Background

I. Organizational Context

The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (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.

In line with UN Women Global Strategic Plan (2022-2025), and its Country Strategic Note (2019-2022), in Türkiye UN Women works towards three overarching goals:

1. Women lead, participate in, and benefit equally from governance systems.
2. All women and girls live a life free from all forms of violence.
3. Women and girls contribute to and have greater influence in building sustainable peace and resilience and benefit equally from the prevention of natural disasters and conflicts and humanitarian action.

Towards the second goal, In Türkiye, UNICEF, IOM, UNFPA, UNHCR, and UN Women have been working together on the “UN Joint Programme for the Prevention of CEFM” (the Joint Programme) since 2018, with the support of the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA). The First Phase of the Joint Programme has ended in September 2021, resulting in increased national synergies in Child Early and Forced Marriage (CEFM) prevention through: advocacy on the international and national normative framework; data generation and analysis; technical support to national and provincial coordination mechanisms and action plans on CEFM; and community mobilization with a focus on girls’ empowerment and male engagement.

In the Second Phase, to be implemented by UNICEF, UNFPA, and UN Women, with consultative support from IOM and UNHCR, the Joint Programme will draw on the experience and lessons learned during the implementation of the First Phase (including adaptation of programme activities in the context of COVID-19) to continue to address the complex issue of CEFM. The Joint Programme will continue to be a key platform to emphasize that positive gender norms, investment in girls’ and women’s empowerment, and communication for gender equality are now even more crucial for Türkiye.

The Second Phase of the Joint Programme is fully aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) for Türkiye covering 2021 – 2025, which outlines key outputs related to the elimination of violence against women and girls (VAWG) including CEFM.

While UN Women Türkiye will be contributing to the achievement of national level policy making and advocacy, it will provide a comprehensive list of services at the local level in the selected project provinces (Adana, Edirne, Gaziantep, Izmir and Kocaeli) where the prevalence of CEFM is higher than the national average in Türkiye. The project will have a specific focus on provinces that have high Roma populations. The list of activities to be conducted at the local level are:

1. Support to the development of local VAW including CEFM Action Plans
2. Support to the development of the capacities of service delivery of the CSOs including Women’s organizations and public service providers, providing mentorship and supervision at the local level on systematic identification, referral, case management and response to CEFM and EVAW cases, and advocacy skills
3. Provision of trainings to government institutions, including SONIMs, SCCs, MoJ, MoI and local authorities
4. Organization of community-based activities including women’s empowerment and men and boys’ engagement, with a special focus on youth engagement
5. Development and dissemination of training modules and advocacy materials
6. Participation to provincial monitoring activities and meetings on CEFM with civil society and government institutions, as well as VAW-CEFM related coordination meetings in the province
7. Awareness-raising amongst community members including children and youth, especially girls and women, as survivors, parents, and community members in targeted areas on CEFM

In this context, Under the Joint Programme on the Prevention of CEFM, UN Women Turkiye office intends to contract a National Project Consultant under the direct supervision of the Programme Specialist to contribute to and support the Project team in the design and delivery of local level activities listed above.

Duties and Responsibilities

II. Functions 

Under the direct supervision and guidance of Programme Specialist and, the National Project Consultant will be responsible for:

• Supporting the national and local surveys and administrative data collection and analysis on CEFM, VAW and VAWG in the selected project provinces (Adana, Edirne, Gaziantep, Izmir and Kocaeli)
• Developing and disseminating evidence-based advocacy materials and knowledge products, using Phase 1 and Phase 2 products in the selected project provinces (Adana, Edirne, Gaziantep, Izmir and Kocaeli)
• Supporting local platforms, government institutions and CSOs to have improved capacity to deliver prevention, response, advocacy, and monitoring services in line with international standards
• Developing and strengthening local networks through consultation meetings
• Developing/mobilizing/supporting a multi-sectoral CSO network including youth organizations, for advocacy and monitoring of CEFM
• Delivering capacity-building trainings, mentorship and supervision for CSOs, based on their needs, about their effective and systematic identification, referral, case management and response to CEFM cases, and advocacy skills
• Attending provincial monitoring activities and meetings on CEFM, as well as VAW-CEFM related coordination meetings in the province on behalf of UN Women
• Supporting partner selection operational and programmatic processes of UN Women related to the Joint Programme, including preparation of necessary documentation
• Providing direct support to UN Women Programme Management team in organizing advocacy and communication events and maintaining the communication with the local stakeholders.

III. Deliverables and Payment Schedule

Duration of the assignment is from 15 December  2023 – 31 September 2024 (Up to 135 days). The Consultant is expected to spend up to 135 working days on a non - consecutive basis throughout the assignment.  During assignment’s related missions, the Consultant may use the facilities of the office (i.e., internet access, printing, copying, local phone calls, etc.). However, they are expected to use their own personal computer.

Expected Deliverables and Payment Schedule:

The following table summarizes main activities and expected deliverables against targeted delivery deadlines and indicative working days to be invested by the Consultant. The deliverables are clearly dedicated in line with the expected functions as it can be seen in following table.

