Strategies, policies and action plans
Saraco partners with clients to develop clear strategies, policies and action plans that empower rights-holders and strengthens the capacities of duty-bearers. Plan for change with an expert!
Formulating clear and sound strategies, polices and action plans based on an qualitative analysis of gender and human rights, moves awareness to considered action.
Working closely with governments, public services, agencies, civil society, trade unions and political parties, Saracao strategically guides them, with an inclusive perspective and the wisdom of extensive experience, to develop feasible, achievable, effective blueprints to keep human rights in the foreground and promote gender mainstreaming.
Strategies, policies and plans need to be realistic and ambitious at the same time. Therefore, Saraco accompanies each of these instruments for transformative change with conclusive budgets, including funds for additional human resources and capacity building to implement the commitments.
We Focus on:
Successful strategies, policies and action plans to keep both high-level aspirations and rights-holders’ and duty-bearers’ cultural settings in mind.
Targeting social inclusion, women’s empowerment and rights, and human rights to leave no one behind and to address the needs, interests of diverse target groups and to strengthen their capacities to enable them to fully enjoy their rights.
Valuing extant communication channels and decision-making structures to support change from within without imposing external, unfamiliar processes hampering successful outcomes.
Respecting traditional and non-conformal knowledge, requesting listening and patience to understand expectations of different parties, allowing for the use of shared language and enriching encounters during collaboration and joint journeys.
Facilitating dialogue between rights-holders and duty-bearers, while supporting the mediating role of civil society organisations, to translate words and commitments into tangible outputs and outcomes for all parties involved in the cooperation.
Holding duty-bearers accountable means adding a budget to translate any political will into concrete actions and rendering the policy and plan ready for adoption. After all, it is not possible to swim in an empty lake.
Good practices
Developing a new Gender Equality Plan for the gender equality body in Morocco (2017):
Saskia Ravesloot stepped into the consultancy business with a 6-months contract for an EU project in Morocco. The aim of the mission was double, first to assess the initial Gender Equality Plan for the Ministry of Family, Solidarity, Equality and Social Development in Morocco, by means of standardized participative approaches. Second, to develop on the basis of the recommendations, a new Gender Equality Plan 2017-2021.
Many interactive workshops were held at governmental and non-governmental level to strategize and align vision and mission of all stakeholders. The team managed to take into account the needs and interests of all ministries involved in the extensive and inclusive new action plan. Equipped with a set of 7 strategic axes, 23 objectives and 83 measures, the new Gender Equality Plan II allowed for increased impact and policy coherence among the initiatives of the different ministries. Specific attention was given to align the action plan with the objectives of the Gender Action Plan of the EU.
Co-creating a gender equality strategy for Lux-Development (2019):
Working directly with practitioners in a participatory manner is the most effective way to develop a Gender Policy and Gender Action Plan. The starting point is the creation of a level playing field and shared understanding of the concepts (e.g. gender, discrimination, intersectionality) and approaches (e.g. human rights-based approach, gender mainstreaming). Therefore some capacity building is often part of the process.
The next step is to assess progress and achievements in the field of gender equality and human rights. Lessons are taken in an inclusive manner, preferably by listening extensively to national duty-bearers and rights-holders, when sufficient means are available. Building a vision and mission includes looking ahead and setting priorities and tailor these into new practices, responsive conduct and transparent measures, joined by accountable monitoring and evaluation systems.
Aligning expectations with national priorities is a pivotal step before finalising the policy and action plan. The plan, encompassing objectives and results is then detailed and completed with activities and indicators at outcome and impact level. Finding the right disaggregated indicators, is sometimes easier said than done. Stakeholder involvement during this process is crucial for making a feasible policy and plan.
