Background

Over the past fifteen years, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat has supported Member States in strengthening data collection and, in particular, supporting analysis of socio-economic data from a gender equality perspective. Efforts, at both the regional and national levels have been implemented to enable the production and analysis of gender statistics including: a United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD)/CARICOM project (1999-2004) that identified the major gender issues at that time and led to the development of social/gender statistics and indicators and relevant training in the CARICOM Region; Gender and Development Regional Special Topic Monograph (RSTM) that was produced out of the 2000 Round of Population and Housing Census along with a chapter on Gender in the National Census Reports (NCR) of that same round; the CARICOM Programme in Social/Gender statistics that followed the project in which the indicators were reviewed and efforts at sustaining their collection instituted both at the regional (through the work of an advisory group of heads of statistical offices/CARICOM Secretariat) and the national levels; and the development of Caribbean Specific Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in which a critical element was gender (such as incorporation of a target on Violence ) and also inclusion of sex-disaggregated data. While these initiatives have contributed to the development of gender-sensitive indicators, given the challenges experienced in countries such as staff changes and resource constraints it is necessary to strengthen, review and conduct training on the tools and approaches for the production of socio-economic statistics from a gender equality perspective; and an overall comprehensive analysis at the national and regional level on the status of women and men. It is likely that the current data that are available as collected by countries from administrative sources or through Census and surveys are not adequate to undertake this comprehensive analysis of the status of women and men. In this context, working in partnership with CARICOM Secretariat and Member States, UN Women Multi-Country Office (MCO) – Caribbean will support the adoption of a Regional set of Gender Equality Indicators taking into consideration those that are currently being collected by countries as part of the Regional Statistical Work Programme (RSWP), as well as approaches for measuring these indicators at the national and regional level.

CARICOM Member States are signatories to the Beijing Platform for Action (BPfA) which, in its strategic objective H.3, calls State Parties to generate and disseminate sex-disaggregated data and information for planning and evaluation. The BPfA played a critical role in highlighting the necessity for sex-disaggregated statistics and gender analysis of socio-economic statistics at national, regional and international levels, as a means of monitoring disparities between men and women, with a view to ensuring the development of evidence-based policies and interventions to address inequity and promote gender equality.

The BPfA outlines in paragraphs 209 through 212, actions to be taken by national, regional, and international statistical services as well as the United Nations agencies beyond the important steps of data collection, analysis and dissemination. Actions that require involvement of centres for women’s studies and research organizations, in testing appropriate indicators and methodologies to strengthen gender analysis and ensure monitoring and evaluation of progress on the fulfilment of obligations under the BPfA, are prioritized. Furthermore the BPfA obligates signatories to strengthen their national gender information systems and relevant coordination mechanisms, which includes designating or appointing staff to gender statistics programmes while ensuring linkages to all fields of statistical work.

In 2013, the UN Statistical Commission, (comprised of Chief Statisticians from all UN Member States including the CARICOM region), in furtherance of the commitments made under the BPfA, agreed to the establishment of 52 global Minimum Set of Gender Indicators across the following domains:

• Economic structures, participation in productive activities and access to resources;
• Education;
• Health and related services;
• Public life and decision-making;
• Human rights of women and girl children .
  

A review of progress made on sex-disaggregated statistics and gender analysis of socio-economic data, as part of the Beijing+20 national review reports of select countries in the CARICOM region, shows that while there is a stated commitment to adopting the Minimum Set of Gender Indicators, the habitual constraint of ineffective data capture and monitoring systems has impeded progress in this area.

At the regional level, the CARICOM Secretariat has undertaken a number of initiatives on gender analysis of statistics in partnership with international development partners, some of which have been highlighted earlier. UN ECLAC collaborated with the Secretariat, with funding from UN Women, to undertake a project on the compilation of gender indicators using data from the 2000 round of Population and Housing Censuses. The UNSD/CARICOM project that was executed focused on “Strengthening Capacity in the Compilation of Statistics and Indicators for Conference Follow-up” and after that project’s conclusion, a CARICOM Programme on Strengthening Capacity in Social/Gender and Environment Statistics and Indicators in the CARICOM Region” was put in place with the Advisory Group that was formed. The MDG indicators were incorporated in the CARICOM Programme. . There was also an initiative in 2005 to strengthen capacity of the Civil Registration and Vital Statistics Systems in the Region – Improvement of Statistics on Fertility and Mortality which would also aid in filling the data gaps in this area. The CARICOM Secretariat continued to support the strengthening capacity in Social/Genders in the region through a number of regional workshops, country assessments and in-country technical assistance supported by various development partners, the UNDP Barbados and the OECS, the CDB and UNIFEM, The World Bank Trust Fund for Statistical Capacity Building, the UNFPA, the EU and DFID among others. Regional workshops were conducted to enable countries to produce the core social/gender indicators including MDGS/CSMDGs in Antigua and Barbuda (2009); Suriname (2010); Guyana (2011) and Dominica (2013). Following the workshop of 2013, this year technical assistance is being administered in seven countries - Grenada, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Lucia, Montserrat, Barbados and Guyana.

