Background

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.

Women in East and Southern Africa represent the most deprived group of the population in spite of their paramount social and economic role. They have limited access to, and control over critical resources, as a result of social, cultural and economic norms. UN Women’s programmatic work to support women’s economic empowerment in the region is centered around three pillars: (i) Improving women’s access to climate resilient agricultural value chains; (ii) Promoting and strengthening women entrepreneurship; and (ii) Enhancing women’s income security and social protection.

COVID 19 hit East and Southern Africa at the beginning of the second quarter of 2020. The pandemic has exacerbated existing gender inequalities in economic opportunities across East and Southern Africa where most people earn their livelihoods through the informal economy. The shock triggered by COVID-19 came at time when the region’s economy was already plagued by rising income inequality, financial fragility and mounting debt, and limited fiscal space by Governments. The socio-economic impact of the pandemic affected women disproportionally in the region as a result of their overrepresentation among very small businesses, and informal and vulnerable workers. The lockdown measures have also increased the unpaid care burden of the region or rates of Gender Based Violence against women’s and girls.

To respond to the crisis, Governments across the region are spending significant resources to provide immediate support measures and to boost economic recovery through ‘fiscal stimulus’ packages. It is important to ensure that adopted economic stimulus and recovery package are gender responsive and address equity gaps. UN Women has developed a range of policy tools to support Governments in identifying and addressing the gender impacts of the pandemic, including one on “How to Assess and Engender Fiscal Stimulus Packages to Respond to the Socio-Economic Impacts of COVID-19”.

?In Uganda, UN Women Country Office in conjunction with other agencies [UN Women, UNDP, FAO, UNCDF, UNICEF, RCO, ILO, WFP, IOM and UNHCR] undertook a rapid analysis of the socio-economic effect of the COVID 19 pandemic in Uganda. The report that was produced in June 2020, provided a unique attempt to assess the potential implications of the COVID-19 response on the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), recommending caution where elements of the response could result in SDG regression. It also examined the efficacy of social protection measures for mitigating the impacts of the pandemic, highlighting interventions that could achieve maximum impact. It extensively assessed the structure of Uganda’s private sector ecosystem and the potential implications of the pandemic for businesses including tourism and manufacturing. Not least, articulation was made on select sectors that have immediate bearing on the entire population, providing entry points to enable the country to keep the most vulnerable and marginalised in view. The policy recommendations were made in line with the Uganda’s National Development Plan III (NDP III) considering COVID-19.

The report further highlighted that at the macro level the economy was projected to decline from the pre- pandemic estimate of 6% to 0.8%, the government revenue was reduced due to reduction in exports, lower tourist spending, decrease in public revenue due to reduction in taxes and lower remittances thus affecting government revenue. ???The report specifically analyzed the impact of COVID 19 pandemic on the informal sector particularly focusing on the market and street vendors’ businesses and general economic welfare. The report ??revealed that for the women in the informal sector, there was total disruption in trade as movement was restricted this reduced the incomes, capital, and the general welfare. There was also reported increase in Gender Based Violence. One of the recommendations proposed the report was to establish a restart stimulus fund specifically supporting the women in the informal sector to address their peculiar concerns. Although government and the private sector have established stimulus response mechanisms to address the effect of the COVID 19 pandemic, a more focused gender analysis is required to have a holistic picture of the response mechanism. This will inform policy and programming to specifically address the needs for the women in a more focused and sustainable manner.

It is in light of the above that UN Women, with support from the Government of Korea, launched a regional flagship programme “Engendering Fiscal Stimulus Packages and Recovery Efforts Adopted in Response to the COVID-19 Health and Economic crises” to support Governments in East and Southern Africa in engendering fiscal stimulus packages through direct advice and technical assistance, as well as advocacy and policy dialogue.? UN Women is seeking to engage the services of a national consultant to serve as project coordinator and expert for the implementation of the project in Uganda.

With guidance from the Head of Programmes/Deputy Country Representative within the Country, the National Consultant will report to the Uganda Country Office WEE Specialist. He/she will be responsible for implementing the programme “Engendering Fiscal Stimulus Packages and Recovery Efforts” which includes coordinating relationships with national partners and stakeholders, monitoring, and reporting, and managing the finances, in line with the scope of work below. He/she will work under the overall guidance and support of the Regional Programme Coordinator, Gender and Economics in the Regional Office.

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Conduct a gender-responsive assessment of the fiscal and economic stimulus package adopted in response to COVID-19 in Uganda.
2. Coordinate the advocacy campaign through engagement with decision-makers, CSO, academia and social media work on the gender-responsive implementation of COVID-19 fiscal stimulus and social protection packages.
3. Coordinate the establishment of a reference team that will provide technical backstopping and oversight.

Scope of Work:

The Consultant will be responsible for achievement of the UN Women’s results on:

Output 1.1: Enhanced access to policy tools and technical support by Government of Uganda, to identify gender gaps in the implementation of policies and programmes to respond to the economic impact of the COVID 19 pandemic availed.

Output 2.1: Key results from the gender-responsive assessment of fiscal stimulus packages and recovery efforts are widely disseminated.

Output 2.2: National discourse on promoting a gender-responsive implementation of government policies and programmes on COVID-19 is improved and strengthened.

The post will be based at UN Women office in Kampala. However, due to COVID-19 Standard Operating procedures the consultant is expected to work from home with intermittent physical presence at office when it is necessary.? ?The detailed scope of the work is detailed below:

Duties and responsibilities

Preparatory Work:

• Upon recruitment, the consultant will develop an inception report that will be approved. This will have a road map and detailed action plan for the entire consultancy (including a timeframe) on the assignment i.e., engendering the fiscal, economic, and social stimulus package in Uganda
• The study methodology will be developed by the consultant and presented for approval to UN Women. This should include reviewing both government and private sector stimulus response packages.
• Establish a reference group of eminent professionals that will provide technical backstopping to the process.

