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. Placing women’s rights at the centre of all its efforts, UN Women leads and coordinates United Nations system efforts to ensure that commitments on gender equality and gender mainstreaming translate into action throughout the world. UN Women provides strong and coherent leadership in support of Member States’ priorities and efforts, building effective partnerships with civil society and other relevant actors.

UN Women in Bangladesh supports the government to implement commitments to international normative standards on gender equality and women’s human rights. The new UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) for 2022-2026 was launched in 2021 and the corresponding UN Women Bangladesh Strategy Note (2022-2026), defining UN Women’s strategic engagement in Bangladesh, has also been finalized. The country strategy focuses on strengthening the national structures and mechanisms for gender mainstreaming in policies, plans and budgets; supporting efforts to prevent and eliminate violence against women; promoting women’s access to decent and safe work; promoting policies and government investment in women’s empowerment and resilience building in the context of climate change, humanitarian crisis as well as other threats to peace and security; and supporting Rohingya refugee crisis (outcome 5). UN Women works with a range of stakeholders in Bangladesh including the government, civil society and women’s organizations, youth, UN agencies and donors, to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment.

The Sub-Office in Cox’s Bazar was established in January 2018 for UN Women’s Rohingya response in Cox’s Bazar district. UN Women has developed a response programme in partnership with the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs to meet the specific needs of the most vulnerable and marginalized Rohingya refugee women and girls, and the women and girls in the host communities affected by the refugee crisis in Cox’s Bazar. The objective of UN Women’s engagement is to ensure protection, empowerment, as well as equal and safe access to and benefit from the humanitarian and development assistance for the most vulnerable and marginalized Rohingya and host community women and girls. The programme promotes women’s participation and leadership in the camps and host community, and women’s active role in maintaining peace and social cohesion. It also supports women’s livelihoods and education, addressing gender-based violence, and social cohesion building between the two communities.

As part of the programme, UN Women is conducting capacity strengthening and engagement initiatives with Camps-in-Charge and the police to be better equipped to address Rohingya women’s and girls’ needs, constraints and demands.  UN Women Gender Field Officers (GFO) play a key role in this work, providing technical assistance to CiC and facilitating dialogues on critical gender issues between Rohingya refugee women and camp-management. UN Women also chairs the Gender in Humanitarian Action Working Group (GiHA WG) for the Rohingya Refugee Response to promote gender-responsive humanitarian action across the humanitarian coordination system and humanitarian agencies in Cox’s Bazar.

As the Rohingya refugee response in into its sixth year, ensuring strong support to gender-responsive camp management in the Rohingya refugee camps to enhance gender mainstreaming and access of women and girls to services and support that foster resilience and empowerment is key. This requires the facilitation and coordination of approaches that strengthens local capacities and organizations and contribute to social cohesion between the refugees and local community.

UN Women is seeking to recruit a highly motivated and experienced consultant to provide technical support and advice to advance the work of its Gender Field Officers (GFO) in the Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. Reporting to the Programme Specialist, the consultant will provide strategic and technical input and advice on how to strengthen the work of GFOs to increase consideration given to gender issues across the camps. She/he will coordinate closely with the Gender in Humanitarian Action Working Group to ensure a coordinated approach to camp-level gender mainstreaming efforts and to related monitoring and advocacy on gender issues, including engagement with Women Rights Organisations (WRO) Women Led Organisations (WLO) at the camp level.

Duties and Responsibilities

        1.   Provide technical support to the design and implementation of GFO activities and initiatives at the camp level

• Prepare an assessment of camp-level coordination on gender issues identifying capacity building and technical support needs of camp-level stakeholders based on inputs from internal and external stakeholders and informed by the IASC norms and standards.
• Based on the assessment, provide technical and coordination support to the development of a plan for GFO coordination and technical assistance at camp-level; and prepare a conceptual framework inclusive of indicators for measuring progress against GFO activities and initiatives.
• Support the development of GFO inputs to UN Women biannual workplan, ensuring the use of results-based management tools.
• Review and provide technical advice to the enhancement of tools for camp-level learning and training activities and assessments by GFOs, ensuring the pursuit of harmonized, evidence-based approaches.
• Review and provide written inputs to finalize GFO concept notes, terms of reference, and capacity and situational assessments, financial planning, and reporting, and GFO narrative reports.

