• Initiative Summary
• Results

Of the world's estimated 211 million unemployed in 2009, nearly 40 per cent – or about 81 million – are between 15 and 24 years of age.

Experiences exchange initiatives:

• Workshops: Two regional workshops were held in 2011 in Budapest and Lima, with the objective of establishing a global YEM CoP, supporting joint programmes in major implementation challenges, and sharing tools and experiences on a range of topics. Key discussions were held around YEM indicators and labour market information; policies and plans of action; and design and implementation of programmes.
  
  A final global workshop was organized in 2012 in Punta Cana focusing on lessons learned and strategies for programme sustainability.

• Teamworks: Areas identified by workshop participants as high priority were subsequently taken forward in the form of online technical assistance to the programmes through a series of 12 discussion forums. These forums were moderated by senior experts and spanned topics such as: design and implementation of skills and training programmes responding to labour market needs; programmes promoting entrepreneurship among young people; access to credit and finance; and active labour market programmes. These discussions were complemented by continuous bilateral support to the programmes.

• Information repository: A CD was produced compiling products generated by the joint programmes.

Capacity building: Technical support was provided to several joint programmes in the development of: national and local action plans for youth employment (Albania, Honduras, the Philippines, Tunisia and Turkey); youth employment strategies (Costa Rica and Serbia); local pacts and programmes for youth employment (Albania, Nicaragua and Peru); active labour market policies (Albania, Costa Rica, Peru, Serbia, Tunisia and Turkey); and rights in the workplace and youth participation (Albania, Peru, Serbia and Turkey).

Lessons Learned: 11 programmes submitted practices developed and tested during their implementation according to the format and methodology developed by the Knowledge Management facility.

Knowledge Management Products:

• Guide for the design and implementation of national youth employment programmes: This tool provides guidance and practical examples on how to design and implement youth employment programmes. It is based on lessons from the implementation and evaluation of YEM interventions. It provides a toolkit with examples, templates and suggestions to manage all the steps of the joint programme cycle, from design to evaluation, as well as guidance on the technical areas underpinning youth employment and migration joint programmes.
• Publication on good practices: Good practices generated by the joint programmes were disseminated through publications and websites.
• Guide for the design and implementation of profiling system: This guide describes the methodology and provides good examples of systems that help programme implementers and service providers to identify labour market issues and other disadvantages facing young people.
• Studies:
  
  National profiles and regional reports on youth migration: A further key output under the YEM KM plan was the production of nine national studies on youth migration, published in the form of a four-page brief. A second report incorporated findings from the national profiles as well as two regional studies on Asia and the Pacific and Southern Africa that were commissioned for this purpose. This report was formally launched through a dedicated global event.

• Videos: The ILO issued a call for videos reflecting the experiences of the YEM programmes to raise awareness about the situation of vulnerable young people and find ways to address migration issues.

• Initiative Summary
• Results

It has been proven that almost any investment we make in women and girls will have multiplier effects across the MDGs.

Experiences exchange initiatives:  

• Teamworks: The Gender CoP was further supported through a thematic Teamworks platform which also served as a repository for Gender-related materials and information relevant for MDG-F JPs.
• Webdialogues:  Four MDG-F gender JPs engaged in a series of webinars on Ending Violence Against Women (EVAW), economic empowerment and political participation, co-organized with UN Women and UNDP-BCPR (see also, results: Gender as a Cross-cutting Issue). A report that summarizes the experience is available.

• Workshops: The JPs of the Gender Equality thematic window were brought together as a CoP at a global KM workshop, convened in Rabat in 2011. This provided participants the opportunity to learn from the experience of other JPs, identify opportunities for exchange and strengthen their capacity on KM tools and approaches. Participants presented their achievements, challenges and lessons through a participatory ‘knowledge fair’.

• ‘Knowledge Transfer Agreements’. Through this initiative, JPs participated in a competitive process to gain funds allowing them to undertake visits to other programmes. Through such visits, each set of JPs was able to exchange successful implementation tools and processes, with a view to applying them to their own programmes.
  
  Three KTAs were implemented on the following topics: 1) Best practices in shelter management (OPT-Morocco); 2) M&E, KM, and Communications and Advocacy in joint programming for Gender Equality (Brazil-Colombia); and 3) Involving men and boys in the fight against gender-based violence (Morocco-Colombia). Results of these exchanges were monitored and consolidated in separate reports.
  » mdgf.unteamworks.org/node/16962

Knowledge Products:

• The MDG-F Dual Strategy for Gender Equality, developed in partnership with the MDG-F KM team and UNWomen, examines the framework and design of MDG-F JPs, identifying strengths and weaknesses for the achievement of gender results, both within the Gender-specific thematic window and among the other seven windows of the Fund.
• Effective Practices in Promoting Gender Equality for MDG Achievement: This is a mapping of effective interventions in Gender for a second jointly-developed publication.
• Guide for design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation: Making Joint Gender Programmes work: This guide sets out how to improve the design, implementation and monitoring and evaluation of JGPs. It also addresses some of the less tangible areas which are often constraints to JGP success, such as power dynamics and the need for coordination, negotiation, leadership and accountability. It also provides a wide range of examples of JGPs which achieved positive results.
• The added value of gender targeted joint programmes: Findings and recommendations to the wider community of UN Agencies engaging in joint programming. The project developed a portfolio analysis of the MDG-F Gender Window. The paper represents a key contribution of the project to the wider community of UN agencies engaged in joint programming, as well as to UNCTs and Gender Thematic Groups.

