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. Placing women’s rights at the center of all its efforts, UN Women will lead and coordinate United Nations system efforts to ensure that commitments on gender equality and gender mainstreaming translate into action throughout the world. It will provide strong and coherent leadership in support of Member States’ priorities and efforts, building effective partnerships with civil society and other relevant actors. 

UN Women plays an innovative and catalytic role in the State of Palestine since its inception in 1997. UN Women Palestine Office focuses its activities on one overarching goal, namely, to support the implementation at the national level of existing international commitments to advance gender equality in line with the national priorities. In support of this goal, and thoroughly taking into consideration the specificities of the Palestinian context, UN Women concentrates its efforts and interventions toward the realization of following strategic goals:  Mainstreaming gender in governance, peace and security; Supporting women's economic security and rights; and Promoting women’s rights and protection against violence. 

UN Women, as part of its’ global goals and commitments towards empowering women and enhancing gender equality and women’s access to justice is exerting efforts towards supporting the furthest left behind groups of women and girls’ victims and survivors of violence. This target group face intersectional and compounded forms of Gender-Based violence (GBV), including physical, legal, psychosocial, economic, and sexual violence, which increase their marginalization and vulnerability. Deeply rooted discriminatory social norms and stereotypes reinforce the marginalization of the excluded groups within their families and the society at large. These norms and stereotypes are also reflected and translated into discriminatory laws and policies that reinforce exclusion and discrimination against them, in addition to the complete lack of responsive services to meet their needs, and the existence of non-responsive services that have not been adapted to the needs of the most marginalized, excluded and furthest left behind groups of women and girls’ victims and survivors of violence.

Leaving no one behind (LNOB) is the central, transformative promise of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It represents the unequivocal commitment of all UN Member States to eradicate poverty in all its forms, end discrimination and exclusion, and reduce the inequalities and vulnerabilities that leave people behind and undermine the potential of individuals and of humanity as a whole.

Under its work within SHAML Project -  Enhancing the Protection and Reintegration of Furthest Left Behind Groups of Women and Girls, UN Women will capitalize on the ongoing efforts exerted by the different actors, notably the Ministry of Women’s Affairs (MoWA) ,the Ministry of Social Development (MoSD), and CSOs providing protection and re-integration services to the furthest left behind groups of women and girls victims and survivors of violence,  to further strengthen stakeholders’ capacities to accelerate the realization  and fulfillment of the rights of the furthest left behind groups of women and girls victims and survivors of violence.  The project in its pilot phase focuses on three main groups, including: elderly women with disability, and girls’ victims and survivors of violence and in conflict with the law in the West Bank, and women and girls’ users of drugs in Gaza.

Within the protection and re-integration component of the project, SHAML will work towards expanding and improving the quality of existing services, including facilities, to ensure optimal use of resources and support the realization of the rights of the three identified groups in the project. In line with this, UN Women is planning to conduct a facility condition assessment (FCA) to AISHA Association for Women and Child Protection in Gaza, as one of the very few CSOs targeting this group of the furthest left behind groups of women and girls’ victims and survivors of violence, to assess the level of responsiveness, and quality of services provided to women and girls users of drugs. The findings of the assessment will guide the project and other related interventions aiming at enhancing the services to ensure inclusivity, safety of women and girls’ users of drugs, and confidentiality of cases.

Objective of the assignment:

While the assignment’s main objective focuses on supporting AISHA association to enhance protection and re-integration services to the furthest left behind groups of women and girls’ victims and survivors of violence, the assignment’s specific objective has two main folds:

More precisely, the assignment’s specific objective has two main folds:

1.To conduct facility condition assessment to the ASIHA’s facility, to guide the refurbishment and development work that the project plans to conduct, to adapt the services provided to the rights and needs of women and girls’ users of drugs.

Facility Condition Assessment is the process of developing a comprehensive picture of physical conditions and the functional performance of buildings and infrastructure; analyzing the results of data collection and observations; and reporting and presenting findings. Data collection and analyses inform and guide decision-making for accessibility and inclusiveness provisions, by identifying gaps and priorities. 

2.Based on the findings of the Facility Condition Assessments, to identify 3-4 priority areas and gaps in the protection and re-integration services for the women and girls’ users of drugs.

The FCAs should be based on international human rights standards, particularly gender justice standards, and leave no one behind principle. It should learn from similar good examples of responsive facilities and services. We envisage this assessment to support AISHA association to pilot the work on the identified priority areas/ gaps in the protection and re-integration services, by refurbishing and adjusting existing facilities and services to meet the needs of this group, and supporting the development of related standards, guidelines, and procedures.

Under the overall supervision of the UN Women Special Representative in the State of Palestine, the direct supervision of UN Women Programme Specialist, and working in close cooperation and coordination with UN Women technical team, the selected consultant will undertake the following tasks, duties, and responsibilities:

1. Develop an inception report that includes the work plan, the methodological framework, including the tools that will be used to collect data, and the timeline for the deliverables, to be approved by UN Women, following the below tasks:

• Meet with UN Women’s technical team and partner institutions to discuss the assignment’s objectives and expected results.
• Propose a detailed workplan and a detailed methodology for the assessments and submit them to UN Women for review and approval. The methodology should be based on survivor’s- centered, and empowerment and re-integration approaches. It should include amongst others; the development of a criteria to check the level of adherence of the design, infrastructure, services and other related aspects of the targeted facilities with required standards to meet inclusivity, responsiveness and safety and security measures; meetings with service providers, particularly those providing services within the targeted facilities; and the development of tools to collect firsthand data from beneficiaries, if possible, and others.
• It should combine physical condition assessment; physical condition of the building and infrastructure system; and functionality assessment; functionality of the space for its intended purposes.  

2. Data collection and analysis:

• Check and review the architectures, maps, designs, and other related documents of the identified facility/ building, such as centers’ strategies, plans and others. 
• Compare the specifications of the targeted facility with the developed criteria. 
• Conduct interviews, and meetings with stakeholders, notably service providers serving within the mentioned facility, to collect data and solicit their views concerning the needs and gaps pertaining to the protection and re-integration services of the identified group. Solicit first hand data from the perspectives of beneficiaries, if possible.  
• Use other data collection tools and methodologies as relevant, making use of regional and global tools and methodologies.
• Analyze data and highlight findings.

3. Development of a Facility Conditions Assessments Report: 

• Develop a detailed facility condition assessment, to cover AISHA’s facility with special focus on the rights and needs of the identified group “women and girls’ users of drugs”. The reports should include a list of related annexes including, a list of stakeholders interviewed, tools developed and used, and minutes of interviews, meetings or sessions conducted. The assessment reports should identify the opportunities and gaps embedded within the targeted facility pertaining to the protection and re-integration services to the identified group, taking into full account standards and practices related to leave no one behind principle, accessibility, inclusiveness, responsiveness, and safety and security. 

The assessment reports should cover to the extent possible the below points: 

• Verify accuracy and reliability of a space inventory.
• Provide an inspection of the facility identifying physical and functional deficiencies.
• Assist in defining regular and preventive maintenance requirements.
• Develop metrics for performance measures, e.g., Facility Condition Index (FCI) and Facility Quality Index (FQI).
• Identify conditions that are either potentially damaging to property or present safety hazards.
• Identify sustainability measures.
• Inventory accessibility and disabled persons requirement

4. Develop and identify 3-4 priority areas in the protection and re-integration services for the identified group and provide recommendations to address them along with recommended tools and methods.  

5. Reporting on the assignment: 

• Prepare a final narrative report on the assignment, covering the main achievements, list of individuals interviewed, stakeholders interviewed, challenges, lessons learned, in addition to recommendations for future programming. 

