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.

Under the leadership of the IX Constitutional Government of Timor-Leste, on 16 February 2024, Timor-Leste officially launched its second-generation National Action Plan 1325 on Women, Peace, and Security (2024-2028) following its approval by the Council of Ministers on 10 January 2024. This comprehensive five-year strategy is designed to advance gender equality and women’s leadership in areas of conflict prevention, peacebuilding, post-conflict recovery, and humanitarian response efforts across Timor-Leste, ensuring a multi-stakeholder and women-led approach to sustainable peace and security. The NAP 1325 approval signifies a robust commitment of the Government of Timor-Leste to plan, develop, implement and invest in its national WPS agenda in the context of post-COVID-19 recovery, and its accession into the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Education for peace and social cohesion, and promotion of peaceful and non-violent community conflict resolution are key priorities of the NAP 1325 (2024-2028), which emphasizes that lasting peace cannot be achieved without addressing the root causes of conflicts, and recognizes the critical roles of women and youth in the efforts of grassroot peacebuilding, and conflicts prevention and resolution. To contribute to the Pilar I (Participation) and Pilar II (Prevention) of the NAP 1325 2024-2028, the Ministry of Interior (MOI) is dedicated to rolling out a comprehensive, government-led civic education programme aimed at promoting peace and sustainable development across Timor-Leste. To drive this programme, a Commission will be established under the leadership of the MOI. This Commission will facilitate a coordinated and nationwide effort that will actively involve local communities, particularly youth (including local women leaders), as agents of peace in civic engagement, promoting a culture of social cohesion, respect and inclusivity amongst diverse youth communities. Promoting inclusivity is essential for preventing disputes and conflicts rooted in social inequalities and disparities and for ensuring that every voice, especially youth, is represented in peace processes.

To reinforce the national efforts towards conflict prevention and sustainable development for enduring peace, UN Women is collaborating with the Ministry of Interior in developing the Civic Education for Peace and Development programme. This programme specifically aims to engage youth, including young women, in contributing to peaceful and sustainable development.

This programme will empower youth by equipping them with the knowledge, skills, and values necessary to actively contribute to peace and sustainable development of the country. The program aims to develop the leadership potential of youth, including the marginalized groups, in peace and security, and encourage youth to be active participants in creating a peaceful and secure environment within their communities. This programme will also aim to equip them with the skills to lead community dialogues, mediate conflicts, and advocate for non-violent solutions at the grassroot level, which are vital for preventing conflicts from escalating and ensuring sustainable peace in local communities. By empowering the youth communities with the knowledge, skills, and values necessary to participate in peacebuilding, promoting non-violent conflict resolution and promoting social cohesion and inclusivity, the programme will contribute to creating an environment of lasting peace and stability in Timor-Leste, which is essential for the sustainable development of the country in a long run.

The programme is designed around three major modules: “Active Citizenship,” “Democratic Citizenship,” and “Productive Citizenship”. These components aim to enhance the understanding of targeted youth groups regarding their civic responsibilities, human rights, the importance of diversity and inclusivity, and the principles of peace and non-violent conflict prevention and resolution. Through the targeted training, the programme will increase their awareness and understanding of human rights, diversity, inclusivity, and civic duties, which are critical elements for cultivating a culture of respect and promoting peaceful, non-violent conflict resolution and prevention.

UN Women seeks to recruit a National Consultant to provide technical support to the Ministry of Interior and the participating line ministries in the planning and development of the Civic Education for Peace and Development programmes, the establishment of the Commission, and the development of relevant materials.

Duties and Responsibilities

The key objective of the assignment is to support UN Women, as part of its collaboration with the Ministry of Interior and line ministries, in the development and roll-out of Civic Education on Peace and Development programme, in contribution to the implementation of the NAP 1325 (2024-2028).

1. Scope of work and tasks

Under the overall guidance of the UN Women Head of Office, and direct supervision of the Governance, Peace and Security Programme Analyst, in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior and line ministries, the national consultant will be responsible for the following tasks:

Task 1. Coordinate and support the roll-out of the Civic Education for Peace and Development programme.

• Support and liaise with the Ministry of Interior and the participating line ministries to inform the institutional structure of the National Commission on Civic Education for Peace and Development, and provide support to establish the Commission, and to roll out the Civic Education for Peace and Development. programme
• Support the Ministry of Interior and the participating line ministries, in collaboration with civil society organizations, to plan and organize consultation or validation workshops when requested, to discuss the development and planning of the Civic Education for Peace and Development programme.
• Support the Commission to develop a detailed workplan for the implementation of the programmeactivities agreed upon. The workplan should include detailed description of activities, implementation period, responsible party and budget.
• Support the Ministry of Interior and the participating line ministries in coordinating and implementing the workplan, and provide progress reports which include details of implementation progress, challenges and lessons learnt.
• Advocate and ensure the meaningful and active participation of civil society organizations, women’s groups and youth groups, and organizations working with People with Disabilities, as well as martial art groups, and ensure their voices are heard and considered in the processes.

Task 2. Support the coordination and development of materials for the Civic Education for Peace and Development programme.

