UN Women is the UN organization dedicated to gender equality and empowerment of women. A global champion for women and girls, UN Women was established to accelerate progress on meeting their needs worldwide and became operational in January 2011. UN Women’s work is guided by the principals of the Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), Beijing Platform for Action, UN Security Council Resolution on Women, Peace and Security and other international documents.

In response to calls from gender equality advocates for increased accountability for implementation of gender equality commitments in economic policies and financing decisions related to aid and domestic resources, UN Women is implementing the Programme Increasing Accountability in Financing for Gender Equality (2012-2015) funded by the EU and Spain. 

The programme aims at increasing the volume and effective use of aid and domestic resources to implement national commitments to gender equality and women's empowerment. It will be implemented in 15 countries (Ethiopia, Haiti, Honduras, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Nicaragua, oPt, Senegal, Ukraine, Cameroon, Tanzania, Nepal, Peru, Bolivia and Rwanda)   in close partnership with the European Commission (EC), ITC/ILO building on the results of collaboration in the area of gender responsive budgeting and aid effectiveness carried out over the past years.

The specific programme objectives are:

1. To strengthen national action plans for gender equality so that they have defined targets, financing and implementation arrangements line with national planning and budgeting processes.
2. To strengthen capacity and accountability of national governments to implement gender equality commitments and address women’s priorities in national planning, budgeting systems and programming.
3. To strengthen capacity and accountability of donors and stakeholders in aid coordination mechanisms to achieve commitments towards gender equality in stable and fragile countries.

Globally, the programme will also support the effective engagement of feminist economists and gender equality advocates’ in contributing to stronger policy coherence on gender equality in economic and development policy, facilitate learning and south-south exchange.

With the overall aim to ensure effective programme implementation, UN Women plans to hire National Consultant on strengthening capacity and accountability of key donors and stakeholders in aid coordination mechanisms to achieve commitments towards gender equality in Ukraine.

Under the overall supervision and guidance from UN Women National Programme Coordinator and in coordination with the UN Women Sub-Regional Office Eastern Europe and Central Asia the National Consultant is expected to carry out a variety of tasks to support of strengthening capacity and accountability of donors and stakeholders in aid coordination mechanisms to achieve commitments towards gender equality in Ukraine. More specifically, the following tasks have to be fulfilled:

1. Conduct gender responsive analysis (Mapping Study) of donor aid in relation to national gender equality commitments:

• Assess the volume of aid to implement national commitments to gender equality and women’s empowerment and determine a baseline at the beginning of 2012;
• Assess an extent to which gender is integrated in donor policy documents formulated during the implementation of the programme and determine a baseline at the beginning of 2012;
• Assess an extent to which gender is integrated in donors' policy dialogue and determine a baseline at the beginning of 2012;
• Assess an extent to which gender indicators are included in performance assessments/joint reviews carried out by donors (including assessment of implementation of gender national action plans) and determine a baseline at the beginning of 2012;
• Assess an extent to which gender is included in Joint reviews, TORs/reports and Performance Assessment Framework (PAFs) during the implementation of the programme and determine a baseline at the beginning of 2012;  
• Assess an extent to which gender responsive aid is discussed in donors' groups on budget support and determine a baseline at the beginning of 2012;
• Assess an extent to which gender equality experts participate in donor conferences on financing and incorporate their inputs in the action points of such conferences and determine a baseline at the beginning of 2012;  
• Assess an extent to which gender expertise is utilized by bilateral and multilateral donors for the design or review of CSPs, PAFs, joint needs assessments, evaluations and joint reviews, and determine a baseline at the beginning of 2012. 

2. Conduct analysis of the work of donor-governmental groups and define a space for participation of gender equality advocates.  

3. On the basis of conducted analysis develop materials and agenda for two trainings on capacity building session for NGOs and governmental officials.

4. Develop a Report on gender assessment of donor aid in relation to national gender equality commitments and the work of donor-governmental groups in Ukraine (Ukrainian, English).

5. Participate in multi-stakeholders’ dialog and two trainings for governmental officials and NGOs as a resource person to present outcomes of conducted analysis. The multi-stakeholders’ dialog will take place in Kiev in November 2012; its aim is to identify existing gaps in financing national priorities on gender equality and find the ways to strengthen commitment and action of bilateral and multilateral donors towards increasing of financing for gender equality priorities, as well as promote substantive participation of gender equality experts in policy dialogue to advocate for the integration of a gender perspective into aid practices. Representatives from donors’ organizations, governmental officials and NGOs will take part in multi-stakeholders’ dialog.
 
6. Document the experience and lessons learnt regarding strengthening capacity and accountability of donors and stakeholders in aid coordination mechanisms to achieve commitments towards gender equality (English).

DELIVERABLES AND TIMEFRAME:

It is expected that the consultant will provide deliverables within the following timeframe:

No / Deliverables / Tentative timeframe / Payment

1. Conduct gender responsive analysis (Mapping Study) of donor aid in relation to national gender equality commitments -- August-October 2012; 
2. Conduct analysis of the work of donor-governmental groups and define a space for participation of gender equality advocates -- August-October 2012;
3. On the basis of conducted analysis develop materials and agenda for two trainings on capacity building session for NGOs and governmental officials (Ukrainian) -- September-October 2012 -- 1st  installment (30%);
4. Develop a Report on gender assessment of donor aid in relation to national gender equality commitments and the work of donor-governmental groups (Ukrainian, English) -- October-November 2012;
5. Participate in multi-stakeholders’ dialog and two trainings for governmental officials and NGOs as a resource person to present outcomes of conducted analysis. The multi-stakeholders’ dialog will take place in Kiev in November 2012; its aim is to identify existing gaps in financing of national priorities on gender equality and find the ways to strengthen commitment and action of bilateral and multilateral donors towards increasing of financing for gender equality priorities, as well as promote substantive participation of gender equality experts in policy dialogue to advocate for the integration of a gender perspective into aid practices. Representatives from donors’ organizations, governmental officials and NGOs will take part in multi-stakeholders’ dialog -- October-November 2012 -- 2nd installment (30%);
6. Document the experience and lessons learnt regarding strengthening capacity and accountability of donors and stakeholders in aid coordination mechanisms to achieve commitments towards gender equality (English) -- November-December 2012 -- 3rd installment (40%).

