Purpose of assignment

Context: Global

UNICEF works for the equal rights and empowerment of girls and boys, recognising that gender equality provides an essential context and precondition for inclusive human development, as articulated in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and elsewhere.

A principal way that UNICEF contributes to women’s rights is through empowerment of girls so that they can take their place as adults able to claim their own rights and assume their full responsibilities as duty bearers towards the next generation. UNICEF also recognises that gender equality among adults, expressed in equal enjoyment of rights and mutually respectful relationships in both the public and private spheres, provides the essential context in which girls and boys can learn the equitable and pro gender-equality attitudes and behaviors that will sustain human development over time. Thus UNICEF works for women’s human rights not only as a core institutional commitment, an inherent good for society as a whole, and in recognition of girls and women as agents of human development, but specifically because the empowerment of women facilitates the very environment in which gender equal results can best be achieved for children.

The UNICEF Policy on Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Girls and Women (2010) combines a focus on increased equality with a lifecycle and rights-based approach. It articulates UNICEF’s mission and mandate for achieving the MDGs and creating “a world fit for children”[1] in a gender-equal manner, by operationalising the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) through results-based management principles and the United Nations Common Understanding on the Rights-based Approach to Programming. The core elements of this policy include (a) promotion of a gender equality approach, (b) support for the continued need for gender-specific interventions in some contexts, (c) special attention to the girl child, and (d) promotion of women's human rights and empowerment. As a result of the global evaluation of the implementation of the UNICEF Gender Equality policy (2007), a recommendation was made to also include (e) the commitment to work more explicitly with men and boys, as both agents and beneficiaries of gender equality.

UNICEF-assisted programmes are designed to contribute to gender equality in well-defined ways, as measured and assessed by gender results statements and indicators. We work to support the development of national capacities to achieve equality for girls and boys - through the strengthening of national counterparts and enabling institutions and environments. Programmes of cooperation with Governments help develop the capacity of duty bearers to implement and operate these institutions and systems, and the capacity of women and girls, as well as men and boys, to claim their rights. UNICEF also supports the development of national and international policies, legislative frameworks, institutions, gender- and child-responsive budgeting and service delivery systems that promote norms,

services and protection for children in a gender-equal manner.

UNICEF’s operations and management practices have a direct impact on its performance on gender mainstreaming. UNICEF makes gender equality a consideration in its information management, performance management, human resources policy and practice and budget and supply management.

In 2010 UNICEF also developed a Strategic Priority Action Plan for Gender Equality: 2010-2012 which identified eight key change areas:

1. Accountability and strategic framework

2. Capacity and knowledge

3. Leadership, influence and advocacy

4. Programming

5. Doing what we advocate

6. Partnership

7. Financial resources

8. Communications

This plan spans all aspects of UNICEF’s operations and work and remains a guiding document for prioritisation of gender initiatives.

Context: Pakistan

Pakistan’s Constitution explicitly identifies gender equality as a fundamental right and is constitutionally mandated to take steps towards gender equality and the advancement of girls and women. Although promising progress has been made in recent times by the Government of Pakistan on the formulation of women-friendly legislation (including national and provincial frameworks on gender equality and the notification of Gender and Child Cells under the National Disaster Management Authority and Provincial Disaster Management Authorities), gender inequalities remain deeply entrenched in Pakistan, due to pervasive socio-cultural and religious norms. These disparities limit the equal rights and participation of girls and women in almost every facet of day-to-day life; and deepen suffering and marginalisation in humanitarian emergencies.

Gender equality is a concern and a deliverable goal for the entire UN system in Pakistan. The UN ‘One Programme II’ (OPII) Framework for 2013-2017 features, for the first time, gender equality and social justice as a strategic priority area (‘SPA 5’), one of only six strategic priority areas in total. In OPI gender equality was framed as a cross-cutting issue; the OPII reframing reflects its elevation and prioritisation across all areas of the UN’s work.

Strategic Priority Area 5 (SPA 5) is articulated in OPII as follows:

Ensure Gender Equality and Social Justice

5.1 Government and civil society are active and accountable in eliminating discrimination against women and girls

5.2 Political, economic, social and legal rights of all, and especially excluded groups, are respected, protected and fulfilled, including through institutional strengthening and capacity development of duty bearers

5.3 Human rights institutions strategically positioned, and advocating for integrating human rights at all levels

With respect to Pakistan’s fluid and complex environment, UNICEF’s global gender equality agenda and its commitments as a part of One UN in Pakistan, full implementation of comprehensive institutional measures towards the achievement of gender equality assumes even greater importance for UNICEF in Pakistan.

