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 centre of all its efforts, UN women will lead and coordinate United Nations System efforts to ensure that commitments on gender equality and gender mainstreaming translate into action throughout the world. It will provide strong and coherent leadership in support of Member States' priorities and efforts, building effective partnerships with civil society and other relevant actors.
 
The Government of Mozambique takes the challenge of reducing poverty as a fundamental condition for the promotion of human and social development. This goal is embedded in the national development strategies and plans such as the Action Plan for the Reduction of Absolute Poverty, PARP, and the country's long-term strategic vision (Agenda 2025). The PARP defines its strategy around the three pillars of Governance, Human Capital and Economy and Development. The strategy also includes eight crosscutting issues, including gender and disaster risk management. The inclusion of disaster risk management highlights the need, as a development priority, for long-term planning to reduce the vulnerability of communities and infrastructure exposed to natural phenomena. Mozambique is also a signatory to the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) 2005-2015, the global disaster risk reduction agenda. The Framework agreed to include a mandate in relation to gender equality and empowerment of women in the context of disaster risk reduction. The Framework states that a gender perspective should be integrated into all DRR policies, plans and decision-making processes, including those related to risk assessment, early warning, information management, and education and training.
 
In line with the Hyogo Framework and the PARP, the Council of Ministers approved the Master Plan For Prevention And Mitigation Of Natural Disasters in October 2006. The Master Plan presents a ten years strategy aimed at strengthening capacity in Mozambique to mitigate the impact of frequent natural disasters. The plan focuses on reforms and improvements in the areas of water resource management, agricultural diversification and alternative livelihoods, and emergency management, including the creation of national early warning, preparedness and response frameworks.
 
Disasters, emergencies and the negative impacts of climate change affect women and girls differently from men and boys and often in situations of natural disasters they lose the capacity to sustain their own and their family's livelihood. This results from the combined factors of natural hazards and people's vulnerabilities that can take several expressions such as physical exposure, socioeconomic vulnerability, and limited capacity to reduce vulnerability and disaster risk.
 
Women are often more vulnerable in disaster, emergencies and under the negative impacts of climate change due to their subordinate social and economic status (they are poorer and more vulnerable than men, lack participation in decision-making processes and are often viewed as passive, vulnerable and helpless). As a result, they increase gender-specific physical insecurity and suffer additional abuse, especially in remote rural areas. Nevertheless, there are studies that reveal that in several cases even when uprooted, women take responsibility for themselves and for other members of their households. Addressing gender inequalities and promoting the adoption of a gender equality perspective is crucial to avoid insecurity. In DRR activities and programmes, including emergencies and preparedness, usually women assume new roles and responsibilities to ensure the survival of their families during a crisis.  If their husbands, sons or male representatives are absent, women frequently become the sole nurturers, providers and community spokespeople.
 
The efforts of the Government of Mozambique in strengthening gender issues in disaster risk reduction and emergency preparedness issues is reflected in several strategies and polices. The Mozambican gender policy aims at equity of participation and access for both women and men, recognizing their role pertaining to national sustainable development objectives. Its principles are based on the promotion and strengthening of both women and men at all levels as well as to women's empowerment.
 
The Gender Policy and Strategy for its Implementation specifically emphasizes the creation of conditions for greater participation of women in management and conservation of the environment. Additionally, in the National Plan for the Advancement of Women 2007-2009, the government has identified "Women, Environment and Agriculture" as one of the seven critical areas of intervention and commits itself to integration of a gender perspective in the development of related policies and programmes. PARPA II also emphasizes the establishment of gender units, capacity development and integration of gender in sector plans and budgets as a priority for the government.
 
The National Institute for Disaster Management (INGC) is the government body with primary responsibility for the coordination of natural disaster plans, policies and interventions. INGC is subordinated to the Minister of State Administration (MAE). The core strategies of the INGC are to address vulnerability reduction and emergency planning and response. In order to strengthen the mainstreaming of gender in the implementation of the Master Plan For Prevention And Mitigation Of Natural Disasters, the INGC will elaborate an Institutional Strategy and Action Plan for Gender and Disaster Management, in close cooperation with the MAE and the Ministry of Women and Social Affairs (MMAS), setting the direction for the practical implementation of gender commitments.

