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 centre of all its efforts, UN Women leads and coordinates the efforts of the UN system to ensure that commitments on gender equality and gender mainstreaming translate into action throughout the world. UN Women 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 has a universal mandate that encompasses a normative, an operational/programmatic as well as a coordination role, all of which are closely linked with its unique structure. At the core of its mandate, UN women play a leading role in supporting governments in delivering on their gender equality and empowerment of women (GEEW) commitments in the Sustainable Development Goals. UN Women is mandated to stimulate and coordinate improved action on gender equality across the whole UN system.  

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) 

These four program areas are underpinned by UN Women’s normative and UN coordination efforts to strengthen accountability on normative commitments, better leverage UN system-wide strategies and actions and support gender equality and the empowerment of women in all their diversity.

Women’s economic empowerment (WEE) is crucial to realizing women’s rights, reducing poverty, and achieving gender equality across the globe. When more women undertake paid work, economies expand through enhanced productivity, economic diversification, and income equality. If women’s earnings increase and become more stable, other areas of women’s lives also improve. They can afford healthy families, can pay for their children’s school fees, can economically support family during and after disaster and are more likely to play a leadership role in their communities. Women’s economic empowerment is therefore a win-win situation that can help not only women but also the community and society.

While women are increasingly active in the economy, they are still overrepresented in the informal economy, more likely to be in low-wage or unpaid family employment, and more likely to be affected by an economic crisis, as well as climate and health emergencies. The Pacific still has the lowest global percentages of women in leadership roles, including the world’s lowest overall average of women in parliament.

Under the UN Women Fiji MCO’s WEE program, the focus has been on supporting women in the informal sector in recognition of the fact that the majority of Pacific women are engaged in the informal sector in different capacities, including as informal employees in formal businesses, as own-account workers (including home-based workers), and as informal business owners (including contributing family workers). Historically, traditional gender norms and social structures have significantly disadvantaged women; creating gendered barriers to formalization and/or limiting their opportunities to enter (or remain) in formal employment. This means women tend to be engaged in low productivity businesses and jobs that require limited start-up capital and offer limited skill accumulation potential. Also, they are concentrated in areas that experience intense competition and generate lower returns. Women are also more likely to lack access to legal and social protections, which reinforces their vulnerabilities in times of disruption, such as natural and climate induced disasters or economic shocks. 

As at 2021, it was reported that women comprised 75-90 percent of market vendors in the Pacific, and in recognition of these significant presence in this space, UN Women Fiji MCO has been actively supporting improvements in the working conditions for women market vendors in Fiji, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu through its Markets for Change (M4C) Project, which is in the second phase of implementation (2022–2026), following the conclusion of the first phase (2014–2021). Supporting the economic participation and empowerment of women is key to driving positive change in their lives and communities and can positively impact upon women’s voice and agency in all spheres of development. It is also key to generating livelihood and employment opportunities, and to advancing national economies in the Pacific, where there are high levels of informality. 

UN Women recognizes that our work must address the intersections between women’s economic empowerment, women’s leadership and agency, and the resilience of individuals, households, communities and countries to different crises. With the M4C Project, UN Women has demonstrated how these spaces can be a platform through which the leadership and, voice of women can be built, to inform decision-making processes and strengthen government accountabilities, in addition to supporting WEE. In addition, in the context of COVID-19, these markets played a key role in promoting food access, and food security. 

M4C ensures that marketplaces in the rural and urban areas of these four Pacific Island countries are safe, inclusive and non-discriminatory and supportive of women engaged in small-scale businesses within these market spaces. The project supports the creation and strengthening of representative marketplace groups, which enhance the roles and influence of women market vendors. The project also focuses on boosting the financial literacy of vendors and market vendor associations and supports greater access to financial services, improved agricultural skills, and, in some cases, climate-smart agricultural production. 

M4C also works to strengthen the accountability and capacity of market management as well as municipal and provincial governments through the provision of training and technical support. This lays the groundwork for local governments to employ gender-responsive policies, procedures and decision-making processes that are receptive to the needs of market vendors, especially women. The project also has an infrastructure component, which focuses on improving onsite services at the design and construction phases to ensure that marketplaces are safe and more resilient to environmental shocks, such as extreme weather events. 

Objectives of the assignment

The purpose of this consultancy is to conduct a multi-country Situational Analysis to inform the design of a Women’s Economic Empowerment Pacific Programme covering Fiji, Kiribati, Samoa, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu. 

