UNDP Jobs - 99724- Expert for Development of the Gender Analysis with

Expert for Development of the Gender Analysis within Third Biennial Update Report (TBUR)

Location :

Home-based, MONTENEGRO

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

05-Jul-2021

Application Deadline :

24-Jun-21 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

5 July 2021 - 30 October 2021

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

45 consultancy days

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Background

Montenegro ratified various international treaties in both gender and climate change areas, like the UN Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) that promote a gender-sensitive approach and encourage the signatory countries to mainstream gender into national sustainable development and climate change policies. The Paris Agreement ratified by Montenegro in October 2017. also obliges the signatories to consider different needs of women and men, their way of life and their ability to adapt to climate change when planning climate change adaptation measures. It is also necessary that States set up their administrative capacities to be able to define responses to climate change, which will be in line with the specific needs of women and men .

Although the Article 2 of the Law on Gender Equality stipulates an equal representation of women and men in all areas of public and private sectors, Montenegro does not have a dedicated policy or a decision related to balanced participation of women and men in climate policies, actions and negotiations. This is mainly due to the lack of institutional awareness and capacity to intersect the two policies.
Some positive developments happened in the period 2017-2020, when Montenegro participated in UNDP/UNEP Global Support Program (GSP) pilot for 5 Balkan countries and Lebanon aiming at building capacities of pilot countries to integrate gender in the Monitoring, Reporting and Verification systems (MRV), following the main priorities of UNFCCC Gender Action Plan.

Two improvements happened in Montenegro as a result of this program. Those are:

Gender focal point for UNFCCC (representative of the Ministry of Ecology, Spatial Planning and Urbanism – MESPU ) has been nominated.
Gender and Climate Change Action Plan as a framework for intersecting the two policies has been developed as a cooperative effort of than Ministry for Sustainable Development and Tourism and the Ministry for Human and Minority Rights (coordinating institution for gender equality policies at the time of the above-mentioned project implementation).

The Gender and Climate Change Action Plan identified three main objectives:

1. Improvement of climate change legislation and policy documents (strategies and by-laws) by introducing a gender perspective, as well as to introduce climate change perspective in policy documents related to gender equality.
2. Strengthening of national institutions to mainstream gender into the climate change transparency framework. This priority incorporates three major steps:

a. assessment of the capacities of institution to interlink gender and climate change
b. a set of trainings on gender equality and climate change
c. nomination of gender representative into Working Group on Climate Change within the National Council for Sustainable Development.

3. Improvement of the system of collection and analysis of sex-disaggregated data and gender data relevant for MRV and transparency.

Duties and Responsibilities

Objective of the assignment

In order to mainstream gender into the climate change related considerations, it is necessary to focus on the structures, processes and institutionalization of addressing gender equality in the climate change policy formulation and implementation procedures. For effective gender integration of the sectoral gendered implications into the climate change, it is important to conduct analysis and assessments of the existing situation, base on which related recommendations would be provided. An analysis of policy instruments to streamline equality responses in climate change policies is essential, as well as to explore whether those engaged in the policy process have positive attitudes towards addressing gender equalities and the capacity to attempt to do so.

Under direct supervision by the UNDP Project Manager, as well in close cooperation with the gender focal point at the Ministry of Ecology, Spatial Planning and Urbanism, a consultant is needed to develop gender analysis, i.e. assessment of gender mainstreaming into the climate change policies.

The Assessment on gender integration into the climate change policy should be organized across a range of the following five areas:
a. Policy alignment
b. Institutional coordination
c. Capacity building
d. Sex-disaggregated data and gender information
e. Dedicated financial resources.

