Regulatory Service

Considering today's discussion, it seems critical to me that mandates of GIDD and GFPs should be reviewed and clarified.

The roles of GIDD could be divided into two components: (i) supervisory or regulatory roles, and (ii) implementing advocacy or sensitisation activities.

Since funds meant for gender-related programmes/ projects should go to those which are not exclusively dealing with gender issue itself, GIDD's implementing functions might be limited.
Then, major roles of GIDD are supposed to be supervisory or regulatory ones, which appraise extent to which a certain programmes/ projects have paid attention to gender issue.

When it comes to resources to be spent by GIDD, it should be concentrated on sensitise people on gender issue in order to mainstream the issue in the context of development of Zambia.

When we look at the mandates of GFPs, as we have observed, it would almost be impossible for individual GFPs to influence the whole organisation to which they belong.
Rather, GFPs should take roles of liaison officers, who shall ensure that their organisations adhere to the National Gender Policy, and if necessary, ask GIDD for advice to make sure that programmes/ projects of their own organisations should follow the policy of mainstreaming gender issue.

Since gender issue involves various aspects and it could bring about varied outcomes with different approaches, substantial expertise in this issue would still be significant. And, GIDD should take responsibilities for providing the nation with such an expertise in gender issue.