        2.     Provide technical and capacity development support to GFOs

• Provide coaching and training to GFOs to strengthen the results-based focus of GFO activities and initiatives in the camps, including training on results-based management principles and tools.
• Support the development and implementation of technical tools and initiatives that contribute to the realization of the GFO Annual Work Plan.

3.    Provide technical inputs to the monitoring and reporting of GFO activities and initiatives

• Undertake field missions and review GFO monthly reports, providing coaching to GFOs to ensure recommendations and feedback are fully implemented.
• Review and support the finalization of GFO inputs to UN Women communications activities.
• Establish a system for and support the preparation of collated GFO inputs for donor and internal UN Women reporting.

        4.   Contribute to the development of partnerships and resource mobilization efforts

• Support the development of partnerships with government stakeholders, including the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner and the District Office of Women and Children Affairs, as well as sister UN agencies, and GiHA WG members including women-led organizations and women’s rights organizations, providing written inputs and coordination support to related meetings and dialogues that aim to advance camp-level gender mainstreaming.
• Prepare relevant documentation such as presentations, briefing notes, and talking points.
• Prepare written inputs for UN Women resource mobilization strategies and proposals.

       5.     Provide technical support to strengthen GFO advocacy, knowledge building and communication

• Provide technical support to coordinated advocacy campaigns, knowledge management by GFOs.
• Support documentation of good practices and success stories, and development of knowledge management products related to GFO work.
• Provide guidance and advice to GFOs on knowledge management to ensure documentation on GFO activities and results is updated regularly online.

Duration of the assignment

The expected duration of the assignment will be six months, from September 2023 to end of February 2024. The consultancy will be based in Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh), with travel as required to the Rohingya refugee camps.

Expected deliverables

The national consultant is expected to submit monthly reports providing evidence and details on:

• Analysis of camp-level coordination on gender issues.
• Timely and quality inputs to design and planning of GFO activities and initiatives, including inputs to UN Women Bangladesh Biannual Work Plan.
• Timely and quality implementation of GFO activities and initiatives against set workplans, timelines, and budgets.
• Timely and quality monitoring and reporting on GFO activities and initiatives.
• Timely and quality technical assistance, capacity development and coaching provided to GFOs.
• Contributions to development of relations with government counterparts, UN agencies, WLOs and WROs, sub-office and BCO teams, and GiHA WG members.
• Technical support to strengthen GFO advocacy, knowledge building and communication.
• Best practices and lessons learned related to GFO activities documented and communicated, including through Quarterly Newsletters.

All the documents, including the project proposal, training materials and reports should be written in English.

Upon receipt of the deliverables and prior to the payment of the installment, the deliverables, related reports and documents will be reviewed and approved by UN Women within one week of submission.

Inputs

·The assignment is based in Cox’s Bazar. The national consultant will cover the cost of domestic travel from her home to Cox’s Bazar, if required.

• The consultant is expected to work using her/his own computer but may print relevant documents at the UN Women office.
• UN Women will cover the cost of printing of training materials and training venue as required throughout the duration of the assignment. UN Women will also cover the cost of travel and DSA for the travel to locations outside Cox’s Bazar, if required.

Payments

Payments for this consultancy will be based on satisfactory performance of the established deliverables in the TOR. Payments will be based on an evaluation of performance against the stated deliverables and as summarized in monthly reports.

Contract period and work location

The consultancy is based in Cox’s Bazar. It is for a six-month period starting from the contract start date, expected 01 September 2023.

Supervision And Performance Evaluation

The consultant will work under the direct supervision of the UN Women Programme Analyst, Sub office Cox’s bazar.

Travel and DSA: No travel is expected for this assignment. No DSA will be paid at the duty station. If unforeseen travel outside the duty station is required for this assignment, upon prior agreement/approval from UN Women such travel expenses shall be borne by UN Women and the individual contractor/SSA shall receive a per-diem not to exceed United Nations daily subsistence allowance rate in such other location(s) and actual travel cost.

