Background

  • Young people are the fastest growing segment of the population in both poor and middle-income developing countries, and their welfare is fundamental to achieving key economic and social objectives. Fully engaged, educated, healthy and productive young people can help break multi-generational poverty, are resilient in the face of personal and societal threats and, as skilled and informed citizens, they can contribute effectively to the strengthening of their communities and nations. On the contrary, if subjected to violence and harmful practices, discrimination or deprived of resources and services, the consequences for young people are almost always evident in the status of their sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and rights as well as in the general economic progress;
  • Despite the progress achieved at policy and governance level, women (and girls) are still subject to gender discrimination. The economic deprivations of families, as well as girls and women’s lack of access to economic opportunities and resources affect their SRHR; a recent small-scale qualitative research showed that girls’ and young women’s poverty and their poor bargaining power within society exposes them to greater risk of unsafe sex. This appears to be driven by a combination of lack of economic alternatives and existing social norms and cultural practices, lack of information and awareness, as well as lack of access to or power to use contraceptives - with adolescent girls particularly at risk[1];
  • Based in the premisse that the challenges requires a multidisciplinary approach the United Nations in Mozambique, with the financement from Sweden will implement the joint programme “Action for Girls and Young Women’s Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights in Mozambique”. This programme includes actions to support development of skills of vulnerable girls from 10 to 24 years old, in the areas of communication, participation, sexual health and reproductive health and rights, economic empowerment and human rights. The program anticipates that a stronger emphasis in providing economic opportunities for girls and young women to respond to poverty that drives them to the risks even when they have access to information, knowledge about sexual health and reproductive health and rights;
  • UN Women, the United Nation Entity for Gender Equality and Women and Empowerment will contribute for the economic empowerment component integrated in the result 2.9 “Access to micro finances, vocational training and development of small and medium small and medium enterprises for girls and young women. UN Women is contracting consultancy services to conduct an exploratory study to collect relevant information as well as to design a strategy and an action plan and define the interventions based in the local context;
  • [1] UN Habitat Mozambique Urban Profile, 2012

Duties and Responsibilities

OBJECTIVES OF THE EXPLORATORY STUDY:

  • Conduct an exploratory study on the opportunities for the economic empowerment of girls and young women in 10 districts of Nampula province.

 

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES:

  • Identify the policies or another existing measures that can contribute to the enhance or constrain economic empowerment, particularly to girls and young women targeted by the programme in Nampula province;
  • car as políticas ou outras medidas? existentes que podem contribuir para potenciar ou constranger? o empoderamento económico das raparigas e mulheres jovens particularmente as abrangidas pelo programa na Província de Nampula
  • Collect data and information about existing viable economic opportunities (for employment and self-employment) for girls and young women in 10 districts of Nampula (Cidade de Nampula, Angoche, Muecate, Mogovolas, Moma, Monapo, Nacala Porto, Rapale, Meconta, Ilha de Moçambique);
  • Identify the constrains that affects the employment and self-employment of young women and girls targeted by this programme in 10 districts;
  • Identify the opportunities for technical and vocational training and guidance for students in 10 districts;
  • Identify existing financing opportunities and technical support available to enable economic activities of girls and young women;
  • Assess the availability of local actors to contribute to the economic empowerment of young women and girls and respective procedures;
  • Identify comprehensive approach to experience the economic empowerment of young women and girls, analyze the strengths and weaknesses and propose ways to adapt to the project;
  • Formulate a strategy and an action plan to promote the economic empowerment of girls and young women under the program and professional orientation of students in secondary schools;

 

METHODOLOGY

  • Bibliographical and document review including national policies and relevant international documents, semi-structured interviews with key informants. Primacy will be given the qualitative techniques in order to obtain a deep understanding of the opportunities and challenges for the economic empowerment of young women. The study should involve all key actors from public and private sector as well as non-governmental;

 

EXPECTED OUTPUTS AND CRONOGRAM

  • A final report about the opportunities for the economic empowerment of girls and young women form 10 districts of Nampula, covering all topics stated in the specific objectives;
  • A strategy and an Action Plan for the economic empowerment of young women and girls targeted by the project for the period of 2017-2020;
  • A descriptive compilation of all actors that can offer economic empowerment opportunities;

 

CRONOGRAM

  • The study will have a maximum duration of 40 days according to the following preliminary schedule:

#  Outputs  (Term/Period)

1   Methodology and detailed working plan and list of institutions to be contacted in each location and an analysis of key national policies (17 October 2016)

2  Conducting the study (20 October to 30 November 2016)

3  Presentation of preliminary results to UN Women (1 December 2016)

4   Presentation of preliminary results to the participants of the research and to UN Agencies involved in the programme as well as to key partners/validation in Nampula 9 December 2016

5   Presentation of the Final Report to UN Women (15 December 2016)

 

DURATION OF THE CONSULTANCY

  • The consultancy will have a duration of 40 working days. The final report will be submitted no later than 15th December 2016;

 

IMPLEMENTATION AND SUPERVISION

  • The consultancy will be under UN Women general supervision that will be will be responsible for monitoring and approval of consulting products;

 

COSTS

  • The total cost of the consultancy should comply with the following lines: Fees, consumables, travel expenses (perdiem, tickets, local transportation: taxi or car rental, fuel and lubricating oils) and contingencies (5%);

 

PROCESS FOR APPLICATIONS SUBMITION

  • The applications for qualified candidates should be submitted until 5th October, 2016 to www.undp.jobs.org;
  • UN Women reserves the right to contact only the selected person;

 

REFERENCE DOCUMENTS (INDICATIVE)

  • Project Document “Action for Girls and Young Women’s Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights in Mozambique”;
  • Sustainable Development Goals;
  • Policy of National Employment;
  • Strategic Provincial and District Development Plans;
  • Government Five-Year Program 2015-2019;
  • Report of Mozambique on the Implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.

Competencies

CORPORATE:

  • Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards (human rights, peace, understanding between peoples and nations, tolerance, integrity, respect, results orientation (UNDP core ethics) impartiality;
  • Display comfort working with politically sensitive situations;
  • Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

FUNCTIONAL:

  • Conscientious and efficient in meeting deadlines, observing deadlines and achieving results;
  • Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail;
  • Responds to communications by email and skype on a timely basis;
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills required for effective collaboration with government counterparts, UNDP and various other stakeholders;
  • Demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed;
  • Excellent writing, editing, and oral communication skills;
  • Works collaboratively with colleagues/organizations to achieve organizational goals;
  • Solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise;
  • Places team agenda before personal agenda.

Required Skills and Experience

EDUCATION

  • Possess graduate in Economics, Development Studies, Business Administration, Social Sciences or related field;

EXPERIENCE

  • More than ten (10) years of proven experience in the subject areas relevant to gender equality, economic empowerment of women, financial inclusion, and empowerment of women; support to micro, small and medium enterprises;
  • Depth knowledge of the institutional, legal and policy framework for the promotion of gender equality and the network of defense of women's rights organizations;
  • Having led the preparation of similar studies programs and/or management of self-employment projects and/or economic enterprises; 
  • Knowledge of Results Based Management and proven experience of using the approach in the formulation of action plans;
  • Proven capacity for planning, collection and systematization of data, working under pressure and meeting the agreed deadlines and;

LANGUAGE

  • Fluency in Portuguese, English and languages spoken in Nampula.