Background

The United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) for 2022-2026 is the UN’s strategic programme framework in the Maldives that defines the UN’s support to national development results. The UN Gender Theme Group (UN GTG) is the UN Country Team (UNCT) group responsible for the coordination of and policy advice on gender equality issues in the UNSDCF, which identifies gender equality and women’s empowerment (GEWE) as a cross-cutting theme. UN Women through its Regional Office will support the UNCT in the development of transformative results in the gender space in the Maldives, and in particular to support the UN Resident Coordinator to devise a strategic joint UN programme on gender equality and the empowerment of women.

Under the guidance and direct supervision of the UN Resident Coordinator in the Maldives, and in close consultation with the UN Women Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, the Gender Consultant will support to transform small-scale initiatives the UNCT on the ground and amplify the UN’s impact through innovation and considering new ways of supporting the Government to make meaningful headway in the gender equality space in line with making progress for SDG5. The current government maintains a strong policy openness to human rights and gender equality, and this consultancy will aim to capitalize on this important opportunity in the Maldives to enhance gender equality and women’s empowerment in the country.

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of Work

Under the overall guidance and direct supervision of the Resident Coordinator, the Strategy Consultant will be responsible for the following:

1. Reviewing the lessons learned from the UNDAF 2016-2020 with respect to making progress on SDG5

• Desk review of the work conducted by all UN agencies in support of gender equality and the empowerment of women during the present UNDAF
• Consult with all relevant UN agencies with intended results in this area and their plans with upcoming country programmes from 2022 onwards.
• Prepare and lead a strategic brainstorming of the 1) Gender Theme Group and 2) UNCT on the results and opportunities, in line with developing an enhanced joint programme.

2. Draft and finalise a strategic joint UN programme on gender equality and the empowerment of women

• Review the present draft programme proposal, and assess the extent to which the problem statement and intended outcomes are consistent, and able to deliver the planned results
• Consult with relevant partners, including Government of Maldives, on opportunities for strengthening the programme’s potential for generating a transformative result.
• Bringing expertise from experience in other relevant contexts, suggest approaches which may help to leverage a greater impact of the UN’s potential intervention for 2022-2026.

3. Assess the opportunities for complementarity with other programming in the gender quality and empowerment of women in the Maldives

• Review the proposed plans of other relevant organisations (such as, but not limited to, the ADB’s programme with the Ministry of Gender, Family, and Social Services), and other donor funded initiative, for the potential to connect the potential impact of the UN’s support. 
• Map the potential for donor engagement and interest in supporting a UN programme on gender equality and the empowerment of women.

4. Draft a Concept Note for a potential programme for the Spotlight Initiative

• Support the Partnership’s Officer, and the Gender Theme Group to develop a targeted and specific proposal for potential support through the Spotlight Initiative.

Key Performance Indicators

• Increased understanding of the UNCT on the factors which limited the UN’s contribution to progress on GEWE.
• Strategic and innovative joint UN programme on gender equality and the empowerment of women delivered
• Strengthened coordination and engagement with UN agencies to promote GEWE.
• Increased awareness and understanding of the UNCT on the planned initiatives in the Maldives through 2022-2026

Duration of the Assignment

90 working days between 1 February 2022 – 31 July 2022)

Institutional Arrangement

The UN Resident Coordinators Office will provide the necessary support to the consultant. The supervisor would the UN Maldives Resident Coordinator, Ms. Catherine Haswell.

Duty Station and Expected Places of Travel

The consultant will be working as per local health protection guidelines. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the support will be provided within a mix of remote and physical support, with more physical interactions expected when the pandemic situation improves. No travel is presently envisaged to outside of the duty station.

C - PAYMENT TERMS

The method of payment is output-based lump-sum scheme. The total amount quoted shall be all-inclusive lump sum and include all costs components required to perform the deliverables identified in the TOR, including professional fee, travel costs, living allowance (if any work is to be done outside the IC´s duty station) and any other applicable cost to be incurred by the IC in completing the assignment. The contract price will be fixed output-based price regardless of extension of the herein specified duration.

