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Final Evaluation for the “Enhancing Women’s Participation in Political Leadership and Decision-Making in Kenya”

wajir | Nairobi | Kericho | Embu | Kajiado | Kisii

  • Organization: UNWOMEN - United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women
  • Location: wajir | Nairobi | Kericho | Embu | Kajiado | Kisii
  • Grade: Level not specified - Level not specified
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Social Affairs
    • International Relations
    • Political Affairs
    • Women's Empowerment and Gender Mainstreaming
    • Monitoring and Evaluation
    • Civil Society and Local governance
  • Closing Date: Closed

Background:

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, 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.

 

Project context           

The “Enhancing Women’s Participation in Political Leadership and Decision-Making in Kenya” project, funded by Global Affairs Canada (GAC), has been active in Kenya from 2022 through March 2025. This initiative is being implemented both at the national level and in the following seven counties: Homabay, Kericho, Kisii, Embu, Samburu, Kajiado, and Wajir. The project aligns with three key thematic areas outlined in the UN Women Kenya (KCOs) Country Programme (Strategic Note 2023-2026): 1) Women’s leadership and participation; 2) Elimination of violence against women and girls; and 3) Women, peace, and security. These thematic components are designed to interconnect and create synergies at both the national and county levels, fostering a comprehensive, results-driven approach to promoting gender equality and empowering women. The project is a collaborative effort involving UN Women Kenya, National and County governments, and various implementing partners.

With the project concluding in March 2025, an evaluation has been commissioned to assess the extent to which the Project has achieved its intended and unintended outcomes, provided an in-depth analysis and understanding of the reasons behind the achievement or non-achievement of these outcomes, evaluate the challenges encountered, and document lessons learned to enhance future projects in this domain.

 

Description of the Project        

This programme is built upon the UN Women KCO Strategic Note 2023-2026, which aligns with the global UN Women Strategic Plans (2022-2025) and supports the gender priority areas outlined by Global Affairs Canada in Nairobi. At the national level, the Strategic Note aligns with Kenya’s development priorities as outlined in Vision 2030, the Fourth Medium Term Plan (MTP IV), the Bottom-Up Transformative Economic Agenda (BETA), and the Constitution of Kenya. Furthermore, it contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) (2023-2027) and supports the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

In response to UN Women’s triple mandate, the project focuses on the normative and operational mandates. First, at the normative level it supports the development and implementation of key gender equality policies and ensures their practical application and impact at the ground level. Second, at the operational level, the programme aims to empower more women by: a) enabling them to attain leadership positions and effectively contribute to decision-making for gender equality, b) increasing their access to services related to the elimination of violence against women and girls (VAWG), including justice, and engaging stakeholders in promoting social norm and attitude shifts to prevent VAWG, and c) enhancing their participation in peace and security processes in Kenya.

 

Theory of change

The programme is aligned to the Theory of Change of the KCO’s Strategic Note 2023-2026, which was formulated through a rigorous process of consultations with relevant government ministries, departments and agencies, development partners, implementing partners, Women Rights Organizations (WROs), Private Sector, and Academia. The specific Theory of Change of the proposed programme is: IF (1) Targeted women from diverse groups have enhanced capacity to participate in politics and decision-making processes during the electoral cycle and laws and policies that promote women’s participation in political leadership are enacted and fully implemented; if (2) Women’s rights organizations and key stakeholders have strengthened capacity to prevent, mitigate and respond to VAWP; if (3) favorable gender norms, attitudes and behaviors about women in leadership are promoted, THEN (5) the number of women participating in political leadership and decision making in Kenya will increase; BECAUSE (6) well capacitated key actors that mainstream gender across the electoral cycle and effectively prevent and respond to VAWP, will promote women’s political participation and representation in electoral processes.

 

Results Framework

1000 Ultimate Outcome:  Increased participation and representation of women in political leadership and decision making in Kenya

 

1100 Intermediate outcome: Targeted women have enhanced capacity to participate in politics and decision-making processes

 
 

1200:   Intermediate outcome:  Strengthened capacities of women’s rights organizations and key stakeholders to prevent and respond to Violence against women in politics (VAWP)

 
 

1300 Intermediate outcome:  Reduced negative social norms that exclude women from political participation and decision making.

 
 
 

1110 Immediate outcome: Women aspirants and women leaders’ capacity to participate in leadership and electoral processes enhanced.

