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 UN Women Fiji Multi-Country Office (MCO) is based in Suva, Fiji, and works alongside over 20 other UN agencies in the region across 14 countries: Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.

Under its Strategic Note 2023–2027, which is aligned with the UN Pacific Sustainable Development Framework and the 2050 Blue Pacific Strategy, the Fiji MCO guides gender equality and women’s empowerment efforts across these 14 Pacific Island countries and territories, with programme presences in Fiji, Kiribati, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, and Vanuatu.

The Strategic Note is underpinned by UN Women’s Global Strategic Plan and focuses on four interlinked programme areas:

• Ending Violence against Women and Girls (EVAWG); 
• Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE); 
• Gender and Protection in Humanitarian Action; and
• Governance and Participation in Public Life (GPPL) 

Under its Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE) programme area, the UN Women Fiji Multi-Country Office (MCO) hosts the Markets for Change (M4C) Project. M4C is a multi-country initiative that aims to ensure marketplaces in rural and urban areas of Fiji, Samoa, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu are safe, inclusive, and non-discriminatory—promoting gender equality and the economic empowerment of market vendors, with particular attention to the needs and aspirations of women market vendors.

The Markets for Change [M4C] project aims to promote gender equality and economic empowerment of market vendors, with specific attention to the needs and aspirations of women market vendors. The M4C is a six-year project started in 2014 to 2021 across Fiji, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. The M4C phase II is a five-year project started in 2022 to 2026 across Fiji, Solomon Islands, Samoa and Vanuatu.

The key M4C outcomes comprise the following: 

1. Inclusive, effective, and representative marketplace groups are further enabled and recognized.
2. The socio-economic security of women market vendors is improved.
3. Local governments, market management and other decision-makers are gender responsive, effective and accountable to women market vendors.
4. Physical infrastructure and operating systems are improved to make markets more gender-responsive, safer, more accessible and resilient to disaster risks and climate change.

The Markets for Change Project follows a Human Rights-Based Approach, working with rights-holders (market vendors, with a particular focus on women market vendors) and duty-bearers (market management, local government). Following a rights-based approach, the Project seeks to address the multiple and intersectional barriers which women face in advancing economically. These include leadership and political participation, social norms around economic agency and voice, financial inclusion and removing barriers to finance, increasing vendors skills and capacities, increasing women’s voice and participation and strengthening gender-responsive actions on climate change and disaster preparedness, infrastructure development and disaster preparedness activities. The Project’s success is contingent upon the full range of activities being supported in recognition of the intersectional barriers in advancing Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE). 

Women’s economic empowerment is central to realizing women’s rights and gender equality. Empowering women in the economy and closing gender gaps in the world of work are key to achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development  and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 5, to achieve gender equality, and Goal 8, to promote full and productive employment and decent work for all; also Goal 1 on ending poverty, Goal 2 on food security, Goal 3 on ensuring health and Goal 10 on reducing inequalities. UN Women has a global mandate to implement innovative programs targeting women’s empowerment and gender equality, including Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE).

M4C is implemented by UN Women in partnership with UNDP with current funding support from the Government of Australia, and previously Canada and New Zealand.

Situation in Solomon Islands

In the Solomon Islands, the informal sector remains the backbone of the national economy, employing approximately 75% of the total labor force, as reported in the UNDP Baseline Study of Informal Economy (2022). Within this sector, women play a central and indispensable role, particularly as market vendors and micro- entrepreneurs. According to the UN Women Country Factsheet (2023), over 80% of market vendors across urban centers like Honiara, as well as in rural communities, are women. Their economic participation is crucial not only for household livelihoods but also for the financial health of local communities.

The Honiara Central Market—Solomon Islands’ largest and most prominent informal marketplace—generates an estimated annual turnover of USD $10–16 million, with women responsible for nearly 90% of these earnings (UN Women and Strongim Bisnis reports, 2022–2025). This figure underscores both the scale and economic impact of women's involvement in informal trading activities.

Despite this vital contribution, informal enterprises face multiple structural challenges, and women are disproportionately affected. These include lack of legal and social protection, absence of professional development opportunities, and barriers to formalization and access to finance. Reports from Strongim Bisnis (2022–2025) highlight ongoing efforts to address these gaps by promoting gender-inclusive market systems, improving financial inclusion, and fostering strategic partnerships to empower women economically.

Together, these findings present a clear call to action: recognizing, resourcing, and reforming policies that support women in the informal sector will not only promote gender equity but also strengthen economic resilience and national development.

