UNDP has been supporting the Ministry of National Unity (MoNU) in its efforts to strengthen the National Peace Architecture (NPA), including existing capacities in conflict prevention and mediation. Under Social Cohesion Project, UNDP supports the institutionalization and ensures national legislation reflects the priorities of UNSCR 2250.

History and Overview of the assignment

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) unanimously adopted Resolution termed the United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2250 in 2015. The United Peace Council also agreed to the resolution that young people should protect and prevent themselves from being peace breakers in societies. UNSCR 2250 among others formalizes an international framework that addresses the critical role of youth in building and sustaining peace and preventing violent conflict.

This historic resolution focuses on five pillars of action to ensure that youth are included: participation, protection, prevention, partnerships, and reintegration. It formalizes an international framework that addresses the critical role of youth in building and sustaining peace and preventing violent conflict. It also aims at empowering the youths in peace-making, peacekeeping and peace-building.  Malawi, by virtue of its membership to the United Nations, is a signatory to UNSCR 2250.

The 2015 resolution came in response to an evaluation of the country’s National Peace Architecture (NPA), which the Government of Malawi is working towards redesigning and developing an NPA Program Document. In March 2019, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Office of the President and Cabinet hosted a validation workshop for the formulation of programs aimed at operationalizing the National Peace Policy (NPP) and capturing key enablers that would inform the redesign of the NPA. Among other lessons learned, the absence of national action plan for UNSCR 2250 and targeted policies for youth in peace was reported and designated as one of the critical components of Malawi’s peace and security strategy.

Malawi believes that youth are often the most vulnerable and affected group by violent conflict globally, and yet tend to be excluded from peace-building efforts. Key leaders, including traditional and religious leaders, women and youth among them, who help shape the community’s attitudes and behaviors, and those living in conflict areas, similar to youth, are often on the front lines, many working to prevent and mitigate violent conflict.  In response to such, there is a need for both youth and key leaders, having shared objectives but a mutual sense of different priorities and values, are eager for more meaningful engagement with each other. Trust needs to be built between youth leaders, traditional and religious leaders, as well as opinion leaders by identifying allies within the communities. Through such arrangements, peace-building practitioners gain access to inaccessible audiences and thus manage to reach out to the most vulnerable populations.

In this regard, the Ministry of National Unity (MoNU) through the National Peace Architecture embarked on a road map to develop the Nation Action Plan for Malawi for the implementation of UNSCR 2250 in its capacity of intensifying unity among Malawians by creating an enabling environment for civic empowerment of citizens and to promote sustainable peace and unity for resilience, patriotism, accountable governance and inclusive national development. MoNU will take this assignment in collaboration with various stakeholders, including the Ministry of Youth, the National Youth Council of Malawi, with financial support from UNDP.

The UNSCR 2250 National Action Plans (NAP) will respond to youth in peace priorities, emphasizing the need of working closely with civil society organizations and in building national capacities to implement the plans and perform the reporting obligations which derive from the UNSC Resolutions. The National Action Plan (NAP) for UNSCR 2250 will be developed around the five thematic pillars of the resolution: participation, protection, prevention, partnerships, and disengagement & reintegration. These pillars need to be translated into actions for the Ministry and all key stakeholders to know which activities could be undertaken to achieve the desired goal.

The assignment will enable the development of the NAP to stimulate focused interventions from various stakeholders and interest groups. The NAP is necessary as it will enable the realization of UNSCR 2250 initiatives at the country level.

UNDP is looking for a consultant to facilitate the development of the NAP. The consultant will focus on the advancement of peace measures to address natural and man-made crises from a gendered and youth lens. The consultant will work in collaboration with the National Peace Architecture secretariat under the Ministry of National Unity. 

The key objective of the assignment is the production of the National Action Plan in facilitating the implementation of UNSCR 2250 that will be aligned to the needs and priorities of youth, which will enhance the realization of youth involvement in peace building at all levels in Malawi.

Specifically, the consultant will

• Develop an inception report for the development of NAP for UNSCR 2250
• Review the recent literature on NAPs in the African region (implementation and evaluation phases) as well as the National Peace Architecture (NPA) in Malawi
• Consult all stakeholders to ensure integration of inputs from all relevant sectors and civil society organizations
• Map out the priority actions and formulate key insights for the NAP that include vision and mission statements, implementation and accountability matrix and monitoring and evaluation plan among others 
• Facilitate the high-level validation meeting where youth and peace actors will review the draft NAP and incorporate and synchronize all feedback to the NPA

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the overall guidance of the UNDP, the Consultant will provide guidance to the NAP taskforce team and national/local counterparts regarding the development of UNSCR 2250 NAP.

The Consultant will perform the following tasks:

1. Development of inception report
2. Literature Review: Review the recent literature on NAPs in the African region (implementation and evaluation phases) as well as the NPA in Malawi. The exercise will include collecting information and analyzing reasons that prompt youth involvement in violence in the country. It will also assist to establish a starting point for understanding the current situation of young people and their participation and impact on peace building in order to monitor progress. In addition, the assignment will assist in documenting ongoing interventions related to conflict resolution at the local and national levels and analyzing the level of youths’ participation and representation in peace dialogues and decision-making platforms. The task force team should also be able to review the successes and failures from previous interventions.
3. Stakeholder Consultations: Ensure integration of inputs from all relevant sectors and civil society organizations.  The exercise will enable the task force team to develop appropriate programs and tools that respond to real needs that guarantee the success of the NAP in Malawi.
4. Mapping and Development of the NAP: Formulate key insights for the NAP and the project document that include vision and mission statements, implementation and accountability matrix, and monitoring and evaluation plan among others. 
5. Validation Workshop: Facilitate the higher-level validation meeting where youth and peace actors will review the draft NAP and Project document. Incorporate and synchronize all feedback from stakeholders and the taskforce team.

• The consultant will be expected to have core values that will include: respect for diversity; integrity; professionalism; aware of the youth culture; accountability; excellent analytical and report writing skills and creative problem solving people with research skills.
• Excellent leadership and planning skills with ability to express ideas clearly, concisely and effectively, both orally and in writing. 
• Ability to work in a multi-cultural team environment, deliver under pressure and to meet deadlines
• Written and oral fluency in English and Malawian local languages are mandatory

Education:

• At least a master’s degree in social sciences, law, gender or other relevant fields of study

Work experience:

• Minimum of 10 years’ experience in developing national action plans, youth and gender-related policies and strategies, and programs aimed at youth empowerment
• At least 5 years of experience working with government agencies and/or civil society organizations in the relevant field is required. Experience working with UNDP/ other UN agencies is preferable.
• At least 5 years of proven experience in the field of youth, peace and security and governance
• At least 5 years of proven experience in monitoring and evaluation, development of results frameworks/logical frameworks and accountability frameworks

How to Apply

Quantum Case ID.: UNDP-MWI-00002

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