Background

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) classified Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) as a global pandemic. Currently, almost all countries are facing the same crisis. On March 8, 2020, a state of public health emergency was declared in the Philippines through Proclamation No. 922, s. 2020, in order to capacitate the national government to immediately act to prevent the loss of life and mitigate the impacts of COVID-19. Luzon island and most parts of the country are under stay-home orders due to the movement restrictions and community quarantine measures imposed since March 16, 2020. Data from the Department of Health (DOH) shows that the National Capital Region (NCR) is the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, the country is doing its best to mitigate or stop the spread of the disease and find ways to treat the infected, and revive the economy that has suffered countless losses.

The National Task Force (NTF) Against COVID-19 serves as the operational command headed by the Defense Secretary, while the National Incident Command (NIC) taking charge of the day to day concerns and operations is led by Chief Implementer, Secretary of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, with the Office of Civil Defense as its secretariat, is in charge of determining agencies in the various task groups such as response operations, resource management and logistics and strategic communications.  

As first responders to COVID-19, duty bearers from the peace and security sectors undertake vital roles and provide invaluable contributions to the safety and security of health personnel, citizens and communities. Hence, they need to be properly prepared and trained in crisis management, health-related or public health matters, management of conflict situations, and provision of non-violent gender-sensitive quarantine, crowd management and civilian control protocols that respects and protects human rights, especially of women and girls.

With this, UN Women, in partnership with the Philippine Commission on Women, aims to conduct a mapping of gender issues and concerns of security frontliners to develop policy and/or program recommendations towards gender-responsive responses of the security sector to complex emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Policy and/or program recommendations are also intended to advance gender-responsive peace and security processes and mechanisms (such as greater participation of women in community safety/ security/ policing) as well as increased and meaningful participation of women in the security sector (e.g., gender-responsive recruitment, retention and promotion policies).  This mapping, ultimately, will contribute to the implementation of the National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security, 2017-2022 as well as other UNSCRs on women, peace and security.

Due consideration will also be undertaken for the members of the security sector in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) to participate in this mapping as part of the ongoing support of UN Women to the Bangsamoro peace process, with support from the UN Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The mapping will not only be presented to the national security agencies but also, with appropriate BARMM agencies later on. 

Duties and Responsibilities

The objective of the engagement is for the consultant to conduct a mapping of gender issues and concerns of security frontliners in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
To deliver the abovementioned objective, the consultant is expected to work closely with UN Women and the Philippine Commission on Women (Sectoral Coordination Division) as the lead key government agency undertaking this assessment. The consultant will undertake the following:

• Desk review of current gender issues and concerns in relation to women, peace and security in the context of COVID-19 pandemic
• Develop tools and methodologies for gathering gender issues and concerns of security frontliners in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Such gender issues and concerns will cover the issues of the members of the security sector responding during the pandemic as well as those of the public that it serves;
• Conduct data gathering activities with the security frontliners to surface gender issues and concerns;
• Analyze data gathered from the security frontliners and provide policy and/or program recommendations towards gender-responsive responses of the security sector to complex emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic;
• Present the analysis and recommendations to key security institutions for validation;
• Finalize the mapping report on the gender issues and concerns of security frontliners in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic

Expected deliverables and timelines

Competencies

Knowledge and experience:

• Demonstrated knowledge of the security sector, peace and security and/or gender mainstreaming in the Philippines;
• Excellent writing skills, with significant written work on the security sector, peace and security and/or gender mainstreaming in the Philippines;  
• Fluency in English and Tagalog.

Corporate competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity by modeling the United Nations’ values and ethical standards;
• Promotes vision, mission and strategic goals of the UN and UN Women;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability
• Ability and willingness to work as part of a team to meet tight deadlines and produce high quality work.

Required Skills and Experience

• Master’s degree in the social sciences and/or any relevant field directly related to gender and peace, security and governance;
• Minimum five years of relevant work experience with a demonstrable ability to provide policy and programme development support in the area of gender and peace, security and governance;
• Published written work in the area of gender and peace, security and governance; and,
• Excellent command of written English and Tagalog.

Submission of application

Interested candidates are encouraged to submit electronic application to hr.bangkok@unwomen.org, with cc to mary.hatamosa@unwomen.org, not later than 29 July 2020, 1700H Philippine time.

Submission package includes: 

• Personal History Form (P11)
• Writing sample on security sector, peace and security and/or gender mainstreaming in the Philippines;
• Financial proposal which shall specify a total lump sum amount, breaking down the daily professional fee, proposed number of working days. Please see the financial proposal template as below: