Asia-Pacific Capacity Development on Gender and Macroeconomic Issues: 1st Regional Intensive Training Course

In January 2010, UNDP Asia-Pacific Regional Centre, with support from the Government of Japan through the UNDP-Japan Partnership Fund, has initiated a new capacity development project on gender and macroeconomic issues. The objective of the course is to enhance Asia-Pacific countries' capacity in gender-responsive policy making, especially on macroeconomic issues such as trade, fiscal and monetary policies, finance, and economic crisis. Apply by April 30, 2010.

The interventions will target strengthening capacities of key stakeholders, including government officials, development practitioners, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), research institutes, and academia to analyze, design, implement, and advocate for gender-responsive macroeconomic policies that are consistent with achievement of MDGs.

Two key activities of this project are: 1) regional intensive training course; 2) and provision of support to capacity development projects at national level. The training course is expected to have 30-40 ‘fellows' each year. After completion of the training course, the fellows would have an opportunity to apply the knowledge for project formulation or implementation at national or community levels. Technical and financial support from the programme will be provided for this. Thus, practitioners involved closely with gender and macroeconomic projects in their countries in Asia and the Pacific region and without formal exposure to gender economics are encouraged to apply.

Eligibility:

The fellows will be required, at a minimum, to have a master's degree in economics, development studies, or other related areas, or equivalent work experiences. The course will be conducted in English. Up to 40 fellows will be admitted to the course. Full funding will be provided for up to 30 fellows. The funding priority will be given to: a) a citizen of a developing country in Asia and the Pacific listed in footnote below ; and b) those who are currently working for a gender and macroeconomic project in a country listed in footnote 2. Self-funded applicants and applicants with sponsorship from employer or grants from other sources are welcome to apply. Residents in other regions are also welcome to apply in a self-financing basis.

Expected outcomes:

At the end of the course, the fellows will be equipped with tools and information to analyze, design and implement gender-responsive macroeconomic policies and plans, such as:

• How to design, collect and analyze sex-disaggregated data for national statistics;
• How to design pro-poor tax policies and gender-responsive budget allocation;
• Analysis of the gender differentiated impacts of foreign direct investment and trade liberalization and the policy formulation to mitigate the negative effects; and
• Designing and implementing gender-responsive economic and social policies;

Application due date: April 30, 2010

For all other detailed information (including application form and contact details), please download the following word file