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.

In Uzbekistan, in line with its global Strategic Plan 2026–2029, UN Women works towards the overarching goal that “women and girls, including those at greatest risk of being left behind, fully exercise their human rights, enjoy a life free from violence and discrimination, and lead, influence, and benefit from sustainable and inclusive socioeconomic development towards the advancement of gender equality in Uzbekistan.” UN Women operates in four thematic areas: (i) governance and participation in public life; (ii) women’s economic empowerment; (iii) ending violence against women and girls; and (iv) women, peace and security, humanitarian action, and disaster risk reduction. In line with its coordination mandate, UN Women promotes coherence and coordination across the UN system to enhance accountability and results for gender equality and women’s empowerment, including through joint programming and advocacy, as well as standardized tools, guidance, and services to strengthen the capacities of the UN system.

Within the framework of the “Women’s Economic Empowerment in Uzbekistan” project, the intervention will contribute to the achievement of the goals set out in the New Uzbekistan Development Strategy 2022–2026, the “Uzbekistan–2030” Strategy, and the Strategy for Achieving Gender Equality in Uzbekistan 2020–2030, developed in alignment with the Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On Guarantees of Equal Rights and Opportunities for Women and Men” (LRU No. 562). The proposed Action contributes to several strategic objectives, including: (i) ensuring equal rights and opportunities for women and men in employment, the creation of decent jobs, the development of women’s entrepreneurship, and expanded access of women to credit from commercial banks; (ii) promoting improved health literacy in family planning and strengthened reproductive health, as well as healthy lifestyles; and (iii) strengthening families and shared responsibility among family members.

The overall objective (impact) of the Project is to create an inclusive economic environment in which women can participate equally in the economy and labour force of Uzbekistan, free from the constraints of gender stereotypes and harmful social norms. This entails addressing deep-rooted gender biases that limit women’s opportunities and potential. By promoting gender equality in the workplace, enhancing access to education and vocational training, supporting women’s entrepreneurship, and strengthening family planning and care-related services, the Project aims to enable women to secure decent work and grow their businesses, thereby increasing their economic independence and contributing to the country’s economic growth and social development.

Implemented jointly with UNFPA and UNICEF, the Project comprises of the following 2 Outcomes/Special Objectives related to UN Women and 5 Outputs under Objective 1, and 2 Outputs jointly with UNFPA under Objective 2:

• Outcome/ Specific Objective 1: Women in the target regions, including women with disabilities, have improved access to enabling services, resources, and opportunities for decent work, entrepreneurship, and economic participation. 
  • Output 1.1. Stakeholders have access to evidence-based knowledge on the entrepreneurship ecosystem, labor market needs, and family-friendly policies to inform gender-responsive planning and service provision. 
  • Output 1.2. Women and girls in the target regions gain market-relevant hard and soft skills through vocational, digital, and life skills training to enhance their employability and economic participation. 
  • Output 1.3. Women in the target regions have improved access to business development, self-employment, and decent work opportunities through tailored financial services, skills matching, and entrepreneurship support 
  • Output 1.4. Public and private sector partners have strengthened capacity to integrate gender equality into business practices, investment decisions, and procurement processes 
  • Output 1.5. Institutional capacity is strengthened to generate, analyse, and use gender data and evidence to inform policies and investments on women’s economic empowerment and the care economy. 
• Outcome/Specific Objective 2: Positive shifts in societal perceptions of gender stereotypes and harmful social norms contribute to the realization of women’s rights and increased participation of women in the workforce.
  • Output 2.1. The evidence base on societal perceptions, gender stereotypes, and harmful social norms is strengthened to inform targeted gender-transformative interventions.
  • Output 2.3. Public awareness and understanding of harmful gender norms and stereotypes are strengthened to foster positive shifts in attitudes toward gender equality, equitable gender roles, and reproductive rights.

Under the Supervision of Programme Analyst and the overall guidance of the Country Director – The Women’s Economic Empowerment Consultant will provide technical and coordination support in designing, implementing, and monitoring programme activities.

