Background

UNDP Global Mission Statement:

UNDP is the UN’s global development network, an organization advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in 166 countries, working with national counterparts on their own solutions to global and national development challenges.

UNDP Afghanistan Mission Statement

UNDP supports stabilization, state-building, governance and development priorities in Afghanistan. UNDP support, in partnership with the Government, the United Nations system, the donor community and other development stakeholders, has contributed to institutional development efforts leading to positive impact on the lives of Afghan citizens. Over the years UNDP support has spanned such milestone efforts as the adoption of the Constitution; Presidential, Parliamentary and Provincial Council elections; institutional development through capacity-building to the legislative, the judicial and executive arms of the state, and key ministries, Government agencies and commissions at the national and subnational levels.

UNDP has played a key role in the management of the Law and Order Trust Fund for Afghanistan (LOTFA), which supports the Government in developing and maintaining the Afghan National Police (ANP) and the Central Prisons Department (CPD) in efforts to stabilize the internal security environment. Major demobilizations, disarmaments and rehabilitations and area-based livelihoods and reconstruction programmes have taken place nationwide. UNDP Programmes in Afghanistan have benefited from the very active support of donors. UNDP Afghanistan is committed to the highest standards of transparency and accountability and works in close coordination with the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan and the UN system to maximize the impact of its development efforts on the ground.

 

Organizational Context

Enhancing Gender Equality and Mainstreaming in Afghanistan (EGEMA)

Enhancing Gender Equality and Mainstreaming in Afghanistan (EGEMA) is a collaborative effort between the Afghan Government and UNDP Afghanistan. Its main purpose is to strengthen the Ministry of Women Affairs (MOWA)so that it can implement, monitor and report on national and international commitments that affect women. This project will build upon the best practices and lessons learned from the previous UNDP gender projects (Gender Equality Project I &II), which implemented effective initiatives and helped the MOWA become the most effective and sustainable government entity. This project is funded by the Government of Korea, United Nations Volunteer and the UNDP core fund.

EGEMA project is in line with National Action Plan for Women of Afghanistan 1 (NAPWA, 2008- 2018) and operates under the following four pillars: 1) A capacitated MoWA is better able to sustainably and independently fulfil its mandate at national and sub-national levels; 2) Nationally educated Gender Experts for advocacy and employment in the public sector and civil society organizations to promote the advancement of women and gender equality at national and sub-national levels are available; 3) MOWA’s capability to engage with line ministries to enable rural women’s economic empowerment; and 4) MOWA’s capacity to engage with line ministries to institute socio-cultural and behavioral transformation reflecting gender sensitivities strengthened

 

Response

Enhancing Gender Equality and Mainstreaming in Afghanistan (EGEMA) project provides technical assistance to the MoWA to build its capacity and advance gender mainstreaming in government policy and planning process, coordinate and monitor implementation of the NAPWA  and take a stronger role in women’s economic empowerment, behavioral socio-cultural changes toward to gender equality, as well as creating a cadre of nationally educated gender experts that are ready to be employed in public and private sectors.

 

What we have accomplished so far?

•             As of December 2019, 40 Gender Responsive Budgeting (GRB) officers and Specialists are working with the 20-line ministries of Afghanistan. GRB officers and specialists were recruited, placed and trained by EGEMA project in cooperation with UN Women and the Administrative Office of the President (AOP). GRB officers and specialists assisted the pilot ministries in preparations of national budget of 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 from a gender perspective to reflect and address gender concerns.

•             To date the MOWA’s Policy Committee assisted the line ministries in revision of their policies from the gender perspective. Total 51 policies of these ministries were engendered.

•             200 women headed households from the four districts of Daikundi province were hired as beekeepers and improved their skills and knowledge of beekeeping management for all four seasons of the year through a 12-day training programme. In addition, 200 women beekeepers were able to produce and sell honey. These women are organized into 13 groups and register with the Directorate of Agriculture Irrigation and Livestock. As a result, they increased their contribution to their household income through the beekeeping farms

•             150 women headed household from Herat province received saffron bulbs-banks as well as automatic and smart featured solar and electric powered saffron dryers. They were equipped with post-harvest management training knowledge and skills.

