Background

Background/Context

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security.

UN Women’s global gender data programme, “Making Every Woman and Girl Count” (Women Count), delivered significant results in scaling up work on gender statistics availability, accessibility, and use during Phase I of its implementation.  In the ongoing implementation of Women Count Phase II, with gender data being elevated as one of the strategic outcomes of UN Women’s 2022-2025 Strategic Plan, UN Women is steadfastly supporting Member States and leading efforts on mainstreaming gender perspectives in three key interventions:

1. Enabling environment for the production and use of gender statistics: Put in place supportive policy, legal and financial environment to ensure gender-responsive national adaptation and effective monitoring of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
2. Increasing the production of gender statistics: Increase availability of quality, comparable and regular gender statistics to address national data gaps and meet policy and reporting commitments under the SDGs, Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), and Beijing Declaration
3. Increasing data accessibility and use: Ensure that gender statistics are accessible to all users (including governments, civil society, academia and private sector) and can be analysed, communicated, and used to inform research, advocacy, policies and programmes, and promote accountability.

The Women Count Programme places significant emphasis on four thematic areas, including women’s economic empowerment. Thus, production and use of time use data is a priority area of work by the programme to provide insights into women's activities and their impact on labor productivity and domestic care work. Typically collected through time use surveys (TUS), these data have been historically under-prioritized in national statistical systems. Women Count supported 12 time use data projects across 10 countries during Phase I (2016-2021), with direct influence on policy development in countries such as Colombia and Kenya. In Phase II (2022-2025), support is extending to more than 20 countries for the conduct of or data utilization from their time use surveys.

Women Count Regional Advisors and country data focal points stressed the need for support in analyzing, communicating and using time use survey data and results. They acknowledged a need for identifying new or non-traditional indicators from TUS, supporting survey objectives. Following engagements with stakeholders at national and regional levels, there is a recognized need for a more comprehensive analysis of TUS results. Beyond traditional indicators, such as average time spent on activities, participation rates, and population-wide averages, there is a growing demand for nuanced and policy-specific data and statistics.

Given the emerging priority needs and concerns on care economy and care work, there is a need for guidance to address corresponding statistical information needs. Similar need may also hold for examining gender distribution of household work and analyzing variations in domestic work, time poverty or work-leisure balance.

Thus, a Consultant is needed to undertake a multi-country analysis to produce new insights using existing TUS data and results and develop a guidance or set of recommendations for the production and use of new or more policy-relevant time-use related indicators. 

Duties and Responsibilities

Description of Responsibilities/Scope of Work

The Consultant will undertake a multi-country analysis to produce new insights using existing TUS data as well as other data sources and related indicators and develop a guidance or set of recommendations for the production and use of new or more policy-relevant time-use related indicators. This is aimed at better informing Women Count’s national partners as well as development partners in their policy and programmatic actions.

The consultancy work will involve assessing diverse applications, use and relevance of TUS data as well as other data sources to identify new areas of policy-relevant analysis (e.g., care economy, poverty (including on time), fiscal policy, transportation, or agriculture).

The Consultant will thus be responsible for thoroughly reviewing and analysing existing TUS data as well as other data sources and related indicators, including Women Count-supported TUS. Consultations with various stakeholders, including relevant UN Women Sections at HQ, Regional or Country Offices, external gender data or policy experts, or select countries' national statistical offices (NSOs) and national women’s machineries will be made by the Consultant. The Consultant will be reporting to the Inter-Regional Advisor on Gender Statistics. Any work that would require research assistance will be borne by the consultant.

Deliverables

1. Produce a multi-country analytical report highlighting new insights using existing TUS data as well as other data sources or related indicators

• Compile readily available existing TUS data and results, including Women Count-supported countries; Harmonize the dataset to ensure coherence and comparability of data to be used and indicators to be produced
• Review emerging priority time-use related needs and concerns; consequently, identify emerging statistical information needs, where TUS data and results may be utilized
• Produce new or more policy-relevant indicators (that is, beyond traditional indicators, such as average time spent on activities, participation rates, and population-wide averages), that adhere to the Leave No One Behind (LNOB) principle, ensuring inclusivity and representation of marginalized women groups
• Identify other data sources and related indicators and produce new indicators that can supplement, complement or validate findings from the TUS dataset by: 1) analysing or merging both datasets to produce new indicators; or 2) validating the findings from the TUS dataset
• Produce a multi-country analytical report, that adheres to the LNOB principle and features new indicators and insights

2. Based on item 1 above, develop practical guidance for enhanced analysis of TUS results at the country level

• Identify a reference set of new indicators (that is, beyond traditional time-use indicators) by select priority thematic topics (e.g., care economy, poverty, fiscal policy, transportation, well-being measures)
• Develop a metadata for this set of new indicators (including definitions, concepts, and classifications; method of computation)
• Develop a reference analytical and tabulation plan specifically for the set of new indicators by thematic topic, that adhere to the LNOB principle. The plan should be focused on the indicators developed following the multi-country report. (Note: This study is focused on new/non-traditional time-use related indicators; thus, the analytical and tabulation plan will focus on this scope. A separate study is being conducted focused on the minimum or core set of indicators that should be produced from a TUS.)
• Develop reference communication materials and resources for increased uptake and use of time-use data; this shall include good practices on analysis, presentation, and communication of TUS findings and results
• Using the above as well as other related resources (e.g., methodological, advocacy), produce a practical guidance for use of NSOs or other actors in national statistical systems (NSSs) towards enhancing analysis and use of TUS data and results
• Develop guidance on a wider set of indicators to be used to increase the potential to derive further insights from TUS activities. 

Deliverables and Due Dates:

Note: *Revisions/Iterations are expected between the first draft and final document, considering results of internal or external consultations.

Consultant’s Workplace and Official Travel

This is a home-based consultancy.

Competencies

Core Values: 

• Respect for Diversity 
• Integrity 
• Professionalism 

Core Competencies: 

• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues 
• Creative Problem Solving 
• Effective Communication 
• Inclusive Collaboration 
• Stakeholder Engagement 

Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Core Values and Competencies:  

https://www.unwomen.org/en/about-us/employment/application-process#_Values 

FUNCTIONAL COMPETENCIES: 

• Experience in producing practical guidance on analysis and tabulations of household surveys; working with NSOs or key actors in NSSs is preferred
• Proven track record of producing high-quality research publications, preferably in time use statistics
• Excellent writing and analytical skills

Experience working with Member States as well as the UN System is an asset.

Required Skills and Experience

Education and Certification:

• Master’s degree or equivalent in demography, statistics, economics or another related field
• A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

• At least 8 years working in gender statistics.
• Technical experience with time-use surveys.
• Excellent writing and analytical skills
• Experience working with Member States as well as the UN System is an asset.

Languages:

• Fluency in English is required.
• Knowledge of French or Spanish is an asset.

How to Apply:

• Personal CV or P11 (P11 can be downloaded from: https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/Headquarters/Attachments/Sections/About%20Us/Employment/UN-Women-P11-Personal-History-Form.doc )
• A cover letter (maximum length: 1 page)