The primary focus will be on the informal economy, while also encompassing relevant aspects of the formal economy. The study will review and document current legal and policy frameworks, strategic plans, and implementation of mechanisms that influence women’s economic participation. It will identify and map key stakeholders, including national and local governments, ministries and departments, UN agencies, civil society organizations (CSOs), and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

The Situational Analysis is divided into two interlinked phases. Phase 1 focuses on comprehensive evidence-gathering and diagnostic analysis across five countries. Phase 2 will translate these findings into actionable policy recommendations and programmatic strategies that support the evolution of the Markets for Change project into a broader Women’s Economic Empowerment Pacific Programme aligned with regional development and climate goals.

Under the direct supervision of the UN Women Representative and the M4C Regional Programme Manager, the selected Contractor will develop and deliver the above listed deliverables in accordance with the above outlined timeframe. All the deliverables should be provided in English, except when local language is explicitly asked for by UN Women. 

Under the overall guidance of the UN Women Fiji Multi Country Office Regional Project Manager Markets for Change and close consultation with Country Representative, Deputy Representative and National Project Coordinators, the International Consultant will undertake and develop and deliver the above listed deliverables in accordance with the tasks as outlined in the deliverable table in Section IV. All the deliverables should be provided in English, except when local language is explicitly asked for by UN Women. 

The International Consultant is expected to report regularly to M4C Regional Programme Manager the progress of the completion of the deliverables. The contractor is also expected to inform UN Women of any unforeseen challenge or risk that might occur during the duration of the assignment.

Description of Responsibilities / Scope of Work

The detailed scope for each phase is outlined below:

Phase 1: Foundational Analysis

Key Areas of Focus

The Situational Analysis will explore the following dimensions:

• Drivers of Informality: Examine factors contributing to and sustaining women’s participation in the informal economy, including socio-cultural norms, unequal access to productive resources, occupational segregation, and the disproportionate burden of unpaid care and domestic work.
• Policy and Legal Environment: Review key policies, laws, and strategies that influence women’s economic participation, productivity, and resilience—especially during crises. Identify both enabling factors and systemic bottlenecks.
• Enabling Environment: Assess the current social and economic policies, and public/private investments targeting:

1. Decent employment
2. Women’s entrepreneurship
3. Participation in the green and blue economies 
4. Emphasis should be placed on evaluating the effectiveness of initiatives specifically targeting women in the formal sector.

• Sectoral Opportunities: Identify sectors within the informal economy where women are thriving, along with the factors contributing to their success. Highlight value chain development opportunities and the potential for scaling.
• Climate Resilience and Risk: Analyze climate-induced threats and opportunities within key economic sectors where women operate. Review how climate resilience is currently integrated into policies and strategies impacting women’s economic empowerment.
• Government Priorities and Policy Choices:

1. Review national policy choices aimed at economic growth and job creation, and their alignment with WEE goals.
2. Explore policies promoting nature-based solutions and the green and blue economy, assessing their relevance to women's informal economic engagement.

• Linkages and Trade-offs: Assess potential pathways for integrating into the informal economy with green and blue economic sectors. Identify success factors, potential trade-offs, and implications for sustainable development.
• Partnerships and Initiatives: Identify and map key actors and ongoing initiatives supporting gender-inclusive, climate-resilient economic development. This includes governments, regional organizations, the private sector, UN entities, civil society, and academia.

Expected Deliverables

The Lead Consultant will deliver the output below within a total of 120 working days over the contract period.

Payments will be made in lump-sum instalments upon written acceptance of deliverables by UN Women, in accordance with the payment schedule outlined below. 

1. Submission of Inception Report and Detailed Workplan: Provide a comprehensive inception report outlining the analytical framework, methodology, stakeholder engagement approach, risks and mitigation measures, and a detailed workplan and timeline.
2. Draft Situational Analysis Report: Provide a draft multi-country Situational Analysis covering Fiji, Kiribati, Samoa, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu, including country findings and regional synthesis. 
3. Draft Policy and Programme Recommendations Report: Provide a draft report providing country-specific and regional policy and programme recommendations, including options for scaling the Markets for Change (M4C) model. 
4. Validation Presentation and Final Consolidated Report Package: Presentation of findings and recommendations to stakeholders and submission of a final consolidated package incorporating feedback, including: final Situational Analysis, final Policy and Programme Recommendations, Executive Summary, and country policy briefs. 

The Consultant is expected to deliver the following deliverables in collaboration with the UN Women Fiji MCO Markets for Change (M4C) Team: 

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  International Consultant with background information relevant to the scope of work during the pre-assignment briefing.

The  International 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  International Consultant under the terms of this consultancy UN Women shall pay the  International 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 10 business days of submission.

