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posted_at: 9 days agoschedule_type: Contractorwork_from_home: 1
Consultant to revise SADC Framework for achieving Gender Parity in Politics and Decision Making
Advertised on behalf of ...
Location :
Home-based
Application Deadline :
20-Jul-23
(Midnight New York, USA)
Time left :
1d 7h 53m
Type of Contract :
Individual Contract
Post Level :
International Consultant
Languages Required :
Duration of Initial Contract :
40 Working Days
UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender,
Consultant to revise SADC Framework for achieving Gender Parity in Politics and Decision Making
Advertised on behalf of ...
Location :
Home-based
Application Deadline :
20-Jul-23
(Midnight New York, USA)
Time left :
1d 7h 53m
Type of Contract :
Individual Contract
Post Level :
International Consultant
Languages Required :
Duration of Initial Contract :
40 Working Days
UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.
UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.
Background
Women’s full and effective political participation is a matter of human rights, inclusive growth and sustainable development. The active participation of women, on equal terms with men, at all levels of decision-making and political involvement is essential to the achievement of equality, sustainable development, peace and democracy and the inclusion of their perspectives and experiences into the decision-making processes. Despite this, women are facing obstacles in their political participation globally. They face structural barriers as political parties continue to resist including women as leaders and winnable candidates; winner-takes-all electoral systems make it tough for women and men to compete on equal footing and women tend to have fewer financial resources to run election campaigns. Harmful norms and violence continue to contribute to the normalization of violence against women in the political space. These norms continue to persist and act as a deterrent for women seeking office. With the advent of Covid 19 in 2020, an increase in online abuse of women candidates as political activism shifted even more to the cyberspace. Lack of political will is also a problem as leaders tolerate the fact that decision-making in public life around the world is dominated by men.
Women around the world at every socio-political level find themselves under-represented in parliament and far removed from decision-making levels. This is despite the fact that women’s equal participation with men in power and decision-making is part of their fundamental right to participate in political life, and at the core of gender equality and women’s empowerment. Strategies to increase women’s participation in politics have been advanced through conventions, protocols, and international agreements but they are yet to prove effective in achieving gender parity in the highest government rankings. Following the Beijing conference in 1995, many countries passed legislation to increase women’s representation in politics. In Africa, over 30 countries have adopted laws that guarantee quotas to address women’s under-representation in decision-making. Unfortunately, their implementation has not given desired results due to poor implementation and political party practices that exclude women. The global proportion of members of parliament (MPs) who are women has inched up to 26.5% in 2023 compared with 25.5% in 2021.In the Southern African Development Community (SADC), only one Member State of the 16 has a woman President (United Republic of Tanzania). Lesotho, Mauritius and Zambia have less than 20% women in cabinet positions. In terms of women’s representation in the national assembly the 2023 Interparliamentary ranking highlights some figures in SADC as follows Lesotho 26.5%, Zambia 15.0%, Eswatini 14.9%, and Botswana 11.1%. This demonstrates the need for continued efforts to shift the status quo and in that regard, SADC in collaboration with UN Women is seeking the services of an international consultant to review and revise a framework to promote gender parity in politics and decision making.
The Consultant will report to the SADC Secretariat gender department and the UN Women ESARO Regional Policy Specialist on Women’s Political Participation.
Rationale
Southern African Development Community (SADC) Member States are proactively working towards equal representation of men and women in politics and decision-making positions at all levels through development and adoption of normative frameworks. In 1997 the SADC Heads of State and Government committed themselves to, “ensuring the equal representation of women and men in the decision-making position of Member States and SADC structures at all levels, and the achievement of at least thirty percent target of women in political and decision-making structures by the year 2005” through the 1997 SADC Declaration on Gender and Development. The Protocol on Gender and Development in 2008 sought to ensure that at least 50% of decision-making positions in the public and private sectors are held by women. In 2008 following a Regional Workshop with Member States, National Gender Machineries and partners, SADC developed the Framework for achieving gender parity in political and decision-making positions by 2015 (SADC Gender Parity Framework) as part of efforts to contribute to guidance and tools that member states can utilize to support women’s political participation. The framework’s key thrust was to encourage member states to ensure that by 2015, at least 50% of decision-making positions in the public and private sectors are held by women including the use of affirmative action measures as provided for in Article 5 of the 2008 SADC Gender Protocol. This tool is however dated and requires revision in light of some of the persistent challenges as well as the normative developments that have happened since 2008 both at the SADC level and globally.
