United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women (Bosnia and Herzegovina)

National Consultant to provide gender mainstreaming training in the IPA programming process to CSOs

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Last update: Jul 18, 2022 Last update: Jul 18, 2022

Details

Deadline: Jul 24, 2022 Deadline for applications has passed
Location: Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina
Sectors:
Job type:Contract, 4 to 12 months
Languages:
Bosnian, Croatian, English, SerbianBosnian, Croatian, English, Serbian
Work experience: Min 10 years
Date posted:Jul 18, 2022
Expected starting date:Sep 19, 2022

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Description

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 center of all its efforts, UN Women leads and coordinates United Nations system efforts to ensure that commitments on gender equality (GE) and gender mainstreaming translate into action globally. It provides strong and coherent leadership in support of Member States’ priorities and efforts, building effective partnerships with civil society and other relevant actors.

Since 2010, the European Union and UN Women have developed a close partnership. Working in concert, the European Union and UN Women have made great strides to promote gender equality through shared dialogue, advocacy, and cooperation programs.

The European Union Gender Equality Facility (GEF) in BiH is based on the Action Document for the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA II) for the year 2018 “EU Gender Equality Facility”. The project is funded and jointly implemented by the European Union and UN Women, through the Project Team in close cooperation with the Agency for Gender Equality BiH (AGE BiH), the Gender Center of the Federation of BiH (GC FBiH).

Bosnia and Herzegovina’s (BiH) progress in recent years respecting and promoting Gender Equality is highlighted in a series of international commitments and in national legal and policy frameworks. The main achievements in the field of gender equality and women’s empowerment reside in BiH’s institutional capacity development for the work on gender equality. Indeed, the legal provisions guaranteeing women’s rights and gender equality are largely in place – the Gender Equality Law, the Gender Action Plan, the Election Law amendment instituting quotas, the Action Plan for the implementation of UNSCR 1325, and the ratification of the Istanbul Convention are normative achievements that influence the institutional practice in promoting gender equality in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

As the Government of BiH prepares to align with the broader European Union acquis in a wide range of sectors, it is prioritizing investment in particular sectors with specific areas of social and economic reform, providing for the adoption of a comprehensive sector-based approach to development. BiH’s accession to the European union is structured on the Stabilisation and Association Process (SAP), the implementation of which is monitored by the European Commission. Bosnia and Herzegovina applied for EU membership in February 2016. The Commission adopted its Opinion (Avis) on the EU membership application of the country in May 2019, identifying 14 key priorities for the country to fulfill in view of opening EU accession negotiations out of which one priority is targeting gender equality.

GEF aims to strengthen the effective implementation of domestic and international legal frameworks concerning gender equality and women’s rights; mainstreaming gender into European Union integration and planning processes for pre-accession assistance; and strengthen institutional mechanisms for gender equality in line with the European union standards. Furthermore, GEF will support institutions in correctly aligning with the European Union Gender Equality acquis. The focus of the project intervention is on the role and functioning of institutional mechanisms for gender equality and their engagement in all aspects of European Union integration and planning and implementation of pre-accession assistance. Support includes strengthening the gender institutional mechanisms; the Gender Action Plan (GAPs) Coordination Committees and civil servants tasked with providing gender expertise in sectoral areas (gender focal points in ministries); and also the enhancement of capacities for implementing and monitoring GAPs and other relevant policies at the state and entity level. The intervention will address challenges in the implementation of laws and gender equality policies through support to the institutions mandated for gender equality and between coordination and monitoring of gender equality policies and measures.

Pursuant to the Gender Equality Law of BiH, the Agency for Gender Equality of Bosnia and Herzegovina (AGE) is entrusted with monitoring the enforcement of the law. Furthermore, the Agency, along with the Gender Center of the Federation of BiH (GC FBiH) and the Gender Centre of Republika Srpska (GC RS) (collectively referred to as the “gender institutional mechanisms”) are key institutional mechanisms for gender equality in the BiH Council of Ministers, Government of the Federation of BiH and the Government of Republika Srpska, in charge of directing efforts towards fighting discrimination and achieving gender equality in BiH by developing strategic documents and action plans.