Deliverables:

• Deliverable 1: An approved inception report that includes the work plan, the methodological framework, including the tools that will be used to collect data, and the timeline for the deliverables in English. (expected delivery date: 15 July 2021)
• Deliverable 2: A final approved facility condition assessments in Arabic, along, with a set of 3-4 priority areas women and girls’ users of drugs, and related recommendations to address them. (expected delivery date: 15 August 2021)
• Deliverable 3: A final approved narrative report for the whole assignment. (expected delivery date: 15 September 2021) 

Core Values

• Respect for Diversity;
• Integrity;
• Professionalism.

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:

• Ability to lead Policy review process through consultation with stakeholders;
• Very strong background on gender;
• Experience in assessing impact of policies, strategies and measures from a gender perspective;
• Ability to manage time and meet tight deadlines;
• Focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback;
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
• Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills;
• Builds strong relationships with clients, focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback;
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
• Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills;
• Remains calm, in control and good humored even under pressure;
• Proven networking, organizational and communication skills.

Education:

• A Master’s degree in Engineering.  Additional degree in facilities management is a great asset. 

Experience:

• At least 7 years professional experience as an engineer, experience in facilities management is a great asset. 
• At least 8 years of professional experience in dealing with the target group “women and girls’ users of drugs”
• At least two previous similar assignments related to gender responsive infrastructure, preferably in areas related to furthest left behind groups of women and girls’ victims and survivors of violence.
• Previous experience with addiction recovery centers is an asset. 
• Experience with the UN system or/and International Organizations is an asset.

Language Requirements:

• Professional knowledge of English, and fluency in Arabic

Evaluation Criteria:

This SSA modality is governed by UN Women General Terms and Conditions. UN Women will only be able to respond to applicants who meet the minimum requirements.

Candidates should clearly indicate how they meet the above-mentioned criteria in their applications.

The following documents should be submitted as part of the application. Please make sure you have provided all requested materials:

• UN Women P11 including experience in similar assignments; the P11 form can be downloaded at http://www.unwomen.org/about-us/employment, a signed copy should be submitted.
• 2 pages proposal outlining understanding of the assignment and proposed workplan with a timeline.

Note: Kindly note that the system will only allow one attachment. Please upload as one attachment of the documents as mentioned above online through this website.

Candidates should have the ability to quickly submit degree certificates, medical certification (of good health) expression of Interest (EoI).

Evaluation of applicants 

Candidates will be evaluated using a cumulative analysis method taking into consideration the combination of the applicants’ qualifications mentioned above, and financial proposal. A contract will be awarded to the individual consultant whose offer receives the highest score out of below defined technical and financial criteria. Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 50 points in the technical evaluation will be considered for financial evaluation.

Technical Evaluation (70%) – max. 70 points: 

• A Master’s degree in Engineering.  Additional degree in facilities management is a great asset. (max. 10 points)
• At least 7 years professional experience as an engineer, experience in facilities management is a great asset. (max. 15 points)
• At least 8 years of professional experience in dealing with the target group “women and girls’ users of drugs”. (max. 15 points) 
• At least two previous similar assignments related to gender responsive infrastructure, preferably in areas related to furthest left behind groups of women and girls’ victims and survivors of violence, (max. 10 points).
• A sample of previous report/plan/ policy related to gender responsive infrastructure or gender responsive facility management. (max.10 points) 
• Previous experience with Addiction recovery centers is an asset. (max. 5 points)
• Experience with the UN system or/and International Organizations is an asset. (max. 5 points)

Financial Evaluation (30%) – max. 30 points.

The maximum number of points assigned to the financial proposal is allocated to the lowest price proposal. All other price proposals receive points in inverse proportion. A suggested formula is as follows: 

p = 30 (µ/z)

Using the following values:

p = points for the financial proposal being evaluated

µ = price of the lowest priced proposal

z = price of the proposal being evaluated

Only long-listed candidates will be contacted.

Financial proposal. Shortlisted candidate will be requested to submit a financial proposal. The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount breaking down a daily professional fee, proposed number of working days and any related expenses, i.e., travel and communications expenses.