Consultant for Coordination, Access and Humanitarian Response

Job Posting Organization:
UN Women, established in July 2010, is dedicated to 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. UN Women merges the work of four distinct parts of the UN system that focused on gender equality and women's empowerment. The organization operates globally, with a significant presence in Afghanistan, where it has been active for two decades. UN Women aims to eliminate discrimination against women and girls, empower women, and achieve equality between genders in various sectors including development, human rights, humanitarian action, and peace and security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security. In Afghanistan, UN Women is addressing the unique challenges faced by women and girls amidst the country's complex humanitarian crisis, focusing on integrated programming, women's movement building, policy and research, economic resilience, and coordination of humanitarian responses.

Job Overview:
The consultant will provide crucial support to the Coordination, Access and Humanitarian Response Unit of UN Women. This role involves engaging with de facto authorities in Kabul and field locations, preparing talking points for meetings, and offering interpretation support during these engagements. The consultant will also be responsible for documenting access constraints related to program implementation, particularly those affecting gender access. This position requires a proactive approach to mapping the engagement of partners with line ministries and understanding the dynamics of memorandums of understanding. The consultant will work closely with various UN Women units and field offices to ensure effective communication and collaboration in addressing the needs of Afghan women and girls.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide support to UN Women’s engagement with de facto authorities, including preparing talking points and attending engagement meetings.
• Support UN Women management, program managers, and field offices with interpretation during meetings.
• Collect and document access constraints related to program implementation in the field, focusing on gender-related access issues.
• Engage with program units, field offices, and partners to gather information on access constraints.
• Map details of partners’ engagement with line ministries and document memorandums of understanding.
• Deliver monthly access constraints mapping reports at the end of each month (three reports total).
• Compile a comprehensive document summarizing all data on partners’ MoUs by the end of April 202
• Participate in field travel as required based on ongoing humanitarian developments.

Required Qualifications:

• Master’s degree or equivalent in human rights, gender, international relations, international development, law" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">international law, or other social science fields is required.
• A first-level university degree combined with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree.
• Strong knowledge of humanitarian access and engagement principles.
• Proven ability to interact with various actors, including state and non-state actors.
• Strong analytical skills and the ability to handle data and present information clearly.

Educational Background:
Candidates must possess a Master’s degree or equivalent in relevant fields such as human rights, gender studies, international relations, international development, or international law. Alternatively, a first-level university degree along with two additional years of relevant experience may be considered acceptable in lieu of the advanced degree.

Experience:
At least 2 years of progressively responsible experience in humanitarian access and engagement is required. Candidates should have experience in building partnerships with de facto authorities, governments, donors, and civil society organizations, both nationally and in the field. Experience working with the UN is considered desirable.

Languages:
Working knowledge of English is required. Fluency in Dari and Pashto is mandatory, as these languages are essential for effective communication in the context of the role.

Additional Notes:
This consultancy is office-based, but field travel may be required depending on ongoing humanitarian developments. The position is expected to last until April 2026, with a focus on full-time engagement. UN Women is committed to diversity and inclusion, ensuring that all employment decisions are based on qualifications, competence, integrity, and organizational needs. The organization has a zero-tolerance policy for misconduct and expects all selected candidates to adhere to its policies and procedures.