 

1120 Immediate outcome:  Targeted institutions’ capacity to create an enabling policy environment for women’s political participation enhanced.

 

1210 Immediate outcome: Survivors of Sexual Violence capacity to access essential services (including referral pathways and reporting mechanisms) enhanced.

 

1220 Immediate outcome: Duty bearers’ capacity to prevent and respond to Violence Against Women in Elections and Politics enhanced.

 

1310 Immediate outcome:  Targeted communities' capacity to reduce discrimination against women in political leadership enhanced.

 
 

1320 Immediate outcome:  Media stakeholders’ capacity to promote women positively in media increased.

 
 

1111 Output: Capacity building program for young women aspirants and women leaders on women political leadership and decision making.

 

1121 Output: Advocacy by WROs, AWLN and CSOs for legal and policy reforms for women’s inclusion in electoral processes (targeting ORPP, IEBC, Parliament/ KEWOPA), including compliance with the 2/3rd gender principle

 

1212 Output: Advocacy by WROs and CSOs (including PWDs) for strengthening systems for early warning and prevention in the target counties and national level

 

1221 Output: Strengthened coordination mechanisms (Court User Committees and National and County GBV Working Groups)

 

1222 Output: Status report on VAWP produced and disseminated.

 

1223 Output: Capacity building provided to duty bearers to prevent, protect, and respond to VAWP (police, judiciary, prosecution, health, journalists/editors, IEBC, ORPP).

 

1312 Output:  Civic education sessions facilitated in counties (social media, talk shows,) to sensitize on women leadership and breaking gender barriers

 

1321 Output: Capacity building provided to media to promote women’s leadership

 

1322 Output: Ms. President TV Show produced and broadcasted nationally to sensitize the public to women’s leadership capabilities.

 

The project’s total budget implemented by UN Women and its partners is CAD 4,950,00

 

a) Purpose and Use of the Evaluation            

The purpose of this evaluation is to assess the extent to which the "Enhancing Women’s Participation in Political Leadership and Decision-Making in Kenya" project has achieved its intended outcomes, including increased women’s political participation and strengthened capacities to address violence against women in politics. The evaluation aims to analyze the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, coherence, and sustainability of the project, while also identifying lessons learned and best practices. By gathering insights from stakeholders and beneficiaries, it will offer actionable recommendations to improve future programming. Furthermore, the findings will inform policy advocacy, enhance strategic alignment with gender equality frameworks, and strengthen UN Women’s evidence base for sustaining or scaling impactful initiatives. This comprehensive review supports accountability, learning, and continued progress toward gender equality in Kenya.

Objectives

The primary objective of the final evaluation is to assess the extent to which the Project has achieved its intended and unintended outcomes, provided an in-depth analysis and understanding of the reasons behind the achievement or non-achievement of these outcomes, evaluate the challenges encountered, and document lessons learned to enhance future projects in this domain.

The specific objectives of the evaluation are:

  1. Analyze the relevance, effectiveness, and efficiency of the project in achieving both planned and unintended results, including an assessment of the Program Theory of Change in advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment in Kenya, contributing to SDG 5 (gender equality) and SDG 16 (peace, justice, and strong institutions).
  2. Assess the coherence of the interventions implemented in relation to other related initiatives undertaken by UN Women.
  3. Evaluate the early impact and sustainability of the project’s efforts in promoting gender equality.
  4. Determine the integration of human rights-based approaches and gender equality principles in the design and execution of the project.
  5. Provide actionable recommendations to improve the strategy and overall approach to UN Women’s programming in the three thematic areas.

Users and uses of the Evaluation 

Primary intended users and uses of this evaluation are:

  1. UN Women Kenya Country Office (KCO): Use the recommendations to refine ongoing and future programs on women’s political participation; demonstrate to stakeholders, including donors, partners, and beneficiaries, on utilization of resources and how they may have contributed to the intended outcomes; and leverage on findings in securing continued or new funding by demonstrating program effectiveness and the value of investing in women's leadership initiatives.
  2. Global Affairs Canada (Donor):Use the findings to assess the impact of their investment and guide future funding priorities; and align their support with the most impactful interventions and identified gaps.
  3. Women’s Rights Organizations (WROs): Leverage the insights to raise awareness and mobilize grassroots support for women in leadership; tailor programs to address barriers identified in the evaluation, such as cultural biases or lack of resources for women candidates; and strengthen their lobbying efforts with data from the evaluation.

