Result of Service- UNCT-SWAP narrative report - Action Plan based on agreed follow-up action points Work LocationHome based & filed mission in Rabat - Morocco Expected duration20 days during a maximum period of 2 months Duties and ResponsibilitiesBACKGROUND: At the 59th Session of the UN General Assembly, Member States, in adopting the Triennial Comprehensive Policy Review (TCPR) of Operational Activities for Development of the UN System called on all UN organizations to: “mainstream gender and to pursue gender equality in their country programmes, planning instruments and sector-wide programmes and to articulate specific country-level goals and targets in this field in accordance with the national development strategies”. Further, ECOSOC Resolution 2004/4 - Review of Economic and Social Council agreed conclusions 1997/2 on mainstreaming the gender perspective into all policies and programmes in the United Nations system requested: “the Secretary-General to ensure that all United Nations entities develop action plans with time lines for implementing the agreed conclusions 1997/2, which address the gap between policy and practice identified in the Secretary-General’s report, with a view to strengthening commitment and accountability at the highest levels within the United Nations system as well as to establishing mechanisms to ensure accountability, systematic monitoring and reporting on progress in implementation”. As a direct follow-up to the QCPR, and to ensure a comprehensive response to many of its recommendations, the UN Development Group (UNDG, now UNSDG) created a Task Team on Gender Equality as a sub-group of the UNDG Programme Group. The goals of the Task Team are: to support more consistent and coherent action among UNDG member agencies to mainstream gender equality and promote women’s empowerment at the country level; and to ensure that gender equality and women’s empowerment are mainstreamed into the tools and processes that emerge from the UNDG for UN Country Teams (UNCTs). In 2006, the UNDG Task Team on Gender Equality commissioned a background paper on accountability mechanisms in UNDG agencies. This paper reviewed accountability for programming in support of gender equality in ILO, UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF, and WFP and found that: “A common understanding of how to apply gender mainstreaming in UN operational activities is needed. This is because if there is no agreement on what constitutes a minimum level of actions to support gender equality, how will it be possible to hold agencies and UN Country Teams accountable for this. Reaching agreement across agencies on what constitutes a minimally acceptable performance to support gender equality, through an agreed set of indicators, would contribute to stronger guidance and accountability”. Subsequently this background paper was endorsed at the UNDG Principals’ meeting in July 2006, where agreement was reached on development of a UNCT-level “Accounting for Gender Equality” Scorecard that sets minimum requirements for UNCTs to assess their performance across the system. The Gender Scorecard was endorsed by the UNDG in 2008 in response to the UN Chief Executive Board for Coordination 2006 Policy on gender equality and the empowerment of women (CEB/2006/2) to establish an accountability framework for assessing the effectiveness of gender mainstreaming by UN Country Teams. The 2016 QCPR calls for the United Nations development system to expand and strengthen the use of the Gender Scorecard as a planning and reporting tool for assessing the effectiveness of gender mainstreaming in the context of the UNDAF (OP 83; now Cooperation Framework). Building on this call, an updated version of the framework, the UNCT-SWAP Gender Equality Scorecard, was launched in 2018, resulting from almost two years of work by the UNSDG Task Team on Gender Equality under the Results Group on Voice, Values and Norms, to align the Action Plan with the SDGs and to it with its entity level equivalent, the United Nations System-Wide Action Plan, drawing on good global practices with motivating, managing and measuring institutional change processes. Furthermore, the 2019 UNSDG United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework Guidance calls for UN entities to “put gender equality at the heart of programming, driving the active and meaningful participation of both women and men, and consistently empowering women and girls, in line with the minimum requirements agreed upon by the United Nations Sustainable Development Group (UNSDG) in the UNCT System-wide Action Plan (SWAP) Gender Equality Scorecard” (para 20). In order to support the development of the gender-responsive Cooperation Framework and ensure better accountability of UNCT towards gender equality and women’s empowerment in line with UN corporative policy in this area, the UN Country Team will use the UNCT-SWAP Gender Equality Scorecard (UNCT-SWAP) to assess status and identify gaps and corrective actions. The RCO and the UN Gender Thematic Group will co-lead this process to complete the UNCT-SWAP process in a participatory and timely manner. MAIN OBJECTIVES OF THE ASSIGNMENT: The main objective of this consultancy is to facilitate the UNCT-SWAP Gender Equality Scorecard Comprehensive exercise to assess the effectiveness of the UN Country Team in gender mainstreaming, promotion of gender equality and women’s empowerment as well as to provide a set of actions for improvements. Purpose of the exercise: • To assist UNCTs in identifying areas in which they are meeting or not meeting minimum UNSDG minimum requirements on gender mainstreaming practices and performance. • To stimulate a constructive dialogue within the UNCT about the current status of support for gender equality and women’s empowerment, and how it can be improved. • To identify where technical assistance can support