Every two years SADC produces the SADC Gender and Development Monitor (SGDM) to track progress in implementation of the different provisions of the SADC Protocol on Gender. In 2022, the 8th edition of the SGDM focused on women’s participation in politics and decision-making and this edition was developed as a precursor to the revision of the 2015 Framework on achieving gender parity in political and decision-making positions. This SGDM shows some significant trends and results since the adoption of the 2016 SADC Protocol on Gender. The SGDM 2022 reviewed the progress under the Protocol sections on Constitutional Rights and Governance in which SADC Member States have committed to gender equality and women’s empowerment through Article 12 on Representation, Article 13 on Participation, and Article 5 on Special Measures. The SGDM assessed why under-representation of women in politics has persisted or in some cases regression has occurred despite the measures that have been put in place as enshrined in the SADC Protocol on Gender, and where progress is happening, how this can be consolidated, and lessons provided for replication across the region. The report displays remarkable and steady progress made by some countries such as South Africa, Namibia and Mozambique on women in Parliament in SADC. The revision of the SADC Gender Parity Framework building on the progress identified in the 8th edition of the SGDM in 2022, the 2016 SADC Protocol on Gender and Development, and other regional and global good practices in achieving gender parity in elective office, will provide SADC Member States with another accountability tool that will assist the region to make progress around gender parity in politics and decision-making.
Objectives of the assignment:
• Review and revise the SADC Framework for achieving gender parity in political and decision-making positions and make it fit for purpose;
• Utilize the SADC Gender and Development Monitor 2022 on Women in Politics and Decision making and other regional and global frameworks and good practices to inform a regional framework on politics and decision making;
• Promote shared understanding on the Status of Women in Politics and Decisions making levels in the SADC Region – commitments; challenges/gaps; lessons learnt and achievements through consultative processes that will be undertaken to revise the Framework.
Scope of Work:
Develop a new Regional SADC Framework for achieving the gender parity in political and decision-making positions aligned with international normative frameworks on gender balance or parity and women’s political participation.
Duties and Responsibilities
Duties and Responsibilities:
• Develop inception report which clearly outlines approach and timelines for completion of the task.
• Conduct desk study to review progress and challenges for the implementation of the SADC Gender Parity Framework since 2009.
• Solicit input from AU & SADC Member States through appropriate tools such as questionnaires, interviews, discussions, etc.
• Propose key revisions to the current Framework based on desk reviews and inputs from Member States and relevant stakeholders, including women’s regional organisations working on women’s political participation (WPP), other civil society organizations, election management bodies, etc.
• Present the approach to, develop a PowerPoint presentation outlining the components of the revised framework. and facilitate a regional consultative workshop to interrogate and endorse the draft revised Framework.
• Present the draft revised framework with new timelines to the SADC Secretariat and stakeholders (including the technical working group) through round table meetings or other meetings to be determined by SADC to solicit feedback on the draft. Share a summary report from the process.
• Present the draft revised framework to the SADC Member States for validation through a regional workshop.
• Present the final SADC Framework to the SADC Ministers of Gender during their meeting in May/June 2024.
Deliverables and Work Schedule:
Deliverables
Timelines
Allocated Percentage
Review relevant documents & submit an inception report which includes: approach or methodology for developing the framework, draft tools or questionnaires to be utilised and proposed respondents.
30 August
30%
Develop a draft revised framework, share a PowerPoint presentation and facilitate at a regional consultative meeting for feedback.
10 October
30%
Present or share the revised framework with member states for validation.
15 October
20%
Submit the revised version to be shared as final to the SADC ministers of gender in 2024
15 December
20%
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.
Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Core Values and Competencies: https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/Headquarters/Attachments/Sections/About%20Us/Employment/UN-Women-values-and-competencies-framework-en.pdf
Functional Competencies:
• Excellent analytical and research skills;
• Strong facilitation skills;
• Strong interpersonal and good communication abilities;
• Excellent writing skills in English;
• Proven ability to work within limited time constraints in the preparation of high-quality documents;
• Ability to organize work efficiently and deal with multiple tasks.
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
• Minimum of master’s degree in law, development studies, international relations, gender studies or relevant field.
Experience:
• At least 10 years working experience on gender, governance, and political participation issues in the SADC Region;
• Good knowledge of the governance and women’s political participation landscape in SADC;
• Knowledge and experience in governance and political participation including regional and international instruments.
• Previous experience working with government institutions or Regional Economic Communities (RECs) on gender, governance, and leadership issues;
• Experience of working in the SADC region;
• Excellent command of English (written and oral) is required; Portuguese or French may be an advantage;
• Previous professional experience with development agencies and the United Nations would be considered an asset.
Language Requirements:
• Fluency in English is required;
• Knowledge of the other UN official working language is an asset.
