Background

Grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, UN Women 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. Placing women’s rights at the center 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 national priorities and efforts, building effective partnerships with government, civil society and other relevant actors.

In Nepal, UN Women's programmes focus on strengthening women’s voice, agency and leadership across sectors to advance women’s rights, provide space for women’s meaningful participation and to demonstrate tangible differences in their lives. The programme adopts a holistic and integrated approach across UN Women’s five thematic priorities. It is guided by Nepal’s stated priorities (including those from the Approach Paper to the Three-Year Plan 2013-2016) and its commitments to relevant normative frameworks, the country’s UNDAF 2013-2017, the CEDAW Concluding Observations (2011) and UN Women’s Corporate Strategic Plan 2014-2017. The programme promotes national ownership, capacity development and institutionalization, inclusiveness, coordination and partnerships, and knowledge generation and management, and seeks to prioritize engagement with and support to key duty bearers who are responsible for advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment (GEWE) and with rights holders so they can exercise voice and agency.

UN Women has been supporting Ministry of Finance (MOF) for the implementation and institutionalization of GRB system in Nepal since 2001. The GRB system was institutionalized in Nepal with the establishment of GRBC at the MOF in 2005 with the mandate to recommend for the formulation of gender responsive policy, plan, budget, and implementation and monitoring, capacity building, tracking expenditure and evaluation. MOF formally introduced the GRB system with the recommendation of GRBC since Fiscal Year 2007/2008. This has been strengthened with the integration of GRB system in the MOF’s Budget Management Information System (BMIS) and Line Ministry Budget Information System (LMBIS) in 2007/08 through UN Women support. With the technical and financial support from UN Women MOF has revised GRB classification criteria in its budgeting system in 2012.  UN Women also providing support to the Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development (MOFALD) for the localization of GRB.  To strengthen this GRB initiative at the national and local level, a GRB-TE service is required. The GRB-TE will provide support to the MOF and other line ministries for strengthening and institutionalization of GRB system and provide support to the MOFALD to facilitate the adoption of GRB principles at the local level. S/he will work closely with relevant government line ministries to support, policy advocacy and trainings, coalitions and lobbying for strengthening capacities of the relevant government officials at various levels.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the overall guidance of the Joint Secretary MOF, and direct supervision of the Deputy Representative, and Programme Specialist, Governance and National Planning Unit of UN Women Nepal, the GRB-TE will be responsible for providing specialized technical support to MOF, MOFALD, Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare (MOWCSW) and other line ministries for the strengthening and institutionalization of GRB system at national and local level.  S/he will maintain a network with colleagues from UN Agencies, government officials, multi-lateral and bi-lateral donors and civil society; and promotes good cooperation and coordination between UN Women and Government counterparts. Primarily, the GRB-TE will be stationed at the MOF but will work at UN Women for two days per week. 

Summary of Key Functions:

• Advisory and specialized technical support;
• Knowledge management and capacity building;
• Partnership development, coordination and resource mobilization.

Advisory and specialized technical support to MOF, MOFALD and line ministries on gender responsive budgeting (GRB)

• Provide specialized technical support to the UN Women, MOF, MOFALD, MOWCSW and line ministries for enhancing GRB in programming cycle (i.e. planning, implementation, monitoring, reporting and evaluation) and institutionalization and localization  of GRB systems in Nepal;
• Support maintaining a robust coordination between UN Women and MOF, MOFALD, and other line ministries, local level government bodies as well as development partners; and provide updated information with regard to integration of GRB issues in programming cycle;
• Provide required technical support and guidance to integrate GRB principles in implementation of normative frameworks and international standards for women’s human rights, including the CEDAW, BPfA, the MDGs and UNSCRs 1325 and 1820 at the national and district level;
• Support for conducting GRBC meetings and implementation of its decisions;
• Support on refining the current GRB system;
• Support MOF to organize annual pre-budget discussions on GRB
• Support the role out, implementation and dissemination of the GRB evaluation;
• Support MOF to follow up on the evaluation recommendations, development of the management response etc.

