International Individual Consultancy: Gender Consultant

Contract

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UNICEF is a UN organization mandated by the UN General Assembly to advocate for the protection of children’s rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential. In Lao PDR, UNICEF is working with its partners to support the Government to realize children’s rights on survival, development, protection and participation.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, support

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UNICEF in Vientiane, Lao PDR is looking for an International Individual Consultancy: Gender Consultant. The duration of this assignment is 11.5 months and the consultant will be based in Vientiane, Lao PDR with intermittent travels to provinces/districts (where required).

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

Therefore, the Lao Country Office seeks to recruit a Gender Consultant to facilitate the mainstreaming of gender across programme areas; build institutional capacity (government and UNICEF staff) on gender and transformative programming and reporting.

The core activities of the consultant shall include the following;

1. Facilitate the finalization of a Country Office Gender Action Plan

Provide technical expertise and guidance to all sections in mainstreaming gender to all programme areas; health, nutrition, education, WASH, Child Protection and Social Policy using the new UNICEF GAP as an overarching framework

2. Prepare a Terms of Reference for ADAP and Gender Task Force

Develop a country office Terms of Reference (TOR) for the Gender and Adolescent working group and a guidance document to lead and coordinate gender-related activities/interventions in their sections.

3. Build institutional capacity of staff

Strengthen the capacity of government and UNICEF staff on gender mainstreaming, programming and monitoring through structured training or capacity building using existing tools and packages in Unicef’s Agora and related sources.

4. Provide technical support for targeted gender programmes implementation

Provide technical support in implementing programmes and interventions addressing inequities facing girls and women across all programme areas with particular attention to the “Skills for girls” programme in Lao PDR and programmes addressing Child Marriage and Adolescent Pregnancy in the country office. Also, provide support on applying the Socio-Ecological model in Communications for Development and other SBCC strategies in the office.

5. Provide technical guidance to management and programme sections on gender and related cross-sectoral themes

Support in preparing policy and advocacy briefs on gender for management and the use of the country office in resource mobilization and strategic engagement with government and other stakeholders. Also provide technical insights in strengthening gender aspects in evidence generation (studies, assessments, policy reviews etc.), annual reporting and work plan processes

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

Qualifications and Experience

• An advanced university degree (masters or above) in any relevant field including, but not limited to: Social science, Social policy, International development, Sociology and gender studies

Knowledge and Skills

• Minimum 5 years of international development experience, including gender mainstreaming
• Advanced knowledge and skills in gender analysis; including applying gender mainstreaming approach in programming;
• Sound knowledge of international standards on women's rights, gender, human rights and related instruments such as CEDAW, CRC, CRPD and SDGs;
• Reasonable knowledge of the situation of girls, boys, women and men in the country;
• Ability to facilitate cross-sectoral discussion on gender and developing context-appropriate tools and solutions
• Experience in working with the UN system on gender and providing technical assistance to government for sector development and capacity building
• Ability to work in a multidisciplinary team and have the initiative to work independently to meet deadlines
• Good analytical and report writing skills;
• Fluency in written and spoken English is mandatory. Understanding of Lao language would be an added advantage.

Submission of applications:

Interested candidates are kindly requested to apply and upload the following documents;

• Letter of Interest (cover letter)
• CV or Resume
• Performance evaluation reports or references of similar consultancy assignments (if available)
• Financial proposal: All-inclusive lump-sum cost including breakdown by fee, living allowance and travel if any for this assignment.

The deadline for applications is 25th March 2022.

Assessment Criteria

A two-stage procedure shall be used in assessing the applications;

1. Assessment of qualification and previous works in related areas.
2. Financial Proposal: Lump-sum offer with the cost breakdown: Consultancy fee, travel costs (economy class), per-diem to cover lodging, meals, and any other cost related to the consultant's stay in Vientiane, including transportation inside the city and other costs. The travel (if involved) shall be based on the most direct and economy fare.

For evaluation and selection method, the Cumulative Analysis Method (weight combined score method) shall be used for this recruitment:

a) Technical Qualification (max. 100 points) weight 70 %

• Education: An advanced university degree (masters or above) in any relevant field including, but not limited to: Social science, Social policy, International development, Sociology and gender studies.

• Knowledge: (20 points)

• • Advanced knowledge and skills in gender analysis; including applying gender mainstreaming approach in programming;
  • Sound knowledge of international standards on women's rights, gender, human rights and related instruments such as CEDAW, CRC, CRPD and SDGs;
  • Reasonable knowledge of the situation of girls, boys, women and men in the country;
  • Ability to facilitate cross-sectoral discussion on gender and develop context-appropriate tools and solutions
  • Good analytical and report writing skills;
  • Experience in working with the UN system on gender and providing technical assistance to government for sector development and capacity building
  • Ability to work in a multidisciplinary team and have the initiative to work independently to meet deadlines
  • Fluency in written and spoken English is mandatory. Understanding of Lao language would be an added advantage.
• Experience: Minimum 5 years of international development experience, including gender mainstreaming (30 points)
• Quality of past work: (e.g. understanding, methodology) (20 points)

b) Financial Proposal (max. 100 points) weight 30 %

• The maximum number of points shall be allotted to the lowest Financial Proposal that is opened / evaluated and compared among those technical qualified candidates who have attained a minimum 70 points score in the technical evaluation. Other Financial Proposals will receive points in inverse proportion to the lowest price.

The applicants should provide medical insurance covering medical evacuation for the whole duration of the assignment -as part of the financial proposal submission.

The Contract shall be awarded to candidate obtaining the highest combined technical and financial scores, subject to the satisfactory result of the verification interview.

Please find the TOR here: TOR Gender Consultant for VA.pdf

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.

View our competency framework at here

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.

Remarks:

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