Application:
Please note that applications without a completed and signed UN Women P-11 form will be treated as incomplete and will not be considered for further assessment.
UN Women Personal History form (P-11) can be downloaded from http://www.unwomen.org/en/about-us/employment
The applicant(s) will submit the following: (i) P11; (ii) A proposal which should (1) display thorough understanding of the scope of work and include (2) the methodology, (3) a timetable with Gantt chart of the proposed activities; (iii) Examples of previous work done in designing knowledge products or frameworks on WPP
Note:
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 Show more details...
Advertised on behalf of ...
Location :
Home-based
Application Deadline :
20-Jul-23
(Midnight New York, USA)
Time left :
1d 7h 53m
Type of Contract :
Individual Contract
Post Level :
International Consultant
Languages Required :
Duration of Initial Contract :
40 Working Days
UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.
UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.
Background
Women’s full and effective political participation is a matter of human rights, inclusive growth and sustainable development. The active participation of women, on equal terms with men, at all levels of decision-making and political involvement is essential to the achievement of equality, sustainable development, peace and democracy and the inclusion of their perspectives and experiences into the decision-making processes. Despite this, women are facing obstacles in their political participation globally. They face structural barriers as political parties continue to resist including women as leaders and winnable candidates; winner-takes-all electoral systems make it tough for women and men to compete on equal footing and women tend to have fewer financial resources to run election campaigns. Harmful norms and violence continue to contribute to the normalization of violence against women in the political space. These norms continue to persist and act as a deterrent for women seeking office. With the advent of Covid 19 in 2020, an increase in online abuse of women candidates as political activism shifted even more to the cyberspace. Lack of political will is also a problem as leaders tolerate the fact that decision-making in public life around the world is dominated by men.
Women around the world at every socio-political level find themselves under-represented in parliament and far removed from decision-making levels. This is despite the fact that women’s equal participation with men in power and decision-making is part of their fundamental right to participate in political life, and at the core of gender equality and women’s empowerment. Strategies to increase women’s participation in politics have been advanced through conventions, protocols, and international agreements but they are yet to prove effective in achieving gender parity in the highest government rankings. Following the Beijing conference in 1995, many countries passed legislation to increase women’s representation in politics. In Africa, over 30 countries have adopted laws that guarantee quotas to address women’s under-representation in decision-making. Unfortunately, their implementation has not given desired results due to poor implementation and political party practices that exclude women. The global proportion of members of parliament (MPs) who are women has inched up to 26.5% in 2023 compared with 25.5% in 2021.In the Southern African Development Community (SADC), only one Member State of the 16 has a woman President (United Republic of Tanzania). Lesotho, Mauritius and Zambia have less than 20% women in cabinet positions. In terms of women’s representation in the national assembly the 2023 Interparliamentary ranking highlights some figures in SADC as follows Lesotho 26.5%, Zambia 15.0%, Eswatini 14.9%, and Botswana 11.1%. This demonstrates the need for continued efforts to shift the status quo and in that regard, SADC in collaboration with UN Women is seeking the services of an international consultant to review and revise a framework to promote gender parity in politics and decision making.
The Consultant will report to the SADC Secretariat gender department and the UN Women ESARO Regional Policy Specialist on Women’s Political Participation.
Rationale
Southern African Development Community (SADC) Member States are proactively working towards equal representation of men and women in politics and decision-making positions at all levels through development and adoption of normative frameworks. In 1997 the SADC Heads of State and Government committed themselves to, “ensuring the equal representation of women and men in the decision-making position of Member States and SADC structures at all levels, and the achievement of at least thirty percent target of women in political and decision-making structures by the year 2005” through the 1997 SADC Declaration on Gender and Development. The Protocol on Gender and Development in 2008 sought to ensure that at least 50% of decision-making positions in the public and private sectors are held by women. In 2008 following a Regional Workshop with Member States, National Gender Machineries and partners, SADC developed the Framework for achieving gender parity in political and decision-making positions by 2015 (SADC Gender Parity Framework) as part of efforts to contribute to guidance and tools that member states can utilize to support women’s political participation. The framework’s key thrust was to encourage member states to ensure that by 2015, at least 50% of decision-making positions in the public and private sectors are held by women including the use of affirmative action measures as provided for in Article 5 of the 2008 SADC Gender Protocol. This tool is however dated and requires revision in light of some of the persistent challenges as well as the normative developments that have happened since 2008 both at the SADC level and globally.
