International Consultant to Support Gender Mainstreaming and Gender Impact Assessment
Contract
This is a International Consultant contract. More about International Consultant contracts.
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.
The UN Women Georgia Country Office supports state and non-state partners towards the achievement of substantive gender equality. In line with national and international commitments, UN Women works on the levels of policies and legislation, institutions and grassroots, in order to achieve transformative results for increased gender equality and greater protection of the rights of women and girls.
UN Women Country Office (CO) Georgia with the generous support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and Austrian Development Cooperation (ADC) is implementing the “Women’s Economic Empowerment in the South Caucasus” (WEESC) project. The overarching goal of the project is to ensure that women, particularly the poor and socially excluded, in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia are economically empowered and participate in relevant decision-making. To reach this goal, WEESC applies a holistic approach, enabling linked interventions at three levels: grassroots, policies and legislation, and institutions. The chosen approach and the implementation of the WEE agenda in the South Caucasus during WEESC Phase I (2018-2021) served as a catalyst for action at all levels and supported the state and non-state partners to enhance progress towards the achievement of substantive gender equality in all three countries. In August 2021, UN Women started implementing the second main phase (2021-2024) of the WEESC project. Phase II of the project plans to leverage UN Women and its partners’ joint results in Phase I and further prioritize alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia with a view to improving the three countries’ progress towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals as well as the compliance to their international human rights commitments under CEDAW and other legal instruments, particularly in terms of equitable economic development and addressing women’s rights. One of the methodological tools to achieve above outcomes while working with governmental partners is Gender Impact Assessment (GIA), which was applied by WEESC project in Phase I and will be applied in WEESC Phase II to support the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs of the Republic of Armenia (MLSA).
In 2019, the Government of the Republic of Armenia (GoA) launched its first National Gender Strategy covering the period 2019-2023. The strategy contains five main priorities:
- Improving the national mechanisms for women’s advancement, and equal participation of women and men in management and decision-making processes
- Overcoming gender discrimination in the social and economic areas, enhancing women’s economic opportunities
- Full and effective participation of women and men and promotion of equal opportunities in education and science
- Expanding equal opportunities for men and women in the health sector
- Preventing gender discrimination
The work is implemented by key ministries and agencies including the Ministries of Health, Justice, Education, Economy, High–Tech Industry; and the State Employment Agency, Regional Administrations, Statistical Committee of Armenia, Science Committee of Armenia, Police, National Institute of Health, and the Council of Public TV. The Strategy is accompanied by Annual Action Plans with targets for strategy implementation, and its performance is monitored by the Equal Opportunities Provision Department under the MLSA. In 2023, the Equal Opportunities Provision Department will develop the second National Gender Strategy to guide state policy and programmes for the next strategic period 2024 - 2026. An ex post gender impact assessment (GIA) of the first National Strategy can provide valuable learning to inform the second strategy and associated action plans.
The European Commission defines GIA as “the process of comparing and assessing, according to gender relevant criteria, the current situation and trend with the expected development resulting from the introduction of the proposed policy. […] Gender impact assessment is the estimation of the different effects (positive, negative or neutral) of any policy or activity implemented to specific items in terms of gender equality.” Since GIA is not a well-established methodology in Armenia, the GIA methodology can be adapted according to the policy design and evaluation process in national institutions to support its further use and eventual institutionalization by state agencies. This will also require capacity strengthening of the relevant agencies, local GIA practitioners, and civil society stakeholders in the methodology.
Gender mainstreaming in governance and national planning at all levels is essential for achieving gender equality and improved policy making. When institutions, policies and programs fully integrate gender considerations into their work they produce better and more equitable policies for men and women, therefore contributing to good governance. Furthermore, evidence shows that although stand-alone equality policies are crucial for achieving gender equality, they are insufficient. Strategic planning for gender equality requires a dual approach – mainstreaming gender in the design, implementation and evaluation of all public policies and actions in parallel to adopting targeted stand-alone programmes to eliminate gender discrimination and enable progress in specific areas. The responsibility to mainstream gender in all governmental policies and programmes in enshrined under various international instruments, including the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BPfA), Sustainable Development Goals and the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination (CEDAW) et al. The BPfA calls on national governments to, inter alia, “ensure mainstreaming of a gender perspective in all policy-making processes“, and further calls on the national machineries for the advancement of women to “support governmentwide mainstreaming of a gender-equality perspective in all policy areas”.
