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. UN Women has a universal mandate that encompasses a normative, an operational/programmatic as well as a coordination role, all of which are closely linked with its unique structure. At the core of its mandate, UN Women plays a leading role in supporting governments in delivering on their gender equality and empowerment of women (GEEW) commitments in the SDGs.

The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women) was established by General Assembly resolution 64/289 of 2 July 2010 on system-wide coherence, with the mandate to assist countries and the United Nations system itself to progress more effectively and efficiently toward the goal of achieving gender equality, women’s empowerment, and upholding women’s rights. 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.

The Nigeria Maritime Sector comprises: A coastline of about 850 kilometers and an exclusive economic zone of 315,950 square kilometers. Navigable inland waterways of 3,000 kilometers. Six major seaports, eleven oil terminals, and 170 private jetties. 19 functional shipbuilding and ship repair yards. Five Inland Container Depots are under construction. Over 300 registered shipping companies and numerous shipping agents, chandlers, freight forwarders, Maritime Professional Bodies and Associations, and Government Maritime Regulatory Agencies.

The Maritime sector is richly endowed with vast natural resources such as extensive coastline, aquatic animals including fish, oil and gas deposits, bitumen, etc. it is very critical to the economic development and growth of Nigeria and is second only to the oil and gas sector in terms of foreign exchange earnings. Nigeria generates about 70% of the ship traffic, cargo, and value of trade in the West and Central African sub-region. Nature and economic factors have combined to create huge investment opportunities in the maritime sector of Nigeria. The natural opportunities include a population of over 180million which means a huge market; a land area of 923, 768 square kilometers, an extensive coastline of 850kilometres, navigable inland waterways measuring about 3,000 kilometers and large offshore oil and gas deposits which combine to provide opportunities in oil and gas shipment; deep sea trade and coastal trade.

The Nigerian Maritime sector plays a crucial role in the country's economy, providing employment opportunities, contributing to the gross domestic product, and facilitating trade. However, the sector has faced various challenges, including gender-related issues that have hindered its growth and development. For example, women represent less than 2% of the total workforce in Nigeria’s maritime sector, with the sector being recognized as a historically male dominated sector . In recent years, there has been a growing recognition of the importance of gender equality and the role it plays in achieving sustainable development. Ensuring gender equality and promoting the rights of women and men, girls and boys, is essential to achieving the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The need to address gender issues in the Nigerian Maritime sector has been highlighted in various national and international frameworks, including the National Gender Policy, the African Union's Agenda 2063, and the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) Global Plan of Action on Gender Mainstreaming in the Maritime Sector.

As part of its commitment to engendering legal and policy frameworks in Nigeria to advance gender equality and the empowerment of women, as enshrined in UN Women’s 5-year Strategic Note (2023 -2027) and the SDGs, UN Women Nigeria Country Office seeks to engage a national consultant to conduct a gender-responsive assessment of the maritime sector in Nigeria. The assessment will prioritize the identification of the challenges faced by women in the sector and recommend strategies for addressing these challenges while proffering action plans for mainstreaming gender in the sector. The objectives of the assessment will include:

1. To identify the current status of gender equality in the Nigerian Maritime sector and the challenges faced by women and men in the sector.
2. To identify the barriers and constraints that prevent women from accessing and participating in the sector, as well as the opportunities available for their empowerment and advancement.
3. To examine the policies and practices that impact gender equality in the sector and recommend measures to address any identified gaps.
4. To engage with key stakeholders in the sector, including the government, industry, and civil society organizations, to gather their perspectives and insights on gender issues in the sector.
5. To develop a comprehensive report on the findings of the assessment and recommend strategies for addressing gender-related issues in the sector.
6. To identify entry points for mainstreaming gender within the Sector

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the guidance of the Deputy Country Representative, and working closely with the Programme Specialist WEE, the Consultant is expected to perform the following tasks:s:

