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.

Through the General Assembly Resolutions 75/233 on the Quadrennial Comprehensive Policy Review (QCPR) and 72/279 on UN repositioning, the United Nations Development System (UNDS) is presented with a mandate to transform in order to respond to the ambition of the 2030 Agenda. The 2020 QCPR places strong emphasis on the fundamental importance of promoting gender equality and empowerment of all women and girls, noting the multiplier effect for achieving sustained and inclusive economic growth, poverty eradication and sustainable development. It calls upon all entities of the UNDS to continue to promote women’s empowerment and gender equality by enhancing and accelerating gender mainstreaming through the full implementation of the UNCT performance indicators for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE) (the “UNCT-SWAP Gender Equality Scorecard”) and calls on UN entities to draw on gender expertise, including in UN Women, to assist with gender mainstreaming in the preparation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Strategic Framework. As also recognized by the UNSDG Guidance for the Transitional Engagement Framework (TEF), gender equality and women’s empowerment should be mainstreamed through UN programming, and it is identified as a priority for the Decade of Action.

Against this backdrop, the imperative underscored by UN repositioning processes and the 2020 QCPR is for the UNDS to accelerate joint efforts to support the implementation and advancement of GEWE commitments across the SDGs, particularly at the country level where it matters the most, with the TEF providing a vehicle to drive collective UN support to achieving the 2030 Agenda, and the new generation of UNCTs and re-invigorated Resident Coordinator Office (RCO) system providing opportunities to ensure coherent and accountable joint planning and programming in support of gender equality priorities.  The inclusion of performance indicators relating to GEWE in the performance assessment system of Resident Coordinators under the Mutual Accountability Framework (MAF) provides further opportunities to drive accountability for GEWE under the RC system.

The criticality of ensuring gender equality commitments across the UNCT priorities remains imperative in Afghanistan. It is also an imperative for donors, notably the European Union and its Member States, providing basic human needs aid to the country. Following the takeover by Taliban in August 2021, Afghanistan has emerged as one of the world’s most pressing women’s rights crisis and the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. Afghan people are grappling with the impact of conflict, poverty, economic decline, and natural disasters. In this context, Afghan women and girls face unique vulnerabilities and require urgent support as gender inequality is interwoven with conflict dynamics and humanitarian needs. It is essential 

that Afghan women and girls can continue to shape the development of their country, and that their gains are protected across the full spectrum of UN operations in country. 

It is in this context that the RCO is seeking a Gender Equality Coordinator to ensure that GEWE is mainstreamed throughout all UN systems planning and programming processes, including work related to Inter-Agency Standing Committee, basic human needs, the TEF – and that an enabling environment for gender parity within the UNCT is promoted. This function is part of UN Development Coordination Office’s (DCO) efforts, in collaboration with UN Women, to ensure senior level gender expertise and coordination support is available to the UNCT, in order to support coherent gender mainstreaming efforts and progress on gender equality across the SDGs and in alignment with humanitarian-development-peace nexus. The Gender Equality Coordinator will also play a key support function in relation to the Afghanistan Coordination Group (ACG) and in particular donors involved in basic human needs assistance to Afghanistan.

The Gender Equality Coordinator will provide technical leadership in support of inclusive resource mobilization efforts to ensure that gender interventions in the country are funded sufficiently, ensuring coherence across different financial pipelines and the monitoring frameworks established by inter-agency mechanisms. She/He will also lead efforts to ensure that ACG donors, regional organizations, the UNCT, civil society, the private sector, the media and other relevant actors comprehensively take gender concerns into account, by facilitating the coordination of the advocacy efforts of relevant partners and organizations. This includes ensuring effective engagement of civil society organizations (CSOs), especially women-led and gender focused CSOs, in the design, development and implementation of UN’s Transitional Engagement Framework and the ACG mid-term strategic framework.  The Gender Equality Coordinator shall also ensure coherence and accountability across planning frameworks, including reporting e.g., humanitarian response plans and the basic humans needs, to ensure alignment with the humanitarian donors “Guiding Principles and Donor’s Expectations’ (adopted on 14 February 2023) and the complementary Basic Human Needs (BHN) principles approved by ACG donors and EU Member states on 5 April 2023.