Secondary intended users and uses of this evaluation are:

  1. Government of Kenya: Incorporate the recommendations to refine laws and policies that support women’s political participation, such as quotas or affirmative action measures; use the lessons to enhance the implementation of existing gender policies and monitor their effectiveness; and develop and improve government-led training initiatives for women aspiring to political leadership.
  2. Beneficiaries (Women Leaders and Aspirants): Gain insights into opportunities and resources available for their leadership journeys; connect with programs and initiatives that can support their aspirations; and use the evaluation as a channel to voice their challenges and successes, influencing future programming.
  3. Media: Use the findings to craft stories, reports, and features that highlight the importance of women’s political participation, successes, and remaining challenges; advocate for systemic changes by highlighting barriers to women’s political leadership, such as cultural norms or resource constraints, as revealed in the evaluation; and frame the issue of women’s political participation as a critical national priority and influence public discourse.
  4. Academia: Build on the findings by conducting deeper studies on identified gaps, such as the structural and cultural barriers to women’s political participation; incorporate lessons from the evaluation into courses on political science, gender studies, and public policy to educate future leaders and policymakers; and use evaluation data to provide well-researched recommendations to policymakers and other stakeholder

Sharing of the findings 

UN Women will share findings with targeted users through a validation workshop, stakeholder forums, and a policy brief. Comprehensive report and user-friendly summary will be disseminated via email, newsletters, and the UN Women website. Interactive presentations during community meetings and government briefings will engage stakeholders directly, promiting inclusivity and encouraging the application of findings in policy and programming.

b) Overview / Principles of evaluation

The UN Women Evaluation Policy is the main guiding document that sets forth the principles and organizational framework for evaluation planning, conduct and follow-up in UN Women. These principles are aligned with the United Nations Evaluation Group (UNEG) Norms and Standards for Evaluation in the UN System. The key principles for gender-responsive evaluation at UN Women are: 1) National ownership and leadership; 2) UN system coordination and coherence about gender equality and the empowerment of women; 3) Innovation; 4) Fair power relations and empowerment; 5) Participation and inclusion; 6) Independence and impartiality; 7) Transparency; 8) Quality and credibility; 9) Intentionality and use of evaluation; and 10) Ethics.

c) Evaluation Criteria and Key Questions            

Evaluation Criteria

The evaluation will apply six UN Evaluation Group (UNEG) evaluation criteria (relevance, effectiveness-including normative, and coordination mandates of UN Women- efficiency, coherence and sustainability), as well as standards based on Human Rights and Gender Equality. The evaluation will further be evaluated against the Global Evaluation Reports Assessment and Analysis System (GERAAS) which uses the UNEG evaluation report standards, the United Nations System-Wide Action Plan Evaluation Performance Indicator and the United Nations Disability Inclusion Strategy (UNDIS) Accountability Framework as a basis for review and assessment, while ensuring specific standards relevant to UN Women.  The tentative list of evaluation questions, which will be selected and refined during the inception phase and presented in the inception report, are:

1. Relevance: The extent to which the objectives of the project are consistent with the evolving needs and priorities of the beneficiaries, partners, and stakeholders.
  • To what extent was the project aligned with UN Women’s Global Strategic Plan and KCO’s Strategic Note 2023-2026 and Kenya’snational priorities and strategies including Kenya’s 12 commitments to Generation Equality Forum (GEF)?
  • To what extent were the project’s priorities still valid in the context of the targeted counties and relevant to the needs and priorities of the beneficiaries?
  • Was the project design articulated in a coherent structure? Is the definition of goal, outcomes and outputs clearly articulated? Is the theory of change still valid?
2. Effectiveness: The extent to which the project’s objectives were achieved or are expected / likely to be achieved.
  • How successful was the project in achieving expected outcomes, outputs, and results, and how did UN Women contribute to this progress?
  • To what extent were beneficiaries satisfied, and were the capacities of duty-bearers and rights-holders strengthened, particularly among marginalized groups like persons with disabilities?
  • Did the project employ effective monitoring mechanisms, innovative strategies, and practices to achieve planned results and enhance impact?
  • To what extent has the project addressed structural barriers to women’s political participation, including economic empowerment, party politics, mentorship programs, societal attitudes, and access to political networks, ensuring sustainable progress in women’s leadership?
3. Efficiency: A measure of how economically resources/inputs (funds, expertise, time, etc.) were converted to results.
  • Were resources (financial, human, technical support, etc.) allocated strategically to achieve the project outcomes and what measures were taken during planning and implementation to ensure that resources are efficiently used?
  • Did the project build synergies with different other ongoing projects at national and state levels including those implemented with other actors (e.g., National and County Governments, CSOs) etc.?
  • How did the project utilize existing local capacities of right-bearers and duty-holders to achieve its outcomes?

