UN WOMEN Jobs - 50061- International Consultant for Coordination of a Joi

International Consultant for Coordination of a Joint Programme on Preventing Gender-Based Violence against Adolescent Girls

Advertised on behalf of

UN WOMEN

Location :

Harare, ZIMBABWE

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

15-Oct-2014

Application Deadline :

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

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

20 days for 8 months period

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

20 days for 8 months period

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

Momentum in Zimbabwe to address GBV as a development priority and human rights imperative is underway as reflected in a number of high level Government, donor, UN and media releases and programmatic notes. Despite these commitments, extremely limited Government and external financing has been available to realise these preventive and protective frameworks for women and children. Underreporting of GBV is still chronic and in general, access to justice is low. Social norms continue to vindicate abusive practices and women and children’s lack of awareness of rights contributes to sustain the problem. The programmes that do exist generally do not have an explicit focus on the specific needs of adolescent girls. The Ministry of Gender has recently launched a national campaign on child sexual abuse accompanying the final Baseline Report on the Life Experiences of Adolescents, which chronicles the prevalence and incidence of violence, including sexual violence against children in the country.

UNICEF and UN Women have come together to design a joint programme that specifically focuses on adolescent girls and young women as a response to the Survey’s findings, which highlight the epidemic proportions of sexual violence against girls and young women in the country.

Collectively, UNICEF and UN Women in collaboration with the Government of Zimbabwe and civil society will have:

Enabled 5,000 at-risk girls and young women to benefit from a sustainable social and economic empowerment programme, which addresses knowledge about their rights and the skills to identify risks, build on their strengths and to access services when necessary to ensure their protection;
Enabled 5,000 girl and young women survivors to access critical gender and age-sensitive welfare, justice and other critical services.[1]

A number of national-level policy and strategic reforms will also be in place, to ensure that future initiatives can more effectively provide increased protection to girls and young women at risk of experiencing violence. This will include:

Priority legislative reforms that will contribute to the domestication of the CRC and CEDAW[2] identified, in line with the new constitution and at least 3 key legislative reforms submitted to Cabinet for action.
A national strategy to address negative social norms programme will be in place, based on a strategy developed in the first year.[3]
An increased knowledge of gender based violence, as well as where and how to report violations amongst adolescents, young women, men, boys, and other duty-bearers in intervention areas;
Implementation of a national social norms strategy will have commenced, based on findings from the determinants of violence in Zimbabwe;
A sustainable social and economic empowerment framework will be in place;
Relevant ministries’ national budget requests reflect a minimum budget floor for GBV programming.

Objective

The objective of this consultancy is to support high-level coordination, monitoring, and reporting against the programmes stated results. Although both UN Women and UNICEF have existing technical staff working on different component of the programme, it is necessary for a single, high level, advisor to oversee coordination, ensure harmonized quality reporting and highlight areas for strategic intervention and further research.

[1] This will include access to the following (as needed): a trained doctor or nurse for treatment and forensic examination: individual welfare and other care and support; shelter or safe housing; a police officer trained to deliver a gender and child sensitive response; legal assistance/ legal aid, including where possible access to a protection order; and a social and economic empowerment initiative.

[2] The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).

[3] This strategy will be informed by a specialized study on the determinants of violence, which will be implemented as a follow up to the release of the National Baseline Survey on the Life Experiences of Adolescents.

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of Work:

The consultant will work under the direct guidance and supervision of the Deputy Country Representative and with close coordination with the Program Managers from both agencies. The consultant will be based at UN Women and will be expected to provide overall backstopping to the joint programme, technical support, and advice on strategic direction of the programme to the Program Managers and other counterparts and will be responsible for:

Provide Senior advisory technical support (e.g. strategic planning on certain critical components of the programme) as needed;
Provide implementation support, translating the Prodoc orientation, priorities and expected results into local interventions, in close collaboration with project management team or guidelines; ensuring meeting project objectives and results;
Provide technical support to the Program Managers, and other implementing partners in the areas of project management and planning management of site activities and impact assessment;
Support the Program Managers in coordinating the work of all partners, consultants and sub-contractors, ensuring timely delivery of expected outputs and ensuring an effective synergy among various activities;
Assist the Program Managers in the preparation of the combined programme implementation review/Annual programme report, technical reports, quarterly financial reports for timely submission to Danida, UN Regional and HQ offices, other donors and government departments as required;
Assist the Program Managers in liaison work with project partners, donor organisations, NGOs and other groups to ensure effective coordination of programme activities;
Support the Program Managers in documenting the lessons learnt from programme implementation and make recommendations to the Steering Committee for more effective implementation and coordination of programme activities;
Submit monthly progress reports to UN Women Deputy Country Representative;
Perform other tasks as may be requested by the Deputy Country Representative UN Women and Program Managers from both agencies.

Expected Outputs and Deliverables

The following deliverables and outputs are expected from the consultant:

Reports on Technical support for the joint programming and implementation of the programme due 30 December 2014;
Draft 2014 annual program report due by 31 December 2014;
Report on technical assistance and 2014 combined programme implementation review due by 30 March 2015;
Report on midterm programme review and other relevant technical reports as requested by the programme;
Best practices report on GBV prevention against adolescent girls and young women programs and funding opportunities for GBV programs by 15 June 2015;
Two knowledge products for the programme;
Draft recommendations and lessons learnt from programme implementation.

Competencies

Ability to effectively coordinate a large, multi-disciplinary team of experts;
A good working knowledge of international best practices in GBV programming and management is desirable;
Ability to lead strategic planning, results based management and reporting;
Analytical skills, communications abilities and team work abilities;
Excellent writing, editing and oral communication skills;
Ability to meet deadlines and prioritize multiple tasks.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Masters or PhD in Social Sciences, Law, Gender or related field.

Experience:

At least 7 years’ experience in programme planning and management and gender sector advisory position;
Minimum of 5 years relevant work experience in international organisations management systems, gender advisory position;
Demonstrate experience in implementing equivalent joint programmes or other multilateral donor funded projects;
Previous experience with GBV projects is an added advantage;
Familiarity with UN System is an advantage.

Language:

Fluent in English.

Proposal should be submitted at the following email addresses:

bidstechnical.zw@undp.org for technical proposals- detailed methodology, workplan and approach;
bidsfinancial.zw@undp.org for the Offeror’s letter to UNDP confirming interest and availability for the individual contractor (IC). assignment

Submissions should be made no later than 6 October 2014.

Any request for clarification sought five days before the proposal submission deadline must be sent by standard electronic communication to the following e-mail: procurement.zw@undp.org.

Responses to requests for clarification received five days before proposal submission deadline will be sent by standard electronic mail and written copies of the response including an explanation of the query without identifying the source of inquiry, will be uploaded on the website advertising this solicitation process.