The Directorate for European Integration is a permanent, autonomous and professional body of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which coordinates the processes and activities of the institutions in the integration of BiH into the European Union. Competences of the Directorate are related to the commitments stemming from the integration process, alignment of legislation with the acquis, financial assistance of the EU for BiH, translation of legislation and other documents, and communication and training for various target groups to provide institutional, professional and technical support to BiH integration into the EU.

Additionally, in terms of EU integration process in BiH, at the entity level, there is the Republika Srpska Ministry for European Integration and International Cooperation and the Office of the Federation of BiH Government for European Integration. At the Brcko District level, there is the Department for European Integration and International Cooperation.

The UN Women Country Office in Bosnia and Herzegovina is seeking to recruit a National Consultant who will provide gender mainstreaming training in the IPA III programming process to selected sector civil society organisations (CSOs). The National Consultant is expected to closely collaborate with sector CSOs (agricultural, rule of law, competitiveness and innovation, employment, climate and environment, and security sectors), the gender institutional mechanisms, the Directorate for European Integration BiH, other relevant stakeholders involved in EU integration processes and report to the UN Women GEF Project Manager.

DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVE

The overall objective of this consultancy is to strengthen the capacities of targeted institutions in BiH to include the gender perspective.

IMMEDIATE OBJECTIVE

The specific objective of the assignment is:

1. Provision of direct guidance, coaching and advice on gender mainstreaming in IPA III processes;

2. In close collaboration with a national IPA expert, develop a guide to include the gender perspective in the IPA III programming process, specifically tailored for targeted sector CSOs (agricultural, rule of law, competitiveness and innovation, employment, climate and environment, and security sectors);

3. Training of stakeholders.


Duties and Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the UN Women GEF Project Manager, the overall supervision of the UN Women Programme Specialist and guidance of the EUD Programme Manager and in close coordination with a national gender expert, the gender institutional mechanisms and other relevant partners, the National Consultant is expected to undertake the following tasks:

• Needs assessment (to be conducted in collaboration with the national IPA expert):

Conduct consultations with selected sector CSOs through a questionnaire (UN Women will provide a list) to define key learning objectives and needs;
Conduct consultations with the BiH Agency for Gender Equality, the FBiH Gender Centre to define approach to including the gender perspective;
Conduct consultations with the Directorate for European Integration BiH, the FBiH Government Office for European Integration and to define the approach to developing the guide and conducting the training;

Inputs received from stakeholders are to be integrated in the guide and training session.

• In collaboration with the national IPA expert, develop a guide on including the gender perspective in IPA III processes, specifically tailored for CSOs

The National Consultant is specifically expected to provide strategic advice and tools on how to recognise and include the gender perspective in the IPA III programming process, whilst the national IPA expert will provide inputs on the role of CSOs in the IPA III programming process;
A comparative analysis of how CSOs in other IPA countries have included the gender perspective is to be provided;
Make any adjustments necessary following comments made by the stakeholders;
The National Consultant and the national IPA expert are expected to amalgamate their individual contributions into one guide;

• After the UN Women GEF Project Manager approves the guide, develop in a curriculum and materials for training of CSOs personnel. First training to be held for CSOs in the sectors of agricultural, rule of law, competitiveness and innovation over a period of two days (in Sarajevo or surrounding area). Second training to be held for CSOs in the sectors of employment, climate and environment, and security over a period of two days (in Sarajevo or surrounding area). The two trainings will be held consecutively together with the national IPA expert. The training is to be practical and engaging.

Submit the proposed curriculum and materials to the UN Women GEF Project Manager for comments and approval.
Conduct 2 two-days in person trainings in Sarajevo or surrounding area
Develop notes with key takeaways.

• Based on comments made at trainings, make any adjustments to the final guide and submit it to the UN Women GEF Project Manager for approval.