Competencies

Core Values:

• Respect for Diversity
• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues
• Creative Problem Solving
• Effective Communication
• Inclusive Collaboration
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Leading by Example

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 programme formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation skills.

• Strong knowledge of Results Based Management.
• Ability to synthesize program performance data and produce analytical reports to inform management and strategic decision-making.
• Strong analytical , facilitation, presentation and training/learning event management skills.
• Strong knowledge of gender issues in humanitarian and long term development programmes.
• Ability to identify and analyze trends, opportunities and threats to fundraising.
• Excellent oral and written skills; excellent drafting of concept notes and reporting skills.

Required Skills and Experience

Education

• Master’s degree or equivalent in social sciences, human rights, gender/women's studies, international development, or a related field is required.

Experience and skills

• At least 6 years of progressively responsible work experience at the national or sub-national level in Cox’s Bazar in the design, planning, implementation, monitoring and reporting focused on gender equality and women’s empowerment projects.
• Technical experience gender mainstreaming and gender transformative work in humanitarian action and/or in development programmes.
• Experience in influencing decision-makers to ensure accountability and leadership in gender equality and women’s empowerment commitments.
• Experience in facilitation, training and training cycle management.
• Experience in sector/cluster coordination and liaising with government agencies, I/NGOS and women-led organisations and women’s rights organisations.
• Experience working in the UN System is an asset.

Language and other skills

• Excellent command of written English and Bengali.
• Ability to communicate in Chittagonian and/or Rohingya is an added advantage.
• Computer literacy and ability to effectively use office technology equipment, IT tools, ability to use internet and email.

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, only  and any other applicable cost to be incurred by the SSA in completing the assignment.
The contract price will be 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

Evaluation Method and Criteria:
Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodology.

Cumulative analysis-

The award of the contract will be made to the individual consultant up on Cumulative Analysis/evaluation and determined as:
1. Responsive/compliant/acceptable; and
2. Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the
solicitation;

Only candidates obtaining a 70 mark in technical evaluation will be considered eligible for financial evaluation.
Technical Criteria for Evaluation (Maximum 70 points out of 100)

Criteria-01; Educational Qualification  - Max Point 10

Criteria-02; Experience and skills - Max Point 70
Criteria-03; Language and other skills. Max Point 20

The total number of points allocated for the weighted qualification component is 100. The technical qualification of the individual is evaluated based on following technical qualification evaluation criteria:

Only the candidates who have attained a minimum of 70% of total points (100) will be considered as technically-qualified candidate.

Interested candidates will submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications.

To be included as part of the proposal: Only applications including all items mentioned above will be considered.

Submission of package

The following documents should be submitted as part of the application:

• Completed and signed UN Women P-11 form as part of the electronic online. Please note that applications without a completed and signed UN Women P-11 form will be treated as incomplete and will not be considered for further assessment. The UN Women Personal History form (P-11) can be downloaded from: http://www.unwomen.org/en/about-us/employment.
• Financial proposal to be sent via e-mail to bco.procurement@unwomen.org indicating the name of the position applied in the subject line of the e-mail no later than the application deadline – 10 August 2023. The financial proposal should indicate the all-inclusive fixed total “lump sum amount” (professional fees based on the daily price proposal for 120 working days over 6 months, communications, etc.). The lumpsum fee should be provided in local currency (BDT).

NOTE: Documents required before contract signing:

UN Personal History Form;
Full medical examination and Statement of Fitness to work and travel for consultants with travel involved. (This is not a requirement for RLA contracts);

Security Certificate BSAFE: EN: https://agora.unicef.org/course/info.php?id=17891
Individual subscribers over 65 years of age are required to undergo a full medical examination including x-rays at their own cost and obtaining medical clearance from the UN Medical Director prior to taking up their assignment;
Release letter in case the selected consultant is government official.

Only applications will all items mentioned above will be considered

Note: The individual consultant who does not meet the above eligibility criteria shall not be considered for further evaluation. Necessary documentation must be submitted to substantiate the above eligibility criteria

At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, 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 based on 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. (Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check).