National Consultant for Gender in Humanitarian Action Information and Knowledge Management with UN Women in Cox’s Bazar

Background

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations (UN), 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 will lead and coordinate UN system efforts to ensure that commitments on gender equality and gender mainstreaming translate into action throughout the world. It will provide strong and coherent leadership in support of Member States’ priorities and efforts, building effective partnerships with civil society and other relevant actors.

As an entity dedicated to gender equality, UN Women in Bangladesh works with key partners ranging from government, UN organizations, international and national NGOs, and civil society in development and humanitarian settings to enhance gender equality and empowerment of women in Bangladesh. In Cox’s Bazar, UN Women supports targeted programming and the coordination of gender mainstreaming for an evidence-based response, building capacities of humanitarian stakeholders, including government representatives, and local actors to achieve their gender commitments.

August 2022 marked the fifth year since extreme armed violence in Myanmar’s Rakhine state prompted a massive influx of Rohingya refugees into Bangladesh. The speed and scale of the mass displacement in 2017 invoked a critical humanitarian emergency in Bangladesh and prompted urgency in delivering a gender-responsive response to this cross-border crisis. About 950,000 Rohingya refugees live in the refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar and on Bhasan Char Island, close to half a million of which are women and girls. While during the last five years, Rohingya refugees have shown resilience and the government and people of Bangladesh have generously hosted them, pre-existing gender inequalities, GBV, and discrimination continue to be perpetuated and exacerbated. The dependence of all the Rohingya refugees on humanitarian and protection services is a significant concern. Recent reports on the situation in the Rohingya refugee camps show that the security situation is declining, and that gender-based violence in the refugee camps is increasing. A rapid and well-coordinated response, supported by gender data and analysis and gender-responsive humanitarian action, is needed urgently by all humanitarian actors to respond to the needs of vulnerable women and girls.

UN Women Sub-Office in Cox’s Bazar is working actively to ensure the response to the Rohingya refugee crisis fully responds to the specific needs and priorities of women and girls, through coordination support and targeted programming in Cox’s Bazar. Reporting to the Gender in Humanitarian Action (GiHA) Coordination Specialist and with a matrix reporting line to the Head of Sub-Office, the National GiHA Knowledge Management Officer will provide information and knowledge management assistance to the work of the GiHA Working Group, which is co-chaired by UN Women and UNHCR. S/he will work in close collaboration with members of the GiHA WG, inclusive of UN and other humanitarian agencies and civil society.

Duties and Responsibilities

Duties and responsibilities

Under the overall management of the UN Women Head of Sub-Office and the direct supervision of the GiHA Coordination Specialist, the Information and Knowledge Management Consultant will:

Provide direct administrative support to the GiHA WG calendar management; updating the membership list; and preparing and sending meeting invites.
Support the development of GiHA WG meeting minutes and event reports, ensuring feedback from GiHA membership is collected and incorporated.
Support the GiHA Coordination Specialist in following up on the implementation of the GiHA WG Work Plan, coordinating tracking and reporting on progress.
Coordinate and support the development of (minimum 2) GiHA WG knowledge/information products, collecting data from GiHA WG members and from sector working groups as relevant and finalizing on the basis of feedback.
Support the development of a Gender Alert, assisting the GiHA Coordination Specialist in the preparation of the methodology, and collecting data and analysis from the GiHA WG and Sector Working Groups as relevant, working with UN Women Sub-Office monitoring staff to generate inputs from key actors. Ensure related knowledge and information are stored in a safe and effective, and where required, confidential manner.
Update and maintain a catalogue of GiHA WG information/knowledge products, coordinating with the Inter-Sector Coordination Group (ISCG) to ensure these are incorporated in the ISCG website.
Organize forums and/or platforms (minimum 3) for GiHA WG members to share knowledge amongst themselves, as well as with Sector Working Groups, bilaterally or multilaterally.
Connect with the regional GiHA WG to disseminate knowledge generated from the Rohingya crisis to other humanitarian contexts, and to bring knowledge generated from other emergencies to the Rohingya crisis.

Prepare a brief end of consultancy report, summarizing key deliverables, lessons learned and recommendations moving forward (2 pages and annexes).

Deliverables

- GiHA WG email established based on updated GiHA WG membership list. (Membership list to include key information on thematic/sectors of members as relevant, and information on their organizations and contact details).

- GiHA WG meeting agendas and final minutes.

- Draft GiHA WG 2023 Work Plan and updated GiHA WG TOR.

- Written progress update vis-à-vis the GiHA WG Work.

- Final draft of Gender Alert developed through a coordinated process.

- Final drafts of (minimum 2) GiHA WG knowledge/information products prepared and finalized based on feedback.

- Regularly updated catalogue of GiHA WG information/knowledge products available on the ISCG website.

- Minimum 3 forums and/or platforms organised to support knowledge sharing related to the GiHA WG.

- End of consultancy report, summarizing key deliverables, lessons learned and recommendations. (Report to include as annex finalized GiHA WG meeting minutes and event reports).

Payments

Payments for this consultancy will be monthly, based on a monthly progress report of satisfactory submission of deliverables as identified above.

Deliverables Time Frame Payment Milestone

Deliverables

Time Frame

Payment Milestone

- GiHA WG email established based on updated GiHA WG membership list. (Membership list to include key information on thematic/sectors of members as relevant, and information on their organizations and contact details).