Within the “Women’s Economic Empowerment in the South Caucasus” (WEESC) project, UN Women has supported a review of the implementation 2022 Armenia Gender Strategy Action Plan and plans to provide further technical assistance to the Government of the Republic of Armenia in acting upon its international commitments on gender mainstreaming. UN Women will support the government, and in particular the MLSA, in employing gender mainstreaming tools and gender impact assessments (GIA) in its work. UN Women will further provide the personnel of state and non-governmental institutions with capacity development trainings on gender mainstreaming, with a special focus on integrating gender analysis and gender impact assessments in policy making processes of the republic of Armenia.
The GIA and capacity strengthening will be conducted by a team comprising an international consultant and national consultants/researchers. Under the overall coordination of UN Women, the international consultant in cooperation with national researchers will be responsible for developing and implementing a GIA methodology and training materials to respond to the following objectives:
- Lead the ex post Gender Impact Assessment (GIA - European Institute of Gender Equality (2019), what is Gender Impact Assessment - https://eige.europa.eu/gender-mainstreaming/toolkits/gender-impact-assessment/what-gender-impact-assessment) of the first National Gender Strategy of the Republic of Armenia in cooperation with local researchers;
- Enhance the capacity of local researchers in Armenia to conduct gender impact assessments;
- Strengthen the capacity of Armenia’s government and public institutions and civil society stakeholders in GIA methodology.
Duties and Responsibilities
The duties and responsibilities of the International Consultant are:
- Provide initial two-day online training and on-the-job guidance to UN Women national consultants and UN Women WEESC staff on implementing gender impact assessments;
- To lead a GIA launch workshop to i) introduce the methodology and confirm research priorities with GIA stakeholders (one day); and ii) agree the implementation methodology with local researchers (two days). The workshop will take place in Yerevan, Armenia, in late May 2023;
- To finalize an implementation plan for the GIA on the basis of agreements reached at the GIA launch workshop;
- To oversee national researchers’ data collection and analysis as per the GIA implementation plan;
- To lead at least three online GIA update and validation meetings with local researchers and GIA stakeholders;
- To draft and submit the Gender Impact Assessment study report;
- Participate in the presentation of the GIA to share its findings and recommendations with relevant stakeholders;
- To develop recommendations on integrating gender analysis in the policy cycle, aligned with the RA’s existing framework on developing, monitoring and evaluating policy documents;
- Develop training materials on the GIA methodology and recommendations for institutionalisation, and deliver two three-day trainings for i) staff of government and public institutions; and ii) Armenian civil society actors.
Deliverables:
The timeframe for the work of the International Consultant is planned for the period of 8 May, 2023 to 15 November, 2023, for up to 45 working days.
- Inception report proposing adapted GIA methodology and activities to be undertaken and timeframes, (4 working days) submitted to UN Women by 19 May, 2023.
- Three-day launch workshop for GIA stakeholders in Yerevan, Armenia, (4 working days) submitted to UN Women by 31 May, 2023.
- Detailed GIA implementation plan containing a description of activities, roles and responsibilities, and timeframes, (5 working days) submitted to UN Women by 9 June, 2023.
- Three progress and validation meetings for GIA stakeholders, may be held in online or hybrid format, (8 working days) by 21 July, 2023.
- Gender Impact Assessment Report in the English language, (15 working days) submitted to UN Women by 31 August, 2023.
- Presentation of the GIA Report to share its findings and recommendations with relevant stakeholders (in Yerevan or online), (1 working day) submitted to UN Women by 31 October, 2023.
- Two x Three-day trainings delivered on GIA methodology in Armenia, (8 working days) submitted to UN Women by 15 November, 2023.
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
Functional Competencies:
- Excellent analytical and research skills
- Strong understanding of and commitment to gender equality and women's empowerment
- Excellent writing skills
- Excellent organizational skills
- Proficiency in IT skills
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
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
- At least Master’s degree in Gender, Public Administration, Sociology or similar fields.
Experience:
- At least five (5) years of experience in working on mainstreaming gender in design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies and programmes;
- At least three (3) years of work experience in implementing gender impact assessments;
- At least 3 years of experience in providing capacity development trainings on gender equality, gender mainstreaming and gender impact assessments to various stakeholders, including representatives of national and local governments, CSOs etc.;
- Previous professional experience working with national governments on gender mainstreaming is a strong asset;
- Previous professional experience with development agencies and/or the United Nations is an asset;
- Familiarity with Armenian or South Caucasus context is an asset.
