Background

‘Leave no one behind’ is at the core of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The 2030 Agenda is, among others, underpinned by the principle of gender equality and women’s empowerment that is grounded in the norms and standards the United Nations is tasked to uphold and promote. To this end, the United Nations is committed to practicing more coherent and integrated system-wide gender-responsive planning, implementation and reporting.

While the current Development Assistance Framework for Montenegro is based on four key pillars (democratic governance, environmental sustainability, social inclusion and economic growth), a particular feature of the UN programmes in Montenegro is the clear focus on the most vulnerable social groups and marginalized communities, ensuring at the design stage that they are involved in the development process and their rights are respected. This also contributes to a broader national ownership of and commitment to the UN’s programmes. In addition to adopting a human rights-based approach as a mainstreaming programming principle, the UN in Montenegro is applying a gender-based approach to ensure that the human rights and particular needs of women and girls are taken into account when designing interventions and programmes, combined with programmes specifically addressing issues of gender equality and women’s empowerment. 

UN developed the so-called SWAP-Scorecard (UN Country Team (UNCT) Performance Indicators for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (GEWE)  “Gender Scorecard”), with the aim is of establishing better accountability for stronger planning, programming and results for gender equality and women’s empowerment at the country level. The Scorecard’s self-assessment enables UN System to work collaboratively to assess its performance in the country against minimum standards for GEWE.  Findings from the exercise lead into action planning to improve performance over time for country teams and the UN system globally, contributing to meeting SDG targets.

Capacity development is an on-going need within the UN system to fulfill commitments to gender equality and women’s empowerment.  GEWE capacity development is particularly important at the country level to keep up with changing standards and methodologies in the context of staff turnover. Numerous UN resolutions include requests for the UN to work collaboratively to enhance gender mainstreaming and to ensure that all UN personnel, and especially in the field, receive training on gender mainstreaming, to achieve gender equality and the empowerment of women in development (ECOSOC Resolution 2011/6).

A survey conducted in 2017 showed a satisfying level of gender awareness and knowledge among the staff of the UN in Montenegro, while it also pointed to the need to strengthen staff confidence to implement that knowledge in planning. Following the mentioned Gender Scorecard assessment in Montenegro in 2018, the need to conduct an inter-agency gender capacity assessment was identified, and based on the results, the need to develop a capacity development plan on GEWE for UN staff.

To this end, the Resident Coordinators Office (RCO) will hire an international expert to conduct a gender capacity assessment of the UN in Montenegro and to, based on the assessment result), design and deliver training for UN Staff on gender equality and gender mainstreaming.

Duties and Responsibilities

Objectives of the assignment: The assignment has 2 objectives:

1. To conduct an inter-agency capacity assessment using some of the already tested methodologies, such as the Gender Equality Capacity Assessment Tool. 
2. Based on the assessment, design and deliver two trainings for UN staff in Montenegro: 

• The topic of the first training to be delivered is gender equality concepts and principles and why they matter.  This training would be delivered for UN staff at all levels (2 groups x 25 participants). The goal would be to provide an interactive space for unveiling one`s own stereotypes and misconceptions about gender and gender roles, and how can they impede the everyday operations and relations within the UN country office. The training will also focus on how staff integrate gender issues from the early stages of programme planning and design.
• The second training would be on gender mainstreaming. The goal of the training is for participants to gain a deeper understanding of gender dynamics and the different situations, conditions and needs of women and men. It will focus on strategies to increase gender responsiveness of policy, programs or projects. The training will provide participants with practical examples and skills to conduct gender analysis using tools for the design, planning of programs, through interactive methods of knowledge transfer. Furthermore, the participants will be given the opportunity to exchange implementation challenges with other participants and discuss instruments for better monitoring and evaluating the gender impact of the programs they are implementing. The participants of this training will be programme staff from UN Agencies (2 groups x 25 participants).

NOTE: The trainings for programme staff may be combined so that the first day the agenda would focus on understanding gender concepts, while the second and the third day they would continue with gender mainstreaming. In addition, if the assessment results indicate different levels of knowledge and skills, training program can be tailored to reflect those differences, given that two groups for both trainings will be formed. This is to be agreed upon at a later stage.

