International Expert – Mainstreaming Gender-Responsive Climate Change and Environmental Work (Qualified National Consultant Can Apply) - Home Based with Virtual Support Required

Contract

This is a International Consultant contract. More about International Consultant contracts.

Background

In support of Egypt’s Vision 2030 and its National Strategy for the Empowerment of Egyptian Women, under the emerging UN cooperation framework for Egypt, UN Women is developing its next five-year country portfolio – the UN Women Egypt Country Office Strategic Note (2023-2027).

UN Women has been active in Egypt since the early 1990s and has as its largest areas of work support to women’s economic empowerment and ending all forms of violence against women. Egypt’s prioritization of environment and tackling the impact of climate change is reflected in its Vision 2030, its recently adopted National Climate Change Strategy 2050, its National Strategy for the Empowerment of Egyptian Women 2030, and its emerging priorities under its Presidency of COP 27.

With this context in mind, and in support of the agreed conclusions of the 66 the Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women, UN Women Egypt Country Office will ensure strengthened focus on key priorities of gender equality, environment, and climate change within its programming under the future Strategic Note. UN Women’s work will support realization of national priorities, drawing from UN Women’s corporate tools and best practices, with a particular focus on the leadership and voice of women and girls in influencing climate and environmental policies and approaches at all levels; enhanced capacities of women and girls in this regards; enhance gender-responsive climate and environmental disaster risk finance; improving national knowledge and sex-disaggregated data in the gender- environment nexus; women’s access to decent work as part of broader work on just transitions, and linked to this, strengthening the visibility, role, investment and support to women’s role in the blue and green economies. The inclusion of the needs, priorities, responses, and voice women living with disabilities, young women, rural women, and elderly women will be given priority.

Additionally, with Egypt’s presidency of COP 27, and the United Arab Emirates’ presidency of COP 28, the Egypt Country Office (CO) will work with the UN Women Regional Office for Arab States to develop region wide tools, platforms and messaging which supports the raised profile of the gender-specific commitments under the UN Framework Convention for Climate Change (UNFCCC) and associated work plans; and through this work, enhance UN Women’s overall investments in these areas through our programmes and partnerships with Member States, private sector and civil society.

UN Women Egypt CO will be recruiting an international or a national consultant to support the mainstreaming of gender responsive environmental climate friendly approaches within the emerging Strategic Note and to provide technical advice to the Egypt CO and Regional Office in the shaping of messaging, tools, and platforms in the lead up to COP27 and COP 28.

Objective of the Assignment:

Under the oversight of the UN Women Country Representative, the Consultant will be responsible to deliver the following:

• Provision of technical advice on the entry points and strategies in UN Women Egypt CO’s emerging Strategic Note for gender-responsive environment and climate change approaches, ensuring alignment with corporate commitments and national priorities;

• Provision of technical advice in shaping the content of planned pre-COP and COP 27 actions in support of leveraging greater commitment around gender equality and women’s empowerment;

• Advise in strategic partnership approaches in this area, particularly with private sector both in Egypt and within the Arab States region.

Duties and Responsibilities

The consultant will be responsible for the following, in consultation with UN Women:

- Desk top review of Egypt’s national policy documents related to environment, climate change and women’s empowerment, the global normative commitments to gender equality, environment and climate change including COP related material (i.e. 26 commitments, the Lima midterm review, the CSW documents), and UN Women’s corporate position in this area;

- Shape inputs to UN Women Egypt’s emerging Strategic Note so as to ensure that climate-smart, environmentally smart and DRR approaches are incorporated in support of national priorities and needs;

- Advise and contribute to the process of development and drafting of approaches, messaging and advocacy tools generated by UN Women in the lead up to and during COP 27, with a view to targeting both Member States and private sector, and in a manner which will also support UN Women’s regional work around COP 28. Work will focus primarily on women’s and youth leadership, women’s role in adaptation and in the blue/green economies, data in the gender environment nexus, and innovative financing;

- Identify capacity needs of UN Women Egypt CO and national stakeholders in the area of gender responsive environment, climate and DRR;

- Advise on potential international partnerships in private sector, within the UN and beyond in support of UN Women’s enhanced work on gender-responsive environmental, climate change and DRR approaches.