Language:
- Excellent command of written and spoken English.
Evaluation Procedure:
The candidates will be evaluated in three stages: according to minimum qualification criteria; technical and financial evaluation.
The candidates must possess following minimum qualification criteria to be eligible for further technical evaluation:
- At least Master’s degree in Gender, Public Administration, Sociology or similar fields;
- At least five (5) years of experience in working on mainstreaming gender in design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies and programmes;
- At least three (3) years of work experience in implementing gender impact assessments;
The candidates will be evaluated in three stages: according to minimum qualification criteria followed by technical and financial evaluation.
Technical evaluation criteria (including minimum qualifications):
- At least Master’s degree in Gender, Public Administration, Sociology or similar fields (max 70 points);
- At least five (5) years of experience in working on mainstreaming gender in design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies and programmes (max 70 points);
- At least three (3) years of work experience in implementing gender impact assessments; (max 70 points);
- At least three (3) years of experience in providing capacity development trainings on gender equality, gender mainstreaming and gender impact assessments (max 70 points);
- Previous professional experience working with national and local governments on gender mainstreaming is a strong asset (max 20 points);
- Previous professional experience with development agencies and/or the United Nations is an asset (max 20 points);
- Familiarity with Armenian or South Caucasus context is an asset (max 30 points).
Maximum total technical score amounts to 350 points. Only candidates who have passed over the minimum qualification criteria and have accumulated at least 245 points out of maximum 350 under technical evaluation will qualify for the next stage i.e. evaluation of their financial proposals.
Evaluation of submitted financial offers will be done based on the following formula: S = Fmin / F * 150
S – score received on financial evaluation;
Fmin – the lowest financial offer out of all the submitted offers qualified over the technical evaluation round;
F – financial offer under consideration.
The winning candidate will be the candidate, who has accumulated the highest aggregated score (technical scoring + financial scoring).
Management arrangements:
The contractor will report to and work under the direct supervision of the UN Women Project Analyst based in Armenia and overall guidance of the UN Women Deputy Country Representative in Georgia.
Financial arrangements:
Payment will be disbursed upon submission and approval of deliverables and certification by UN Women Project Analyst that the services have been satisfactorily performed. The payment per deliverable shall be calculated per number of working days captured in the progress reports/deliverables as specified below:
- Inception report proposing adapted GIA methodology and activities to be undertaken and timeframes (4 working days)
Payment: 20%
- Three-day launch workshop for GIA stakeholders in Yerevan, Armenia (4 working days)
- Detailed GIA implementation plan containing a description of activities, roles and responsibilities, and timeframes (5 working days)
- Three progress and validation meetings for GIA stakeholders, may be held in online or hybrid format (8 working days)
- Gender Impact Assessment Report in the English language (15 working days)
Payment: 40%
- Presentation of the GIA Report to share its findings and recommendations with relevant stakeholders (1 working day)
- Two x Three-day trainings delivered on GIA methodology in Armenia (8 working days)
Payment: 40%
Application submission package:
- CV;
- Duly filled Personal History Form PHF11 that can be downloaded from: https://www.unwomen.org/en/about-us/employment/application-process
- Financial Proposal - lump sum proposal/offer* in USD: (including breakdown of this lump sum amount indicating all necessary costs to complete this assignment
*The applicants are required to submit an aggregated financial offer: “aggregated financial offer” is the total sum of all financial claims of the candidate for accomplishment of all tasks spelled out in this ToR
Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.
How to Submit the Application:
- Download and complete the UN Women Personal History Form (P11)- https://www.unwomen.org/en/about-us/employment/application-process
- Merge your UN Women Personal History Form (P11), CV, samples of previous work and the Financial Proposal into a single file. The system does not allow for more than one attachment to be uploaded.
- Click on the Job Title (job vacancy announcement).
- Click 'Apply Now' button, fill in necessary information on the first page, and then click 'Submit Application;'
- Upload your application/single file as indicated above with the merged documents (underlined above).
- You will receive an automatic response to your email confirming receipt of your application by the system.
Notes:
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, 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.)