Job content: Under the supervision of Gender and Human Rights Working Group of the UN CO in Montenegro, the consultant/trainer will perform the following duties:

1. Conduct the gender-awareness and gender mainstreaming capacity assessment
2. Based on the assessment, define the training needs
3. Design and develop detailed content and material for both the gender equality and gender mainstreaming trainings (2 groups x 25 participants each). The trainings should include the following:

• Gender concepts, gender analysis, international agreements pertaining to gender and an overview of key thematic areas relating to gender equality.
• Suggested reading materials and resources drawing on case studies from different programs (environment, governance, economic growth, education, health, social inclusion of the groups left behind etc), in order to meet the needs of diverse participants and the programs they work on
• Practical gender mainstreaming tools and training of the participants on how to use them during practical sessions
• Training methods to include interactive and stimulating activities to consolidate and reinforce learning.
• Mechanisms for self-assessment as the course progresses and overall assessment of staff awareness and learning.

4. Assist the participants to formulate a training follow-up action plan.
5. Upon completion of the training, evaluate its effectiveness and make recommendations for further capacity building.

Expected results:

• Gender sensitivity of the staff increased
• The staff has gained understanding of key gender concepts, themes and gender mainstreaming processes to assist with project/program planning for greater gender equality
• Projects and programs integrate gender aspects in design, delivery, monitoring and evaluation

Expected deliverables:

• Proposed methodology for gender-awareness and gender mainstreaming capacity assessment (4 days)
• Delivery of assessment (5 days)
• Drafting of assessment report (2 days)
• Design the detailed programme of gender awareness and gender mainstreaming training, including gender mainstreaming tool (6days)
• Deliver the two trainings (2 groups x 25 participants each) (minimum 8 days- 2 x 1.5 days for Gender training and 2 x 2.5 days for gender mainstreaming); number of days per training to be agreed upon)
• Follow-up training report with recommendations for future action (3 days)

Time duration: The Consultant/trainer will be engaged under a short-term Individual Contract (IC) for an estimated 28 working days, including preparatory and follow-up work from home. 

Travel: The dates of the actual trainings and travel to Montenegro will be agreed in the course of planning of the implementation schedule, while it is expected that the assessment could take place mid-November/December 2019, and the trainings in February 2020. The trainer is expected to cover travel and accommodation related costs during the above listed 13 days in Montenegro (5 days assessment and 8 days training). These components should be included in the total lump sum financial offer submitted by the consultant.

Competencies

• Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
• Promotes the vision, mission and strategic goals of UN;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Builds strong relationships with clients, focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively
• to feedback;
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
• Demonstrates excellent oral and written communication skills;
• Demonstrates ability to manage complexities and work under pressure, as well as conflict resolution skills.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

·        University degree (preferably advanced) in a relevant social science discipline;

·        Degree in Gender Studies will be an asset.

Experience:

• Minimum 10 years of relevant working experience in the field of Gender equality and women’s empowerment and sound knowledge of international gender mainstreaming approaches and frameworks, as well as gender analysis;
• Of which minimum 7 years of relevant experience in adult education and training implementation and evaluation;
• Proven experience of facilitating participatory and interactive capacity building for adults in a multi-cultural setting;
• Strong knowledge of the project cycle management process including monitoring, evaluating and reporting.

Language:

• Fluent in English;
• Fluency in Montenegrin/Serbian/Croatian/Bosnian language is a distinctive asset.

Criteria for selection:

Combined Scoring method will be used. When using this weighted scoring method, the award of the contract should be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as: (i) responsive, compliant, acceptable, and (ii) having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.

• Technical criteria weight - 70% (Background and education 10%; Relevant previous experience 20%; Substantial knowledge/Required competencies 30%; Required language 10%);
• Financial criteria weight - 30%.

Only offerors obtaining a minimum 490 points for technical criteria will be considered for the financial evaluation. For more information on procurement methodology for Individual Contractors, please refer to Procurement Notice.

Application procedure:

Interested applicants are requested to submit their applications by October 28, 2019 by using the Apply now button. The application should contain CV or P11 that can be downloaded at http://www.me.undp.org/content/montenegro/en/home/operations/jobs.html. Please note that UNDP jobsite system allows only one uploading of application document, so please make sure that you merge all your documents into a single file.

Only the short-listed applicants will be contacted and requested to submit a letter of interest including a price quotation indicating the lump sum (in EUR) requested for the work envisaged in the section "Description of Responsibilities".