UN WOMEN Jobs - 49993- CARICOM National Consultant to Review and Edit the

CARICOM National Consultant to Review and Edit the Report “Gender and Political Parties in the Caribbean”

Advertised on behalf of

UN WOMEN

Location :

Home-Based - No Travel Required

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

20-Oct-2014

Application Deadline :

03-Oct-14 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

National Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

20 Days

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

Women’s participation in the political process as voters and campaigners is high throughout the Caribbean. However, this has not translated into increased numbers of women holding political office. Since the achievement of universal adult suffrage among CARICOM member states, women’s participation as elected representatives in the lower houses of parliament (i.e., Members of Parliament), as appointees to the upper houses of parliament (i.e., as Senators), or as representatives in local government (i.e., as mayors, aldermen and councillors), has been consistently low and has even declined in several countries.

Many of the barriers to increasing women’s representation in political decision-making are linked to the structures, operations and processes of political parties. Historically in the Caribbean, women’s entry into political parties was not prompted by gender equality concerns, but rather by women’s capacity for organising and attempts to increase support among the female electorate. The structures and operations of political parties were fashioned and have continued to be influenced by strong patriarchal norms. Since political parties are responsible for recruiting, selecting and promoting candidates for elections, they are the main gatekeepers of women’s struggle for parity in political decision-making.

A partnership has been forged among women’s rights organisations, national women’s/ gender machineries, women in parliament and local government, the Institutes of Gender and Development Studies at the University of the West Indies, and regional and international agencies, to support women’s increased political participation. This network has been responsible for the training of women candidates and politicians, as well as the development of women’s political agendas and women’s political caucuses such as in Jamaica and Suriname. This work has led to the formation of the Caribbean Institute for Women in Leadership (CIWiL), which seeks to strengthen women’s political participation in the Caribbean through:

Elaborating a ‘women’s political agenda’, developed through a participatory and inclusive process across the region;
Undertaking training institutes for women leaders, including emerging and potential leaders, supported by mentorships/ internships within political parties and NGOs;
Awareness-raising of all stakeholders (women’s organisations, political parties, trade unions, community-based organisations, and others) on the need for women’s equal participation in politics and decision-making, including through public dialogues/ conferences on women's political thought and Caribbean governance issues; and
Networking and partnership-building with all stakeholders to increase commitment to gender equality in governance, and gender-responsive policy making.

At the June 2011 Caribbean Colloquium on ‘Women Leaders as Agents for Change’, convened by the Government of Trinidad and Tobago in partnership with CIWiL, UN Women, Commonwealth Secretariat, and Organisation of American States (OAS), women parliamentarians and other participants produced the Port of Spain Consensus which built on the mandates of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the Beijing Platform for Action (BPfA), and the Commonwealth Plan of Action for Gender Equality (CPoA).

The Port of Spain Consensus called on political parties to:

Set targets of at least 40% of either sex on the lists of candidates for parliamentary and local government elections, and senatorial appointments;
Review governance processes to identify and address impediments to internal party democracy;
Develop and implement initiatives that facilitate women’s full participation in all internal policy-making structures, and electoral nominating processes;
Examine party structures and implement procedures to remove all barriers that directly or indirectly discriminate against women’s participation and leadership; and
Strengthen and support mechanisms to engender women’s and youth participation.

In furthering the goals of equality of opportunity in political participation and transformational leadership, CIWiL with UN Women’s support undertook a research project on gender and political parties in the Caribbean in order to better understand and respond to the persisting challenges that prevent women’s equal political participation and therefore limit women’s citizenship. The specific objectives of the project are outlined below:

To undertake a study of political parties in four CARICOM countries (Antigua and Barbuda, Jamaica, St. Lucia, and Trinidad and Tobago) in order to analyse the structures, operations, processes and attitudes that prevent women’s equal political representation; and
To recommend concrete mechanisms, strategies and actions to enable political parties to promote women’s equal participation in political decision-making.

In fulfilment of the above objectives, the draft report “Gender and Political Parties in the Caribbean” was prepared and represents the results of the abovementioned study, which is a product of CIWiL. It also provides recommendations to enable political parties to integrate gender equality into their decision-making structures and processes. The report now requires revision to include a regional synthesis and professional editing, prior to dissemination to the public.

Duties and Responsibilities

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.

Under the overall supervision of the UN Women Representative and the day-to-day supervision of the UN Women Programme Specialist – Economic and Political Leadership and in close consultation with the CIWiL Coordinator, the consultant is expected to revise the CIWiL report “Gender and Political Parties” to include a regional synthesis and to edit it to meet publishable standards.

Deliverables and Specific Activities:

The consultant is expected to assist CIWiL with the following:

Revise the report to include a regional synthesis. The regional synthesis should comprise the results and knowledge obtained from the study in the four target CARICOM countries.
Professionally edit the report “Gender and Political Parties” to ensure it is non-partisan, impartial, meets publishable standards and is fit for dissemination by CIWiL, to the public.

Activities and Expected Duration (days):

Review of report “Gender and Political Parties” (3 days);
Revision of report to include section on regional synthesis – First Draft (5 days);
Revision of report to include section on regional synthesis – Final Draft (3 days);
Editing of Report “Gender and Political Parties” – First Draft (5 days);
Preparation of Final Draft of Report “Gender and Political Parties” (4 days);
Total Expected Duration (20 days).

Competencies

Core Values:

Demonstrates integrity and fairness;
Demonstrates professional competence and is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results;
Displays cultural, gender, religious, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Functional Competencies:

Strong analytic and organisation skills;
Excellent command of written and spoken English including the ability to convey complex concepts and recommendations, in a clear and persuasive style tailored to match different audiences.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Advanced degree in social sciences or related field.

Required Experience:

At least 5 years’ experience working with gender issues in the Caribbean;
At least 5 years’ experience with editing and proof-reading of social and/or economic policy-related and programme documents.

Language:

Excellent command of written and spoken English.

Location and Duration:

The contract will run for 20 days within the period 20 October 2014 to 14 November 2014. The consultancy will be home-based.

Administrative Information:

Payment:

The consultancy fee will be negotiated before contracting. Each payment will be based on a predefined and formal agreement between UN Women and the consultant and will be disbursed based on satisfactory completion of agreed deliverables.

Hardware, software, and communication:

The consultant must be equipped with a portable computer (laptop). The consultant must be reasonably accessible by email and telephone (preferably mobile). The use of reliable, internet-based communication (Skype or equivalent) is required.

Application for Consultancy:

Please submit your application by 3rd October 2014.

Applications must include:

A cover letter highlighting the specific post for which you are applying;
The completed UN Women Personal History form (P-11) which can be downloaded from http://www.unwomen.org/about-us/employment;
Detailed curriculum vitae including a description of main achievements;
A price proposal quoted in United States dollars (US$) indicating daily rates.

Applications should be submitted by email to the attention of Melissa Bohne, UN Women (melissa.bohne@unwomen.org).