The assignment:

In order to make measurable, substantive progress towards gender equality, and to ensure that a) gender is comprehensively mainstreamed throughout UNICEF’s upcoming 2013-2017 Country Programme and b) UNICEF Pakistan is equipped to contribute towards achievement of the OPII gender priorities, UNICEF Pakistan is seeking the services of a gender expert. This expert will identify, prioritise, articulate and integrate gender-based interventions throughout the UNICEF Pakistan 2013-2017 Strategy Paper, develop a results-based Action Plan and support strengthening of institutional capacity for implementation.

Objectives:

This assignment will contribute to the overall goals of UNICEF’s 2013-2017 Country Programme by:

1. Supporting UNICEF to realise the gender equality provisions within national commitments and frameworks, along with international covenants including the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women and their respective Concluding Observations

2. Providing guidance for closer interaction and liaison with the Inter-agency Group on Gender Equality and the humanitarian Thematic Group on Gender, in addition to any other relevant inter-agency technical groups (e.g. Human Rights Task Force, UN Women Knowledge Management Committee, Joint Programme Support Officers, INGAD, etc).

3. Articulating a clear and implementable approach to gender mainstreaming that reflects the principles of both Human Rights Based Approaches and Results-Based Programming

4. Strengthening UNICEF Pakistan’s institutional capacity – and the capacity of its relevant partners – to mainstream gender equality provisions throughout its operations and programming

5. Ensuring that UNICEF’s operations and programming, across all sectors, do not discriminate or perpetuate discrimination on the grounds of sex and deliver on supporting the full realisation of equal rights for girls, boys, women and men

Process:

The successful candidate will survey, synthesise, contextualise and build on gender commitments, concepts and approaches at the global, national and provincial levels to recommend best practice measures for the organisation-wide mainstreaming of gender equality approaches in development, humanitarian and organisational settings. The consultancy will include:

1. Contextual analysis, encompassing desk review of key existing published/unpublished material (with particular reference to the findings of the 2009 Gender Assessment and Analysis of UNICEF-supported Programs and Capacity for Gender Mainstreaming in Pakistan study and 2012 UN Pakistan Gender Audit) and key informant interviews with UN system, civil society and Government counterparts at federal and provincial levels;
2. Consultative identification of priority areas, target stakeholders and priorities for phasing;
3. Strengthening of UNICEF’s 2013-2017 Pakistan Strategy Paper to articulate a strategic vision for UNICEF’s gender equality commitments and comprehensively mainstream gender equality actions;
4. Development of a 5-year UNICEF Pakistan Gender Equality Action Plan (spanning 2013-2017) that includes:

Gender equality interventions and principles that apply directly to development

· programming, disaster risk reduction, emergency preparedness, and humanitarian response

· Gender equality interventions and principles aimed at strengthening organisational capacity to practice and pursue gender equality in operations and programming

· Specific phased actions to integrate gender equality throughout the Country Programme, including accountabilities, timelines, phasing, capacity development and resource requirements

· A monitoring and evaluation plan, which reflects existing reporting requirements (including UNICEF’s Gender Equality Marker) and provides Pakistan-specific SMART and ‘SPICED’ indicators along with their means of verifications. This plan will measure performance, assess impact, and provide evidence for correction and refinement of strategies;

1. Development and delivery of an orientation and capacity building package for UNICEF’s staff on the provisions of the Strategy Paper and implementation of the Action Plan, including key SOPs.
2. Development and propagation of a best practice Terms of Reference for UNICEF’s Gender Working Group and Focal Points, including explicit linkages and accountabilities to the UN Inter-Agency Group on Gender Equality and the humanitarian Thematic Group on Gender.

Resource materials:

This process will be guided by the provisions of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women. Other resource materials to be consulted during the strategy development process includes, but are not limited to, the following:

• UNICEF 2013-2017 Pakistan Strategy Paper: 2012
• UN Gender Audit – Pakistan: 2012
• IASC Gender Marker Tip Sheets: 2012
• UNICEF Pakistan Strategic Priority Action Plan for Gender Equality report: 2011
• UNICEF 2010-2012 Strategic Priority Action Plan for Gender Equality: 2010
• Core Commitments for Children in Humanitarian Action: 2010
• Working for an Equal Future - UNICEF Gender Policy: 2010
• ‘The why’s and how’s of gender equality: Introduction to Operational Guidance on Promoting Gender Equality through UNICEF-supported Programmes: 2010
• Guidance Note on the Gender Equality Marker: 2010
• Gender Assessment and Analysis of UNICEF-supported Programs and Capacity for Gender Mainstreaming in Pakistan study: 2009
• National and Provincial Government Frameworks on Gender Equality: Under development
• UNICEF Intranet Gender Equality site

In addition to the abovementioned resources, the process will include close review and integration with UNICEF’s sector-specific strategies and commitments, including OPII. UNICEF’s Child Protection section, Gender in Education Specialist and HIV/AIDS focal point will provide particular support, in addition to focal points at UN Women and the Inter-Agency Group on Gender Equality.

