National Consultancy - Lead Gender Consultant

Contract

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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, a hero!

Pakistan was the sixth country in the world to sign and ratify the Convention on the Rights of the Child less than one year after it was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1989. However, children and adolescents living in Pakistan still face acute challenges.

UNICEF supports the Government of Pakistan to accelerate progress for children, work to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and help children realize their rights under the Convention on the Rights of Children. This will be made through, among others things, strong partnerships with provincial authorities, teachers and health professionals, frontline workers and social mobilizers, communities, and families, and of course, the children and adolescents themselves.

In particular, UNICEF will work so that:

• Every child survives and thrives -- being in good health, immunized, protected from polio, and accessing nutritious food.
• Every child learns.
• Every child is protected from violence and exploitation and registered at birth.
• Every child lives in a safe and clean environment, with access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation.

To learn more about UNICEF’s work in Pakistan, please visit the country website www.unicef.org/pakistan and videos on YouTube and Vimeo

Under the supervision and guidance of the Gender and Development Specialist, the Lead Gender Consultant along with Gender Support Officer to finalize the UNICEF Country Office Gender Strategy to be launched on 08 March 2024. The consultants for this assignment must be someone with broad experience on developing gender strategies, toolkits, checklists for both Programme and Finance, and possess the ability to impart trainings across all sections of UNICEF at federal and provincial level. The consultant is expected to work in close collaboration with the Gender Focal Points and Communication and Social and Behavior sections in UNICEF.

You can make a difference by executing the following tasks and deliverables as per timelines as under:

Scope of work:

UNICEF Pakistan Country Office undertook Gender Programme Review in 2020-2021 and in the light of recommendations, this assignment involves key strategic steps involving the following:

UNICEF to develop a comprehensive Gender Strategy with vision for Pakistan Country Office, for the remaining duration of the current Country Programme Document (CPD), that draws strength from UNICEF’s GAPs and the South Asian Gender Mainstreaming Strategy. The Gender Strategy could then be updated at the time of next CPD. The Gender Strategy should include:

• A section contextualizing gender analysis for each section at national and provincial levels including humanitarian through consultative process.
• Develop gender toolkit for each section in PCO in line with regional HQ guidelines to follow gender responsive programming during planning, implementation, monitoring, reporting and budgeting.
• Indicative gender-responsive approaches for programming and indicator setting.
• Existing sector-specific gender strategies to be subsumed in the PCO’s gender strategy.
• Action plans for each section to track progress towards gender results and movement by programmes along the gender continuum.
• Suggested risk management approaches to advance gender equality in programmes, in a context where Government rarely requests UNICEF to take a high-risk approach.
• Launch UNICEF PCO’s Gender Strategy at all levels.

This assignment involves finalization of UNICEF Gender Strategy along with aforementioned key steps. For this consultancy UNICEF is seeking the services of an experienced national consultant who will be responsible for building appropriate strategic networks, work with all key sections in UNICEF at provincial and federal level, meet with partners, including Gender Thematic Group, Outcome 2 members of UNSDCF, including communities with whom UNICEF works directly, government including Ministry of Planning Commission, Ministry of Education, Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, Women Machineries, civil society, and other related actors. Lead Gender Consultant will work closely with all sections in UNICEF, which shall be included in this consultancy and under the direct supervision of the Lead Gender Consultant.

The consultant will be responsible for:

• Finalization and launch of UNICEF Gender Strategy for Pakistan: Developing a comprehensive UNICEF Gender Strategy including theory of change for both development and humanitarian nexus, sector wise gender analysis, gender toolkits along with checklist, and gender policy briefs for each section for project development, planning, implementation, reporting and financing. Hold consultations with each section at federal and provincial level including Gender Retreat and then organize national consultation for consensus building and endorsement from entire UNICEF PCO. Support UNICEF PCO to launch this strategy on 8th March 2024. including key messages, target audiences, and delivery channels.
• Gender Content Creation and Dissemination: The consultant will provide support in planning and ideation of innovative content for communications assets such as web articles, explainers, and statements from community’s videos, including leveraging social listening insights, analysis of performance of previous content, and monitoring of social media to identify new opportunities to respond to needs, concerns and questions from online communities. He/she will be responsible for ensuring that gender responsive messages are delivered through the appropriate channels which he/she will identify as part of the scope of work. This will require identifying key actors, developing a plan for engagement, and building relationships over time.

Tasks:

1a. Inception Planning Meeting to define consultancy objective, and to develop a comprehensive workplan and timeline for completing tasks.

