UN WOMEN Jobs - 59042- UN Gender Strategy and Mission Wide Action Plan fo

UN Gender Strategy and Mission Wide Action Plan for Somalia - (Advertised on Behalf of the United Nations Somalia Gender Theme Group’)

Advertised on behalf of

UN WOMEN

Location :

Nairobi, with Travel to Somalia, KENYA

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

07-Sep-2015

Application Deadline :

25-Aug-15 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

70 working days between 24 August and 30 December 2015

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

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. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Background

United Nations’ support to Somalia is guided by the Integrated Strategic Framework (ISF) (2014-2016). The ISF was developed as a response to the Somali New Deal Compact (2014-2016) which was endorsed by the international community in Brussels in 2013. The Somali Compact outlines priorities for the Somalia Federal Government, and incorporates a Special Arrangement for Somaliland with its priorities. The Somali Compact identifies overall priorities along five peace and state building goals (PSG), with PSG1 addressing inclusive politics, PSG2 addressing security, PSG3 focusing on justice, PSG4 addressing economic foundations, and PSG5 addressing revenue and services. In addition, cross cutting issues focusing on gender, capacity development and human rights form key aspects of the Somali Compact.

The Compact is characterized by key partnership principles aiming at enhancing a more innovative, flexible and risk-taking approach based on the New Deal principles for engagements in fragile states. A set of partnership principles and mutual commitments is at the heart of the New Deal, manifested through the Somalia Development and Reconstruction Facility (SDRF) which has already proven to enhance greater alignment of international financing with the Compact priorities and increase Somali ownership and leadership. In support of the Somali Compact the World Bank has established a Multi-Trust Fund, and the UN a Multi-Partner Trust Fund for coordinated funding, and a set of PSG Working Groups has been established, co-led by government and development partners, with the aim to coordinate the delivery against the Compact goals.

This comprehensive aid architecture framework has been short of two years in the making, and has led to the recent signing of six land-mark joint programs. The government, development partners, the UN and the World Bank are all actively engaged in the PSG WGs, and increasingly transitioning support through this architecture.

Within the area of gender equality and women, peace and security some recent progress should be noted, for example the Sexual Offence Bill is ready for enactment by the Federal Government of Somalia, Puntland State of Somalia, and Somaliland, while the FGM Bill has been updated in Puntland State of Somalia. A Gender Based Violence Working Group Strategy and its implementation Plan for 2014-2016 was collectively developed by the GBV Actors/Stakeholders. Capacity building on the ratification process of the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and its optional Protocol has been conducted. The Joint Programme on Rule of Law signifies an excellent example the ongoing process to deepen and strengthen UNCT’s engagement on gender equality and women, peace and security. A Gender Score Card exercise in 2014 recognized the requirement, as had been emphasized by gender advisors in the UN agencies for a while, to that further efforts were needed to strengthen the gender focus through partnership and to cultivate a gender proactive approach. In recognition of earlier discussion it was advised that a UN Gender Strategy be developed.

The Gender Theme Group (GTG) has been established in order to enhance the coordination and strengthening of gender in the UNCT. The GTG is chaired by UN Women and Co-Chaired by UNSOM. To complement the international and emerging national gender instruments, and to provide a framework for effective mainstreaming of gender into stabilization, peacebuilding and development, the GTG seeks to institute a coordinated and coherent approach to gender mainstreaming and will function as the UN’s principal think tank on gender equality and women’s empowerment. The GTG will provide the UN Somalia (UNCT and UNSOM) with technical leadership and guidance in order to ensure that gender mainstreaming is an integral part of the UN’s operation in Somalia. It will provide technical capacity necessary to ensure mainstreaming of gender and WPS agenda, promotion of gender equality and women’s empowerment throughout UN’s policies, programs and interventions in Somalia.

In particular, the GTG will provide support and guidance in order to address gender issues as identified in the national priorities and support programs and activities carried out by the Government, civil society organizations, women’s groups and movement, academia, researchers through the work of the UN agencies and the Mission in Somalia.

