Background

Zimbabwe as a country is prone to multi hazards including climate induced humanitarian crises such as erratic rainfall patterns resulting in droughts, floods, extreme temperatures, water scarcity and increased food insecurity. Currently, the country is experiencing the effects of El Nino, which has resulted in disruptions of climatic patterns, including rainfall, and the resultant drought conditions. These climates induced humanitarian crises affect women and girls disproportionately because of pre-existing gender inequalities and social norms that impact on the articulation of their needs, their access to essential services and their ability to cope and recover from shocks. Intersecting aspects of identities, including disability, socio economic status, age, or ethnicity women, can further determine how people are affected and how they recover. Pre-existing gender-based discrimination and inequalities are exacerbated in crisis settings, where women and girls face violence and exclusion, directly affecting their ability to survive, receive lifesaving assistance and recover. Crisis also affects the ability of women to continue to effectively organize, take leadership positions in humanitarian response, disaster, or peace-building settings, and to influence decisions that impact their lives.

Gender sensitive humanitarian preparedness and response plans are critical to ensure the needs of women and girls become the centre of the Country’s humanitarian response mechanisms. In response to the above UN Women aims to ensure effectiveness in addressing gendered needs, working across the humanitarian development peace continuum, and embodying two approaches: i) supporting the mainstreaming of gender in the coordination, planning, prioritization and financing of humanitarian responses in the immediate aftermath of emergencies and humanitarian crises; and ii) contributing to long-term recovery and protecting the rights of women and girls in emergencies and protracted crises through the nexus approach.  This will significantly improve the effectiveness of humanitarian action, reduce vulnerabilities, including but not limited to gender-based violence and sexual exploitation and abuse, and aid women’s recovery.

Organizational Setting, Reporting and Collaborators

The consultant will work under the direct supervision of and report to the UN Women Deputy Country Representative, who will be the point of contact on the contract and payment issues. The Country Office Humanitarian portfolio team will provide added support.

Duties and Responsibilities

Specifically, the consultant is expected to do the following:

• Literature review and Assessment Design: Review existing literature and reports to identify knowledge gaps, then design and implement a comprehensive gender assessment focusing on inequalities in humanitarian contexts.
• Data collection and community engagement: Gather gender specific perspectives using qualitative and quantitative methods, including focus group discussions and interviews while engaging local women-led organisations to incooperate their voices and needs.
• Recommendations and capacity building: Provide evidence- based recommendations for gender-sensitive programming and identify training needs for local organisations to enhance their capacity to address gender- specific concerns.
• Reporting and stakeholder engagement: Prepare a detailed report summarising findings and strategies, present these to relevant stakeholders, and ensure alignment with on-going humanitarian efforts and frameworks within the specified timeframe.

Deliverables

• Desk Review will allow the researcher to gather and analyse existing literature, reports and data related to gender issues in humanitarian contexts.
• Inception Report will give the (1) consultant’s perspectives, insights and understanding of the assignment based on the desk review of key documents and discussions with UN Women key team; (2) set’s out the plan of action and timeline for accomplishing the assignment; and (3) includes the proposed methodology and tools for the research.
• Conduct research, Data collection, capturing and analysis.
• Prepare and submit first draft report to UN Women (should be delivered in the agreed timeframe)
• Submission of second draft report incooperating feedback from UN Women
• Presentation of the key findings at a validation workshop to be organized by UN Women
• Final report: inclusive of overall findings and incorporating findings from stakeholders.

Consultant’s Workplace and Official Travel

•The contracted Individual Consultant must have her/his own equipment and working space.

• UN Women will own all rights to the evidence and information gathered during the research, reports, and all documents produced for this assignment, and UN Women must be credited in perpetuity

Travel

The consultant will travel to conduct research in Manicaland, Matebeleland South and Mashonaland Central, the districts will be selected and agreed upon in consultation with the country office and the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprise Development. UN Women CO will provide the transport with driver and Daily Subsistence Allowance (where required) for travel.

This is a home-based consultancy.

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 more information on UN Women’s Core Values and Competencies:  

https://www.unwomen.org/en/about-us/employment/application-process#_Values 

FUNCTIONAL COMPETENCIES: The following functional competencies are required:

• Technical credibility in gender equality, women’s rights and women’s empowerment. 
• Research and gender analysis skills. 
• Planning of stakeholder engagement seminars/workshops.
• Facilitation of Reflection and Planning Seminars.
• Report writing & editing skills.

Required Skills and Experience