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.

UN Women leads and supports the UN system in advancing gender equality and the empowerment of women, with the aim of improving the lives of women and girls. The UN Women Moldova Country Office Strategic Note is the main planning framework guiding UN Women’s normative, coordination and operational work in Moldova. This evaluation will assess the Strategic Note for 2023-2027 to inform strategic learning and decision-making for the next programming cycle. The Strategic Note is aligned with relevant national strategies and international commitments on gender equality, ending violence against women, and the Women, Peace and Security agenda, and it contributes to Moldova’s progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals.

Despite improvements in the legal and policy framework, gender equality outcomes remain uneven. Persistent gaps include limited enforcement and resourcing of commitments, weak accountability mechanisms and coordination, and continued barriers for women—especially those facing multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination—to access justice, services, education, decent work and leadership opportunities. Persisting gender inequalities are driven by discriminatory gender norms and stereotypes, alongside limited accountability and insufficient use of temporary special measures where needed. Women remain underrepresented in some decision-making spaces, particularly where quota mechanisms do not apply. Unpaid care and domestic work continue to limit women’s economic participation. Women spend more time on unpaid domestic and care work than men (20.1% vs. 11.3%), and limited childcare availability remains a commonly cited constraint. In 2025 (Q3), labour force participation was 44.9% overall, with 39.9% for women and 51.1% for men (ages 15+). Gender-based violence remains widespread and continues to undermine women’s rights and well-being. In Moldova, 25% of ever-partnered women and girls (18–74) reported intimate partner violence in the 12 months prior to the 2018 survey, and 73% reported experiencing IPV since age 15. While reporting and protective measures have improved, underreporting persists due to stigma, financial dependence, limited services, mistrust and fear, and lack of recognition of what constitutes violence.

UN WOMEN MOLDOVA STRATEGIC NOTE (SN) 2023–2027

SN Theory of Change

The SN theory of change assumes that GEWE will advance if (i) institutions deliver human rights-based and gender-responsive services—especially for those most often left behind, (ii) governance becomes more accountable and inclusive, (iii) economic development expands access to decent work, and (iv) state and non-state actors coordinate commitments across the humanitarian–development–peace nexus. By 2027, this should contribute to women and girls, including the most marginalized, enjoying rights in a secure environment and participating in an inclusive society free from violence and harmful norms.

UN Women Triple Mandate in Moldova 

1. Normative work: to support inter-governmental bodies, such as the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) and the General Assembly, in their formulation of policies, global standards and norms. Examples include supporting the elaboration of the 7th CEDAW periodic report and CSO shadow report; developing and advocating for legal and policy frameworks on VAWG aligned with the Istanbul Convention; supporting implementation of national strategies on gender equality, VAW/DV, and UNSCR 1325 (all 2023–2027); leading support on implementation and monitoring of the 2020 CEDAW Concluding Observations and Beijing +30 National Review; and working with national stakeholders (MLSP, Ministries of Economy and Education) to draft normative acts on equal pay, childcare services, and combating sexual harassment in universities, drawing on international good practice. 
2. Coordination work: entails both work to promote the accountability of the United Nations system on gender equality and empowerment of women (GEEW), including regular monitoring of system-wide progress, and more broadly mobilizing and convening key stakeholders to ensure greater coherence and gender mainstreaming across the UN. Here, UN Women CO lead of UNCT Gender Thematic Group (GTG), co-leading the UNCT-SWAP gender scorecard exercise and monitoring implementation of the action plan. Co-lead participation in UNCT joint advocacy, Common Country Analysis (CCA) updates, resource mobilization and joint programmes. Member of the UN Country Team (UNCT)Chair of UNSDCF/UNDAF Results Group 3; co-chair of Results Group 2, Consultations with Civil Society Advisory Group (CSAG), Member of Operations Management Team (OMT), Member of UN Communications Group, Chair of M&E / MEL Group.
3. Operational work: to help Member States to implement international standards and to forge effective partnerships with civil society. The main interventions undertaken across three mandate areas under the Moldova Country Office (CO) Strategic Note 2023-2027 include:

The list of interventions under the Strategic Note 2023-2027 period includes the following:

UN Women’s Strategic Note supports the following UNSDCF Outcomes:

1. SN Outcome 1(SP outcome 3, 4,6/ UNSDCF Outcome 1): Institutions deliver human rights-based, evidence-informed and gender-responsive services for all, with a focus on those who are left behind.UN Women supports institutions and partners to deliver human rights-based, evidence-informed and gender-responsive services, with particular attention to women and girls most often left behind. The work strengthens women’s voice and agency in policy and service design and supports implementation of international commitments (including CEDAW, CSW and Beijing) and the localization of Istanbul Convention standards to prevent and respond to violence against women. Support includes strengthening the capacities and tools of service providers and women-led CSOs to deliver coordinated, survivor-centred, multi-sectoral services and to promote prevention through positive social norms and engagement of men and youth.
2. SN outcome 2 (SP outcome 1,2,5,6/ UNSDCF Outcome 2): A more accountable, transparent human rights-based and gender-responsive governance empowers all people in Moldova to participate in and to contribute to development processes. UN Women supports more accountable, transparent and gender-responsive governance by strengthening women’s meaningful participation and leadership in decision-making and public life. This includes support to women candidates and elected women, efforts to prevent and address violence against women in politics, and technical assistance to strengthen gender mainstreaming in laws, policies and budgets. UN Women also supports national and local institutions to produce, use and share quality sex-disaggregated data to inform policy and monitor progress, including for EVAW and unpaid care work. At central and local level UN Women CO support the Government authorities to increase capacity to develop and implement gender-responsive legal and regulatory frameworks, policies and budgets and in advancing on EU accession process, following the granting of the candidacy status. Moreover, support central and local institutions capacities to produce, share and utilize quality sex-disaggregated data in line with national priorities.
3. SN Outcome 3 (SP outcome 1, 2, 4, 6 / UNSDCF Outcome 3): All people in Moldova, especially the most vulnerable, benefit from inclusive, competitive and sustainable economic development and have equal access to decent work and productive employment. UN Women advances women’s economic empowerment and inclusive, sustainable economic development through a mix of policy support and partnerships that expand women’s access to decent work and productive livelihoods. The Strategic Note focuses on reducing and redistributing unpaid care work (including through improved care policies and services), strengthening women’s skills and access to resources and markets (including in green economy opportunities), and promoting gender equality in the private sector through initiatives such as the Women’s Empowerment Principles.

4. SN Outcome 4(SP outcome 5/ UNSDCF Outcome 2): State and non-state actors coordinate and deliver commitments on gender equality and women's empowerment across the humanitarian-development-peace nexus. Under Outcome 4, UN Women leverages its coordination mandate to strengthen coherence and accountability for GEWE across the humanitarian–development–peace nexus. The CO supports Government, CSOs and UN partners to coordinate and deliver commitments on gender equality and women’s empowerment in humanitarian response, development planning and peacebuilding, including in relation to refugee response and social cohesion. Support also advances the Women, Peace and Security agenda through implementation of UNSCR 1325 commitments and inclusive platforms for women’s participation.

COUNTRY PORTFOLIO EVALUATION: PURPOSE, OBJECTIVES AND USE 

Evaluation in UN Women is guided by the normative agreements described below to be gender-responsive and utilizes the entity’s strategic plan as a starting point for identifying the expected outcomes and impacts of its work and for measuring progress towards the achievement of results. The evaluation will adhere to the the UNEG Norms and Standards (2016), the UNEG Ethical Guidelines (2020) and UNWomen Evaluation Policy and Handbook, observing the principles of integrity, accountability, respect and beneficence. 

Country Portfolio Evaluation (CPE) is a systematic assessment of the contributions made by UN Women to development results with respect to gender equality at the country level. The UN Women portfolio responds to three core mandates, which include normative, operation and coordination work. The CPE focuses on their individual and combined success in advancing gender equality in Moldova. It uses the Strategic Note as the main point of reference.

The evaluation will be gender-responsive, meaning that both the process and analysis apply the key principles of a human rights-based approach. It will analyze the underlying structural barriers and socio-cultural norms that impede the realization of women’s rights. The evaluation design will apply Good practices in gender-responsive evaluations and a suitable approach to assess the type, effectiveness and the quality of gender-transformative results achieved.