Every two years SADC produces the SADC Gender and Development Monitor (SGDM) to track progress in implementation of the different provisions of the SADC Protocol on Gender. In 2022, the 8th edition of the SGDM focused on women’s participation in politics and decision-making and this edition was developed as a precursor to the revision of the 2015 Framework on achieving gender parity in political and decision-making positions. This SGDM shows some significant trends and results since the adoption of the 2016 SADC Protocol on Gender. The SGDM 2022 reviewed the progress under the Protocol sections on Constitutional Rights and Governance in which SADC Member States have committed to gender equality and women’s empowerment through Article 12 on Representation, Article 13 on Participation, and Article 5 on Special Measures. The SGDM assessed why under-representation of women in politics has persisted or in some cases regression has occurred despite the measures that have been put in place as enshrined in the SADC Protocol on Gender, and where progress is happening, how this can be consolidated, and lessons provided for replication across the region. The report displays remarkable and steady progress made by some countries such as South Africa, Namibia and Mozambique on women in Parliament in SADC. The revision of the SADC Gender Parity Framework building on the progress identified in the 8th edition of the SGDM in 2022, the 2016 SADC Protocol on Gender and Development, and other regional and global good practices in achieving gender parity in elective office, will provide SADC Member States with another accountability tool that will assist the region to make progress around gender parity in politics and decision-making.
Objectives of the assignment:
• Review and revise the SADC Framework for achieving gender parity in political and decision-making positions and make it fit for purpose;
• Utilize the SADC Gender and Development Monitor 2022 on Women in Politics and Decision making and other regional and global frameworks and good practices to inform a regional framework on politics and decision making;
• Promote shared understanding on the Status of Women in Politics and Decisions making levels in the SADC Region – commitments; challenges/gaps; lessons learnt and achievements through consultative processes that will be undertaken to revise the Framework.
Scope of Work:
Develop a new Regional SADC Framework for achieving the gender parity in political and decision-making positions aligned with international normative frameworks on gender balance or parity and women’s political participation.
Duties and Responsibilities
Duties and Responsibilities:
• Develop inception report which clearly outlines approach and timelines for completion of the task.
• Conduct desk study to review progress and challenges for the implementation of the SADC Gender Parity Framework since 2009.
• Solicit input from AU & SADC Member States through appropriate tools such as questionnaires, interviews, discussions, etc.
• Propose key revisions to the current Framework based on desk reviews and inputs from Member States and relevant stakeholders, including women’s regional organisations working on women’s political participation (WPP), other civil society organizations, election management bodies, etc.
• Present the approach to, develop a PowerPoint presentation outlining the components of the revised framework. and facilitate a regional consultative workshop to interrogate and endorse the draft revised Framework.
• Present the draft revised framework with new timelines to the SADC Secretariat and stakeholders (including the technical working group) through round table meetings or other meetings to be determined by SADC to solicit feedback on the draft. Share a summary report from the process.
• Present the draft revised framework to the SADC Member States for validation through a regional workshop.
• Present the final SADC Framework to the SADC Ministers of Gender during their meeting in May/June 2024.
Deliverables and Work Schedule:
Deliverables
Timelines
Allocated Percentage
Review relevant documents & submit an inception report which includes: approach or methodology for developing the framework, draft tools or questionnaires to be utilised and proposed respondents.
30 August
30%
Develop a draft revised framework, share a PowerPoint presentation and facilitate at a regional consultative meeting for feedback.
10 October
30%
Present or share the revised framework with member states for validation.
15 October
20%
Submit the revised version to be shared as final to the SADC ministers of gender in 2024
15 December
20%
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.
Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Core Values and Competencies: https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/Headquarters/Attachments/Sections/About%20Us/Employment/UN-Women-values-and-competencies-framework-en.pdf
Functional Competencies:
• Excellent analytical and research skills;
• Strong facilitation skills;
• Strong interpersonal and good communication abilities;
• Excellent writing skills in English;
• Proven ability to work within limited time constraints in the preparation of high-quality documents;
• Ability to organize work efficiently and deal with multiple tasks.
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
• Minimum of master’s degree in law, development studies, international relations, gender studies or relevant field.
Experience:
• At least 10 years working experience on gender, governance, and political participation issues in the SADC Region;
• Good knowledge of the governance and women’s political participation landscape in SADC;
• Knowledge and experience in governance and political participation including regional and international instruments.
• Previous experience working with government institutions or Regional Economic Communities (RECs) on gender, governance, and leadership issues;
• Experience of working in the SADC region;
• Excellent command of English (written and oral) is required; Portuguese or French may be an advantage;
• Previous professional experience with development agencies and the United Nations would be considered an asset.
Language Requirements:
• Fluency in English is required;
• Knowledge of the other UN official working language is an asset.
Application:
Please note that applications without a completed and signed UN Women P-11 form will be treated as incomplete and will not be considered for further assessment.
