I. 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 Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (ROAP) addresses gender equality and women’s empowerment (GEWE) challenges in the Asia-Pacific region, including deeply embedded discriminatory social norms and practices that perpetuate inequalities based on gender and other intersectional identities (e.g. ethnicity, class, region, age, disability, migratory status, and sexual orientation and gender identity, among others). In line with its triple mandate the ROAP works across the following areas: Inter-governmental support, Women’s leadership and political participation, Gender-responsive Governance (including on Gender Statistics); Women’s Economic Empowerment,  Ending Violence Against Women; Women, Peace and Security; and Humanitarian Action. Additionally, the ROAP is engaged in UN Coordination to advance gender equality and women’s empowerment. Covering 42 countries within Asia and the Pacific, it exercises its triple mandate and functions at a regional level and in support of UN Women’s offices and UN Country Teams in 24 countries across the region. ROAP also oversees and manages three non-physical presence offices.

Under the supervision of the Regional Coordination Specialist, the consultant will be responsible for providing technical support on the engagement of ROAP units and country presences on intergovernmental and other normative processes in line with government accountabilities, and for providing support for building partnerships with governments, inter-governmental bodies, UN, civil society, private sector, multi- and bi-lateral donors on these processes.

Additionally, he/she will provide technical and capacity development support to UN Women Multi/Country offices/non-physical presences on state party accountabilities (including their monitoring and reporting obligations and processes), and on the role of the UN and integration in UN strategic planning frameworks. He/she will also support the office’s resource mobilization in consultation with the ROAP Regional Strategic Partnerships Advisor, and knowledge-building efforts.

II. Description of Responsibilities /Scope of Work

Under the guidance and direct supervision of the Regional Coordination Specialist, the consultant will be responsible for the following: 

1. Provide high-quality technical and policy advisory support.

• Provision of technical and policy advisory support to Regional Office management in support of UN Women’s normative mandate.
• Draft policy documents, briefs and other strategic papers/ materials for the use in the development and presentation of positions linked to the same.
• Identification of areas for support, approaches and interventions on normative processes.
• Provide technical support and/or provide quality control  for regional and country level interventions to engage in normative processes;
• Review and provide feedback to project/ program strategies and documents, workplans based on UN women’s normative mandate, as needed. 

2. Support ROAP units and offices and partners on GEWE related normative commitments including through Human Rights treaty body reporting mechanisms and special procedures (and other intergovernmental processes), and multi-stakeholder initiatives/convenings for the promotion of state obligations on GEWE:

• Act as the ROAP focal point for normative work and engagement of ROAP units,  offices and partners in regional and global intergovernmental/multi-stakeholder fora, including in relation to the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination (CEDAW), the Beijing Platform for Action reviews, the Universal Periodic Reviews, the annual sessions of the Commission of the Status of Women (CSW) (global level and regional consultations), the Agenda 2030 and Sustainable Development Goals, and other relevant international platforms and processes (at global, regional and country levels).
• Provide advisory and technical support to ROAP units and country presences on Human Rights treaty body mechanisms and special procedures, to facilitate their effective support to/or engagement in intergovernmental and multi-stakeholder initiatives/convenings.
• Support ROAP units and country presences in providing and/or coordinate substantive inputs to UN Country Team (UNCT) Confidential reports and/or other reporting processes/mechanisms as needed. 
• Support capacity building of ROAP units and country presences, UNCTs and partners as needed, to ensure that they can meaningfully engage on normative processes, by leveraging such mechanisms as the Issue Based Coalition on Promoting Human Rights and GEWE, the Asia Pacific Sustainable Development Forums and other platforms. 
• Build, manage, and expand relationships with national and regional partners to advocate for enforcement of international standards and norms on GEWE, including by designing and implementing joint actions and initiatives, and by advising on and supporting targeted engagements with key partners through intergovernmental and multi-stakeholder spaces/initiatives.
• Ensure meaningful engagement of diverse Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), representative of women and girls in all their diversity, in regional and global events/convenings.
• Identify areas for joint interventions and advocacy in partnership with UN agencies, international/regional inter-governmental bodies etc. in collaboration with ROAP units and country presences.
• Keep the ROAP units and offices abreast of relevant intergovernmental/multi-stakeholder events and discussions.
• Provide substantive inputs to resource mobilization actions supporting the intergovernmental and normative engagement.
• Participate in events, as delegated.