 

4. Coherence: The extent to which other interventions support or undermine the intervention and vice- versa, including aspects of complementarity, harmonization, and coordination.
  • How coherent is the project with similar interventions promoting women’s protection and participation at national and county levels?
  • What evidence demonstrates the project’s long-term results and comparative benefits over other similar initiatives?
  • To what extent has the project advanced gender equality and women’s empowerment across its intervention areas?
  • To what extent has the project leveraged or coordinated with other GAC-funded or similar initiatives, fostering cross-program collaboration, resource sharing, and shared learnings to enhance efficiency, effectiveness, and the sustainability of its outcomes?
5.  Inter-connectedness, sustainability, and impact. The likelihood of a continuation of benefits for women from a development intervention after the intervention is completed or the probability of continued long-term benefits.
  • Were national and county institutions supportive, demonstrating leadership commitment, technical capacity, and ownership to sustain or replicate project benefits after its conclusion?
  • To what extent have the technical, operational, and financial capacities of duty-bearers, rights-holders, and partners been strengthened to maintain long-term project outcomes?
  • Which innovations emerged, and how successfully were they scaled or replicated? Were stakeholders adequately included in implementation, advocacy, and sustaining benefits?
  • To what extent has the project strengthened and integrated institutional capacities into existing national and county systems, ensuring ownership, capacity transfer, and sustainability through mechanisms like policy frameworks, resource allocation, and training programs?
  • What are the key project provide actionable insights for GAC and donors to sustain, scale, or replicate outcomes, address emerging gaps, foster partnerships, and implement innovative funding approaches based on lessons learned?
6. Gender Equality and Human Rights:
  • To what extent were gender equality and human rights principles integrated into the project design, implementation, and alignment with development effectiveness standards?
  • How effectively has the project advanced gender equality, improved women’s and girls’ quality of life, and aligned with international human rights frameworks?

 

7. Impact: Positive and negative, primary and secondary long-term effects produced by the project, directly or indirectly, intended or unintended5.
  • To what extent can the changes that have occurred as a result of the project be identified and measured?
  • What were the unintended effects, if any, of the intervention?
  • What are the project’s key successes and failures, and how can critical success factors, planning gaps, execution, and stakeholder engagement be addressed to enhance sustainability of outcomes?

 

d) Scope of the Evaluation            

The evaluation will cover the project implementation period from January 2022 to December 2024 in line with the results framework and the theory of change and against standard evaluation criteria (relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, coherence, impact, sustainability, and gender equality and human rights). This is an end-term evaluation focusing on the achievements as well as recommendations for sustainability, learning and course correction for future programming. The geographic scope of the evaluation will include visiting the key stakeholders and beneficiaries’ representatives in the project counties – Homabay, Kericho, Kisii, Embu, Samburu, Kajiado, and Wajir.

In consultation with the Evaluation Management Group[1] and the Evaluation Reference Group[2], the national consultant to further define the scope and sampling approach during the inception phase with the aim of defining the confines of the evaluation including the stakeholders and initiatives that will be included or excluded from the evaluation.

The national consultant is expected to lead in undertaking a rapid evaluability assessment in the inception. This should include the following:

  1. An assessment of the relevance, appropriateness and coherence of the implicit or explicit theory of change, strengthening or reconstructing it where necessary through a stakeholder workshop.
  2. An assessment of the quality of performance indicators in the program, and the accessibility and adequacy of relevant documents and secondary data.
  3. A review of the conduciveness of the context for the evaluation.
  4. Ensuring familiarity with accountability and management structures for the evaluation.

