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• Complete documentation and application link can be accessed through: https://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=64824

Background: 

The UN considers Yemen the worst humanitarian crisis in the world. The impact of the conflict has been devastating, with tens of thousands of civilians killed or injured and public infrastructure throughout the country severely damaged or destroyed. An estimated 80 per cent of the population, 24 million people, requires some form of humanitarian or protection assistance. More than 20 million Yemenis are food insecure and an estimated 3.3 million people remain displaced.

During peace consultations convened by the Special Envoy for the Secretary General for Yemen in Sweden in December 2018, the parties to the conflict agreed to redeploy forces from Hodeida, exchange prisoners and move forward with initiatives in Taizz. After more than three years of war, and over two years since the last peace talks, the Stockholm agreement represents a significant step forward. Its successful implementation could play a key role in paving the way for further progress on the peace process led by the Special Envoy.

The aim of the Peace Support Facility (PSF) is to support the peace process by accelerating the implementation of agreements reached by the parties to the conflict during negotiations led by the UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy to Yemen.  The Facility also aims to build public support for the peace process by achieving tangible, rapid improvement in the daily lives of people in priority areas identified by the UN Special Envoy. The intention is to demonstrate concrete alternatives to conflict, create local demand for peace and incentivize parties to deepen their engagement in the Special Envoy’s peace process.

The project’s overarching output is that the peace process in Yemen is supported with fast, flexible initiatives, agreed by the parties, that deliver tangible, rapid improvements in the daily lives of people, and reinforce and build public support for the political process. To achieve this, the PSF works across three components:

• Component 1: Initiatives agreed by the parties are implemented to build confidence in the peace process and to support the implementation of the Stockholm agreement or any other future agreement;
• Component 2: Discreet activities emerging out of existing Track II initiatives are implemented with the goal of catalyzing the political process;
• Component 3: Transitional governance arrangements are supported as and when the parties agree.

The SDG Expert/Consultant will provide guidance and direction to ensure SDG mainstreaming throughout the Peace Support Facility, to ensure that PSF interventions have positive spill over dividends across multiple areas – especially reduction of inequalities, promotion of social inclusion, compliance to environmental standards and improving the lives of the most vulnerable groups.

The consultant will provide guidance to the PSF team on how to identify, design and implement PSF interventions that do not create adverse impact on gender equality but on the contrary contribute to empowering women and girls. A key deliverable in this regard will be the development of a gender strategy for the PSF, which will also look at opportunities for engaging, benefiting and empowering women across the three PSF windows. Similarly, the consultant will provide guidance on how to leverage the PSF as a tool for promoting social inclusion and supporting the OSESGY in pushing -through programmatic interventions- the inclusion agenda forward in the peace process. In this regard, promoting the Women, Peace and Security agenda represents a key priority, in line with the UNSC Resolution 1325 and subsequent resolutions.

In addition, the consultant will assess how the PSF interventions generate positive dividends across multiple SDGs and promotes an approach that maximises the impact of the activities across different areas. In particular, the consultant will identify opportunities for interventions that contribute to reducing inequalities and target the most vulnerable and underrepresented groups. It will be also important to consider how project interventions are implemented without causing adverse impact on the habitats, climate change nor natural resources – but rather promote environmental conservation and awareness.

The consultant will ensure PSF compliance to UNDP social and environmental standards by developing an appropriate management framework. S/he will also organize regular training and orientation on SDG, gender and social inclusion and other related subjects to PSF staff and relevant partners.

As such, the overall objectives of this consultancy are the following:

• To strengthen social inclusion aspects in PSF interventions and engagement with national and local stakeholders;
• To promote a gender sensitive implementation of the PSF and identify programmatic entry points to promote the role of women in the peace process in line with Security Council resolution 1325;
•  Support the design of initiatives which focus on neglected geographical areas and among underrepresented groups with the objective to reduce inequalities and improving living conditions;
• To ensure compliance with social and environmental standards of PSF interventions.

• Ability to think conceptually and flexibly, capacity to adapt, innovate, and propose multiple options;
• Strong written and oral skills in English, knowledge of Arabic will be an asset;
• A team player with good interpersonal skills;
• Ability to practice courtesy and diplomacy with high rank officials and various stakeholders;
• Time management skills;
• Ability to work well under pressure and stressful environment;
• Promoting ethics and integrity, creating organizational precedents;
• Building support and political acumen;
• Creating and promoting enabling environment for open communication;
• Leveraging conflict in the interests of UNDP & setting standards;
• Sharing knowledge across the organization and building a culture of knowledge sharing and learning;
• Fair and transparent decision making; calculated risk-taking.

Academic Qualification:

• Master’s Degree or equivalent, in International Relations, Political Science, Gender Studies or related social sciences;
• A Bachelor’s degree with at least 7 years of relevant experience can be accepted in lieu of a Master’s degree.

Experience:

• A minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible experience in programme/project management or policy in the area of inclusion of vulnerable groups, gender equality and women’s empowerment;
• Proven experience in the area of SDG, gender mainstreaming and social inclusion in UN programmes and project is required;
• Experience working on issues of vulnerable groups and women in the context of crisis and peacebuilding is a distinguished advantage;
• Experience on the application of social and environmental standard is an added value;
• Hands-on project experience with civil society, local communities and/or vulnerable groups is an asset;
• Experience in the Arab States region and knowledge of the nature of the conflict in Yemen is an asset.

Languages:

• Proficiency in English.
• Knowledge of Arabic is an advantage.