Background

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. 

  1. About the Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF)

Composed of representatives from donors, United Nations entities, and civil society organizations, the WPHF is a global pooled funding mechanism which aims to re-energize action and stimulate a significant increase in financing for women’s participation, leadership, and empowerment in peace and security processes and humanitarian response. The WPHF is a flexible and rapid financing mechanism. It supports quality interventions designed to enhance the capacity of local women to prevent conflict, respond to crises and emergencies, and seize key peacebuilding opportunities. The overall goal of the WPHF’s theory of change is to achieve peaceful and gender equal societies. Achievement of this goal will require that women are empowered to participate in, contribute to, and benefit from conflict prevention, crisis response, peacebuilding, and recovery. Since its launch in 2016, WPHF has been supporting over 140 civil society organizations and is present in 12 countries or group of countries. 

In Afghanistan, two Civil Society Organizations have been selected as Implementing Partners for the WPHF COVID-19, for about USD 300,000. UN Women serves as the Management Entity for WPHF selected CSOs in Afghanistan, including contracting and monitoring and evaluation.

  1. About the Spotlight Initiative

The Spotlight Initiative is a global partnership between the EU and the United Nations which deploys targeted, large-scale investments in Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Pacific and the Caribbean, aimed at eliminating violence against women and girls, which is seen as a major obstacle to the fulfilment of women’s and girls’ human rights and to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Spotlight Initiative intends to bring the issue of ending violence against women and girls at the front and centre of efforts to achieve gender equality and women’s empowerment, in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 

  1. WPHF and Spotlight Initiative Partnership

The partnership between the Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF) and the Spotlight Initiative aims to channel funding to civil society organizations working on eliminating violence against women and girls (EVAWG) in conflict-affected and humanitarian settings. The partnership focuses on Outcome 6 of Spotlight Initiative’s Regional Result Framework (strengthening CSOs and building women’s movements) and on WPHF’s Outcome 5 (Protection of women’s safety and rights), with a total budget of USD 2 million over two years.

WPHF and Spotlight seek to fund qualifying civil-society projects in Afghanistan that are high impact, innovative, and contribute directly to the following objectives:

  1. Influence and advance progress on gender equality and women’s empowerment (GEWE) and on ending violence against women and girls (EVAWG), including sexual and gender-based violence / harmful practices (SGBV/HP) and domestic violence
  2. Protect women and girls’ safety, security and human rights

This call for proposals makes available financing for local civil society organizations in Afghanistan through two primary funding streams:

  • Funding stream 1: Institutional funding: from 2,500 USD to 30,000 USD

To provide institutional funding to local civil society organizations working on gender-specific protection issues in peace and security and humanitarian contexts, to ensure they are able to sustain themselves through the COVID-19 crisis

  • Funding stream 2: Programmatic funding: from 30,000 USD to 200,000 USD

To finance projects that aim specifically to fund programmatic activities aligned with the Spotlight Initiative’s Outcome 6 and WPHF’s Outcome 5 (listed above). Projects can be designed to directly respond to the COVID-19 pandemic as long as they are aligned with the above two Outcomes.

