Consultancy: Mapping Coherence on CARICOM Gender Equality, VAC and Education Strategies

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UNICEF - United Nations Children's Fund

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Application deadline 3 years ago: Monday 30 Nov 2020 at 04:55 UTC

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UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, Equality

The European Union and the United Nations have launched the Spotlight Initiative (SI), a multi-year programme aimed at addressing all forms of violence against women and girls (VAWG), and harmful practices. It will follow a transformative and evidence-based approach, addressing unequal power relations between men and women and focusing on gender equality and women’s empowerment, as well as ending impunity for VAWG. In line with the principles of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Initiative will follow a human rights-based approach and take into consideration the specific needs of women and girls who experience multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination and uphold the principle of “leave no one behind.” The EU-UN Spotlight Initiative in the Caribbean, focussed on gendered forms of family violence, provides an appropriate platform to bring together regional partners in the Caribbean around VAWG and SDG 5.

UNICEF is one of four United Nations Recipient Agency (RUNO) within the SI Caribbean Regional Programme. UNICEF promotes the rights and welfare of all girls, boys and adolescents in everything we do. The UNICEF Gender Action Plan (GAP) establishes UNICEF’s intention to transform into a more gender-responsive organization with enhanced ambitions for gender equality across results areas, including humanitarian action. Programme priorities included in the GAP include child marriage and early unions, gender-based violence, girls’ secondary school education, menstrual health and hygiene, adolescent health, girls’ empowerment and transforming harmful gender norms from early childhood through adolescence.

The CARICOM Secretariat and CARICOM Member States have also prioritized different aspects of gendered family violence, most recently through the development of three important regional strategies and policy positions: the draft CARICOM Regional Gender Equality Strategy, the CARICOM Violence Against Children Prevention Strategy (PVAC), and the CARICOM New School Model (CNSM). All these strategies are under the leadership of the Directorate of Human and Social Development of the CARICOM Secretariat, who collaborate with other regional institutions in their development, implementation and monitoring. UNICEF, as one of the four Recipient United Nations Organizations (RUNO), and in consultation with regional partners, put forth areas such as the intergenerational impacts and transfer of family violence, the transformation of harmful gender norms (in parenting practices, mass media campaigns, etc.), early unions, VAW-VAC intersections, the role of the education sector in preventing and responding to VAWG and girls’ empowerment within three pillars (1) of the Caribbean Spotlight Regional Programme. A key intention in UNICEF’s proposed areas of action is to strengthen the roll out and monitoring of regional priorities set out in the draft CARICOM Gender Equality Policy, PVAC and CNSM.

UNICEF promotes the rights and welfare of all children and adolescents in everything we do. Together with our allies, we work in 190 countries and territories to transform this commitment into practical actions that benefit all children, especially focusing our efforts on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded, worldwide.

The UNICEF Latin America and Caribbean Regional Office is based in Panama, operating in 36 territories, including 24 country offices.

UNICEF works to put the rights and well-being of the most disadvantaged children at the heart of the social, political, and economic agenda, in line with our equity focus, working across our organization and with our partners in government, civil society and the private sector to support shifts in public policy, fuel social engagement, and increase investment for children.

For more information about UNICEF and its work: www.unicef.org/lac

[1] Pillar 2 - Institution Strengthening; Pillar 3 - Prevention; Pillar 5 - Data.

How can you make a difference?

A fundamental first step in strengthening integrated responses to VAWG within the CARICOM strategies and policy positions, then, is to ensure coherence among them in their attention to gendered forms of family violence; such coherence is required in both recommended actions and monitoring frameworks. Ultimately, the products from this consultancy will contribute to coordinated actions to prevent and address VAWG, mitigating the gendered impacts of family violence, across the strategies and policy positions, and support intersectoral dialogue and collaboration across the three sectors involved (Gender Bureau, Child Protection Systems and Education). This activity is aligned to Pillar 2 of the Caribbean Regional Spotlight Programme.

In this way, the consultant will undertake a review of all three strategies and policy positions to suggest enhanced alignment with international and regional standards on gender and family violence, and in line with evidence around the impacts of intimate partner violence and gender equality in early childhood, the co-existence of Violence Against Women and Violence Against Children within households (among other data sources) and the intergenerational transfer of both gender inequality and GBV. The final objective of this review will be to identify common, and complimentary, areas of action and measurement across the three strategies and policy positions, supporting the inclusion of multisectoral actions across all three. Equally, this mapping aims to strengthen intergenerational strategies and measures within the Gender Equality Strategy. UNICEF has developed an intersectoral policy coherence methodology that will serve as a guide for the methodology to be developed by the consultant.

Expected Results:

• Conceptual framework and coherence mapping methodology.

• Analysis of the three CARICOM Strategies, Policy Positions and respective implementation frameworks, including relevant consultation documents and drafts.

• Complementary data review as needed.

• Recommendations to support policy and programme coherence between the GE Strategy, CNSM and PVAC at the regional level and alignment to international standards on VAWG, VAC and GBV.

• Policy indicators on gender norms change and gendered family violence for incorporation into regional and national strategies.

