UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, equality

How can you make a difference? 

Rationale and context of the assignment 

The purpose of the consultancy is to lead and support the undertaking of a GPR in BCO to shape and refine country alignment with the UNICEF GAP 3.

1. Under the supervision of the Gender Focal Point and the Deputy representative the consultant will:

• Assess the extent to which targeted gender priorities from the GAP III and gender mainstreaming general programming has been effectively integrated in the implementation of the current CPD, including its programme designs, strategies and activities and the extent to which the Country Office is also strengthening its capacity on gender integration.
• Assess the extent to which the BCO CPD is achieving institutional effectiveness performance indicators on gender equality and empowerment of women and adolescent girls as stipulated in the GAP II.
• In alignment with the GAP III, specify the resources, processes, capacities, and systems that will be required to integrate gender priorities and facilitate gender integration in all the programmatic result areas.
• This will include mapping of the country programme outputs and activities; an in-depth review of selected outputs; and integrating specific action points into the CPD process, assessment of the capacity building needs and opportunity for all staff to strengthen cross sectoral knowledge on gender programming.
• Make practical recommendations and formulate specific implementable actions on institutional targeted and mainstreaming priorities and how to address gender gaps in the sector programmes. This should also identify at least one targeted adolescent leadership and wellbeing. The recommendations will also need to consider UNICEF’s positioning in Botswana, which is an Upper Middle-Income Country which requires the office to be highly strategic in formulating its programmatic interventions, in order to be fit for purpose and in view of resource constraints.
• Produce a Gender Programmatic Review Report and a BCO Gender Strategy, to be included as an annex.

Scope of work

Using the Gender Programmatic Review (GRP) Toolkit, and UNICEF Guidance on Reference Library SitAn Toolkit WEB (002).pdf, the consultant will analyse and prioritize strategic areas for BCO to strengthen UNICEF work on gender equality and women and girl’s empowerment.

He/she is expected to analyse both structural determinants which are huge drivers of multiple deprivations for children (boys and girls), and intermediate determinants (gender barriers and bottlenecks that prevent achievement of children wellbeing and rights as boys and girls). The Gender Programmatic Review process will therefore update the current CPD (2022-2026 and further guide the next CPD to strengthen gender integration in alignment with the GAP III and UNICEF Strategic Plan.

The Gender Programmatic Review therefore consist of four steps namely:

1. Desk review of the country programme documents to identify subset of outputs for analysis in line with the new GAP III and regional gender strategic framework with a view to identify partnerships.
2. The second part will be to do an in-depth gender analysis of outputs using the GAP programmatic framework and regional gender strategic framework together with programme staff to identify gender issues, priorities, and strategies for strengthening gender results. This will have to be done in line with the country’s relevance, priorities and ongoing work and available financial and human resources.
3. Synthesis of findings to develop programmatic responses, outputs, and indicators to track progress and assess the resource requirements. This will lead to the development of action points for country office and develop BCO gender Strategy to support gender integration in the implementation of next CPD.
4. And lastly documentation of findings and agreements on the GPR Report.

 SPECIFIC TASKS ARE:

1. Conduct desk review of available documentation (Country Programme Strategy Notes, Country Programme Document, Results Framework, annual and other reports, and relevant documents including CEDAW and CRC reports and its concluding observations) to identify key sectoral results, indicators and outputs that align with the UNICEF Gender Action Plan (targeted priorities and integrated priorities) specifically in Education, Child Protection, Health, HIV and Social Policy.

a. Review multi-year and annual work plan, sampled PCA, JDs, TORs, Concept notes and donor proposals for their gender responsiveness.

2.    Map CPD outputs and activities as well as existing and planned partnerships against the GAP III and the regional gender strategic framework.

3. An in-depth review of selected outputs.

4.    For each component (following the life cycle approach and three pillar country programme and including all contributing programmatic sectors), assess the quality of gender mainstreaming in programme planning, implementation through the following aspects.

1. Conduct interviews with staff internally and at regional level on their gender integration in programming
2. Review the level of gender integration in programme planning, monitoring, reporting, research, and evaluation through review of programme monitoring/annual reports, and research and evaluation reports.
3. One on one engagement with staff to assess capacity of programme staff in ensuring effective gender integration.
4. Hold meetings with programme staff to review their results frameworks with a view to identify gender issues, priorities and bottlenecks and propose corrective measures where gaps exist.

5. Develop a clear set of action points for each sector to guide BCO gender integration work:

a.    Identify relevant indicators that will be used to measure progress for gender results quantitatively and qualitatively.

5.    Produce a Gender Programmatic Review Report with clear findings and recommendations for effective gender mainstreaming for each sector component.

6.    Develop a successor Gender Strategy with clear outputs and strategies and indicators to track progress on gender integration.

REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

• The Consultant is expected to adhere to the following reporting requirements. He/she will be reporting to the Deputy Representative through Gender Focal Point on biweekly basis through e mails, teams or zoom calls.
• The Consultant will be reporting his/her progress through e mails as a mode of communication to the contract supervisor. The Consultant will therefore submit all the agreed contract deliverables through e mails and these documents should be in word unless when he/she is submitting final versions where he/she must submit both word and PDF versions.
• The consultant will do consultations with relevant staff members and or partners through Teams/Zoom meeting which will be organised by the Contract Supervisor. Further, based on his/her inception report, he/she may be provided with the list of names of relevant staff members with their positions and e mail addresses in case he/she wants to do some follow ups.
•  It is the responsibility of the supervisor of this contract to organise, in collaboration with the Consultant, regular virtual meetings to facilitate consultations and assess progress made towards achieving agreed deliverables on time. Reporting will be on biweekly basis. It is expected that this biweekly reporting arrangement will provide periodic updates on the progress, challenges and plans towards productions of agreed deliverables.

Outputs/Deliverables:

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in Gender Studies, Social Sciences, Public Health, International Development, Sociology, or related fields. A PhD will be an added advantage
  *A first University Degree in a relevant field combined with 2 additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree.
• A minimum of at least 8 years of proven relevant experience conducting gender programmatic review for reputable organisations.
• Experience in undertaking specific gender analysis of UNICEF programmes in other countries of similar context.
• Excellent analytical, research and report-writing skills and the ability to engage with diverse stakeholders.
• Experience working with government institutions in the field of social protection and gender is desirable.
• Experience with UN agencies will be an added advantage.
• Experience working in Botswana is an added advantage.
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles 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.

Remarks: 

Individuals engaged under a consultancy will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants. Consultants are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.