Purpose and objective of the consultancy

In order to address its mandate vis a vis UNCT for monitoring engagement of the ISF, the GTG will establish a Mission Wide Work Plan for the remaining of the ISF period until the end of 2016. This Work Plan will include, among other issues, the development of a UN Gender Strategy. Based on the approval by UNCT of this Work Plan, the GTG will proceed to develop UN Gender Strategy. The time span for the Strategy will be 2016-2019. The Strategy will in due course be revised in line with the new ISF 2017-2019, along with a Mission Wide Work Plan for 2017-2019.

The purpose of the consultancy is to support the GTG in the establishment of the UN Gender Strategy and Mission Wide Action Plan.

The objective of the consultancy is to, based on review of existing analytical work and background information, UN program documents and existing interventions, provide a holistic framework for harnessing existing mechanisms and structures in the UN in Somalia to effectively integrate gender equality and women, peace and security concerns into peacebuilding, stabilization and development efforts in Somalia.

The process for doing this will have two steps. The first step of the consultancy will focus on an analysis of UN interventions, gaps and priorities vis-à-vis gender equality commitments in the ISF. In particular, the consultancy will identify where the UNCT is with regards to engagement on gender equality; women, peace and security; and gender based violence, where the strategic gaps are, and help identify options for the way forward, within the context of the Somali Compact and the ISF, and within the context of global commitments, such as the Post 2015 agenda. This step involves presenting these findings and options for a way forward at the GTG Retreat in October, and facilitating the drafting by the GTG Retreat of a Mission Wide Work Plan for the GTG for 2016. The 2016 Mission Wide Work Plan will be presented to UNCT for discussion and endorsement.

The second step of the process will be to address one of the items of the 2016 Mission Wide Work Plan for the GTG, which is the design the UN Gender Strategy 2016-2019 along with a Mission Wide Action Plan 2017-2019. This document will then be reviewed by the full GTG in November 2016, and based on GTG input presented by the GTG Co-Chairs to the UNCT for approval in December 2015.

Specifically, the Gender Strategy and Mission Wide Action Plan will identify the most relevant priorities, and the consolidated required actions to address these priorities, with proposed timelines for delivery.

To this end, the GTG will recruit a senior consultant to help develop the 2016 Mission Wide Work Plan and the UN Gender Strategy. The consultant will report to a GTG Peer Review Group, to be identified by the full GTG, and will work in close collaboration and consultation with the GTG members. Contractual arrangements will be managed by UN Women on behalf of contributing UN agencies and UNSOM.

Duties and Responsibilities

Preparing for the GTG Retreat:

Review UNCT programme documents and UNSOM engagements, identify achievements, challenges and gaps, and provide detailed options to further enhance coherence and a common strategic approached, keeping in mind the results of the Gender Score Card exercise in 2014, and the activities of alignments that have taken place since that time for the advancement of gender equality and the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda;
Review recent existing analysis and relevant background documents on Somalia, including documents addressing drivers of fragility and resilience, and identify the key gender related issues and identify a set of key questions based on these documents that will be important for the GTG background discussion in the process to establish the UN Gender Strategy and Action Plan;
With that lens, review the ISF’s monitoring framework to identify whether the gender commitments are sufficiently strategic to ensure effective gender responsive outcomes from the UN’s interventions in Somalia, including reviewing its monitoring approach for gender components and suggest options for the further strengthening of the implementation of programs and the enhancement of the monitoring for the ISF;
Based on this assess the extent to which current UNCT engagement comprehensively and systematically addresses these issues, whether support is unevenly focused across the PSGs and geographical locations, and whether that promotes or hinders addressing the targets of the ISF, and outline options for what could realistically be done to better address these strategic gaps and needs, based on a realistic assessment of priorities;
Draft a background paper with a summary of these findings and with an outline of options for a strategic way forward for the GTG, and what these options would entail with regards to joint programming and coordination, and also how the GTG can liaise more comprehensively with partners outside the UN, for example the World Bank but also others;
Present this background paper for the GTG peer review team for inputs and comments and agree with this group on the key aspects to focus on in the GTG retreat discussions;
Present this background paper and the proposed options to the full GTG for its retreat at the end of October 2015. Collate inputs and comments and use that to facilitate a discussion and agreement by the GTG a 2016 Mission Wide Work Plan for the GTG, and the development of a UN Gender strategy should be part of this Work Plan;
Present the 2016 Mission Wide Work Plan to the UNCT for comments and endorsement.