Implementation of the programme

• Act as a focal point for the program “Engendering Fiscal Stimulus Packages and Recovery Efforts Adopted in response to the COVID-19 Health and Economic crises” in Uganda.
• In collaboration with Regional Program Coordinator and the national focal point, contribute to the development of a workplan to operationalize the project.

• Conduct a desk review of existing literature on fiscal, economic, and social stimulus package, strategies, and policies on the subject.
• Design the research tools and instruments that are context specific that will support the data collection, analysis, and report writing.

• Lead the report writing process and dissemination of the different work plan activities in Uganda.?
• Coordinate the exchange of information and provide inputs to the development of knowledge products internally and externally of the programme.
• Support the dissemination of the key knowledge products that were developed out of this process.

Technical assistance and advice on engendering fiscal stimulus packages.

• Engage research assistants (where necessary) who will support in the effective delivery of the work.
• Apply the developed tools and instruments to undertake an assessment of fiscal stimulus packages implemented at the country level from a gender perspective.
• Organize the Focus Group Discussions and key informants where necessary to triangulate the findings from the desk reviews and other data sets.
• Write a report that will synthesize the key issues and findings as well as recommendations or action points for the different stakeholders.
• Organize events to discuss and disseminate results and recommendations, support different stakeholders in the implementation of policy dialogues and advocacy strategies to promote recommendations to engender fiscal stimulus packages, and other technical support and advice as needed.
• To foster partnership and ongoing liaison with women-owned businesses in Uganda and facilitate dialogue and consultations between women-owned businesses and government counterparts to ensure that the fiscal stimulus package respond to their needs.
• Provide technical assistance and support to Government counterparts in the process of piloting, implementing, and adapting existing Gender responsive budgeting initiatives to integrate gender priorities in post-COVID-19 recovery strategies.

• Design and implement country advocacy strategy to influence agenda of key national institutions to engender fiscal stimulus packages.

Capacity Building Initiatives for partners and other stakeholders:

• Support the Regional Programme Coordinator in adapting existing tools and developing new ones to support Governments in analysing gender impact of stimulus packages and integrating gender priorities in economic recovery plans in Uganda.
• Facilitate tailored capacity-building sessions for leaders of women’s networks to facilitate their advocacy and monitoring interventions aimed at enhancing gender-responsiveness of stimulus packages to address the COVID 19 pandemic.
• Design and deliver, in collaboration with the Programme Officer, capacity building activities for UN Women’s Uganda CO staff, Government and other key national stakeholders to enhance capacity to engender economic policies.
• Support the Regional Programme Coordinator in the delivery of one regional capacity building event for UN Women staff and Government counterparts on key economic reforms to integrate women’s needs in post-COVID-19 recovery in 2021.

Reporting, Documentation and Learning

• Report on the project progress in Uganda according to the work plan and draft focussed reports to the Regional Office and donor
• Prepare different activity reports.
• Set a database of short videos with the voice of women targeted with fiscal, economic, and social packages stimulus.
• Design a policy brief summarizing key issues that will support advocacy and programme development.
• Support the coordination meetings, conference calls and workshops relevant to fiscal, economic, and social stimulus package.

Key Deliverables/Time Frame/Payment percentage

1. Carry out desk review, design of methodology and develop Inception report on gender-responsive assessment of the fiscal and economic stimulus package adopted in response to COVID-19 in Uganda. This should detail the workplan, literature review and methodology including research tools. Conduct inception conversation with relevant UN Women staff within 10 Days after signature of the contract – 20%
2. Draft report to be validated by the key stakeholders and reference group detailing the literature review, methodology, key findings, and recommendations as well as targeted action points by 30 August 2021 -20%
3. Develop training modules and deliver training sessions to CO staff and other stakeholders on how to engender the stimulus packages by 15 September 2021 – 15%
4. Design and implement advocacy campaign strategy, develop Policy Briefs and provide technical support for engagement with decision-makers, CSO, academia and social media work on the gender-responsive implementation of COVID-19 fiscal stimulus and social protection packages by 30 September 2021 – 10%
5. Final narrative report that includes experience, lessons learned and recommendations for future programming, revise training modules in line with lessons learned and finalize policy briefs for future advocacy work by 30 October 2021 -35%.

Competencies

Core Values:

• Respect for Diversity
• Integrity
• Professionalism

Core Competencies:

• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues
• Accountability
• Strategic thinking
• Effective Communication
• Inclusive Collaboration
• Stakeholder Engagement

Functional Competencies

• Good understanding of national context including the development plans; social protection mechanism and the gender equality situation
• Strong analytical skills on gender and economic policy and women’s economic empowerment.
• Strong communications skills in spoken and written English
• Strong report writing skills and ability to produce a variety of knowledge products for different audiences and purposes
• Ability to produce impactful communications materials and knowledge products
• Strong commitment to knowledge-sharing within a multicultural environment
• Ability to design and deliver training and other capacity building strategies in the area of gender and economics to a variety of audiences

Required Skills and Experience

Education

• Master’s degree or equivalent in development economics, feminist economics or any other relevant field of economics or public policy. ?PhD holders will have an added advantage.

Experience

• At least 10 years of experience and record of accomplishment promoting economic policy reforms in development economics, gender and economics, poverty reduction, social protection or women’s economic empowerment policies in the context of Uganda
• Proven experience with economic policy analysis and mastery of quantitative and qualitative analysis and methods in a gender responsive manner
• Experience working in other countries in East and South Africa is an asset
• Experience working in the UN System is an asset.

Language requirements

• Fluency in English is required

Application Procedure

Interested individuals should submit their online applications not later than 28 May 2021.