Organization Mission

The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, UN Women, based on the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works to eliminate discrimination against women and girls, for the empowerment of women, and to achieve equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, in humanitarian actions, and in peace and security. By placing women”s rights at the heart of its work, UN Women leads and coordinates the efforts of the United Nations System to ensure that commitments to gender equality and mainstreaming are translated into action around the world. At the same time, it exercises substantive and coherent leadership to support the priorities and efforts of Member States, building an effective partnership with government, civil society, as well as other relevant actors.

Context

In Costa Rica, UN Women implements programmes responding to human mobility issues, including the strengthening of institutional capacities to address human trafficking and smuggling of migrants and humanitarian action to address the needs of migrant women in transit in the face of the increase in mixed movements, with special attention to gender-based violence and to promote their leadership in decision-making processes. The team works to strengthen the capacities of civil society organizations of women migrants and refugees, especially human rights defenders relocated from Nicaragua. It also implements actions to promote the economic empowerment of women, for example, through the promotion and strengthening of the e-commerce platform www.hechopormujeres.cr and strengthening the capacities of women entrepreneurs in innovation and business management, as well as promoting the digital and financial inclusion of women. In addition, it promotes capacity building for national institutions, civil society organizations, local governments, businesses, and the United Nations system to incorporate a gender perspective in their planning, implementation and monitoring and evaluation processes. UN Women coordinates the Gender Interagency Group and participates in interagency programmes and initiatives to promote gender equality and women’s rights. UN Women, UNDP, and UNFPA are collaborating to strengthen the country’s response to the increase in violence against women, in particular femicides.

Key Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the UN Women Programme Coordinator in Costa Rica, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:

Provide support to UN Women’s work with civil society organizations, community leaders, and women human rights defenders, including migrant and refugee women;

Provide support to UN Women’s work promoting women’s economic empowerment, in particular the process to support capacity building and onboarding of women entrepreneurs in the Hecho por Mujeres e-commerce website;

Support the UN Women team in developing presentations and capacity-building materials;

Support and assist in the implementation, review, and monitoring of projects;

Contribute to initiatives in support of the implementation, reporting, and/or monitoring of the commitments contemplated in Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals, among others;

Support the drafting of different types of substantive documents, such as reports, concept notes, and terms of reference, among others;

Contribute to the production and management of knowledge, the dissemination of information, good practices, and lessons learned;

Support the communication of the projects and initiatives developed, including the development of press releases, systematization of results and the development of various communication materials;

Support the organization of events, programmatic activities, and meetings, including coordination with counterparts, suppliers, systematization of results, among others;

Provide other assistance as needed within the framework of the processes implemented by the UN Women Office in Costa Rica.

Required Skills and Experience

Demonstrated interest or experience in Gender, Feminism, and Women”s empowerment.

International development, human rights, international cooperation.

Organizing events and meetings.

Conducting research, systematizing information.

Excellent communication skills (written and oral);

Ability to work logically and accurately with attention to detail;

Initiative, good judgment, and demonstrated ability to work in harmony with staff members from different national and cultural backgrounds.

Core Competencies

​​☒​Accountability
​​☒​Adaptability and Flexibility
​​☒​Building Trust
​​☒​Client Orientation
​​☒​Commitment and Motivation
​​☒​Commitment to Continuous Learning
​​☒​Communication
​​☒​Ethics and Values
​​☒​Integrity
​​☒​Planning and Organizing
​​☒​Professionalism
​​☒​Respect for Diversity
​​☒​Working in Teams

Living Conditions

Living conditions in Costa Rica are generally comfortable and welcoming. The country boasts a stable democracy, well-developed infrastructure in urban areas, and a high levels of human development. In cities like San José, you’ll have access to modern amenities, healthcare, and reliable internet. Costa Ricans, or “Ticos,” are known for their friendly and relaxed attitude, and the country’s strong environmental values and beautiful natural landscapes contribute to a high quality of life. There will be many opportunities for tourism during the assignment, with beaches, mountains, volcanoes, and national parks withing relatively short distance from San José. However, like any country, there are pockets of inequality, and it’s important to remain aware of local safety guidelines.