Knowledge management and capacity development:  

• Develop a set of tools to take forward GRB;
• Support key partners in undertaking costing exercises;
• Collect relevant information and documents on issues related to GRB, and produce succinct information products for consumption by the project as well as key partners and stakeholders to build their knowledge and capacity on the thematic issues. This may include briefing notes, presentations, and summaries;
• Prepare GRB capacity development plan and facilitate a series of capacity development  activities including organizing  workshops, conducting GRB sessions (prepare analysis of pre and post capacity assessment for GRB sessions with Govt./CSO);
• Develop a capacity assessment  checklist and tool for all training sessions on GRB for different groups at vaious level;
• Support developing costing framework/tools of gender equality laws, policies and action plans;
• Provide technical support to MOWCSW on the costing of GEWE policy; MOLE for the costing of the NAP on safe migration etc and support UN Women EVAW legislation costing initiatives;
• Support UN Women and the GTG to take forward the gender scorecard recommendation on budgeting for GEWE;
• Maintain a database of GRB tools that are tailored for Nepal.

Partnership development, coordination and resource mobilization:

• Maintain strategic liaisons with MOF, MOFALD, MOWCSW, line ministries, other governments agencies, development partners, and stakeholders to achieve active collaboration, cooperation and alliances on programme development and implementation in the area of GRB;
• Explore strategic opportunities with development partners and relevant stakeholders that can maximize synergies efforts on GRB ;
• Analyse data of Aid Management Information System (AMIS) and provide feedback;
• Develop and maintain a partnerships matrix (detailing individual experts and agencies leading GRB initiatives in the country);
• Enhance partnerships with CSO to take forward GRB;
• Support GNP unit’s resource mobilization efforts on governance, national planning and GRB;
• Provide necessary support and information with reference to GRB  in a timely manner;
• Serve as one of UN Women’s key advocate in the field of GRB, and provide support and advice to national and sub-national partners.

Competencies

Core values /guiding principles

Integrity:

• Demonstrate consistency in upholding and promoting the values of UN Women in actions and decisions, in line with the UN Code of Conduct.

Professionalism:

• Demonstrate professional competence and expert knowledge of the pertinent substantive areas of work.

Cultural sensitivity and valuing diversity:

• Demonstrate an appreciation of the multicultural nature of the organization and the diversity of its staff. Demonstrate an international outlook, appreciating difference in values and learning from cultural diversity.

Core Competencies

Ethics and Values:

• Demonstrate and safeguard ethics and integrity.

Organizational Awareness:

• Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment.

Development and Innovation:

• Take charge of self-development and take initiative.

Work in teams:

• Demonstrate ability to work in a multicultural, multi ethnic environment and to maintain effective working relations with people of different national and cultural backgrounds.

Communicating and Information Sharing:

• Facilitate and encourage open communication and strive for effective communication.

Self-management and Emotional Intelligence:

• Stay composed and positive even in difficult moments, handle tense situations with diplomacy and tact, and have a consistent behavior towards others.

Conflict Management:

• Surface conflicts and address them proactively acknowledging different feelings and views and directing energy towards a mutually acceptable solution.

Continuous Learning and Knowledge Sharing:

• Encourage learning and sharing of knowledge.

Appropriate and Transparent Decision Making:

• Demonstrate informed and transparent decision making.

Functional Competencies

• Ability to lead formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development programmes and projects;
• Ability to lead strategic planning, results-based management and reporting;
• Ability to formulate and manage budgets, manage contributions and investments, manage transactions, conduct financial analysis, reporting and cost-recovery;
• Ability to implement new systems and affect staff behavioural/ attitudinal change;
• Ability to build strong relationships with clients, focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
• Ability to advocate and provide policy advice;
• Lead teams effectively and shows conflict resolution skills;
• Demonstrates good oral and written communication skills;
• Focuses on impact and result for the partners and responds positively to feedback.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Advanced university degree in social sciences, political or international affairs (i.e. international development studies, gender/women's studies, and human rights).

Experience:

• At least 7 years experiences in programmes on gender equality and women's empowerment with a focus on GRB;
• Expertise and experience in policy advocacy and programming for gender responsive budgeting at national and local level;
• Professional experience on policy/programme/project management in the field of GRB, and  gender mainstreaming;
• Experience in results-based management and human rights based approach in programming and management of project/programmes;
• Experience of working with UN organizations is desirable;
• Experience of working with or exposure of government planning, programming and budgeting processes at national and or local level is an added advantage;
• Sound knowledge of international standards on gender equality and women’s empowerment and related instruments;
• A proven ability to liaise with a myriad of stakeholders and partners, including government, civil society, international organizations and grassroots organizations.

Language:

• Fluency in English and Nepali is required.