International Consultant- Gender, Policy and Advocacy

  • Level: Consultant
  • Contract Type: Consultancy
  • Closing date: 23 Aug 2016 05:00 PM (America/New_York)
  • Duty station: Yangon, Myanmar

Closing date: 23 August 2016 

Duration: The total duration of the contract will be for 6 months commencing on 1 September 2016, extendable to 11 months.

Background Information:

UNFPA expands the possibilities for women and young people to lead healthy and productive lives. We support countries in using population data for policies and programmes to reduce poverty and to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, every young person is free of HIV and AIDS, and every girl and woman is treated with dignity and respect.  Advancing gender equality and promoting the empowerment of women is a key programme priority of UNFPA defined in UNFPA Strategic Plan (2014-2017). This includes addressing gaps in gender equality, improving reproductive health services, responding to and preventing Gender Based Violence (GBV) and integrating gender equality and human rights perspectives into national policies, development frameworks and laws.

Under the Women and Girls First programme, UNFPA is committed to leading the international community and supporting national stakeholders in addressing gaps in gender equality, improving reproductive health services, responding to and preventing gender based violence (GBV) and integrating gender equality and women's human rights perspectives into national policies, development frameworks and laws. Through these key outcomes, UNFPA will also be seeking to achieve improved and strengthened access to justice and increased participation of women in the peace process, through economic and political empowerment.

Particular to this consultancy is the project proposal UNFPA will seek to develop policy and support implementation under three priority areas of the National Strategic Plan for the Advancement of Women (NSPAW) (2013 – 2022): Women and Health, Women and Emergencies, Women and Violence. The development of specific policies under these key priority action areas will require the implementation of policy development cycles including stakeholder consultations and policy dialogues to engage Government, international and national organisations.

Organizational Setting:

The international consultant will work under the overall guidance and direct supervision of UNFPA Deputy Representative.

Duties and Responsibilties:

The international consultant will work with UNFPA Gender Programme Analyst to support gender policy development as well as engage and support UNFPA advocacy efforts on laws and policies more broadly. This will entail the following description of activities.

Provide technical support for policy dissemination and policy development on gender, including through implementing partners.

• Work closely with Ministry of Health and Sports (MoHS), Department of Social Welfare (DSW), members of parliament, and other relevant authorities at the state and regional levels to ensure robust and active participation for the dissemination of the National Strategic Plan on the Advancement of Women;
• Work with relevant authorities and stakeholders, including government, members of parliament and CSOs, to support consultation processes and evidence-based policy development in the areas of Women and Health (Emergency Treatment of Patient Law Guidance), Violence Against Women and Women in Emergencies and other areas related to gender;
• Contribute to the development and implementation of regional Standard Operating Procedures for addressing incidences of violence;
• Provide technical support to and identify opportunities for the organization of relevant advocacy and communication/information events to address gender (in)equality and GBV issues;
• Work with UN and implementing partners to support advocacy for gender equality.

Contribute to UNFPA advocacy on sexual and reproductive health and human rights for women and youth.
• Provide analyses of policy and legal developments with regard to the international legal and human rights concerns as well as the gender equality issues these raise, taking into account ICPD and Beijing agreements.
• Participate in gender coordination mechanisms such as the UN Gender Theme Group and UN Human Rights Theme Group and coordinate activities from the ‘Women and Girls First’ initiative with UN partners.
• Monitor UN rights conventions and instruments and provide technical assistance to the national counterparts.
• Analyse and Monitor Universal Periodic Review (UPR) recommendation and follow up with UNFPA response and action plan under UN coordinated effort.

Contribute to women and youth participation, peer education and advocacy on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR).
• Participate in gender- and youth- related events and organize relevant campaigns on gender equality to support policy dissemination and involvement of stakeholders.
• Developing meaningful youth participation, advocacy and youth SRHR through supporting the establishment of young women’s and young men’s groups in the areas of the ‘Women and Girls First’ initiative.
• Develop youth participation and youth SRHR advocacy within the CO Adolescent s and Young people programme component.

