Gender Specialist

Contract

This is a UNV International Specialist contract. This kind of contract is known as International UN Volunteer. It is normally internationally recruited only. More about UNV International Specialist contracts.

Description of task

Under the guidance of the UNDP Chief Technical Advisor for Elections, the UNV Gender Specialist will provide technical support to the NEC, and other counterparts, to promote the inclusion of marginalized groups including women and people living with disabilities, throughout the ongoing electoral cycle.

• Work directly with NEC Director of Programs, the Gender and CVE sections to mainstream gender within NEC policies, processes, and activities.
• Provide expert support to timely planning and delivery of public outreach and CVE specifically targeting women, youth, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable and marginalized groups.
• Provide strategic advice to NEC based on an in-depth analysis of the political, social, and economic challenges faced by women, and marginalized groups, in electoral and peacebuilding processes.
• Conduct comprehensive gender-sensitive needs assessment and advise NEC and other stakeholders accordingly, on possible revision of the gender mainstreaming policies and practices.
• Support the CVE section to develop public outreach strategies responsive to gender, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups. Help design and adapt materials for CVE, public information, and stakeholder engagement.,
• Advise on implementation of the Gender Policy and Strategy to ensure prioritization of gender in the work of all NEC departments and sections.
• Review NEC capacity-building policy, tools, and materials to ensure that they are gender sensitive.
• Provide technical support to NEC gender and CVE focal persons in the execution of their duties in terms of mainstreaming gender in the electoral process.
• Support NEC to assess institutional structures, processes, rules, and norms to help identify ways and means to increase women’s participation in the election process.
• Support Political Affairs liaison within the NEC in implementation of Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and its Optional Protocol, and national laws provisions by NEC and political parties.
• Contribute to the capacity-building of other electoral stakeholders on gender and elections, as required.
• Support NEC in the collection of gender and disability disaggregated data at all stages of electoral process.
• Ensure that all NEC departments and sections mainstream gender and disability in its activities, policies, and processes.
• Advise NEC Board of Commissioners on policies to profile NEC as inclusive institutions and a champion in promoting participation of women and vulnerable groups.
• Map and analyze CVE activities at national and regional / county level and advise on synergies and collaborative practices to increase effectiveness of LESP implementation.
• In close collaboration with Peacebuilding Office, advise on integrating VAWIE/P and women-led electoral violence prevention platforms into early warning mechanism led by the Peacebuilding Office (PBO).Work closely with UN Women to increase women participation in elections, politics, and peacebuilding, including through early warning and response mechanisms.
• Work with NEC and other actors to enhance compliance of political parties with Article 4.5 of the elections law calling for voluntary 30% gender quota.
• Work with NEC and other actors to promote temporary special measures to increase women political participation.
• Advise on strengthening and review of NEC disability policy and action plan and support its implementation.
• Support establishment and operations of CVE Cells and Gender Election Coordination Groups.
• Support capacity strengthening of at least two women leadership platforms to enhance their contribution to women participation in politics and prevention of electoral and political violence against women.
• Advise on nationwide campaigns to promote inclusive electoral rights.
• Ensure that gender and inclusion are mainstreamed in all LESP activities.
• Provide regular updates to UNDP and NEC on progress indicators for gender mainstreaming in the electoral, political, and peacebuilding processes
• Perform other relevant tasks assigned by the CTA.

Educational additional comments

Master’s Degree or equivalent in a relevant area, e.g., gender studies, political/social sciences, development, law, international relations, etc.

Experience remark

• Extensive experience at the national or international level in implementing gender-sensitive programmes and projects; experience in advising Electoral Management Body (EMB) will be an asset.
• Experience in public outreach and/or civic and voter education is desirable.
• Extensive technical knowledge regarding gender in post-conflict and development setting, gender analysis, rapid assessment, etc.
• In conflict/post-conflict situations: experience with women participation conflict prevention, peacebuilding, and conflict-sensitive development is an asset.
• Experience in public outreach and/or civic and voter education is desirable.
• Desirable: experience with training and facilitation (including participatory approaches), project development and management, monitoring and evaluation, human rights-based approaches
• Desirable: experience in early warning and response and in dealing with violence against women in elections
• Excellent oral and written skills; excellent drafting, formulation, reporting skills.
• Solid overall computer literacy, including proficiency in various MS Office applications (Excel, Word, etc.) and email/internet; familiarity with database management; and office technology equipment.
• Knowledge of graphic design will be an asset.
• Experience in Africa / Western Africa will be an asset.

Language skills

• English(Mandatory), Level - Fluent

Area of expertise details

• Gender in post-conflict and development setting, gender analysis, rapid assessment
• Experience in civic and voter education
• Gender analysis and gender mainstreaming in elections
• Violence against women in elections
• Gender-sensitive programmes and projects

Competencies values

Adaptability and Flexibility, Commitment to Continuous Learning, Communication, Integrity, Planning and Organizing, Professionalism, Respect for Diversity, Working in Teams

Application procedure

• Not yet registered in the UNV Talent Pool? Please first register your profile at https://vmam.unv.org/candidate/signup. Important: After creating your account, complete all sections of your profile and submit it. Then go to ‘My Page’ at https://vmam.unv.org/candidate/mypage and click on the ‘Special Calls’ hyperlink. Lastly, select the special call to which you would like to apply. * Already registered in the UNV Talent Pool? Please first update your profile at https://vmam.unv.org/candidate/profile. Then go to ‘My Page’ at https://vmam.unv.org/candidate/mypage and click on the ‘Special Calls’ hyperlink to select the special call to which you would like to apply. Application deadline: 19-09-2021