This CPE is being commissioned by the UN Women Independent Evaluation Service in close collaboration with UN Women Moldova Country Office as a primarily formative (forward-looking) evaluation to support the Country Office and national stakeholders’ strategic learning and decision-making for the next Strategic Note, due to be developed in 2027. The evaluation is expected to have a secondary summative (backwards-looking) perspective, to support enhanced accountability for development effectiveness and learning from experience.

The primary intended users of this evaluation are:

• UN Women Moldova CO, Regional ECA Office, and UN Women HQ
• Target groups, their households and community members, programme/project partners
• National government institutions
• Civil society representatives
• Donors and development partners
• UN Country Team and GTG

Primary intended uses of this evaluation are:

• Learning and improved decision-making to support the development of the next Moldova CO’s Strategic Note 2028-2032;
• Accountability for the development effectiveness of the CO Strategic Note 2023-2027 in terms of UN Women’s CO contribution to gender equality and women’s empowerment.
• Capacity development and mobilization of national stakeholders to advance gender equality and the empowerment of women.

The evaluation has the following specific objectives:

• Assess the relevance of UN Women Moldova CO contribution to the intervention at national levels and alignment with international agreements and conventions on gender equality and women’s empowerment.
• Assess effectiveness and organizational efficiency in progressing towards the achievement of gender equality and women’s empowerment in Moldova as defined in the Strategic Note.
• Support the UN Women Moldova CO to improve its strategic positioning to better support the achievement of sustained gender equality and women’s empowerment.
• Analyze how human rights approach and gender equality principles are integrated in the design and implementation of the Strategic Note.
• Identify and validate lessons learned, good practices and examples of innovation that support gender equality and human rights.
• Provide insights into the extent to which the UN Women Moldova CO has realized synergies between its three mandates (normative, coordination and operations).
• Provide actionable recommendations with respect to the development of the next UN Women Moldova CO Strategic Note.

4.1 Purpose

The CPE is a systematic assessment of UN Women’s contribution to development results for gender equality at country level, covering UN Women’s normative, coordination, and operational mandates. It is commissioned by UN Women Independent Evaluation Service (IES) in close collaboration with UN Women Moldova CO and is primarily formative (forward-looking), with a secondary summative (backward-looking) perspective.

4.2 Intended Users

• UN Women Moldova CO, Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia (ECA), and UN Women HQ
• Target groups, households, and community members; programme/project partners
• National government institutions
• Civil society organizations (CSOs)
• Donors and development partners
• UN Country Team (UNCT) and Gender Thematic Group (GTG)

4.3 Intended Uses

• Learning and decision-making: inform development of the next Strategic Note (2028–2032).
• Accountability: assess development effectiveness of the Strategic Note 2023–2027.
• Capacity development: support mobilization of national stakeholders to advance GEWE.

4.4 Evaluation Objectives

• Assess relevance of UN Women Moldova CO’s contribution at national level and alignment with international agreements and conventions on GEWE.
• Assess effectiveness and organizational efficiency in progressing towards GEWE results defined in the Strategic Note.
• Support improved strategic positioning of the CO for sustained GEWE outcomes.
• Analyze integration of human rights and gender equality principles in design and implementation.
• Identify and validate lessons learned, good practices, and innovation.
• Assess synergies across UN Women’s normative, coordination, and operational mandates.
• Provide actionable recommendations for the next Strategic Note.

EVALUATION CRITERIA AND KEY QUESTIONS

The evaluation will apply five OECD/DAC evaluation criteria (relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency, and sustainability) and Human Rights and Gender Equality as an additional criterion. The evaluation will seek to answer the following key evaluation questions and sub-questions: 

Relevance: Is the CO doing the right things?

• Is the portfolio aligned with national policies and international human rights norms?
• Is the choice of partners most relevant to the situation of women and marginalized groups?
• Is the design of the Strategic Note and interventions most relevant to the context of Moldova?
• How can the relevance be sustained in the next Strategic Note in a context of changing governments’ and donor priorities and shrinking funds for gender equality and women’s empowerment?

Coherence: How well do the interventions fit?​

Internal coherence:​

• Are the interventions achieving synergies within the UN Women portfolio?
• Is the balance and coherence between programming- operational, coordination and policy‐normative work optimal?
• What should be strengthened in the new Moldova Country Office Strategic Note? 