Duties and Responsibilities

Objectives of the Consultancy:
  • Elaborate a Strategy that incorporates the necessary steps to the integration of gender issues in programmes/activities in the Disaster Management Sector. This should be done with the view of reducing and adapting the effects of disaster and strengthening the participation of women and the poorest people in the promotion and implementation of projects of disaster management, considering the specific needs of women and men.
  • Include in the strategy the issue of gender equity within INGC as an organization.
  • Design an Action Plan for the next 5 years (2011-2016).
  • Strengthen institutional technical capacities within INGC at all levels to  plan, budget and implement the gender equality commitments spelled out in all strategic documents and policies; and create national capacity for implementing the Strategy and action plan.
  • Institutionalize planning tools, procedures and methodologies for a gender responsive planning, budgeting, monitoring and impact evaluation.
  • Strengthen mechanisms to ensure coordination between relevant government institutions (e.g. MAE, MMAS) in relation to integration of gender in the sector.
Tasks to be undertaken by the International Consultant:
  • Review important documents at the national sphere about disaster management issues related and gender issues which reflect the national needs.
  • Carry out a Gender Audit of current and planned activities of INGC.
  • Identify the frame of key actors to the actions of Disaster Management, including Public Institutions, Civil Society and the Private Sector.
  • Elaborate an inventory of national programmes and projects and of bilateral and multilateral cooperation developed and being developed, related to Disaster Management including their strategic objectives, main actors, areas of geographical coverage, interventions and expected results and implementation period based drawing from existing information. A Matrix should be incorporated based on this information.
  • Identify the gaps and tasks needed to integrate gender in the main policy and strategy documents for Disaster Management.
  • During the elaboration of the Strategy, it is required that information from the community level is included.
  • Produce the Strategy for integration of gender in Disaster Manager including measures related with gender and sensible indicator to the monitoring of integration of gender during the implementation of activities.
  • Provide a list of practical instruments that will assist the implementation of the Action Plan.
  • Integrate the toolbox on Integration of Gender in Disaster Management and Climate Change.  
  • Ensure coordination with relevant sector strategies and policies as well as with MAE and MMAS.
  • Include section on how the strategy will be incorporated into revised and new Strategies, Operational Plans, etc. of INGC.
  • Include section on capacity building on and integration of Gender Responsive Budgeting as necessary.
  • Present the document, during the elaboration phase, to Forums whenever necessary. 
  • Provide a workshop with INGC during elaboration.
Expected Results:
  • Strategy for Gender Mainstreaming in Disaster Management elaborated.
  • Action Plan on Gender Mainstreaming in Disaster Management (2011 - 2016) designed.
  • Technical Capacity on Gender, and Disaster Management and organizational structure supporting the implementation of the Action Plan created.

Duration and Location:

  • The contract period will be 25 days including a 4-days mission to Mozambique.

Competencies

CORE VALUES / GUIDING PRINCIPLES:
  • Integrity: Demonstrating consistency in upholding and promoting the values of UN Women in actions and decisions, in line with the UN Code of Conduct.
  • Cultural Sensitivity/Valuing diversity: Demonstrating an appreciation of the multicultural nature of the organization and the diversity of its staff. Demonstrating an international outlook, appreciating differences in values and learning from cultural diversity. 

SPECIFIC COMPETENCIES:

  • Professionalism: Ability to work under frequent pressure and to meet deadlines; Ability to plan, prioritize and deliver tasks effectively and on time, Good analytical and facilitation skills.
  • Good interpersonal skills; Displays cultural and gender sensitivity and adaptability; Contributes effectively in team-based activities with partners, sharing knowledge and information; Strong team work and facilitation skills.
  • Drafting skills and ability to prepare concise analyses and reports; proven ability to communicate complex issues to partner organizations; Proven initiative and creative abilities, record of teaching and working harmoniously in teams.
  • Computer Skills.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

  • Master's Degree (or equivalent) on Social or Environmental Sciences and experience on Gender. 
  • Knowledge of the dynamics of Public Management in Mozambique.
  • Knowledge of gender issues in Mozambique.
Experience:
  • Minimum of 5 years of experience on the development and management of Projects or Programmes, preferably in planning of Public Policies and gender mainstreaming and disaster.
  • Experience on Gender Responsive Budgeting, Disaster Management and public planning.
  • Experience of elaboration of public strategy documents.
  • Experience on Disaster Risk Management and or Humanitarian Assistance desirable.

Language Requirements:

  • Fluency in Portuguese (written and oral) and knowledge of English (written).

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.
 
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. Applications without the completed UN Women P-11 form will be treated as incomplete and will not be considered for further assessment.