UN Women Personal History form (P-11) can be downloaded from http://www.unwomen.org/en/about-us/employment
The applicant(s) will submit the following: (i) P11; (ii) A proposal which should (1) display thorough understanding of the scope of work and include (2) the methodology, (3) a timetable with Gantt chart of the proposed activities; (iii) Examples of previous work done in designing knowledge products or frameworks on WPP
Note:
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 Show more details...
via LinkedIn
posted_at: 3 days agoschedule_type: Full-time
Background
Women’s full and effective political participation is a matter of human rights, inclusive growth and sustainable development. The active participation of women, on equal terms with men, at all levels of decision-making and political involvement is essential to the achievement of equality, sustainable development, peace and democracy and the inclusion of their perspectives and... experiences into the decision-making processes. Despite
Background
Women’s full and effective political participation is a matter of human rights, inclusive growth and sustainable development. The active participation of women, on equal terms with men, at all levels of decision-making and political involvement is essential to the achievement of equality, sustainable development, peace and democracy and the inclusion of their perspectives and... experiences into the decision-making processes. Despite this, women are facing obstacles in their political participation globally. They face structural barriers as political parties continue to resist including women as leaders and winnable candidates; winner-takes-all electoral systems make it tough for women and men to compete on equal footing and women tend to have fewer financial resources to run election campaigns. Harmful norms and violence continue to contribute to the normalization of violence against women in the political space. These norms continue to persist and act as a deterrent for women seeking office. With the advent of Covid 19 in 2020, an increase in online abuse of women candidates as political activism shifted even more to the cyberspace. Lack of political will is also a problem as leaders tolerate the fact that decision-making in public life around the world is dominated by men.
Women around the world at every socio-political level find themselves under-represented in parliament and far removed from decision-making levels. This is despite the fact that women’s equal participation with men in power and decision-making is part of their fundamental right to participate in political life, and at the core of gender equality and women’s empowerment. Strategies to increase women’s participation in politics have been advanced through conventions, protocols, and international agreements but they are yet to prove effective in achieving gender parity in the highest government rankings. Following the Beijing conference in 1995, many countries passed legislation to increase women’s representation in politics. In Africa, over 30 countries have adopted laws that guarantee quotas to address women’s under-representation in decision-making. Unfortunately, their implementation has not given desired results due to poor implementation and political party practices that exclude women. The global proportion of members of parliament (MPs) who are women has inched up to 26.5% in 2023 compared with 25.5% in 2021.In the Southern African Development Community (SADC), only one Member State of the 16 has a woman President (United Republic of Tanzania). Lesotho, Mauritius and Zambia have less than 20% women in cabinet positions. In terms of women’s representation in the national assembly the 2023 Interparliamentary ranking highlights some figures in SADC as follows Lesotho 26.5%, Zambia 15.0%, Eswatini 14.9%, and Botswana 11.1%. This demonstrates the need for continued efforts to shift the status quo and in that regard, SADC in collaboration with UN Women is seeking the services of an international consultant to review and revise a framework to promote gender parity in politics and decision making.
The Consultant will report to the SADC Secretariat gender department and the UN Women ESARO Regional Policy Specialist on Women’s Political Participation.
Rationale
Southern African Development Community (SADC) Member States are proactively working towards equal representation of men and women in politics and decision-making positions at all levels through development and adoption of normative frameworks. In 1997 the SADC Heads of State and Government committed themselves to, “ensuring the equal representation of women and men in the decision-making position of Member States and SADC structures at all levels, and the achievement of at least thirty percent target of women in political and decision-making structures by the year 2005” through the 1997 SADC Declaration on Gender and Development. The Protocol on Gender and Development in 2008 sought to ensure that at least 50% of decision-making positions in the public and private sectors are held by women. In 2008 following a Regional Workshop with Member States, National Gender Machineries and partners, SADC developed the Framework for achieving gender parity in political and decision-making positions by 2015 (SADC Gender Parity Framework) as part of efforts to contribute to guidance and tools that member states can utilize to support women’s political participation. The framework’s key thrust was to encourage member states to ensure that by 2015, at least 50% of decision-making positions in the public and private sectors are held by women including the use of affirmative action measures as provided for in Article 5 of the 2008 SADC Gender Protocol. This tool is however dated and requires revision in light of some of the persistent challenges as well as the normative developments that have happened since 2008 both at the SADC level and globally.