EVALUTATION PROCEDURE:

Initially, individual consultants will be short-listed based on the following minimum qualification criteria:

• Advanced Degree in public administration, international relations, development studies and/or other social science related areas relevant for the assignment;
• 3 to 5 years of proven work experience in the field of financing for development, gender and/or development studies;
• At least 2 years of proven records of working/collaborating with the donors in monitoring/assessment of donors’ practices of financing gender equality.

The short-listed individual consultants will be further evaluated based on a cumulative analysis scheme, with a total score being obtained upon the combination of weighted technical and financial attributes. Cost under this method of analysis is rendered as an award criterion, which will be 30% out of a total score of 500 points.

Evaluation of submitted offers will be done based on the following formula:

B = T + Clow/C * X, 

where:
T  is the total technical score awarded to the evaluated proposal (only to those proposals that pass 70% or 350 points obtainable under technical evaluation);
C  is the price of the evaluated proposal;
Clow  is the lowest of all evaluated proposal prices among responsive proposals; and
X  is the maximum financial points obtainable (150 points).
 
Technical evaluation will be represented through desk review of applications and further interview will be organized if needed, depending on the short-listed candidates’ qualifications.

Technical Evaluation

The technical part is evaluated on the basis of its responsiveness to the Terms of Reference (TOR).

Nr. / Criteria for technical evaluation / Max. points

1. Advanced Degree in public administration, international relations, development studies and/or other social science related areas relevant for the assignment (Master’s - 40 pts, above - 50 pts). Specialized formal education/professional training in gender is an asset (20 points) - 70;
2. 3 to 5 years of proven work experience in the field of financing for development/aid effectiveness/gender in the context of ODA (3 years – 30 pts, each year over 3 year – 5 pts, each year over 5 year – 10 pts up to a maximum of 80 pts) - 80;
3. At least 2 years of practical experience on mainstreaming gender perspectives into development policies (2 years – 30 pts, 3 years – 40 pts, each year over 3 year – 5 pts, up to a maximum of 60 pts) - 60;
4. At least 2 years of proven records of working/collaborating with the donors/international organizations in monitoring/assessment of donors’ practices and financing gender equality, drafting recommendations, developing reports, etc. (2 years – 30 pts, 3 years – 40 pts, each year over 3 year – 5 pts, up to a maximum of 60 pts) - 60;
5. At least 2 years of proven experience in collaboration with governmental institutions - 30;
6. Fluency in written and oral Ukrainian, English and Russian. (Ukrainian – 15 pts, English – 15 pts, Russian – 10 pts) - 40;
7. Computer literacy and ability to effectively use office technology equipment, IT tools, ability to use Internet and email - 10.

Maximum total technical scoring: 350

Financial evaluation

In the Second Stage, the financial proposal of candidates, who have attained minimum 70% score in the technical evaluation (at least 245 points), will be compared.

WINNING CANDIDATE

The winning candidate will be the candidate, who has accumulated the highest aggregated score (technical scoring + financial scoring).

All on-line applications must include (as ONE attachment):

• Duly filled Personal History Form (PHF11)/CV that can be downloaded from http://www.unwomen.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/P_11_form_UNwomen.doc;
• Letter of Interest;
• Financial proposal*

*Each applicant will be required to submit an aggregated financial offer (“aggregated financial offer” is the total sum of all financial claims of the candidate for accomplishment of the task).

• Computer literacy and ability to effectively use office technology equipment, IT tools, ability to use Internet and email.

The above described assignment requires high technical skills as well as good knowledge of international processes and frameworks on financing for development, aid effectiveness and gender equality in the context of official development assistance (ODA). The assignment requires also strong knowledge of national policies, legislative framework, national commitments and priorities on gender equality in Ukraine. Furthermore, the assignment requires strong communication, mediation and cooperation skills. The following qualification criteria will be applied during the selection of the consultant:

Education:

• Advanced Degree in public administration, international relations, development studies and/or other social science related areas relevant for the assignment;
• Specialized formal education/professional training in gender and development policy is an asset.

Experience:

• 3 to 5 years of proven work experience in the field of financing for development, gender and/or development studies;
• At least 2 years of practical experience on mainstreaming gender perspectives into development policies;
• At least 2 years of proven records of working/collaborating with the donors in monitoring/assessment of donors’ practices of financing gender equality, drafting recommendations, developing reports, etc.;
• At least 2 years of proven experience in collaboration with governmental institutions;
• Proven experience in working with international organizations.

Language requirements:

• Fluency in written and oral Ukrainian, English and Russian.

In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. The creation of UN Women came about as part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact. It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system (DAW, OSAGI, INSTRAW and UNIFEM), which focused exclusively on gender equality and women's empowerment.
All online applications must include (as an attachment) the completed UN Women Personal History form (P-11) which can be downloaded from http://www.unwomen.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/P_11_form_UNwomen.doc.
Kindly note that the system will only allow one attachment. Applications without the completed UN Women P-11 form will be treated as incomplete and will not be considered for further assessment.