More information: https://wphfund.org/call-for-proposals-in-afghanistan/

Duties and Responsibilities

  1. Provide general financial support to the formulation, implementation management and monitoring of the Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund & Spotlight Initiative partnership for UN Women, including support for financial tracking, monitoring of activities and reporting and liaising with CSO partners:
  • Prepare requests for advance of funds and/or direct payments
  • Support CSOs with the preparation of budgets and financial documents in full compliance of UN Women and WPHF rules, regulations, policies, and recording and reporting systems
  • Record and post transactions in Atlas, process payroll, travel claims, MPOs, and other entitlements;
  • Monitor follow up on advances to implementing partners, review their financial reports together with Programme Manager;
  • Undertake corrective actions on un-posted vouchers, including vouchers with budget check errors, match exceptions and unapproved vouchers. Provide administrative support, together with supervisor on Finance Section requests to resolve financial data issues;
  • Prepare VAT reimbursements with adequate documentation support as needed;
  • Provide inputs  in the formulation of  the budget, control allotments, monitor expenditures, and revisions according to the needs of the WPHF-Spotlight partnership
  • Create projects in Atlas, review budget revisions, revise project awards and status; and determine unutilized funds;
  • Maintain proper record of approved programme budgets and budget revisions
  • Administer WPHF-Spotlight budgets in full compliance of UN Women and WPHF rules, regulations, policies, and recording and reporting systems
  • Monitor budgets preparation and modifications and budgetary status, and escalate issues as needed
  • Track the appropriate and timely use of financial resources and escalate as needed;
  • Monitor budget expenditures
  • Monitor and follow up on  the financial items in Month-end and Year-end closure instructions status and take correction actions as required in discussion with supervisor project;
  • Provide administrative financial donor reporting support by providing timely information and taking necessary administrative actions as required by UN Women Virtual Global Service Centre for financial donor reporting

 

2.  Provide procurement support to the WPHF-Spotlight partnership for UN Women in Afghanistan

  • Provide administrative support in the procurement equipment and its maintenance, supplies and services; following the UN rules and regulations and WPHF standards.
  • Draft individual contracts, contract with companies, institutional and universities based on existing templates; following the UN rules and regulations and WPHF standards
  • Track contracts as needed
  • Provide administrative and coordination support procurement actions as required but does not act as Buyer

 

3. Provide administrative and operational support to the WPHF-Spotlight partnership for UN Women in Afghanistan

  • Provide administrative and coordination, inputs in preparing project documents, work plans, budgets and proposals on implementation arrangements;
  • Draft general administrative and coordination inputs to the team in preparation of narrative reports of the project implementation (quarterly, annual);
  • Organize, update and maintain WPHF-Spotlight related administrative documents in project files, in hard copy and electronic formats;
  • Make travel arrangements including preparation of travel requests, processing of tickets and DSA payments, obtaining security and medical clearances, etc;
  • Provide administrative and logistical support in the organization of workshops/ events;
  • Liaise with administrative and operations staff from other relevant UN Women teams.
  • Timely processing of documents
  • Timely inputs to programme documents
  • Timely and accurate verification of financial documents
  • Timely organization and coordination of events and meetings
  • Timely organization of programme operations, including procurement

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:  https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/Headquarters/Attachments/Sections/About%20Us/Employment/UN-Women-values-and-competencies-framework-en.pdf

FUNCTIONAL COMPETENCIES

  • Ability to perform multiple tasks, in multi-cultural environment and dealt with confidential matters
  • Ability to manage day-to-day office activities (including but not limited to travel management, facilities and asset management, policy and procedures maintenance) to meet operational needs.
  • Ability to review and edit documents, ability to produce meeting report identifying key actions.
  • Ability to efficiently handle and share information and knowledge
  • Ability to evaluate financial data, derive relevant findings and present them in a meaningful manner.
  • Ability to identify and prioritize risks, and organize actions around mitigating them
  • Good knowledge in the application of complex financial systems and modules (such as Atlas); 
  • Good knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages;
  • Good knowledge of administrative and financial rules and regulations preferably UN/UN Women Financial Rules and Regulations.

Required Skills and Experience

Education: 

Bachelor’s degree in Business or public administration, economic, political or social.

Experiance:

  • At least 5 years of progressively responsible administration, finance or programme experience at the national or international level is required
  • Experience in the application of complex financial systems and modules (such as Atlas); 
  • Experience in the use of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.) and ability to use internet for research
  • Experience working in an international organization, such as the UN, is an asset.

Language Requirements:

Fluency in English and Dari is required

Application:

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.

Inclusion Statement:

At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits employ, trains, compensates and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity, and organizational need.

If you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in your application.

UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority, and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to UN Women’s policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UN Women personnel and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. (Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.)