Background

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.

The Policy Division develops and implements the UN Women programme of work on analysis, research and knowledge management that provides the evidence base for the advice and guidance UN Women provides to the intergovernmental process, the UN system, and to UN Women staff working at country and regional level. It identifies emerging issues and trends and develops and proposes new strategies for achieving the agreed goals through innovative approaches and lessons learned about what works in practice.

Economic empowerment is one of the priority areas of UN Women. UN Women’s Economic Empowerment Section works with governments and multilateral partners to promote women’s economic empowerment and increase their access to economic opportunities, especially for those who are most excluded.

The gender-responsive implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development will require significant societal transformations and behavioral changes across the globe.  It will require using the power of science, technology and innovation for the benefit of all women and men, girls and boys. From mobile banking ventures that facilitate women’s entrepreneurship to e-learning platforms that take classrooms to individuals, technology is a powerful tool to increase awareness, access and the availability of opportunities. This is particularly true for women experiencing marginalization due to their age, ethnicity, education, income, disability, location or migratory status, among others.

At the same time, it is increasingly clear that technology and innovation can be rejected; that they can create new, unforeseen problems of their own; and that they do not benefit all equally. Not only are women under-represented across science, technology, engineering and mathematics, but new technology brings risks of bias and possibilities for misuse, creating new human rights challenges for the 21st century.

UN Women’s Strategic Plan (2018-2021) emphasizes innovation and technology as drivers of change. By 2021 the numbers of women who are connected should increase significantly, as should those with access to virtual education, who are producing gender-responsive content, and providing ICT services and expertise.

Under the direct supervision of the Chief of the Economic Empowerment Section, the Policy Specialist: Women in Tech/ ICT will serve as a global focal point providing policy advice and technical support on women in technology (ICT, STEM, STI, AI, digital finance) to UN Women senior management and HQ and field offices, as well to partners, and contributing to interagency and intergovernmental processes.

Duties and Responsibilities

Provide policy guidance and technical support on women in technology (ICT, STEM, STI, AI, digital finance):

• Provide technical support to develop a Women in Tech portfolio of projects and advisory work, including on gender-responsive policies and regulations, digital engagement (digital economy, digital government, digital inclusion) and investments in digital infrastructure and digital finance;
• Develop policy briefs and guidance on key issues related to women in technology;
• Identify policy gaps, emerging issues and cutting-edge knowledge on women in technology, including on reaching illiterate and innumerate populations with digital finance and other ICT solutions;
• Provide policy advice and support to UN-Women senior management, HQ and field offices to develop strategies and initiatives on women in technology;
• Provide technical contributions to global annual reports, project assessment committees (PACs) and annual peer review of regional and/or country office Strategic Notes and annual work plans;
• Ensure timely contributions to corporate documents, briefs and other strategic papers/ materials for development and presentation of policy and programmatic positions and donor proposals.

Facilitate and oversee knowledge management on women in technology:

• Facilitate and oversee development and dissemination of policy papers, practice notes/concepts and other knowledge products to help influence/advance policy dialogue and the evidence base for action;
• Create opportunities for experts and practitioners to share expertise, lessons learned and good practices by organizing online and offline dialogues (e.g. technical meetings/ consultations/conferences/webinars, etc.).

Provide substantive support to interagency and intergovernmental processes:

• Provide technical support for the development and monitoring of global normative and intergovernmental standards on gender responsive policies for women in technology;
• Provide substantive guidance on gender mainstreaming in interagency and intergovernmental processes;
• Provide technical contributions and participate in international meetings and conferences and bringing UN Women expertise into global debates and discussions;
• Draft background papers and briefings for UN Women senior management for engagement in intergovernmental bodies such as the Commission on the Status of Women, Economic and Social Council, the General Assembly and other policy-making organs, and prepare analytical summaries of debates, supporting negotiations and outcomes.

Facilitate partnerships and collaboration on Women in Tech:

• Identify, propose, and coordinate opportunities for collaboration and partnerships with research institutions, civil society organizations and/or think tanks working in this area focused on ICT/STEM, STI, to bring learning and innovative practices into UN-Women’s work;
• Participate in and/or represent UN Women as needed in internal and external meetings;
• Provide technical support for UN Women’s engagement with and ED’s participation in the Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development, EQUALS Global Partnership, and other initiatives focused on gender digital equality.

Key Performance Indicators: 

The successful performance of the Policy Specialist of the key functions directly result in effective and innovative policy guidance and initiatives in the area of women in tech.

• High quality and timely  research, analysis and writing on women in technology as per annual workplan;
• Quality technical support to UN Women country, multi-country and regional offices on women in technology;
• Quality and timely inputs to briefings, knowledge products, publications and other documents which contribute to positioning UN Women as a knowledge leader and repository on women in technology sector;
• Quality representation, coordination and contributions to intergovernmental/interagency fora.

Competencies

Core Values:

• Respect for Diversity;
• Integrity;
• Professionalism.

Core Competencies:

• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues;
• Accountability;
• Creative Problem Solving;
• Effective Communication;
• Inclusive Collaboration;
• Stakeholder Engagement;
• Leading by Example. 

Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Core Values and Competencies: http://www.unwomen.org/-/media/headquarters/attachments/sections/about us/employment/un-women-employment-values-and-competencies-definitions-en.pdf

FUNCTIONAL COMPETENCIES:

• Substantive knowledge related to current policies and practices in the area of women in technology (ICT, STEM, STI, AI, digital finance, etc.);
• Ability to conceptualize and convey strategic vision from the spectrum of development experience;
• Strong oral and written communications skills, with proven expertise in writing cogent and convincing policy and programme documents;
• Proven analytical and problem-solving skills;
• Ability to leverage information technology, executive information systems, management techniques and tools for optimal office performance;
• Excellent planning, goal-setting and prioritization skills;
• Demonstrated effectiveness in establishing and fostering good relations with representatives of government, corporations, academia, UN entities, donors, and civil society;
• Proven track record of excellent management and technical leadership skills and ability to delegate appropriate responsibility.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Master's degree (or equivalent) in gender studies, public policy, international affairs, STI, economics or related field.

Experience:

• At least 5 years of experience that combines working with ICT, STEM, STI, or digital finance with policy analysis and advocacy for gender equality and women’s economic empowerment
• Demonstrated engagement experience with stakeholders in the ICT/STEM/STI/digital finance sectors, particularly to deliver on the gender equality agenda.

Languages:

• Fluency in English is required;
• Knowledge of the other UN official working language is an asset.

Application:

All applications must include (as an attachment) the completed UN Women Personal History form (P-11) which can be downloaded from https://www.unwomen.org/-/media/headquarters/attachments/sections/about%20us/employment/un-women-p11-personal-history-form.doc?la=en&vs=558. Kindly note that the system will only allow one attachment. Applications without the completed UN Women P-11 form will be treated as incomplete and will not be considered for further assessment.

Note:

In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. The creation of UN Women came about as part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact. It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system (DAW, OSAGI, INSTRAW and UNIFEM), which focused exclusively on gender equality and women's empowerment.