UN WOMEN Jobs - 100662- International Consultant Gender Equality Situation

International Consultant Gender Equality Situation Analysis Consultant in South Sudan

Advertised on behalf of

UN WOMEN

Location :

Juba, SOUTH SUDAN

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

16-Aug-2021

Application Deadline :

08-Aug-21 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

50 days

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

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

The population of South Sudan is estimated as 11 million people that continue to reel from the cumulative effects of years of conflict, violence, destroyed livelihoods and infrastructures and inadequate basic services. By 2019 there were 1.47 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) in South Sudan with 13% inside six UNMISS Protection of Civilians site. Of the population there were 74,947 South Sudanese refugee arrivals, with 5,015 new refugee arrivals in December 2019. Life expectancy for women is just 60 years and maternal mortality rate was estimated at 800 deaths per 100,000 births in 2019. Eighty-one percent of people in South Sudan do not have access to an improved sanitation facility whilst around 60 % have limited or no access to improved water services. Women’s literacy rate (above 15 years old) was 28.86% and less literate than men in 2018, which is among the lowest in Sub-Saharan Africa. Women and girls are seen as a resource to families in need of wealth that can be obtained through dowry and men who require a family to ensure their status as viable members of their communities. The view of women and girls as a resource means that their education is not given priority thus women are more likely to be illiterate and drop out of school.

Existing gender inequalities coupled with the humanitarian impact on the displaced women and girls contribute to increased burden of reproductive and unpaid care activities; greater food insecurity as women tend to hold the burden of managing water, food, and energy at the household level. Compounded with cultural norms and practices such as feeding the family especially the male members before themselves. Subtle social practices mean women and girls receive less of any available resources including humanitarian assistance in the form of food security. In addition, coping strategies such as early or forced marriage to increase personal security and livelihoods, for young women and girls within a crisis setting is common, vulnerability to sexual exploitation and GBV which is already prevalent increases especially as much needed basic resources become scarce; sex work is increasingly used as coping strategies despite the increase in risk to health and personal safety. (41% of respondents in a 2009 survey had experienced SGBV within the last year. 45% of South Sudanese girls get married before 18 years and 7% before the age of 15 years. Maternity mortality is one of the highest in the world.) There is always fear of forced recruitment preventing girls and boys from attending school. The lack of access to appropriate health care especially reproductive health, as well as a lack of redress and access to justice for survivors of violence, means potential lifelong impacts of the current humanitarian situation.

Understanding gender differences, inequalities, capacities as well as responding to different needs will contribute to improving the effectiveness of humanitarian actions and increase the level of accountability to affected populations. Provision of humanitarian support requires it to be gender inclusive and specific. The needs of women and girls should be pronounced and articulated better for responses from both a policy and a lifesaving approach. Therefore, a focus on the humanitarian / development nexus is essential at this time.

Grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, UN Women 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 provides strong and coherent leadership in support of national priorities and efforts, building effective partnerships with government, civil society, and other relevant actors. UN Women, South Sudan Country Office leads and coordinates United Nations system efforts to ensure that commitments on gender equality and gender mainstreaming translate into action.

Duties and Responsibilities

To this end, UN Women in South Sudan will hire an international consultant to 1) undertake a gender analysis that will access the gender dimensions of returnees’ and IDP’s experiences in South Sudan 2) to develop a gender action plan, budget, and gender-sensitive indicators that will outline project interventions specifically on returnees and IDP’s that are gender responsive and improves the gender equality and women’s empowerment.

Scope of Work

The consultant is expected to analyze the different needs, vulnerabilities, and opportunities of returnees and IDP’s in selected POC’s, IDP camps, settlements, and host communities in 7 locations (after consultations with the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and other key stakeholders). The gender analysis is expected to address the following issues:

Cultural beliefs, social norms, and perceptions within the communities and how these impact on women, girls, boys, and men among returnees and IDP’s;
The changing gendered roles, access to and control over assets and resources as well as perspectives, capacities and constraints in accessing services in general;
Participation in decision making in the community and representation in the committees etc;
Analyze the gendered threats and protection risks, including SGBV, related to accessing services in general; and the coping strategies adopted in meeting their basic needs;
Specific constraints and opportunities of women/child headed households;
Determine program/project activities required to respond to gender risks, differences, gaps, and opportunities; and
Support the formulation of indicators relating to sex disaggregation and gender sensitivity, to be included in program/project results framework.