External coherence:​

• Are interventions achieving synergies with the work of other key partners?
• Is the Country Office able to strategically position itself and leverage its coordination mandate on gender equality in the country? 
• What are the key results of UN and external coordination and what are the challenges? What should be the priorities in the next Strategic Note?
• To what extent have lessons learned been shared with or informed global normative work and other country offices? What contribution is UN Women making to implementing global norms and standards for gender equality and the empowerment of women?

Efficiency: Are we doing things right?​

• To what extent does the management structure support efficiency for implementation and achieving the output results?
• Does the organization have access to the necessary skills, knowledge and capacities needed to deliver to portfolio?
• Has a results-based management system been established and implemented?
• How effective are Country Office’s own resource mobilization strategies? 
• How is the UN Women Moldova Country Office adjusting its focus and setting new priorities?

Effectiveness: Are the things we are doing working?

• Are interventions contributing to the expected outcomes? For who?
• What unexpected outcomes (positive and negative) have been achieved? For whom?
• What has been the contribution of UN Women to the progress of the achievement of outcomes?
• What are the main enabling and hindering factors of observed outcomes?
• What are programmatic strengths that the Moldova Country Office should leverage in future Strategic Note or unexplored areas that should be introduced?

Human Rights and Gender Equality: Do women, girls and most vulnerable benefit?

• Is the portfolio addressing the root causes of gender inequality social norms? How it supports the most vulnerable?
• To what extent is the portfolio changing the dynamics of power in relationships between different groups, including backlash on gender equality?
• Is the design tailored to target the underlying causes of gender inequality and address LNOB principle?
• To what extent is disability inclusion embedded across the activities within the threefold mandate?

Sustainability: Will the changes last?

• To what extent was capacity developed in order to ensure sustainability of efforts and benefits?
• Is there national ownership and are there national champions for different parts of the portfolio?
• What local accountability and oversight systems have been established?

The evaluation will not consider impact (as defined by OECD-DAC) as it is considered too premature to assess impact level results. 

EVALUATION SCOPE

The period covered by the evaluation will be 2023-2025 and the bi-annual plans for 2026-2027. The CPE will focus on all activities undertaken by the CO under the Strategic Note, including general support to normative policy and UN coordination. Programmatic work will be considered in relation to the thematic areas established by the UN Women Strategic Plan 2022-2025. 

As big share of activities takes place around the country at districts level, the evaluators might be expected to visit several sites during the field mission in Moldova, in case situation will allow internal movements and onsite data collection. Joint programs and initiatives are within the scope of this evaluation. Where joint programmes are included in the analysis, the evaluation will consider both the specific contribution of UN Women, and the additional benefits and costs from working through a joint modality.

It should be noted the UN Women in Moldova provides direct support to UN Women operations in Belarus. This CPE does not cover the work in Belarus; however, it may explore this role as part of a wider assessment of efficiency and effectiveness.

The evaluation team is expected to undertake a rapid evaluability assessment in the inception phase of the evaluation. This should include the following:

1. An assessment of the relevance, appropriateness and coherence of the implicit or explicit theory of change, strengthening or reconstructing it where necessary through a stakeholder workshop;
2. An assessment of the quality of performance indicators in the DRF and OEEF, and the accessibility and adequacy of relevant documents and secondary data;
3. A review of the conduciveness of the context for the evaluation;
4. Ensuring familiarity with accountability and management structures for the evaluation.

EVALUATION DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY

UN Women evaluations are gender-responsive meaning that both the process and analysis apply the key principles of a human rights-based approach: they are inclusive, participatory, ensure fair power relations, and transparent; and they analyze the underlying structural barriers and socio-cultural norms that impede the realization of women’s rights. UN Women evaluations are also utilization-focused, which means that it will be tailored to the needs of the organization through a participatory approach from the inception through to the development of recommendations, which will facilitate production of a useful evaluation.

The evaluation will be based on gender and human rights principles and adhere to the the UNEG Norms and Standards (2016), the UNEG Ethical Guidelines (2020) and UN Women Evaluation Policy and Handbook.

