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.
UN Women’s triple mandate, as defined by UNGA resolution 64/289, encompasses normative support, UN system coordination and operational activities. UN Women Europe and Central Asia Regional Office (ECARO) provides support to UN Women offices to deliver results in support of UN Women’s Strategic Plan 2022-2025 and internationally agreed goals on gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls, including the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. UN Women ECARO provides substantive support by engaging with Member States and other stakeholders towards strengthening attention to gender perspectives in intergovernmental processes, particularly those related to sustainable development, macroeconomic policy questions, financing for development, eradication of poverty and other development related issues and processes.
The 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70) will be dedicated to ensuring and strengthening access to justice for all women and girls, including by promoting inclusive and equitable legal systems, eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices, and addressing structural barriers. UN Women ECARO will support key stakeholders in the region in the preparations for their participation at CSW70 and their informed input into the CSW70 negotiations.
Under the direct supervision and guidance of the UN Women ECARO Strategic Partnerships and Intergovernmental Specialist, the International Consultant(s) will develop a comprehensive report on women’s access to justice in the Europe and Central Asia region - Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kosovo[1], Kyrgyzstan, Republic of Moldova, North Macedonia, Serbia, Tajikistan, Türkiye, Ukraine, Uzbekistan - and develop a policy paper with action-oriented recommendations for relevant groups to prepare Member States and other key stakeholders for their engagement at CSW70.
[1] References to Kosovo should be understood to be in the context of UN Security Council Resolution 1244 (1999).
Description of responsibilities
The consultant will perform inter alia the following responsibilities:
1. Conduct comprehensive literature review and desk research:
Review existing research, reports, and data on women’s access to justice in the ECA region Analyze legal frameworks, policies, and institutional mechanisms across ECA countries with focus on discriminatory laws, policies, and budgets Research institutional weaknesses and systemic barriers affecting women’s access to justice Synthesize findings on specific topics related to access to justice across the six thematic areas Research and analyze good practices and case studies in the region2. Analyze available datasets and conduct data analysis:
Examine available datasets to identify trends and patterns concerning women’s access to justice in the ECA region Evaluate data on weak institutions and systems and their impact on women’s access to justice Analyze the implications of women’s access to justice from intersectional perspectives Assess the impact of global crises and regional conflicts on implementation gaps and women’s access to justice3. Develop analytical report with action-oriented recommendations on women’s access to justice:
Draft an analytical report examining women’s access to justice with action-oriented recommendations addressing: 1) the persistence of discriminatory laws, policies, and budgets; 2) the existence and impact of strengthened legal and policy frameworks on women’s access to justice; 3) weak institutions and systems; and 4) setbacks in women’s legal empowerment from a broader structural barrier lens Analyze findings through the lens of social norms and patriarchal views across all six thematic areas Ensure geographic representation and intersectional analysis across the ECA region4. Develop policy paper with actionable recommendations:
Prepare a Policy Paper (approximately 8-10 pages) based on finding of the analytical report Develop targeted action-oriented recommendations for different stakeholder groups, including for policy and decision-makers5. Support stakeholder engagement and validation processes:
Contribute to the presentation and discussion of findings with relevant stakeholders, including experts, government officials, civil society organizations, and women’s rights advocates Support stakeholder consultations and validation workshops as coordinated by UN Women Coordinate with the Technical Advisory Board to be established Prepare presentation materials summarizing key findings and recommendations6. Ensure methodological rigor and quality assurance:
Apply intersectional analysis throughout all research and analysis Ensure compliance with UN Women’s research standards and methodological frameworks Maintain high standards of analytical quality and evidence-based conclusions Incorporate feedback and revisions as requested by UN WomenThematic areas to be covered
The consultant will examine women’s access to justice across six key areas:
I. Gender-responsive legal frameworkss
Assessment of gender equality laws and their implementation across ECA countries, including analysis of why implementation gaps persist and how these are affected by global crises and regional conflictsII. Women’s access to legal protection
Effectiveness of gender-based violence response mechanisms Advancing transitional justice – addressing conflict-related violations and supporting survivors Protection of women human rights defendersIII. Institutional gender responsiveness
Gender balance in the judiciary and law enforcement Gender-sensitivity training for justice sector professionalsIV. Economic barriers to justice for women
Affordability of legal services for economically dependent women Fee waiver mechanisms and their accessibility for women The link between economic empowerment and access to justiceV. Intersectional challenges
Rural women’s specific access barriers Refugees and internally displaced women and girls Legal protection for women on the move (including labour migrants, domestic workers, ecological migrants, and others) Women with disabilities and their justice system experiences Barriers for HIV-positive women Violation of women’s rights in conflict situationsVI. Good practices in the region
Legal aid programs specifically supporting women Women’s legal empowerment initiatives Projects implemented by international development partnersMethodology
Desk review of relevant literature Data analysis Stakeholder validations Technical Advisory Boad to be set upDeliverables
This consultancy will require 50 working days over a period of 5 months (July to November 2025).
Under the overall guidance of the UN Women ECARO Strategic Partnerships and Intergovernmental Specialist, the International Consultant(s) will perform the following tasks, that include but are not limited to the following:
Literature review and initial findings (by 31 July 2025):
Conduct comprehensive review of existing research and reports on women’s access to justice in ECA region Complete desk research and data collection across all six thematic areas Synthesize initial findings and identify key trends and patternsDraft analytical report (by 15 September 2025):
Complete first draft of the comprehensive analytical report covering all six thematic areas Conduct data analysis with identified trends, patterns and evidence-based findings Include good practices and case studies from across the region Present preliminary conclusions and analysisDraft policy paper (by 15 October 2025):
Develop the draft policy paper (8-10 pages) synthesizing key findings from the analytical report Formulate action-oriented recommendationsFinal report, policy paper and presentation (by 15 November 2025):
Finalize analytical report incorporating UN Women’s feedback and stakeholder input Complete the Policy Paper with refined recommendations and conclusions Develop PowerPoint presentation summarizing key findings and recommendations Support presentation and discussion of findings with relevant stakeholders
Consultant’s Workplace and Official TravelThis is a home-based consultancy.
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 analytical and research skills with ability to synthesize complex information Excellent writing skills with demonstrated ability to produce high-quality policy papers Experience in stakeholder engagement and consultation processes Knowledge of gender equality and women’s rights frameworks Understanding of justice sector reform and access to justice issues