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 the UN Women Programme Analyst and in close cooperation with the International Consultant, the National Consultant will provide technical expertise, coordination, and quality assurance support for the implementation of Activities 1.1.1 and 1.1.2 of the Project.
Description of Responsibilities /Scope of Work
The purpose of the consultancy is to provide national technical expertise for the assessment of the women’s entrepreneurship ecosystem and the mapping of private-sector HR and skills needs, generating evidence and practical recommendations to inform gender-responsive programming, skills development and private-sector engagement under the Women’s Economic Empowerment Project.
Under the supervision of the UN Women Programme Analyst and in close cooperation with the International Consultant, the National Consultant will serve as the national technical expert and support the implementation of Activities 1.1.1 – Assessment of women’s entrepreneurship ecosystem, including legal review, and 1.1.2 – Mapping of human resources and skills needs of the private sector. The National Consultant will lead/support national-level data collection, stakeholder consultations, contextual analysis and drafting of the deliverables, while working closely with the International Consultant on methodology, analysis and quality assurance.
As part of Activity 1.1.1., the consultant will support UN Women in conducting a comprehensive assessment of the women’s entrepreneurship ecosystem in Uzbekistan, using the ILO Women’s Entrepreneurship Development (WED) Assessment methodology. The consultant will:
- Conduct a comprehensive assessment of the women’s entrepreneurship ecosystem in Uzbekistan, including the profile and characteristics of women entrepreneurs and women-led businesses, key business environment constraints, and sectors with significant potential for women-led enterprises.
- Undertake a gender-responsive review of the legal and regulatory framework affecting women’s entrepreneurship and women’s economic empowerment, including an assessment of family-friendly policies and relevant provisions related to work–life balance, care responsibilities, access to employment and entrepreneurship, and business ownership.
- Assess the seven WED framework conditions: (i) gender-sensitive legal and regulatory frameworks; (ii) policy leadership and coordination; (iii) access to gender-sensitive financial services; (iv) access to business development support services; (v) access to markets and technology; and (vi) representation of women entrepreneurs and their participation in policy dialogue; and (vii) normative environment.
- Identify key barriers, gaps and opportunities affecting women entrepreneurs at both the individual and ecosystem levels, with particular attention to structural, institutional, financial, regulatory, market, technological and social constraints.
- Map relevant stakeholders and existing initiatives and services supporting women’s entrepreneurship, including government institutions, financial institutions, business development service providers, women’s organizations, private sector actors, development partners and other relevant stakeholders.
- Identify relevant national and international good practices, lessons learned and potential models for replication or adaptation in Uzbekistan.
- Conduct consultations with relevant stakeholders, as appropriate, to validate findings, identify emerging issues and ensure that the assessment reflects the perspectives and experiences of women entrepreneurs and key ecosystem actors.
- Identify potential areas for UN Women programming and partnerships, including opportunities for collaboration with government, women’s organizations, private sector, financial institutions, development partners and other relevant stakeholders.
- Develop evidence-based and actionable recommendations for policymakers, programme implementers, women entrepreneurs and women’s organizations, identifying priority interventions at both the entrepreneur and ecosystem levels.
- Prepare and finalize one comprehensive assessment report on the women’s entrepreneurship environment in Uzbekistan, incorporating findings from the legal review, stakeholder consultations, ecosystem assessment, good-practice review and recommendations.
As part of Activity 1.1.2., the consultant will support UN Women in conducting a mapping exercise of human resources (HR) needs and skills gaps in the private sector in Uzbekistan, with a focus on identifying employment opportunities and skills development pathways for women. The consultant will:
- Conduct a comprehensive assessment of human resources (HR) and skills needs in the private sector, identifying current and emerging demand for occupations, skills and competencies relevant to women’s employment, employability and career advancement.
- Map the human resources needs of approximately 15 selected private-sector companies across relevant sectors, including current and anticipated recruitment needs, priority occupations, technical and transferable skills requirements, occupational profiles, and entry-level and career progression opportunities.
- Assess existing skills gaps and barriers to women’s employment in the selected sectors, including gaps in technical, digital, managerial, communication and other transferable skills required by employers, as well as workplace and recruitment-related barriers affecting women’s access to decent employment, retention and career progression.
- Undertake a gender-responsive analysis of private-sector recruitment and employment practices, identifying structural, institutional and workplace factors that may affect women’s access to decent employment, retention and career progression.
- Review relevant labour market, employment and skills-development policies and regulations to identify enabling factors and potential barriers to women’s participation in private-sector employment and career advancement.
- Conduct consultations with HR departments, company representatives and other relevant private-sector stakeholders to validate findings and identify priority skills and occupations with potential for women’s employment.
- Map existing training and skills-development programmes and providers and assess their relevance and responsiveness to the identified needs of private-sector employers and women jobseekers.
- Identify priority skills-development areas and training needs that could inform the design of targeted, market-relevant training packages for women seeking employment or career advancement in the private sector.
- Develop recommendations for targeted capacity-building interventions, including priority sectors, occupations, skills and training modalities that are responsive to private-sector demand and conducive to women’s access to decent employment and economic independence.
- Identify opportunities for collaboration with private-sector partners, including potential mechanisms for employer engagement, recruitment, internships, on-the-job training, mentoring and other pathways linking skills development with employment opportunities.
- Develop a methodology and tools for replicating the HR and skills-needs mapping exercise in additional companies and sectors, should the pilot demonstrate potential for expansion.
