Antecedentes

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the UN’s global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in 177 countries and territories, working with governments and people on their own solutions to global and national development challenges. As they develop local capacity, they draw on the people of UNDP and our wide range of partners that can bring about results.

The Bureau for Development Policy (BDP) is UNDP’s policy Bureau and backbone of the global practices.  BDP has a key role to play in helping country offices to accelerate human development through strengthening the practice areas within UNDP’s programmes.  BDP supports the development and design of projects that are responsive, effective and contribute to the national-level policies and results.  Driven by demand, BDP provides tools, analysis and capacities for country offices to make a real difference in UNDP’s practice areas.

 BDP supports UNDP’s 2008-2013 Strategic Plan, focusing on 6 thematic areas: Poverty Reduction, Governance, Environment and Energy, HIV/AIDS, Capacity Development, and Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment.  

HIV, Health and Development Approach

UNDP is a founding cosponsor of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), a partner of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and a co-sponsor of several other international health partnerships. UNDP’s work on HIV, health and development leverages the organization’s core strengths and mandates in human development, governance and capacity development to complement the efforts of specialist health-focused UN agencies. UNDP delivers three types of support to countries in HIV, health and development. 
 
First, UNDP helps countries to mainstream attention to HIV and health into action on gender, poverty and the broader effort to achieve and sustain the Millennium Development Goals. For example, UNDP works with countries to understand the social and economic factors that play a crucial role in driving health and disease, and to respond to such dynamics with appropriate policies and programmes outside the health sector. UNDP also promotes specific action on the needs and rights of women and girls as they relate to HIV.

Second, UNDP works with partners to address the interactions between governance, human rights and health responses.   Sometimes this is done through focused or specialized programmes, such as promoting attention to the role of legal environments (law and access to justice) in facilitating stronger HIV responses, including the use of flexibilities in intellectual property and human rights law to lower the cost of drugs and diagnostics and to increase access to HIV-related treatment. UNDP also works to empower and include people living with HIV and marginalized populations who are disproportionately affected by HIV - also known as key populations - such as sex workers, men who have sex with men, transgender people. Beyond these focused efforts, UNDP plays a key role in ensuring attention to HIV and health within broader governance and rights initiatives, including support to district and municipal action on MDGs, strengthening of national human rights institutions and increasing access to justice for marginalized populations.
 
Third, as a trusted, long-term partner with extensive operational experience, UNDP supports countries in effective implementation of complex, multilateral and multisectoral health projects, while simultaneously investing in capacity development so that national and local partners can assume these responsibilities over time. The UNDP/Global Fund partnership is an important part of this work, facilitating access to resources for action on MDG 6 by countries that face constraints in directly receiving and managing such funding. UNDP partners with countries in crisis/post-crisis situations, those with weak institutional capacity or governance challenges, and countries under sanctions. When requested, UNDP acts as interim Principal Recipient in these settings, working with national partners and the Global Fund to improve management, implementation and oversight of Global Fund grants, while simultaneously developing national capacity for governments or local entities to be able to assume the Principal Recipient role over time.

Deberes y responsabilidades

The HIV, Health and Development Group in the Bureau for Development Policy has a cluster on Mainstreaming, Gender, and MDGs. This cluster includes UNDP’s role as co-lead UNAIDS cosponsoring agency on Gender issues. Gender inequality and harmful gender norms are not only associated with the spread of HIV but also with its consequences. Women and girls bear a disproportionate burden of responsibility for families and communities affected by HIV, and women who disclose their HIV-positive status often face greater stigma and suffer more extreme negative reactions than men. Gender norms and expectations also influence male sexuality, risk-taking and their vulnerability to HIV. While promoting gender equality is important in itself, it is also crucial to fostering more effective national HIV responses, and to ensuring broader public health and human rights.

Working with the UNDP HIV, Health and Development Group in BDP, under the overall guidance of the Gender Advisor, the consultant will undertake the assignments outlined below. 

 Specific Deliverables

  • Support the HHD team in implementation of UNAIDS Agenda for Women and Girls and UNDP’s role as co-convener for UNAIDS working group on women, girls, gender equality and gender-based violence.
Expected Outputs
  • Inputs provided for key messages and other communication tools to ensure recent evidence and updated policy discourse is reflected, on issues including, but not limited to HIV and: gender equality, gender-based violence; women’s legal empowerment and access to justice; working with men and boys to address the gender dimensions of HIV; CEDAW; customary law; and other gender-related topics. Provide inputs in a form of reports (minimum 1-2 pages each).
  • Research and analysis conducted on emerging gender, NCD and health issues, including malaria. Provide HHD Team with research report/s (approximately 5-10 pages).
  • Provide logistical support for global consultation on the social determinants of malaria (tentative).

Competencias

  • Demonstrated analytical skills on gender and development;
  • Ability to work with a multi-disciplinary team and in a multi-cultural environment;
  • Excellent communication, presentation and writing skills;
  • Familiarity with the UN system, in particular with UNDP and its mandate.

Habilidades y experiencia requeridas

Education
  • Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or higher) in international development, either in health or gender or in a related field.
Experience
  • Minimum 5 years of experience in the area of gender equality and women’s empowerment;
  • Strong track record of research and writing;
  • Knowledge of gender and human rights issues;
  • Good organizational skills;
  • Expertise in HIV and development issues;
  • Working knowledge and experience of UNDP policies and programmes in the area of gender equality would be beneficial.
Language
  • Fluency in English (written and oral);
  • Knowledge of another UN language is desirable.

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