Background

The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) program “Women, Peace and Security Global Facility: From Resolutions to Accountability and Leadership” is designed to support women’s and men’s equal leadership and participation in shaping peace and security and humanitarian action. Despite efforts by national militaries, the UN System, -dedicated advocacy and calls for more women in peacekeeping since the adoption of United Nations Security Council resolution (UNSCR) 1325 in 2000. Women are still significantly underrepresented in the military components of UN Peacekeeping Operations.

Since then, further policy initiatives and resolutions have been established to accelerate this call to action. These include the Department of Peacekeeping (DPO) Uniformed Gender parity Strategy1, the Action for Peacekeeping (A4P) Initiative, and UN Security Council resolution 2242 of October 2015, which seeks to double the number of women in military and police contingents of UN PKO over the five years to 2020.  

In support of this effort to increase the participation of women in in peacekeeping and on peace operations UN Women, in 2015 developed the Female Military Officers’ Course (FMOC). The FMOC is a measure designed to directly respond to this lack of progress and increase the number of military women in peacekeeping, with a particular focus on assisting to increase the numbers of women deployed as military experts on mission and as staff officers. This course supports the Secretary Generals mandates to the aim increase the number of women deployed on peacekeeping operations by helping to prepare them with the specific skills and knowledge necessary to be considered, selected, and deployed by their national military forces. Specific aims are defined as:

• encouraging the preparation and deployment of women military officers for UN peacekeeping and peace operations
• providing exposure and opportunities for professional advancement to military women
• instructing and developing the technical skills demanded by commanders on the ground
• engaging with Troop Contributing Countries (TCC)to incentivize the deployment of more women in their military contingents, and particularly for protection-related tasks; and
• supporting the strategic objectives of the UN to promote gender equality and gender mainstreaming in missions.

The FMOC course is a 10-day residential program that has been conducted a total of seventeen times since it was designed and piloted in 2015. In 2020 because of the global pandemic the course was modified for delivery in an online (virtual attendance) format with two courses being successfully run. In 2021 one virtual course has been run thus far and there is a plan to host four more, including the pilot Francophone course aimed at participants from French speaking Troop Contributing Countries (TCC) only. When the training is delivered in an in-person modality the course is hosted at peace-keeping centers in different global regions.

The course whilst centrally managed by UN Women utilizes contracting staff to deliver the training package. UN Women also has a relationship with Department of Peacekeeping Operations to assist in facilitating invitations via the Permanent Missions in New York and to assist in tracking previous participants to determine if they have bene deployed post undertaking the course.

The review will be gender and human rights responsive and comply with the UN Development Group Evaluation Guidelines (assessing relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact, and sustainability). The review will consist of a desk review of relevant program and policy documents, stakeholder interviews and field visits. It will include a mixed-methods approach using both qualitative and quantitative data.  Stakeholder and beneficiary inputs will be gathered through field visits to the missions (where FMOC graduates are deployed), through focus groups and individual interviews where feasible and appropriate and virtual interviews when deemed necessary.

 The Review should also use recent studies conducted by partner organisations where applicable to inform the recommendations. The review must comply with UN Evaluation Group Ethical Code of Conduct and UN Evaluation Norms and Standards.  The review will take place over a four-month period, with a final validation meeting to be held at headquarters with identified stakeholders including donors, via webinar to ensure buy in of the findings and recommendations.

Duties and Responsibilities

The consultant is expected to produce the following:

An inception report:

The inception report should include the following:

• planned timeline, methodology, any proposed changes to the overall approach, interview protocols, sequencing of activities and outline of qualitative and quantitative analysis approach
• Documentation of all data/documents to be reviewed, written up in a clear format, along with any audio recordings to be undertaken
• List of interviews to be undertaken.

The initial ‘learning report’:

The main body of the learning report should not exceed 30 pages and should include an executive summary, brief project background and main findings, with quotations where relevant. Technical information should be included in appendices only. The learning report should contain the following annexes:

• Terms of Reference for final review
• List of interviews conducted
• Brief details of review methodology and steps used.

• The Final Report:

  The main report should not exceed 20 pages and should include an executive summary, brief project background, short summary of the main findings and discussion points during selection process and the final selected story / stories, along with reasons for choice. It must include a list of recommendations for UN Women and other identified stakeholders to support the delivery of a successful and sustainable FMOC. It is expected that prior to the completion of the final report there will be two opportunities for review by UN Women.

  Payment will be made upon submission of all deliverables and certification by the UN Women focal point. that the work has been completed to satisfaction. All deliverables will require a minimum of two revisions before the final product is approved. All raw data files, consent forms and relevant documentation must be returned to UN Women before release of final payment. 

Key Performance Indicators

• Map the outcomes of the FMOC against the aims of the training and in line with existing UN policy relating to increasing women’s participation on peacekeeping and peace operations.
• Determine the success of the FMOC based on available data to help define a theory of change and a monitoring and evaluation framework.
• Review and offer recommendations to UN Women and other stakeholders regarding curriculum, course delivery models and locations, applicability of the course as it relates to the UN overall mandates of increasing women’s participation and the accessibility and sustainability of the training.
• Review logistical, financial, and administrative processes and procedures for the FMOC and identify efficiencies and opportunities to enhance the delivery.
• Provide input and analysis into UN Women’s positioning and priority setting in the context of the Including the next iteration of UN Women’s Strategic Plan, currently in development.

Time line

Competencies

Core values

• Integrity
• Professionalism
• Respect for Diversity

Core Competencies

• Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards.
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UN Women.
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.
• Treats all people fairly without favouritism.
• Fulfils all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment.
• Accountability
• Creative Problem Solving
• Effective Communication
• Inclusive Collaboration
• Stakeholder Engagement

Functional Competencies

• Advanced university degree in development studies, social sciences, or any other relevant field
• At least 10 years’ experience in the design, development, and review/evaluation of projects/programs – including aspects such as resource mobilisation, partnerships, and advocacy, with at least 5 in evaluation of projects on gender equality and women’s empowerment.
• Experience working with the United Nations.
• Experience leading an evaluations or reviews on advancing women’s leadership and political participation, promoting women’s role in peace and security, peace keeping and peace operations, and eliminating gender- based violence.
• Wider experience to collect, analyse and interpret qualitative and quantitative data.
• Ability to pragmatically apply in-depth knowledge and experience of issues and practices in the fields of gender equality and peace operations at international level.
• Strong communications skills, and experience in presenting evidence and ideas for policy and programme, advocacy, and innovative partnerships
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude.
• Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities.
• Minimum 5 years of relevant national and international experience, in gender equality, women empowerment
• Strong facilitation skills
• Excellent command of English (written and oral) is required; evaluation reports must be submitted as evidence. 
• Proficiency in the use of the computer

Required Skills and Experience

Education and certification:

• Master’s degree or equivalent in international development, political sciences, public administration, public policy or other relevant social science fields is required.
• A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
• A project/programme management certification (such as PMP®, PRINCE2®, or MSP®) would be an added advantage

Experience:

• Demonstrated experience in the evaluation of programs/ courses particularly within a global context.
• Experience with principles of training, design and delivery of training courses including measuring and evaluation.
• At least 5 years progressively responsible experience in designing and managing programmes or policy and advocating for gender in protection and peacekeeping and gender anlyasis, ideally with some experience in developing countries; 
• Experience in  policy analysis, and strategic planning; 
• Experience working with, and building partnerships with governments, donors and civil society?organizations internationally and in the field; 
• Experience working with the UN is an asset; 

Language requirements: 

• Fluency in English is required;
• Knowledge of an additional UN official working language, particulary French or Spanish, is an asset