UNDP Jobs - 64653- Consultant - Gender Needs Assessment and Vulnerabi

Consultant - Gender Needs Assessment and Vulnerability Study in Humanitarian Action in Sudan

Location :

Khartoum, SUDAN

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

19-Mar-16 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

National Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

40 working days

Languages Required :

Arabic English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

40 working days

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

Grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, UN Women will work 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. Placing women's rights at the center of all its efforts, UN Women leads and coordinates United Nations System efforts to ensure that commitments on gender equality and gender mainstreaming translate into action throughout the world. It provides strong and coherent leadership in support of Member States' priorities and efforts, building effective partnerships with civil society and other relevant actors.

After years of humanitarian assistance in Sudan the situation remains acute and in some cases deteriorating. Despite on-going efforts to build lasting peace, the years 2014 and 2015 saw intensified fighting and a deepening of the humanitarian crisis in Darfur. Close to half a million people were displaced by conflict in Darfur last year and over 100,000 during the first month of this year, pushing the total number of IDPs in that part of the country to above 2.5 million, and 3.1 million across Sudan. In South Kordofan and Blue Nile State the ongoing violence has displaced thousands of individuals in government controlled areas, simultaneously the situation in SPLM-N controlled areas is considered critical as humanitarian access to the region is denied. Attacks on civilians in Darfur continue to be regularly reported. The protection of civilians is as important now as it ever has been. Following the outbreak of the conflict in South Sudan in December 2013 there has been a constant flow of South Sudanese into Sudan. Today Sudan is hosting one of the most protracted humanitarian crises worldwide, yet there is decreasing international attention to its humanitarian issues.

Needs are also driven by poverty, underdevelopment, and climactic factors. Sudan has some of the most acute child malnutrition rates in the world, with 2 million children under age five expected to be seriously affected in 2015. Some of the highest rates of malnutrition are found in eastern Sudan – an area free from conflict. Unpredictable rainfall pattern and the expected El Nino impacts which affects harvest and food supply and result in flash-floods also drive displacement and destruction of livelihoods in other areas. This situation exposes communities to loss of life, loss of means of sustainable livelihoods, destruction of property, deteriorating health services, forced recruitment of boys and male youth into the fighting groups, as well as rape, and other forms of gender based violence against women and girls.

In Sudan, gender has been considered a priority and cross cutting issue within the humanitarian sector. The message has been that all humanitarian projects in Sudan must take into considerations the needs of women, girls, boys and men. Gender-responsive humanitarian action helps to ensure a more accurate understanding of a humanitarian situation, facilitates the design of more appropriate responses, highlights opportunities and resources within an affected community, and can provide a link between humanitarian assistance and long-term development. It helps to ensure that humanitarian assistance is planned and implemented in a way that benefits all sectors of the affected population, in line with an analysis of their specific rights, needs, and capacities.

Guided by the UN Women SP for 2014-2017, related Flagship Programme Initiatives and the corporate Humanitarian Strategy, UN has the mandate and technical capacity to support the HCT in Sudan to ensure gender-responsive Humanitarian Response Plan. In sum, UN Women intends to support better preparedness for conflict/disasters and other potential crises through provision of evidence on gender needs in affected areas to improve women and girls, men and boys access to quality services.

To support the HCT ongoing action to respond to the humanitarian needs in Sudan, UN Women will undertake a “Gender Risk Analysis and Vulnerability Study” to support both high level and community based advocacy, mobilization and programming, contributing to effective national engagement on humanitarian action in Sudan through. UN Women in Sudan is therefore seeking to engage the services of an experienced National Consultant to undertake this study.

Duties and Responsibilities

This study is expected to be undertaken in Khartoum, 3 States of Darfur (North, South, and West) in addition to South Kordofan and the White Nile states.

Methodology

The assessment will commence with an inception period which will involve a comprehensive desk review of the available data on gender and humanitarian action in Sudan from the HCT, initial key informant interviews with partners, field trips and visits to the camps. This inception phase will inform the methodology for the main exercise and also provide some background information.

For the main assessment exercise, purposive sampling is to be used during the assessment as the means of data collection. Primary and secondary data collection methods are to be utilized. Primary data is to be collected through key informant interviews with humanitarian actors and IDPs, focus group discussions and through observations in the Protection of Civilians Sites (PoCS) and spontaneous settlements.

Assessment Phases

The pre-assessment phase will cover the following:

Review of any related information documented on gender and humanitarian action in Sudan;
Compilation of available sex and age disaggregated data to inform the assessment;
Preparation of focus group discussion questions Development of the methodology to be employed for the assessment;
Development of tools to be used for the collection and compilation of key information (including disaggregated data);
Mapping and analysis of stakeholders providing gender related programme with a focus on the promotion of age, gender equality and diversity related initiatives including on SGBV referral systems in place.

Assessment phase:

Identification of key informants and focus groups for data collection;
Briefing of key informants and focus groups on the assessment;
Conduction of a comprehensive gender needs assessment for targeted affected population.

Post assessment phase:

Identification of the needs of women, men, boys and girls of affected population based on their sex, age and abilities
Preparation and consolidation of information collected to inform a gender and humanitarian response for UN Women and its partners.

Thematic areas to be covered by the assessment:

Through different interactions and discussions with key stakeholders including selected sampling of IDPs and refugees in Protection of Civilians Sites (PoCS), the gender and humanitarian assessment aims to conduct a rapid assessment of gender and humanitarian response in different areas. The gender and humanitarian assessment will also look at the level of participation of women, girls and other persons of concern in leadership and other decision making structures, including the accessing of basic services for their survival and livelihood.

The areas to be covered include but are not limited to:

Camp coordination and camp management;
Protection including S/GBV;
Livelihood;
Education;
Food;
Health and nutrition;
Wash;
Energy and Environment;
Shelter and infrastructure;
Sanitation and hygiene;
NFI/Nutrition/Early Recovery.

Competencies

Core Competencies:

Accountability;
Planning & Organization;
Judgment & Decision making;
Building Trust.

Functional Competencies:

Ability to extract, interpret and analyze data from diverse kind of sources;
Ability to produce analytical reports;
Ability to perform work of confidential nature and handle a large volume of work ;
Strong interpersonal skills, communication and diplomatic skills;
Ability to work in a team;
Openness to change and ability to receive/integrate feedback;
Ability to focus on result for the client and responds positively to feedback;
Ability to work under pressure and stressful situations;
Flexibility and adaptability to changes and tolerance to uncertainty;
Strong IT skills; excellent knowledge of office software packages.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Master’s degree in humanitarian, disaster management, gender studies, or development-related disciplines, public policy/administration, or other social science fields.

Experience:

At least 7 years of progressively responsible experience in gender and humanitarian action and programming preferably in conflict, disaster and post-conflict/disaster settings;
In-depth knowledge of relevant national and international gender equality standards in humanitarian settings;
Strong record in undertaking research;
Excellent writing skills and experience developing analysis and report documents on gender and humanitarian related areas;
Substantive knowledge of Sudan context on gender and humanitarian issues; knowledge about current political, social and economic situation is an asset;
Demonstrated ability and excellent communication skills to facilitate group discussions and the ability to deal with multi-stakeholders groups;
Familiarity and experience with UN and the humanitarian system coordination;
Experience in results-based programme planning, formulation, implementation and monitoring.

Language:

Written and oral proficiency in English and Arabic is required.