Location :
Nairobi, KENYA
Application Deadline :
11-Oct-13
Type of Contract :
Individual Contract
Post Level :
International Consultant
Languages Required :
English
Starting Date :
(date when the selected candidate is expected to start)
(date when the selected candidate is expected to start)
21-Oct-2013
Duration of Initial Contract :
20 working days
Expected Duration of Assignment :
20 Working Days
Background
At the 59th Session of the UN General Assembly, Member States, in adopting the Triennial Comprehensive Policy Review (TCPR) of Operational Activities for Development of the UN System called on all UN organizations to mainstream gender and to pursue gender equality in their country programmes, planning instruments and sector-wide programmes and to articulate specific country-level goals and targets in this field in accordance with the national development strategies.
Further, ECOSOC Resolution 2004/4 - Review of Economic and Social Council agreed conclusions 1997/2 on mainstreaming the gender perspective into all policies and programmes in the United Nations system requested: ‘the Secretary-General to ensure that all United Nations entities develop action plans with time lines for implementing the agreed conclusions 1997/2, which address the gap between policy and practice identified in the Secretary-General’s report, with a view to strengthening commitment and accountability at the highest levels within the United Nations system as well as to establishing mechanisms to ensure accountability, systematic monitoring and reporting on progress in implementation.’
As a direct follow-up to the TCPR, and to ensure a comprehensive response to many of its recommendations, the UN Development Group (UNDG) created a Task Team on Gender Equality as a sub-group of the UNDG Programme Group. The goals of the Task Team are: to support more consistent and coherent action among UNDG member agencies to mainstream gender equality and promote women’s empowerment at the country level; and to ensure that gender equality and women’s empowerment are mainstreamed into the wide range of tools and processes that emerge from the UNDG for use by UN Country Teams (UNCTs).
In 2006 the UNDG Task Team on Gender Equality commissioned a background paper on accountability mechanisms in UNDG agencies. This paper reviewed accountability for programming in support of gender equality in ILO, UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF, and WFP and found that A common understanding of how to apply gender mainstreaming in UN operational activities is needed. This is because if there is no agreement on what constitutes a minimum level of actions to support gender equality, how will it be possible to hold agencies and UN Country Teams accountable for this? Reaching agreement across agencies on what constitutes a minimally acceptable performance to support gender equality, through an agreed set of indicators, would contribute to stronger guidance and accountability.
Subsequently this background paper was endorsed at the UNDG Principals’ meeting in July 2006, where agreement was reached on development of a UNCT-level ‘Accounting for Gender Equality’ Scorecard that sets minimum standards for UNCTs to assess their performance, and to identify gaps and progress across the system. The Scorecard is focused on the performance of the UNCT, rather than the performance of any one UN organization. It intends to provide an assessment of what the UN as a whole contributes to gender mainstreaming and consequently to the promotion of gender equality.
Duties and Responsibilities
The purpose of the UNCT gender audit is to assist the UNCT in identifying areas in which they are meeting or not meeting minimum standards; stimulate a constructive dialogue within the UNCT about the current status of support for gender equality and women’s empowerment and how it can be improved; identify where technical assistance can support the achievement of minimum standards; share good practice in supporting national priorities to advance gender equality and women’s empowerment; and to provide a set of implementable recommendations.
Specific tasks and responsibility:
Under broad supervision of the United Nations Resident Coordinator, Somalia and the UN Women Deputy Regional Director, the consultant is required to implement the Scorecard as follows:
Background document review- Scorecard and Users’ Guide;
- The New Deal Compact;
- CCA and UNDAF;
- Somalia Economic Recovery PlanUNDG. Common Country Assessment and United Nations Development Assistance Framework;
- Guidelines for UN Country Teams on Preparing a CCA and UNDAF. February 2007.
- UNCT planning and programming documents;
- National Plan of Action on Gender Equality and/or Women’s Empowerment, CEDAW related documents, PRSPs or their equivalent, UNCT joint programmes;
- UNCT budgets, Joint Programme budgets;
- Readers’ Group comments, 180 degree assessment materials.
- Resident Coordinator;
- Gender Theme Group;
- Monitoring and Evaluation Theme Group;
- Other UN staff;
- Regional Director Team;
- Counterparts, including women’s machinery, government institutions and civil society;
- Approximately 15-20 interviews.
Completion of a UNCT discussion paper stating key findings, gaps, achievements and realistic recommendation for ensuring gender equality within the UNCT.
Verbal debriefing with RC/UNCT, completion of final Scorecard, narrative report and follow-up matrix, and debrief with UNDG Task Team.
Deliverables:
- Completion of the Scorecard and narrative report;
- A PowerPoint presentation for the UNCT and Gender Theme Group;
- Completion of a discussion paper (not more than 4 pages) with a set of implementable recommendations on methods to achieve UN gender commitments;
- Completion of final Scorecard to include a narrative report and follow-up matrix.
Methodology:
The assignment will be conducted through:
- Desk review of background documents including the Scorecard and Users’ Guide; the New Deal Compact; CCA and UNDAF; Somalia Economic Recovery Plan; UNDG; UNCT planning and programming documents; National Plan of Action on Gender Equality and/or Women’s Empowerment; CEDAW related documents,; UNCT joint programmes; UNCT budgets;
- Interviews with the Resident Coordinator, Gender Theme Group, Monitoring and Evaluation Theme Group, Other UN staff, Regional Director Team, Counterparts, including women’s machinery, government institutions and civil society;
- Any other methodology deemed by the Consultant as appropriate for the task objectives.
Competencies
- Mature judgment and initiative;
- Ability to think out-of-the-box;
- Ability to present complex issues in simple and clear manner;
- Cultural, gender, religion and age sensitivity and adaptability;
- Ability to work under pressure and deliver high quality results on time;
- Initiative and independence.
Required Skills and Experience
Education
- Master’s Degree in political science, gender and development or other related field.
Experience
- Minium10 years’ experience of work on gender mainstreaming;
- At least five years’ experience of work on results based management;
- In-depth knowledge of the UN programme in-country;
- Ability to complete the Scorecard, narrative report and follow-up matrix in English.
- Fluency in the English; Arabic will be an asset.
UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.
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