 

e) Evaluation Approach and Methodology            

The national consultant will develop a comprehensive evaluation methodology, which will be submitted for approval to the Evaluation Reference Group. This methodology should employ a mix of quantitative and qualitative research methods. The evaluation will use a theory-based approach aligned with the project results framework and the Theory of Change. It should be utilization-focused, gender-responsive, and explicitly detail how it will incorporate a human rights-based approach, including the potential use of participatory methods for case study development. Data must be disaggregated by sex, disability, and other relevant factors. The team will engage with project stakeholders, including direct beneficiaries such as women leaders, GBV survivors, and traditional leaders, as well as indirect beneficiaries like government bodies and CSOs.

The main recommended phases of the evaluation methodology are:

a) Inception Phase:

  • Conduct an initial desk review of available documents, collect and analyze program data, design the evaluation approach, create an evaluation matrix, consult internally on the approach, develop data collection tools, map stakeholders, devise a sampling strategy, and engage with the reference group.
  • Hold initial interviews with key stakeholders to further refine the evaluation scope and methodology
  • Prepare a draft Inception Report to be reviewed by the Evaluation Reference Group.
  • Adjust the evaluation methodology and question matrix based on feedback from the Evaluation Reference Group and incorporate relevant changes into the final evaluation report. 

b) Data collection Phase

  • Gather survey data from beneficiaries and key stakeholders based on the stakeholder analysis.
  • Conduct detailed interviews with UN Women staff, partner organizations, donor representatives, and other relevant individuals as needed.
  • Present preliminary key findings from the field in a PowerPoint presentation, which can be used to inform the development of the new project document.

c) Analysis and Report Writing Phase:

  • Review and analyze all available data including staff, partner and stakeholder survey(s) and interpret findings.
  • Prepare first draft of the evaluation report and submit to Evaluation Reference Group for comments and possible endorsement.
  • Revise report based on the feedback from Evaluation Management Group and debriefing session (as appropriate).

 

d) Compile final report. 

The report should not be longer than 40 pages in the following format:

  1. Title and opening pages
  2. Executive summary
  3. Background and purpose of the evaluation
  4. Programme/object of evaluation description and context
  5. Evaluation objectives and scope
  6. Evaluation methodology and limitations
  7. Findings
  8. Conclusions
  9. Recommendations
  10. Lessons learned
  11. Annexes (Terms of reference, documents reviewed, list of interviews conducted)

 

e) Stakeholder Participation         

Stakeholder role

Specific groups

Provide insights into:

Beneficiaries

  • Young women leaders mentored through Ms. President show, supported political and peace/security leaders, women mentees, GBV survivors, male champions, as well as those who have been sensitized on women’s leadership, access to essential GBV services

Effectiveness of the KCO’s Programme

Duty Bearers

  • State Department for Gender and Affirmative Action
  • Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government- National Steering Committee on Peacebuilding and Conflict Management (NSC)
  • County Government stakeholders in the seven counties
  • Gender Sector Working Groups in the seven counties
  • Officers from National Police Service (NPS)
  • Healthcare providers
  • Justice actors participating in Court User Committees (Chiefs, religious leaders etc).
  • County Peace Committees in the seven counties

Effectiveness, coherence, and efficiency of UN Women delivery

Project partners

  • International Association of Women Judges-Kenya Chapter (IAWJ), The National Police Service, Healthcare Assistance Kenya (HAK), URAIA Trust, Media Focus on Africa (MFA), Kenya Women’s Parliamentary Association (KEWOPA), the State Department for Gender and Affirmative Action (SDfGAA), National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK), African Women Child Features Services (AWCFS)

Coherence and effectiveness of UN Women delivery

Development Partner

  • Global Affairs Canada

Effectiveness, coherence, and efficiency of UN Women delivery

 

 

 

 

 Time frame & Deliverables

The evaluation will be conducted between January and March 2024. The primary evaluation deliverables are:

Deliverables

Estimated number of working days

Tentative Timelines

Payment

%

Inception Report: This report will include a detailed evaluation methodology, revised evaluation question matrix, proposed data collection tools and analysis approach, and final evaluation work plan (with corresponding timeline). The Evaluation inception report should be (10-15 pages)

5 days

February 2025

30%

Data Collection and Analysis: Evaluation data is collected, cleaned, and coded. Data is analysed (All raw data collected shall be shared with UN Women in CV format).