Objectives of the assignment

The key objective of the assignment is to review and propose updates to the five existing market vendors associations’ constitutions and develop new constitutions for two emerging market vendors associations. The proposed tasks should include to:

1. Conduct a comprehensive desk review of the constitutions of the existing Market Vendors Associations (MVAs) to assess their strengths and weaknesses and gather input for potential revisions that align with vendor needs. Revised constitutions for each MVA to be socialised with key stakeholders.
2. Present proposed constitutional revisions at Annual General Meetings or an extra-ordinary full member meeting for formal adoption, ensuring majority support and finalizing the updated constitutions for official registration. 
3. Collaborate with local stakeholders to develop new constitutions for the Malu'u and Seghe MVAs, incorporating vendor feedback to ensure the documents reflect their needs and comply with local regulations.  New constitutions for each MVA to be socialised with key stakeholders.

Context of the engagement and background 

Under outcome 1 of the project, M4C works with Honiara central market vendors association, Auki market vendors association, Buala market vendors association, Gizo market vendors association, Honiara market vendors association, and Munda market vendors association with Malu’u and Seghe being new emerging market vendors associations. The main goal and aim of outcome 1 are to strengthen and ensure these established groups are inclusive, effective and become a strong advocate and voice for the diverse women vendors within the market. The associations are accountable to their members hence strengthening their constitutions is vital and critical for transparency and accountability and ensuring that it remains relevant and realistic to meet and address the needs of the members.

During various Project Working Committee and Project Management Committee meetings including the recent ones held in November 2025 the committee strongly urged the project to quickly review the MVAs constitutions to remain relevant and to develop Seghe and Malu’u ones to formally register them. 

The National Consultant will undertake a structured approach to the responsibilities, starting with a review of the existing constitutions of Auki, Buala, Gizo, Honiara, and Munda Market Vendors Associations (MVAs) and gathering member input through consultations. Proposed revisions will then be presented at the Annual General Meetings or call for an extra -ordinary full members meeting of the existing MVAs for formal adoption, followed by finalization and submission to the Company Hause, Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Labor and Immigration. The next task, the National Consultant will develop new constitutions for the emerging Malu'u and Seghe MVAs, collaborating with local stakeholders and market vendors to ensure the documents align with vendor needs and will again follow the due process for formal registrations at the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Labor and Immigration.

Description of Responsibilities / Scope of Work

Under overall guidance of the UN Women Regional Project Manager for the Markets for Change, the Country Programme Coordinator, and direct supervision of the Markets for Change Solomon Islands National Project Coordinator, in close consultation with the respective market authorities and market vendors associations, the National Consultant will perform the following tasks:

• Task 1: Review and Revision of Existing MVAs' Constitutions

1. Conduct a comprehensive desk review of the constitutions of the Auki, Buala, Gizo, Honiara, and Munda MVAs to assess their strengths and weaknesses and identify best practices for adaptation.
2. Engage with each existing MVA to gather input on potential constitutional revisions, ensuring alignment with the needs and expectations of vendors.
3. Present proposed revisions at Annual General Meetings or extraordinarily full members meeting for formal adoption by MVA members, securing majority support for the changes.
4. Finalize and submit the updated constitutions to the Company Haus, Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Labor and Immigration to ensure update of official registration and legal recognition.
5. Socialize the new and revised constitutions with key stakeholders.

• Task 2: Development of New Constitutions for Malu'u and Seghe MVAs

1. Collaborate with local stakeholders to draft constitutions for Malu'u and Seghe that define objectives, governance structures, and operational guidelines while ensuring compliance with local regulations.
2. Organize consultations with market vendors in Malu'u and Seghe to gather input on the drafts, fostering engagement and ownership of the new constitutions.
3. Incorporate feedback from the consultations into the final versions of the constitutions to accurately reflect the needs of the vendors.
4. Finalize and submit the constitutions to the Company Haus, Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Labor and Immigration to formally establish and register the Malu'u and Seghe MVAs as legal entities.

Expected Deliverables

The National Consultant is expected to work and deliver the following results:

All the documents, including consultation material and reports should be written in the English language. All documents and materials utilized will need to be returned to UN Women in electronic format. All materials will remain property of UN Women and cannot be used without UN Women’s permission.

Institutional Arrangement

UN Women will provide the National Consultant with background information relevant to the scope of work during the pre-assignment briefing.

The National Consultant is expected to work remotely using her/his own computer but may access the UN Women Office for printing of relevant documents or should he/she be required to work on-site at any point during the assignment.

As full consideration for the services performed by the National Consultant under the terms of this consultancy UN Women shall pay the National Consultant upon certification that the services have satisfactorily performed according to the scope of work/duties and deliverables stated in the TOR.  Upon receipt of the final deliverables and prior to the payment - the deliverables, related reports and documents will be reviewed and approved by UN Women within one week.

