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. Placing women's rights at the center of all its efforts, UN Women leads and coordinates United Nations system efforts to ensure that commitments on gender equality and gender mainstreaming translate into action throughout the world. It provides strong and coherent leadership in support of Member States' priorities and efforts, building effective partnerships with civil society and other relevant actors.

UN Women’s work in humanitarian action is guided by global norms and standards. Building on findings of the inter-agency Gender in Humanitarian Action (GiHA) review based on the Accountability Framework of the IASC’s Equality and the Empowerment of Women and Girls in Humanitarian Action Policy. The UN Economic and Social Council adopted resolutions E/RES/2012/3,1, E/RES/2013/62, and E/RES/2014/23 in 2012, 2013, and 2014, which recognize that humanitarian action can be strengthened by mainstreaming a gender perspective into all aspects of the humanitarian response. Similarly, the first-ever World Humanitarian Summit (WHS) in 2016 emphasized the centrality of gender equality and women’s empowerment (GEWE) to humanitarian action.  

As the impact of climate and conflict continues in the region, there is an increasing recognition among UN Women country offices that the development and humanitarian challenges arising from the crisis must be met with accelerated action and enhanced capacity with the support of the regional office. In October 2022, UN Women became a member of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee on Humanitarian Action, the highest-level humanitarian coordination forum of the United Nations system. This will enhance the coordination and operationalization of gender input to humanitarian response and recovery, as well as resilience building across the humanitarian peace and development nexus.

Existing gender inequities,s coupled with the impact of conflicts, floods on the returnees and displaced women and girls, contribute to the increased burden of reproductive and unpaid care activities. Food insecurity worsens the burden on women as they continue managing water, food, and energy at the household level. In addition, coping strategies such as early or forced marriage increase personal security and livelihoods. For young women and girls within a crisis setting is common, vulnerability to Gender Based Violence (GBV), including sexual exploitation and abuse, which is already prevalent, increases especially as much-needed basic resources become scarce. Maternity mortality in South Sudan is one of the highest in the world. The lack of access to appropriate health care, especially reproductive health, as well as a lack of redress and access to justice for survivors of violence, means potential lifelong impacts of the current humanitarian situation.

Understanding gender differences, inequalities, and capacities, as well as responding to different needs, will contribute to improving the effectiveness of humanitarian actions and increasing the level of accountability to affected populations. The Provision of humanitarian support requires it to be gender inclusive and specific. The needs of women and girls should be voiced for better for responses from both a policy and a lifesaving approach. Therefore, a focus on the humanitarian / development nexus is essential currently. The gender strategy is essential for a Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) to ensure that responses to a crisis are effective, equitable, and do not exacerbate pre-existing inequalities or harm, by enabling the team to understand and meet the differentiated needs, risks, and capabilities of women, girls, men, and boys. It promotes a more accurate understanding of the situation, leads to targeted assistance, safeguards against sexual and gender-based violence, and fosters participation from all segments of the affected population in decision-making and response design. 

The consultant will be reporting to the Gender and Humanitarian Specialist and will be supported Gender in Humanitarian Action Consultant, who will be the point of contact on the contract and payment issues.

Description of Responsibilities/ Scope of Work

Objectives of the Assignment

The objective of this assignment is to develop a gender strategy for the Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) 

Scope of Work

The main tasks of the consultancy are the following:

• Describe the current humanitarian context in South Sudan, including key challenges and opportunities related to gender equality and social inclusion
• Review the identified gender gaps in policies, processes, and procedures, as well as all functions of the HCT. 
• Prepare an inception report. The inception report should detail the consultant's understanding of what the consultancy work is aiming to achieve and why; core tasks and proposed methods to carry out the tasks; proposed sources of data and data collection procedures, together with data analysis techniques; and a proposed schedule of tasks, activities, and deliverables. 
• Submit a comprehensive draft strategy outlining the vision, mission, goals, objectives, and key actions for gender mainstreaming within the HCT, and present the gender mainstreaming strategy for validation
• Submit a plan of action outlining how the strategy will be implemented, including timelines, responsibilities, and resource requirements. 
• Develop a framework for tracking the progress and impact of the strategy, including key indicators and data collection methods. 
• Submit a final version of the gender strategy, incorporating feedback from stakeholders. 
• Present the approved strategy and implementation plan to relevant stakeholders, including the HCT, UN agencies, and local partners. 

Deliverables:

The consultancy will be conducted over 30 days, distributed across a four-month period commencing in December 2025. A detailed work plan will be agreed upon during the inception phase.

• Prepare an inception report with a detailed approach, methodology, schedules of the detailed activities, and expected time of delivery of the assignment.
• Preliminary report 
• Submit a final report and a PPT presentation including the main findings and recommendations. The structure of the report should include, at least, the following sections: Executive summary, Background, Purpose and Objectives, Methodology, Data analysis, Key findings, Conclusions, and Recommendations (to include an action plan with clear gender responsive indicators)
• Facilitate Validation Workshop
• Develop the Gender Mainstreaming Strategy
• Develop a plan of action to guide the implementation of the strategy

Consultant’s Workplace and Official Travel

This is a hybrid (Home/office-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:

• Extensive knowledge of gender standards/frameworks and experience in best practices in promoting gender integration in Humanitarian Action and women’s empowerment.
• Demonstrated experience in the use of methods and techniques to conduct gender analysis to structure and define policy problems.
• Strong analytical, research, and report writing skills.
• Demonstrated experience in evaluating policy outcomes and impact.
• Demonstrate interpersonal and diplomatic skills, as well as the ability to communicate effectively with all stakeholders and to present ideas clearly and effectively.
• Ability to work independently and remotely, meeting tight deadlines as required.
• Demonstrates ability to work with multiple stakeholders, including government institutions and UN entities.
• Proves integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards and diversity.

Required Qualifications:

Education and Certification:

• Master’s degree or equivalent in Gender Studies, Social Sciences, International Development, Humanitarian studies, international relations, social sciences, law, economics, or a related field. 
• A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

• Minimum 7 years of practical and relevant experience in research and analysis on gender issues.
• Proven knowledge and experience in research on gender frameworks and policy formulation.
• Experience in strategy development, and capacity building. 
• Proven background and experience at an international level of research or academic experience in the field of women’s rights and gender equality.
• Strong interpersonal skills and proven ability to conduct and present research on sensitive topics in cross-cultural settings.
• Previous professional experience with humanitarian/development agencies and/or the United Nations is an asset.
• Strong conceptual and analytical skills

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:

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.