20 days

February 2025

30%

First draft of the evaluation report and presentation of preliminary findings to the Evaluation Management and Reference Groups: The reference group will review the first draft and give written comments/feedback. The preliminary findings will be presented in person or virtually (online) to the Evaluation Management and Reference Groups for review and approval

5 days

March  2024

 

Second draft of the Evaluation Report: The draft evaluation report should include all annexes summarizing the data analysis and incorporating feedback from the Evaluation Management and Reference Groups, the second draft version of the evaluation report should also include an audit trail of how comments have been integrated into the report and all final annexes.

5 days

March 2024

 

PowerPoint Presentation to the Evaluation Management and Reference Group & Validation Workshop with Stakeholders on main Findings/ Recommendations and proposed dissemination strategy

 

2 days

April 2025

40%

  • Final Evaluation products with the following components:
  • Executive summary (Not more than 5 pages)
  • Stand-alone Evaluation report (Not more than 30 pages)
  • Comprehensive Evaluation report (with all annexes)
  • Evaluation comments log/audit trail
  • Annexes (Separately)

3 days

April 2025

 

Communications piece (Policy Brief): Submission of innovative knowledge products (Policy Brief) that capture the evaluation findings in a clear and concise manner, with infographics, in line with the UN Women branding guidelines.

5days

April 2025

 

Total

45 Days

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8. Management of Evaluation

The evaluation and quality assurance will be managed by UN Women Kenya Country Office, with technical support from a national consultant. The national consultant will have the overall role in the preparation of the inception report, data collection and analysis, and in presentation of the findings and the final report to the Evaluation Management and Reference Groups. The National Consultant will be accountable to UN Women on behalf and report to the Kenya CO Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Focal Point. Whereas it is acceptable for the consultant to have assistants at their cost, the consultant will lead the execution of activities and take responsibility for meeting all the evaluation deliverables. For quality assurance, the evaluation report will be rated against the Global Evaluation Report Assessment & Analysis System (GERAAS).

The evaluation management structure will comprise of one coordinating entity and two consultative bodies: The Evaluation Management Group and the Evaluation Reference Group. The Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Focal Point (PME&R Focal Point) will manage the day-to-day aspects of the evaluation. This evaluation will be a participatory process, and the evaluation task manager will ensure consultations with all the key stakeholders as required. The Evaluation Management Group will be responsible for the management of the evaluation. It will coordinate the selection and recruitment of the evaluation consultant, manage contractual agreements, budget and personnel involved in the evaluation, support the reference groups, provide all necessary data to the evaluation team, and facilitate communication between the evaluation team and the reference group. The Evaluation Management Group will include UN Women Deputy Country Representative, PME&R Focal Point, the Project’s M&E Focal Point (Task Manager), Operations Manager, Team Leader and the Project Focal Point. The Evaluation Reference Group will provide direct oversight, safeguard independence, and give technical input over the course of the evaluation. It will provide guidance on evaluation team selection and key deliverables (Inception Report and Evaluation Report) submitted by the evaluation consultant. It will also support the dissemination of the findings and recommendations. The Reference Group will include a select UN Women KCO and ESARO Team, Government Partners, Civil Society Partners, and the development partner the Global Affairs Canada.

 

9. Ethical Code of Conduct

UN Women has developed the UN Women Evaluation Consultants Agreement Form for evaluators that must be signed as part of the contracting process, which is based on the  United  Nations  Evaluation  Group  (UNEG)  Ethical Guidelines and Code of Conduct. The signed Agreement will be annexed to the consultant’s contract. The UNEG Guidelines note the importance of ethical conduct for the following reasons:

  1. Responsible use of power: All those engaged in evaluation processes are responsible for upholding the proper conduct of the evaluation.
  2. Ensuring credibility: With a fair, impartial, and complete assessment, stakeholders are more likely to have faith in the results of an evaluation and to take note of the recommendations.
  3. Responsible use of resources: Ethical conduct in evaluation increases the chances of acceptance by the parties to the evaluation and therefore the likelihood that the investment in the evaluation will result in improved outcomes.

The evaluator is expected to provide a detailed plan on how the following principles will be ensured throughout the evaluation (see UNEG Ethical Guidance for descriptions): 1) Respect for dignity and diversity; 2) Right to self-determination; 3) Fair representation; 4) Compliance with codes for vulnerable groups (e.g., ethics of research involving young children or vulnerable groups); 5) Redress; 6) Confidentiality; and 7) Avoidance of harm.