•             In partnership with Kabul University, the Master’s programme in Gender and Women’s studies started in 2015, a total of 834students (55 women and 29 men) were graduated from the programme, Currently the fourth cohort, 30 students (22 women and 9 men) is studying their master’s degree. The main objective of the program is to establish a resource pool of gender experts.

•             As the end of the 2018, as a result of trainings on women’s rights and gender equality provided through EGEMA project, 800 religious leaders (mullahs) developed an action plan to address gender issues and enhance gender awareness. After the workshop religious leaders (mullahs) have been raising awareness among the public through daily prayers and Friday’s sermons. The progress is tracked by the Provincial Departments of Haj and Religious Affairs on regular basis. To raise awareness on gender as well as a future training purpose UNDP Afghanistan in cooperation with the Ministry of Hajj and Religious Affairs have published a book “Women’s Rights in Islam”, which is available in Dari and English.

•             As part of the Youth-Mullah Volunteers Caravans initiative, 90 young leaders (52 female and 38 male) were mobilized in 2017 and 2018 and have undergone extensive capacity building trainings on leadership, gender equality and volunteerism in Kabul, Herat and Balkh provinces. These team leaders facilitated and conducted 24 women’s rights campaigns in their respective provinces. More than 25,530 community members in Herat and Balkh provinces were reached by the network of volunteer advocates through dedicated awareness raising and behavior change campaigns on gender equality and women’s rights as a key message. 

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of Work:

Duties and Responsibilities

The national consultant will be recruited by EGEMA Project/ UNDP and will perform the following responsibilities:

  • Necessary financial and administrative support;
  • Maintaining and handling HR related assignment;
  • Maintaining and facilitation of procurement and logistics;

 

Ensures necessary financial and administrative support, focusing on achievement of the following results:

  • Processing all financial payments and follow up on timely basis
  • Assists in preparation of financial reports and documents as required;
  • Ensure that office property, vehicles, radios, generator, cameras phones, data processing, etc. are correctly used properly maintained, accounted for and periodically reconciled against the accounting record;
  • Guide and monitor daily transport arrangements (log books, vehicles records forms) as well as missions (travel clearance, travel authorization, road mission requests and security clearance);
  • Help ensure full compliance of administration process with UNDP rules, regulations and procedures;
  • Ensure arrangement of logistics for the trainings, workshops and seminars such as projectors, whiteboards, stationery and other requisites to deliver the programmes;
  • Assists and prepares the programme and activities filing system for the office and helps in keeping it up dated;
  • Assist EGEMA project team in all other administrative and financial tasks as required by the Gender Planning Specialist.

 

Provides maintenance and handling of HR related assignments of the Gender EGEMA, focusing on achievement of the following results:

  • Assist in preparation and maintenance of personnel records filing system;
  • Prepare, maintain and monitor all office personnel attendance, leave records and files;
  • Assist in all other HR related tasks as required by the Project Manager;

 

Ensures facilitation of procurement and logistics related tasks, focusing on achievement of the following results:

  • Assist in procurement and purchase of basic office supplies, stationery, etc, maintain stock, keep inventory record and update them on timely basis;
  • Provide logistical support to the project.

 

Expected Outputs and Deliverables; Estimated duration to complete and Payment percentage:

  • Develop realistic work plan and obtain approval from the EGEMA Project Manager: ensure implementation completed within the agreed timeframe
  • Submit work progress/completion report and certify quality of work done by the contractor to facilitate payment
  • Submit the timesheet of each month

 

Payment Modality: 

Payments under the contract shall be daily based and be made on receipt of the specific milestone reports indicated above. These shall be made upon approval by EGEMA and Governance Unit. The draft report of the evaluation and recommendations will be reviewed by EGEMA and Governance Unit. Upon receipt of final comments, the consultant shall finalize the evaluation for formal acceptance by UNDP at which point the final payment shall be released.

