International Consultant to Prepare an Issue Paper on Gender and Poverty to Inform CSW68 and Beijing+30 Review Process

Consultant Human Rights

Contract

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Background

The sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68) will take place from 11 to 22 March 2024 and bring together representatives of Member States, UN entities, and ECOSOC-accredited non-governmental organizations from across the world to discuss the Priority theme: Accelerating the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls by addressing poverty and strengthening institutions and financing with a gender perspective.[1]

The priority theme will explore poverty as a process of deprivation and depletion, shaped by structural inequalities and exacerbated by intersectional discrimination, as well as the complexity of intersecting crises that have negatively affected poor women and global economic systems that constrain government capacities to address poverty, including women’s poverty. It will also address financing from all sources that can be mobilized and spent to tackle structural causes of women’s poverty, with a focus on systems changes to ensure effective targeting of resources. It will reflect on the importance of strong accountability systems and the rule of law to establish a meaningful social contract between the State and the population, including poor women. Finally, it will discuss recommendations for potential transformations to economic frameworks and macroeconomic and social policies, to support the realization of human rights, address inequalities, and ensure well-being for all.

Three international conferences on Financing for Development, with corresponding outcomes, have contributed significantly to setting global norms on financing, including in relation to financing for gender equality. In 2002, the Monterrey Consensus underscored the role of good governance for sustained economic growth and poverty eradication, encouraging mainstreaming a gender perspective in all development policies. In 2008, the Doha Declaration ‘recalled that gender equality is a basic human right, a fundamental value and an issue of social justice essential for economic growth, poverty reduction, environmental sustainability and development effectiveness.’[2] In 2015, the Addis Ababa Action Agenda (AAAA) prioritized gender equality and women’s empowerment for its intrinsic value and vital role in sustainable development. The AAAA recognizes that achieving gender equality and the realization of women's human rights are essential for inclusive and equitable economic growth and sustainable development and therefore the importance of prioritizing investment and financing in this area. Further, the AAAA reiterates the need for gender mainstreaming, including targeted actions and investments, in the formulation and implementation of all financial, economic, environmental, and social policies.

CSW68 will also discuss the review theme: Social protection systems, access to public services and sustainable infrastructure for gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls (agreed conclusions of the sixty-third session).

Public expenditure on physical and social infrastructure, social protection, and care services supports economic and social development. Gender-responsive budgeting (GRB) integrates gender analysis and gender data into ­fiscal policy and public finance management systems, enabling governments to target public resources towards these investments. Despite the increased uptake of gender responsive budgeting, latest data on the practice from 105 countries and regions shows that only 26 per cent currently have comprehensive systems to track resource allocations for gender equality through the national budget.[3] The absence of these systems constrains the ability of governments to prioritize gender equality in national plans and budgets, cost and allocate resources for identified gender equality needs (including those that would support poverty eradication) and determine whether public resources are flowing to the areas that affect poverty and reach those most in need.[4]

ECARO will undertake several activities such as Sub-regional multi-stakeholder consultations, consultation with CSOs considering intersectional and intergenerational aspects, meetings co-organized with other UN agencies as relevant to the themes and ECA side events to foster the region’s participation and engagement in the roadmap towards CSW68.

Goal and objectives:

UN Women ECA RO is seeking the services of an experienced international consultant to prepare an Issue Paper that explores the situation of women in poverty with particular focus on discrimination in labour market, disproportional burden of unpaid domestic and care work, and their access to productive resources, economic opportunities, social services and programmes. The Issue Paper aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of this critical intersection in ECA region.

The issue paper will inform UN Women's ECA RO consultations and strategy to engage and influence stakeholders' participation in CSW68 and will contribute to the review of Beijing + 30 process across the region. Understanding the link between the women's economic empowerment and access to productive resources and social protection will stimulate discussion on solutions to alleviate poverty and social exclusion, to identify key challenges, and propose recommendations for addressing these issues.

The issue paper will articulate clearly 4 - 5 advocacy messages that can be further developed into concrete recommendations and encourage discussions and commitment by member states towards an inclusive economic policies which beyond decent working opportunities will influence changes in social protection schemes that will fulfil the needs of most vulnerable groups of women and men

Key message: Impacts social protection/ or lack of is having in addressing the gender and intersectional dimensions of poverty. Social protection provides a foundation to ensure no one is left behind.

[1] The Bureau for the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (2024) comprises the following members: H.E. Mr. Antonio Manuel Revilla Lagdameo (Philippines), Chair (Asia and Pacific States Group); H.E. Ms. María del Carmen Squeff (Argentina), Vice-Chair (Latin American and Caribbean States Group); Mr. Maris Burbergs (Latvia), Vice-Chair (Eastern European States Group); H.E. Ms. Yoka Brandt (Netherlands), Vice-Chair designate (Western European and Other States Group and Ms. Dúnia Eloisa Pires do Canto (Cabo Verde), Vice-Chair designate, African States Group)

[2] Doha Declaration on Financing for Development: Outcome document of the Follow-up International Conference on Financing for Development to Review the Implementation of the Monterrey Consensus, Available at: https://www.un.org/esa/ffd/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Doha_Declaration_FFD.pdf

[3] UN Statistical Division (2022).