towards exceeding minimum requirements. • To share good practices on improving effectiveness of the UNCT in gender mainstreaming, promotion gender equality and women’s empowerment. SCOPE OF WORK AND DELIVERABLES: The UNCT-SWAP Gender Equality Scorecard methodology has been designed for in-country self-assessment as a means of fostering deeper understanding and ownership of results. Under the supervision of the RCO and UNWOMEN as chair of the Gender Thematic Group, the consultant will facilitate the exercise and apply participatory methods to ensure the assessment team is formed from the beginning of exercise, leads and own the process. To guide and support the Inter-Agency Assessment Team (IAT), the consultant will conduct the following activities within the stipulated timeframes: 1) Background document review & develop roadmap for consultancy (5 working days, home-based): • UNCT-SWAP Gender Equality Scorecard Technical Guidance and Framework 2023 • UNCT-SWAP reports for the countries in the regions and from other countries • Common Country Analysis (CCA) and UNSDCF (2023-2027) • New UNSDG Guidance for UNSDCF • UNCT planning, budgeting, and programming documents • UN Gender Theme Group’s TOR, 2023 report and 2024 action plan • CEDAW Reports/other national assessments/national Gender Plans and legislation, etc. 2) Field mission & final report and action plan: (total 15 working days as per below breakdown): 2.1) Assistance and support for the IAT with the in-country assessment: (8 working days, field mission) • Support the collection of complementary data and evidence to rate indicators • Conduct gender analysis of verification documents required to help the IAT rate areas of performance • Facilitate working sessions with and provide technical support to key stakeholders such as the Resident Coordinator; Heads of Agencies; key program staff; M&E teams, partners, etc. to discuss and score areas of performance. • Complete the rating matrix based on IAT discussions and agreements. • Facilitate a debrief with the UNCT HOAs to discuss findings and proposed actions. 2.2) Reporting: (7 working days, Home-based) • Draft UNCT-SWAP narrative report, with inputs from IAT. • Prepare Action Plan based on agreed follow-up action points identified through the assessment. • Complete the final draft of the UNCT-SWAP narrative report and Action Plan based on feedback, including from the UNCT HOAs. Qualifications/special skillsEducation: • Master's degree in social and political sciences, human rights, gender equality etc. is required. • PhD degree is an asset. Experience: • At least 10 years of practical experience of work on gender mainstreaming in development programmes/projects at national and international levels is required. • At least 3 years’ experience of work on results-based management, review and/or evaluation is required. • Experience in gender data collection and analysis, including interviews, survey and focus groups is an asset. • Previous experience with the Gender Equality Scorecard, narrative report and follow-up matrix is an asset. • Experience of conducting gender training for staff of development agencies is desirable. • Computer skills, internet communication and command of MS Office is desirable. Core Values: • Respect for Diversity: Demonstrate cultural sensitivity and valuing diversity, appreciating difference in values and learning from cultural diversity. • Integrity: Demonstrate consistency in upholding and promoting the values of the United Nations in actions and decisions, in line with the UN Code of Conduct. • Professionalism: Demonstrate professional competence and expert knowledge of the pertinent substantive areas of work, including strong technical expertise in gender issues. Core Competencies: • Awareness and sensitivity regarding gender issues. • Accountability. • Creative problem solving. • Effective communication. • Inclusive collaboration. • Stakeholder engagement. • Leading by example. Functional Competencies: • Strong commitment to and good understanding of gender equality and women’s empowerment issues. • Strong interpersonal skills. • Strong organizational skills and strong self-direction. • Strong research and communication skills. • Ability to prioritize and work under pressure with colleagues at all levels, • Knowledge of gender mainstreaming and understanding of the UN as a system; desired knowledge of the UNCT-SWAP Gender Equality Scorecard. • Development and Innovation: Take charge of self-development and take initiative. • Work in teams: Demonstrate ability to work in a multicultural, multiethnic environment and to maintain effective working relations with people of different national and cultural backgrounds. • Communicating and Information Sharing: Facilitate and encourage open communication and strive for effective communication. • Self-management and Emotional Intelligence: Stay composed and positive even in difficult moments, handle tense situations with diplomacy and tact, and have a consistent behavior towards others. • Conflict management: Surface conflicts and address them proactively acknowledging different feelings and views and directing energy towards a mutually acceptable solution. • Continuous Learning and Knowledge sharing: Encourage learning and sharing of knowledge. Languages• Proficient in written and oral English and French is required • working level of Arabic is an asset. Additional InformationTRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS AND REMUNERATION: The consultant is expected to work home based and conduct an 8-day field mission to participate in meetings with UN agencies, partners and stakeholders as per the agreed work plan. The total remuneration for this consultancy assignment is 10,000 USD which includes travel costs. No FeeTHE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.
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