Background:
Background/Context
UN Women exists to advance women’s rights, gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls. As the lead UN entity on gender equality, we shift laws, institutions, social behaviours and services to close the gender gap and build an equal world for all women and girls. We keep the rights of women and girls at the centre of global progress–always, everywhere. Because gender equality is not just what we do. It is who we are.
UN Women is committed to supporting national efforts to advance gender equality and women’s empowerment in the context of climate change. As part of this mandate, UN Women seeks to strengthen the knowledge, skills and capacity of the officials of the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs (MWCA) to integrate climate action into gender-focused projects and programmes. This consultancy will support the development and delivery of a tailored training module that responds to existing knowledge gaps and builds practical skills for gender-responsive climate action. As an outcome of the training, it will also serve to develop an action plan or set of recommendations for the MWCA to take forward in their policies, plans, budgets and programmes.
Objectives of the training:
Strengthen understanding and knowledge of national government officials on the interlinkage between gender and climate change Enhance capacity of government officials to effectively integrate genMinider and climate considerations into Ministerial plans, policies and programmes, and build their capacity to translate commitments to actions. Advance institutional capacity for collaboration and coordination across sectors and levels of governments to ensure policies are effectively translated into action. Develop recommendations for a plan of action that the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs can undertake to strengthen the interlinkage of gender and climate action.This initiative is in alignment with the regional programme EmPower: Women for Climate Resilient Societies jointly implemented by UN Women Asia Pacific and UN Environment Programme (UNEP). The programme seeks to advance human-rights based and gender-responsive climate action across the Asia-Pacific region. Its first outcome focuses on strengthening the role of governments and regional actors in driving gender-responsive climate action. Specifically, Output 1.1.3 aims to strengthen the skills and knowledge of government representatives and duty bearers to effectively integrate gender-responsive measures into new or existing policies, roadmaps, action plans and guidelines for climate action. In this regard, the initiative represents a crucial step to bridge capacity gaps and foster a robust gender-responsive climate action framework in Sri Lanka. It also sets the stage for sustained regional collaboration under the EmPower programme, reinforcing the collective vision of inclusive and resilient climate actions across Asia-Pacific.
Accordingly, UN Women seeks to hire a qualified and experienced individual as the National Consultant/Trainer to develop and deliver this knowledge, skill and capacity building two-day training for approx. 30 officials of the MWCA.
The consultant will report to the Head of Office and will be supported by the Programme Analyst and Project Officer, who will be the point of contact on substantive and administrative issues.
Description of Responsibilities/ Scope of Work
Under the supervision and guidance of the Head of Office, the National Consultant/Trainer is expected to undertake the following tasks.
Objectives of the consultancy:
To assess the current knowledge, skills and capacity of MWCA officials on gender-responsive climate action. To develop or adapt a training module that equips officials with tools and strategies to integrate climate action into gender projects, programmes, plans and budgets. To deliver an interactive and practical two-day training session based on the developed module. To support the development of an action plan or note on recommendations or next steps (or equivalent as discussed with the MWCA).1
Phase 1: Assessment
Kick-off meeting with UN Women (and the MWCA if required) to gain a comprehensive understanding of the tasks outlined, and to clarify any questions. Design and administer a short pre-training assessment/survey to identified MWCA officials to assess knowledge, skills and capacity gaps, needs, expectations and areas of learning interest related to gender-responsive climate action. Follow-up with MWCA officials to ensure responses are received. Analyze survey results and prepare a summary report highlighting key findings and recommendations for the training module.2
Phase 2: Module Development
Review existing training materials and frameworks on gender and climate change (including UN Women resources). Draft or adapt a training module tailored to the national context and the needs identified in the survey. Ensure the module includes practical tools, case studies, and participatory exercises. Prepare training materials (PowerPoint presentations, handouts, exercises) in English and local languages. Submit the training agenda, session plans, draft module and training materials for UN Women’s review and incorporate all feedback.3
Phase 3: Training Delivery
Conduct the 2-day training session (in-person) for the MWCA officials in local languages. As part of the training, support the participants in developing an action plan, outcome document, note on recommendations (or equivalent as discussed with the MWCA). Conduct a post-training evaluation to assess knowledge gained and gather feedback.4
Phase 4: Final Reporting
Finalise the action plan/outcome document/note on recommendations (or equivalent) in consultation and agreement with the MWCA, and discuss on uptake within the MWCA. Submit a final report summarising the process, training outcomes, participant feedback, and recommendations for future capacity-building.Deliverables
The National Consultant/Trainer will remain accountable for the timely submission of the deliverables as per the timeline given below. All deliverables should be finalized in line with the feedback given by UN Women.
