UNDP is the UN’s global development organization that supports countries around the world in their efforts to successfully address diverse development challenges, framed around three broad settings which require different forms of support: eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions; accelerating structural transformations for sustainable development; and building resilience to crises and shocks. In Fiji, UNDP is supporting the government and national partners in finding innovative solutions to these challenges.

Strengthening access to justice, rule of law and promoting human rights are cornerstones of UNDP’s work to achieve sustainable human development and eradicate extreme poverty. The UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji is implementing projects as part of an overall programme in these areas including the Fiji Access to Justice Project, the Rights, Empowerment and Cohesion for rural and urban Fijians (REACH), and the Fiji Police Force Project.

The Fiji Police Force Support Project (FPF) aims at strengthening transparency, accountability and effectiveness of the Fiji Police Force, in collaboration with key justice stakeholders and civil society organizations.

With financial and technical support from New Zealand, the project supports the Fiji Police Force to strengthen early access to justice in criminal proceedings and strengthen a victim-centered approach to investigations. This engagement priorities gender responsive and human rights-based approach to access to justice for vulnerable groups and promote gender equality and empowerment of all women and girls.

The project also supports urgent initiatives required by the Fiji Police Force to implement the Government’s COVID-19 response and recovery plan in a coherent manner and strengthen effective engagement with the public. The project has been guided by the strategic vision and mission of the Fiji Police Force and the Fiji Five-Year & Twenty-Year National Development Plan: Transforming Fiji, and supports the wider Police Strengthening Programme being undertaken by New Zealand to strengthen the performance of the Fiji Police Force. The cooperation with the Legal Aid Commission, which provides contact with lawyers in the first-hour, and coordination with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution and the Courts, has been and will continue to be of crucial importance to the success of this initiative.

The specific outputs for the project are:

Output 1: Support national and sub-national capacities for planning, coordination and crisis management (Police COVID-19);

Output 2: Enhanced access to justice and implementation of the UNCAT in Fiji; and

Output 3: Enhanced capacity of justice institutions to apply an inclusive and human rights-based approach in empowering women and girls.

The recruited Gender Consultant will support the Project Manager in ensuring that project’s tasks and activities to enhance gender equality and women’s empowerment are implemented in accordance with UNDP rules and Country Office procedures.

Scope of Work

The project has recently finalized the Gender Action Plan. In response to the identified gender inequalities detailed in the Action Plan, the project seeks to enhance early access to justice for those in conflict with the law and access to justice for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence. As such, UNDP is seeking to recruit a Gender Specialist to perform the following tasks:

• Provides technical assistance to Fiji Police Force, and specifically the Sexual Offence Unit (SOU) for the execution of gender-responsive activities as detailed in the Gender Action Plan in the FPF Project and in the Strategies and Plans of the SOU.
• Works closely with the head of the SOU in the Fiji Police Force and supports inclusive gender-balanced data collection and analysis.
• Improves policies and ensures sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) prevention and response in line with project priorities and international standards.
• Work closely with Women Police Network of FPF and support the coordination of the network’s activities. 

Expected Outputs and Deliverables

Institutional Arrangement

• The Consultant will work under the direct supervision of the Project Manager for the Fiji Police Force Support Project.
• The Consultant will be placed within the SOU unit and have a desk/office at the Fiji Police Force building.
• The Consultant is also expected to coordinate all gender-based consultations and trainings with the Fiji Police Force and the Project Management Unit; and
• At the end of the assignment, the Consultant will submit a brief assignment report to the Project Manager.

Duration of the Work

• The assignment will be for 100 days within 1 July to 30 November 2022.

Duty Station

• The Consultant will be placed within the SOU unit and have a desk/office at the Fiji Police Force building in Suva, Fiji

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills;
• Strong analytical, reporting and writing abilities skills;
• Openness to change and ability to receive/integrate feedback;
• Ability to plan, organize, implement and report on work;
• Ability to work under pressure and tight deadlines;
• Proficiency in the use of office IT applications and internet in conducting research;
• Outstanding communication, project management and organizational skills;
• Excellent presentation and facilitation skills.
• Demonstrates integrity and ethical standards;
• Positive, constructive attitude to work;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.
• Self-development, initiative-taking;
• Acting as a team player and facilitating team work;
• Facilitating and encouraging open communication in the team, communicating effectively;
• Managing conflict; and
• Learning and sharing knowledge and encourage the learning of others.

Educational Qualifications:

Master’s Degree in Social Sciences, Gender or Women’s Studies or other relevant field with a focus on Gender, with a minimum of 4 years of progressively responsible professional experience addressing the promotion of gender equality and women’s empowerment.

