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The Gender Equality Seal for Public Institutions is a voluntary awarding programme specifically designed for public institutions, that aims to support, recognize and champion public institutions that commit to advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment. 

In line with SDG 5 (gender equality and women’s empowerment) and SDG 16 (peace, justice and strong institutions), the programme provides public institutions with a feasible and practical framework to strengthen their capacities, enhance the gender responsiveness of their work, and ultimately deliver for gender equality in a more effective and visible way. 

Within this framework, the Seal establishes standards and performance benchmarks based on international and regional agreements and commitments, providing public institutions with a practical roadmap to put institutional commitments into practice, paving the way for gender responsive results at three key levels: 

  • Leadership and political commitment; 
  • Public policy cycle management; 
  • Organizational and institutional management.

 

The Gender Equality Seal is implemented in five stages, within a 12-18 months timeframe. The stages include: 

  1. Engage - Establishment of institutional arrangements to begin the process. 
  2. Baseline assessment - Self-assessment process to identify gender gaps based on the requirements of the standards. 
  3. Action plan for improvement - Development and implementation of a plan of action for improvement, focused on addressing the areas of non-compliance identified in the self-assessment. 
  4. External assessment - Final independent evaluation to assess the level of progress and achievements. 

Seal certification - Awarding of the Bronze, Silver or Gold UNDP Gender Equality Seal.

 

Find out more about the institutions taking part in the Gender Equality Seal for Public Institutions programme below.

Institution/Organization Country/territory Region Description Period of implementation Status
National System of Conservation Areas - Marina Cocos (ACMC) Costa Rica Latin America

The National System of Conservation Areas is an institutional management and coordination system, which integrates powers in forestry, wildlife, protected areas and the Ministry of Environment and Energy, with the objective to dictate policies, plan and execute processes aimed at achieving sustainability in the management of Costa Rica's natural resources.

2022 On-going
General Directorate of Civil Service Costa Rica Latin America

The General Directorate of Civil Service defines policies and guidelines, and monitors the correct application of the Civil Service Statute, based on a close relationship with the Offices for the Institutional Management of Human Resources (OGEREH).

2022 On-going
National Commission for Biodiversity Management (CONAGEBIO) Costa Rica Latin America

The National Commission for Biodiversity Management is an agency under the Ministry of Environment and Energy of Costa Rica, responsible for articulating the comprehensive management of biodiversity to contribute to its conservation and sustainable use.

2022 On-going
National Forest Fund (FONAFIFO) Costa Rica Latin America

The National Forest Fund is an agency under the Ministry of Environment and Energy of Costa Rica, responsible for financing small and medium producers for the handling of processes of reforestation, forestation, greenhouses and agroforestry systems, and for the recovery of deforested areas.

2022 On-going
Public Service Regulating Authority (ARESEP) Costa Rica Latin America

The Public Service Regulating Authority is the Costa Rican institution in charge of regulating prices for public services within the country.

2022 On-going
National Institute for Cooperative Development (INFOCOOP) Costa Rica Latin America

The National Institute for Cooperative Development is a public institution in charge of promoting and developing cooperatives in Costa Rica. 

2022 On-going
Ministry of Planning Democratic Republic of the Congo Africa

The Ministry of Planning, Statistics, and Regional Integration oversees various crucial responsibilities, including contributing to the development of regional and sub-regional integration policies and projects, and developing national strategies, policies, and projects for regional and sub-regional integration and contributing to their implementation.

2022 On-going
Central Bank Democratic Republic of the Congo Africa

The Central Bank of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is engaged in developing policies to promote financial inclusion and is a member of the Alliance for Financial Inclusion.

2022 On-going
Superintendence of Electricity Dominican Republic Latin America

SIE regulates the Dominican electricity sector, ensuring compliance with current regulations, balance in the sector, and protection of the rights of its agents with standards of excellence. It is responsible for overseeing and supervising compliance with legal provisions, regulations, and technical standards applicable to the subsector, related to the development of activities of generation, transmission, distribution, and commercialization of electricity. It is also responsible for establishing tariffs and tolls subject to price regulation.

2024 On-going
Office of the Controller General of the Republic Dominican Republic Latin America

The Office of the Controller General of the Republic is responsible for internal control, the evaluation of the proper collection, management, use, and investment of public resources, and authorizes payment orders, after verifying the compliance with legal and administrative procedures of the institutions under its scope, according to Article No. 247 of the Dominican Constitution.

2024 On-going
Ministry of Economy, Planning and Development Dominican Republic Latin America

The Ministry of Economy, Planning and Development conducts and coordinates the process of formulation, monitoring, and evaluation of macroeconomic policies and sustainable development for the achievement of economic, social, territorial, and institutional cohesion of the nation. It aims to recover macroeconomic stability and restart growth, consolidate democratic governance by strengthening the basic institutions of the Republican regime, and improve the competitiveness of the Dominican economy at the national and international level.

2024 On-going
Ombudsperson's Office Dominican Republic Latin America

The Ombudsperson's Office of the Dominican Republic is an autonomous public entity of constitutional rank. The essential objective of the Ombudsman is to safeguard the personal and collective prerogatives of citizens, as enshrined in the Dominican Constitution, in case they are violated by public administration officials. The Ombudsman also ensures the proper functioning of public administration, so that it adheres to morality, laws, agreements, treaties, and general principles of law.

2024 On-going
Judicial branch Dominican Republic Latin America

The Judicial branch is one of the three branches of government, whose function is to administer justice, decide on conflicts between natural or legal persons, in private or public law, in all types of processes, judging and enforcing what is judged.

The institution has received the gold certification. 

2021 Completed
General Directorate of Customs Dominican Republic Latin America

The General Directorate of Customs is a department of the Ministry of Finance of the Dominican Republic responsible for controlling the entry and exit of goods through the country's borders.

The institution has completed the process.

2021 Completed