The Consultant will work under the overall guidance of UN Women Fiji Multi Country Office Regional Project Manager Markets for Change and close consultation with Country Representative, Deputy Representative and National Project Coordinators. 

The consultancy envisages extensive consultations with key stakeholders.

The selected Consultant shall sign a contract with UN Women for stipulated assignment, as stated above.

Duration of the Work 

The Lead International Consultant will deliver the output below within a total of 120 working days over the contract period over 5 months period starting March 2026 or as soon as possible. 

The International Consultant is expected to allocate a minimum of 40 per cent of his/her level of effort to the Markets for Change (M4C) project over the contract period. 

Duty Station

The consultancy assignment will be home‑based, with expected travel to the Pacific Island Countries, in close consultation with the UN Women Fiji MCO Markets for Change (M4C) Team.

The International Consultant is expected to work during standard working hours along the Fiji Time Zone schedule.

Travel

As part of the official duty of this consultancy, the consultant may be expected to travel, which will be processed by UN Women, following the duty travel policy.  UN Women can only cover the air ticket cost of the International Consultant to the duty station to assume this assignment, and back to home country at the end of the assignment, up to maximum of USD$5,000.00 on a reimbursable one-time basis only. 

The payment will be processed based on the actual air ticket invoice presented by the International Consultant.

Performance Evaluation

The  International 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 consultant in instalments, upon submission and approval of deliverables set forth in Section IV above “Expected Deliverables” and certification by the UN Women Regional Project Manager, Markets for Change Project that the services have been satisfactorily performed.

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:

• Analytical and Research Skills: Ability to synthesize complex data into clear insights.
• Strategic Thinking: Translating findings into actionable recommendations.
• Planning and Organizing: Effective management of timelines and deliverables.
• Communication and Reporting: Strong written and oral presentation skills.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Ability to build trust and facilitate dialogue.
• Leadership and Supervisory Skills: Guiding teams and ensuring quality outputs.
• Problem-Solving and Decision-Making: Identifying gaps and proposing solutions.
• Cultural and Political Awareness: Sensitivity to local contexts and dynamics.
• Results Orientation: Commitment to producing actionable, measurable outputs.

Required Qualification

Education and Certifications:

• Advanced university degree (Master’s equivalent or higher) in Social Science, Public Policy, Economics, Gender Studies, Sociology, Law, Development Studies 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 (10) years (with Masters’ Degree or higher), or twelve (12) years (with first-level University Degree) of progressively responsible experience professional experience conducting gender and economic studies, particularly in women’s economic empowerment, with a strong understanding of the informal economy and its impact on women’s economic activities.
• Minimum 5-7 years of experience in conducting situational analyses or similar assessments.
• Minimum 5-7 years of proven track record in leading multi-disciplinary teams.
• Proven experience engaging with and/or established relationships with government institutions, UN agencies, and civil society organizations.
• Strong expertise in qualitative and quantitative research methodologies, including data collection, analysis, synthesis, and reporting.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze policies, laws, and strategies related to women’s economic empowerment and gender equality.
• Substantive expertise in gender studies, economics, sociology, and/or regional studies.
• Proven track record of leading or contributing to high‑quality research and assessment assignments related to gender equality and women’s rights, including at least two completed studies or reports.
• Evidence of previously completed similar assignments, including a portfolio of work and/or published reports or studies.
• Demonstrated ability to assess women’s access to productive resources, including land, finance, assets, social protection, and investments in knowledge and innovation.
• Strong analytical capacity to identify gaps, constraints, and opportunities in support systems for women and women‑owned businesses.
• Experience developing programme and project documents for the UN or other international organizations including experience with UN Women programme documents is an asset.
• Experience facilitating stakeholder consultations, workshops, and validation processes.
• Excellent analytical, drafting, and report‑writing skills, with the ability to translate complex analysis into clear, structured written outputs.
• Proven ability to communicate effectively with diverse public and non‑public stakeholders, including on sensitive gender equality issues.
• Ability to develop and use visual communication tools (e.g. infographics, summaries, presentations) to communicate findings effectively.
• Strong organizational skills, initiative, sound judgment, and ability to work independently while meeting deadlines.
• Demonstrated commitment to ethical research practices, including informed consent, confidentiality, and compliance with national laws and regulations.
• Demonstrated integrity, professionalism, cultural sensitivity, and ability to work effectively with people of diverse backgrounds, in line with UN values and standards.
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and spreadsheet and database packages, experience in handling of web-based management systems is required.

Languages:

• Fluency in both written and spoken English is required
• Knowledge of Pacific languages 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.)

How to Apply:

• Personal CV or 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).
• Only shortlisted candidates will be notified.

UN Women 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.