Draft the UN Gender Strategy and Mission Wide Action Plan:

Following comments and agreements made at the GTG retreat, draft the UN Gender Strategy 2016-2019 and the Mission Wide Action Plan for the same period;
Present the draft to the GTG peer review group for comments;
Revise the document and present it to GTG meeting in November 2015;
Make final edits and hand in the final document for GTG Co-Chairs presentation to UNCT in its December 2015 meeting.

In conducting the consultancy the consultant will:

Do a briefing with GTG on the understanding of the TOR, proposed mission and meeting schedule;
Draft an Inception Report to be discussed with the GTG peer review group, including a list of key analytical work and documents to be reviewed, including the list of relevant legal documents;
Consult extensively with government institutions, key Somali civil society actors, Somalia analysts and researchers, UNCT agencies and UNSOM, and development partners;
Work in a collaborative, facilitative and supportive manner with all UN agencies/entities and ensure that all background analysis of programme documents and other reports are thoroughly discussed with GTG peer review group and relevant UN agencies/entities.

Deliverables:

An Inception Note (max. 3 pages excluding annexes, i.e. meeting schedules, mission plan) outlining the approach to the consultancy, including key issues to discuss with each group of partners, method of working (with a specific focus on consultation and discussions, including frequency and modality of discussions with the UN Women Country Program Manager);
A first draft Background Analysis and Proposed Options to be presented to the GTG peer review team;
A revised draft Background Analysis and Proposed Options to be presented to the GTG retreat in October 2015;
Facilitate the development of a 2016 Mission Wide Work Plan during the Retreat, and present a final draft for approval by the GTG Retreat;
Present the GTG approved Work Plan to UNCT for input and approval, and based on UNCT input finalize the GTG Work Plan;
Outline the key elements of a UN Gender Strategy 2016-2019 and Mission Wide Action Plan for 2017-2019 to be shared with the GTG November 2015 meeting for comments;
A final draft UN Gender Strategy and Mission Wide Action Plan to be delivered to the GTG in time for it to be presented to UNCT in December 2015.

Competencies

Core Values/Guiding Principles:

Integrity:

Demonstrate consistency in upholding and promoting the values of UN Women in actions and decisions, in line with the UN Code of Conduct.

Professionalism:

Demonstrate professional competence and expert knowledge of the pertinent substantive areas of work.

Cultural sensitivity and valuing diversity:

Demonstrate an appreciation of the multicultural nature of the organization and the diversity of its staff;
Demonstrate an international outlook, appreciating difference in values and learning from cultural diversity.

Core Competencies:

Ethics and Values:

Demonstrate and safeguard ethics and integrity.

Organizational Awareness:

Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment.

Development and Innovation:

Take charge of self-development and take initiative.

Work in teams:

Demonstrate ability to work in a multicultural, multi ethnic environment and to maintain effective working relations with people of different national and cultural backgrounds.

Communicating and Information Sharing:

Facilitate and encourage open communication and strive for effective communication.

Self-management and Emotional Intelligence:

Stay composed and positive even in difficult moments, handle tense situations with diplomacy and tact, and have a consistent behavior towards others.

Conflict Management:

Surface conflicts and address them proactively acknowledging different feelings and views and directing energy towards a mutually acceptable solution.

Continuous Learning and Knowledge Sharing:

Encourage learning and sharing of knowledge.

Appropriate and Transparent Decision Making:

Demonstrate informed and transparent decision making.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Master’s Degree in Human Rights, Gender, Political science or relevant Social Sciences.

Experience:

Minimum 10 years extensive experience in gender analysis and gender programming, including strategic analysis and strategic management;
Experience from equally complex consultancy assignments in fragile contexts required, and experience as lead consultant required;
Experience working with UN agencies including ‘One-UN’, joint UN programming and experience from UNDAF is a significant advantage;
Experience from similar assignments a significant advantage;
Demonstrated excellent writing and drafting skills and analytical ability required;
Demonstrated experience in providing analysis for strategic planning processes;
Experience working in a fragile and conflict affected setting required, and experience from Somalia an advantage.

Language:

Fluency in the English language required, with strong, confident command of both written and oral English.