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 the United Nations system’s 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.

April 2025 marked two years since the deadly armed conflict erupted between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on 15 April 2023 in Khartoum, before rapidly spreading across most parts of the country. The conflict has plunged Sudan into one of the worst humanitarian crises in recent history. It has widened political fragmentation, deepened ethnic and tribal divisions, and claimed over 28,700 lives, including civilians (ACLED, 2024). As of 2025, an estimated 24.9 million people are in urgent need of life-saving assistance, 11.5 million have been internally displaced, and 3.4 million have fled across Sudan’s borders (IOM, 2025). Over six million people—predominantly women and girls—are at heightened risk of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).

The conflict has had distinct and devastating consequences for women and girls, further entrenching pre-existing gender inequalities. Women constitute the majority of displaced populations (approximately 65%) and are disproportionately affected by loss of livelihoods, limited access to services, and heightened exposure to violence and exploitation. Reports indicate a sharp rise in conflict-related sexual violence, early and forced marriages, and economic marginalization. Many female-headed households face acute food insecurity, while the burden of unpaid care and survival labor has intensified. At the same time, women and girls face multiple barriers to participating in decision-making and peacebuilding processes, leaving their perspectives underrepresented in recovery and humanitarian planning.

While previous gender assessments have focused mainly on protection and humanitarian impacts, there remains a critical gap in understanding the gendered dynamics of conflict drivers, actors, and power relations. A Gender-Sensitive Conflict Analysis (GSCA) is therefore required to explore how gender norms, masculinities, and femininities influence participation in and response to the conflict, as well as how women exercise agency as peacebuilders and community stabilizers.

Although the conflict is often perceived as a national power struggle, it has deeply disrupted local-level peacebuilding and social cohesion, eroding community mechanisms for conflict resolution. Women and girls, who bear the brunt of displacement, SGBV, and livelihood loss, remain largely excluded from local decision-making. These dynamics are further influenced by regional and international actors, whose policies and interventions shape opportunities for gender inclusion. Understanding these complex and intersecting factors through a gender lens is critical to designing inclusive, context-sensitive, and gender-responsive peacebuilding strategies that link local resilience to national peace efforts.

It is against this backdrop that UN Women seeks to engage the services of a national consultant to work with and report to an international consultant  to conduct a Gender-Sensitive Conflict Analysis, focusing on the gendered dimensions of the conflict in Sudan, women’s roles in peacebuilding, and opportunities to strengthen the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda in the country.

Aim of the Gender-Sensitive Conflict Analysis

The aim of the Gender Analysis is to systematically examine how gender dynamics influence the context, drivers, and impacts of the conflict, as well as ongoing and prospective peace and peacebuilding processes. The analysis seeks to identify the distinct needs, roles, vulnerabilities, and contributions of women, men, girls, and boys to ensure that gender perspectives meaningfully inform the design, implementation, and evaluation of peace and recovery initiatives.

Ultimately, the analysis aims to promote gender equality and women’s meaningful participation, in line with UNSCR 1325 and subsequent WPS resolutions, and to ensure that peacebuilding efforts are gender-sensitive, inclusive, and sustainable. The study will align with the UN Sudan Interim Cooperation Framework (2026–2028) and draw on ongoing WPS initiatives in Sudan and the broader region.

Purpose of the Assignment :

The purpose of this consultancy is to contribute to producing a comprehensive gender-sensitive conflict analysis in Sudan. 

Objectives :

The specific objectives of the consultancy assignment are to support the preparation of a Gender-Sensitive Conflict Analysis  report jointly with a lead international researcher by participating in different stages of the research  including the literature review, the inception phase, the data collection, the analysis of data, the review of the draft report, the validation workshops and the review to the final report.

Description of Responsibilities/Scope of Work :

The national consultant will work jointly with the international consultant as one “team” for the assignment. Particularly, the national consultant will perform the following tasks:

• Contribute to the design of gender-sensitive methodology and research tools, aligned with WPS principles and UN Women’s Gender-Sensitive Conflict Analysis  approach ,advising on highly sensitive issues to be observed and ensuring cultural, political, and security considerations are integrated.
• Conduct a comprehensive desk review of relevant Arabic literature, assessments, and policy documents and summarize key reports in English.
• Contribute to the design of the questions for the Focus Group Discussions (FGD) and Key Informants Interviews (KII). ensuring  cultural, political sensitivity, inclusivity and intersectionality .
• Contribute to defining the scope of the primary data collection based on the security situation, ensuring diversity and intersectionality (including women’s rights organizations, youth groups, traditional leaders, government representatives, humanitarian and peacebuilding actors, and Sudanese refugees and diaspora groups).
• Train, Induct, and supervise the work of FGDs facilitators and KII interviewers, including guidance on Gender-Sensitive Conflict Analysis methodology, ethical standards, Do No Harm, safeguarding, and PSEA principles. 
• Collate, clean, translate and consolidate data from FGDs and KIIs into a primary data report in English.
• Produce a mapping report in English of key actors, informed by the primary data report including analysis of gendered roles, barriers, and opportunities.
• Draft sections of the final Gender-Sensitive Conflict Analysis  report based on primary data and actor mapping and provide substantive input to the international consultant’s draft.
• Hold regular virtual meetings with the international consultant to review deliverables, challenges and mitigation strategies. 
• Participate in the delivery of the validation workshops with different groups, co-facilitating where relevant, and ensure accurate documentation of discussions.
• Ensure adherence to ethical, security, and safeguarding protocols during all stages of the assignment.
• Review the Final Gender-Sensitive Conflict Analysis report and provide comments and input from a local and contextual perspective.

Key Deliverables

• Literature review summary report of relevant  Arabic documents.
• Training and orientation of facilitators for FGDs and KIIs, including development of a reporting templates and guidance on GSCA methodology and ethics.
• Draft Report presenting  preliminary findings from primary data collection.
• Mapping report of key actors informed by  the FGDs and KII, highlighting gendered roles, barriers and opportunities.
• Draft section and Inputs to the draft Gender-Sensitive Conflict Analysis  report, and participation in validation workshops Including note taking and co facilitation.
• Comments and inputs  to the Final Gender-Sensitive Conflict Analysis  report, including recommendations informed by local context and analysis.

Consultant’s Workplace and Official Travel

• Location: The consultancy will be based in Sudan.
• Timeline: The consultancy will last for a period of 30 working days

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: 

Required Qualifications:

• Advanced degree in gender studies, peace and conflict studies, international development, political science, or a related field.
• A minimum of 5 years of professional experience in gender, assessments and research.
• Proven experience in facilitation and familiarity of FGDs techniques.
• Knowledge of  WPS agenda and UNSCR 1325
• Familiarity with the humanitarian context in Sudan and the specific challenges faced by women and girls in conflict and post-conflict settings.
• Strong writing and analytical skills.
• Knowledge of the political context, women led organizations and key stakeholders.
• Experience working with UN agencies or other international organizations is an asset.

Languages:

• Fluency in Arabic and excellent English are 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.