- Prepare one comprehensive mapping report presenting the findings, analysis of HR and skills needs, identified gaps and barriers, priority areas for training, and recommendations for UN Women and private-sector partners.
Dates and details of tasks/payments
The National Consultant will carry out the tasks under the supervision of the UN Women Programme Analyst and in close cooperation with the International Consultant. Regular and proactive communication with the Programme Analyst and the International Consultant is expected to clarify questions, validate methodological approaches and seek interim review or clearance of relevant parts of the work, as appropriate.
| Deliverable | Output | Working Days | To be accomplished by |
| 1 | One comprehensive assessment of the women’s entrepreneurship ecosystem in Uzbekistan, including: - analysis of the profile and constraints of women entrepreneurs;
- gender-responsive legal and regulatory review, including family-friendly policies;
- assessment against the seven ILO WED framework conditions;
- stakeholder and ecosystem mapping;
- identification of good practices and partnership opportunities; and
- prioritized, actionable recommendations for policy and programming.
| 35 days | 15 October 2026 |
| 2 | One comprehensive mapping report on private-sector HR and skills needs in Uzbekistan, covering approximately 15 selected companies and including: - mapping of current and emerging HR and skills requirements;
- analysis of skills gaps and employment opportunities for women;
- gender-responsive assessment of workplace and recruitment-related barriers;
- review of relevant policies, regulations and existing skills-development initiatives;
- identification of priority skills and training needs;
- recommendations for targeted training packages and private-sector engagement; and
- a proposed approach for scaling the mapping exercise to additional companies and sectors.
| 11 days | 30 October 2026 |
1. Technical Oversight and Guidance
- Provide substantive technical input to the International Consultant on the design, methodology, and implementation of both activities, ensuring alignment with international standards and UN Women priorities.
- Ensure the application of the ILO Women’s Entrepreneurship Development (WED) Assessment methodology within Activity 1.1.1.
- Advise on integrating gender-responsive and human rights-based approaches throughout all research and analytical processes.
- Provide guidance on incorporating a legal review, including family-friendly policies, within the entrepreneurship ecosystem assessment.
2. Coordination and Liaison
- Facilitate coordination with key national stakeholders, including government institutions, private sector representatives, women’s organizations and other relevant partners, in close coordination with the International Consultant and UN Women.
- Support engagement with stakeholders involved in the HR and skills mapping exercise, including the approximately 15 companies participating in the pilot phase.
3. Quality Assurance and Review
- Work under the supervision of the UN Women Programme Analyst and in close collaboration with the International Consultant on all deliverables, including inception reports, data collection tools, draft reports, and final outputs.
- Ensure that all outputs meet high-quality analytical standards, are evidence-based, and are gender-responsive.
- Verify the accuracy, relevance, and contextual appropriateness of findings and recommendations.
4. Substantive Contributions
- Contribute to the refinement of research questions, analytical frameworks and national-level data collection methodologies, in consultation with the International Consultant.
- Lead/support the interpretation of national findings and ensure that conclusions and recommendations reflect the national context of Uzbekistan.
- Provide inputs to strengthen policy recommendations, ensuring they are practical, actionable, and aligned with national priorities.
5. Support to Deliverables
- Support timely implementation of both activities in line with agreed timelines and milestones, and promptly flag any implementation risks or delays to UN Women.
- Contribute to the validation of findings through participation in stakeholder consultations, workshops, or validation meetings.
- Support the finalization of:
- The comprehensive assessment of the women’s entrepreneurship ecosystem (Output 1.1.1);
- The mapping report on human resource and skills needs in the private sector (Output 1.1.2).
6. Reporting
- Regularly report to UN Women on progress, challenges, and risks related to the implementation of the activities.
- Provide brief technical notes or summaries as requested by UN Women to inform project management and decision-making.
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 46 working days until 30 October 2026.
Consultant’s Workplace and Official Travel
This is a home-based assignment, with travel within Uzbekistan as required for stakeholder consultations and other assignment-related activities. UN Women Uzbekistan will organize and cover the costs of authorized travel in accordance with UN Women 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, including women’s entrepreneurship, employability, labour market policies, private sector engagement and gender-responsive approaches, with familiarity with the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) considered an asset.
- 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, with knowledge of Russian as an asset, and demonstrated ability to facilitate meetings, workshops and consultations with diverse stakeholders.
Education and Certification:
- Master’s degree in economics, gender studies, development studies, business administration, public policy, labour economics 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 8 years of progressively responsible experience in women’s economic empowerment, women’s entrepreneurship, employment, labour market analysis, skills development, or related areas.
- Proven experience in conducting skills-needs assessments, labour market mapping, skills gap analyses, employability assessments and/or designing skills development interventions.
- Experience working with public institutions, private sector, and CSOs on women’s economic empowerment.
- Demonstrated experience in conducting gender-responsive legal and policy reviews related to women’s economic empowerment, employment, entrepreneurship and/or family-friendly policies.
- Demonstrated experience applying gender-responsive and human rights-based approaches in the design and delivery of economic empowerment, employment, entrepreneurship or skills-development interventions.
- Experience with results-based management, reporting, and monitoring tools is an asset.
Languages:
- Fluency in English and Uzbek is required. Knowledge of Russian is an asset.
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, particularly with public and private sector institutions, civil society organizations and other relevant stakeholders (20%)
- Experience with results-based management, reporting and monitoring tools (5%)
- Demonstrated knowledge of gender equality principles and experience applying gender-responsive approaches to women’s economic empowerment, entrepreneurship, employment and/or skills development (15%)
- Fluency in English and 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.
This position is no longer open.
