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.

The Policy Division develops and implements the UN Women programme of work on analysis, research and knowledge management that provides the evidence base for the advice and guidance UN Women provides to the intergovernmental processes, the UN system, and to UN Women staff working at country and regional level on issues of gender equality and women’s empowerment. It identifies emerging issues and trends and develops and proposes new strategies for achieving the agreed goals through innovative approaches and lessons learned about what works in practice. It also designs and oversees the training and capacity development programs of UN Women, working closely with the UN Women Training Centre.

The Policy Division brings together technical experts who: undertake issues-based research; analyze data on country, regional and global trends; build a knowledge base on policy commitments and their implementation; propose evidence-based options for global policy, norms and standards and for UN Women global programme strategies; and contribute substantive inputs to policy advocacy and technical cooperation programmes. The work of UN Women’s Ending Violence against Women (EVAW) Section is broadly focused on a comprehensive approach to ending violence against women that addresses legislation and policies, prevention, services for survivors, safe public spaces, and research and data.

Under the overall supervision of the Chief of the Ending Violence against Women Section, the Policy Advisor, Ending Violence against Women and Girls (Safe Public Spaces) will be responsible for: a) providing substantive support on intergovernmental processes and advance the normative policy framework on ending violence against women and girls and safe public spaces; (b) providing and manage the provision of high level policy advice and technical guidance on ending violence against women and girls and integrated initiatives on safe and empowering public spaces for women and girls; (c) building and strengthening collaboration and partnerships among stakeholders for accelerated action to end violence against women and girls and create safe and empowering public spaces in cities, rural space, and other settings; and d) provide advocacy support and representation.

Duties and Responsibilities

Manage and oversee the substantive support on intergovernmental processes and advance the normative policy framework on ending violence against women and girls and safe public spaces:

  • Provide high level substantive inputs to international fora to help shape development of global and regional policies, norms and standards and implementation strategies, in areas related to gender and crime prevention; safe public spaces, and ending violence against women and girls;
  • Provide substantive/thematic support to intergovernmental processes such as Commission on the Status of Women, Economic and Social Council, the General Assembly and other policy-making organs, as appropriate and prepare analytical summaries of debates, supporting negotiations and analyzing/compiling outcomes; 
  • Provide policy and technical guidance on translating global norms and standards into regional and national frameworks, including laws policies and programmes;
  • Build and manage effective interactions with Member States and mobilize their support for UN Women’s mandate and priorities through briefings of delegates and other relevant partners, and provide advocacy for corporate positioning.

Manage the provision of high-level policy advice and technical guidance on ending violence against women and girls and integrated initiatives on safe and empowering public spaces for women and girls:

  • Identify and strategically position work in new/ cutting edge areas including through the initiation and/or developing global modalities to support the scale up of global initiatives when relevant, lead in the development of global concept proposals, and work with the resource mobilization unit to identify potential funding sources for such initiatives;
  • Lead in the research, development and presentation of practical global guidance, policy briefs, knowledge tools and training resources for country implementation and roll out (toolkits, integrated policy and programming guidance notes, guidelines, handbooks) based on global normative standards and evidence;
  • Provide policy advice to regional offices and country offices on thematic areas; including leading on the provision of technical assistance and joint quality assurance for the development and implementation of thematic programmes (e.g. input to scoping studies, project design related substantive policy components) through online support, missions, etc.;
  • Prepare and finalize briefing notes, statements and advocacy messages, and contribute to corporate reports in assigned areas of focus.

Lead the building, management and strengthening of collaboration and partnerships among stakeholders for accelerated action to end violence against women and girls and create safe and empowering public spaces in cities, rural spaces, and other settings:

  • Create opportunities for stakeholders to build alliances for accelerated progress towards the empowerment of all women and girls and ending sexual harassment in public spaces, and other forms of violence against women and girls in urban and rural settings, through the organization of strategic events, convening of stakeholders for exchanges of views and facilitation of consensus-building;
  • Conceptualize and manage a Global Community of Practice (COP) that promotes collaboration, peer support, good practices, and administers webinars, thematic dialogues, and provides links to global guidance notes and tools (including those related to specific flagship initiatives) as required;
  • Lead the development of cross-regional capacity development initiatives and expert exchanges on thematic areas (e.g. south-south north-south exchanges, technical meetings including those related to Flagship Initiatives);
  • Provide expert advice and timely guidance as well as substantive technical support to UN Women HQ, ROs and COs in developing strategic proposals for fundraising;
  • Build, manage and strengthen close liaisons with relevant donors, international and national city networks, and other actors supporting efforts to create safe public spaces and cities with women and girls;
  • Finalize global donor reports related to global technical advisory policy services as required.

Lead advocacy support and represent UN Women in the area of safe public spaces:

  • Represent UN Women at policy making inter-agency, intergovernmental and international technical and advocacy fora as requested by the Supervisor;
  • Participate in international, regional or national meetings and provide programmatic/substantive expertise on an issue. Participation in regional or national meetings to be agreed in consultation with relevant Regional or Country Offices;
  • Ensure UN-Women vision and strategic priorities are integrated in platforms led by other development partners (financial institutions, private sector, etc.);
  • Serve as the primary focal point for city partnerships in developed countries on safe public spaces, including partnerships that form part of Flagship Initiatives;
  • High-level corporate advocacy and communications, including through the preparation of quality speeches, talking points, briefs and media/outreach messages for UN senior officials (e.g. UN Women, SG, DSG, USGs, etc.).

Key Performance Indicators:

  • Timely and quality technical advice and support as indicated in the AWP;
  • Timely and quality knowledge products;
  • Quality reports and other strategic documents drafted and submitted in a timely manner;
  • Timely execution of global policy fora related to safe public spaces with women and girls;
  • Strong relationships with various partners and stakeholders;
  • Contributions to resource mobilization;
  • UN Women is well represented in important meetings on topics related to expertise.

Competencies

Core values:

  • Integrity;
  • Professionalism;
  • Respect for Diversity.

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: http://www.unwomen.org/-/media/headquarters/attachments/sections/about%20us/employment/un-women-employment-values-and-competencies-definitions-en.pdf.

Functional Competencies:

  • Substantive knowledge on ending violence against women, women’s safety in urban and rural settings;
  • Ability to develop and lead in research and the development of global guidance notes and other practical tools;
  • Excellent communications skills, with proven expertise in writing clear and convincing policy analysis and ability to advocate with senior representatives from government and other partners and provide policy advice  in the context of global initiatives;
  • Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills;
  • Ability to conceptualize, develop and use strategies to promote effective decision-making and multi-stakeholder collaboration;
  • Ability to establish and foster strong relations with government counterparts, UN agencies, donors, and NGO partners;
  • Good knowledge of UN Women and the UN system.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

  • Master’s degree (or equivalent) in development related disciplines, gender issues, economics, public policy, law, sociology, or other social science fields.

Experience:

  • A minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible experience in crime prevention, community safety, and the prevention and response to violence against women and girls, including in the context of development, policy analysis, or related areas;
  • In depth experience in leading the production of global knowledge products on safe public spaces and the prevention of violence (thematic reports, practice compendia, etc.); Writing reports and publications which have made a significant contribution to public policy, programmes or learning in the field of development practice and studies
  • Experience working with, and building partnerships with governments, donors and civil society organizations internationally and in the field;
  • Experience working with the UN system is an asset.

Languages:

  • Fluency in English is required;
  • Knowledge of the other UN official working language is an asset.

Application:

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.