International Consultancy to conduct a Gender Programmatic Review of Malawi Country Office Programme of Cooperation

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For every child, Safety...

Malawi Government has progressive gender responsive policy and legislative frameworks which guide gender integration in various sectors of health, education, nutrition, social protection, and child protection, among others. Gender integration in UNICEF programming is guided by UNICEF Gender Policy and Gender Action Plan (GAP) III. The Gender Action Plan III is a roadmap to promote gender equality across all UNICEF Strategic Plan Goals through a gender transformative approach.

Malawi UNICEF Country Office is currently implementing UNICEF Programme of Cooperation (2019 - 2023) which was informed by GAP II which clearly stipulated the gender dimensions of programmatic results across the seven outcome areas of the UNICEF Strategic Plan, and focused on five cross-sectoral targeted priorities, promoting the empowerment and wellbeing of adolescent girls. These areas include: promoting adolescent girls’ nutrition, pregnancy care, and prevention of HIV/AIDS and human papilloma virus (HPV); advancing adolescent girls’ secondary education, learning and skills, including STEM; preventing and responding to child marriage and early unions; preventing and responding to Gender Based Violence in emergencies and facilitating accessible and dignified menstrual hygiene management (MHM). Malawi Country Office further developed a Gender Strategy which is aligned to the country programme to enhance integration of gender in the implementation of country programme of cooperation.

How can you make a difference?

The purpose and objectives of the gender programmatic review are to:

1. Assess the extent to which targeted gender priorities from the GAP II and gender mainstreaming general programming has been effectively integrated in the implementation of the current CPD, including its programme designs, strategies and activities and the extent to which the Country Office is also strengthening its capacity on gender integration.
2. Review how the Gender Strategy (2019-2023) has been implemented to facilitate cross-sectoral (integrated) gender programming.
3. Assess the extent to which the MCO CPD is achieving institutional effectiveness performance indicators on gender equality and empowerment of women and adolescent girls as stipulated in the GAP II.
4. In alignment with the GAP III, specify the resources, processes, capacities and systems that will be required to integrate gender priorities and facilitate gender integration in all the programmatic result areas. This will include mapping of the country programme outputs and activities; an in-depth review of selected outputs; and integrating specific action points into the CPD process, assessment of the capacity building needs and opportunity for all staff to strengthen cross sectoral knowledge on gender programming.
5. Make practical recommendations and formulate specific implementable actions on institutional targeted and mainstreaming priorities and how to address gender gaps in the sector programmes. This should also identify at least one targeted adolescent leadership and wellbeing.
6. Produce a Gender Programmatic Review Report and a MCO Gender Strategy.

SCOPE OF WORK/OBJECTIVES

Using the Gender Programmatic Review (GRP) Toolkit and UNICEF Guidance on Reference Library SitAn Toolkit WEB (002).pdf, the consultant will analyze and prioritize strategic areas for MCO to strengthen UNICEF work on gender equality and women and girls empowerment. He/she is expected to analyze both structural determinants which are huge drivers of multiple deprivations for children (boys and girls), and intermediate determinants (gender barriers and bottlenecks that prevent achievement of children wellbeing and rights as boys and girls). The Gender Programmatic Review process will therefore highlight how the forthcoming CPD could be strengthened on gender integration in alignment with the GAP III and UNICEF Strategic Plan 2022 - 2025. In particular, at least one adolescent girls’ leadership and wellbeing priority should be identified.

The Gender Programmatic Review therefore consist of three steps namely:

1. Desk review of the country programme documents to identify subset of outputs for analysis in line with the new GAP III and regional gender strategic framework with a view to identify partnerships.
2. The second part will be to do an in-depth gender analysis of outputs using the GAP programmatic framework and regional gender strategic framework together with programme staff to identify gender issues, priorities and strategies for strengthening gender results in the new CPD. This will have to be done in line with the country’s relevance, priorities and ongoing work and available financial and human resources.
3. Lastly, do a synthesis of findings to develop programmatic responses, outputs and indicators to track progress and assess the resource requirements. This will lead to the development of action points for country office and develop MCO gender Strategy to support gender integration in the implementation of next CPD.

