PURPOSE OF CONSULTANCY
Development and Finalisation of UN Zambia Gender Strategy
The UN and the Government of the Republic of Zambia (GRZ) signed the Zambia-United Nations Sustainable Development Partnership Framework 2016-2021 ("the Partnership Framework"). The Country Analysis (CA) for Zambia, jointly produced by the GRZ and the United Nations Country Team (UNCT), provided the analytical base for the Partnership Framework, which replaced the previous UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) when it expired at the end of 2015, and sought to incorporate the concepts of the new Sustainable Development Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Among other things, the CA sought to ensure alignment of UN efforts with national development priorities and internationally agreed development frameworks, in particular agenda 2030 (Sustainable Development Goals).
Gender equality and women’s empowerment are integral to realizing the 2030 Agenda and all the SDGs. In this regard, the UN System in Zambia aims to ensure that gender equality is 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[1]. The consideration of gender constitutes a key aspect within the principle of leaving no one behind, without which the SDG cannot be achieved.
Therefore, through a gender strategy, the UN System in Zambia seeks to ensure that the gender transformation underpins all programmes and policies which also include the normative guidance and the strategic partnership with government and other stakeholders. The UN Zambia Gender Strategy will articulate how gender transformative approaches will be incorporated in all UN agencies’ programmes including in all national level policy support mechanisms. The UN Zambia Gender Strategy will align all agencies’ interventions to ensure contribution to pathways for the attainment of the GRZ’s National Development plans and SDG priorities as well as the UNSDPF outcomes and results.
SCOPE OF WORK
A local consultant with requisite credentials will facilitate the process of development of the UN Zambia Gender Strategy January 2021 to December 2024 by referring to the UNCT SWAP Gender Equality Scorecard, through situation analysis, collect of information on and perception of gender mainstreaming with relevant stakeholders. The consultant will be responsible of the following:
- Developing the process of the elaboration of UN Zambia Gender Strategy ensuring it is consultative and the engagement of key stakeholders both national and international;
- Developing the Systematic structure of the UN Zambia Gender Strategy based on the consultation with key stakeholders and situation analysis;
- Conducting review and analysis of relevant international frameworks such as CEDAW, SADC Protocol on Gender and Development, the Maputo Protocol and others, and UN Sustainable Development Group gender mainstreaming tools;
- Conducting review and analysis of relevant national policies/strategies, regulations and experience in relation to gender mainstreaming and gender equality preparation such as National Gender Policy, Anti-Gender Based Violence Act No. 1 of 2011, Gender Equity and Equality Act No. 22 of 2015 and others;
- Conducting review and analysis of all Zambia Country Programme documents of all UN Agencies operating in Zambia including their gender policies and/or strategies;
- With support of the identified stakeholders, establishing a database to be used for the context analysis and strategy formulation;
- Conducting a review and analysis of the international experience on development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of similar strategies; identify the best international practices that can be applicable to the Zambian context;
- Elaborating on the key milestone for setting up and functioning of the Inter-Agency Assessment Team as per the UNCT SWAP Gender Equality Score Card.
- Facilitating and leading the preparation of the initial draft of the UN Zambia Gender Strategy which will include the analysis of (a) the country’s enabling environment in the field of gender, (b) bottlenecks and barriers to achieve gender equality and empowerment in the key areas of socio-economic spheres and decision-making levels;
- Facilitating and leading the process of finalization of the draft with GRZ and NGOS (both local and international), based on the feedback of the key national stakeholders and the UN agencies and other international agencies, functioning in Zambia;
- Facilitating the development of a gender mainstreaming Road Map with concrete indicators based on SMART approach and identify the key roles to be played by the gender theme group in its implementation
- Examining how best to deal with gender, women and girls empowerment, gender-based violence and general protection issues within humanitarian contexts such as pandemics, drought floods or any other crises;
- Preparing all other necessary reports and materials in relation to the consultancy as may be requested.
Alongside with the above, the local consultant is responsible for drafting the chapters and units of UN Zambia gender strategy reflected in the deliverables section of the present ToR.
DELIVERABLES/EXPECTED OUTPUTS
- Desk review and data collection of relevant national and international legal basis related to gender mainstreaming and gender equality;
- Organized consultations with the UNCT, PMT, Results Groups, theme groups, identified key national, international organizations, NGOs, and academia
- Submission of the initial draft of the strategy based on the desk review and data collection of relevant national and international legal basis related to gender equality; recommendations from the national stakeholders, including NGOs, academia, disabled people’s organizations, and youth led organisations;
- Presentation of the amended draft taking into account the comments received to all the UNCT and other national stakeholders;
- Submission of the draft UN Zambia Gender Strategy based on the feedback received from the key national, international organizations, NGOs and academia and the results of the round table meeting of the key national stakeholders submitted to the UN Resident Coordinator;
- Submission of the final draft submitted to the chairperson of the UN Zambia Gender Theme Group and UN Resident Coordinator.
Delivery dates and how work will be delivered (e.g. electronic, hard copy etc.):
- Inception Report with detailed methodology, implementation schedule and budget. (2 weeks after the signing of contract)
- Minutes of stakeholder meetings (regularly after each meeting?)
- Draft UN Zambia Gender Strategy (2 months after the signing of contract?)
- Final UN Zambia Gender Strategy (2 Weeks after receipt of comments from stakeholders)
- Strategy summary for easy dissemination ( 2 weeks after submission of final UN Zambia Gender Strategy)
DURATION
90 days
EXPECTED TRAVEL
Minimal travel as may be required
REQUIRED EXPERTISE, QUALIFICATIONS AND COMPETENCIES
- Master’s in Gender, Development Studies, Human Rights Law, Public Health, Sociology or any other relevant social science.
- At least Seven (7) years of professional experience with programme/project planning, designing and management in the public or private sector, including international development assistance
- Experience in designing development strategies and frameworks
- Previous experience in the field of gender and gender-based violence, working with the government ministries and departments at national sub-national levels
- Previous experience in strategy or policy formulation and/or legislative drafting
- English is required; knowledge of major local languages is an added advantage.
HOW TO APPLY
Interested applicants should send electronic copies of their Application Letter, Curriculum Vitae and certified copies of academic qualifications with the subject clearly marked as Consultancy Assignment - UN Gender Strategy to the email address below by 15 October 2020 close of business.
To: The Human Resources Manager
Email Address: aphiri@unfpa.org
DISCLAIMER
UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Fraudulent notices, letters or offers may be submitted to the UNFPA fraud hotline http://www.unfpa.org/help/hotline.cfm
[1] See: https://undg.org/document/unct-swap-gender-equality-scorecard. The UNCT-SWAP Gender Equality Scorecard establishes performance standards for gender-related programme results and institutional arrangements to achieve them
