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.

UN Women Cambodia Office focuses its programme actions on contributing toward the achievement of planned outcome results that are in line with United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) as well as global Strategic Plan outputs and outcomes of the UN Women. In doing so, the high level actions include the provision of support to the government, women organisations as well as gender advocate movements/networks to address gender inequality causes through the development of the fourth National Action to Prevent Violence Against Women (4th NAPVAW) and its monitoring framework, building national understanding of Women Peace and Security, implementation of policies, tools and standard procedures for more gender-responsive actions in climate change and disaster risk reduction (DRR) and labour governance, the transformation of negative social norms via strengthening community-based women networks and movements and advocacy by using a normative framework such as CEDAW, Security Resolution 1325, Sendai and Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. The UN Women Cambodia Programme Office is implementing projects and programmes as outlined below:

The Empower project: Women for Climate-resilient Societies is a unique partnership between UN Women and UN Environment, supported by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) that aims to ensure that climate action and disaster risk reduction in Asia-Pacific respond to gender equality and human rights. From 2018 to 2022, EmPower phase I was implemented regionally across Asia and the Pacific, with national footprints in Bangladesh, Cambodia and Viet Nam. EmPower phase II (2023-2027) was built on successes and lessons learnt of the phase I and aims to scale up for regional implementation and generate new regional commitments and national policies, financial mechanisms and tools, methodologies, evidence, and knowledge to further impact. The project will contribute to the overall Impact: “People in Asia-Pacific are less vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and experience greater gender equality and the full enjoyment of their rights, including equal access to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment.” EmPower aims to achieve the outcomes below:

• Outcome 1: Asia-Pacific actors increase action on gender responsive climate change adaptation and mitigation.
• Outcome 2: Women in all their diversity and other marginalized groups are represented as key environmental actors in climate and DRR decision-making
• Outcome 3: Women and other marginalized groups in Asia-Pacific secure climate-resilient livelihoods 

EmPower approach is to expand decision-making spaces, raise awareness and support the prevention and response to gender-based violence (GBV) in the context of climate change and disaster. This includes empowering women and girls through amplifying their voice and sharing their stories. EmPower has sought to not only explore women experience as the passive victims of the climate change and disaster but as change agents and the leaders for climate change action and disaster management. As part of the EmPower phase II Program, UN Women Cambodia is developing a participatory photography project with youth group and women living in rural area. The intent is to gain a deeper understanding of the impact of Climate Change to their daily lives and how they have actively engaged in the actions addressing the issues. The project seeks to explore the potential of photography as a means for youth group (young women) and rural women to document their experiences as they are living through and engage with their natural and social environment. The project will be built on feminist and participatory principles, focusing on participating women’s agency and will be designed not simply to extract information from participants but also to provide them with skills in self-expression, reflection and critical thinking. At the same time, it is envisaged that participants’ photos will deepen and enrich understanding of the intertwined impact of climate change to women group’s lives and experiences. 

Ensuring Decent Work and Reducing Vulnerabilities for Women and Children in the Context of Labour Migration in Southeast Asia: Protecting the Right of Women and Children in the SEAN region 2024-2026 (PROTECT) by promoting decent work, preventing and responding to violence against women and children, and reducing vulnerabilities of women and children in labour migration, including the prevention of trafficking. The project aims at:

• Strengthening national legislation, policies, and regional frameworks for the protection of the rights of vulnerable groups, especially women and children in the context of labour migration, in line with international standards. 
• Improving national and regional capacities and mechanisms for rights-based, gender and child- responsive policy implementation, service provision, and prevention efforts to reduce risks of abuse, exploitation, violence and harassment of at-risk groups especially women and children in the context of labour migration, including trafficking and smuggling
• Increasing the access of at-risk groups, women migrant workers and children to information, social and legal services, counseling, and association to prevent abuse, exploitation, harassment, violence and trafficking in human being.

Building on lesson and good practice from the Safe and Fair Programme, the project will address important gaps with respect to protecting the rights of women migrant workers to a life free from labour exploitation and violence, adopt a multi-stakeholder, multi-sectoral approach to benefit migrants in vulnerable situations, adopt a regional approach working with ASEAN and a corridor approach within Southeast Asia, supporting cross-border knowledge exchange and stakeholder networking, strengthen coordination and collaboration between stakeholders, and strengthen access to basic services for children in the context of migration. The project approach will include cross-border and migration corridor approach: Cambodia - Thailand; Indonesia – Malaysia; as well as emerging migration routes into Cambodia and Thailand (in relation to trafficking for forced criminality into scam operations). This project implemented by ILO (lead), UN Women, UNODC and UNCEF.

