The Elsie Initiative Fund’s structure is detailed in the Elsie Initiative Fund’s Terms of Reference (TOR) 2019-2024 (renewable) available in English, Français and Español.
The TOR describes the following governance arrangements:
- Fund Secretariat – a five-member team
- Steering Committee – seven voting members plus the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Multi Partner Trust Fund Office (MPTF Office)
- Technical Committee – four to nine members with a wide range of subject matter expertise
- Administrative Agent – the MPTF Office.
The role of the Secretariat, hosted by UN Women, is to manage, coordinate and ensure the operational functioning of the Elsie Initiative Fund, within the UN Women Peace, Security and Humanitarian Action Team.
The role of the Steering Committee (SC) is to provide strategic guidance to the Elsie Initiative Fund’s Secretariat. The SC comprises seven (7) voting members.
Three (3) permanent members:
- Executive Office of the Secretary-General (EOSG)
- Department of Peace Operations (DPO)
- UN Women, who also acts as one of the two co-chairs.
Global Affairs Canada, for an initial period of five years, and who also acts as one of the two co-chairs.
Three (3) countries on a rotating basis, currently:
- One Troop and/or Police Contributing Country (T/PCC) that is Official Development Assistance (ODA) eligible – Rwanda
- Fund Contributor – The United Kingdom
- Elsie Initiative Contact Group member – Uruguay.
Additionally, the MPTF Office as the Elsie Initiative Fund Administrator and ex officio member, sits on the SC and provides advice however, has nil voting rights.
Steering Committee membership
| EIF CONTRIBUTOR | Timeframe |
|---|---|
| Netherlands | April 2019 – March 2021 |
| United Kingdom | April 2021 – March 2023 |
| T/PCC | Timeframe |
|---|---|
| Bangladesh | April 2019 – September 2021 |
| Rwanda | October 2021 – September 2023 |
| ELSIE CONTACT GROUP | Timeframe |
|---|---|
| Ghana | April 2019 – March 2022 |
| Uruguay | April 2022 – March 2024 |
The role of the Technical Committee (TC) is to provide technical guidance on Letters of Interest (LOI) and detailed submissions to the Elsie Initiative Fund’s Secretariat as well as additional expertise on women in peace operations.
TC members are recommended by the Steering Committee and include academics, gender experts and military and police members with a broad and diverse range of peace operations experience:
- International Peace Institute (IPI) – an independent, international not-for-profit think tank dedicated to managing risk and building resilience to promote peace, security and sustainable development
- University of British Columbia (UBC) – a global center for teaching, learning and research and recently recognized as North America’s most international university
- Femmes Africa Solidarité – a leading international NGO with consultative status at the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
- UN Department of Peace Operations (DPO) – with Military, Police and Security Sector Reform (SSR) expertise
- Red de Seguridad y Defensa de América Latina (RESDAL) – a Latin American Security and Defence network think tank
- United Kingdom Ministry of Defence – Gender Advisor expertise
- Institute for Security Studies (ISS) – a non-profit African research, analysis and policy institution.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Multi Partner Trust Fund Office (MPTF Office) is the Elsie Initiative Fund’s administrative agent and administers all fund contributions in to and all payments out of, the multi-donor trust fund. The following agreements are required to be signed by the respective parties:
- Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) – UN Agencies
- Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) – Troop and Police Contributing Countries (T/PCC)
- Standard Service Agreement (SAA) – Donors.
All MOUs and SAAs signed after January 2020 include a section on Sexual Exploitation, Sexual Abuse, and Sexual Harassment.