Building on the abovementioned initiatives, it is necessary to ensure that CARICOM Member States are, on a systematic basis, able to analyse and disseminate socio-economic data from a gender perspective, so as to assess the status of women and men and better understand the impact and shaping of policies. Working in partnership with the CARICOM Secretariat and Member States, UN Women Multi-Country Office (MCO) - Caribbean will support the adoption of a Regional set of Gender Equality Indicators, as well as approaches for measuring these indicators at the national and regional level. It is important to note that the majority of this data, may be available as existing administrative data, but are not analysed or disseminated. Strategies for identifying and overcoming the policy, institutional and capacity challenges to accessing, analysing and dissemination of this information will be required; and the financial constraints facing many Member States in this area must be recognised.

To launch this process, UN Women will contract a team of experts to assist the Regional Statistical Programme of the CARICOM Secretariat, with reviewing globally tested methodologies and approaches for the development and implementation of gender indicators with a view to identifying the most relevant model for the Caribbean context; and propose a strategy for measuring these Indicators at the Regional and national level.

Duties and Responsibilities

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 will commission a partnership between an international expert and a regional expert to support the Regional Statistical Programme of the CARICOM Secretariat in the measurement of the UN-led agreement on 52 global Minimum Set of Gender Equality Indicators. The partnership will conduct the following inter alia:

• Review global and regional best practices for the monitoring and collection of socio-economic data from a gender equality perspective;
• Review the current gender statistics and indicators that are being collected in the CARICOM Region
• Consult with national, regional and international organisations that are supporting improved sex-disaggregated and gender equality analysis on socio-economic data in order to develop an inventory of past/on ongoing related initiatives in CARICOM;
• Based on the reviews, propose CARICOM Gender Equality Indicators Model for adoption, with recommendations on how this model could be tested at the Regional and national level, utilising strategies which reflect the Caribbean statistical context and financial realities constraining Member States in the collection of new/additional data;
• Under CARICOM Secretariat, facilitate partnership consultations to discuss the proposed model and to ensure validation and feedback on the proposed Model and its roll out;
• Based on the results of the partnership consultations, develop a Technical Guidance Note, Strategy and Work Plan for the Regional Statistical Programme of the CARICOM Secretariat and UN Women to assist Member States in the piloting of the CARICOM Gender Equality Indicators Model.

The work of the consultants will be carried out in support of the Regional Statistical Work Programme (RSWP) of the CARICOM Region. The work will be carried out in close consultation with UN Women, other UN System and development partners, drawing from global and national experiences in supporting the development of gender indicators in the region and beyond.

Working in partnership with the UN Women contracted International Consultant, the Regional Consultant will:

• Provide guidance and inputs to the International Expert in the development of a Consultancy Work plan, reflecting methodology and division of labour between the international expert and the regional expert;
• Review the on-going work of Caribbean Governments, CARICOM Secretariat, OECS Secretariat, academic institutions, regional and international partners who are supporting improved gender analysis of socio-economic data in order to develop an inventory of past and ongoing initiatives in this area;
• Review the type, frequency and method of nationally-owned data collection on sex disaggregated statistics and gender analysis carried out by Member States with national and regional partners,;
• Based on a comprehensive understanding of the statistical strengths, capacities and realities facing Caribbean countries, work with the International Expert in proposing a CARICOM Gender Equality Indicators Model and strategy for piloting this Model in a manner that is most relevant for the small island Caribbean context;
• Act as co-facilitator in partnership consultations, the purpose which will be to orient national counterparts on the best practices and methodologies and to garner recommendations, feedback and validation of the proposed regional indicator model;
• Provide technical guidance to the International expert in developing a strategy for CARICOM Secretariat and the UN agencies on how to support interested member states in the piloting of CARICOM Gender Equality Indicators Model From the perspective of the statistical realities, opportunities and strengths of the national counterparts.

Competencies

• Demonstrates integrity and fairness;
• Demonstrates professional competence and is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results;
• Displays cultural, gender, religious, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

• Ability to work independently and as part of a small team, manage competing priorities and perform well under pressure;
• Excellent command of written and spoken English including the ability to convey complex concepts and recommendations, in a clear and persuasive style tailored to match different audiences.

Required Skills and Experience

• Post-graduate degree, at least a Master’s degree, in Statistics with working experience in one of the following areas:  social policy; public administration; statistics; gender studies, development studies, human rights or a related field of study.

• A minimum of six years of progressively responsible and relevant experience in the field of statistics and a demonstrable and comprehensive understanding of human rights, social inclusion and/or gender equality issues of the Caribbean;
• Proven expertise in the area of in supporting the statistical processes, capacities and systems of the Caribbean, at the national and/or regional level;
• Proven capacity to work with a broad range of partners, including statistical experts, government bodies, non-government organisations and academia in the Caribbean;
• Experience in supporting or contributing to national policy development.

• Excellent command of written and spoken English.

The contract will run from 25 August 2014 until 22 December 2014. The consultancy will be home-based, with regular travel to the Caribbean required.

The consultancy fee will be negotiated before contracting. Each payment will be based on a predefined and formal agreement between UN Women and the consultant and will be disbursed based on satisfactory completion of agreed deliverables.

The consultant must be equipped with a portable computer (laptop). The consultant must be reasonably accessible by email and telephone (preferably mobile). The use of reliable, internet-based communication (Skype or equivalent) is required.

• A cover letter highlighting the specific post for which you are applying;
• The completed UN Women Personal History form (P-11) which can be downloaded from http://www.unwomen.org/about-us/employment;
• Detailed curriculum vitae including a description of main achievements;
• A price proposal quoted in United States dollars (US$) indicating daily rates.

Applications should be submitted by email to the attention of Melissa Bohne, UN Women (melissa.bohne@unwomen.org).