Expected outputs:

To prepare inception report with detailed approach, methodology, schedules of the detailed activities and expected time of delivery of the assignment;
To conduct a desk review to collect qualitative and quantitative relevant data in relation to the gendered dynamics among returnees and IDP’s, their needs-vulnerabilities and capacities;
To conduct the study in a participatory manner in collective centers and communities populated with returnees and IDPs in 7 locations, (particularly hard to reach and remote provinces) including field visits, focus group discussions, observations, key informant interviews, etc;
To develop and select a range of methodologies and techniques to conduct the field work (subject to accessibility), proposing a sampling method, questionnaire and selection criteria for the participants, questions for the focus group discussions and interviews with key informants;
To analyze the data in a systematic way from an intersectional perspective, following the structure and topics outlined in this ToR;
To integrate an empowerment approach, providing specific recommendations and links on all sectors e.g., Livelihood, Education, Protection, Health, Nutrition etc;
To identify the key findings and develop final report on the needs and priorities of IDP’s and returnees living in informal settlements and conflict-affected communities and specific policy and program-related recommendations on improvement of their protection, economic conditions and employability, and access to vocational and education;
To identify opportunities for returnees and IDPs especially women to engage in income generating activities; capacity and willingness of the women IDPs to engage in humanitarian response and crises management; and availability of opportunities for women IDPs to develop networks to share their expertise, lessons learned, strategies to access markets and to establish/ strengthen linkages between IDP women and the private sector.

Expected Deliverables:

An inception report related to the consultancy including all the tools and the methodological approach;
Preliminary report (in English);

Submission of a final report (in English) and a PPT presentation including the main findings and recommendations. The structure of the report should include, at least, the following sections:

Executive summary;
Background;
Purpose and Objectives of the Gender Analysis;
Methodology;
Data analysis;
Key findings;
Conclusions;
Recommendations (to include an action plan+ with clear gender responsive indicators).

Competencies

Core values:

Integrity;
Professionalism;
Respect for Diversity.

Other Competencies:

Extensive knowledge of gender standards/frameworks and experience in best practices in promoting women’s empowerment;
Demonstrated experience in the use of methods and techniques to conduct gender analysis to structure and define policy problems;
Strong analytical, research and report writing skills;
Demonstrated experience in evaluating policy outcomes and impact;
Demonstrate interpersonal and diplomatic skills, as well as the ability to communicate effectively with all stakeholders and to present ideas clearly and effectively;
Ability to work independently and remotely, meeting tight deadlines as required;
Demonstrates ability to work with multiple stakeholders, including government institutions and UN entities;
Proves integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards and diversity.

Required Skills and Experience

Education and certification:

Education: Advanced degree (Master’s level) in gender/women’s studies, development studies, international relations, social sciences, law, economics, or a related area.

Experience:

Minimum 7 years of practical and relevant experience in research and analysis on gender issues;
Proven knowledge and experience in research on gender frameworks and policy formulation;
Proven background and experience at international level of research or academic experience in the field of women’s rights and gender equality;
Experience in conducting functional reviews and developing issues papers;
Strong interpersonal skills and proven ability to conduct and present research on sensitive topics in cross-cultural settings;
Previous professional experience with development agencies and/or the United Nations is an asset;
Strong conceptual and analytical skills.

Language Requirements:

Excellent command of English, particularly written;
Knowledge of Arabic is an asset.

Application Process:

The application must include:

Personal History Form (P-11 form) - can be downloaded at http://www.unwomen.org/about-us/employment, a signed copy should be submitted;
A sample of previously conducted / most relevant gender analysis report;
Financial Proposal: Specify a total lump sum amount for the tasks specified in this Terms of Reference. The financial proposal shall include a breakdown of this lump sum amount per deliverable. No extra payments will be made.

Please note, the system will only allow one attachment, and, hence please combine the multiples files while uploading the attachment.

Applications without the completed UN Women P-11 form will be treated as incomplete and will not be considered for further assessment. Personal History Form P11 that can be downloaded from http://www.unwomen.org/en/about-us/employment

Qualified women candidates are highly encouraged to apply.

Note:
In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality, and the Empowerment of Women. The creation of UN Women came about as part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact. It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system (DAW, OSAGI, INSTRAW, and UNIFEM), which focused exclusively on gender equality and women's empowerment.