UNDP Jobs - 63862- Gender Consultant

Gender Consultant

Location :

Monrovia, LIBERIA

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

01-Apr-2016

Application Deadline :

25-Feb-16 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

4 Months

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

4 Months

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

The successful conduct of the 2011 and 2014 elections has been considered as a significant step in the consolidation of democracy in Liberia. Furthermore, to ensure success in all future elections in Liberia, a series of administrative, capacity and legal challenges must be addressed. The election project therefore aims to extend the democratization process in Liberia, with specific emphasis on improving electoral institutions processes and laws. More specifically, the project will contribute to strengthening capacity of the electoral management body, enhancing electoral processes and support the ongoing process of the constitutional amendment as it relates to elections. The project will also promote effective election coordination and seek to mainstream gender and conflict preventative approaches in its activities.

Women remain underrepresented in political life in Liberia, including within the Legislature, leadership in political parties, senior ranks of the public service and electoral administration. The gender sensitization needs are arguably the greatest among rural populations. The NEC has put in place a policy to more effectively mainstream gender in the electoral process. The NEC gender section, established recently, oversees the implementation of the gender mandate. However, limited financial and human capacity precludes from the implementation of the gender mainstreaming task and in promoting women participation in elections. Strong advocacy and unanimity are required amongst civil society groups and political parties and NEC can coordinate this work for further promotion of women participation in elections. In the gender mainstreaming efforts political parties should be encouraged to introduce affirmative measures in their polices and party structures to ensure that party lists and governing bodies have at least 30% from each gender, as specified in the recently reformed electoral law. This would require dedicated technical support to NEC gender unit and policy advice.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the Chief Technical Advisor, the Gender consultant will contribute to UNDP’s electoral support in Liberia with a main focus on mainstreaming gender concerns in the NEC’s institution- building and in electoral operations. Gender consultant will be recruited to support NEC gender unit reform and policy advice.
The primary task of the Gender consultant will be to ensure the strategic direction of activities, coordinate the operational activities and monitor outputs in this area. S/He will be embedded with the NEC and will be responsible for continuously providing technical advice to NEC and electoral stakeholders in the relevant areas of the electoral activities.
Specific duties:

Develop a gender specific operational plan and budget for the 2017 elections and possible referendum;
Assist NEC Gender Section in preparing a detailed work plan of activities to ensure gender mainstreaming in the electoral process;
Analyze women’s participation in Elections in the areas of responsibility;
Analyze minority participation in elections in the areas of responsibility;
Analyze political parties’ manifestoes and provide feed backs on making manifestoes gender responsive;
Conduct a training needs assessment of gender staff;
Work with Gender Section to complete NEC Internal Gender Policy;
Help translate NEC Draft Gender policy into concrete measures;
Help develop a Gender mainstreaming strategy for NEC;
Provide Advice to NEC Gender Team on mainstreaming gender in the 2017 elections process;
Provide advice on mainstreaming gender in working with disability groups;
Develop check list for use by various sections/ departments on mainstreaming gender in project carried out/ in employment etc;
Conduct prep training for gender task force;
Help gender section in producing a template for bi monthly gender briefs;
Provide advice to the NEC BOC on gender issues for them to be taken into account throughout all aspects of the electoral process;
Produce regular situation updates, identifying challenges, opportunities, progress indicators, situation analysis, and potential risks;
Perform any other tasks as assigned by the CTA

Deliverables:

The Gender consultant may also provide support and advice to other UNDP technical advisors and consultants to ensure that their respective inputs respect and integrate equal opportunity and gender equity policy and practice.

Develop and review a gender specific operational plan and budget for the 2017 elections and possible referendum as well as Gender Section a detailed work plan of activities; Analyze women’s, minority participation in Elections in the areas of responsibility; Analyze political parties’ manifestoes and provide feed backs on making manifestoes gender responsive - 21 days
Produce template for bi-monthly gender briefs;Develop a Gender mainstreaming strategy for NEC and Internal Gender Policy and translate it into concrete measures, polices and regulations;Develop check list for use by various sections/ departments on mainstreaming gender in project carried out/ in employment; - 21 days
In collaboration with NEC, CSOs and political parties design & implementing activities that seek to build capacities of women candidates; Support unit to organize and conduct gender specific election planning workshops/trainings with diverse disabilities and women’s groups; Produce a report on support provided to mainstream gender equality within the NEC structure, projects and programs - 42 days

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of the project.
Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
Treats all people fairly and without favoritism.

Functional Competencies:

Knowledge and expertise in democratic governance, electoral assistance and democratization.
Knowledge and expertise in gender mainstreaming practices in democratic governance and/or electoral processes;
The candidate should have significant experience in providing practical advice to policy makers; be able to work well with senior counterparts in government, electoral management bodies, civil society, political parties, and the donor community; and know how to contribute to building national capacity for development;
Strong communication and interpersonal skills, ability to foster networks and partnerships, and good working knowledge of information and computer technology. While representing UNDP views, the candidate should also be able to provide coordination among the UN family of agencies;
Demonstrates sound knowledge of UN rules, regulations, policies, procedures and best practices in the electoral assistance field;
Excellent negotiation and representational skills, at senior level (with international organizations and/or diplomatic missions);
Displays analytical judgment and demonstrated ability to handle confidential and politically sensitive issues in a responsible and mature manner;
Demonstrates strong intellectual and operational capacity in providing and coordinating advisory services to stakeholders in electoral processes, specifically to EMBs and civil society organizations;
Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities. Demonstrated ability to multitask under pressure and to meet strict deadlines often under hardship conditions.
Good understanding of the various stages of the electoral process [candidate nomination, accreditation of candidate and party agents, public outreach, voter

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Master degree or equivalent in Gender Studies, Anthropology, Sociology, Social Welfare, Development Studies or a related field, with a focus on International Development, Gender or Human Rights

Experience:

Minimum 7 years of experience in electoral assistance and gender mainstreaming, and well experienced in needs assessment planning and implementation;
Diversified and progressively responsible professional experience in Gender and Human Rights or International Development, specifically related to the promotion of gender equality and women's empowerment, including considerable experience dealing with policy makers and senior technical specialists; education, training etc.] and the electoral management body’s mandate;

Language:

Fluency in written and spoken of English

Criteria for Short listing:

Relevance of education/degree - 20 points;
Years of relevant experience - 50 points.
Adequacy of skills & competencies - 30 points;
Only shortlisted candidates will be forwarded the UNDP Procurement Notice.

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodologies:

Cumulative analysis

Award of the contract will be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

Responsive/compliant/acceptable;
Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria;
Technical Criteria - [70 points];
Financial Criteria - [30 points];
Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 70% of the total rating will be considered for the financial evaluation.