Every two years SADC produces the SADC Gender and Development Monitor (SGDM) to track progress in implementation of the different provisions of the SADC Protocol on Gender. In 2022, the 8th edition of the SGDM focused on women’s participation in politics and decision-making and this edition was developed as a precursor to the revision of the 2015 Framework on achieving gender parity in political and decision-making positions. This SGDM shows some significant trends and results since the adoption of the 2016 SADC Protocol on Gender. The SGDM 2022 reviewed the progress under the Protocol sections on Constitutional Rights and Governance in which SADC Member States have committed to gender equality and women’s empowerment through Article 12 on Representation, Article 13 on Participation, and Article 5 on Special Measures. The SGDM assessed why under-representation of women in politics has persisted or in some cases regression has occurred despite the measures that have been put in place as enshrined in the SADC Protocol on Gender, and where progress is happening, how this can be consolidated, and lessons provided for replication across the region. The report displays remarkable and steady progress made by some countries such as South Africa, Namibia and Mozambique on women in Parliament in SADC. The revision of the SADC Gender Parity Framework building on the progress identified in the 8th edition of the SGDM in 2022, the 2016 SADC Protocol on Gender and Development, and other regional and global good practices in achieving gender parity in elective office, will provide SADC Member States with another accountability tool that will assist the region to make progress around gender parity in politics and decision-making.
Objectives of the assignment:
• Review and revise the SADC Framework for achieving gender parity in political and decision-making positions and make it fit for purpose;
• Utilize the SADC Gender and Development Monitor 2022 on Women in Politics and Decision making and other regional and global frameworks and good practices to inform a regional framework on politics and decision making;
• Promote shared understanding on the Status of Women in Politics and Decisions making levels in the SADC Region – commitments; challenges/gaps; lessons learnt and achievements through consultative processes that will be undertaken to revise the Framework.
Scope of Work:
Develop a new Regional SADC Framework for achieving the gender parity in political and decision-making positions aligned with international normative frameworks on gender balance or parity and women’s political participation.
Duties And Responsibilities
Duties and Responsibilities:
• Develop inception report which clearly outlines approach and timelines for completion of the task.
• Conduct desk study to review progress and challenges for the implementation of the SADC Gender Parity Framework since 2009.
• Solicit input from AU & SADC Member States through appropriate tools such as questionnaires, interviews, discussions, etc.
• Propose key revisions to the current Framework based on desk reviews and inputs from Member States and relevant stakeholders, including women’s regional organisations working on women’s political participation (WPP), other civil society organizations, election management bodies, etc.
• Present the approach to, develop a PowerPoint presentation outlining the components of the revised framework. and facilitate a regional consultative workshop to interrogate and endorse the draft revised Framework.
• Present the draft revised framework with new timelines to the SADC Secretariat and stakeholders (including the technical working group) through round table meetings or other meetings to be determined by SADC to solicit feedback on the draft. Share a summary report from the process.
• Present the draft revised framework to the SADC Member States for validation through a regional workshop.
• Present the final SADC Framework to the SADC Ministers of Gender during their meeting in May/June 2024.
Deliverables and Work Schedule:
Deliverables Timelines Allocated Percentage
Review relevant documents & submit an inception report which includes: approach or methodology for developing the framework, draft tools or questionnaires to be utilised and proposed respondents. 30 August 30%
Develop a draft revised framework, share a PowerPoint presentation and facilitate at a regional consultative meeting for feedback. 10 October 30%
Present or share the revised framework with member states for validation.
15 October 20%
Submit the revised version to be shared as final to the SADC ministers of gender in 2024 15 December 20%
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.
Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Core Values and Competencies: https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/Headquarters/Attachments/Sections/About%20Us/Employment/UN-Women-values-and-competencies-framework-en.pdf
Functional Competencies:
• Excellent analytical and research skills;
• Strong facilitation skills;
• Strong interpersonal and good communication abilities;
• Excellent writing skills in English;
• Proven ability to work within limited time constraints in the preparation of high-quality documents;
• Ability to organize work efficiently and deal with multiple tasks.
Required Skills And Experience
Education:
• Minimum of master’s degree in law, development studies, international relations, gender studies or relevant field.
Experience:
• At least 10 years working experience on gender, governance, and political participation issues in the SADC Region;
• Good knowledge of the governance and women’s political participation landscape in SADC;
• Knowledge and experience in governance and political participation including regional and international instruments.
• Previous experience working with government institutions or Regional Economic Communities (RECs) on gender, governance, and leadership issues;
• Experience of working in the SADC region;
• Excellent command of English (written and oral) is required; Portuguese or French may be an advantage;
• Previous professional experience with development agencies and the United Nations would be considered an asset.
Language Requirements:
• Fluency in English is required;
• Knowledge of the other UN official working language is an asset.
Application:
Please note that applications without a completed and signed UN Women P-11 form will be treated as incomplete and will not be considered for further assessment.