Deliverables

TimelinesSubmission of a consultancy workplan, methodology, and timeline (1 day)21 April 2022Finalise desk top review of international, national and UN Women specific documents relating to gender equality, environment, climate change and disaster risk reduction; (3 days) 22 – 28 April 2022Under UN Women ECO’s leadership, conduct group discussions (virtually and/or in person) with UN Women staff around the emerging portfolio of work on women’s economic empowerment, ending violence against women, normative support, and innovative financing, to understand the emerging work and to discuss potential entry points for incorporation of gender-responsive environment, climate and DRR approaches into the ECO’s work; (3 days)1 – 15 May 2022 Participate in a UN Women Egypt Ad Hoc Working Group of Experts around gender-responsive climate change and environmental practices. This group is being temporarily established to advise UN Women ECO in its work around gender-responsive climate and environmental responses. All group coordination and support will be handled directly by UN Women ECO. (2 days)22 – 31 May 2022Based on the priorities identified in the emerging Strategic Note relating to environment, climate change and DRR, compile a “Best Practices and Lessons Learned” Summary document to guide the ECO’s work going forward and its advocacy at the national level, based on priority areas previously agreed to with UN Women ECO and likely linked women’s and youth leadership, women’s role in adaptation and in the blue/green economies, and innovative financing; (7 days)1 – 20 June 2022Provide written inputs into the various drafts of the UN Women ECO Strategic Note to ensure strengthened focus on gender-responsive environmental, climate change and DRR approaches. (5 days)21 June – 11 July 2022Provide a summary report of the capacity needs of UN Women staff and partners in gender-responsive environment, climate change and DRR; (3 days)12 – 31 July 2022Provide technical inputs and advice to UN Women ECO and Regional Office in shaping their advocacy tools and messaging in the national and regional-level work in the lead up to COP 27. (8 days)1 – 22 August 2022Outline strategies, opportunities and provide guidance on strategies to engage private sector in Egypt and in the Arab States Region around gender-responsive environment, climate change and DRR, with particular emphasis on UN Women’s current and future private sector partners under its Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs). (3 days) 23 August – 30 November 2022

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: https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/Headquarters/Attachments/Sections/About%20Us/Employment/UN-Women-values-and-competencies-framework-en.pdf

Functional Competencies

• Programme development and strategic vision: Capacity to shape programmes from the perspective of climate change, environment and disaster risk reduction, to be in support of the UN’s normative standards and commitments in this regard.
• Communication Competency: High level ability to work with and communicate effectively with diverse range of stakeholders on confidential and time-sensitive issues;
• Continuous Learning and knowledge Sharing: Encourage learning and sharing knowledge;
• Inclusive Climate Change, Environmental and DRR Competency: Demonstrated skills in working around the development of inclusive climate change, environmental and DRR policies, programmes and strategies;
• Knowledge of UN System;
• Ability to gather and interpret data, reach logical conclusions and present findings;
• Strong writing skills;
• Soft Skills: Excellent communication, presentation and writing skills in English.

Required Skills and Experience

Education

• Master’s degree or higher (PhD) is required, preferably in the social Education sciences and in the areas related to development/sustainable development or environment, conservation, biodiversity.

Experience

• Minimum 10 years of experience required working in inclusive sustainable development approaches with on-the-ground experience in shaping programmes, policies and/or strategies related to environment, climate change and DRR.
• Knowledge of inclusive approaches and gender equality issues required
• Previous experience working with UN in advocacy, planning or programme development/implementation, preferred.

Language Requirements

• Fluency in verbal and written English, required.
• Competent in verbal and written Arabic, preferred.

Evaluation Criteria:

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodology: Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points in the technical evaluation would be considered for the financial evaluation.

Criteria Weight Technical: 70% (70 points)

• Criteria 1: Master’s degree or higher (PhD) is required, preferably in the social sciences and in the areas related to development/sustainable development or environment, conservation, biodiversity (25 points).
• Criteria 2: Minimum 10 years of experience required working in inclusive sustainable development approaches with on-the-ground experience in shaping programmes, policies and/or strategies related to environment, climate change and DRR. (25 points).
• Criteria 3: Knowledge of inclusive approaches and gender equality issues (10 points).
• Criteria 4: Fluency in verbal and written English (10 points).

Financial: Lowest Financial Proposal: 30% (30 points)

The points for the Financial Proposal will be allocated as per the following formula:

• Contract will be awarded to the technically qualified consultant who obtains the highest combined score (financial and technical);
• The points for the Financial Proposal will be allocated as per the following formula: (Lowest Bid Offered*)/ (Bid of the Consultant) x 30;
• 'Lowest Bid Offered' refers to the lowest price offered by Offerors scoring at least 49 points in the technical evaluation.

Application:

Interested Individual Consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications:

• Financial offer in EGP/USD in daily rate covering all expenses (transportation, etc) to carry out the assignments detailed in this terms of reference).
• UN Women Personal History form (P-11) which can be downloaded from https://www.unwomen.org/en/about-us/employment/application-process;
• Two reference letters from previous employer where similar assignments were undertaken.
• Copies of credentials as per education requirements stated above.

The above-mentioned documents should be merged in a standalone file including all them, since the online application submission does only permit to uploading one file per application. Incomplete submission can be a ground for disqualification.

Incomplete submission can be a ground for disqualification. Make sure that you provide a valid email address fro future communications.

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.)