The mentioned number of working days has been estimated as being sufficient/feasible for the envisaged volume of work to be completed successfully and is proposed as a guideline for the duration of assignment. It cannot and shall not be used as criteria for completion of work/assignment. The Consultant will be supervised by the Programme Specialist and. The provision of envisaged deliverables and timesheets approved by the UN Women Programme Specialist shall be the only criteria for Consultant’s work being completed and eligible for payment(s).

Payment Schedule:

The amount paid to the Consultant shall be gross and inclusive of all associated costs such as travel within the duty station, social security, pension, and income tax etc. Payment will be done in separate installments upon delivery of services and monthly timesheets by respective project manager (Programme Specialist of the Joint Programme) no later than at the end of each month as per the above table. The payment shall be affected only if all the deliverables in this TOR and timesheets are submitted to UN Women Programme Specialist within the timeframes stipulated in the TOR and they are approved by UN Women Programme Specialist. Without submission and approval of the deliverables and timesheets, the Consultant shall not receive any payment even if they invest time for this assignment.

Travel:

This assignment is home-based. If there emerges any travel need outside of the duty station, UN Women Turkiye Office will organize the logistics of the travel and the Consultant will be paid daily substance allowance and terminal fee as per the figures set by UN Women HQ and UN ICSC. The taxi fees for attending the meetings are under the responsibility of the Consultant. All the payments to the Consultant including payment for travels will be processed in Turkish Lira.

Mandatory Courses:

The Consultant shall complete all the mandatory and further required UN courses, training, and modules on time. The certificates shall be submitted to the Hiring Manager.  

Please note that the required training courses could vary based on contract content and duration, the nature of the work and inclusion of travel. The Hiring Manager will provide the list of mandatory courses to the Consultant. Hence, the Consultant is obliged to follow the instructions of her/his Hiring Manager upon which training modules to complete and when to complete them.II. Functions 

nder the direct supervision and guidance of Programme Specialist and, the National Project Consultant will be responsible for:

• Supporting the national and local surveys and administrative data collection and analysis on CEFM, VAW and VAWG in the selected project provinces (Adana, Edirne, Gaziantep, Izmir and Kocaeli)
• Developing and disseminating evidence-based advocacy materials and knowledge products, using Phase 1 and Phase 2 products in the selected project provinces (Adana, Edirne, Gaziantep, Izmir and Kocaeli)
• Supporting local platforms, government institutions and CSOs to have improved capacity to deliver prevention, response, advocacy, and monitoring services in line with international standards
• Developing and strengthening local networks through consultation meetings
• Developing/mobilizing/supporting a multi-sectoral CSO network including youth organizations, for advocacy and monitoring of CEFM
• Delivering capacity-building trainings, mentorship and supervision for CSOs, based on their needs, about their effective and systematic identification, referral, case management and response to CEFM cases, and advocacy skills
• Attending provincial monitoring activities and meetings on CEFM, as well as VAW-CEFM related coordination meetings in the province on behalf of UN Women
• Supporting partner selection operational and programmatic processes of UN Women related to the Joint Programme, including preparation of necessary documentation
• Providing direct support to UN Women Programme Management team in organizing advocacy and communication events and maintaining the communication with the local stakeholders.

IV. Key Performance Indicators

• Timeliness, responsibility, initiative, communication, accuracy, and quality of the products delivered.
• Adherence to UN Women standards and rules.
• Keeping up to date with the developments in Türkiyeon CEFM framework.

Competencies

V. 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:

• Ability to consolidate information from multiple sources
• Ability to gather and interpret data, reach logical conclusions, and present findings
• Ability to work independently as well as in teams
• Excellent time management and ability to produce deliverables within agreed deadlines
• Knowledge of violence against women and CEFM
•  Ability to communicate sensitively, effectively, and creatively across different constituencies
• Knowledge of gender equality and women’s empowerment issues
• Focus on impact and results for client
• Consistent approach to work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude
• Demonstration and safeguarding of ethics and integrity.

Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Core Values and Competencies: UN-Women-values-and-competencies-framework-en.pdf (unwomen.org)

At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, 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.)  

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.

1. Travel costs

This assignment is home-based. If there emerges any travel need outside of the duty station, UN Women Turkiye Office will organize the logistics of the travel and the Consultant will be paid daily substance allowance and terminal fee as per the figures set by UN Women HQ and UN ICSC. The taxi fees for attending the meetings are under the responsibility of the Consultant. All the payments to the Consultant including payment for travels will be processed in Turkish Lira.

1. Currency of the price proposal

The applicants are requested to submit their price proposals in Turkish Lira. 

Annex II: Price Proposal Submission Form

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

Ref:

Dear Sir / Madam,

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.

My maximum total price proposal for the assignment is given below:

I confirm that my financial proposal will remain unchanged for 135 days. 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 135 days.

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

[Signature]

Date:

Name:

Address:

Telephone/Fax:

Email: