National Consultancy to provide Gender Integration Technical Support Services to UNICEF Malawi Country Office Programming (Open to Malawian Nationals Only)

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, Education...

Malawi is characterized by poor gender indicators. The gender inequality index is 171 out of 189 countries indicating that Malawi is ranking relatively low on education outcomes, low economic participation and opportunities for women and girls. Gender inequalities continue to exist due to negative gender norms, practices and stereotypes that put girls, to a larger extent, at a disadvantage.

For instance, girls education is still an issue despite government and UNICEF investments in girls education. The country continues to have high rates of girls drop out of school due to forced and child marriages, lack of school related support, poverty, gender based violence including sexual violence, social cultural and religious values which are more skewed to encouraging early marriages for girls among other challenges. Primary and secondary school completion rates are at 33 per cent and Secondary Junior 23 per cent junior secondary and 15 per cent secondary senior respectively. Among children who do not complete primary, 45 percent are girls.

Further, these negative gender norms affect children positive outcomes in areas of health and nutrition. Malawi has also high levels of child marriages 38 percent (MICS 2019/2020) which is one of the highest in the southern region. Violence against women and girls and poverty among women is also high with limited access to factors of production despite women contributing to 70 percent agricultural labour and food production.

How can you make a difference?

Guided by the Gender Action Plan III, the Gender Individual Contractor’s primary role is technical and programmatic, with the normative advocacy and coordination roles serving as a secondary function. S/he will provide authoritative technical guidance/operational support to facilitate gender integration in UNICEF programmes based on the stipulated tasks :

• facilitate the management and delivery of results contributing to gender equality in alignment with the Gender Action Plan III;
• support the development, implementation, and monitoring of high quality gender programming across sectors in alignment with the Gender Action Plan III;
• support senior programme colleagues and management of the Country Office to advance one or more of the four Adolescent girls well-being and leadership priorities as stipulated in the Gender Action Plan III with support from the Regional Gender Adviser.

S/he will also play a role in working with one or more of the 7 UNICEF sectors to:

• mainstream gender by prioritizing key gender results within the sector(s) with a strong gender relevance;
• lead cross-sectional collaboration and coordination on key programmatic results on gender, ensuring coherence, maximization of synergies and efficiency in utilization of resources and delivery of results;
• work with UNICEF programme colleagues and management so that gender results are effectively defined, measured, and reported, and high quality assessment, research, evidence generation and evaluation on gender programming is undertaken and utilized.
• support/lead effective review, assessment, planning, capacity building, and knowledge management on gender;
• support the assessment and identification of gender needs for emergency preparedness and response, and provides gender relevant guidance and technical input on emergency programming.

In order to realize the expected deliverables, the Individual Contractor will provide robust technical support and expertise based on the following specific tasks:

1. Provision of sectoral and cross-sectoral programmes/projects technical support to all documents (Situation analyses (SitAn), studies and its subsequent activities leading to the development of next Country Programme, Concept Notes, Programme documents/PCAs in line with provisions of the Gender Action Plan III and other documentation produced by the office and from other UN agencies and Implementing partners requiring UNICEF gender input.
2. Provide technical input and review on the gender components in key funding proposal appeals and submissions and in the design of funded projects/programs so that gender technical components are clearly defined and technical capacities are included.
3. Actively participate in Programme Coordination Team meetings; partnerships, research, and other key country-specific teams to ensure strategic inclusion of gender in all country-specific programming.
4. Take lead on gender programmatic review to inform the next Country Programme Development.
5. Provide technical leadership to the SDG Accelerated Fund Learning Never Stops project and integrate gender in program development and planning (including emergency contexts).
6. Facilitate gender responsive pedagogy for Early Childhood development/Education (ECD/ECE), and secondary Education . In collaboration with sectoral colleagues, identify areas of focus for gender programming with the greatest potential for impact and scale, in alignment with the GAP III and the country/regional priorities. For Pillar one ensure finalization of Positive Gender Socialization Training Manual for care givers, translation and capacity building for TOT and care givers. Pillar III support gender responsive pedagogy related work.
7. Strengthen advocacy work on gender, generate knowledge, information and best practices on effective gender programming and share within internal networks and with external partners.
8. Capacity development on gender integration for UNICEF staff and also UNICEF Implementing Partners
9. Reporting on gender equality results: In collaboration with Programme Planning and Management (PPM), ensure sectors report on sex age and disability disaggregated data through routine country-level programme reporting Mid year and annual reporting, Country Annual Report (COAR) Strategic Management Questions (SMQs) and the Result A Matrix.
10. Annual Planning: In collaboration with Programme Planning Management section, support sectors on gender integration in Annual Rolling Work Plan review and development to ensure that targeted adolescent girls priorities and the general gender mainstreaming as provided by the Gender Action Plan III are integrated in the planning process.
11. Support gender integration in emergency response by focusing on Gender needs for emergency preparedness (response and reconstruction, in the event of emergencies through inter agency coordinated work. Ensure UNICEF staff and implementing partners are oriented and trained on PSEA and GBV integration and those participating in emergencies are key.

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

Academic qualification:

• A Masters degree in Gender and/or Women studies, Social Science, Sociology , Anthropology, Law or any other relevant field.

Work experience:

• A minimum of 8 years experience working in the gender sector preferable in Malawi providing guidance to sectors on gender integration in development work and policy development processes.
• Experience in conducting gender assessment/research, strategic use of Convention on the Rights of Children, Convention on Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women and Universal Periodic Report for advancing gender equality and gender results and ability to support sectors to report on gender equality results is a requirement.
• Demonstrated experience in using the gender evidence-based information in shaping and implementing programmes and proven experience in sector planning and policy analysis, programme evaluation and development of strategies and action plans through participatory consultations/collaborative work arrangement. Some prior experience with UNICEF or UN agency programme planning is an added advantage

Technical skills and knowledge:

• Strong knowledge of gender integration in policies, programmes and knowledge of gender issues in Malawi and familiarity with UNICEF policies, practices, plans and approaches is an added advantage.

• Ability to conduct gender programmatic reviews and strong gender analytical skills is required.

• Strong skills in conducting participatory consultations with diverse groups of people is essential. Strong interpersonal, presentation and writing skills are required.

  Required competencies:

• Drive to achieve results for impact

• Demonstrating self-awareness and ethical awareness
• Works collaboratively with others
• Builds and maintains partnerships
• Innovates and embraces change

• Manages ambiguity and complexity

  Languages:

• Excellent English writing and verbal communication skills.

Please refer to the attached full Terms of Reference TOR_Gender Consultant.pdf for more details on the consultancy and requirements.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

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

To view our competency framework, please visit 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.

HOW TO APPLY...

Interested consultants should provide the following:

1. Curriculum Vitae
2. Brief technical proposal (no longer than five pages) demonstrating the consultant’s understanding of the assignment and approach/methodology to the assignment
3. Financial proposal including a breakdown of their all-inclusive fees (including professional fees, travel, living cost, visa and other costs). Financial Proposal for Consultancy.xlsx Complete the attached form.
4. References details

Remarks:

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.