Description of Responsibilities /Scope of Work

1. Provide technical and coordination support for the Women’s Entrepreneurship EXPO:
   • Provide technical inputs to the design, concept, and programme of the Women’s Entrepreneurship EXPO to ensure it promotes women-led business development, market linkages, and networking, and is aligned with UN Women standards and WEE priorities.
   • Support the identification and coordination of key stakeholders, including women entrepreneurs, business associations, financial institutions, government counterparts, development partners, and private sector actors.
   • Support the procurement/partner selection process for event organizations and service providers, as required.
   • Coordinate preparation of agendas, session content, speaker profiles, exhibitor selection, and communication materials.
   • Support documentation of the EXPO outcomes, including participation data, partnership opportunities, good practices, and recommendations for follow-up actions.
2. Support implementation and content development for gender-responsive financial services for women entrepreneurs:
   • Provide technical inputs to the assessment of existing financial products and services from a gender perspective.
   • Support the development and adaptation of guidelines, tools, and training materials on gender-responsive financial services for financial institutions, business support organizations, and women entrepreneurs.
   • Coordinate consultations and capacity-building activities with commercial banks, microfinance institutions, regulators, and relevant CSOs.
   • Support monitoring of pilot initiatives and collection of feedback from women entrepreneurs on access, usability, and impact of financial services.
   • Contribute to analysis and reporting on results and lessons learned.
3. Support job matching and employment facilitation for women graduates of skills training 
   • Provide technical support to the design and implementation of job matching mechanisms linking women graduates with private sector employers.
   • Coordinate collaboration with training providers, employment services, business associations, and companies to identify vacancies, internships, and apprenticeship opportunities.
   • Support organization of job fairs, career guidance sessions, and employer engagement events.
   • Contribute to tracking employment outcomes, placement rates, and retention, and support documentation of success stories and challenges.
4. Support expansion of the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) programme and private sector engagement
   • Provide technical inputs to outreach strategies to promote WEPs adoption among national and local companies.
   • Support identification, engagement, and capacity-building of WEPs signatories to strengthen gender equality in workplace policies and practices.
   • Assist in development of sensitization and guidance materials for companies on gender-responsive HR policies, equal pay, safe workplaces, and work–life balance.
   • Coordinate with chambers of commerce, business associations, and employer networks to scale up private sector commitment.
   • Support monitoring of corporate commitments and documentation of progress, good practices, and challenges.
5. Support to Knowledge Management, Coordination, and Reporting
   • Contribute to the development of  Terms of References, guidance notes, tools and knowledge products relating to women's economic empowerment, entrepreneurship, access to finance, employment and private sector engagement.
   • Support collection and analysis of activity-based monitoring data and provide inputs to narrative and donor reports.
   • Document lessons learned and contribute to post-activity evaluations and improvement measures.
   • Compile and synthesize findings, feedback, and recommendations from key activities, including the EXPO, financial services initiatives, job matching mechanisms, and WEPs-related events.
   • Support coordination meetings with government counterparts, private sector partners, and development partners by preparing technical inputs, summaries, and follow-up actions.
   • Ensure that gender-responsive and results-based recommendations are reflected in implementation, monitoring, and reporting of project outputs.

Payments will be made monthly, based on the provision of timesheets and supporting deliverables approved by the UN Women Programme Analyst, who shall confirm Consultant’s work is completed and eligible for payment. The total duration of the contract is a maximum of 100 working days until 31 December 2027.

Consultant’s Workplace and Official Travel

This is a home-based assignment with travels to project provinces if needed. UN Women Uzbekistan will cover the organization and the costs of the consultant’s travel as per UN Women’s rules and regulations. 

Mandatory Training Courses:

The Consultant shall complete all the mandatory and other required UN training courses and modules on time. The certificates shall be submitted to the supervisor.

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:

• Demonstrated knowledge of women’s economic empowerment (such as women’s entrepreneurship, access to finance, employability, labor market policies, and private sector engagement) including familiarity with gender-responsive financial services, job matching mechanisms, and the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs).
• Proven ability to support planning, coordination, and delivery of multi-stakeholder activities, including events, capacity-building programmes, and partnerships with government, private sector, civil society, and development partners.
• Ability to effectively engage and coordinate with a wide range of stakeholders, including line ministries, financial institutions, business associations, chambers of commerce, training providers, employers, and women’s organizations.
• Ability to collect, analyse, and synthesize quantitative and qualitative data, prepare high-quality analytical and narrative reports, and contribute to results-based management and donor reporting.
• Strong skills in drafting technical documents, guidance notes, and knowledge products, and in presenting complex information clearly for diverse audiences.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks, meet deadlines, and deliver high-quality outputs under minimal supervision.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English and Uzbek (Russian as an asset), with the ability to facilitate meetings, workshops, and consultations with diverse stakeholders.

Education and Certification:

• Master’s degree in economics, gender studies, development studies, or a related field
• 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:

• At least 7 years of progressively responsible experience in women’s economic empowerment, livelihood recovery, or employment-related programming.
• Proven experience in designing and/or implementing skills mapping, gap analyses, and financial literacy or vocational training programmes.
• Experience working with public institutions, private sector, and CSOs on women’s economic empowerment.
• Demonstrated ability to apply gender-responsive approaches in the design and delivery of services, ensuring that interventions are centered on the needs, priorities, and empowerment of women beneficiaries.
• Experience with results-based management, reporting, and monitoring tools is an asset.

Languages:

• Fluency in English and Uzbek is required, knowledge of Russian as an asset
• Relevant education and academic background (20%)
• Proven technical expertise and work experience in economic empowerment (30%)
• Experience in stakeholder coordination, especially with public institutions and CSOs (20%)
• Experience with results-based management, reporting, and monitoring tools (10%)
• Demonstrated knowledge of gender equality principles, as well as experience of applying economic and gender-responsive approaches to the design and implementation of women's economic empowerment. (10%)
• Fluency in English or Uzbek (10%)

Candidates will be evaluated based on the following:

• Relevant education and academic background (20%)
• Proven technical expertise and work experience in economic empowerment (30%)
• Experience in stakeholder coordination, especially with public institutions and CSOs (20%)
• Experience with results-based management, reporting, and monitoring tools (10%)
• Demonstrated knowledge of gender equality principles, as well as experience of applying economic and gender-responsive approaches to the design and implementation of women's economic empowerment. (10%)
• Fluency in English or Uzbek (10%)

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.