The evaluation is expected to be informed by the relevant evaluations conducted during the strategic note period, namely:

• EU 4 Gender Equality: Together Against Gender Stereotypes and Gender-based Violence — Final Evaluation of the Regional Joint Programme
• Evaluation Report: Strengthened Gender Action in Cahul and Ungheni Districts (EVA Project)
• Evaluation of the project: Building sustainable and inclusive peace, strengthening trust and social cohesion in Moldova
• UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2022-2026 independent evaluation.
• Regional Evaluation of UN Women’s Support for Capacity Development of Partners to Respond to the Needs of Women and Girls in Europe and Central Asia
• Evaluation of UN Women’s Work on Gender-Responsive Budgeting in the Europe and Central Asia Region 
• Previous CPE (2022)

Where constraints create limitations in the data that can be collected, these limitations should be understood and generalizing findings should be avoided where a strong sample has not been used. In addition, cultural aspects that could impact the collection of data should be analyzed and integrated into data collection methods and tools. Evaluators are expected to include adequate time for testing data collection tools. The preliminary findings obtained through the data collection process should be validated through stakeholder workshops with evaluation management and reference groups towards the end of the primary data collection stage.

The evaluation will use a theory-based design. The performance of the country portfolio will be assessed according to the theory of change stated in the Strategic Note 2023-2027. To achieve sufficient depth, the evaluation will analyze coordination, and normative support and programmatic activities of the Country Office around the thematic areas stated in the UN Women Strategic Plan 2022-2025.

The evaluation will undertake a desk-based portfolio analysis that includes a synthesis of secondary results data for the Development Results Framework (see Annex 1) and the Organizational Effectiveness and Efficiency Framework (see Annex 2) of the Country Office. It will cover all activities undertaken by the Country Office.

The portfolio analysis will be triangulated through a mixed methods approach that will include:

1. Desk review of additional documentary evidence.
2. Consultation with all main stakeholder groups; and
3. An independent assessment of development effectiveness using Contribution Analysis.

The evaluation is expected to apply a gender responsive approach to assessing the contribution of UN Women to development effectiveness. It should identify expected and unexpected changes in target and affected groups. It is anticipated that the evaluation will apply process tracing to identify the mechanisms of change and the probable contributions of UN Women.

The evaluation is expected to assess the strategic position of UN Women. It is anticipated that mixed qualitative/quantitative cases of different target groups will be developed, compared. The evaluation team will identify which factors, and which combinations of factors, are most frequently associated with a higher contribution of UN Women to expected and unexpected outcomes.

The evaluation is particularly encouraged to use participatory methods to ensure that all stakeholders are consulted as part of the evaluation process. At a minimum, this should include participatory tools for consultation with stakeholder groups and a plan for inclusion of women and individuals and groups who are vulnerable and/or discriminated against in the consultation process. The evaluator should detail a plan on how protection of participants and respect for confidentiality will be guaranteed.

The evaluation will use the following data collection tools:

• Interviews;
• Focus group discussions;
• Secondary document analysis;
• Observation;
• Others.

The method should include a wide range of data sources (including documents, field information, institutional information systems, financial records, beneficiaries, staff, funders, experts, government officials and community groups). The evaluators should take measures to ensure data quality, reliability and validity of data collection tools and methods and their responsiveness to gender equality and human rights; for example, the limitations of the sample (representativeness) should be stated clearly and the data should be triangulated (cross-checked against other sources) to help ensure robust results.

The evaluation is encouraged to use the following data analysis tools:

• Synthesis of results data and evidence.
• Qualitative Comparative analysis.

The evaluation is expected to reconstruct the theories of change using a participatory process during the Inception Phase of the evaluation. This should be critiqued based on feminist and institutional analysis.

The evaluation will apply Contribution Analysis to assess the effectiveness of UN Women’s country portfolio. This will use a model template to be provided to the evaluation team.

The evaluation will include a basic analysis of risks in the country portfolio based on the following framework:1) potential fiduciary risks, 2) risks of causing harm, 3) reputational risks, 4) programme performance risks, 5) risks of entrenching inequity and 6) risks of doing nothing. This will use a model template to be provided to the evaluation team.

It is proposed that the evaluation will use a sampling unit based on the UN Women CO impact areas. The main interventions undertaken by the Country Office have been mapped into a sample frame for the evaluation. See the annex. 