a. Policy alignment

The Assessment would include analysis of current legislation and policy framework related to both gender and climate change. The assessment would provide review of the current legal and policy framework with clear specific recommendations on how related strategies, actions plans, and pieces of legislation could be gender mainstreamed.
At the policy level, an underlying question is how climate policies in the country help achieve or promote gender-related objectives. Another question is whether climate policies can consider the gender differentiated impacts of climate change and close gender gaps.
In order to answer those questions, the Assessment report will try to examine:
- national climate change policy and existing relevant sectoral policies and assess the extent to which gender differentiated aspects have been incorporated. This means assessing how the different needs, opportunities and impacts of climate change on men and women have been considered in the sector.
- national gender policies and national strategies on gender equality to understand what the country is striving for in terms of gender equality. Furthermore, it is important to analyse the extent to which climate impacts are considered in the national gender policy or strategy.
As a result, the recommendations and guidance on concrete actions to promote synergies between various policies to ensure gender equality issues will be provided. This entails outlining relevant mechanisms to be put in place to implement the gender-related objectives into the climate policies.

b. Institutional Coordination

In the area of institutional coordination, the Assessment would focus on the analysis of whether there are systems in place to integrate gender into the key existing climate-related coordination mechanisms. These could include for example national level coordination mechanisms or those at the sub-national level and incorporate the gender equality issues articulated by civil society groups, the private sector, academia. The analysis should identify opportunities which could be further utilized to strengthen the coordination mechanisms among climate change institutions, gender related institutions, key line ministries and non-governmental actors. Some of these institutions might already have a mandate to mainstream gender, whereas others will have an ability to influence the policy and implementation objectives but need to understand the key gender equality issues in climate actions.
The results of an examination of institutional coordination mechanisms should articulate concrete actions that are needed to improve the institutional cooperative arrangements within the overall climate change policy framework and coordination process. For example, in some instances, efforts will be required to increase women’s participation in national and subnational decision-making processes so they can have a voice. In other instances, specific sectors pertinent to climate change should be able to articulate the key gender challenges in their sector and outline some steps they can take to address them through the climate change strategies implementation process.

c. Capacity building

The Assessment would include analysis of the capacities of national institutions dealing with climate change, primarily Ministry of Ecology, Spatial Planning and Urbanism, but also Ministry of Economy, Capital Investments, Agriculture, Forestry and Waters, Ministry of Finance and Social Welfare, as well as relevant national institutions, like Environment Protection Agency, State Statistical Office, Hydro-meteorological Institute, General Secretariat of the Government etc. As already known, not all institutions or sectors have the relevant capacity to integrate gender equality considerations within their climate efforts. A gender analysis will focus on gaps in capacities in relation to both gender and climate change considerations. In some cases, there may be a negative attitude towards addressing gender equality. In other instances, there may be a lack of skills or understanding of the issue. Some sectoral ministries have a gender focal point network within each ministry, and these could prove to be a suitable entry points, if they become more knowledgeable on climate change.
The assessment would also include:

Conducting interviews with the relevant national institutions in order to scan their capacities.
Analysis of institutional capacities to understand and to implement climate responsive finance and budgeting.
Proposals for capacity building (trainings, seminars, exchange of best practices) for intersection of gender and climate change
Development of Standard Operating Procedures for intersection of gender and climate change for national institutions
Conduct interviews and assess possibilities to advocate for and monitor gender sensitivity of climate policies of the relevant Parliamentary Boards, thus improving their oversight role (e.g. Parliamentary Board on Tourism, Agriculture, Ecology and Spatial Planning, Parliamentary Board on Gender Equality).
Exchange best practices with other UNFCCC gender focal points in order to strengthen her capacities and encourage her to strongly advocate for mainstreaming gender into the climate change. As of recently, Montenegrin UNFCCC gender focal point is also UNFCCC national focal point.
Explore possibilities to enable participation of UNFCCC gender focal point in the work of the National Commission for Gender Equality, as well as participation of gender representative into the Working Group on Mitigation and Adaptation (which operates as one of the supporting working groups to the National Council for Sustainable Development)

d) Sex-disaggregated data and gender information

The Assessment will include analysis of relevant data gaps i.e. gender disaggregated data needed for informative decision/policy making in specific sectors, e.g. transport, energy, tourism. The assessment would consider collection of relevant missing gender disaggregated data, e.g. impacts of climate change on women and men in the area of energy, transport, waste management etc.
In addition, the gender analysis should investigate how reliable databases that already exist for monitoring and reporting on climate action can also include sex-disaggregated indicators by climate related sectors. It is important to articulate which actions are needed by the State Statistical Office and/or sectoral line ministries to improve the collection, availability, and analysis of sex-disaggregated data and the formulation of indicators for decision-making processes.
Clear recommendations on gaps in this regard must be highlighted.

