UN WOMEN Jobs - 91674- International Consultant: Transitional Phase, Seni

International Consultant: Transitional Phase, Senior Gender Adviser, Office of the IGAD

Advertised on behalf of

UN WOMEN

Location :

Juba, SOUTH SUDAN

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

01-Jun-2020

Application Deadline :

29-May-20 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

1 Year

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

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

South Sudan has been in conflict since December 2013, shortly after independence in July 2011, after years of liberation struggle from Sudan. To resolve the current crisis, the parties to

the conflict signed a peace agreement in August 2015, ‘Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan’ (ARCISS). A transitional government, the Transitional Government of South Sudan (TGoNU) was constituted by the parties to the conflict at the signing of the Peace Agreement. The implementation of the Peace Agreement however has faced implementation challenges, including the lack of political will to implement permanent ceasefire, new and emerging armed groups and splinter within the main armed opposition group, the SPLM/A – in Opposition (io).

The Intergovernmental Authority and Development (IGAD) and its Member States (Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda) have been leading the Mediation Process for South Sudan since the crisis that engulfed the country in 2013. In June 2017, IGAD Member States appointed a new Special Envoy for South Sudan to lead the mediation process, H.E. Ambassador Dr. Ismail Wais, and assisted by a team of technical and political experts. The Special Envoy has been facilitating in the revitalization of the ‘Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan’ through the High-Level Revitalization Forum of all parties to the conflict in Addis Ababa which started in December 2017 and continuing till early part of 2018, focusing on three main things – (i) to restore a permanent ceasefire; (ii) to fully implement the ARCSS; (iii) to revise the ARCSS implementation schedule in order to hold elections at the conclusion of the Agreement’s timetable.

UN Women has been supporting women’s engagement in the implementation of the Peace

Agreement in South Sudan since the outbreak of the current conflict, including women’s mobilization to develop a 7 Point Agenda to influence the Peace Agreement, supported women’s participation and engagement in negotiating the Peace Agreement and in engaging the current revitalization of the Peace Agreement, on developing gender sensitive reforms on security, constitution, elections etc., to ensure the inclusion of gender sensitive provisions and implementation. UN Women with support of its partners, has also supported the government to develop a national plan of action on UNSR 1325.

To strengthen gender analysis within, and women’s engagement with institutions that are tasked with negotiating, monitoring and implementing the provisions of the Peace Agreement, UN Women with support of Sweden, supports a senior Gender Adviser within RJMEC and in partnership with the Office of the Special Envoy of South Sudan and government of Canada, is seeking to place a senior Gender Adviser in the Office of the IGAD Special Envoy on South Sudan. This is to ensure that the office of the Special Envoy has all the gender analysis and tools to facilitate its work as the chief mediator of the Peace Agreement, and also ensure continued mobilization of women groups and networks across South Sudan, and in the diaspora, to engage with the transitional phase of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS), and ensuring that all provisions are implemented, taking account of gender issues and women’s empowerment.

Duties and Responsibilities

Technical assistance and strategic partnerships:

Provide systematic guidance and support to the Office of the IGAD Special Envoy on South Sudan to ensure implementation of commitments to promoting women’s meaningful participation and representation, addressing women’s needs in the Transitional Political process in South Sudan;
Strengthen and enhance partnership/cooperation/consultation/coordination of the IGAD Special Envoy on South Sudan and South Sudanese women and gender advocates in South Sudan and Diaspora to ensure women’s engagement in the implementation of a sustainable peace agreement in South Sudan;
Identify relevant actors/forums, seize advocacy opportunities and strengthen strategic partnerships to facilitate access of South Sudanese women’s organizations to all IGAD facilitated peace building and mediation forums, mechanisms and institutions;
Participate and advocate for equitable representation of women and gender expertise in the secretariat of the Office of the IGAD Special Envoy on South Sudan;
Support the Office of the IGAD Special Envoy to include gender issues and activities of South Sudanese women to facilitate peace across their communities and strategies in all Reports and Speeches of the IGAD Special Envoy;
Undertake any other task as required by the IGAD Special Envoy on South Sudan.

Policy dialogue and analysis:

Develop with other technical and political Advisors in the Office of the IGAD Special Envoy, integrating gender in the Special Envoy work and reporting to th
e IGAD Policy Organs (IGAD Heads of States and Governments, and the IGAD Council of Ministers);
Engage in high level advocacy to ensure women’s needs, priorities and aspirations are incorporated in the implementation of the RARCSS gender provisions, Constitution making processes, Transitional Justice, Economic Development, political process (electoral processes);
Facilitate training workshops and sensitization of government, women’s organizations and civil society organizations on effective inclusion and engagement of women in the mediation process.

Deliverables:

A work plan prepared, indicating proposed activities and expected results, indicators, outcomes, timeframe or proportion of time to be devoted to each. The work plan will be reviewed every three months and adjusted as necessary in consultation with the Office of the IGAD Special Envoy on South Sudan and the UN Women Country Representative.

Reporting:

Gender Policy Briefs on the mediation role of the IGAD Special Envoy;
Monthly monitoring report on gender equality and women’s empowerment in the IGAD mediation process, covering all progress and results in integrating a gender equality perspectives and representation of women. The report will summarize lessons related to achieving gender equality results and recommendations for future action;
Reports on activities and accomplishments (6 monthly report on progress, achievements; emerging issues and recommendations including adjustment to the work plan; year-end and/or end-of-contract report that adds to the six-monthly report a summary of lessons learned and recommendations related to the advisory function (e.g. lessons and recommendations related to ways of working, priorities, mechanisms).

Competencies

Core Values:

Respect for Diversity;
Integrity;
Professionalism.

Core Competencies:

Effective Communication;
Inclusive Collaboration;
Stakeholder Engagement;
Accountability;
Creative Problem Solving;
Leading by Example.

Functional Competencies:

Excellent analytical skills especially on mediation and on negotiating gender within Peace Agreements;
Excellent knowledge and experience on women, peace and security;
Ability to gather and interpret data, reach logical conclusions and present findings and recommendations.

Required Skills and Experience

Education and Certification:

Master’s degree or equivalent in social sciences, law, human rights gender/women's studies, international development, or a related field is required.

Experience:

At least 10 years of progressively responsible work experience in women, peace and security;
Experience on negotiating and working on Peace Agreements is an asset;
Previous experience working in a similar position is an asset;
Experience coordinating and liaising with government agencies, bilateral partners and UN agencies.

Language Requirements:

Fluency in English is required;
Knowledge of Arabic is an asset.

UN WOMEN applies fair and transparent selection process that would take into account the competencies/skills of the applicants as well as their financial proposals.

UN WOMEN 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.

Application Information:

All applications must include (as an attachment) the completed UN Women Personal History form (P-11) which can be downloaded from http://www.unwomen.org/about-us/employment;
Kindly note that the system will only allow one attachment, scan your documents into one single file.

Qualified women candidates are highly encouraged to apply.

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.