• Desk review: A desk review of relevant literature and documents will be conducted to gather information on the current status of gender equality in the sector and identify the key challenges faced by women and men in the sector. This will include a review of national and international policies and frameworks, as well as reports and studies on gender issues in the sector, especially relating to gender gaps, gender policies, strategies, plans and budgets, Women's participation in decision making and policy making, gender-based violence, corporate social responsibility, etc.
• Stakeholder interviews: Key stakeholders in the sector, including government officials, industry representatives, and civil society organizations, will be interviewed to gather their perspectives and insights on gender issues in the sector. These interviews will be conducted in person or via telephone or video conference, depending on the availability and preference of the stakeholders.
• Focus group discussions: Focus group discussions with workers in the sector, including both women and men, will be conducted to gather detailed information on the experiences and challenges faced by workers in the sector. These focus groups will be conducted in various locations across the country to ensure a diverse and representative sample.
• Survey: A survey will be conducted to gather quantitative data on the experiences and challenges faced by workers in the sector. The survey will be administered online or through paper questionnaires, depending on the preference and accessibility of the participants.
• Data analysis: The data collected through the desk review, stakeholder interviews, focus group discussions, and survey will be analyzed using appropriate statistical techniques to identify patterns and trends. The findings will be used to identify the barriers and constraints faced by women in the sector and the policies and practices that impact gender equality in the sector.
• Report preparation: A comprehensive report will be prepared based on the findings of the assessment, including a summary of the current status of gender equality in the sector, the challenges faced by women and men, and the policies and practices that impact gender equality. The report will also include recommendations for addressing gender-related issues in the sector and promoting the empowerment and advancement of women in the sector.
• Perform any other task as directed by the Country Representative

Usage of findings:

• The report will be used to seek programmatic interventions to address gender-related issues that do not align with the SDGs and hinder the sector's growth and development. Methodology

The consultant will develop a detailed methodology to guide the mapping and assessment exercise.

Report should:

• Contain an executive summary (mandatory)
• Be analytical (both quantitative and qualitative)
• Be structured around the key issues/entry points highlighted above and related findings.
• Include identified opportunities, challenges, a plan of action/strategy, and recommendations.

The selected Consultant will be expected to complete the following key deliverables within the indicative timeframe: 

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.

Functional Competencies

• Excellent methods for content analysis of large bodies of qualitative information.
• Demonstrates outstanding skilled knowledge of qualitative data analysis methods.
• Demonstrates excellent ability to prioritize and focus research questions to produce relevant and useful recommendations.
• Objectivity and ability to analyze large datasets in short period.
• Excellent knowledge and technical skills on corporate social responsibility.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, particularly to summarize complex findings and convey complex achievements in clear results language.
• Produces timely, quality outputs.
• Strong skills in data presentation.
• Excellent understanding of international development issues and knowledge of the UN system

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Master’s degree or equivalent in areas related to Social Sciences, Economics, International Development, Law, Management science or related field.
• Practical skills in survey and research analysis or applied statistical data.

Experience:

• A minimum experience of 10 years of relevant professional work experience in areas such as business research, business development and management, public relations, and human resource.
• Proven experience in conducting qualitative and quantitative research or studies.
• Sound experience in conducting gender-related programming, especially private sector financing of gender equality and empowerment of women.
• Ability to speak and write in a clear and gender-sensitive language.
• Familiarity with the UN system and knowledge of UN Women.

Note: Applicants are required to send the following as a single document (please note the system allows only one attachment).

1. An application letter explaining interest in the consultancy and suitability of the candidate for the consultancy position and indicating daily consultancy rate/lump sum fee
2. Updated CV
3. A short proposal (max 1,500 A4 pages) that details a proposed methodology and conceptualization of the consultancy.
4. Personal History Form (P11). The P11 Form can be downloaded from the following website:  https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/Headquarters/Attachments/Sections/About%20Us/Employment/UN-Women-P11-Personal-History-Form.doc

Duration of the Assignment

The assignment is expected to take 40 working days from the date of signing the contract.