• Initiative Summary
• Results

Over the past few years, the global environmental agenda has been dominated by preparations for, and follow-up from, the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (or Rio+20) held in June 2012, whic

Experiences exchange initiatives:  

• Teamworks: The first outcome of the Environment and Climate Change KM plan, the establishment of a Community of Practice, was undertaken through both the Teamworks, allowing the KM team as well as JPs in the thematic window to jointly contribute materials and manage online discussions.
  » mdgf.unteamworks.org/node/16963

• The Wiki: was a particularly innovative tool that generated much interest among other KM teams and led to a cross-window initiative using the Wiki modality to collect lessons learned from JPs across all thematic windows.
  » wiki.mdgfund.net/Environment_and_Climate_Change

• Regional workshops: were held in Adana and Panama City in 2011 to provide a conceptual background on KM, build a KM strategy for the JPs in the window and initiate discussions on JP experiences with programme design and implementation. A final, closing workshop was held in Yachana (Ecuador) to consolidate results and lessons learned, and to formulate recommendations for effective sustainability strategies. Workshop reports were produced.

Lessons learned:

• Seeds of Knowledge Booklet: The 17 Environment and Climate Change Joint Programmes developed 53 lessons learned on climate change adaptation at national and local community levels. This booklet describes the experience that was gained and its impact at the global and policymaking levels.
  » wiki.mdgfund.net/images/4/47/Seeds_of_Knowledge.pdf

• Multimedia Products: The UNEP MDG-F KM Team, along with the UNEP Division of Communication and Public Information, compiled a video of the success stories and thematic lessons learnt across all JPs, mainly based on existing audio visual material from the JPs.

Capacity building:

• Expert support in the form of a series of web-based discussions, or “Weeks in Focus”. Dedicated sessions were held for each JP in the thematic window, allowing JP teams to present their work and receive feedback or peer assistance from others. Other sessions featured key topics in the thematic areas of: a) gender mainstreaming; b) vulnerability and impact assessment; c) adaptation to climate change; and d) exit strategies and results systematization.

The following different approaches and topics were covered:

• Ecuador Week in Focus: 5 – 8 September 2011: Through Elluminate, a community of practitioners discussed good practices and lessons learnt on productive themes in the Yasuni Biosphere, identification of case studies in other regions on the business potential of community based tourism networks in protected areas and/or Biosphere reserves, and governance of Biosphere reserves and case studies of the Yasuni Biosphere.
•  Egypt Week in Focus: 10 – 12 October 2011: Presentation on good practices and lessons learnt in adaptation and mitigation in Egypt were shared and discussed.  A communication for policy adoption was deliberated among the community.
• Afghanistan Week in Focus: 24 – 26 October 2011: The focus of the presentation was on the “Strengthened approach for the Integration of Sustainable Environmental Management in Afghanistan.”  Other topics of discussion included Community based Natural Resource Management and the Pros and Cons of Ecosystem/Watershed Based Natural Resource Management.

• Turkey Week in Focus: 6 – 8 December 2011: Presentations were made and discussions held on Vulnerability Assessments and lessons learnt, UNIDO Clean Production and Eco-efficiency Process and sustainability strategy.
• Philippines Week in Focus: 14 – 16 December 2012: Exit Strategy and Sustainability Planning, Mainstreaming Climate Change in the Health Sector and Downscaling Climate Scenarios were main topics of discussions.  Filipinos shared their successes and learning with the community.
• Nicaragua Week in Focus: 18 – 20 January 2012: Nicaragua presented “Communication” as an important element in achieving sustainability of the environment and elaborated on its access programme for drinking water and sanitation; the promotion of renewable energy (photovoltaic) in the communities of the Bosawas biosphere reserve; and the development of local capacities for biodiversity investigation and monitoring via the formation of community youth networks.
• Panama Week in Focus: 28 – 30 March 2012: Panama shared its experience and expertise on the process for multi-cultural work and community/local participation on communication for development, governance, partnerships; tools for adaptation and mitigation and capacity building at local level through empowerment of authorities, communities, institutions.
• Peru Week in Focus: 23 – 26 May 2012:  Peru presented to the community on healthy housing and communication strategies on climate change that were carefully designed to adapt to the local communities. 
• Senegal Week in Focus: 13 – 15 June 2012: Discussion centred around improvement of the knowledge of forest ecosystems, their services and their impact on human well-being in Senegal; development of a policy and tools for sustainable management of forest resources; and communication, outreach and capitalization of the findings from the Senegal JP.
• Ethiopia Week in Focus: 26 – 28 June 2012: Ethiopia shared its experience in mainstreaming the Environment Joint Programme Governance Structure into existing Governance systems, income generating activities for sustainable livelihood, changes to pastoral communities and climate change adaptation programme mainstreaming in pastoral areas of Ethiopia.