National Consultant for Women’s Economic Empowerment

Job Posting Organization:
UN Women is a global champion for women and girls, established to accelerate progress on meeting their needs worldwide. Grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, UN Women 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" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security. The organization supports UN Member States in setting global standards for achieving gender equality and collaborates with governments and civil society to design laws, policies, programs, and services needed to implement these standards. UN Women operates in multiple countries, including Georgia, where it focuses on achieving substantive gender equality and enhancing women's economic empowerment through various initiatives and projects, including the Women’s Economic Empowerment in the South Caucasus (WEESC) project, which aims to empower women economically and ensure their participation in decision-making processes.

Job Overview:
The National Consultant for Women’s Economic Empowerment will play a crucial role in supporting the Women’s Economic Empowerment in the South Caucasus (WEESC) project, specifically in Georgia. This position involves engaging with rural women and women’s groups to enhance their participation in local decision-making processes. The consultant will be responsible for increasing the capacities of these groups in local planning and budgeting, particularly through Gender-Responsive Budgeting (GRB) activities. The consultant will work closely with the WEESC Programme Analyst and Project Analyst, providing support to mobilized women in Self-help Groups (SHGs) and facilitating their understanding of local governance structures and decision-making processes. The overarching goal is to ensure that women, especially those who are poor and socially excluded, are economically empowered and can actively participate in relevant decision-making.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The consultant will be tasked with several key responsibilities, including:

• Supporting rural women mobilized in Self-help Groups (SHGs) by providing training on GRB methodology and conducting regular capacity development interventions based on needs assessments.
• Assisting SHGs in identifying local needs and prioritizing local problems through needs assessments and strategic planning activities.
• Enhancing the understanding of local governance structures and decision-making processes among SHGs, while increasing awareness of opportunities for community engagement.
• Providing hands-on assistance to beneficiary women around GRB initiatives through in-person and online communication.
• Delivering progress reports at specified intervals to document the activities and outcomes of the consultancy.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a Master’s degree in Gender Studies, Social Sciences, Political Studies, Public Policy, Social Policy, or related fields. Alternatively, a first-level university degree combined with seven years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree. Additionally, candidates should have at least five years of work experience in social mobilization methodology, capacity building activities, and gender equality issues. Strong verbal communication and facilitation skills are essential, along with a proven track record in Gender-Responsive Budgeting projects and experience working with UN/EU agencies in Georgia being a distinct advantage.

Educational Background:
A Master’s degree in Gender Studies, Social Sciences, Political Studies, Public Policy, Social Policy, or related fields is required for this position. In cases where candidates hold a first-level university degree, they must have seven additional years of qualifying experience to be considered.

Experience:
The position requires at least five years of relevant work experience for candidates with a Master’s degree, or seven years for those with a Bachelor’s degree. This experience should include practical implementation of social mobilization methodology, capacity building activities, and work on gender equality and women’s empowerment issues. Previous experience in conducting training and working on Gender-Responsive Budgeting projects is highly desirable.

Languages:
Fluency in Georgian is mandatory for this position, while a working level of English language proficiency is considered desirable but not essential.

Additional Notes:
This consultancy is home-based, with some travel required. The contract duration is for the implementation of the WEESC project, which is set to run from 2024 to 202

• The consultant will be expected to submit progress reports at specified intervals throughout the consultancy period, detailing the activities undertaken and the outcomes achieved. UN Women emphasizes diversity and inclusion in its hiring practices and has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct incompatible with its aims and objectives.