Consultant for Women's Participation

Job Posting Organization:
UN Women was established in July 2010 as part of the UN reform agenda to enhance the impact of gender equality and women's empowerment initiatives. The organization is dedicated to eliminating discrimination against women and girls, empowering women, and achieving equality between women and men. UN Women operates globally, with a significant presence in Afghanistan, where it has been active for two decades. The organization has a robust operational framework, with a budget of $55 million and a workforce of 180 personnel across six offices, including a main office in Kabul and five sub-offices in various provinces. UN Women Afghanistan focuses on five key program priorities: Integrated Programming and Localization, Women’s Movement Building, Policy and Research, Economic Resilience and Private Sector, and Coordination, Access, and Humanitarian Response. The organization is committed to addressing the challenges faced by Afghan women and girls, particularly in the context of the deteriorating women's rights situation following the Taliban takeover, and aims to adapt its strategies to ensure women's meaningful participation in its programs.

Job Overview:
The consultancy role is designed to identify and recommend actionable strategies to enhance Afghan women's participation in UN Women’s country office priorities. The consultant will work closely with the Afghanistan Country Office (ACO) to assess current barriers to women's access to UN compounds and meetings, and to propose practical solutions for engagement. This includes evaluating alternative working arrangements for Afghan women staff and mapping their capacity needs to facilitate their transition into new or modified roles. The consultant will employ collaborative approaches, engaging with ACO unit heads, national staff, and stakeholders to ensure that the recommendations are grounded in the realities of the operational context. The overall goal is to ensure that Afghan women can actively participate in decision-making processes and contribute to the organization's objectives despite the existing restrictions.

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

• Identifying entry points and solutions for Afghan women's participation by assessing current restrictions and barriers to access, and proposing practical engagement strategies such as remote participation and alternative venues.
• Developing alternative modalities for Afghan women staff by evaluating safe working arrangements and consulting with stakeholders to document best practices.
• Mapping capacity needs for women staff transitioning to new roles, including identifying training and mentoring requirements and recommending mechanisms for continuous professional development.
• Preparing a comprehensive options paper outlining practical solutions for women's participation and operationalization steps.
• Presenting findings and actionable recommendations to stakeholders, facilitating discussions, and finalizing outcome documents based on feedback.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a Master’s degree or equivalent in public administration, law, human rights, gender equality, management, social sciences, or related fields. Alternatively, a first-level university degree combined with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree. The role requires a deep understanding of gender equality and women's rights, as well as the socio-political context in which UN Women operates. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills are essential, along with the ability to consult collaboratively with diverse stakeholders.

Educational Background:
A Master’s degree or equivalent in relevant fields such as public administration, law, human rights, gender equality, management, or social sciences is required for this position. Candidates with a first-level university degree may be considered if they have additional qualifying experience. This educational background is crucial for understanding the complexities of gender issues and the operational environment in which UN Women functions.

Experience:
The position requires at least 7 years of progressively responsible work experience in gender equality programming, women's rights, humanitarian or development contexts, or organizational development. Candidates should have experience conducting analytical assessments and developing operational recommendations in restrictive or crisis environments. Experience in addressing women's participation, access, and protection issues in humanitarian or conflict settings is essential. Familiarity with capacity needs assessments and organizational change processes is highly desirable, as is previous experience working within the UN system.

Languages:
Fluency in English is mandatory for this position. Knowledge of another official UN language, such as French, Arabic, Chinese, Russian, or Spanish, is considered desirable and may enhance a candidate's profile.

Additional Notes:
This consultancy is home-based, with potential travel to Kabul and other provinces of Afghanistan as needed. The role emphasizes core values such as integrity, professionalism, and respect for diversity, and requires competencies in gender sensitivity, accountability, creative problem-solving, effective communication, and stakeholder engagement. UN Women is committed to diversity and inclusion, ensuring that recruitment and employment practices are free from discrimination. Selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks, including verification of academic credentials and employment history. It is important for applicants to complete all sections of the application form to avoid disqualification from the recruitment process.