• In collaboration with the International Consultant (who will be responsible for drafting training materials), conduct mapping and desk reviews of materials provided by the Ministry of Interior and other line ministries, and organize meetings or consultations, when requested, to discuss and identify the approach of the training provided under the Civic Education on Peace and Development programme, including agreement on the scope, topics under each of the three modules (“Active Citizenship,” “Democratic Citizenship,” and “Productive Citizenship”), and its specific components, and mode of delivery.
• Support the international consultant to coordinate and organize meetings, consultation and validation sessions with key stakeholders from the line ministries, women’s groups and youth’s group, and organizations working with People with Disabilities, among others.
• Support the international consultant to coordinate and organize sessions for testing the training modules.
• Support the international consultant and co-facilitate the testing training sessions with potential facilitators from the line ministries and UN Women, and solicit feedback on modules/ method of delivery from potential facilitators.
• Accompany the roll-out and monitoring of the sessions with local facilitators and synthesize lessons learned. Provide periodic mentoring and debriefing to facilitators in the delivery of the pilot training sessions.
• Provide translation support when requested.

1. Duration of the assignment

The total duration of the contract assignment will be 10 months from 25 September 2024 to 15 June 2025.

1. Expected Deliverables

The National Consultant will submit the following deliverables:

All the documents, including reports, questionnaires, presentations, and reports, should be submitted in the English language, or if in Tetum, include an English summary.

Upon receipt of the deliverables and prior to the payment of the installment the deliverables related reports and documents will be reviewed and approved by UN Women. The period of the review is one week after receipt.

1. Inputs

• UN Women will cover costs of work-related travel to the other municipalities outside of Dili (in Timor-Leste) if needed, as well as daily subsistence allowance (DSA) as per standard UN rate. UN Women will also provide vehicle for field visits in municipalities outside of Dili.
• The consultant is expected to use her/his own computer, stationery, presentation equipment and software for related tasks, and the national consultant will cover the relevant cost.
• The cost of telecommunication and transportation within Dili will be covered by the consultant.
• UN Women will cover any printing cost if necessary.

Competencies

Core Values:

• Respect for Diversity
• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues
• Creative Problem Solving
• Effective Communication
• Inclusive Collaboration
• Stakeholder Engagement

Leading by Example Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Core Values and Competencies:

https://www.unwomen.org/-/media/headquarters/attachments/sections/about%20us/employment/un-women-values-and-competencies-framework-en.pdf?la=en&vs=637

Functional Competencies:

• Strong commitment to gender equality and the empowerment of women, with demonstrated experience of researching or working on gender issues;
• Strong research and writing skills, with strong analytical skills and creative thinking;
• Ability to think and work logically and work precisely with attention to detail;
• Initiative, sound judgment and demonstrated ability to work harmoniously with staff members of different national and cultural backgrounds;
• Previous experience (also volunteer experience) from the non-profit sector is an advantage.
• Ability to multi-task and address competing priorities
• Ability to produce quality deliverables in a timely manner
• Strong computer skills, including Word, Excel, and Power Point

Required Skills and Experience

1. Performance evaluation:

Consultant’s performance will be evaluated based on: timeliness, responsibility, initiative, communication, accuracy, and quality of the products delivered.

1. Required experience and qualifications

The Consultant should fulfill the following requirements:

1. Education

• Master or Bachelor Degree or equivalent (required education in Law, Gender Studies, Peace and Security, Conflict Prevention, Political studies, Economics, Social Sciences or related fields).

1. Experience:

• 4 years with Master degree, or 6 years with Bachelor degree of professional experience in the areas of human rights, gender equality, peacebuilding & conflict resolution, gender based violence, and access to justice;
• Extensive experience in working with the Government of Timor-Leste and civil society organizations in organizing consultations, meetings and dialogues related to gender, peace and security,
• Extensive experience in providing and facilitating training with the local communities on gender, peace and security, Ending Gender-Based Violence, and/or community conflict prevention and resolution.
• Good understanding of the youth, gender and development context of Timor-Leste.

1. Language and other skills:

• Proficiency in oral and written in English and Tetum. Knowledge of Portuguese is an advantage.
• Computer literacy and ability to effectively use office technology equipment, Internet and email.

A two-stage procedure is utilized in evaluating the proposals, with evaluation of the technical proposal being completed prior to any price proposal being compared. Only the price proposal of the candidates who passed the minimum technical score of 70% of the obtainable score of 100 points in the technical qualification evaluation will be evaluated.

1. Technical qualification evaluation criteria:

The total number of points allocated for the technical qualification component is 100. The technical qualification of the individual is evaluated based on following technical qualification evaluation criteria:

Only the candidates who have attained a minimum of 70% of total points will be considered as technically qualified candidate.

• Financial/Price Proposal evaluation:

• Only the financial proposal of candidates who have attained a minimum of 70% score in the technical evaluation will be considered and evaluated.
• The total number of points allocated for the price component is 100.
• The maximum number of points will be allotted to the lowest price proposal that is opened/ evaluated and compared among those technical qualified candidates who have attained a minimum of 70% score in the technical evaluation. All other price proposals will receive points in inverse proportion to the lowest price.

1. Payments

Payments for this consultancy will be based on the achievement of each deliverable and certification that each has been satisfactorily completed. Payments will not be based on the number of days worked but on the completion of each stated deliverable within the indicated timeframes.

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.