26 . MOPAN 2017-18 ASSESSMENTS . UNITED NATIONS RELIEF AND WORKS AGENCY FOR PALESTINE REFUGEES IN THE NEAR EAST UNRWA’s whistle-blower protection policy is considered by the UN System’s Joint Inspection Unit to be robust. Lack of staffing has hampered the internal oversight role of the Department of Internal Oversight Services, a role that is constrained by the limited internal demand for formal evaluations. KPI 3: The operating model and human and financial resources support relevance and agility. This KPI focuses on how key operational functions (e.g. human resources, resource generation and programming) are continuously geared to support strategic direction and deliver results. Within its continuously changing political and operating context, UNRWA finds ways of aligning staffing and financial resources to key functions. UNRWA has undertaken or planned a number of internal structural changes at both field and headquarters levels with the aim of becoming a more future-facing organisation and better aligning staff to key functions. For example, as part of an internal, organisation-wide policy and strategy restructuring, UNRWA introduced structures designed to facilitate progress towards educational outcomes. This included putting in place a more efficient and effective staffing structure and norms and standards through its Class Formation Norms and Standards, which are used Agency-wide as part of the annual planning process. Another example is the reorganisation around the Family Health Team approach. In both education and health, the Agency has invested in strengthening staff capacity using cost-effective approaches. These changes are perceived to have had a positive effect on both learning outcomes and the efficiency of the system. In the Gaza Strip, the restructuring of the Field Planning and Programming Office is designed to allow the Agency to dig deeper into the data it holds to inform programme planning, while also respecting data protection principles outlined in the Agency’s draft Data Protection and Disclosure Policy, which is currently under finalisation. The aim is to bring in a stronger research element to inform UNRWA’s decision-making and advocacy on specific issues and do so in sync with the organisation-wide appetite to be able (where appropriate) to bring a broader perspective. To support service delivery, UNRWA has reformed its microfinance work financially and administratively. This distinct arrangement, which emerged from a consultative process, has been effective in allowing UNRWA to continue to provide access to credit and loans even in difficult political circumstances. UNRWA’s approach to protection from a structural and resource alignment perspective remains work in progress. Protection is a strategic objective of the MTS, cutting across all of UNRWA’s work. It is recognised that Palestine refugees’ protection needs are increasing. Just 5% of the costs needed for protection now come from the programme budget, which funds only the chief of the Protection Division and the head of the Gender Division; funding for the remainder of protection costs are sought from project funding. In 2016, UNRWA established the UNRWA Headquarters Protection Division and dedicated protection teams across all of the Agency’s fields of operations to further its protection work. Strengthening gender parity through more women in UNRWA’s senior and leadership positions remains a priority. The Agency’s Action Plan on Gender Parity is based on its Gender Equality Strategy for 2016-21. Although UNRWA has achieved an overall 51%/49% ratio of women to men among its total area and international staff, a considerably lower percentage of senior and leadership positions are held by women; in 2018, just 26% of senior area staff were female. While conditions vary across the fields of operations, in general there is limited movement within UNRWA staffing structures and limited opportunity to introduce new skills and/or reconfigure staff among silos. Within these constraints, UNRWA uses task teams to facilitate cross working and as a way to recognise talented staff within the organisation. In this way, staff also get a chance to fully use their skills, given that staff in the Gaza Strip and other