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.
The UN Women South Africa Multi-Country Office (SAMCO) is based in Pretoria, South Africa, and covers five countries: Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, and Swaziland. SAMCO collaborates with the government, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), and the Private Sector to contribute to gender equality by formulating and implementing norms, laws, policies, programs, and services that ensure the human rights of women and girls, as well as increase their economic participation. SAMCO’s responsive programs include increasing women’s political participation and leadership, securing women’s economic rights, strengthening women's involvement in peacebuilding, ending violence against women, and promoting gender-transformative policies in government budgets.
UN Women is implementing a program to advance Gender Transformative strategies in the Just Energy Transition. The Gender-Transformative Just Transition Programme (GTJET) is a collaborative initiative between the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the South African German Energy Programme, which is implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), and the Department of Electricity and Energy. The project aims to ensure the inclusion of women in South Africa's just energy transition and climate change mitigation strategies, with a significant impact on the community. UN Women's Work recognizes that women are disproportionately affected by climate change, and evidence supports this, as seen in the impact of droughts and floods. Their livelihoods are severely affected, leading to loss of income and economic instability that can exacerbate gender inequalities. The multifaceted impact of climate change and the effect of the transition require specific considerations, placing women and their needs at the forefront of climate responses and transition solutions, as agreed in the Paris Agreement. The focus on green sectors, while ensuring a just transition in the energy sector, has significant potential for addressing gender inequalities.
The project aligns with initiatives such as South Africa's Just Energy Transition Investment Plan, emphasizing the importance of sustainable development and a transition to low-carbon economies. The consultant will report to the Programme Specialist for Women's Economic Empowerment and receive overall guidance from the Deputy Representative.
Scope of work:
The Consultant will undertake the following activities for the duration of the program:
Conduct a baseline assessment to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the targeted farmers. Develop tailor-made training materials to respond to the identified needs Provide training (3-5 days) for 10 cohorts and develop a mentoring and coaching plan Provide each farmer with a minimum of 5 in 1 one-on-one coaching sessions Plan and organize at least five field learning events. Produce monthly reports for UN Women to integrate into quarterly reporting. Liaise with Nkangala District Municipality and local economic development teams on potential areas for CSA intervention in the province beyond the program.Description of Responsibilities:
The consultant's role is pivotal in providing technical support to the municipality and capacity to women farmers in the Nkangala District, Mpumalanga. , a unique opportunity to contribute to transformative strategies in gender and climate initiatives. Their work on sustainable farming practices and techniques, as well as climate change mitigation and adaptation, will significantly contribute to building resilience, enhancing productivity, and improving market access.
The training on sustainable farming will train and mentor 200 smallholder farmers as part of the Mpumalanga Province Just Energy Transition Plan. To ensure scalability, the consultant must also document the methodology and best practices, i.e., manuals and case studies, that emerge from the work. The consultant will impart theoretical and practical knowledge and skills and provide the farmers with ongoing hand-holding support and coaching.
Consultant’s Workplace and Official Travel
This is a home-based consultancy. The consultant will be required to travel to Mpumalanga as part of this assignment.
In case of any official trip, approved by the office, the travel-related costs will be covered per the associated duty travel policy.
Deliverable table: Deliverable No. of days/duration %Allocation and amount Pre-Intervention
Develop a work plan and present an Inception Report.
Develop a Baseline assessment questionnaire.
3 Days 30% Conduct pre-intervention assessment and develop training modules 10 Days Intervention
Undertake 3 days of training for 10 cohorts of 20 women
Develop a mentorship plan
32 days Produce Interim Report 2 days 40% Post- InterventionFollow-up sessions with participants
A minimum of 5 Farm visits per farmer offering One-on-one guidance Plan and organize 3 Learning sessions 20 days Produce Final report with recommendations 2 days 30%Competencies :
Core Values:
Integrity; Professionalism; Respect for Diversity.Core Competencies:
Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues; Accountability; Creative Problem Solving; Effective Communication; Inclusive Collaboration; Stakeholder Engagement; Leading by Example.Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Values and Competencies Framework:
Functional Competencies:
Strong skills in programme formulation, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation; Strong budget and finance skills; Strong knowledge of Results Based Management; Ability to synthesize program performance data and produce analytical reports for management and strategic decision-making; Strong analytical skills; Good knowledge of UN programme management systems.Education and Certification:
A master’s degree or equivalent in social sciences, gender/women's studies, energy, climate change, or a related field is required; A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree; A project/programme management certification would be an added advantage.Experience:
At least 5 years of progressively responsible experience at the national or international level in managing and implementing complex, multi-component programs and program interventions with national partners, preferably in the area of gender equality and women economic empowerment; Experience and knowledge of just energy transition and climate change mitigation and adaptation programmes are required; Experience in working with smallholder farmers and women farmers desirable; Experience in coordinating, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating development programmes and projects is desirable; Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and spreadsheet and database packages, experience in handling of web-based management systems is required; Previous experience working in the UN system is desirable.Languages:
Fluency in English is required; Knowledge of any other UN official language is an asset.Statements :
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.
Diversity and inclusion:
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