Background

UNDP works to advance gender equality and empower women as agents of change and leaders in the development processes that shape their lives towards a more inclusive, sustainable and resilient world. Gender equality and women’s empowerment is integrated in the organisation’s work in promoting sustainable development pathways, inclusive and effective governance systems and resilience building. This second Regional Human Development Report on Women’s Economic Empowerment and Gender Equality in Africa builds on the success of the first Africa Human Development Report (2012) on a Food Secure Future for Africa that advocated for sustainable increases in agricultural productivity and better nutrition as drivers of growth and human development. The analysis highlighted the importance of building resilience, empowerment, social justice and gender as critical elements of the transformative change required for food security. It made the case for clear linkages between expanding women’s capabilities and enhancing food security including empowering women in agriculture by addressing unequal control of productive assets, time use and access to justice and markets.

This report intends to provide intellectually independent, empirically grounded analysis of development issues, trends, progress and policies in order to help advance human development. HDRs are based on the premise that “people are the real wealth of a nation” using empirical data to impact policies that enlarge people's choices and create an enabling environment for people to enjoy long, healthy and creative lives or simply to “advance the richness of human life, rather than the richness of the economy in which human beings live” (Amartya Sen). Today, more people are healthier, live longer, are more educated, have more access to goods and services and more power to select leaders, influence public decisions and share knowledge. Yet much more remains to be done in expanding choices and improving well-being for all people in all countries and communities, and for generations yet to come. 

The selected individual consultants are expected to contribute to background research, production and finalisation of the report including preparation of relevant summaries, fact checking, formatting as well as preparing graphics, bibliographies and statistical tables. The consultants will also support the peer review and consultative processes for the report .

• To establishes the links between Sustainable Human Development, women empowerment and gender equality in  Africa;
• To use existing and newly generated research, to provide evidence and demonstrate the intrinsic value of gender equality with a focus beyond economic aspects to social and environmental gains;
• To explore political, social and structural constraints to globally and nationally identified goal and targets while showcasing lessons learned from successes and failures in the African context;
• To provide policy recommendations that would lead to fundamental changes in policies, institutions, incentives, ideas and social processes to achieve Africa’s transformative vision.

Partnership

The Report will be prepared over a period of 18 months through a consultative process, using new and existing empirical research produced by a team of UNDP in-house experts led by UNDP Africa working in close collaboration with the Policy Bureau, leading scholars and development practitioners.

Timeline of the report preparation and finalization

Given the scope and dimensions of the report, the preparation and finalisation of the report is expected to take place over a period of 12 months, with the engagement of two consultants to provide research and production support to the consolidation of inputs and finalisation the report.The initial duration of the assignment is 6 months. Based on the results of the first 6-month period, the work can be extended further. During this period, each of the consultants will be based at the UNDP RBA offices in New York and will be required to assist in support to communication within the AfHDR team and the preparation for stakeholders’ consultations.   

Duties and Responsibilities

The consultants will work closely with the Regional Bureau for Africa ,Senior Strategic Advisor and the Strategic Advisor working on the AfHDR. They will be available to (a) carry out research and analysis and (b) provide statistical technical backstopping for the preparation and finalisation of the second Regional Human Development Report. The research analyst will be responsible for carrying out complementary research in selected areas and preparing summary findings from the background research. The statistical analyst will provide statistical analysis and prepare the statistical annex for the report. Both analysts will contribute the consolidation and finalisation of the report following the standards and deadlines set by UNDP.

Two Individual   consultants/contractors will be recruited to undertake these assignments.  

Task 1: Research Analyst

• Prepare short notes summarizing key recent findings from available academic publications on selected themes in close consultation with the AfHDR team and inputs to selected chapters;
• Prepare summaries of the findings from commissioned background papers;
•  Assist with formatting, preparation of the bibliography, graphics and tables including the preparation of selected presentations;
• Proofreading and fact checking of the different draft versions;
• Support the communication with commissioned experts and support them in the finalization of the background research.

• Short notes highlighting the findings from recent research and commissioned work;
• Formatted report including bibliography and references;
•  Presentations for various stakeholder consultations;
• Coordinated communication between commissioned experts and AfHDR team.

• Finalize the tables for the statistical annex of the AfHDR;
• Identify, assess the quality and put together definitions, sources and use of statistical terms that will help the reader understand the tables;
• Conduct statistical analysis with the collected data and prepare tables and graphs to illustrate the arguments of the report;
• Liaise with the graphic designers during the layout and printing process.

• A set of formatted tables with sources and footnotes that will be the backbone of the statistical annex including information for up to 46 countries for which data is available;
•  A set of documents that include the definitions of indicators, institutions where they were collected from and full references;
•  Between 10 and 15 tables and figures based on the statistical analysis to be featured in selected chapters.

Competencies

• Demonstrated commitment to UNDP’s mission, vision and values including working in a culturally diverse environment;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability; and Demonstrates ability to function in a team environment and shares knowledge and experience.

Functional Competencies:

• Excellent verbal and writing skills with strong academic and policy experience;
• Outstanding analytical and statistical skills;
• Ability to present coherent and convincing positions both in writing and orally. There must be evidence of similar works done in the past;
• Personal organization and ability for multi-tasking;
• The consultant must also possess ability to work under pressure and to accommodate change; and
  
• Demonstrable networking capability, interpersonal skills and strong ability to promote team work.

Required Skills and Experience

Required Skills and Experience:

• Advanced University degree in development and applied economics, macroeconomics, quantitative economics, or equivalent qualifications. 

• Minimum of five years of work experience in the areas of interest (research and analysis, gender equality and women’s empowerment, econometrics and statistical analysis);
• Cognate experience in women’s empowerment and gender equality studies with particular focus on Africa and developing economies;
• Strong quantitative skills and demonstrated capacity to perform outstanding original research including statistical analysis and data mining;
• Fully literate in terms of software and e-networking.

Language Skills:

• Excellent written and oral English communications skills. Fluency in any of other UN Languages spoken in Africa would be an added advantage; and 

Documents to be included when submitting the proposal:

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications: Please  a  completed  P11  form  along with other documents listed below;                                                    

Technical proposal

• Provide brief information on similar tasks implemented over the past 5 to 10 years with concrete experience from Africa and other regions - a maximum 500 words-long.  Evidence of key deliverables and results could be attached to the document;
•  Filled the P11 form including past experience in similar projects and contact details of referees (Blank form can be downloaded from here .

Financial proposal 

• Indicate the All-inclusive daily fee 
• The assignments will be delivered concurrently by two consultants within 12 months. All individual consultants must follow this schedule when submitting their financial proposal. All financial proposals should be submitted separately to this email address rba.procurement@undp.org no later than 25 July 2014. The template for the Financial Proposal can be downloaded from here.

Please Note: The total working days per month are estimated to be 21.75 days. The financial proposal must be all-inclusive and shall take into account various expenses incurred by the consultant/contractor during the contract period (e.g. professional fee, and any other relevant expenses related to the performance of services.)

Payment Modality:

•  Monthly upon satisfactory submission of monthly progress reports