Under PROTECT, the 7000 Photo Project has been developed on the outcomes of the Participatory Photography Project with Women Migrant Workers (PPWMW) which formed a significant part for Safe and Fair Project (2018-2023) now called PROTECT. It is a continuation of a model of participation derived from women migrant workers (WMW) key asks and the dissemination of knowledge based on their lived experiences. To continue this work, it requires a series of activities to provide capacity building of women participants to engage in different form of discussion/dialogue with community members and male group to communicate their experiences.

Youth Leadership Academy Programme (YLA), developed by Cambodia gender advocates and purposefully designed to promote feminist leadership, has proven record in contributing to support Cambodia young women with less or no privilege to realize their potentials and increased confidence to apply feminist leadership to network and act for gender equality and women’s empowerment. YLA aims to empower young women with leadership potential by using a multidisciplinary approach for skill development and critical thinking. With the support from UN Women and YLA Core Group, the programme has been successfully implemented with three cohorts of young women leaders, fostering a positive environment and space where members can grow, learn, and lead together. With the request from its alumni, the office intends to explore if YLA programme is possible to apply for young men. The overall goals of the Youth Leadership Academy are: 

• To provide a safe and respectful space for young women with leadership potential to develop their capacity in critical thinking on a range of skills/knowledge from conceptual frameworks to approaches to techniques, using a multi-disciplinary approach
• To develop transformative and adaptive leadership models that are applicable in the rapidly developing context of Cambodia
• To build and sustain a network for feminist collective action
• To promote inter-generational feminist dialogue and learning.

Using a multidisciplinary approach to skills development and critical thinking, the programme creates safe, respectful spaces where members can grow, learn, and lead together. In response to ongoing requests and consultation inputs from diverse groups of young men, young women, gender equality allies, the UN Women Cambodia Programme Office intends to explore adapting leadership programme for young men to promote transformative leadership that advances gender equality. 

In this regard, UN Women Programme office in Cambodia is seeking a service of a national facilitator to work closely with the international consultant and a respective programme team to facilitate learning and communication with partner organization, the steering group and peer networks to assist the roll out the community dialogues using the Protolanguage approach under PROTECT Project. The national consultant will also assist the PROTECT project in organizing meeting and event as part of the project plan .

Under EmPower Project, the national consultant will be working closely with women groups in the 3 cohorts in participatory photography project to engage them in the co-design in the project activities, coach and mentor them on leadership and advocacy skills based on the evidence from their real experiences and photos as well as provide support on dissemination and exhibition the result of the participatory photography  . In addition, the consultant will be working for YLA to facilitate youth leadership programme for new cohort of young people, including young men. The consultant will assist in developing an adapted version of the Youth Leadership Programme for young men and create a step-by-step implementation guide to support its delivery. The consultant will work with the international consultant, relevant programme team  and the YLA Core Group to plan and coordinate the pilot programme, ensuring smooth preparation and implementation.

The consultant will be reporting to Program Analyst of PROTECT Project, who will be the point of contact on the contract and payment issues, with the support from relevant Project Managers.

Description of Responsibilities /Scope of Work

The consultant will work closely with UN Women programme team and international consultant, who provide technical assistance,  to perform the following time-bound tasks:

1. Provision of technical support to the implementation of the PROTECT 7000-Photo Project, Youth Leadership Academy (YLA) programmes, and the EmPower participatory photography initiatives, applying multidisciplinary approaches grounded in participatory and feminist principles

• Work closely with UN Women CSOs partner to coordinate and facilitate the implementation of the PROTECT 7000-Photo Project and Photography project focusing on capacity building, monitoring and coaching support to peer network, steering group, men group, male students, and young women group
• Work with the international consultant to develop the event concept note ensuring inclusive input from project participants and programme teams
• Support the organization and facilitation of online as well as face-to-face workshops, for image/photo analysis and further use of the images/photos and stories
• Work closely with UN Women relevant programme team providing technical support to coordinate and facilitate the YLA programme with young men group
• Suggest recommendations/inputs in modifying and finalizing new cohort of YLA programme activities for gender equality
• Adapt, organize and facilitate workshops/events for youth leadership programme
• Maintain communication and follow up with project participants to apply action learning, including mentoring/coaching on proposed actions and story of changes

