National Consultant to develop a Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) Manual for Climate Action and NDC 3.0 in Malawi

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.

Malawi is among the countries most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, experiencing recurrent droughts, floods, cyclones, and erratic rainfall patterns that continue to undermine socio-economic development gains. Climate-related disasters such as Tropical Storm Ana (2022) and Cyclone Freddy (2023) caused extensive damage to infrastructure, livelihoods, agriculture, and human wellbeing, with losses estimated at approximately 2.7% of GDP.

Climate change impacts are not gender neutral. Women, girls, youth, persons with disabilities, and other marginalized populations face disproportionate vulnerabilities due to structural inequalities in access to land, finance, climate information, technologies, productive resources, and decision-making platforms. Women constitute the majority of Malawi’s smallholder agricultural workforce and are therefore highly exposed to climate shocks that threaten food security, incomes, and household resilience.

Recent assessments indicate that:

• Women and girls represented more than 57% of those affected by Cyclone Freddy; 
• Approximately 51% of households affected by the 2024 El Niño-induced food insecurity were female-headed. 

Malawi has made progress in integrating gender equality considerations into national climate and development frameworks, including:

• The National Climate Change Management Policy (2016); 
• The National Adaptation Plan (NAP) Framework (2021); 
• The domesticated Belem Gender Action Plan (2026) 
• Malawi Vision 2063; and 
• Malawi’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). 

However, gender integration within climate action remains largely descriptive and insufficiently institutionalized. Challenges persist in the use of sex-, age-, and disability-disaggregated data (SADDD), gender-responsive climate 

budgeting, coordination mechanisms, monitoring systems, and practical implementation tools.

As Malawi develops its NDC 3.0, there is a strategic opportunity to strengthen and institutionalize Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) within climate action work in line with:

• The UNFCCC Gender Action Plan; 
• Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 5 and 13); 
• The Paris Agreement; 
• Malawi Vision 2063; and 
• Global commitments on gender equality and climate justice. 

To support this process, UN Women, in collaboration with Ministry of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare seek to engage a national consultant to develop a National Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) Manual to support the integration of gender-responsive approaches into Malawi’s Climate Action work

Objective of the assignment

The objective of this consultancy is to embed equity and inclusivity into Malawi’s climate response, ensuring that the development and implementation of NDC 3.0 not only reduce emissions and strengthen resilience but also advance social justice, gender equality, and sustainable development. The GESI Manual will provide practical guidance, tools, and frameworks to mainstream gender and social inclusion across climate policies, programs, and projects, thereby empowering vulnerable groups and enhancing institutional capacity for inclusive climate governance.

Description of Responsibilities

The consultant will undertake the following tasks:

1. Conduct a comprehensive desk review of relevant climate change, gender, Social Inclusion, development, and sectoral policies, strategies, frameworks, and international commitments related to gender-responsive climate action. 
2. Identify gaps, opportunities, and entry points for strengthening GESI integration in Malawi’s Climate Action work.
3. Conduct stakeholder consultations, key informant interviews, and technical engagements with Government institutions, development partners, civil society organizations, academia, women’s organizations, youth groups, and other stakeholders. 
4. Develop a National GESI Manual, including practical tools, training guidance notes, templates, indicators, and frameworks for implementation in line with NDC 3.0 and priority sectors such as:

• Agriculture; 
• Energy; 
• Mining;
•  Tourism;
•  Fisheries, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs;
• Trade and Industry 

Scope of Work 

The consultancy will focus on strengthening institutional, technical, and operational mechanisms for integrating gender equality and social inclusion into Malawi’s climate action agenda and NDC 3.0 implementation framework.

The assignment shall include:

• Review of national and international frameworks; 
• Stakeholder mapping and consultations; 
• Sectoral gender and climate analysis; 
• Development of practical tools and guidance;  
• Facilitation of consultations and validation meetings; 
• Finalization of a nationally endorsed GESI Manual.

Deliverables

• Inception Report detailing methodology, work plan, and timelines.
• Draft GESI Manual with sector-specific guidelines and tools.
• Final GESI Manual incorporating stakeholder feedback.
• Training Materials for government and stakeholders.
• Final Consultancy Report summarizing process, findings, and recommendations.

Methodology

The consultancy will adopt a participatory, inclusive, and evidence-based approach involving:

• Comprehensive desk reviews; 
• Key informant interviews; 
• Focus group discussions where appropriate; 
• Stakeholder consultations; 
• Technical working sessions; 
• Comparative analysis of regional and global best practices; 
• Validation workshops. 

The consultant is expected to ensure that the process is inclusive and participatory, with meaningful engagement of women, youth, persons with disabilities, CSOs, academia, Government institutions, and development partners.

Expected Output

The consultancy is expected to deliver:

• A gender analysis of Malawi’s climate action framework; 
• A nationally validated GESI Manual for Climate Action and NDC 3.0; 
• Practical tools and templates for GESI integration in sectors mentioned above; 
• Standardized gender-responsive indicators and reporting systems; 
• Policy and communication briefs; 
• Strengthened stakeholder understanding and ownership of gender-responsive climate action

Deliverables and Timeline

Consultant’s Workplace and Travel

This is a home-based consultancy. The consultant will be required to travel within Lilongwe where necessary, to conduct stakeholder consultations, validation meetings, and field engagements.

In case of any official trip, approved by the office, the travel-related costs will be covered as per the associated duty travel policy.

Reporting and supervision

The consultant will report directly to UN Women Malawi and work closely with:

• Knowledge of gender and women’s empowerment. 
• Strong knowledge of UNFCCC processes and Gender Action Plan
• Strong knowledge of Climate finance frameworks and Gender equality 

The consultant will be responsible for ensuring timely delivery of all outputs and maintaining high standards of technical quality.

Institutional Arrangements

UN Women will:

• Provide overall technical oversight and coordination; 
• Facilitate stakeholder engagement where necessary; 
• Review and approve deliverables. 

Relevant Government Ministries and partners will:

• Provide technical inputs; 
• Participate in consultations and validation processes; 
• Support dissemination and institutionalization of the final GESI Manual. 

Competencies :

Core Values:

• Integrity;
• Professionalism;
• Respect for Diversity.

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:

• Knowledge of gender and women’s empowerment. 
• Strong knowledge of UNFCCC processes and Gender Action Plan
• Strong knowledge of Climate finance frameworks and Gender equality
• Demonstrated ability to produce high-quality technical reports and policy documents meeting international standards
• Excellent analytical, facilitation, and report-writing skills 

Required qualifications and experience:

Education and Certification:

• Masters in Gender Studies, Climate Change, Environmental Sciences, Development Studies, Social Sciences, Economics or related field is required;
• A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of a master’s degree.

Experience:

• At least 7 years of demonstrated experience in gender equality, social inclusion climate change, environmental governance, or related fields; 
• Experience in developing policy frameworks, training manuals, toolkits, or guidance documents; 
• Experience engaging with Government institutions, development partners, civil society organizations, academia, and community stakeholders; 
• Experience working with Women Network in Climate Action in Malawi will be an added advantage
• Experience in qualitative and quantitative research methodologies; 

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.)

Note: Applicants must ensure that all sections of the application form, including the sections on education and employment history, are completed. If all sections are not completed the application may be disqualified from the recruitment and selection process.