Background

I. Organizational Context

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. Placing women's rights at the center of all its efforts, UN Women leads and coordinates United Nations system efforts to ensure that commitments on gender equality and gender mainstreaming translate into action throughout the world. It provides support to Member States’ efforts and priorities in meeting their gender equality goals and for building effective partnerships with civil society and other relevant actors.

In Türkiye, in line with its global Strategic Plan 2022-2025, UN Women works towards one overarching goal “Women and girls including those at greatest risk of being left behind fully exercise their human rights, enjoy a life free from violence and discrimination, and lead, influence and benefit from sustainable and inclusive socio-economic development towards the advancement of gender equality in Türkiye” and three strategic objectives: 1) Women and girls have improved and equal access to resources, opportunities, and rights, and enjoy a life without violence and discrimination; 2) By 2025, Persons under the Law on Foreigners and International Protection are supported towards self-reliance; 3) By 2025, governance systems are more transparent, accountable, inclusive and rights-based with the participation of civil society, and quality of judicial services is improved.

Towards these goals, UN Women implements programmes and projects that aim to advance gender equality, improve women's access to opportunities, rights and services in political, social and economic life and combat gender stereotypes, discrimination, and violence, as required by international and national legal and policy commitments. UN Women collaborates with numerous partners – central and local level government authorities, civil society organizations, including women's organizations and platforms, academia, private sector companies, other UN agencies. It commits itself to the Leaving No One Behind principle by supporting targeted actions to remove the obstacles that marginalized and vulnerable groups of women face in accessing their rights and to promote them as agents of change.

To address persistent gender gaps and in line with the country’s national and international commitments, in the past years the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) in Türkiye, has prioritized support to increase women’s participation in political decision-making as well as women’s leadership and gender equality in the private sector. This support has taken place under several projects and programmatic frameworks, and in line with UN Women flagship global initiatives, under the framework of UN Women’s global Strategic Plan and Country Strategic Note for Türkiye.

Building on the achievements and lessons learnt over the previous year, the project “Advancing gender equality and women’s leadership in political and business life” has an overall objective to advance women’s leadership and participation in decision-making in Türkiye by focusing on key stakeholders and actors in the fields of politics and business life under three specific outcomes:

• Outcome 1: Legislative frameworks and arrangements promote gender balance in elections and decision-making bodies in line with the international normative framework.
• Outcome 2: A cadre of interested, diverse and capable women political and business leaders is formed and supported to exercise leadership.
• Outcome 3. Local level authorities with multi-stakeholder engagement, implement new and existing international commitments on gender equality and women’s empowerment through gender responsive plans and budgets.

The project targets as direct beneficiaries Equal Opportunities Committee at the Turkish Grand National Assembly, women aspirants and candidates at local level, CSO representatives, academics and activists /defenders working for women’s rights and gender equality, media outlets and private sector companies.

Within the framework of the project, UN Women Türkiye supports local governments to have enhanced awareness and capacity to develop and apply gender responsive plans and budgets. In 2023, UN Women Türkiye supported the development of the local equality action plan for Adana Metropolian Municipality. In line with the Local Equality Action Plan which includes “Establishing a gender equality unit/committee qualified enough to influence the structure and operations of the Municipality” as a targeted action.  To support this action and further strengthening of institutionalization of gender equality within Adana Metropolitan Municipaity, UN Women plans to recruit a local consultant to develop a road map.

The National Consultant will report to the Programme Specialist (Women Lead) and working in close interaction with the municipal staff will be responsible for the whole process to develop and finalize the road map for Local Equality Unit for Adana Metropolitan Municipality. 

Duties and Responsibilities

II. Functions 

Under supervision of Programme Specialist (Women Lead) National Consultant for Developing a Road Map for Adana Metropolitan Municipality to Establish a Local Equality Unit will be responsible for:

1. Analysis of the Local Equality Units of Municipalities in Türkiye

• Identify the counterpart local equality units in Türkiye that can be used for the analysis,
• Review and analyse the vision, structure and activities of the local equality units,
• Organise meetings with Adana Metropolitan Municipality staff and the representatives of the local equality units.

2. Assessment of Adana Metropolitan Municipality through technical meetings with municipality staff and development of the first draft of the Local Equality Unit Directive/Road Map

• Review and analyse the local equality action plan of Adana Metropolitan Municipality,
• Monitor the progress towards the local equality action plan,
• Organise technical meetings with the management and staff of Adana Metropolitan Municipality and learn their expectations,
• Organise meeting with relevant units that may work in collaboration with the Local Equality Unit for gender responsive data collection, gender responsive planning and budgeting, monitoring, etc. 

