were geared toward supporting governance reform in select Ministries and Institutions of the Government of Afghanistan. The Program works with the leadership of select Ministries in developing programs and facilitating processes for increased awareness of and demand for Afghan leadership and ownership in promoting responsive and democratic governance. ATAP initiatives have also mainstreamed gender including using strategies to address gender issues – for example: Seddiq Weera, TA to the Ministry of Education, provided regular input and feedback on skills development, teacher education and literacy programs to enhance access for girls and increase female teachers. |
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| Group Picture of CGSO - Technical Advisors, Management and Staff |
CGSO programs are focused on governance reform on two fronts:
- Strengthening democratic governance; and
- Institutional and organizational strengthening of select Ministries for enhanced delivery and access to services by women, men and children.
Here are some highlights of CGSO TA’s work throughout this past year:
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
Seddiq Weera increased the capacity of the Human Resources Development Board by organizing working groups and facilitating inter-ministerial coordination.His work built on the achievements of a previous CGSO TA, who had established the Education Development Board, part of the Afghanistan 2010 National Education Strategic Plan developed with strategic CGSO assistance.
MINISTRY OF FINANCE
Dallas Newby assisted in creating the Customs and Revenue Department’s Revenue Action Plan, cataloguing recommended Customs and Revenue interventions. Upon implementation, the agency’s revenue was increased by 54%.Dallas also assisted in creating the ministry’s Policy Analysis and Development program, which promoted management-level reforms in budget, treasury and procurement policy departments.
He worked with representatives of the High Office of Oversight and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) anticorruption project to develop the first draft of the Government Anti-Corruption Policy Paper.
Finally, Dallas developed the Afghan National Capacity Technical Assistance Program, identifying need for technical expertise, funding partners, and deploying Governance Advisors to work with the Minister of Finance and other ministries.
MINISTRY OF JUSTICE
| Fouz Abdel Hadi developed and stocked a legal library and trained Afghan employees on the new cataloguing system. Fouz also developed a legal database of Afghanistan laws, and ensured proper training of Afghan ministry staff on maintenance and use. She undertook a rights-based legislative drafting training for the Taqnin –the ministry’s Legislative Drafting Unit, and provided them with equipment, computers and training on a new electronic database. Finally, Fouz assisted in developing a new official regulation on drafting Afghan legislation, as well as a manual on how to do legislative drafting. |
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MINISTRY OF INTERIOR
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Tonita Murray established the Minister’s Policy Unit, into which she hired and mentored 3 Afghan policy advisors. Tonita also established a Gender Unit within the ministry, to which she recruited and mentored a coordinator amongst senior Afghan women police in the Ministry. She lobbied for and implemented increased training initiatives targeted to women police officers, and supported the development of over 100 family violence units in Afghanistan police stations where women could receive dedicated police services. |
MINISTRY OF ENERGY AND WATER
| Mahmoud El Mubarak developed the capacity of the Ministry’s procurement policy unit by training and mentoring the engineers. This resulted in cost savings and the enhanced ability of staff to conduct evaluations and reviews in accordance with international standards. He also helped to establish and mentors members of Information Management and Financial Management Technical Working Groups. |
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MINISTRY OF RURAL REHABILITATION AND DEVELOPMENT
Diane MacLaren assisted in developing a procurement policy reform initiative and guidelines for the ministry. She also established and participated in working groups in several core areas, including Information Management and Financial Management.
INDEPENDENT DIRECTORATE FOR LOCAL GOVERNANCE
Cindy Fair supported the Senior Management Team in implementing, monitoring and reporting on a four-month work plan leading to the development of an annual work plan, and subsequent monitoring reports.She also ensured participation of IDLG directors and their teams in targets and work plan development to facilitate ownership of outcomes and increased capacity in the planning and reporting processes.
AFGHAN INDEPENDENT HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION
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As Results-based management Technical Advisor, Jo-Anne Bishop developed a 4-year Strategic Plan, following a participatory and inclusive strategic planning process with more than 500 stakeholders in Afghanistan. Jo-Anne also assisted in developing draft terms of reference for a new monitoring, reporting and evaluation unit within the commission; and built sustained results-based management (RBM) capacity to support implementation of the strategic/action plans. One of her priorities was integrating gender mainstreaming within the commission. |
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A Performance-Based budgeting TA, Leona Spinks followed upon tools and training implemented by Jo-Anne Bishop to strengthen the financial management systems and procedures capacities in both the Head Office and across the country. She monitored the Finance Unit’s successful completion of the 2009 quarterly report using the newly established tools based on Jo’s AIHRC Strategic Plan and Action Plan. |
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