UNDP reserves the right to withhold all or a portion of payment if performance is unsatisfactory, if work/outputs is incomplete, not delivered or for failure to meet deadlines. 

 

Institutional Arrangements:

The national consultant will work under the overall supervision of the EGEMA Project Manager. The consultant shall work in close collaboration with the leadership of EGEMA project. The Governance Unit and the EGEMA Project will provide office space, internet, laptop.

Duration of the Work

Duration of the consultancy is two and a half months with maximum 55 working days.

 

Duty Station

The consultant will be based at UNOCA (United Nations Office Complex in Afghanistan )/EGEMA Project office if required the MOWA and report regularly to the EGEMA Project Manager and the Governance Unit at the UNOCA during working hours, if security conditions permitting;

The Consultant will follow the working hours and weekends applicable to UNDP Country Office (CO) staff.

The Consultant is always required to observe UNDP security rules and regulations.

Competencies

Competencies:

Corporate Competencies

  • Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
  • Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
  • Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
  • Treats all people fairly without favoritism.

Functional Competencies:

  • Excellent knowledge of national and international legal and non-legal document analysis;
  • Knowledge Management and Learning;
  • In dept practical knowledge of development orientation;
  • Seeks and applies knowledge, information, and best practices from within and outside of UNDP.
  • Ability to lead legal and non-legal document review process through consultation with stakeholders;
  • Experience in reviewing legal and non-legal documents at national and international level for mapping the status of Gender and Mainstreaming around the country;
  • Ability to manage time and meet tight deadlines;
  • Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
  • Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills;
  • Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities;
  • Ability to lead results-based management and report accordingly.

Required Skills and Experience

Academic Qualifications:

  • High School certificate or bachelor’s degree in literature, social sciences and/or business and administration;

 

Years of experience:

  • Relevant working experience in administration in international level is required;
  • With High School Certificate 3 years of relevant experience and with bachelor’s degree 1 years of relevant experience is required;
  • Familiarity of working with the government institutions UN Agencies and international organizations is required;
  • Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, Power Point, Access, etc), ATLAS and skills in using internet important.
  • Work experience with UNDP will be an asset and gender project.55

 

Language:

Working level communication skills in English, Dari and Pashto both oral and written.

 

PRICE PROPOSAL AND SCHEDULE OF PAYMENTS

 

 

The Consultant shall submit a price proposal as below:

  • Daily Fee – The consultant shall propose a daily fee, which should be inclusive of her/his professional fee, local communication costs and insurance (inclusive of medical health insurance and evacuation). The professional daily fee, all inclusive of the above elements, shall be paid upon submission of timesheet. The number of working days for which the daily fee shall be payable under the contract is 55 working days maximum.

The total professional fee (daily fee), shall be converted into a lump sum contract and payment under the contract shall be made on submission and acceptance of deliverables under the contract in accordance with the above-mentioned schedule of payment.

 

EVALUATION METHOD AND CRITERIA

 

Proposal Evaluation Method and Criteria:

The award of the contract shall be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated 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.

Technical Criteria weight 70%;

Financial Criteria weight 30%.

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points (70% of the total technical points) would be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

Technical Criteria (70 points)

  1. Interview (40 marks)
  2. General Qualification (10 marks);
  3. Experience relevant to the assignment (20 marks);

 

Documents to be included when submitting the proposals:

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications in one single PDF document:

  • Duly accomplished confirmation of Interest and Submission of Financial Proposal Template using the template provided by UNDP (Annex II);
  • Personal CV or P11, indicating all experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references.
  • Brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment;

 

Annexes (click on the hyperlink to access the documents):

Incomplete application will not be considered, it will be disqualified automatically.