OR

Bachelor’s Degree in Social Sciences, Gender or Women’s Studies or other relevant field with a focus on Gender, with a minimum of 6 years of progressively responsible professional experience addressing the promotion of gender equality and women’s empowerment.

Experience

• Experience in dealing with a diverse range of partners including law enforcement bodies, justice stakeholders and CSOs.
• Strong diplomatic skills in handling counterpart relations.
• Experience in organizing capacity building trainings and knowledge sharing initiatives on sensitive issues such as Sexual Gender Based Violence, Sexual Harassment/Sexual Exploitation and Abuse.

Language requirements

• Excellent communication skills in written and spoken n English is a required.

Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments

Consultant must send a financial proposal based on Lump Sum Amount. The total amount quoted shall be all-inclusive and include all costs components required to perform the deliverables identified in the TOR, including professional fee, travel costs, living allowance and any other applicable cost to be incurred by the IC in completing the assignment. The contract price will fixed output-based price regardless of extension of the herein specified duration. Payments will be done upon completion of the deliverables/outputs and as per below percentages:

• Deliverable 1: SOU needs assessment: 20% of total contract amount
• Deliverable 2: Capacity development plan for SOU and partners: 20% of total contract amount
• Deliverable 3: Revision/preparation of the Green Room SOP: 5% of total contract amount
• Deliverable 4: Delivery of the refresher training (using existing curricula) on SGBV/child victims for SOU: 20% of total contract amount
• Deliverable 5: Delivery of gender/SGBV component of the training for Eastern Division/remote areas as identified by the project: 20% of total contract amount
• Deliverable 6: Roadmap for Survivor Charter:  15% of total contract amount

In general, UNDP shall not accept travel costs exceeding those of an economy class ticket. Should the IC wish to travel on a higher class he/she should do so using their own resources

In the event of unforeseeable travel not anticipated in this TOR, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between the respective business unit and the Individual Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed.

Evaluation Method and Criteria

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the Cumulative analysis methodology.  The award of the contract shall be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as a) responsive/compliant/acceptable; and b) having received the highest score out of set of weighted technical criteria (70%). and financial criteria (30%). Financial score shall be computed as a ratio of the proposal being evaluated and the lowest priced proposal received by UNDP for the assignment.

Technical Criteria for Evaluation (Maximum 70 points)

• Criteria 1: Relevance of Education. Max 10 points (Master in Gender Studies, Social Sciences, International Law and International Relations – 10, Bachelor - 5)
• Criteria 2:  Relevant regional or country specific knowledge. Max 10 Points (proof of work in Fiji or other Pacific Islands: Fiji 10 points, other islands – 5 points)
• Criteria 3: Technical expertise (required experience and knowledge for the assignment): Max 30 Points (experience of preparations of SOPs, briefs, training roadmaps and curriculums on gender, equality, SGBV or DV for police or local governments – 30 points; the same for any other institutions including international or UN only – 15 points; some evidence of experience of supporting national governments in SGBV/DV only – 10 points )
• Criteria 4: UN/DP or similar organization experience Max 20 – field experience of working with UN/DP or similar organization on SGBV/DV/Gender assignments – 20 points, deskwork experience of working with UN/DP or similar organization - 10 points

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points (70% of the total technical points) would be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

Documentation required

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications. Please group them into one (1) single PDF document as the application only allows to upload maximum one document:

• Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided in Annex II.
• Personal CV, indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references.
• Technical proposal, including a) a brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment; and b) a methodology, on how they will approach and complete the assignment.
• Financial proposal in USD, as per template provided in Annex II.

Note: Successful individual will be required to provide proof of medical insurance coverage before commencement of contract for the duration of the assignment.

Incomplete, joint proposals and proposals sent to the wrong mailing address will not be accepted. Consultants with whom there is further interest will be contacted. Individuals interested in this consultancy should apply and will be reviewed based on their own individual capacity. The successful individual may sign an Individual Contract with UNDP or request his/her employer to sign a Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA) on their behalf by indicating this in the Offerors letter to Confirming Interest and Availability using Annex II.

Annexes

• Annex I - Individual IC General Terms and Conditions
• Annex II – Offeror’s Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability for the Individual IC, including Financial Proposal Template

All required templates are available on the UNDP Procurement website via following link:

UNDP | Procurement Notices - 91265 - Gender Specialist

Proposal Submission

• All applications must be clearly marked with the title of the consultancy (Gender Specialist) with reference (PN/FJI/066/22) and submitted via UN Job shop by 1 June 2022.
• Note: UNDP Jobs only supports single document upload hence ensure that the proposal is consolidated and submitted as one single document.
• For further information concerning this Terms of Reference, please contact UNDP Pacific Office by email: procurement.fj@undp.org.

Women applicants are encouraged to apply