Consultant - Inclusion and accessibility for the Generation Equality Forum

Consultant

Overview

Support accessibility and inclusion for the Generation Equality Forum activities.

You have:

• Master's degree or equivalent in gender equality, social sciences, international relations, international development or similar fields.
• At least two years of previous experience in development at the international level, ideally in the area of gender equality, youth participation and empowerment with a focus on disabilities and inclusion at the global level.
• Proven excellency in writing briefs, researching best practices and developing knowledge products to facilitate management review and decision-making processes.
• Written and oral fluency in English is required.
• Knowledge of French and/or Spanish is an asset.

Contract

This is a International Consultant contract. More about International Consultant contracts.

Background

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security.

The year 2020 marks the 25th anniversary of the Fourth UN World Conference on Women and adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995), the international blueprint for gender equality and women’s empowerment. In that context, UN Women is convening the Generation Equality Forum, a global gathering for gender equality, co-chaired by France and Mexico, with the leadership and partnership of civil society.

The Generation Equality Forum (GEF) is a civil-society centred, multi-stakeholder global gathering for gender equality, convened by UN Women and co-hosted by the governments of Mexico and France, in partnership with civil society. Through co-creation and diverse and inclusive consultations, the GEF will bring together feminist advocates from across the globe to foster action and renew movements for gender equality, as well as launch a set of innovative and multi-stakeholder Action Coalitions. The GEF in Mexico City (originally planned for 2020) will be held 29-31 March 2021, and will drive the strategic agenda towards this outcome, while the GEF in Paris in June (date TBD) 2021 will announce commitments for gender equality and propel work for the next five years.

Ahead of the Forum, the Generation Equality Forum Secretariat is organizing various stakeholder engagement activities which will deepen and broaden the pool of stakeholders engaged and committed to the GEF and will contribute to the GEF’s outcomes. Such activities include public conversations and citizen engagement; curated discussions on key topics of the Forums; and large-scale public awareness events. The initiative is inclusive, geographically diverse and youth-focused, and is intended to be integrated with and contribute to the broader UN Women’s response to COVID-19 and its impact on women and girls.

Under the overall guidance of the Head of the Generation Equality Forum Secretariat and the direct supervision of the Deputy Head of the Secretariat (and in and in close collaboration other colleagues in the GEF Secretariat and the Civil Society Division as well as UN Women Policy Division and Action Coalition colleagues, and UN Women field offices), the successful candidate will be responsible for supporting the Generation Equality Forum Secretariat and the Action Coalitions Secretariat to ensure that components, such as the public conversations web platform of the Forum and the Action Coalitions, are accessible, including to people with visual and hearing impairments. This will directly support the Secretariats’ efforts to ensure that the GEF and Action Coalitions are able to reach communities, and can be implemented to accelerate gender equality and the empowerment of all women, including women with disabilities. The consultancy will be on a part-time basis, working approx. 10 days per calendar month, and will be responsible for sharing technical advice on accessibility and disability-inclusion, in line with the functions outlined below.

Duties and Responsibilities

Functions:

Develop research and analysis on how to effectively ensure accessibility across all GEF and AC activities and processes

• Develop short guidance notes, paper and briefs on best practices that can be taken into consideration in the design and implementation of GEF and AC activities
• Share inputs on briefing notes, PPT as needed

Support the GEF Secretariat’s efforts to network and engage key players in the field of rights of people with disabilities

• Support the outreach led by the GEF Secretariat to key networks and contribute establishing string partnerships with such networks
• Support engaging key partners in the GEF and AC related activities, drafting invitations and following p as required

Support capacity-building efforts of the GEF and AC Secretariats for effectively adopt an approach that prioritizes accessibility and inclusion

• Share good practices, lessons learned and manage knowledge of the AC and GEF secretariat colleagues on how to engage people with disabilities and their networks in global programmes and events such as the AC and the GE

Contribute to the review of key products (including web-based platforms) and processes for the GEF and the ACs and improve their accessibility, including virtual platforms and by liaising with external vendors

• Review and share technical inputs in the design and toll out of virtual platforms for engaging constituencies and ensuring that such platforms are accessible for all women and girls, including women and girls with disabilities.
• Collaborate with the relevant colleagues in the GEF Secretariat and with external vendors to implement suggested changes as needed.
• Review agendas and contribute to meeting preparations, including the GEF curated discussions and the public conversations, to ensure that women with disabilities are included in the GEF and AC processes as a whole.

Other tasks as assigned by the supervisor.

Key Performance Indicators:

• The GEF and the Action Coalition Secretariats receive advise and information on how to ensure that people with disabilities can fully and effectively be engaged in the GEF
• Support the GEF and AC Secretariats to ensure that at least 20% of invitees to the GEF and its lead-up stakeholder engagement activities are representing organizations and networks that operate on issues of accessibility and inclusion

Competencies

Core Values:

• Respect for Diversity
• Integrity
• Professionalism

Core Competencies:

• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues
• Accountability
• Creative Problem Solving
• Effective Communication
• Inclusive Collaboration
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Leading by Example

Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Core Values and Competencies: http://www.unwomen.org/-/media/headquarters/attachments/sections/about%20us/employment/un-women-employment-values-and-competencies-definitions-en.pdf

FUNCTIONAL COMPETENCIES:

• Knowledge of gender equality and rights of women and girls with disabilities, as well as ability to identify and suggest good practices to embed in key project points and deliverables, including virtual platforms
• Ability to effectively communicate and work with a variety of partners, including Governments, private sector and civil society
• Ability to effectively communicate and work with external partners such as vendors and companies
• Ability to timely carry out research and analysis, and develop knowledge products on accessibility and inclusion as they relate to the planning of international events
• Good knowledge of project design and ability to identify key entry points to mainstream accessibility and inclusion of all people throughout the project’s lifecycle
• Knowledge of and ability to network and engage key stakeholders in the GEF and Action Coalition’s efforts to be accessible and inclusive for all would be an asset

Required Skills and Experience

Education and certification:

• Master’s degree or equivalent in gender equality, social sciences, international relations, international development or similar fields.
• An academic focus on inclusion would be an added advantage.

Experience:

• At least two years of previous experience in development at the international level, ideally in the area of gender equality, youth participation and empowerment with a focus on disabilities and inclusion at the global level
• Experience in working in partnership with diverse stakeholders, including civil society, Governments and private sector
• Proven excellency in writing briefs, researching best practices and developing knowledge products to facilitate management review and decision-making processes
• Experience in moderating or participating in international conferences on gender equality, inclusion and accessibility, and/or youth empowerment
• Knowledge and ability to network and engage a range of organizations working on issues of inclusion and accessibility would be an advantage
• Experience working with the UN an added advantage.

Language Requirements:

• Written and oral fluency in English is required.
• Knowledge of French and/or Spanish is an asset.

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Potential interview questions

Added 5 years ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: jobs.undp.org