3. Inter-Agency Coordination Support

• Provide substantive support to ROAP management and country presences on UN inter-agency coordination related activities, including, but not limited to Regional Consultative Platform.
• Provide substantive inputs to CCA/ UNSDCF and other documents analyzing and researching the political, social and economic situation in the country/region, and mapping of GEWE-related normative issues based on findings and recommendations of normative review processes and Human Rights treaty body mechanisms and special procedures, ensuring that GEWE concerns are clearly captured to support their mainstreaming in these processes.

• Support the preparation of analytical and regular progress reports on UN Women’s experiences in support of its inter-agency coordination role.

4. Support knowledge-building efforts

• Manage the process of identifying and synthesizing of best practices and lessons learned that are directly linked to the ROAP’s normative efforts and/or inter-agency coordination and contribute to their global dissemination.
• Prepare substantive briefs on possible areas of cooperation with key partners, in support of the ROAP’s normative efforts.
• Facilitate the development of analytical knowledge products on regional progress on normative commitments to advance GEWE, in close consultation with the Regional Gender Statistics Specialist. 
• Review and provide feedback to project/ program related knowledge products and publications, as needed.

Monthly progress reports outlining work completed during the reporting period (including guidance, presentations, talking points, tools, reports, and other concrete outputs) shall be submitted to the Regional Coordination Specialist, UN Women Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, for approval. Payments will be made upon approval of these reports. The consultant will report to the Regional Coordination Specialist and will be supported by the Programme Associate, who will serve as the focal point for contract and payment matters.

Consultant’s Workplace and Official Travel

This is an office-based consultancy, based in Bangkok, Thailand. 

As part of this assignment, there may be travel related to the scope of work, which will be paid for separately in accordance with UN Women’s travel policy. The consultant is expected to travel. 

III. 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:

• Solid understanding of women’s human rights issues.
• Good knowledge of mechanisms for advancing normative commitments on GEWE including Human Rights treaty body mechanisms and special procedures. 
• Ability to advocate and provide policy advice on women’s human rights issues.
• Ability to support corporate and UN strategic planning, results-based management and reporting.
• Ability to support formulation, implementation, monitoring and reporting of development programs and projects.
• Ability to formulate and manage budgets, manage contributions and investments, manage transactions, conduct financial analysis, reporting and cost-recovery.
• Strong interpersonal and communication (verbal, listening, writing) skills.
• Ability to build strong relationships with diverse stakeholders focused on impact and results for target beneficiaries. 
• Ability to work under pressure within strict deadlines.

IV. Required Qualifications

Education and Certification:

Education:

1. Master's degree (or equivalent) in Human Rights Law, International Development, Gender, Political Sciences is required.
2. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
3. A project/program management certification would be an added advantage

Experience:

1. 5 years of progressive experience working in support of normative intergovernmental processes.
2. Technical and capacity building experience in the field of gender and/or human rights of women.
3. 3-5 years of progressive experience at the national or international level in design, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development projects.
4. Prior experience in the UN System and working on UN System coordination is also desirable.
5. Experience in partnership building with development stakeholders including national governments, international organizations and other UN entities.
6. Experience in leading and coordinating teams effectively is an asset.
7. Experience in the Asia-Pacific region would be advantageous.

Languages:

1. Language proficiency in English required.
2. Knowledge of the other UN official working language is an asset.

V. Payment

The consultant is expected to work 20 days a month based in Thailand, and a monthly rate will be paid upon satisfactory completion of tasks that will be summarized in a monthly report.

UN Women will cover travel and related visa and terminal fees for Thailand duty station.  The cost of accommodation will be responsible by the selected consultant.

Should the consultant be required to travel outside the duty station, UN Women will prepare the travel arrangement for the consultant separately.

VI. How to Apply 

• Application letter explaining your interest in the consultancy and why you are a suitable candidate for the consultancy position. 
• List of 3 professional references that can be contacted.

*Applicants who have been shortlisted will be asked for any other materials relevant to pre-assessing the relevance of their experience, 2-3 relevant writing samples. These samples must have been authored by the applicant. Alternatively, the applicant should be able to show that they led in the drafting of the same, copy of biodata page of national passport and copy of the highest education certificate.

VII. 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.

VIII. 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.