3.Development and Presentation of the Draft Road Map and the Directive

• Prepare the initial draft of the road map/directive including;
• The aim and vision of the Local Equality Unit
• The responsibilities and fields of work of the Unit
• The activities the Unit will Implement in line with the Strategic Plan and Local Equality Action  Plan of the Municipality,
• The approach and methodology the Unit will adopt,
• The reports the Unit will prepare,
• The key internal and external stakeholders the Unit will engage with
• Other items

• Organise meetings with the management and staff of Adana Metropolitan Municipality to present the draft road map and collect inputs.

4. Development of the Final Road Map

• Integrate the inputs of the meetings to draft road map and prepare the final version that will be approved by the Metropolitan Municipality,
• Present the final version of the road map to management and staff of Adana Metropolian Municipality.

The above mentioned tasks are indicative and subject to further detailing through specific service requests to be made by UN Women Türkiye Office during the course of the contract duration. 

The consultant is expected to work closely and in coordination with the project team of UN Women Türkiye and the staff of Adana Metropolitan Municipality.

III. Deliverables and Payment Schedule

IV. Key Performance Indicators

• Timeliness, accuracy, and quality of the products delivered,
• Willingness to shares knowledge and experience,
• Demonstration of excellent written and oral communication skills and communicating sensitively, effectively and creatively across different constituencies,
• Ability to perform a variety of standard specialized and non-specialized tasks and work processes that are fully documented, researched, recorded and reported,
• Ability to review a variety of data, identify and adjust discrepancies, identify and resolve operational problems,
• Uses Information Technology effectively as a tool and resource,
• Adherence to UN Women standards and rules.

Competencies

Core Values:

• Respect for Diversity
• Integrity
• Professionalism

Core Competencies:

• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues
• Creative Problem Solving
• Effective Communication
• Inclusive Collaboration
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Leading by Example

Functional Competencies:

• Strong interpersonal, teamwork and communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and proactively solve problem;
• Capacity to plan, priorities and deliver tasks on times;
• Capacity to engage with national and international staffs, to provide clear feedback and maintain effective rapport with different kinds of people;
• Actively works towards continuing learning and share with other to support local capacity development;
• Ability to research, analyze and present complex information.

Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Core Values and Competencies: https://www.unwomen.org/-/media/headquarters/attachments/sections/about%20us/employment/un-women-values-and-competencies-framework-en.pdf?la=en&vs=637

UN Women does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Required Skills and Experience

 VI. Required Skills and Experience:

Annex I: Price Proposal Guideline and Template

The prospective Individual Consultant should take the following explanations into account during submission of his/her price proposal.

1.Daily fee

The daily price proposal should indicate a "lump sum amount" which is "all-inclusive"; All costs (professional fees, communications, consumables during field related missions, etc.) that could possibly be incurred by the Contractor needs to be factored into the proposed price.

UN Women will not withhold any amount of the payments for tax and/or social security related payments. UN Women shall have no liability for taxes, duties or other similar charges payable by the Individual Contractor in respect of any amounts paid to the Individual Contractor under this Contract, and the Contractor acknowledges that UN Women will not issue any statements of earnings to the Individual contractor in respect of any such payments.

2.Travel costs

This is a home-based assignment with no travel foreseen. In case of an unforeseen travel, UN Women Turkey Office will cover the organization and the costs of the consultant’s travel as per UN Women’s rules and regulations. UN Women will not cover transportation cost within duty station including the taxi costs.

3.Currency of the price proposal

The applicants are requested to submit their price proposals in USD. Please note that the payments will be processed in Turkish Liras converted with the UN Exchage Rate available at the time of the payment.  

Annex II: Price Proposal Submission Form

To: United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women

Ref:  National Consultant for Developing a Road Map for Adana Metropolitan Municipality to Establish a Local Equality Unit

Dear  Madam/Sir,

I, the undersigned, offer to provide professional consulting services to UN Women within the scope of the referred Assignment.

Having examined, understood and agreed to the Terms of Reference and its annexes,

the receipt of which are hereby duly acknowledged, I, the undersigned, offer to deliver professional services, in conformity with the Terms of Reference.

Based on the deliverables and estimated working days summarized in the ToR, my maximum total price proposal for the assignment is given below:

I confirm that my financial proposal will remain unchanged. I also confirm that the price that I quote is gross, and is inclusive of all legal expenses, including but not limited to social security, income tax, pension, etc., which shall be required applicable laws.

I agree that my proposal shall remain binding upon me for 90 days.

I understand that you are not bound to accept any proposal you may receive.

[Signature]

Date:

Name:

Address:

Telephone/Fax:

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