Reporting to UN Women Special Representative for Afghanistan, and under direct supervision and guidance of the Resident Coordinator (RC)/Humanitarian Coordinator (HC). The Gender Equality Coordinator will support the development and strengthening of a strategic vision for gender mainstreaming for UN joint programming and provide coordination and technical and policy advisory support on women’s rights and gender equality to the RC/HC, the UNCT and the ACG. The Gender Equality Coordinator will manage and coordinate all aspects of technical support to gender programming in Afghanistan as required, including programme development to be managed and implemented by UNCT, as well as continued monitoring of implementation and reporting, including for the ACG, IASC and Basic Human Needs frameworks. The Gender Equality Coordinator will work in close collaboration with Head of RCO and UN agencies, technical advisors and experts, partners of the ACG and civil society.

Provide guidance to ensure gender equality and women’s empowerment (GEWE) remains as a guiding principle during the development and implementation of the TEF (including the CCA update and development of the ACG joint strateic framework, following the current TEF timeline).

• Provide advice and inputs on the TEF Roadmap to ensure that the TEF and ACG mid-term strategic framework development processes ensuring gender is mainstreamed comprehensively, in line with the UNCT SWAP requirements, and facilitate active engagement with Afghan civil society organizations (CSOs), especially women-led and/or women focused CSOs, in coordination with the UN system in Afghanistan ;
• Substantially support the development of a rigorous gender analysis in the update of the Common Country Analysis (CCA) to explain immediate, underlying and root causes of gender inequalities and gender-based discrimination, and differentiated impacts (including through an appreciation of social, legal, political, economic and cultural dynamics that underpin gender inequality);
• Review and provide technical guidance and inputs to each step of the UNSTEF to ensure gender is comprehensively mainstreamed: strategic prioritization, results matrix, joint programmes, monitoring and evaluation;
• Provide technical guidance and coordinate the UNCT to strengthen monitoring and reporting on GEWE in the context of the existing TEF and development of the ACG Joint strategic framework;
• Coordinate the preparation of analytical and regular progress reports on gender index through UN Info;
• Provide technical guidance and advice to the RC/HC, UNCT, the ACG, including the EU, and national counterparts on implementation of key UN frameworks and conventions on gender equality;

Coordinate coherent inter-agency planning, analysis and action for enhanced accountability to GEWE:

• Coordinate the provision of technical advice to the RC/HC, the UNCT and ACG on the gender dynamics and opportunities to support inclusive engagement of women provided by the UNCT;
• Coordinate with the UNCT on improved accountability tools to ensure the UN’s commitments to gender equality and women’s empowerment are tracked and up-scaled as opportunities arise, including serving as the RCO focal person to coordinate efforts to ensure coherence on gender equality commitments across humanitarian-development-peace nexus;
• Lead coordination of the UNCT-SWAP Gender Equality Scorecard exercise and implementation of its Action Plan, and provide coordination and technical advisory support to the application of the UNCT Gender Equality Marker, as required;
• Provide technical inputs to development of the joint strategic framework and joint programmes related to gender equality and empowerment of women and girls’ priorities highlighted in the TEF, such as Spotlight programmes where relevant;
• Support the coordination the implementation of system-wide UN strategies and frameworks at the country level, such as SG Parity Strategy and lead related monitoring and reporting;
• Provide secretariat/technical support to the Co/Leads of gender-related inter-agency entities, e.g. Gender Theme Group;
• Ensure coordination with relevant structures/mechanisms in the humanitarian architecture to ensure coherence across the basic human needs and humanitarian planning, programming and monitoring frameworks.

Provide technical support to strategic partnerships building and resource mobilization:

• Provide technical and substantive inputs to partnerships and joint UN resource mobilization strategies related to GEWE and the Joint Strategic Framework;
• Support the RC/HC and UNCT in liaising with key stakeholders from academia, civil society, the private sector and key international actors, including the EU, to build and strengthen strategic alliances and partnerships on women’s rights and gender equality initiatives as needed;
• Under the new aid coordination structure, support the Strategic Thematic Working Groups (STWGs, especially on Gender and Human Rights) as required, in the coordination of basic human needs assistance to the UNCT and Afghan NGOs, ensuring emerging development support responds to women’s needs and rights;
• Coordinate, and review the development of interagency briefs on possible areas of GEWE cooperation, including identification of opportunities for cost sharing.