The evaluation is expected to apply a purposive sampling design based on the following minimum standards:

1. One or two projects per thematic cluster of operational work;
   1. The most strategically important thematic interventions to the CO:
2. Relevance of the subject. Is the project a socio-economic or political priority of the mandate and role of UN Women? Is it a key priority of the national plan, UN Women strategic note or the AWP? Is it a geographic priority of UN Women, e.g., levels of gender inequality and the situation of women in the country?
3. Risk associated with the project. Are there political, economic, funding, structural or organizational factors that present potential high risk for the non-achievement of results or for which further evidence is needed for management decision-making?
4. Significant investment. Is the intervention considered a significant investment in relation to the overall office portfolio (more than one-third)?
   1. The richest learning opportunities:
5. Potential for replication and scaling-up. Would the evaluation provide the information necessary to identify the factors required for the success in a thematic area and determine the feasibility of replication or scaling-up? Does the thematic area include a pilot and/or an innovative initiative?
6. Knowledge gap. Will the evaluation help to fill a pressing knowledge gap in relation to achieving gender equality or the empowerment of women?

The evaluation is expected to consider the main cultural, religious, social, and economic differences when analyzing the contributions of UN Women.

STAKEHOLDER PARTICIPATION

The evaluation team should ensure participation of stakeholders during the evaluation process, with a particular emphasis on rights holders and their representatives, considering limitations which may affect the ability to ensure engagement of stakeholders as per normal practice.

Stakeholders should include:

1. Target groups, their households and community members.
2. Programme and project partners.
3. National government institutions.
4. Internal UN Women stakeholders.
5. Civil society representatives.
6. Private sector and trade unions representatives.
7. Political leaders and representatives.
8. Donors and development partners.
9. UN Country Team.
10. Others.

The evaluators are encouraged to further analyze stakeholders according to the following characteristics:

1. System roles (target groups, programme controllers, sources of expertise, and representatives of excluded groups).
2. Gender roles (intersections of sex, age, household roles, community roles).
3. Human Rights roles (rights holders, principal duty bearers, primary, secondary and tertiary duty bearers).
4. Intended users and uses of the evaluation.

The evaluators are encouraged to extend this analysis through mapping relationships and power dynamics as part of the evaluation. It is important to pay particular attention to participation of rights holders—in particular women and vulnerable and marginalized groups—to ensure the application of a gender-responsive approach. It is also important to specify ethical safeguards that will be employed.

The evaluators are expected to validate findings through engagement with stakeholders at stakeholder workshops, debriefings or other forms of engagement.

The evaluation team is expected to establish the boundaries for the evaluation, especially in terms of which stakeholders and relationships will be included or excluded from the evaluation. These will need to be discussed during the inception phase of the evaluation.

EVALUATION TIMEFRAME

The evaluation is expected to be conducted according to the following time frame (preliminary estimations), with the Inception Phase commencing in September 2026 and the entire evaluation process expected to be concluded towards the end of March 2027.

Task	Time frame	Responsible party
Virtual inception meeting	A one-day virtual inception meeting between evaluators and CO will take place towards the end of September 2026.	Evaluators/UN Women CO
Inception report and EMG comments	Submission 2 weeks after the virtual meeting by October 2026	Evaluators, EMG, IES
Data collection	4 weeks – including a two-week data collection mission (specific dates and the length of the in-country data collection mission are TBD, tentatively November-December 2026).	Evaluators
Data analysis and presentation of preliminary findings)	4 weeks (post final data collection) – January 2027	Evaluators, ERG, EMG
Independent Evaluation Service, Evaluation Reference Group and Evaluation Management Group validation	February 2027	ERG, EMG, IES
Final Report and final validation	March 2027	Evaluator
Use and follow-up	Within 6 weeks after endorsement of final report	UN Women CO

Under the guidance of the evaluation team leader/task manager the evaluators are expected to design and facilitate the following events:

1. Virtual inception meeting (including refining evaluation uses, the evaluation framework, stakeholder map, and theories of change).
2. In-country participatory data collection mission for UN Women staff and key stakeholders.
3. Findings, validation and participatory recommendations session (first with EMG and once validated with EMG a second meeting should be scheduled with ERG).