The payments shall be released upon submitting the required deliverables/outputs with satisfactory by the Programme Manger/Focal Point as per agreement for each report in accordance with a set time schedule to be agreed in the contract.

Note: Payments will be based on invoices on achievement of agreed milestones i.e. upon delivery of the services specified in the TOR and certification of acceptance by the UNDP. The applicant must factor in all possible costs in his/her “All Inclusive Lump Sum Fee” including his/her consultancy and professional fee, travel, honorarium, board and lodging, and any other foreseeable costs in this exercise. No costs other than what has been indicated in the financial proposal will be paid or reimbursed to the consultant. UNDP will only pay for any unplanned travel outside of this TOR and Duty Station on actual basis and on submission of original bills/invoices and on prior agreement with UNDP officials. Daily perdiums and costs for accommodation/meals/incidental expenses for such travel shall not exceed established local UNDP DSA rates.

For an Individual Contractor who is 62 years of age or older, and on an assignment requiring travel, be it for the purpose of arriving at the duty station or as an integral duty required travel under the TOR, a full medical examination and statement of fitness to work must be provided.  Such medical examination costs must be factored into the financial proposal above. Medical examination is not a requirement for individuals on RLA contracts.

Competencies

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:

• Strong technical expertise, knowledge and understanding of GEWE.
• Competency in promoting gender mainstreaming and women’s empowerment in development programmes, including practical experience in the context of coordination, strategic partnership, and capacity building on GEWE
• Strong analytical, written and oral communication skills, including good presentation skills.
• Good understanding of UN Women’s coordination mandate in the UN system.
• Good understanding of UN Women’s work in relation to women, peace and security and inter-governmental processes.
• Familiarity of the Sustainable Development Goals.
• Ability to conceptualize, develop and use knowledge management strategies to promote effective decision-making and intra/inter-organizational collaboration.
• Ability to work within a diverse team as well as carry out tasks independently.
• Strong planning and organizing skills with ability to identify priority activities and assignments and to use time efficiently.
• Strong problem-solving skills.
• Ability to take decisions and manage political/cultural sensitivities.
• Proficient IT skills.
• Familiarity with results-based management and rights-based programming.
• Familiarity with UN system and UN Women mandate in coordination.
• Effective in establishing and fostering good relations with government counterparts, UN agencies, donors, and NGO partners.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Master’s degree in social sciences, human rights, gender/women's studies, international development, or a related field is required.
• A first-level university degree in combination with five additional years of relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

• Minimum 5 years of progressive experience at the national or international level on gender equality, women’s empowerment and human rights with a strong background on strategic management and coordinating GEWE within the UN, with government, civil society and other stakeholders.
• Demonstrated experience in drafting successful joint programmes on GEWE.
• Familiarity and experience in the areas of Women, Peace and Security and GEWE related inter-governmental processes.
• Experience in mobilizing resources.
• Experience in providing substantive technical inputs on GEWE.
• Familiarity with results-based management and rights-based programming.
• Familiarity with UN system and UN Women’s GEWE coordination mandate.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in written and spoken English.

Evaluation Method and Criteria

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodology:

Cumulative analysis

• The award of the contract shall be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as a) responsive/compliant/acceptable; and b) having received the highest score out of set of weighted technical criteria (70%). and financial criteria (30%). Financial score shall be computed as a ratio of the proposal being evaluated and the lowest priced proposal received by UNDP for the assignment.
• Technical Criteria for Evaluation (Maximum 70 points)

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points (70% of the total technical points) during the desk review/interview are acceptable would be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

Technical Evaluation table

Documentation required

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications. Please group them into one (1) single PDF document as the application only allows to upload maximum one document:

1. Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided by UNDP in Annex II.
2. Portfolio – if required
3. Personal CV or P11, indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references.
4. Financial proposal that indicates the lump sum rate/fee of the candidate in Maldivian Rufiyaa (or USD in the case of international consultant).  In order to assist the requesting unit in the comparison of financial proposals, the financial proposal must include a breakdown of this daily fee (including number of anticipated working days and all foreseeable expenses to carry out the assignment). 

Incomplete proposals may not be considered. The short-listed candidates may be contacted for interview and the successful candidate will be notified.