Background:

The United Nations System-Wide Gender Equality Acceleration Plan (GEAP), launched by the UN Secretary-General on March 8, 2024 aims to secure stronger system-wide commitment and transform how the UN system delivers for women and girls – across all entities and sectors, placing women and girls at the centre of everyone’s job – every UN leader’s responsibility, every entity’s responsibility, and a UN system collective responsibility. 

In Cameroon, the UN Country Team (UNCT) is developing the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) 2027-2031. The UNCT is committed to strengthening gender equality, promoting gender mainstreaming, human rights-based approach, and integrating a Leave No One Behind (LNOB) perspective across all outcome areas and the overall Cooperation Framework. 

The objective of this consultancy is to support the production of the UNSDCF Gender Equality Strategy and to ensure enhanced accountability of the UNCT towards gender equality and women’s empowerment, in line with UN corporate policy, while ensuring that human rights principles and LNOB are fully embedded in the Cooperation Framework. 

Under the overall supervision of the UN Country Team, in close collaboration with the RCO and the direct supervision of the UN Women Country Representative, the Consultant will undertake the following tasks, duties, and responsibilities:

Description of Responsibilities/ Scope of Work:

 The consultant will specifically be responsible for:

• Conducting a review of the UNSDCF outcome areas in line with recommendations from the Gender Scorecard and informed by the Common Country Analysis (CCA);
• Providing recommendations to strengthen gender mainstreaming in the UNSDCF overall framework and outcome documents, and supporting peer review;
• Preparing a presentation of the main recommendations, which will be used by the Resident Coordinator’s Office (RCO) and shared with partners and Member States during the UNSDCF launch workshop;
• Facilitation consultations with women ‘s network in order to capture insights for feeding the GEWE strategy.
• Producing the Gender Strategy of the UNSDCF as well as an action plan with indicators and budget. Methodology The methodology will include:
• Desk review of existing documentation
• In-depth interviews and focus group discussions with key informants in the country, including representatives from government entities, academia, and civil society organizations
• Online meetings with stakeholders, as needed, to collect data and hold consultations with key informants.

Expected deliverables

Competencies :

A national consultant will undertake the study. The consultant will ensure the right mix of expertise, knowledge of the national context and expert knowledge of gender issues in general and gender statistics in particular.

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:

• Excellent facilitation and communication skills, including excellent experience in research and data collection.
• Extensive studies and gender analysis experience with UN agencies and programmes.
• Strong knowledge of issues concerning development frameworks, violence against women, women’s human rights, women’s economic empowerment, gender equality in climate change, women’s leadership and political participation.
• A good understanding of UNCT/UNSDCF and gender mainstreaming as well as human rights based approach
• Good understanding of the context of Cameroon in general

Required Qualifications

▪Advanced university degree in gender studies, international development, law, women’s rights, economics or related disciplines is required; a PhD is an asset.
▪Minimum of 15 years of demonstrated extensive experience that combines research and programs in gender and international development at the national and international level is required.
▪Experience in writing gender related reports/publications targeting policy makers to advocate for GEWE in Cameroon, specific experience in any the following areas: violence against women, women’s human rights, women’s economic empowerment, gender equality in climate change, women’s leadership and political participation will be an advantage.
▪Track record of publications on gender issues in peer reviewed journals.
▪Knowledge of socio-cultural, economic, and geopolitical contexts of Cameroon.
▪Excellent writing and analytical skills.

Languages:

• Fluency in English and French is required.
• Knowledge of any other UN official language 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.)

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.