UN Women Personal History form (P-11) can be downloaded from http://www.unwomen.org/en/about-us/employment
The applicant(s) will submit the following: (i) P11; (ii) A proposal which should (1) display thorough understanding of the scope of work and include (2) the methodology, (3) a timetable with Gantt chart of the proposed activities; (iii) Examples of previous work done in designing knowledge products or frameworks on WPP
Note:
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.
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Women’s full and effective political participation is a matter of human rights, inclusive growth and sustainable development. The active participation of women, on equal terms with men, at all levels of decision-making and political involvement is essential to the achievement of equality, sustainable development, peace and democracy and the inclusion of their perspectives and... experiences into the decision-making processes. Despite this, women are facing obstacles in their political participation globally. They face structural barriers as political parties continue to resist including women as leaders and winnable candidates; winner-takes-all electoral systems make it tough for women and men to compete on equal footing and women tend to have fewer financial resources to run election campaigns. Harmful norms and violence continue to contribute to the normalization of violence against women in the political space. These norms continue to persist and act as a deterrent for women seeking office. With the advent of Covid 19 in 2020, an increase in online abuse of women candidates as political activism shifted even more to the cyberspace. Lack of political will is also a problem as leaders tolerate the fact that decision-making in public life around the world is dominated by men.
Women around the world at every socio-political level find themselves under-represented in parliament and far removed from decision-making levels. This is despite the fact that women’s equal participation with men in power and decision-making is part of their fundamental right to participate in political life, and at the core of gender equality and women’s empowerment. Strategies to increase women’s participation in politics have been advanced through conventions, protocols, and international agreements but they are yet to prove effective in achieving gender parity in the highest government rankings. Following the Beijing conference in 1995, many countries passed legislation to increase women’s representation in politics. In Africa, over 30 countries have adopted laws that guarantee quotas to address women’s under-representation in decision-making. Unfortunately, their implementation has not given desired results due to poor implementation and political party practices that exclude women. The global proportion of members of parliament (MPs) who are women has inched up to 26.5% in 2023 compared with 25.5% in 2021.In the Southern African Development Community (SADC), only one Member State of the 16 has a woman President (United Republic of Tanzania). Lesotho, Mauritius and Zambia have less than 20% women in cabinet positions. In terms of women’s representation in the national assembly the 2023 Interparliamentary ranking highlights some figures in SADC as follows Lesotho 26.5%, Zambia 15.0%, Eswatini 14.9%, and Botswana 11.1%. This demonstrates the need for continued efforts to shift the status quo and in that regard, SADC in collaboration with UN Women is seeking the services of an international consultant to review and revise a framework to promote gender parity in politics and decision making.
The Consultant will report to the SADC Secretariat gender department and the UN Women ESARO Regional Policy Specialist on Women’s Political Participation.
Rationale
Southern African Development Community (SADC) Member States are proactively working towards equal representation of men and women in politics and decision-making positions at all levels through development and adoption of normative frameworks. In 1997 the SADC Heads of State and Government committed themselves to, “ensuring the equal representation of women and men in the decision-making position of Member States and SADC structures at all levels, and the achievement of at least thirty percent target of women in political and decision-making structures by the year 2005” through the 1997 SADC Declaration on Gender and Development. The Protocol on Gender and Development in 2008 sought to ensure that at least 50% of decision-making positions in the public and private sectors are held by women. In 2008 following a Regional Workshop with Member States, National Gender Machineries and partners, SADC developed the Framework for achieving gender parity in political and decision-making positions by 2015 (SADC Gender Parity Framework) as part of efforts to contribute to guidance and tools that member states can utilize to support women’s political participation. The framework’s key thrust was to encourage member states to ensure that by 2015, at least 50% of decision-making positions in the public and private sectors are held by women including the use of affirmative action measures as provided for in Article 5 of the 2008 SADC Gender Protocol. This tool is however dated and requires revision in light of some of the persistent challenges as well as the normative developments that have happened since 2008 both at the SADC level and globally.
