Background

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.

The UN Women Multi Country Office for the Caribbean (MCO) covers 22 countries and territories in the English and Dutch speaking Caribbean, which are part of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). Strides towards gender equality in the countries covered by the MCO have resulted in gains for women and girls in the Caribbean, relating primarily to high education rates, and increases in employment rates, however critical gaps remain.

All Caribbean countries have committed to the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. In 2016, eighteen Dutch and English-speaking countries of the region and Overseas Territories along with six UN Country Teams (UNCTs) on which the MCO sits, namely Barbados & the OECS, Belize, Guyana, Jamaica, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago. signed onto to the United Nations Multi-Country Sustainable Development Framework (UN MSDF) The MSDF defines how the UN and CARICOM member states will jointly achieve the SDG Goals and Development Results for the period 2017-2021.The MSDF is anchored in the SDGs and is fully mapped and aligned with other significant development frameworks such as the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA) Pathway and the CARICOM Strategic Plan 2015-2019. The MSDF aims to support Member States through partnerships, with the necessary tools and resources to achieve national and regional development priorities in line with the SDGs.  To this end, the MSDF has four (4) strategic priority areas, across which gender is systematically mainstreamed and integrated:

  • An inclusive, equitable, and prosperous Caribbean;
  • A healthy Caribbean;
  • A cohesive, safe, and just Caribbean;
  • A sustainable and resilient Caribbean.

The MCO has developed very strong knowledge products and tools over the tenure of the last strategic note, which contributed directly to the MCOs reputation as the knowledge broker on gender equality and women’s empowerment in the Caribbean. The tools and products tie the normative framework to clear actions governments and civil society can take to implement more gender equitable programming and policies. The MCO would like to increase distribution, publicity and promotion of these products and tools. The MCO’s 2018 -2021 programme strategy will highlight the importance of continuing to develop these tools and products and outline a clear strategy for ensuring the accessibility and promotion of these tools to key actors.

Duties and Responsibilities

Objectives of the assignment

The consultant is expected to complete the content (including copy) edits for 13 UN women reports. 

Scope of Work and Deliverables

The consultant is expected to collaborate with one other consultant to complete the following:

  • Proofread and edit the Jamaica Women’s Health Survey report- 85 pages (due 1 March 2018);
  • Review Qualitative Report of the T&T Women’s Health Survey- 70 pages (due 15 March 2018);
  • Proofread and edit the Grenada Women’s Health Survey report- 85 pages (due 30 November 2018);
  • Proofread and edit the Guyana Women’s Health Survey Report- 85 pages (due 13 December 2018);
  • Identifying and extracting key messages to be condensed into two-page advocacy briefs written in an accessible style, to be disseminated to wider audiences for the following:
  • Jamaica Women’s Health Survey report (due 1 March 2018);
  • Trinidad & Tobago Women’s Health Survey report (due 15 March 2018);
  • Grenada Women’s Health Survey report (due 30 November 2018);
  • Guyana Women’s Health Survey report (due 13 December 2018);
  • Proofread and Edit the CARICOM Gender Equality Indicators as a Tool to Assess Progress on the SDGs, Beijing and CEDAW- 10 pages (due 31 July 2018);
  • Proofread and Edit CARICOM Regional Report on the Status of Women and Men- 80 pages (due 15 September 2018);
  • Proofread and Edit Policy Brief on Gender and National Social Protection Floor- 10 pages (due 15 October 2018);
  • Proofread and Edit the Report on the Gender Aware Beneficiary Assessment of the Antigua & Barbuda Board of Guardians Programme - 70 pages (due 29 October 2018);
  • Proofread and Edit the Mapping – Private Sector and the Women’s Empowerment Principles in Jamaica- no more than 25 pages (due 31 October 2018);
  • Other proof readings tasks as needed.

Reporting Requirements

The consultant will report to the UN Women MCO Deputy Representative, with day to day reporting based on output to the relevant UN Women MCO Programme Specialist.

Competencies

Core Values / Guiding Principles:

Integrity and Fairness:

  • Demonstrate consistency in upholding and promoting the values of UN Women in actions and decisions, in line with the UN Code of Conduct.

Professionalism:

  • Demonstrate professional competence and expert knowledge of the pertinent substantive areas of work. Conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results.

Cultural sensitivity and valuing diversity:

  • Demonstrate an appreciation of the multicultural nature of the organization and the diversity of its staff. Demonstrate an international outlook, appreciating difference in values and learning from cultural diversity.

Core Competencies:

Work in teams:

  • Demonstrate ability to work in a multicultural, multi ethnic environment and to maintain effective working relations with people of different national and cultural backgrounds.

Communicating and Information Sharing:

  • Facilitate and encourage open communication and strive for effective communication.

Self-management and Emotional Intelligence:

  • Stay composed and positive even in difficult moments, handle tense situations with diplomacy and tact, and have a consistent behaviour towards others.

Conflict management:

  • Surface conflicts and address them proactively acknowledging different feelings and views and directing energy towards a mutually acceptable solution.

Appropriate and Transparent Decision Making:

  • Demonstrate informed and transparent decision making.

Good analytical skills

Flexibility

Strong work ethics and commitment to humanitarian issues

Required Skills and Experience

Minimum Requirements

The consultant should meet the following minimum criteria:

Required skills and experience:

Education:

  • Advanced University degree in English, Journalism, or other Social Sciences related field.

Experience:

  • At least 5 years’ experience with editing and proof-reading of social and/or economic policy-related and programme documents. Examples of work are to be provided;
  • Experience with editing and proof-reading survey reports on gender equality and women’s empowerment is preferred;
  • Ability to use MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

Languages :

  • Fluency in English is required.

References:

  • Minimum of three client references that include the name of the contact person, title and contact information.

Remuneration:

  • The consultancy fee is based on the required skills and experience and will be disbursed based on satisfactory completion of agreed deliverables.

Hardware, Software and Communication:

  • The consultant must be equipped with a laptop, which must be portable and must run at least Windows 7. The consultant must be reasonably accessible by email and telephone (preferably mobile). The use of reliable, internet-based (Skype or equivalent) is required.

Location and Duration:

  • The consultant will be engaged for a maximum of one hundred and seventy-five (175) working days within the period between 26 February 2018 and March 2019. The consultancy will be home-based with no travel required.

Other

  • The consultant contracted will be required to sign a statement of confidentiality and freedom from any conflict of interest with potential future contractors with respect to the TORs and work that they will be delivering.

Documents to be submitted:

  • Updated CV (no longer than 5 pages);
  • Updated and signed P11 Form;
  • Examples of work should be provided (No longer than 10 pages).

Note: Submissions to UNDP Jobs are limited to a maximum of 10 MB, virus-free or corrupted contents to avoid rejection, and no more than 1 email transmission.  As such, all application materials must be scanned into one document and submitted.