Perform any other task required in the context of gender, policy and advocacy in support of the UNFPA CO programme.

1. Follow up UNFPA workplan entailing Action Points recommendation for UPR
2. Consultation with Government on the particular policy options for development presenting a range of options under the priority actions under the NSPAW
3. Development of detailed concept notes for policy consultations
4. Development of detailed concept notes for policy dialogues with a broader range of stakeholders
5. Facilitation of Day of Conflict Related Sexual Violence
6. Facilitation of three stakeholder meetings
7. Facilitation of three policy dialogues
Reporting will be provided to direct supervisor by way of weekly meetings with the deliverables to be provided on time as outlined in the preceding section.

Monitoring will be also maintained by the direct supervisor who will participate in the meetings and trainings as well as stakeholder consultations to ensure quality control of facilitation and delivery. The direct supervisor will also be closely monitoring written outputs, such as policy papers and concept notes.

Education: 

Advanced university degree in law or social sciences as it relates to gender and GBV, policy development and development or related field;

Knowledge and Experience:

• At least 5 years of increasingly responsible relevant professional experience, including experience in programme management, including large multi-sectoral projects, designing and appraising proposals and actively liaising with relevant and potential project partners;
• Knowledge of and experience in policy development particularly as they relate to gender;
• Knowledge of legal systems and the justice continuum in order to support strengthened access to justice through strong policy development and justice sector engagement.
• Knowledge or capacity to acquire knowledge of health issues, and particularly sexual and reproductive health needs of women and girls to ensure support relevant and comprehensive policy development.
• Knowledge of gender issues in development, particularly GBV, including relevant international human rights standards;
• Prior training in gender and GBV issues and their application in humanitarian, conflict, recovery and development settings;
• Experience in utilizing the following internationals tools: GBV Standard Operating Procedures; GBV Information Management System; IASC GBV Guidelines; IASC Gender Handbook; GBV Coordination Handbook; WHO Ethical and Safety Recommendations for Researching, Documenting and Monitoring Sexual Violence in Emergencies;
Experience in post conflict situation, particularly Myanmar is an asset.

Core Competencies

i) Values: Exemplifying integrity, Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system, Embracing cultural diversity, Embracing change

ii) Core Competencies: Achieving results, Being accountable, Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen, Thinking analytically and strategically, Working in teams/managing ourselves and our relationships, Communicating for impact

iii) Required Skillset:

• Strong written and oral communication skills, particularly in relation to facilitation and advocacy;
• Analytical skills to support evidenced based policy development
• Strong strategic thinking in order to support strengthening key relationships
• Leveraging the resources of national governments and partners/ building strategic alliances and partnerships
• Internal and external communication and advocacy for results mobilization
• Strategically positioning UNFPA Programme

Languages:

• Fluency in oral and written English essential.

Other Desirable Skills:

• Field experience in post conflict and peace building process
• Prior experience in the development of policies to support gender equality and women’s human rights.
• Prior facilitation of consultations and stakeholder meetings on gender and GBV with Government and civil society.

A familiarity with Myanmar is preferred given the unique environment of a strong women’s movement combined with the current economic, social and political transitions the country is witnessing. This will be heightened as a result of the elections which fall in the period of the consultancy. 

Expected travel: There may be some travel to the Myanmar capital, Nay Pyi Taw as well as to the field sites 

Yangon, Myanmar with some travel to the field as required. 

HOW TO APPLY:

Applicants with the required qualifications and experience should submit a written letter of application, a brief write up the interpretation of the TOR and the methodology that /she intends to use to carry of all aspects of this consultancy, a copy of curriculum vitae (CV), completed UN P11 form, relevant education certificates and the names and contact information of three references.

Applications should be addressed to UNFPA Representative. Attention: International Operations Manager, Room A07, UNFPA, No.6, Natmauk Road, Yangon.
Email: myanmar.office@unfpa.org

For further details, please refer the attached detailed VAs and also at UNFPA website (http://myanmar.unfpa.org).

Only those candidates in who meet all qualifications and experience will be contacted for further consideration.

 

 

 

 

 

We are no longer accepting applications for this position.

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