Every two years SADC produces the SADC Gender and Development Monitor (SGDM) to track progress in implementation of the different provisions of the SADC Protocol on Gender. In 2022, the 8th edition of the SGDM focused on women’s participation in politics and decision-making and this edition was developed as a precursor to the revision of the 2015 Framework on achieving gender parity in political and decision-making positions. This SGDM shows some significant trends and results since the adoption of the 2016 SADC Protocol on Gender. The SGDM 2022 reviewed the progress under the Protocol sections on Constitutional Rights and Governance in which SADC Member States have committed to gender equality and women’s empowerment through Article 12 on Representation, Article 13 on Participation, and Article 5 on Special Measures. The SGDM assessed why under-representation of women in politics has persisted or in some cases regression has occurred despite the measures that have been put in place as enshrined in the SADC Protocol on Gender, and where progress is happening, how this can be consolidated, and lessons provided for replication across the region. The report displays remarkable and steady progress made by some countries such as South Africa, Namibia and Mozambique on women in Parliament in SADC. The revision of the SADC Gender Parity Framework building on the progress identified in the 8th edition of the SGDM in 2022, the 2016 SADC Protocol on Gender and Development, and other regional and global good practices in achieving gender parity in elective office, will provide SADC Member States with another accountability tool that will assist the region to make progress around gender parity in politics and decision-making.
Objectives of the assignment:
• Review and revise the SADC Framework for achieving gender parity in political and decision-making positions and make it fit for purpose;
• Utilize the SADC Gender and Development Monitor 2022 on Women in Politics and Decision making and other regional and global frameworks and good practices to inform a regional framework on politics and decision making;
• Promote shared understanding on the Status of Women in Politics and Decisions making levels in the SADC Region – commitments; challenges/gaps; lessons learnt and achievements through consultative processes that will be undertaken to revise the Framework.
Scope of Work:
Develop a new Regional SADC Framework for achieving the gender parity in political and decision-making positions aligned with international normative frameworks on gender balance or parity and women’s political participation.
Duties And Responsibilities
Duties and Responsibilities:
• Develop inception report which clearly outlines approach and timelines for completion of the task.
• Conduct desk study to review progress and challenges for the implementation of the SADC Gender Parity Framework since 2009.
• Solicit input from AU & SADC Member States through appropriate tools such as questionnaires, interviews, discussions, etc.
• Propose key revisions to the current Framework based on desk reviews and inputs from Member States and relevant stakeholders, including women’s regional organisations working on women’s political participation (WPP), other civil society organizations, election management bodies, etc.
• Present the approach to, develop a PowerPoint presentation outlining the components of the revised framework. and facilitate a regional consultative workshop to interrogate and endorse the draft revised Framework.
• Present the draft revised framework with new timelines to the SADC Secretariat and stakeholders (including the technical working group) through round table meetings or other meetings to be determined by SADC to solicit feedback on the draft. Share a summary report from the process.
• Present the draft revised framework to the SADC Member States for validation through a regional workshop.
• Present the final SADC Framework to the SADC Ministers of Gender during their meeting in May/June 2024.
Deliverables and Work Schedule:
Deliverables Timelines Allocated Percentage
Review relevant documents & submit an inception report which includes: approach or methodology for developing the framework, draft tools or questionnaires to be utilised and proposed respondents. 30 August 30%
Develop a draft revised framework, share a PowerPoint presentation and facilitate at a regional consultative meeting for feedback. 10 October 30%
Present or share the revised framework with member states for validation.
15 October 20%
Submit the revised version to be shared as final to the SADC ministers of gender in 2024 15 December 20%
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.
Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Core Values and Competencies: https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/Headquarters/Attachments/Sections/About%20Us/Employment/UN-Women-values-and-competencies-framework-en.pdf
Functional Competencies:
• Excellent analytical and research skills;
• Strong facilitation skills;
• Strong interpersonal and good communication abilities;
• Excellent writing skills in English;
• Proven ability to work within limited time constraints in the preparation of high-quality documents;
• Ability to organize work efficiently and deal with multiple tasks.
Required Skills And Experience
Education:
• Minimum of master’s degree in law, development studies, international relations, gender studies or relevant field.
Experience:
• At least 10 years working experience on gender, governance, and political participation issues in the SADC Region;
• Good knowledge of the governance and women’s political participation landscape in SADC;
• Knowledge and experience in governance and political participation including regional and international instruments.
• Previous experience working with government institutions or Regional Economic Communities (RECs) on gender, governance, and leadership issues;
• Experience of working in the SADC region;
• Excellent command of English (written and oral) is required; Portuguese or French may be an advantage;
• Previous professional experience with development agencies and the United Nations would be considered an asset.
Language Requirements:
• Fluency in English is required;
• Knowledge of the other UN official working language is an asset.
Application:
Please note that applications without a completed and signed UN Women P-11 form will be treated as incomplete and will not be considered for further assessment.
UN Women Personal History form (P-11) can be downloaded from http://www.unwomen.org/en/about-us/employment
The applicant(s) will submit the following: (i) P11; (ii) A proposal which should (1) display thorough understanding of the scope of work and include (2) the methodology, (3) a timetable with Gantt chart of the proposed activities; (iii) Examples of previous work done in designing knowledge products or frameworks on WPP
Note:
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.
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