Specific safeguards must be put in place to protect the safety (both physical and psychological) of both respondents and those collecting the data. These should include:

  1. A plan to protect the rights of the respondent, including privacy and confidentiality
  2. The interviewer or data collector is trained in collecting sensitive information, and if the topic of the evaluation is focused on violence against women, they should have previous experience in this area
  3. Data collection tools are designed in a way that is culturally appropriate and does not create distress for respondents.
  4. Data collection visits are organized at the appropriate time and place to minimize risk to respondents.
  5. The interviewer or data collector is able to provide information on how individuals in situations of risk can seek support.

As with the other stages of the evaluation, the involvement of stakeholders should not interfere with the impartiality of the evaluation. The evaluator has the final judgment on the findings, conclusions and recommendations of the evaluation report, and the evaluator must be protected from pressures to change information in the report.

If the evaluator identifies issues of wrongdoing, fraud or other unethical conduct, UN Women procedures must be followed, and confidentiality is maintained. The UN Women Legal Framework for Addressing Non-Compliance with UN Standards of Conduct and accompanying policies protecting against retaliation and prohibiting harassment and abuse of authority, provide a cohesive framework aimed at creating and maintaining a harmonious working environment, ensuring that staff members do not engage in any wrongdoing and that all allegations of wrongdoing are reported promptly, investigated, and appropriate action is taken to achieve accountability. The UN Women Legal Framework for Addressing Non-Compliance with UN Standards of Conduct defines misconduct and the mechanisms within UN Women for reporting and investigating. More information can be provided by UN Women if required.

 

Competencies :

Core Values:

  • Respect for Diversity
  • Integrity
  • Professionalism

Core Competencies:

  • Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues;
  • Accountability;
  • Creative Problem Solving;
  • Effective Communication;
  • Inclusive Collaboration;
  • Stakeholder Engagement;
  • Leading by Example.

Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Values and Competencies Framework: 

Functional Competencies:

  • Ethics and Values: Demonstrate and promote ethics and integrity by creating organizational precedents.
  • Organizational Awareness: Build support for the organization and ensure political acumen.
  • Development and Innovation: Support staff competence development and contribute to an environment of creativity and innovation.
  • Demonstrate ability to work in a multicultural, multi-ethnic environment and to maintain effective working relations with people of different national and cultural backgrounds.
  • Communication and Information Sharing:
  • Create and promote an environment for open and effective communication.
  • Facilitate and encourage open communication and strive for effective communication.
  • Excellent oral and written skills.
  • Listen actively and respond effectively.
  • Self-management and Emotional Intelligence:
  • Stay composed and positive even in difficult moments, handle tense situations with diplomacy and tact, and have consistent behavior towards others.

 

Required Qualifications

Education

  • A master’s degree in any social science, preferably political science, gender/women studies, sociology, international development, or related area, including evaluation or social research.
  • A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience

  • A minimum of 10 years of working experience applying qualitative and quantitative evaluation methods, particularly at the outcome level of a final evaluation.
  • A strong record in conducting gender-responsive evaluations including an understanding of Political, Governance and Democratic Processes, Peace and Security, and EVAWG programming in East and Southern Africa, especially in Kenya.
  • Knowledge of international normative standards on women’s rights and gender mainstreaming processes.
  • Extensive knowledge and experience in using ICT for research, including electronic/digital data collection, analysis, and reporting.
  • Experience working with the UN staff, Government stakeholders, Civil Society Actors, local/county governments and beneficiaries, and a strong ability to communicate with multiple range of stakeholders.
  • Experience in evaluating relevant projects/programmes related to gender normative work, Women Political Participation, Women Peace and Security and EVAWG in Kenya.
  • Knowledge of the role of UN Women and its programming is desirable.

Language:

  • Language proficiency in English and Swahili is mandatory (written and spoken).

Requirements:

  1. Cover letter outlining experiences relevant to this assignment and availability for assignment
  2.  Form-en.doc indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of at least three professional references.
  3. Candidates must submit three samples of similar work completed recently where you led and authored the evaluation report (only applicants providing samples will be considered).

Statements :

In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. The creation of UN Women came about as part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact. It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system (DAW, OSAGI, INSTRAW and UNIFEM), which focused exclusively on gender equality and women's empowerment.

Diversity and inclusion:

At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity and organizational need.

If you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in your application.

UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to UN Women’s policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UN Women personnel and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. (Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.)

This vacancy is now closed.