- GiHA WG meeting agendas and final minutes.

- Draft GiHA WG 2023 Work Plan and updated GiHA WG TOR.

-Written progress update vis-à-vis the GiHA WG Work

-Final draft of Gender Alert developed through a coordinated process.

-Final drafts of (minimum 2) GiHA WG knowledge/information products prepared and finalized based on feedback.

-Regularly updated catalogue of GiHA WG information/knowledge products available on the ISCG website.

- Minimum 3 forums and/or platforms organised to support knowledge sharing related to the GiHA WG.

-End of consultancy report, summarizing key deliverables, lessons learned and recommendations. (Report to include as annex finalized GiHA WG meeting minutes and event reports).

Every Month

25 % percentage payment for every month after completed monthly progress report by consultant.

Contract period and work location

The consultancy is based in Cox’s Bazar and for four (4 months), starting from the contract start date, expected 01 May 2023 up to 30 August 2023.

Supervision and performance evaluation

The national consultant will receive guidance from the Gender in Humanitarian Action Coordination Specialist, with a matrix line to UN Women Head of Sub-Office, Cox’s Bazar.

Travel and DSA:

No DSA will be paid at the duty stations. If unforeseen travel outside the duty station is required for this assignment, upon prior agreement/approval from UN Women such travel expenses shall be borne by UN Women and the individual contractor/SSA shall receive a per-diem not to exceed the United Nations daily subsistence allowance (DSA) rate in such other location(s) and actual travel cost.

Competencies

Core Values:

Respect for Diversity
Integrity
Professionalism

Core Competencies:

Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues
Accountability
Effective Communication
Inclusive Collaboration
Stakeholder engagement

Leading by example

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

A master’s degree in social sciences, gender studies, international relations, development studies, communications, or related area.

Experience and Skills

Minimum 3 years of demonstrated work experience in humanitarian action with a dedicated focus on gender equality and empowerment of women and girls.
Experience of sectorial coordination and understanding of the Rohingya refugee response in Cox’s Bazar. Experience of sectorial coordination in the context of humanitarian aid and demonstrated understanding of the Rohingya refugee response in Cox’s Bazar.
Practical skills in knowledge management.
Work experience with the United Nations system or with I/NGOs, with good knowledge of the UN Women mandate and of United Nations procedures.

Language and report writing skills

Excellent command of Bangla and English (oral and written).
Knowledge of Chittagonian and/or Rohingya a significant asset

Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments

Consultant must send a financial proposal based on Lump Sum Amount. The total amount quoted shall be all-inclusive and include all
costs components required to perform the deliverables identified in the TOR, including professional fee, only and any other applicable cost to be incurred by the SSA in completing the assignment.
The contract price will be fixed output-based price regardless of extension of the herein specified duration. Payments will be done upon
completion of the deliverables/outputs and as per below percentages

Evaluation Method and Criteria:
Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodology.

Cumulative analysis-

The award of the contract will be made to the individual consultant up on Cumulative Analysis/evaluation and determined as:
1. Responsive/compliant/acceptable; and
2. Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the
solicitation;

Only candidates obtaining a 70 mark in technical evaluation will be considered eligible for financial evaluation.
Technical Criteria for Evaluation (Maximum 70 points out of 100)

Criteria-01; Educational Qualification - Max Point 10

Criteria-02; Number of years of demonstrated work experience in humanitarian action with a dedicated focus on gender equality and empowerment of women and girls - Max Point 30
Criteria-03; Experience of sectorial coordination and demonstrated understanding of the Rohingya refugee response in Cox’s Bazar. Max Point 20

Criteria-04; Practical skills in knowledge management Max Point 10

Criteria-05; Work experience with the United Nations system or with I/NGOs, with good knowledge of the UN Women mandate and of United Nations procedures.. Max Point 20

Criteria-06; Language and report writing skills, including excellent command of Bangla and English (oral and written), with knowledge of Chittagonian and/or Rohingya a significant asset. Max Point 10

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 (70) will be considered as technically-qualified candidate.

Interested candidates will submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications.

To be included as part of the proposal: Only applications including all items mentioned above will be considered.

To be included as part of the proposal:

A brief expression of interest: a brief narrative presenting your suitability for this assignment ·
• UN Women Personal History form (P-11) which can be downloaded from: http://www.unwomen.org/about-us/employment
• A writing sample with a list/links of publications
• Financial proposal: The financial proposal should indicate the all-inclusive fixed total “lump sum amount” (professional fees based on the daily price proposal, communications, etc.). The lumpsum fee should be provided in local currency (BDT) for total of 4 months.

NOTE: Documents required before contract signing:

UN Personal History Form;
Full medical examination and Statement of Fitness to work and travel for consultants with travel involved. (This is not a requirement for RLA contracts);

Security Certificate BSAFE: EN: https://agora.unicef.org/course/info.php?id=17891
Individual subscribers over 65 years of age are required to undergo a full medical examination including x-rays at their own cost and obtaining medical clearance from the UN Medical Director prior to taking up their assignment;
Release letter in case the selected consultant is government official.

Only applications will all items mentioned above will be considered

Note: The individual consultant who does not meet the above eligibility criteria shall not be considered for further evaluation. Necessary documentation must be submitted to substantiate the above eligibility criteria