• Recommendations around intergenerational aspects of gender equality towards finalizing the CARICOM Gender Equality Strategy.

• Dissemination materials (PPT slide deck, policy briefs, etc).

Deliverables:

The Consultant is expected to submit the following electronic deliverables in accordance with the time frame listed. Each deliverable will be reviewed by UNICEF and CARICOM officials and the consultant will be expected to incorporate consolidated comments. Two rounds of review/comments will be included – this review time has been factored into the estimated timeframe below. When needed, deliverables will be shared with other Spotlight Initiative partners for comments and review.

Description

Estimated time frame

Project calendar, conceptual framework and coherence mapping methodology.

2 weeks after signing of contract

Analysis of the three CARICOM Strategies and policy positions and implementation frameworks.

5 weeks after signing of contract

Recommendations to support policy and programme coherence between the GE Strategy, CNSM and PVAC at the regional level and alignment to international standards on VAWG, VAC and GBV.

8 weeks after signing of contract

Review of existing CARICOM gender equality indicators, as well as those defined within PVAC, to develop policy indicators on gender norms and gendered family violence for consideration and incorporation into regional and national strategies.

12 weeks after signing of contract

Report on intergenerational aspects of gender equality, including a review of available data on girls in the Caribbean, recommendations for adolescent girls and young women´s participation in the roll out of the CARICOM Gender Equality Strategy and gender norms change strategies applicable across the life course for inclusion in the finalization of the CARICOM Gender Equality Strategy.

20 weeks after signing contract

Final dissemination materials (Final Reports for deliverables 2-4 and 5 (formats to be determined), PPT slide deck, policy notes, etc.)

1 week before the end of consultancy period

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Education:

  • Advanced higher degree (Master’s or equivalent) in gender and development, human rights, public health, sociology, child and adolescent development, or other field directly related to gender, family violence and child rights

Work Experience:

  • At least 5 years of professional work experience at the national, of which at least 2 years at international, level in gender equality and girls’ empowerment, family violence, gender-based violence, girls’ education or public policies in the Caribbean.
  • Experience working in the UN or other international development organization is desirable.

Languages:

  • Excellent oral and written skills in English required. French and Dutch language skills considered desirable.

Other skills and attributes:

  • Demonstrated partnership skills, political astuteness and experience working with governmental and non-governmental actors;
  • Excellent interpersonal skills; culturally and socially sensitive; ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with a range of partners, including grassroots community members, religious and youth organizations, and authorities at different levels.
  • Ability to work and adapt professionally and effectively in a challenging environment; ability to work effectively in a multicultural team of international and national personnel.
  • Self-motivated, ability to work with minimum supervision; ability to work with tight deadlines.

Nationals from CARICOM/Caribbean countries are preferred.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

UNICEF competencies: building and maintains partnerships, demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness, drive to achieve results for impact, innovates and embraces change, manages ambiguity and complexity, thinks and acts strategically, works collaboratively with others and nurtures, and, leads and manages people.

Supervision:

The consultant will be supervised by the Regional Gender Advisor, supported by the Child Protection Specialist, in the UNICEF Regional Office, pending the recruitment of the UNICEF Spotlight Coordinator. The consultant will be contributing to work of the CARICOM Secretariat and therefore may be required to participate in meetings with CARICOM staff and/or respond to requests/reviews from CARICOM staff. UNICEF will liaise with the consultant to ensure streamlined communications.

The consultant will report directly to Regional Gender Advisor, based in Panama City, who will coordinate with CARICOM officials.

Workplace:

The consultancy will be home-based and coordinate with UNICEF Regional Gender Advisor and Caribbean Spotlight Coordinator as well as the Gender and Development and Human Resource Development Programmes within the Human and Social Development Directorate of CARICOM. The consultant will be required to work from their home/home office with their own equipment.

Duration:

The consultant is expected to assume responsibilities during the first weeks of December 2020 for a period of 120 days (4 months).

How to apply:

Application should be submitted online and should include: CV, cover letter and financial proposal. Qualified candidates are requested to submit daily and monthly fees in their financial proposal.

Travel:

Any travel to regional meetings/workshops and related costs will be funded by UNICEF and can include travel outside of the Caribbean to liaise with the Regional Office in Panama City, Panama. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, UNICEF will monitor travel restrictions and safety protocols before any travel is determined during the contractual period.

Travel will be covered by UNICEF as per policy.

• Travel costs will be estimated and added to the contract once they are determined based on UNICEF Financial Rules and Regulations.

• For agreed country visits, the contractor/consultant will be responsible in administering their own travel. UNICEF will reimburse travel related expenses based on actual costs or on the below criteria whichever is lower and upon presentation of receipts.

• Any travel involved should be budgeted according to UN Travel Standards as a ceiling.

• Travel: http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=ST/AI/2013/3 Sect. 4, para. 4.2, numerals (d) and (e)

• Accommodation (Daily Subsistence Allowance, DSA): http://icsc.un.org/ (all countries and destinations can be found by navigating on the map)

Remarks:

Please note only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

UNICEF reserves the right to make additional assessment of the pre-selected candidates, if needed.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

Added 3 years ago - Updated 2 years ago - Source: unicef.org