Deliverables Expected completion time (due day) 01Assessment
Finalised pre-training assessment/survey tool Finalised survey analysis report, including summary of findings and recommendations 3 October 2025 02Module Development
Draft agenda, session plan, training module, training materials Finalised agenda, session plan, training module, training materials, incorporating UN Women’s feedback 20 October 2025 03Training
Conduct the 2-day training programme Conduct post-training evaluation 3rd or 4th week of October 2025 04Reporting
Comprehensive report with summary of participant feedback and recommendations Finalised action plan or outcome document or note on recommendations agreed by the MWCA. 15 November 2025Consultant’s Workplace and Official Travel
The consultancy is expected to start on 25 September 2025 and continue until end-November 2025. The estimated total working days within the duration is 30 days. As part of the official duty of this consultancy, if the consultant is expected to travel, this will be processed by UN Women, following the duty travel policy.
Payments
Payments for this consultancy will be based on the achievement of each deliverable and certification that each has been satisfactorily completed. Payments will be made upon submission of deliverables with the approval of the Head of Office of UN Women Sri Lanka. Mobile and internet bills, printing, stationery costs, translation, interpretation, transcription costs and travel cost may be reimbursed based on prior approval from UN Women, and will be processed separately, following the relevant policy.
Intellectual Property
All information pertaining to this assignment (data, analysis, reports, documentary, digital, cyber, project documents, etc.) belonging to UN Women, which the consultant may come into contact within the performance of their duties under this assignment, shall remain the property of UN Women who shall have exclusive rights over their use. Except for purposes of this assignment, the information shall not be disclosed to the public nor used in whatever form, without the written permission of UN Women, in line with the national and International Copyright Laws applicable.
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:
Inclusive and engaging facilitation and training skills Expertise in gender and social inclusion Expertise in climate change and sustainability Excellent writing skills Timely adherence to deadlinesRequired Qualifications
Education and Certification:
Master’s degree or higher in relevant discipline of the technical area (e.g., Environment Sciences, Climate Change, Development Studies, Gender or Women’s Studies or related field). A first-level university degree with 2 additional years of progressively responsible experience at the national and/or international level will be accepted in lieu of Master’s degree.Experience:
Minimum of 5 years of relevant professional experience in relation to climate change and gender equality and women’s empowerment in Sri Lanka. Proven and demonstrated experience in conducting research and/or implementing programmes on the nexus of climate change and gender equality and women’s empowerment in Sri Lanka is required. Previous experience conducting similar training programmes in Sri Lanka is required. Previous experience in conducting training programmes for government officials in Sri Lanka is highly advantageous. Previous experience in report writing with excellent writing, presentation and documentation skills (in English and Sinhala/Tamil). Previous experience engaging with UN agencies, donors and high-level government stakeholders in Sri Lanka is preferred.Languages:
Proficiency in English and local languages (Sinhala/Tamil).How to Apply
Interested candidates are encouraged to submit an electronic application through UN Women website and complete all questions with below required documents below to upload to the system.
A cover letter (maximum length: 1 page) P11 form to be filled online. A list of 2-3 publicly available research reports or analysis or capacity building reports authored by the applicant, similar to what is required in this assignment. Please provide URLs to these reports – kindly do not submit attachments. The evaluation committee may ask for any other materials relevant to pre-assessing the relevance of their experience, such as reports, presentations, publications, campaigns, or other materials from shortlisted candidates.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:
At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity and organizational need.
If you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in your application.
UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to UN Women’s policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UN Women personnel and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. (Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.)
Note: Applicants must ensure that all sections of the application form, including the sections on education and employment history, are completed. If all sections are not completed the application may be disqualified from the recruitment and selection process.