ICT/tech professionals to participate in a two- week Training of Trainers for coding camp trainings of young girl coders in select AU Member States under the project African Girls Can Code I

Contract

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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.

UN Women through its Liaison to the African Union (AU) and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) engages with the AU and its various organs, the UNECA and civil society organizations, as well as the diplomatic community. Through the office, UN Women provides technical support to the Member States and the AU in the adoption, implementation, and monitoring of commitments on gender equality and women’s empowerment (GEWE), as per the entity’s mandate.

African Union’s Science, Technology, and Innovation Strategy for Africa (STISA-2024) declare “an enabling environment for STI development on the African continent” as one of the pillars for achieving the vision for Agenda 2063. (1) AU through STISA aspires to raise Africa’s role in global research, technology development and transfer, innovation, and knowledge production.

UN Women contributes to the implementation of this strategy, among others, through its continental flagship program, the African Girls Can Code Initiative (AGCCI). The African Girls Can CODE Initiative (AGCCI), a partnership between UN Women, Africa Union Commission (AUC), and International Telecommunications Union (ITU) aims to train and empower young girls aged between 17-25, across Africa to become computer programmers, creators, and designers, placing them on track to take up studies and careers in the information, communication, and technology (ICT) sector. Moreover, it promotes the implementation of national media campaigns involving role models (e.g. women in ICT, female teachers in schools) and utilizes an online platform to enhance networking among the girls, trainers, and mentors. The program aims to close the gender gap in the tech world, and overall, the gender digital divide. (2) The initiative also aims to ensure AGCCI learners contribute to the realization of the AU’s “One Million by 2021” on Employment, Entrepreneurship, Education, and Engagement by investing in a new generation of successful African Girls Coders and through private sector partnerships.

In the context of the AGCCI, through a biennial project, UN Women in partnership with the African Union Commission and the Government of Belgium aims to support the coordination of the project activities in five selected countries including 3 French-speaking countries (Burundi, Niger, and Mali), on English speaking country (Tanzania) and one Portuguese speaking country (Mozambique). More concretely, the partnership will support the organization of 10 coding camps in the five countries (2 camps per country) bringing together young girls of 17-25 years for a two weeks training. The partnership will further support the revitalization of the AGCCI online platform which will help girl coders to continuously update their skills and connect with a supportive online community to share ideas and opportunities. Moreover, they will have the skills, confidence, and the resolve to tackle barriers, overcome gender stereotypes and challenge institutional cultural practices and social norms that keep them away from jobs and from pursuing higher education. Through the partnership, UN Women aims to strengthen advocacy with African Union Member States to accelerate mainstreaming of gender, coding, and ICT in national curricula for sustainable and inclusive development.

ABOUT THE PROPOSED TRAINING UN Women in partnership with AUC and in close collaboration with ITU, ECA, UNESCO, and UNICEF will be launching the 2nd phase of the initiative in March 2022 in Tanzania. The launch will be preceded by a 3-day Training of Trainers (ToT) which aims to create a pool of trainers who will provide training in two-week-long national coding camps to young girl coders on an array of coding courses in the selected priority countries in 2022 and 2023. The TOT will also ensure that training modules and teaching systems are standardized.

Thus, UN Women proposes to select 60 trainees from 10 countries namely Mali, Niger, Mozambique, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, South Africa, Senegal, and DRC (6 trainees per one country) in a competitive process to attend the TOT. The training will enable trainees to acquire skills and knowledge in coding and ICT and be able to support national coding camps in their countries.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF TRAINEES The trainees will: - Attend full 3-days Training of Trainers and a half-day launch of the Programme. - Contribute to the development of a roadmap to guide planning and the conduct of the national coding camps in their respective countries

DURATION OF THE TRAINING The selected trainees will be required to attend the 3 days training of trainers from 21st to 23rd March 2022 and half-day project launch on the 24th of March 2022 and provide training to young girl coders in the coding camps that will be organized in 2022 and 2023 under the AGCCI program. UN Women will cover all travel costs including economic air tickets, per diem, accommodation, visa during the 3days of training, and half-day for the launch of the program. A certificate certifying completion of the TOT will be provided to trainees following the training they deliver at coding camps in their respective countries.

1 AU’s Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa (STISA-2024) 2 http://uis.unesco.org/sites/default/files/documents/fs34-women-in-science-2015-en.pdf

Duties and Responsibilities

RESPONSIBILITIES OF TRAINEES

The trainees will:

- Attend full 3-days Training of Trainers and a half-day launch of the Programme.

- Contribute to the development of a roadmap to guide planning and the conduct of the national coding camps in their respective countries

REPORTING ARRANGEMENT AND INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

– UN Women shall cover all travel expenses related to the travel to Tanzania including air tickets, DSA, Accommodation, visa fees, etc. – For participants from Tanzania, UN Women will cover all travel expenses related to the travel to the training venue in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania including air tickets, DSA, Accommodation, etc. – Training will be conducted for 3 days, and it will be delivered in three languages including English, French, and Portuguese. – Candidates are expected to submit Completed and Signed Consent Form to affirm commitment to support the coordination of national coding camps post-training period – Trainees will receive negotiated consultancy fees/ allowance and travel-related sponsorship for when the coding camps take place in their respective countries.

CONFIDENTIALITY AND PROPRIETARY INTERESTS The selected trainees shall not either during the term or after the termination of the assignment, disclose any proprietary or confidential information related to the consultancy service without prior written consent. Ownership of all documents and background papers prepared for this initiative shall rest with the AUC and UN Women

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.

Required Skills and Experience

Education background, experience, and criteria:-

• A master’s degree or equivalent in telecommunications, Computer Science, Information Technology, or relevant field such as Engineering, or proven experience in Coding/programming

• Additional two years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree

• At least 5 years of progressive experience in computer program development, coding, and other ICT related field at national, regional, or international levels

• Experience in programs involving young girls, and ability to provide coordinated ICT-related training.

• Knowledge and understanding of ICT for development and gender

Experience working with intergovernmental organizations is an asset. Trainees must be committed to the program for at least 2 years to deliver training through the national coding camps.

Women are strongly encouraged to apply

LANGUAGE AND OTHER SKILLS

• Excellent knowledge of written and oral communication in English and/ or French. Knowledge or any other AU language is an asset

• Full command of Microsoft applications, particularly Word, and other relevant software and digital skills.

Application:

• All applications must include (as an attachment) a completed UN Women Personal History form (P-11) which can be downloaded from http://www.unwomen.org/about-us/employment.
• Kindly note that the system will only allow one attachment and candidates are required to include in the P-11 form links for their previously published reports and articles completed within the last two years. Applications without the completed UN Women P-11 form will be treated as incomplete and will not be considered for further assessment.

At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits employ, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, 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.

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.)