This past 27 May, 33 participants completed the face-to-face portion of the Empowering UN System Gender Focal Points course. The course, organized jointly with the ITC-ILO, aims to strengthen the capacity of UN System gender focal points in their specific role and functions in advancing gender equality within their own organizations.

UN Gender Focal Points (GFP) are part of their own agency structure and often sit on interagency networks and gender thematic groups within the UN Country Team. This course intends to support GFPs in the challenges they face mainstreaming gender and their work, providing tools and methods to successfully carrying out their functions while producing the greatest impact.

The training took place online (from 2-20 May) and face-to-face (from 23-27 May) in the ITC-ILO Campus in Turin, Italy with Gender Focal Points from 22 UN Agencies, examining the UN gender architecture and reviewing strategies and tools to identify and address gender equality challenges within the UN.

Gender Focal Points were also able to review gender mainstreaming tools (such as gender markers and the UN System Wide Approach on Gender Equality-UNSWAP) and their concrete application. Some of the themes highlighted in the face-to-face portion, among others, were:

• Managing resistance, developing resilience
• Gender analysis and empowerment framework
• Gender-sensitive monitoring and evaluation
• Communicating gender and advocacy
• CEDAW and Beijing Platform as operational guidance for GFP action
• Gender and Sustainable Development Goals
• Data analysis and collection
• Strategies for change

The course Empowering UN System Gender Focal Points is open for applications yearly but can also be organized for UN Agencies and UN Country teams upon request. For detailed information, contact the UN Women Training Centre at info.trainingcentre@unwomen.org.