2. Provision of technical and administrative support in organizing programme events, workshops, and trainings, including monitoring participant engagement and ensuring successful event execution

• Provide technical and administrative support for event organization and travel of participants under 7000 Photo Project, Photography, WPS and YLA.
• Translation of event documents including concept notes, agenda, and documents online if needed
• Draft brief notes/reports on event result and participants’ engagement and suggestion in the event
• Assist in undertaking administrative and operational processes related tasks, ensuring high quality, accuracy, and consistency of UN Women’s works.
• Provide administrative, logistics, and operations support to other programmes as requested. 

Final Products and Deliverables

• The consultant must submit a minute/report of summary of event’s result and successful organized events with photo of each task with specifically mention the project supported
• Submit a concept note and participant list of each meeting/workshop with women group, steering group, peer network, men group, and youth 
• Submit a field trip report of each travel to targeted provinces under the project supported
• Submit a translated documents/materials when tasks are related to translation support
• Produce high-resolution photos of events that are organized by UN Women and partners 

Consultant’s Workplace and Official Travel

This is a home-based consultancy is estimated at a maximum of 200 days over the period of  02 March 2026 - 30 June 2027. As part of this assignment, there will be a maximum of 10 trips travel across Cambodia. For in country or overseas assignments, UN Women will be responsible for the accommodation and travel expenses if any cost is incurred during the assigned period. The consultant will be engaged under a retainer contract, which facilitates direct engagement of the consultant depending on need and availability within the contract period for a pre-agreed fee.

UN Women will not be committed to purchasing any maximum quantity of the services, and purchases will be made only if there is an actual requirement upon the issuance of a Purchase Order based on this retainer contract.  UN Women shall not be liable for any cost in the event that no purchases are made under this retainer contract.

The expected number of workdays for each deliverable will be discussed between the consultant and UN Women on a case-by-case basis. Payment will be made upon satisfactory completion of a deliverable or as agreed between the consultant and UN Women. 

With UN Women’s guidance, the consultant might also engage with government officials, multi and bi-lateral donors, civil society and the private sector and programmatic partners. A workstation will be provided to the consultant to ensure effective consultation and support. The Consultant will bring his/her own personal computer to conduct this assignment. With the facilitation of the programme team, the consultant will also be expected to engage with external stakeholders. 

Schedule of Payments

Payment will be made monthly, 10 days after the submission of monthly claim. The amount paid will be based on the number of days within the month that the consultant has done the assignment.

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:

• Good analytical and writing skills
• Good in event organizing skills
• Some good knowledge of the companies and enterprises in Cambodia
• Good overall knowledge of gender equality and women’s economic empowerment
• Knowledge of the Women’s Empowerment Principles is an asset
• Ability to analyst trends and synthesize data to actionable recommendations to inform

IV. Required Qualifications

Education and Certification:

• Master’s degree in business, social sciences, international relations, media, art, gender and other related disciplines related field is required;
• A first-level university degree in combination with 2 additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree completion of secondary education. 

Experience

• Minimum 1 year progressively responsible experience in media – using photos to advocate for women rights and gender equality
• Sounds basic understanding and knowledge of women rights, gender issues, climate change and environmental problems
• Experience in engaging youth and community women to elicit their inputs to co-design project activities and actively participate in project activities using participatory and feminist approach 
• Experience of coordinating and mobilizing participants especially community women for event and or workshop 
• Experience using computers and standard software packages (such as Microsoft office) and experiences in managing photography and/or documents in shared online programme such as Google Drive, Dropbox, Cloud etc.

Language

• Proficient in English and Khmer (Both oral and written)

EVALUATION

• Applications will be evaluated based on the cumulative analysis:
• Technical qualification (100 points) 

Technical qualification evaluation criteria:

Only the candidates who have attained a minimum of 70% of total points will be considered as technically qualified candidates who may be contacted for validation interview.

V. How to Apply

• A cover letter (maximum length: 1 page)
• Shortlisted candidates will be requested to provide relevant sample work/report to demonstrate practical experience in advocating for women’s rights and gender equality, or presentations, publications, campaigns, or other materials/documents may be asked from the shortlisted candidates only.

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.