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 is mandated to lead, coordinate, and promote accountability for the implementation of gender equality commitments across the UN System.

Across Asia and the Pacific, UN Women promotes gender equality and women’s empowerment. UN Women implements programs (including normative and advocacy) in 41 Member States in the region, including Australia, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Cook Islands, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Kiribati, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nauru, Nepal, New Zealand, Niue, Pakistan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, and Viet Nam, through direct implementation as well as implementing partners, which include government entities, non-governmental organizations, the private sector, UN agencies, and non-UN intergovernmental organizations.

The Global Digital Compact is a comprehensive framework designed to foster global cooperation in governing digital technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Adopted in September 2024 alongside The Pact for the Future, it provides a roadmap for enhancing global digital collaboration, harnessing the vast potential of digital technologies, and bridging existing digital divides. Negotiated by 193 member states and informed by global consultations, this framework commits governments to upholding international law and human rights online. It emphasizes the need for concrete actions to ensure the digital space is safe and secure. Acknowledging the vital contributions of the private sector, technical communities, researchers, and civil society, the Compact calls on all stakeholders to collaborate in realizing an open, safe, and secure digital future for all.

The UN recognizes that Artificial Intelligence (AI) has significant potential to support the UN by promoting inclusivity, reducing inequalities, helping to accelerate nearly 80% of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and strengthening the work of the United Nations system. So far, the benefits of AI are unevenly distributed, concentrated in a few powerful companies and countries. As United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres recently affirmed, many nations struggle to access AI tools, highlighting the need for international cooperation and solidarity to bridge the AI gap for developing countries.

To respond effectively to these global developments, UN Women supports UN Women Country Offices, Programme Presences UN Women Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific thematic teams and national governments and partners in ensuring that AI practice, policies and governance systems are gender-responsive and grounded in human rights; and that gender-responsive AI capacities are strengthened to enable AI to be used as a force for good. 

UN Women Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific has demonstrated a track record of support ranging from capacity building, AI tool development, knowledge products, and policy/strategy facilitation across UN Women offices and partners in Asia and the Pacific. This retainer intends to build on this legacy of support to respond to the gender-responsive AI-specific needs of UN Women Country Offices, Programme Presences and UN Women Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific.

The detailed terms of reference for specific assignments will be developed by hiring managers in consultation with selected consultants. Each consultant will be expected to deliver on specific outputs defined in individual work orders, aligned with their respective technical expertise. Under the retainer arrangement, while selected consultants may be approached for assignments, there is no guarantee of work, and consultants retain the right to decline specific requests.

Objective of the consultancy 

The objective of this consultancy is to provide multi-channel support spanning capacity building, advisory/consulting, custom AI tool development, knowledge products, and policy/strategy facilitation across UN Women offices and partners in Asia and the Pacific.

The consultancy will contribute to:

• Capacity building and training on gender-responsive AI
• Advisory and technical assistance
• Custom AI tooling (GPTs) for programmes & operations
• Knowledge sharing and showcases
• Policy and strategy support
• Knowledge products & localization

Description of Responsibilities /Scope of Work

Under the supervision and guidance of the Deputy Regional Director, or a designated focal point in MCO/Country Offices for discrete assignments, this retainer pool requires experience in gender-responsive AI, capacity building, assessing skills and tailoring training accordingly, research and knowledge production and policy/strategy formulation and advisory. 

A. Capacity building and training (UN Women, UN system, COs, and partners)

• Gender-responsive AI capacity-building tool development, including bootcamp customization, and delivery
• Tailored gender-responsive AI training
• Gender-responsive AI workshop customization and delivery for movement building linked to UN Women areas of thematic focus, as defined in Strategic Note
• Develop and coordinate implementation of tailored curriculum for gender-responsive AI upskilling to leave no one behind, according to programming requirements

B. Advisory and technical assistance (workflows, knowledge management, AI adoption, AI in programmes)

• One-on-one or team advisory calls/clinics with UN Women Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific thematic teams, Country Offices or Programme Presences 

C. Custom AI tooling (GPTs) for programmes and operations

• Provide flexible, on-demand needs assessment and design of customized GPTs accordingly to standardize, scale and safeguard workstreams across UN Women’s thematic and operational workstreams 
• Provide technical input to RO and COs for their engagement in regional and country-level platforms, including, and as appropriate, UN 2.0 Week global showcases (Agile AI School; Custom GPTs in Action), ITU AI for Good, UNSD “No-code Custom AI Tools” webinars, UN Innovation Group knowledge exchange  

D. Knowledge sharing & showcases (UN 2.0, UNSD, Innovation Group)

• Provide technical input to RO and COs for their engagement in regional and country-level platforms, including, and as appropriate, UN 2.0 Week global showcases (Agile AI School; Custom GPTs in Action), ITU AI for Good, UNSD “No-code Custom AI Tools” webinars, UN Innovation Group knowledge exchange  

E. Policy and strategy support

• Support RO and COs to contribute to policy and strategy development on gender-responsive AI in diverse contexts with multiple stakeholders ranging from governments, private sector, within the UN system, within the identified thematic focus areas in RO SN and/or CO SN

F. Knowledge products and localization

• Research and develop knowledge products to inform and influence use of and access to gender-responsive AI and AI targeted upskilling to leave no one behind, in partnership with diverse stakeholders

*Note: The service will be rendered on “on call” basis.  UN Women does not warrant that the maximum of contract amount will be purchased during the term of the Agreement. While on retainer, there is no guarantee of work, and selected consultants retain the right to decline assignments based on their availability and expertise.

Consultant’s Workplace and Official Travel

This is a home-based consultancy. As part of this assignment, there might be travel within the Asia-Pacific region as required. The travel will be arranged by UN Women following UN Women’s Travel Policy.
 

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:

• Technical expertise in the field of gender-responsive Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• Excellent training and facilitation skills 
• Excellent written and verbal communication and negotiation skills
• Strong coordination skills
• Ability to lead formulation of strategies and their implementation
• Strong networking and partnership building skills 

Required Qualifications:

Education and Certification:

• Master’s degree in computer science or data science (with gender and development experience), or other relevant disciplines. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. 
• 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 of 7 years of progressively responsible, practical experience in computer science or data science;
• Experience in gender equality and women’s empowerment in development contexts;
• Experience in organizing and delivering capacity development initiatives, such as workshops, trainings, or technical on-on-one sessions on gender and AI
• Experience conducting research and writing briefs and strategies on AI and gender
• Proven experience developing tailored GPTs to standardize, scale and safeguard workstreams
• Demonstrated experience providing gender-responsive AI governance, policy analysis and policy advisory support to UN entities, governments, regional institutions or intergovernmental bodies, particularly in the Asia and Pacific region. 
• Experience in policy and programmatic work using AI as a tool to improve efficiency and effectiveness is strong asset.
• Experience working with UN agencies, bilateral and multilateral donors, private sector actors, and philanthropic institutions is an asset.
• Experience working within the UN system or other international organizations engaged in gender-responsive AI is an asset
• Knowledge of UN Women’s thematic areas is an asset

Languages

• Fluency in English is required.
• Knowledge of other languages spoken in the Asia-Pacific region, or any 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.