Specific tasks are:

1. Conduct desk review of available documentation (Country Programme Strategy Notes, Country Programme Document, Results Framework, Country Gender Strategy and relevant documents including CEDAW and CRC reports and its concluding observations) to identify key sectoral results, indicators and outputs that align with the Gender Action Plan 2022 - 2025 (targeted priorities and integrated priorities) specifically in Education, Child Protection, and WASH.
2. Map CPD outputs and activities as well as existing and planned partnerships against the GAP III and the regional gender strategic framework.
3. For each component (Education, Social Protection, Child Protection, Health, HIV, and Nutrition and WASH), assess the quality of gender mainstreaming in programme planning, implementation through the following aspects.
   1. Review multi-year and annual work plan, sampled PCA, JDs, TORs, Concept notes and donor proposals for their gender responsiveness.
   2. Review the level of gender integration in programme planning, monitoring, reporting, research and evaluation through review of programme monitoring reports, and research and evaluation reports.
   3. Assess capacity of programme staff in ensuring effective gender integration and propose corrective measures where gaps exist.
   4. Hold sector programme staff meetings to review their results frameworks with a view to identify gender issues, priorities and bottlenecks and way forward.
4. Develop action points for each sector to guide MCO gender integration work:
   1. 1. Propose specific resources for to implement proposed action points for each sector. Identify sector specific gender issues for Education, Social Protection, Child protection, WASH for both regular programming and emergency.
   2. Identify relevant indicators that will be used to measure progress for gender results quantitatively and qualitatively.
5. Produce a Gender Programmatic Report with clear recommendations for effective gender mainstreaming for each sector component.
6. Develop a successor Gender Strategy with clear outputs and strategies and indicators to track progress on gender integration.

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

At least advanced University Degree in Gender Studies, Development Studies, Social Sciences, Economic, Law or its equivalent.

Work experience:

At least 8 years’ experience conducting Gender Programme Reviews for UNICEF, UN Women, UNFPA , UNDP preferably in Eastern and Southern African countries .

• Providing guidance and recommendations on gender integration to Country and/or Regional offices with different UN agencies
• Supporting Country Offices in strengthening the gender dimensions of Country Programme Documents
• Engagement with UNDAFs, UNICEF SitAn and strategic notes
• Gender research, strategic use of Convention on the Rights of Children, Convention on Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women and Univeral Periodic Report for advancing gender equality and gender results and ability to support countries especially on participatory gender assessments or gender programmatic reviews.
• Demonstrated experience in using the gender evidence-based information in shaping and implementing programmes and proven experience in sector planning and policy analysis, programme evaluation and development of strategies and action plans through participatory consultations/collaborative work arrangement
• Some prior experience with UNICEF or UN agency programme planning is essential.

Technical skills and knowledge:

• Knowledge of gender issues in Malawi or ESARO and familiarity with UNICEF policies, practices, plans and approaches is an added advantage.
• Ability to conduct gender programmatic reviews and strong gender analytical skills.
• Strong skills in conducting participatory consultations with diverse groups of people.
• Strong interpersonal, presentation and writing skills.

Languages:

Excellent English writing and verbal communication skills.

Please refer to the attached full Terms of Reference TOR for Gender Programmatic Review of the MCO CPD.pdf for more details on the consultancy and requirements.

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.

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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.

HOW TO APPLY...

Interested consultants should provide the following:

1. Curriculum Vitae
2. Brief technical proposal (no longer than five pages) demonstrating the consultant’s understanding of the assignment and approach/methodology to the assignment
3. Financial proposal including a breakdown of their all-inclusive fees (including professional fees, travel, living cost, visa and other costs). Complete the attached form Financial Proposal for Consultancy.xlsx
4. References details

Remarks:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

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.