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.  

One of the other purposes of the United Nations Charter is eradicating inequality and promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion. In addition, a hallmark of the Charter is equal participation of all personnel in the operations of the United Nations, with the expectation that the organization is upholding the principles of equality, non-discrimination and the rule of law. 

Over the past year, the need to address matters related to racism have been enhanced, particularly in the context of the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement following the death of George Floyd, amongst others, in 2020. Moreover, the subsequent global protests against injustice have highlighted the pervasive nature of structural racism around the world, at all levels, and in all settings.  In response to global outpourings of support for racial justice, as well as statements made by the UN Secretary General (SG), Under-Secretary General, the Executive Director of UN-Women and other Under-Secretary Generals across the UN system, the Organization is responding to the UN SG’s call to action to ‘go beyond and do more’ to end racism, including a year-long debate on racism across the UN system. 

UN Women is actively seeking to address racism within and across the organization and has embarked on a reflection of its own efforts in this regard. An important step was taken in the creation of a Black Caucus in September of 2020 with a mandate to highlight the situation of black staff members and advocate for a safer work environment, free of racism, prejudice, and any other forms of discrimination.

UN Women is therefore seeking the services of an international consultant to design, administer, analyse, and document the results of an organization-wide Diversity and Inclusion survey.  

Justification for the consultancy

This consultancy is intended to undertake a diversity and inclusion survey with a focus on human resource development (recruitment at all levels including on recruitment (regular staffing, consultancies, JPOs, internships etc.) promotion/career progression/development, mentorship, retaliation to,
(a) provide UN Women with a report on diversity, discrimination, unconscious and inclusion gaps in UN Women HR and management processes with a specific focus on race and ethnicity;
(b) provide clear, actionable recommendations for UN Women efforts to address direct and indirect forms of discrimination and unconscious bias on the basis of race and how this can be done effectively and in a sustainable manner.

This analysis presents an opportunity for UN Women to thoughtfully engage with data specific to race, ethnicity, and nationality, as well as promote principles of data equity in research. 

Duties and Responsibilities

Reporting directly to the UN Women Senior Advisor on Diversity, Inclusion and Shared Leadership, in consultation with the Chair(s) of the UN Women Black Caucus and the UN Women Black Caucus Project Board (comprising and  core members of the Black Caucus[OP1] ), the international consultant is expected to design, launch, analyze and disseminate the findings of a Diversity and Inclusion Survey. The process will be initiated by end-December 2021 and will be completed by end-April 2022.

The consultant will be responsible for the following deliverables: 

1. By end December 2021: Produce a detailed Inception Report with specifics on the design and implementation of the Diversity and Inclusion Survey, including plans for qualitative analysis, case study development, and recommendations to UN Women Executive Office, with a timeline for the full assignment and prototype data collection instrumentation in annexure. The consultant will also include a dissemination plan in the inception report. 
2. By end January 2022: Launch a Diversity and Inclusion Survey on the UN Women workforce with a focus on human resource allocation, professional development (from recruitment, onboarding process, and career progression), civility between colleagues, retaliation, and staff rotation.
3. By end February 2022: Present pre-liminary findings, analysis, and recommendations to the Project Board, and conduct follow-up consultations as necessary, to ensure utilization and facilitate action planning and decision making at the level of senior management. 

1. By end-April 2022: Following consultation and comments from the Project Board, the consultant will finalize and submit a report, executive summary, and dissemination plan.

Indicative Workplan and Budget Allocation (to be agreed and finalized during Inception Phase) 

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 information on UN Women’s Core Values and Competencies that you are expected to abide by during the execution of the consultancy: http://www.unwomen.org/-/media/headquarters/attachments/sections/about%20us/employment/un-women-employment-values-and-competencies-definitions-en.pdf

Required Skills and Experience

Required Qualifications

• Education: Master’s degree or equivalent in Statistics, Research, Social Sciences, or related field is required.

Experience:

• 5 years' experience working in international development and familiarity with data collection, statistics and research;
• Experience in conducting and analyzing in-depth surveys, interviews, and focus group discussions; 
• Experience in handling sensitive data and ethical collection, analysis and presentation of data using advanced programs:
• Experience working with multilateral/bilateral institutions is an asset;
• Ability to produce well written reports demonstrating analytical ability and communication skills;

• Ability to ensure that a high-quality product is delivered on a timely basis.

Language:

• Advanced proficiency in English (required)

• Knowledge of another official United Nations language is desirable.

Ethical code of conduct 

It is expected that the consultant will ensure that the confidentiality and independence of judgment are maintained, and that findings and recommendations are independently presented. The consultant will operate in an impartial and unbiased manner and give a balanced presentation of strengths and weaknesses of the issues being assessed. The consultant must disclose in writing any experience, which may give rise to a potential conflict of interest, and to deal honestly in resolving any conflict of interest which may arise.