Throughout the assignment, the National Consultant is expected to:

Maintain communication and good working relations with the national IPA expert, CSOs, designated staff of the gender institutional mechanism and other institutions relevant for the assignment.
Organize briefings with the UN Women GEF Project Manager to provide status updates/reports.

To facilitate the delivery of the above outputs, UN Women will provide the National Consultant with the following:

Project related documents and contacts;
Other documents as necessary.

DELIVERABLES AND TIMEFRAME

The consultant will be expected to submit the following deliverables within the indicative timeframe:

Deliverables

Indicative Days

Timeline and due dates

1. Submit notes from consultations with stakeholders and finalise after approval of UN Women.

4

07 October 2022

2. Submit written guidance on how to include the gender perspective in the IPA III programming process (to be included in the final guide) and finalise after approval of UN Women

5

18 October 2022

3. Submit amalgamated guide on including the gender perspective in the IPA III processes, specifically tailored for CSOs and finalise after approval of UN Women

2

25 October 2022

4. Draft curriculums and materials for training of stakeholders’ staff, and then finalise after UN Women’s approval.

2

28 October 2022

5. Conduct trainings and revise and finalise notes taken. Submit final notes for review and approval of UN Women.

4

15 February 2023

6. Adjust the final guide and submit it, in English, to the UN Women GEF Project Manager for approval.

2

21 February 2023

7. Brief final consultancy report up to 5 pages covering essential issues

1

24 February 2023

Total

20

The consultancy will last 20 days in the period from 19 September 2022 to 28 February 2023. The assignment will not require presence on UN Women premises. The assignment will require in-country travel to Sarajevo or surrounding area.

REPORTING

All deliverables should be submitted to the UN Women GEF Project Manager in Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian. Final consultancy report should be delivered by 24 February 2023. Approval time required to review the deliverables before authorizing payments is 7 days. All deliverables must satisfy the EU/UN Women visibility requirements.


Competencies

CORE VALUES:

Respect for Diversity
Integrity
Professionalism

CORE COMPETENCIES:

Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues
Accountability
Creative Problem Solving
Effective Communication
Inclusive Collaboration
Stakeholder Engagement
Leading by Example

 

Functional Competencies:

Knowledge Management and Learning

•Shares knowledge and experience

•Seeks and applies knowledge, information, and best practices from within and outside UN Women

•Development and Operational Effectiveness

•Demonstrates excellent written and oral communication skills.

•Communicates sensitively, effectively and creatively across different constituencies

•Demonstrates very good understanding of and experience in communications and outreach/advocacy

•Ability to perform a variety of standard specialized and non-specialized tasks and work processes that are fully documented, researched, recorded and reported

•Ability to review a variety of data, identify and adjust discrepancies, identify and resolve operational problems

•Uses Information Technology effectively as a tool and resource

Leadership and Self-Management

•Focuses on 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 skills and ability to generate interest in UN Women’s mandate

Identifies opportunities and builds strong partnerships with clients and partners


Required Skills and Experience

Academic Qualifications:

Masters’ degree or equivalent in Law, European Studies, Political Science, Social Sciences, Sociology, Gen-der/Women’s Studies, Development Studies, Economics or related field
Bachelor’s Degree in a similar field in combination with additional five years of relevant work experience will be taken into consideration in lieu of the master’s degree (a total of 15 years of work experience is required if the candidate holds a Bachelor’s Degree).

Work Experience:

At least ten years of general professional experience.
A minimum of 5 years of experience in gender analysis and supporting mainstreaming of women’s rights and/or gender equality in policy/project development and implementation by government through different sectors;
Demonstrated work experience in supporting/strengthening CSOs;
Proven knowledge and understanding of the national legal and policy frameworks regarding gender equality, especially in regard to the EU acquis and pre-accession process;
Prior experience in conducting tasks similar to the ones outlined in this ToR with UN/EU agencies in the Western Balkans or similar international organizations.

Language requirement:

Fluency in Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian
Fluency in English (written and spoken)

Other skills:

Good computer skills in Windows environment, knowledge of internet communication and command of MS Office applications (Word, Excel, Power Point), Zoom and MS Teams