Background

Country Context

South Sudan continues to face massive political, humanitarian and economic challenges in the wake of a protracted internal conflict and subdued oil prices. The continuing violent clashes  between the forces of SPLA and SPLA-IO in other parts of the country has exposed women and girls, who constitute the majorityof IDPs, to a number of livelihood challenges as well SGBV. Presently, the number of Internally Displaced Persons is 1.9million and an additional 1.6 million people living as refugees  in neighboring countries  while the number of those that are food insecure is currently 4.9 million (UNOCHA Humanitarian Bulletin, March 2017). There is severe inflation, which has made food unaffordable for many families, coupled with the famine declared in Unity State while humanitarian needs have reeached unpredecented levels, especially for women and girls.  Many locations remain inaccessible due to intermittent attacks targeting aid workers, including the March 2017 ambush that resulted in the death of six aid workers bringing the numbers of aid workers killed since December 2013 to 60 (UNOCHA Humanitarian Bulleting, March 2017).  President Salva Kiir Mayardit announced in December 2016 a national dialogue that supposedly enables the citizens to collectively debate the future of their distraught country. The debate includes how to resolve the conflict, respond to a growing humanitarian crisis, and address the enduring ills of governance in the country. Many pundits are skeptical of a succesful dialogue that would be inclusive unless the Agreement for Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan which was derailed as a result of the July 2016 fighting in Juba, is fully implemented.

South Sudan is bordered by 6 Countries (Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Sudan, DRC and Central African Republic) which makes the Country a significant player in regional trade with a potential for growth. However, trade between the neighboring countries and South Sudan is highly asymmetrical. South Sudan exports mainly oil (98%), while importing substantial amounts of food and manufactured products from the region and beyond. Meanwhile, South Sudan has great export potential in certain commodities, including cereals, timber, livestock, fish, gold, silver, zinc, copper, uranium and iron. Because South Sudan depends critically on imports to meet the needs of its population, there is a huge inflow of goods and services transacted through cross border trade with the neighboring countries although the trade remains vulnerable to changing local security conditions. Traders from both South Sudan and the neighboring countries face increased insecurity in South Sudan and the situation continues to persist especially on Juba-Nimule road that connects traders to Uganda thus hampering movements of goods and services.

In South Sudan, women are prominent players in cross border trade though informal. Their roles expose them to protection issues as a number of incidents of sexual and gender based violence have been reported on both sides of the border areas.  However, the benefit to their livelihoods and socio-economic empowerment is a valid reason for their involvement informal trading activities as it is crucial in improving their livelihoods and socio-economic empowerment. According to a study commissioned by the African Development Bank (ADB, 2013), trade between South Sudan and Uganda was largely informal and dominated by women.  Female headed households constitute 77% of South Sudan traders, depending on informal cross-border trade as their sole source of income (Ngungi, 2010 as cited in ADB, 2013).

Research has shown that there is a direct correlation between expansion of international trade, development and poverty reduction. While poverty disproportionately affects women, international trade has created new opportunities for women by empowering them and assisting them in dealing with poverty. However, there is limited information on the exact nature of barriers that women face in conducting cross border trade between South Sudan and its neighbors as a result of the conflict.

The aforesaid highlights the importance of conducting a study to understand the effects of conflicts on cross border trade and the barriers to women’s growth and economic empowerment as a result of cross-border trade. It is expected that the results would inform the design and implementation of effective policy and legal reforms and program interventions that maximize the gains from trade to empower women. 

Organisational Context

UN Women as a key partner of the government of the Republic of South Sudan, is grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the UN, and works specifically 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. To respond to the context and needs of South Sudan, the UN Women South Sudan Country Programme focuses on four priority areas- i) Increase women's leadership and participation; ii) Increase women's access to economic empowerment and opportunities; iii) Prevent VAWG and expand access to services; and iv) Increase women’s leadership in peace, security and humanitarian response.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the overall supervision of the UN Women Deputy Country Representative, the international consultant will design the research methodology and conduct the study on women and cross border trade in South Sudan and major trading partner: Kenya, Uganda, Sudan and Ethiopia.

