Consultant to Develop a Comprehensive Gender Mainstreaming Strategy for Security Sector Reform in Lesotho

Consultant

Overview

Develop a comprehensive gender mainstreaming strategy for security sector reform

You have:

• Master’s degree or equivalent in gender and women studies, security studies, M&E, Development Studies, Social Studies, Governance, Human Rights or any other related field.
• At least 7 - 10 years of relevant education & experience and proven expertise with program management, strategy design, and planning for gender equality and women empowerment, and security sector engagement.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English.
• Knowledge of Sesotho or other UN official working language is an asset.
• A demonstrated understanding of UNSCR 1325, UN programming principles and their application, including Gender Equality, Human Rights Base Approach to programming, Capacity Development, and Environmental Sustainability.
• Proven experience and in depth knowledge of gender equality and gender mainstreaming.

Contract

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

Background

Gender Equality is a fundamental human right, is a democratic principle, and is an essential part of good governance. According to the African Union Policy Framework on Security Sector Reform (2013), security sector reform must be able to address the needs of all segments of society, including men, women, boys and girls and should be a consultative process that engages with diverse groups.

Gender inclusive reform provides a long-term, holistic approach that deepens national ownership of the process. It is key to human security, as women, men, girls, and boys, have different security needs and experience security and insecurity differently. Without the inclusion of gender equality and mainstreaming measures, reform fails to address issues of accountability and effectiveness, and continues the status quo by not providing for the security of all citizens. Addressing inequality and mainstreaming gender throughout the security services makes the sector both more effective in its responsiveness and use of human resources.

Gender mainstreaming is a process and strategy for achieving gender equality. A gender mainstreaming strategy is not just about numbers of women and men participating or employed in the sector. Gender equality and equity require specific transformative measures designed to provide for equal access and participation of women and men, and to build towards gender parity, throughout security service provision, management and operations, and oversight mechanisms.

As a key part of the Lesotho National Dialogue and Stabilisation Project (LNDSP) and reforms agenda, gender equality and women’s empowerment are central to the security sector reforms. The Gender Mainstreaming Strategy aims to support that process by addressing the entrenched societal norms that stand in the way of gender equality in opportunities, representation and participation in the sector. In addition, it will aim to address key issues such as Gender-Based Violence (GBV), masculinities, and discrimination.

The Strategy and its implementation will also support the fulfilment of Lesotho’s obligations under international and regional treaties and agreements to which it is a signatory, including Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW, 1979); the Beijing Platform for Action (BPfA, 1995); United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 (UNSCR, 2000) and subsequent resolutions that advance the Women, Peace and Security Agenda (WPS); and the African Union Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (2003).

By addressing the points below, the Strategy will also adhere to the African Union Policy Framework on Security Sector Reform (2013).

The Security Sector Gender Mainstreaming Strategy (GMS) aims to enable an inclusive, respectful, responsive security sector for all Basotho citizens regardless of their sex, age, religion or ability, through addressing gender and other inequalities defined in international instruments.

Objectives of the assignment:

The objective of this assignment is to develop a comprehensive gender mainstreaming strategy for security sector reform in Lesotho. The Strategy should address gender equality through both gender mainstreaming and gender-specific and transformative approaches including recommendations of interventions that focus on both internal and external measures, across the sector as a whole as well as agency specific interventions.

The assignment is to facilitate a collaborative and consultative process to enable the strategic contribution of stakeholders in the development of a comprehensive Gender Mainstreaming Strategy to guide Lesotho’s Security Sector on gender equality and women’s empowerment actions for the next 10 years.

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Develop a consultative and comprehensive Gender Mainstreaming Strategy for the Security Sector (Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS), Lesotho Defence Force (LDF), Lesotho Correctional Services (LCS), and the National Security Service (NSS), including actions specific to each security agency and their mandate. The consultant should ensure that:

• The Strategy development is aligned with the National Security Policy to ensure mutual integration, alignment, and prioritization;
• Key provisions and targets of international and regional frameworks such as CEDAW (1979), Beijing Platform for Action (1995), UN SCR 1325 (2000) and the WPS Agenda, African Union Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (2003), adheres to the African Union Policy Framework on Security Sector Reform (2013) are reflected in the Strategy;
• There is equal representation of women and men in the participants engaged during the strategy development;
• S/he Involves gender experts from the Ministry of Gender and Youth, Sports and Recreation (MGYSR), women parliamentarians, and civil society and academia, in the drafting and validation of the strategy.

2. Develop an implementation plan for the strategy that includes sector-wide and agency specific actions and interventions, with identified budget requirements and a monitoring, evaluation and reporting plan.

3. Develop a capacity development plan that integrates training requirements under the Strategy and Implementation Plan into sector training plans and agency recruit training, in order to build gender mainstreaming into the core business of the sector.

4. Assist in identifying champions in senior security management to promote gender issues and drive implementation.

Deliverables:

• Inception report;
• Security sector consultation report;
• Draft Gender Mainstreaming Strategy including Implementation Plan and Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting Plan;
• Final Gender Mainstreaming Strategy including Implementation Plan and Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting Plan, and incorporating feedback;
• Capacity building of security sector personnel;
• Final Exit Report and Policy Brief.

Work Schedule:

Deliverables

Allocated Percentage

Timelines

Inception Report

10%

5 days

Report from consultations of security sectors and sector specific gender issues, with inputs from relevant stakeholders

25%

10 days

Draft Gender Mainstreaming Strategy including Implementation Plan and Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting Plan

35%

15 days

Validation of Gender Mainstreaming Strategy including Implementation Plan and Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting Plan

Final Gender Mainstreaming Strategy including Implementation Plan and Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting Plan, and incorporating feedback

30%

20 days

Capacity building of security sector personnel

Final Exit Report and Policy Brief

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: https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/Headquarters/Attachments/Sections/About%20Us/Employment/UN-Women-values-and-competencies-framework-en.pdf

Functional Competencies:

• Proven experience and in depth knowledge of gender equality and gender mainstreaming;
• Demonstrated capability in conducting research;
• Proven experience and ability to conduct training & development;
• Excellent in methodological skills.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Master’s degree or equivalent in gender and women studies, security studies, M&E, Development Studies, Social Studies, Governance, Human Rights or any other related field.

Experience:

• At least 7 - 10 years of relevant education & experience and proven expertise with program management, strategy design, and planning for gender equality and women empowerment, and security sector engagement;
• A demonstrated understanding of UNSCR 1325, UN programming principles and their application, including Gender Equality, Human Rights Base Approach to programming, Capacity Development, and Environmental Sustainability;
• Knowledge of Result Based Management concepts.

Language Requirements****:

• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English;
• Knowledge of Sesotho or other UN official working language is an asset.

Note:

Please note that applications without a completed and signed UN Women P-11 form will be treated as incomplete and will not be considered for further assessment.

UN Women Personal History form (P-11) can be downloaded from http://www.unwomen.org/en/about-us/employment

At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, colour, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity and organizational need.

If you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in your application.****At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, colour, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity and organizational need.

UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to UN Women’s policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UN Women personnel 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.)

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Added 3 years ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: jobs.undp.org