International Consultant-Training and development of training curriculum for trainers who will conduct three weeks of coding camp training to young girl coders under the project African Girl

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.

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 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) declares “an enabling environment for STI development on the African continent” as one of the pillars for achieving the vision for Agenda 2063. 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 a 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 on-line 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.

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), one 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 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.

1. ABOUT THE PROPOSED CONSULTANCY

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 February 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 trainings in the national coding camps in the selected priority countries in 2022 and 2023. The TOT will ensure that training module and teaching systems is standardized

Thus, UN Women seeks to engage the services of 2 ICT experts as international consultants to design a training curriculum in close consultation with AUC particularly the department of Education, Science, Technology & Innovation (ESTI) as the technical lead along with UN partners and also train select trainers from 10 countries. The consultants will work closely with the project team (UN Women and AUC) in designing training module and methodology which will be used during the training sessions by trainees and develop the guidelines for practical exercises /handouts during the training.

Duties and Responsibilities

The consultants will deliver the following tasks:

• Develop a standardized training module which trainees can use in the national coding camps using the Scratch, Python, JavaScript, Java, C#, C++, etc programmes to spark the
• interest of the girls at the camp and to introduce the basics of coding on which they can further build on.
• Introduce the concepts areas such as Artificial Intelligence, Robotics and Internet of Things.
• Train 60 trainees from 10 priority countries namely, Mali, Niger, Mozambique, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, South Africa, Senegal and DRC with skills and knowledge related to coding, ICT, digital, robotics, etc which will enable the trainees to conduct national coding camps of girls.
• Provide technical support to the development of the road map that guides the coordination of the national coding camps.
• Coordinate the entire training so that its delivery is seamless and engaging.
• Develop two evaluation forms to collect expectations at the beginning and feedback at the end of training from trainees participating in the training.
• Develop a final report of the training with all presentations of modules and guidelines attached for ease of reference at the national coding camps.
• Undertake any other emerging work as may be determined by the project team.

REPORTING ARRANGEMENT AND INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• The consultancy shall be home based with a one-time travel to Tanzania to conduct the regional training of trainers for 3 days.
• UN Women shall ensure that all feedback is consolidated and shared with the consultant in a timely manner.
• All deliverables of an acceptable standard and quality should be submitted to UN Women in English language.

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

• Master’s degree in Computer Sciences, Telecommunications, Information Systems Management, Software Engineering,

Experience

• At least 5 years of progressive experience in national, sub-regional and regional coding training, mentorship, capacity building, designing, computer programming including web developing and digital skills, robotics gaming
• a well-established track record of conducting trainings related to coding camps to young African girls in the context of technology for development
• Experience working with intergovernmental and/or regional organizations including the United Nations (UN) and African Union (AU) is an asset.

Language

• Excellent knowledge of written and oral communication in either English or French. Knowledge of 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, 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.)