[4] UN Women (2023).

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the overall guidance of the UN Women ECA RO Programme Specialist, the International Consultant will perform the following tasks, that include but are not limited to the following:

• Literature Review:

• Conduct a review of existing research and reports on gender and poverty.

• Synthesize findings on specific topics related to decent work, unpaid domestic and care work, social protection, etc.

• Data Analysis and Issue Paper Development 5-7 pages:

• Analyze available data sets to identify trends, disparities, and patterns concerning women in poverty.

• Examine the implications of women’s economic empowerment, access to decent work, care services and social protection schemes and poverty alleviation.

• Stakeholder Consultation:

• Contribute to present and discuss findings of Issue Paper with relevant stakeholders, including experts, government officials, civil society organizations, and women's rights advocates and agree on future actions.

Expected deliverables

Deliverables

Timeframe

1. A Draft Issue Paper (approximately 5-7 pages) on Gender and Poverty in ECA region

By end of November 2023

1. A Final Issue Paper addressing UN Women’s feedback and a PPT presentation summarizing key findings.

By mid-December 2023

Management and financial arrangements

The consultant will report to and work under direct supervision of UN Women ECA RO Programme Specialist.

Payment will be disbursed in two installments upon submission and approval of deliverables and certification by UN Women ECA RO that the services have been satisfactorily performed as specified below:

• Deliverable 1 – 50% of contract amount
• Deliverable 2 – 50% of contract amount

In case travel is required, it will be covered by UN Women separately.

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

Required Skills and Experience

Qualifications Education:

• Advanced (Masters) degree in international development with a focus on gender/women’s rights, public administration or other social sciences fields relevant to the requirements of the TOR.

Experience:

Languages and other skills:

• Proficient in written and oral English;
• Computer literacy and ability to effectively use computers, including advance Excel skills and and/or knowledge of related analytical software (SPSS, Stata, etc.) and standard applications for concise communication and development of complex written documentation;

• Strong writing and editing skills and experience in writing synthesis reports.

  Application Process

The application should include:

• Personal History Form (P-11 form) - including past experience in similar assignments; can be downloaded at http://www.unwomen.org/about-us/employment, a signed copy should be submitted;
• Financial Proposal: Specify a total lump sum amount for the tasks specified in this Terms of Reference. The financial proposal shall include a breakdown of this lump sum amount (per deliverable);
• Candidates should have the ability to quickly produce degree certificates and medical certification (of good health) should they be short-listed in consideration of the consultancy post.

Evaluation process

Consultants will be evaluated using a cumulative analysis method taking into consideration the combination of qualifications and financial proposal.

The candidates must possess following minimum qualification criteria to be eligible for further technical evaluation:

Advanced (Masters) degree in international development or development studies with focus on gender/women’s rights, public administration or other social sciences fields relevant to the requirements of the TOR.

• At least seven years of experience in women’s rights, gender equality and women’s empowerment
• At least three years of experience in research, data, and analytical work on gender equality and poverty and/or gender and employment, gender and social protection, and gender and care economy.
• Previous experience in publishing and disseminating studies, research, papers among a wide range of audiences in regional or global fora/convenings.
• Previous professional experience with development agencies and/or the United Nations, UN Women is an asset.

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points in the technical evaluation would be considered for financial evaluation.

Evaluation Criteria

Max points

TECHNICAL EVALUATION (70%)

Language Requirements

Fluency in written and spoken English

REQUIRED

Education

Advanced (Masters) degree in international development or development studies with focus on gender/women’s rights, public administration or other social sciences fields relevant to the requirements of the TOR.

5

3-Masters’ Degree

5 PhD

Professional Experience

At least seven years of experience in women’s rights, gender equality and women’s empowerment

20

10: 7-10 years of experience

11-20: more than 10 years of experience

At least three years of experience in research, data, and analytical work on gender equality and poverty and/or gender and employment, gender and social protection, and gender and care economy.

20

1-10: 5-7 years of experience/expertise

11-20: more than 7 years of experience/expertise

Specialized Knowledge

Previous experience in publishing and disseminating studies, research, papers among a wide range of audiences in regional or global fora/convenings

15

1-9: some experience

10-15: solid experience

Previous professional experience with development agencies and/or the United Nations, UN Women is an asset.

10

0: without experience

5: UN experience

10: UN Women experience

Total technical

70

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.

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 6 months ago - Updated 6 months ago - Source: jobs.undp.org