Duration of the Work 

The total duration of the contract assignment will be up to 150 working days within a 6‑month period, effective from 1 April 2026 (or as soon as possible) until 2 November 2026.

The assignment includes a total of six (6) provincial missions as follows:

• Auki – 1 mission
• Buala – 1 mission
• Gizo – 1 mission
• Munda – 1 mission
• Malu’u – 1 mission
• Seghe – 1 mission

The indicative schedule for these missions is from early April 2026 to the end of September 2026, subject to confirmation.

Duty Station

The consultancy is home‑based, with the National Consultant required to reside in Honiara.

The National Consultant is expected to work during standard working hours in Solomon Islands time.

Travel

UN Women will cover the costs for six (6) provincial missions, including the cost of flights (using the most direct and economical route) and Daily Subsistence Allowance (DSA) for Auki, Buala, Gizo, Munda, Malu’u and Seghe, in accordance with the applicable UN standard rates.

Travel costs outside of Honiara (the duty station), including DSA, will be covered by UN Women in line with the UN Women Duty Travel Policy, based on the agreed travel route and in conformity with applicable UN Women rules and regulations.

UN Women will not cover transportation costs within Honiara or travel to Honiara. No DSA or relocation costs will be provided for this position.

Applicants are expected to reside in Honiara or to cover their own relocation costs if residing elsewhere in the Solomon Islands. Travel costs for approved duty travel outside of Honiara will be covered separately by UN Women, subject to prior authorization.

Performance Evaluation

The National Consultant’s performance will be evaluated based on timeliness, responsibility, initiative, communication, accuracy, and quality of the products delivered.

Financial Arrangements 

Payments will be disbursed to the National Consultant in instalments, upon submission and approval of deliverables set forth in the section “Expected Outputs and Deliverables” above, and certification by the Supervisor that the services have been satisfactorily performed.

Payment will be made in 3 installments and will be authorized upon submission and approval of deliverables and certification by the M4C Solomon Islands National Programme Coordinator that the services have been satisfactorily performed. Payment is paid in the following:

i.              30% payment upon completion of the Desk Review Report under Task 1.

ii.             40% upon completion of deliverables 2 -7

iii.            30% upon completion of deliverables 8-11

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:

• Legal Research & Analysis - ability to interpret laws, regulations, and policies including strong skills in drafting legal opinions, briefs, and contracts.
• Policy & Advisory Support - advising government institutions or organizations on compliance with national and international legal frameworks, including supporting legislative or regulatory reforms.
• Drafting & Documentation - preparing legal documents, agreements, and reports with accuracy and clarity including ensuring alignment with UNDP standards and international conventions.
• Negotiation & Mediation - facilitating dialogue between stakeholders including supporting dispute resolution and consensus-building processes.
• Capacity Building - training stakeholders on legal frameworks, rights, and obligations including developing guidelines, manuals, or toolkits for legal processes.

Required Qualifications:

Education and Certification:

• Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in Law, Legal Studies, International Law, Social Science, International Development or related field.
• A first-level University Degree in combination with two (2) additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

• At least five (5) years (with Masters’ Degree), or seven (7) years (with first-level University Degree) of progressively responsible experience in general legal practice and drafting legal documents.
• At least 3-5 years of progressively responsible experience at the national and/or international level in the legal environment, gender work, project / programme formulation, implementation, coordination, monitoring and evaluation, donor reporting and capacity building
• Proven expertise in gender equality and women’s economic empowerment.
• Experience in facilitating workshops and conducting research /consultation.
• Knowledgeable of issues around local governance/local government systems/Provincial Government Act and markets.
• Comprehensive knowledge of the local governance system and understanding of issues associated with fresh markets in Solomon Islands.
• Experience in Solomon Islands agriculture sector and context is desirable.
• Understanding of Solomon Islands disaster context and challenges is desirable.
• Team player and strong local networks in Solomon Islands.   
• Excellent presentation and facilitation skills, including organizing meetings and conduct assessment / reviews; with strong interpersonal and communication skills, including ability to plan, organize implementation and reporting under tight deadlines.

Languages:

• Fluency in verbal and excellent English written skills is required.
• Good command of Pidgin (oral) is an asset.
• Proficiency in the use of office IT applications and internet in conducting research.

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.)

How to Apply

• Personal CV or P11 (P11 can be downloaded from: https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/Headquarters/Attachments/Sections/About%20Us/Employment/UN-Women-P11-Personal-History-Form.doc )
• A cover letter (maximum length: 1 page)
• Kindly note that the system will only allow one attachment. 
• Only shortlisted candidates will be notified.
• UN Women Managers may ask (ad hoc) for any other materials relevant to pre-assessing the relevance of their experience, such as reports, presentations, publications, campaigns, or other materials.

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.