Duty Station:

The consultant may be based anywhere in Pakistan but will require travel to UNICEF’s office in Islamabad and may require further travel to UNICEF offices in Quetta, Karachi, Lahore and Peshawar to hold consultation meetings with the concerned UNICEF staff and counterparts.

Major tasks to be accomplished:

The interrelated parts of the assignment as per the estimated timeframe are as follows:

1. Prepare a concise contextual analysis report encompassing desk review of key existing published/unpublished material (with particular reference to the findings of the 2009 Gender Assessment and Analysis of UNICEF-supported Programs and Capacity for Gender Mainstreaming in Pakistan study and 2012 UN Pakistan Gender Audit) and key informant interviews with UN system, civil society and Government counterparts at federal and provincial levels. This report should include consultative identification of priority areas, target stakeholders and priorities for phasing. A draft should be submitted for review and approval within 6 weeks of project commencement; the final version should be attached as an annex to the Action Plan [see Task 3] (6 Weeks)

2. Strengthen UNICEF’s 2013-2017 Pakistan Strategy Paper to articulate a strategic vision for UNICEF’s gender equality commitments and comprehensively mainstream gender equality actions; (2 Weeks)

3. Develop a 5-year UNICEF Pakistan Gender Equality Action Plan (spanning 2013-2017) that includes:

· Gender equality interventions and principles that apply directly to development programming, disaster risk reduction, emergency preparedness, and humanitarian response

· Gender equality interventions and principles aimed at strengthening organisational capacity to practice and pursue gender equality in operations and programming

· Specific phased actions to integrate gender equality throughout the Country Programme, including accountabilities, timelines, phasing, capacity development and resource requirements

A monitoring and evaluation plan, which reflects existing reporting requirements (including UNICEF’s Gender Equality Marker) and provides Pakistan-specific SMART and ‘SPICED’ indicators along with their means of verifications. This plan will measure performance, assess impact, and provide evidence for correction and refinement of strategies; (5 Weeks)

4. Development and delivery of a replicable/scalable orientation and capacity building package (that is contextualised to Pakistan) for UNICEF staff on the provisions of the Strategy Paper and implementation of the Action Plan; ( 7 Weeks )

5. Development and propagation of a best practice Terms of Reference for UNICEF’s Gender Working Group and Focal Points, including explicit linkages and accountabilities to the UN Inter-Agency Group on Gender Equality and the humanitarian Thematic Group on Gender. ( 1 Week )

Deliverables/End Products:

Unless by documented agreement, all deliverables are to be prepared as per the specifications outlined under ‘process’ and ‘tasks’.

1. Contextual analysis report, summarising main findings from consultation meetings with UNICEF staff and review of relevant material, as well as identification of priority areas, target stakeholders and priorities for phasing.
2. Gender-strengthened UNICEF 2013-2017 Pakistan Strategy Paper;
3. 5-year UNICEF Pakistan Gender Equality Action Plan
4. Powerpoint summary of the 5-year UNICEF Pakistan Gender Equality Action Plan
5. Development and delivery of a replicable/scalable orientation and capacity building package (that is contextualised to Pakistan) for UNICEF staff on the provisions of the Strategy Paper and implementation of the Action Plan;
6. Terms of Reference for UNICEF’s Gender Working Group and Focal Points, including explicit linkages and accountabilities to the UN Inter-Agency Group on Gender Equality and the humanitarian Thematic Group on Gender.

Time-Frame:

The assignment is to be completed over 5 months:

The consultant must have
Worked on cross-sectoral large-scale gender mainstreaming strategies in a lead capacity;
Experience of working on issues of gender and children in Pakistan;
Expert knowledge of Pakistans socio-cultural context and proven appreciation of its wide diversity especially with regards to development discourse in the country
Proven familiarity with the UN system in Pakistan
Willingness to accept the assignment at short notice;
Previously worked with United Nations or UNICEF; and
Fluency in English and Urdu.