Overall Objectives:

The objective of this assignment is to understand how the conflict and resultant economic crisis in the country has shaped women’s cross border trade activities. Specifically, the study will identify what has changed and how? How are the women cross border traders coping? Does the changing context affect women differently as compared to men involved in cross border trade? What are the existing trade related regulatory frameworks including those that support women traders? What are the key barriers faced by women and men in undertaking cross border trade? What are the capacities available to monitor, evaluate and enforce trade policies and laws and recommendations to influence policies and practices to enhance equitably and impactful trade that can advance gender equality and women economic empowerment.

Scope of Work:

 The international consultant  is expected to undertake the  following:

• Conduct a preliminary desk research to determine existing studies and knowledge on the how the conflict and resultant economic crisis in the country has shaped women’s cross border trade activities; barriers faced by women and men in conducting cross border trade; existing trade related regulatory frameworks; the capacity of the Government of South Sudan to monitor, evaluate and enforce trade policies and laws especially those that favors women traders;
• Design a survey instrument that captures the effects of conflicts on women’s cross border trade activities, key barriers faced by women and men traders in undertaking cross border trade;
• Conduct pre-test of the survey in at least one border area;
• Generate final questionnaire;
• Collect data;
• Analyze findings of study and produce a report: The report should be able to identify potential policy reform areas; and, also trade facilitation interventions that appear to have had a positive impact in enhancing women’s participation in cross-border trade;
• Validate findings with broad spectrum of stakeholders;
• Compile and submit final report.?

The outputs expected from the consult include the following:

Final Deliverable:

A. Final Report: The consultant will submit a comprehensive final report of between 20 to 30 pages, using the prescribed outline below as well as a five page summary report.

• Title page (1 page);
• Table of Contents (1 page);
• Acronyms (1 page);
• Executive Summary (2 pages);
• Background and Context (2 pages);
• Objective and Scope (1 page);
• Methodology (2 pages);
• Research analysis and findings including policy and operational recommendations and conclusion (no more than 20 pages).

Annexes: include the terms of reference, work-plan, and questionnaires, pre-post test questions, list the categories of research participant and any other relevant documents.

Competencies

Core Competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity and fairness by upholding UN values and ethical standards;
• Demonstrates professional competence and is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; 
• Display cultural, gender, nationality, religion and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Functional Competencies:

• Proven experience in conducting research with high publishable quality;
• Proven experience in inclusive economic development; 
• Proven experience in poverty reduction strategies;
• Experience in conflict resolution and peace building;
• Proven knowledge and experience in gender equality and  Women Economic Empowerment programming in a conflict/post conflict context;
• Proven skills and experience in conducting gender analysis;
• Excellent communication skills (oral and written).-English preferably;
• Ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor own work plan;
• Previous experience in a conflict, post-conflict setting;
• Field experience would be an asset;
• Ability to work under pressure;
• Capacity to work with diverse partners including governments, donors, UN country teams and civil society.

Required Skills and Experience

Education and certification:

• Masters’ Degree in Economics, Social Sciences, Gender and Development, International Development, International Trade and Commerce and other relevant fields.

Experience:

• At least 7 years of working and research experience in trade supply chain processes, including those of customs administration and other border agencies as well as the private sector, particularly in developing country contexts;
• Excellent experience in economic empowerment issues, including working with financial institutions;
• Expertise in the conduct of program analysis and development including design of women economic empowerment programme, strategies and models;
• Previous experience in a conflict-post conflict setting; 
• Proven experience in gender and women’s empowerment.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English (written and spoken). Knowledge of Arabic will be an assest.

Application Information:

• All applications must include (as an attachment) the completed UN Women Personal History form (P-11) which can be downloaded from http://www.unwomen.org/about-us/employment;
• Kindly note that the system will only allow one attachment, scan your documents into one single file. Applications without the completed UN Women P-11 form will be treated as incomplete and may not be considered for further assessment.

Qualified women candidates are highly encouraged to apply.

Note:
In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. The creation of UN Women came about as part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact. It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system (DAW, OSAGI, INSTRAW and UNIFEM), which focused exclusively on gender equality and women's empowerment.