MANAGEMENT OF EVALUATION

The evaluation process will be led by UN Women Independent Evaluation Service and the management structure for this evaluation will include:

1. ECA Regional Evaluation Specialist (RES), who is a member of the UN Women Independent Evaluation Service, will be the evaluation team lead and the task manager for this evaluation and will be supported by the UN Women Moldova CO M&E Focal Point during the evaluation process.
   1. Evaluation Management Group (EMG) for administrative support and accountability will include: Country Representative, M&E Focal Point; ECA RES (who will lead the group);
   2. External Evaluation Reference Group to foster stakeholders’ ownership and participatory approach; CSOs, state partners; development partners (including donors); representative of the UNCT.
   3. Internal Evaluation Reference Group integrated by key UN Women Moldova CO personnel and key RO staff, including ECARO Planning Specialist and ECARO Coordination Specialists, to foster ownership of the process and use of its results by the CO’s personnel. CO personnel are expected to be closely engaged during the entire evaluation process; personnel will be consulted during the inception and data collection phases of the evaluation (all personnel are expected to participate in the inception workshop and in the presentations of the preliminary findings and the final report). Regional Director and key ECARO personnel will also be invited to join the final presentation of the evaluation. 
   4. Since this is an independent evaluation service led evaluation, Independent Evaluation, Internal Audit, and Investigation Service leadership will provide oversight and quality assurance evaluation the TOR, the inception and final reports and will issue the final report. 

The main roles and responsibility for the management of the evaluation reports are:

Evaluation team leader (UN Women ECA RES)	Leads the conceptual and methodological approach and other aspects of the evaluation design. Leads the quality assurance of deliverables. Reviews the feedback on the draft and final report from the management and reference groups. Leads the production of all evaluation deliverables.
Evaluation team members (international and national consultant)	To avoid conflict of interest and undue pressure, the members of the evaluation team need to be independent, implying that they must not have been directly responsible for the design, or overall management of the subject of the evaluation, nor expect to be in the near future. Evaluators must have no vested interest and must have full freedom to conduct their evaluative work impartially. They must be able to express their opinion in a free manner. Under the guidance of the evaluation team leader the evaluation team prepares all evaluation reports, which should reflect an agreed-upon approach and design for the evaluation from the perspective of the evaluation team, the evaluation manager and RES.
Evaluation Management Group (EMG)	To maximize stakeholder participation and ensure a gender-responsive evaluation, under the guidance of ECA RES, the EMG should support the evaluator(s) during data collection process in the following ways: Ensure the evaluation process is initiated and follows the Standards and norms on evaluation.  Consult partners regarding the evaluation and the proposed schedule for data collection. Manage logistics for the field mission. Ensure the stakeholders identified through the stakeholder analysis are being included, the most vulnerable or difficult to reach, and provide logistical support as necessary contacting stakeholders.
Evaluation Reference Group (ERG) and  Internal Reference Group	Provide substantive comments and feedback to evaluation deliverables; Participates in meetings and workshops. Provide relevant information, as needed.
Independent Evaluation and Audit Service Leadership	Provide substantive comments and feedback to evaluation deliverables; Clear and issue the final evaluation report.
UN Women Moldova Country Representative	Provide substantive comments and feedback to evaluation deliverables; Participates in meetings and workshops; Provide relevant information, as needed. Endorse evaluation management response to evaluation recommendations within six weeks after the final evaluation report is endorsed.

ETHICAL CODE OF CONDUCT

UN Women has developed a UN Women Evaluation Consultants Agreement Form for evaluators that must be signed as part of the contracting process, which is based on the UNEG Ethical Guidelines and Code of Conduct. These documents will be annexed to the contract. The UNEG guidelines note the importance of ethical conduct for the following reasons:

1. Responsible use of power: All those engaged in evaluation processes are responsible for upholding the proper conduct of the evaluation.
2. Ensuring credibility: With a fair, impartial and complete assessment, stakeholders are more likely to have faith in the results of an evaluation and to take note of the recommendations.
3. Responsible use of resources: Ethical conduct in evaluation increases the chances of acceptance by the parties to the evaluation and therefore the likelihood that investment in the evaluation will result in improved outcomes.

Specific safeguards must be put in place to protect the safety (both physical and psychological) of both respondents and those collecting the data. These should include:

1. A plan is in place to protect the rights of the respondent, including privacy and confidentiality. As well in case of missions in the fields will be allowed the health protection measures to be envisaged.
2. The interviewer or data collector is trained in collecting sensitive information, and if the topic of the evaluation is focused on violence against women, they should have previous experience in this area.
3. Data collection tools are designed in a way that is culturally appropriate and do not create distress for respondents.
4. Data collection visits are organized at the appropriate time and place to minimize risk to respondents.
5. The interviewer or data collector can provide information on how individuals in situations of risk can seek support.

The evaluation’s value added is its impartial and systematic assessment of the programme or intervention. As with the other stages of the evaluation, involvement of stakeholders should not interfere with the impartiality of the evaluation.

The evaluator(s) have the final judgment on the findings, conclusions and recommendations of the evaluation report, and the evaluator(s) must be protected from pressures to change information in the report.

EVALUATION TEAM COMPOSITION, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCES 

UN Women ECA Regional Evaluation Specialist will act as the team lead for this evaluation process. The team lead will be supported by two external independent consultants. The evaluation team consists of two evaluators, including an International Expert and an additional National Team Member, to be recruited by the UN Women Moldova CO based on the TOR. 

Consultant should have proven commitment to the core values of the United Nations, in particular respecting differences of culture, gender, religion, ethnicity, nationality, language, age, HIV status, disability, and sexual orientation, or other.

An interpreter/translator will be used from the existing LTA agreement on such services for the inception consultations, data collection during the field mission and translation of final report, as needed.

EXPECTED DELIVERABLES

This section describes the type of products (reports, briefs or other) that are expected from the evaluation/evaluator, who will use them and how they will be used. 

Deliverable	Time frame for submission	Person responsible
Inception report Word format (including 2 rounds of revision)	October 2026	Evaluator (EMG and IES feedback)
Presentation of Preliminary Findings	January 2027	Evaluator (EMG and ERG feedback)
Draft report Word format (including 2 rounds of revision)	February 2027	Evaluator (EMG and ERG feedback)
Final report and evaluation brief	March 2027	Evaluator (EMG and ERG feedback)
Evaluation Management Response	Within six weeks up on approval of the final report	Moldova CO Representative

Language of deliverables 

The reports and timesheets delivered to UN Women shall be prepared in English. 

The assignment should be carried out within a period of 7 months.

The start date of the assignment is envisaged for September 2026 and will be completed by March 2027. 

A model Evaluation Report will be provided to the evaluator based on the following outline. The evaluation manager and the regional evaluation specialist will quality assure the evaluation report. The draft and final evaluation report will be shared with the evaluation reference group, and the evaluation management group for quality review. The final report will be approved by the evaluation management committee.

• Title and opening pages.
  • Executive summary.
    • Background and purpose of the evaluation.
    • Programme/object of evaluation description and context.
    • Evaluation objectives and scope.
    • Evaluation methodology and limitations.
    • Findings: relevance, coherence, effectiveness (normative, coordination, operational), efficiency, sustainability, and gender and human rights.
    • Conclusions.
    • Lessons learned
    • Recommendations.

Financial Arrangements Payments shall be made following certification by UN Women that the services related to each deliverable, as described above, have been satisfactorily completed and the deliverables have been achieved by or before the specified due dates. 

Performance evaluation. The consultant’s performance will be evaluated against performance criteria such as timeliness, responsibility, initiative, communication, accuracy, and quality of the products delivered.

Consultant’s Workplace and Official Travel

Under the current assignment the consultant will be travelling to Chisinau for data collection mission. The payment of the consultant will include the transportation costs. 

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:

• Demonstrates professional competence and is conscientious and efficient in meeting.
• Ability to meet commitments by observing deadlines and delivering results.
• Process management skills, including facilitation and communication skills.
• Excellent analytical, facilitation and communications skills and ability to interact with a wide
• range of stakeholders.
• Data analysis skills.
• Excellent analytical thinking and research, writing, reporting and presentation skills.
• Strong inter-personal, team working skills.
• Ability to work and adapt to a dynamic working environment.

 

Required Qualifications

Education:

• Master’s degree in social science, sociology, international development, gender/women studies or related area.
• 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 practical experience in conducting gender-responsive evaluations of development strategies, policies and programs is required.
• Extensive experience in applying, qualitative and quantitative evaluation methods is required.
• Experience in designing and leading evaluations is required.
• Knowledge of the role of UN Women and its programming, coordination and normative roles at the regional and country level will be considered an asset. 
• Country or regional experience in ECA region and in particular in Moldova would be an advantage.

Language:

• Language proficiency in both written and spoken English is required.

Please note that only shortlisted will be contacted.

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.