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 “EU 4 Gender Equality: Together Against Gender Stereotypes and Gender-Based Violence” programme seeks to reduce gender discriminatory attitudes and practices in institutional and community spheres. The programme provides a unique opportunity to change the social discourse, perceptions and harmful practices on gender equality in the region, and to empower women and girls to fully access their rights and develop their potential. The programme is funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented jointly by UN Women and UNFPA in Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine.

As part of its communications and advocacy efforts, the programme will produce a regional photo project and exhibition that showcases how women across Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine are redefining womanhood in times of change. From navigating war and political crisis to driving progress in their communities, these women embody resilience, leadership, and transformation of social norms.

Reflective of the above, EU 4 Gender Equality is seeking to recruit an artistic photographer to work in close cooperation with the EU 4 Gender Equality Regional Team to ensure deliver photos for the project.

The consultant will be reporting to Title, and will be supported by Title, who will be the point of contact on the contract and payment issues.

Description of Responsibilities/ Scope of Work

To capture compelling, human-centered photo stories of women in Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine who challenge discriminatory stereotypes, lead change, and redefine what it means to be a woman today. The photographer will document stories that reflect shifts in social norms and illustrate the diversity of women’s roles and experiences in the region with a particular focus on prevention of violence against women and women’s economic empowerment. 

Scope of work:

• Travel to four countries: Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine.
• In coordination with the EU 4 Gender Equality regional team and UN Women and UNFPA country offices, identify and photograph selected women whose stories represent changing gender norms.
• Produce a coherent visual narrative from each country (approx. 15-20 high-quality photos per country).
• Capture contextual imagery (landscapes, work environments, community scenes) to accompany portraits.
• Provide short written captions and story notes for each photo subject.
• Prepare a final curated selection (around 40-50 images total) for the exhibition planned to be conducted in Brussels to demonstrate the impact of EU 4 Gender Equality programme and digital use

Deliverables

The consultant will be responsible for producing the following deliverables:

1. A set of high-quality photographic materials capturing how social norms are changing and redefining womanhood in Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine. Minimum 20 edited photographs per country (80 total), covering diverse themes such as resilience during war, political crisis, economic transformation, leadership, and everyday life. Images must be original work produced through field visits coordinated with UN Women and UNFPA country offices. Photos must clearly depict the programme’s thematic areas and align with the narrative of evolving social norms under the EU 4 Gender Equality programme. Completed and submitted within 10 days after each in-country mission.

2. Documentation accompanying all photographs. All photos must include signed consent forms, captions, location data, and short narrative descriptions of the subjects. Templates will be provided. Should be delivered together with each country photo package.

3. A curated portfolio for the Brussels exhibition.  A final selection of 40-50 photographs (8-12 per country) prepared in high-resolution, colour-corrected, print-ready format. Curated jointly with the project team based on the full country sets. Submitted no later than 10 February 2026.

Consultant’s Workplace and Official Travel

This is a home-based consultancy. The assignment does not require a continuous presence at UN Women premises; all coordination will be conducted remotely in close collaboration with UN Women and UNFPA teams.

Official travel is required to document stories and conduct field photography in programme countries. The consultant will undertake up to four official trips, one to each of the following locations: Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine.

Each mission is expected to last 5–7 days, depending on the agreed itinerary and access considerations. All travel will be arranged in consultation with UN Women and must comply with UN security and logistical requirements.

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:

• Demonstrates strong visual storytelling skills, mastery of composition, lighting, and narrative framing relevant to social change, gender equality, and human-interest documentation.
• Applies a nuanced understanding of local contexts, social norms, and gender dynamics when capturing images and interacting with subjects.
• Ensures respectful engagement, informed consent, confidentiality, and adherence to UN ethical standards in all interactions and photographic practices.
• Maintains high-quality delivery under challenging circumstances, including travel to diverse environments, changing field conditions, and tight timelines.
• Collaborates effectively with community members, CSOs, UN Women/UNFPA teams, and local partners to identify stories and ensure accurate representation.

Required Qualifications

Education and Certification:

• Bachelor’s degree in photography, visual arts, media studies, communications, journalism, or a related field is required.
• Formal training or certification in photography, visual communication, media production, or a related field is an asset.
• A university degree in arts, media, communications, or a related discipline is an asset.

Experience:

• More than 2 years of proven experience in documentary or photojournalistic projects, preferably focused on human rights, gender equality, or social issues.
• Strong ability to tell human-centered stories through imagery.
• Experience working in complex contexts and conflict-affected environments.
• Demonstrated experience with international organizations or media outlets.
• Ability to deliver high-quality results under tight deadlines.

Languages:

Fluency in English is required. 

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.