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. Placing women’s rights at the centre of all its efforts, the UN Women leads and coordinates the United Nations system efforts to ensure that commitments on gender equality and gender mainstreaming translate into action throughout the world. It provides strong and coherent leadership in support of Member States’ priorities and efforts, building effective partnerships with civil society and other relevant actors.

UN Women’s triple mandate, along with its global network and deep policy and programming expertise, continues to endow the Entity with a unique capacity to: (i) support Member States to strengthen global norms and standards for gender equality and women’s empowerment, and mainstream gender perspectives in other thematic areas; (ii) promote coordination and coherence across the UN system to enhance accountability and results for gender equality and women’s empowerment; and (iii) undertake operational activities to support Member States, upon their request, in translating global norms and standards into legislation, policies and strategies at country level.

UN Women plays an innovative and catalytic role in the State of Palestine since its inception in 1997 (as UNIFEM). In line with the national priorities, the work of UN Women for the period 2023-2025 is aligned with three of the Palestine United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework’s (UNSDCF) outcomes:

•             Palestinians have greater access to economic opportunities that are inclusive, resilient, and sustainable, including decent employment and livelihoods opportunities in an empowered private sector.

•             Palestinians, including the most vulnerable, have equal access to sustainable, inclusive, gender responsive and quality social services, social protection, and affordable utilities.

•             Palestinian governance institutions, processes, and mechanisms at all levels are more democratic, rights-based, inclusive, and accountable.

Its three-year Strategic Note supports the efforts to achieve measurable results in country in terms of four UN Women global Strategic Plan impacts (2022-2025): (SP Impact 1). Governance and participation in public life; (SP Impact 2). Women’s Economic Empowerment; (SP Impact 3). Ending Violence Against Women and Girls and; SP Impact 4. Women peace and security, Humanitarian & Disaster Risk Reduction.

As catalysts for change, communication, media and advocacy together constitute an essential strategy to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment, as well as diffuse and protect women’s rights. They offer tools to address the disparities women and girls face, to give voice to misrepresented and marginalised communities and groups to promote information exchange, change social attitudes, assist in the development of better public policies and aid programming, and to ensure accountability of decision-making and duty-bearers. Through its mandate, UN Women has a clear responsibility in communicating on and advocating for women’s human rights and empowerment.

UN Women Palestine is seeking a professional photojournalist to document events related to women in Gaza comprehensively. This role will involve capturing photos and videos that highlight women’s diverse experiences, showcasing their strength, resilience, and the unique challenges they face in the current socio-political landscape.

The photojournalist will be responsible for:

• Event Coverage: Attending and documenting various events, workshops, and initiatives focusing on women’s empowerment and rights in Gaza. This includes capturing moments that reflect the community’s spirit and the ongoing efforts to support women and girls.
• Story Development: Creating compelling narratives through visual storytelling that convey the personal experiences of women in Gaza. This could involve interviews, candid moments, and the portrayal of everyday life, illustrating both struggles and triumphs.
• Content Creation: Produce high-quality photos and videos tailored to the program’s needs, including thematic campaigns, awareness initiatives, and special projects. The content will be designed to resonate with diverse audiences and promote engagement on social media.
• Adaptability: Flexibly responding to the evolving needs of the program, ensuring timely coverage of events or urgent topics that arise, and maintaining a keen understanding of the cultural and social context of the communities being documented.

The images and videos captured will be utilized across UN Women’s social media platforms and website and potentially in publications and reports related to the program. This will amplify the voices and stories of women in Gaza, fostering greater awareness and advocacy for their rights and needs.

The consultant will be reporting to UN Women PALCO Communication Officer and will be supported by UNV Digital and Communication Assistant, who will be the point of contact on the contract and payment issues.

Description of Responsibilities /Scope of Work

The selected consultant will provide:

• professional photo and video services for documenting events and creating visual stories focused on women in Gaza.
• The consultant is expected to have a strong understanding of UN Women’s mission and goals, and their work will support the amplification of women’s voices and experiences in Gaza.
• The consultant will deliver high-quality photos and videos that align with UN Women’s branding, communication standards, and the specific needs of various campaigns and projects. The consultant will coordinate with the UN Women team throughout the contract period to ensure that all deliverables meet the required standards and deadlines.

Key Responsibilities:

Lot 1: Daily Shooting and Event Coverage

• Coordination with UN Women’s Team: Collaborate with the UN Women team to schedule shooting days, organize locations, and ensure that all logistical and technical requirements are in place for successful shoots.
• Pre-Production Planning: Prepare and develop a shooting plan or storyboard in coordination with the UN Women team. This includes setting the visual tone, shot sequences, and overall concept for the video.
• Provide full-day on-site photo and video coverage of events related to women in Gaza. This includes setup, execution, and post-shoot wrap-up. The coverage will include capturing candid moments and key activities and ensuring all relevant footage is obtained.

Lot 2: Video Production and Editing

• Complete the editing of captured footage to produce high-quality video content. Editing tasks will include cutting, color correction, sound synchronization, and any additional production elements as required.
• Post-Production Adjustments: After receiving feedback from the UN Women team, make necessary edits to the video. This may include refining certain shots, adjusting sequences, or enhancing audiovisual elements.
• Subtitling and Final Video Delivery: Prepare the final video for publication by adding subtitles provided by UN Women (if applicable). Ensure the video meets all required technical standards, including format and resolution.

Lot 3: Photography and Image Delivery

• Capture and deliver a set number of edited and retouched photos, with diverse and varied shots that meet UN Women’s quality and ethical standards. The UN Women team will select the final images from the submitted collection.

Quality Standards:

• All deliverables (photos and videos) must meet the technical and ethical guidelines provided by UN Women.
• The images and videos must be suitable for use across multiple platforms, including social media, websites, and printed materials.
• Videos and photos should be delivered in high resolution, with appropriate formats for both digital and print purposes.
• The consultant must ensure that all materials reflect UN Women’s values, especially those concerning the dignity, privacy, and safety of the individuals’ portrayed.

Evaluation Criteria:

• The quality of the final content (photo and video) will be evaluated based on clarity, creativity, storytelling ability, and alignment with the project’s goals.
• Timeliness and responsiveness to feedback will also be critical factors in assessing the consultant’s performance.
• The consultant’s ability to follow UN Women’s communication and branding guidelines will be critical.

Consultant’s Workplace and Official Travel

This is a home-based consultancy. As part of this assignment, there might be trips to Gaza.

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:

• Ability to manage time and meet tight deadlines.
• Focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback.
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude.
• Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills.
• Builds strong relationships with clients, focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback.
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude.
• Remains calm, in control and good humored even under pressure.
• Proven networking, organizational and communication skills.
• Self-motivated with artistic and creative ability, with imagination and high attention to detail
• Technical photography skills with a wide range of photographic equipment and technology

IV. Required Qualifications

Education and Certification: 
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in Photojournalism, Communications, Journalism, or a related field is required. Completion of secondary education with two additional years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of the Bachelor’s  degree.

Experience:
• At least 4 years of professional experience as a photojournalist is required.
• Minimum of one prior assignment similar to this role is required.
• Experience in providing photographic content for at least five different media outlets (including web and print), meeting established quality standards, is required.
• Knowledge of gender-based violence, women’s human rights issues, and gender-related topics in Palestine is desirable.

Languages: 
Fluency in English and Arabic is required.

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.)

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: No requirements