Coordinate and provide technical advice to the RC/HC, the UNCT and the ACG in the analysis and monitoring of trends, opportunities and challenges around gender equality and women’s empowerment:

• Serve as the focal person in the RCO to contribute with technical inputs to research and analysis of the political, social, and economic situation in the region related to the programming and normative areas of gender equality, including supporting the development of Country Gender Equality Briefs/Profiles;
• Coordinate accountability in policy dialogues around gender equality and the empowerment of women;
• Provide analysis and technical guidance to the RC/HC and the UNCT on key gender issues and opportunities to support women engaging in and benefitting from the assistance provided by the UNCT;
• Advise and lead on entry points for new initiatives for the UN Systems to strengthen capacities for gender equality and to support the advancement of women’s empowerment and gender equality;

*Share this information as appropriate with development partners and the Afghanistan Coordination Group at large, including the EU

Coordinate interagency advocacy and facilitation of knowledge building and management:

• Coordinate interagency efforts to establish advocacy networks and linkages to international networks related to gender equality;  women’s empowerment; across the humanitarian-development-peace nexus space;
• Develop capacity development initiatives on gender-related issues and priorities, as needed;
• Provide technical inputs to the development of interagency advocacy strategies and their implementation in close consultation with the UN Communications Group;
• Oversee the process of identifying and synthesizing best practices and lessons learnt, according to priorities set by the UNCT; and contribute to their dissemination;

Perform any other duties as required. 

Key Performance Indicators

• Timely and quality contribution and coordination to the UNCT, the ACG, and relevant UN wide working groups and other coordination meetings such as the ACG STWG;
• Quality technical inputs to the RC/HC, UNCT, ACG, including IASC and basic human needs monitoring frameworks;
• Quality technical advice and coordination support provided to UN agencies at regional level;
• Quality communication and collaboration on GEWE between agencies;
• Quality RCO’s leadership and results in gender equality space;
• Quality suggestions for joint programming on GEWE;
• Quality knowledge and strategic inputs provided to DCO RO;

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 more information on UN Women’s Core Values and Competencies: https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/Headquarters/Attachments/Sections/About%20Us/Employment/UN-Women-values-and-competencies-framework-en.pdf

FUNCTIONAL COMPETENCIES:

• Strong knowledge of general gender equality and women’s empowerment issues;
• Strong knowledge of gender mainstreaming across UN frameworks, systems, and processes;
• Strong knowledge on international human rights instruments;
• Strong knowledge of UN system and understanding of inter-agency coordination and UNSFA processes;
• Ability to advocate and provide policy advice and interact with high level decision makers; 
• Ability to envision, conceptualize and communicate strategic vision;
• Strong gender-focused results-based management, programme implementation and monitoring and evaluation skills;
• Excellent analytical and conceptual thinking skills;
• Strong negotiating, cultural sensitivity and diplomatic skills;
• Strong planning, goal-setting and prioritization and organizational skills;
• Familiarity with the region and women's rights organizations and networks in the region considered an asset;

Education and certification:

• Master's degree (or equivalent) in international development, public administration, public policy, or another relevant social science field is required.
• A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the master’s degree.
• A project/programme management certification (such as PMP®, PRINCE2®, or MSP®) would be an added advantage.

Experience:

• At least seven years of progressively responsible relevant work experience/ demonstrated track record that combines intellectual; strategic and managerial leadership in development programs. At least 4 years of which should include having undertaken and led substantive programming and research/analysis on gender and development in key issue areas;
• Experience in working in emergency and crisis/conflict contexts is desired;
• Experience working in Afghanistan with the UN is desired;
• Experience with UN joint programming development and implementation in the area of gender equality and women’s empowerment;
• Experience in UN coordination and joint advocacy and/or programming is required;
• Experience in building and maintaining effective relationships with government institutions, CSOs and donors is desirable;

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English is required
• Knowledge of Dari and/or Pashto is desirable. Knowledge of another official UN language is an advantage.

Application:

• All applications must include (as an attachment) the completed UN Women Personal History form (P-11) which can be downloaded from Application and recruitment process | About us: Careers at UN Women | UN Women – Headquarters  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.

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.

Inclusion Statement:

At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits employ, trains, compensates and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity, and organizational need.

If you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in your application.

UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority, and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to UN Women’s policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UN Women personnel and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. (Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.)