Gender equality and the empowerment of women are at the core of the work of the United Nations (UN). It is vital to ensure full realization of the Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable development Goals (SDGs). To approach the in a systematic manner, the UN Somalia launched a Gender Strategy (2018-2020) for the entire United Nations in Somalia. The Strategy was aligned to the realities on the ground in Somalia and articulated the centrality of gender mainstreaming in the implementation of the assistance and cooperation frameworks of the United Nations. It provided a framework and guidance for the promotion and institutionalization of gender mainstreaming in the work of the UN and called for greater accountability for delivering gender results. Rationale for the Review: All major national strategies, the Framework for Peace, Political Stability and Development as well as the National Development Plan-9, UN cooperation and assistance frameworks and strategic and policy directives address the issues of gender equality and women’s empowerment (GEWE). The National Development Plan-9 (NDP9) prioritizes gender across the Plan and sets the priorities and goals. Gender has been mainstreamed and considered an integral part of the UN Cooperation Framework-2021-2025, which is currently being finalised. However, it is vital to have first-hand analysis and evidence to demonstrate what has been achieved so far and what more can be done to advance GEWE, particularly the commitment of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS), Governance and Ending Violence against Women and Girls agenda. With the gender strategy coming to an end in 2020, an independent review, which is integrated in the monitoring and evaluation plans as a final evaluation, will be undertaken to examine progress made against outputs and the challenges encountered during the implementation of the Strategy. The review will be a forward-looking strategy, providing insights to development of a new UN Somalia Gender Equality Strategy for 2021-2025 period. The final evaluation of the strategy and the development of a new strategy will be led by an independent home-based international consultant with facilitation of the meetings in Somalia by a nationally recruited Somalia based consultant. Objectives of the Assignment: The purpose of this consultancy is to work closely and assist the international consultant in carrying out an analytical and forward-looking review of the UN Somalia Gender Strategy (2018-2020). The overall aim of the assessment is to assess the extent to which progress has been made and the challenges encountered. The review will be a forward-looking exercise which will be undertaken as a way of taking stock and evaluating the extent to which UN entities have collectively embraced and incorporated the strategy in their work in order to achieve the results. The review is the final evaluation of the strategy aimed at providing adequate insights and analysis of the continuous adaptation and improvement of the strategy’s relevance, effectiveness and approaches. It will further guide the development of a new UN Somalia Gender Strategy fully aligned to the UN Cooperation Framework 2021-2025 and therefore the NDP-9. Accordingly, the key objectives of the consultancy include: - Assist in assessing the extent of the implementation and achievements of the UN Somalia Gender Strategy 2018-2020;
- Assist in assessing the extent to which gender equality, women, peace and security and other priorities were taken in consideration in the decision making, policy/strategy formulation and roll out;
- Assist in identifying the key successes, challenges and lessons learnt in realization of the UN Somalia Gender Strategy;
- Assist in establishing contacts and facilitating meetings with the key stakeholders including the UN System, both internally and externally of the partner and counterpart entities at the federal, FMS levels, including civil society organizations;
- Assist in sharing data and information for developing a draft UN Somalia Gender Strategy 2021-2025.
Scope of Work: The review will offer analysis of the actual state of the implementation and achievements of the UN Somalia Gender Strategy. The review will also provide successes, challenges and lessons learned with regard to the implementation as well as the effectiveness of the Strategy. Being a forward-looking exercise, the outcome of the review will form the basis for the new strategy, which will be developed as part of this exercise for the period from 2021-2025. To ensure the development of a well aligned UN Somalia Gender Strategy with integration of monitoring frameworks with timelines. The national consultant will work under the supervision of the international consultant and in coordination with the UN Women Country Program Manager, as well as works closely with the members of the UN Gender Theme Group, UN Somalia M&E focal persons, the program team of the Ministry of Women and Human Rights Development at the federal and Federal Member States level, other line ministries, CSOs at the Federal and Federal Member States in assessment of the UN Somalia Gender Strategy and development of a UN Somalia Gender Strategy 2021-2025 with integration of the Theory of Change, results framework and M&E plan.
|