e. Dedicated financial resources

The gender analysis should be able to identify national frameworks, guidelines, policies, or mandates that support or demand the integration of gender equality within climate-related budgeting. With regards to national funds, it is necessary to analyse the extent to which gender equality issues are incorporated in budget formulation.
The analysis should look into the availability of domestic and international climate finance in key selected sectors and assess the extent to which gender equality is taken into account. The gender analysis report should contain recommended actions to better integrate gender equality in existing or new financial mechanisms under the climate change planning and reporting process, including the guidance and advice for conducting gender-sensitive Regulatory Impact Analyzes.

Concurrent with the development of the Assessment, set of activities related to networking and information and knowledge exchange would be organized.

Thus, the consultant will be responsible for the following:

Develop Gender Analysis with the above-mentioned information. The result of the gender analysis should provide concrete, action-oriented recommendations for governance, planning and policy to ensure better and informed climate changing planning and reporting.
Present major findings of the analysis at various meetings/round tables, and provide expert input for set of networking and information and knowledge exchange activities mentioned above.

Main project deliverables will include the following:

I. First draft of the Gender Analysis – 10th August 2021.
II. Final Gender Analysis – 30th August 2021.
III.Expert input at various meetings/round tables/workshops – 30th October 2021.

Time duration and travel:

The assignment will be carried out within 45 working days from 1st July until 30th October 2021. Due to the nature of the assignment, the consultant would have to closely collaborate with the Ministry of Ecology, Spatial Planning and Urbanism, i.e. UNFCCC and gender focal point at the Department for Climate Change.

Competencies

Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
Promotes the vision, mission and strategic goals of UN/UNDP;
Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
Ability to lead strategic planning, results-based management and reporting;
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 good oral and written communication skills;
Demonstrates ability to manage complexities and work under pressure, as well as conflict resolution.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

University degree in the thematic areas relevant to the assignment (e.g. social, gender studies);

Experience:

Minimum 7 years of experience in development of similar analysis and programmes in gender mainstreaming in different sectors (climate change, MRV systems, adaptation, mitigation).
Participation in at least 4 similar projects related to gender and climate change, UNFCCC reporting.
Excellent knowledge of the United Nations Framework for Climate Change (UNFCCC), Paris Agreement, NDC requirements when it comes to gender;
Demonstrable experience in developing relevant gender analysis, including policy, legal, capacity development and sex-disaggregated data needs and considerations. Knowledge of Montenegrin institutions and stakeholders will be an asset.
Experience in policy/regulatory/financial frameworks related to genders and climate change.

Language:

Fluency in English with good writing, presentation and communication skills.
Knowledge of Montenegrin language will be considered as an asset.

Criteria for selection:

Combined Scoring method will be used. When using this weighted scoring method, the award of the contract should be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as: (i) responsive, compliant, acceptable, and (ii) 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% (Background and education 10%; Relevant previous experience 20%; Substantial knowledge/Required competencies 30%; Required language 10%);
Financial criteria weight - 30%.

Only offerors obtaining a minimum 490 points for technical criteria will be considered for the financial evaluation. For more information on procurement methodology for Individual Contractors, please refer to Procurement Notice.

Application procedure:

Interested applicants are requested to submit their applications by June 24, 2021 by using the Apply now button. The application should contain CV or P11 that can be downloaded at https://www.me.undp.org/content/montenegro/en/home/jobs.html. Please note that UNDP jobsite system allows only one uploading of application document, so please make sure that you merge all your documents into a single file.

Only the short-listed applicants will be contacted and requested to submit a letter of interest including a price quotation indicating the lump sum (in EUR) requested for the work envisaged in the section "Description of Responsibilities".