1b. Desk research gender dimensions, social barriers, existing gender research in Pakistan for all the sections UNICEF is work for. This research will provide insights that will inform the UNICEF Gender strategy.

02. Stakeholder engagement Plan: Engaging with PCO. FO and section chiefs, UN partners, GTG, civil society organizations, and community members, to understand their perspectives and gather feedback.

03. Develop gender toolkits, checklists as listed above, policy briefs to be used by UNICEF implementing partners in project development, planning, implementation, reporting, monitoring and budgeting. The consultant, with support of UNICEF sections will test these tools in 02 sections

4. Three Op-Ed pieces (English and Urdu) will be written and published during the course of the consultancy (start, middle and end)

05. With support of UNICEF country office, facilitate and moderate 04 provincial workshops including sessions on gender with key stakeholders (section chief, government, service providers, community-based organizations, etc) to prepare for the national level gender strategy launch. Workshop findings to inform main thrust of national level event for launch of UNICEF Gender Strategy.

06. Share Draft Gender Strategy based on the consultative process at provincial level, along with toolkits, checklists and policy briefs for all UNICEF key sections and present to UNICEF Gender Focal Points, Chief of Sections, Chief Field Offices for their feedback and inputs and incorporate accordingly

07. Lead the planning and implementation of one high- level national event in partnership with the Government of Pakistan, UNICEF, major donors, development agencies and others for launch of UNICEF Gender Strategy on the eve of International Women’s Day

09. Final detailed campaign report

Deliverables:

• Inception Report/Workplan and Timeline: The inception plan will clearly define the objective of the UNICEF Gender Strategy. This will include outlining the contours of strategy, list of key gender policy briefs, position papers for UNICEF. It will also include details of questionnaires, FGDs and KIIs, content needs and a calendar of key events and key messages in agreed upon content.
• A brief report providing a concise review of existing research and data on gender barriers, analysis in Pakistan which will inform the development of the strategy. The report will act as a comprehensive situation analysis report on gender in Pakistan, including relevant laws, policies, cultural practices, social norms.
• Stakeholder Engagement Plan: A plan outlining the strategy to engage stakeholders, PCO, FO, Section Chiefs at provincial and federal level, including UN partners, government bodies, civil society organizations, and other relevant stakeholders. The plan will outline how to leverage various channels to reach and engage these stakeholders, including email, and in-person meetings, FGDs and KIIs.
• Gender toolkit, checklist and gender policy briefs
• Two Op-Eds (one in Urdu and one in English) for publication in suitably recognized national Urdu and English language newspapers. This first Op-Ed will be an exposition of the issues around gender barriers, including obstacles to change and the impact on individuals, communities and general society and last one will be on key contours of UNICEF gender strategy
• 04 Provincial Workshops Reports

Strategy document to be shared and incorporate feedback and comments:

• Event Plan, including, concept note, agenda, and plan of engagement with invitees/speakers/guests
• Press Release for all major news outlets
• 1 National Launch Event to be held on 8th March 2024 at a suitable location in Islamabad. The agenda of the event will be designed to engage and inspire a diverse range of stakeholders, including government officials, civil society organizations, women led organizations, parliamentarians, youth leaders, media, and donors.
• IEC material and develop giveaways (bags, folders with key message on UNICEF Gender Strategy)

• Real-time videos of event for UNICEF Website and wider media consumption

• A final report summarizing the project's achievements, challenges, and recommendations for future initiatives. The report should include all the annexures that will be developed during the entire course of assignment.

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

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in social sciences, social work, gender studies, public policy or law.
• *A first University Degree (Bachelor’s) in a relevant field combined with 2 additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree.
• A minimum of 06 of relevant professional experience in gender strategy or policy development, programming, reporting and implementation.
• Demonstrated experience in engaging with government, UN agencies and CSOs on sensitive social issues, preferably in Pakistan.
• Familiarity with child rights, gender issues, and human rights in the Pakistani context.
• Strong writing and editing skills, with experience in developing high-quality communications materials in both English and Urdu languages.
• Strong facilitation and training skills, with experience in conducting trainings on sensitive social issues in Pakistan.
• Experience in monitoring and evaluating social communications campaigns in Pakistan.
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.

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:

• Estimated Duration: 120 working days spread over a period of 8 months
• Applicants must submit a financial quotation indicating a monthly fee as part of the application against each deliverable.
• Islamabad/ with travels in Sindh, Punjab, Baluchistan and KP.
• At the time the contract is awarded, the selected candidate must have in place current health insurance coverage.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.