Senior Consultant- Gender Budgeting (GB)

Job Posting Organization:
UN Women, established in July 2010, is the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. It was created as part of the UN reform agenda to consolidate resources and mandates for greater impact on gender equality and women's empowerment. UN Women merges the work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system that focused on gender issues, namely DAW, OSAGI, INSTRAW, and UNIFEM. The organization operates globally, focusing on eliminating discrimination against women and girls, empowering women, and achieving gender equality as a fundamental aspect of development, human rights, humanitarian action, and peace and security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security. UN Women has a significant presence in various countries, including India, where it champions gender equality and women's empowerment through initiatives like Gender Responsive Budgeting (GRB).

Job Overview:
The Senior Consultant for Gender Budgeting will play a crucial role in documenting the process and impact of Gender Responsive Budgeting (GRB) in India over the last decade (2015–2025). This position involves assessing how GRB programs and policies have enabled stakeholders to prioritize, monitor, and evaluate investments in Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE) at the national level. The consultant will examine the impact of GRB as a tool for advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment, particularly focusing on Madhya Pradesh. The consultant will engage with various stakeholders, including government departments, civil society organizations, and gender experts, to collect and compile data and deliver a comprehensive report within a stipulated timeframe. The overarching objective is to identify gaps and propose strategic recommendations to accelerate progress toward gender equality at both national and state levels, while capturing lessons learned and good practices for future GRB initiatives.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The consultant will be responsible for several key activities, including:

• Conducting stakeholder mapping of relevant government departments, institutions, research organizations, civil society organizations, and gender experts involved in gender responsive budgeting.
• Conducting Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) with key stakeholders and actors who have been part of the gender responsive budgeting journey over the last decade.
• Performing a desk review of policies, programs, and initiatives that allocated budgets to address GEWE at the national level and specifically in Madhya Pradesh over the last decade.
• Documenting success stories at both national and state levels (3-4 examples).
• Assessing the impact of the GRB program on the implementation of selected schemes/programs related to GEWE in Madhya Pradesh. The deliverables include an inception report with a detailed work plan, finalized KII tools, draft national and state reports, and a detailed presentation showcasing the assessment process and key results with actionable recommendations.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a Master’s Degree or equivalent in fields such as Economics, Social Sciences, Social Work, Gender Studies, Journalism, Public Administration, Policy, or related areas. Additionally, substantial work experience in policy advocacy and gender-responsive budgeting is required. Candidates should demonstrate a strong understanding of development issues and gender, along with the ability to engage effectively with various stakeholders.

Educational Background:
A Master’s Degree or equivalent in relevant fields such as Economics, Social Sciences, Social Work, Gender Studies, Journalism, Public Administration, or Policy is required for this position. This educational background is essential to ensure that the consultant has the necessary theoretical knowledge and analytical skills to effectively engage with gender-responsive budgeting and related issues.

Experience:
The position requires at least 10 years of experience at the national or state level working with government entities, UN agencies, or similar organizations on Gender Responsive Budgeting, Gender Responsive Governance, and Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment. Experience in process documentation, strategic planning, and development is also necessary. Familiarity with gender-responsive budgeting initiatives and their implementation will be considered an added advantage.

Languages:
Proficiency in English is mandatory, along with a good command of Hindi and the state language in reading and writing. This linguistic capability is crucial for effective communication with stakeholders and for conducting interviews and documentation in the local context.

Additional Notes:
This is a part-time consultancy assignment, and the consultant is expected to use their own computer equipment, as the office will not provide any. Travel and Daily Subsistence Allowance (DSA) will be arranged and settled according to UN Women’s norms. The payment schedule is structured based on the completion of specific deliverables, with percentages allocated for each milestone. The consultant must submit a completed UN Women Personal History form (P-11) as part of their application, and only short-listed candidates will be contacted for further assessment. The evaluation process will include a written sample and an interview.