National Consultant for AWLN-Kenya’s Advancing Women’s Leadership and Empowerment: Building a Unified Women’s Movement in Kenya

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.

Launched in 2020, the African Women Leaders Network Kenya Chapter (AWLN-K) has been in operation and active for the last six (6) years, strengthening women’s voices through a unified platform supported by like-minded individuals and organizations throughout the country and region. The Network has rallied women leaders, including young women, across the social and political divide to advance women's leadership and empowerment, addressing the historical absence of a unified voice for women on key national and regional matters affecting their full participation in all spheres of life.

In 2026, AWLN-K is implementing the programme “Advancing Women’s Leadership and Empowerment: Building a Unified Women’s Movement in Kenya” following the award of USD 10,000 under the 2026 AWLN Funds Allocation. The Chapter was among fourteen of the thirty-nine AWLN Chapters selected to receive the funding in May 2026. The funding will support priority interventions aimed at:

1. Strengthening governance and institutional sustainability within the AWLN Kenya Chapter;
2. Strengthening leadership development pathways for young women through mentorship and intergenerational learning; and
3. Increasing the visibility and influence of women leaders in governance and decision-making processes.

These priorities are particularly relevant as Kenya prepares for the 2027 General Elections, with women’s representation and leadership influenced by political, electoral and governance processes at both national and county levels. The programme provides opportunities for women leaders to exchange experiences, discuss emerging issues, strengthen intergenerational learning and mentorship, and engage relevant state and non-state actors on matters affecting women’s leadership and participation. The engagements will extend beyond women seeking elective office to include women leaders from government, civil society, academia, business, grassroots leadership and other sectors. This recognizes the contribution of women leaders across different sectors to governance, peace and safety, development and decision-making, while creating opportunities to reflect on national and county-level developments and identify issues that may affect women’s participation as the country approaches the 2027 General Elections.

The 2026 programme is also informed by lessons from previous AWLN-K engagements, including the need for stronger coordination, increased opportunities for intergenerational learning, structured mentorship for young women, and greater spaces for women leaders to share experiences and identify practical areas for collective action.

For young women in particular, the programme will create opportunities for direct engagement with experienced women leaders. The engagements will consider young women’s leadership aspirations, barriers to participation, role models, and the mentorship and support they require, while drawing on lessons from previous leadership and mentorship initiatives supported by AWLN, UN Women and other partners. Against this background, AWLN-K seeks to engage qualified facilitators to support the effective delivery and documentation of the following activities between November and December 2026:

1. Activity #1: National Virtual Meeting on Women’s Governance and Institutional Reforms bringing together 100 AWLN-K members, including women leaders from different counties and sectors to assess the current situation of women’s leadership in Kenya, discuss emerging political and governance issues, and reflect on how women leaders can prepare for the 2027 General Elections. 
2. Activity # 2: One intergenerational peer-learning exchange bringing together young and senior women leaders to promote intergenerational knowledge sharing, mentorship and leadership development for 50 participants including young and experienced women leaders to facilitate knowledge sharing, mentorship and leadership development. 
3. Activity #3: Multi-stakeholder forum bringing together 50 participants including women aspirants, the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP), political parties, and relevant state and non-state actors within the electoral governance ecosystem to discuss the women and youth agenda, nation-building and good governance, and identify opportunities to strengthen the participation, positioning and leadership of women and young people ahead of the 2027 General Elections.

Expected Outcomes

The outcomes of this assignment include:

1. Women leaders are better informed about developments and issues that may affect their participation and leadership ahead of the 2027 General Elections;
2. Young women have meaningful opportunities to engage with experienced women leaders and access leadership knowledge and mentorship;
3. Opportunities for continued intergenerational mentorship and leadership development are identified and;
4. Practical actions, partnerships and opportunities for collaboration among women and young leaders, political parties, government institutions, civil society and other relevant stakeholders are identified to strengthen women’s and young people’s participation and leadership ahead of the 2027 General Elections

The consultant will be reporting to the UN Women WIL Consultant with support from the DG Programme Associate. The facilitator will be responsible for ensuring that the assigned engagement is well structured, participatory and aligned with the objectives of the AWLN-K 2026 programme.

Description of Responsibilities/ Scope of Work

The facilitator will:

1. Review relevant programme documents, background materials and objectives provided by AWLN-K;
2. Facilitate the assigned engagement using appropriate participatory methods;
3. Draw out experiences and perspectives from different counties, sectors and generations, where applicable;
4. Guide discussions towards practical recommendations, commitments and action points; and
5. Submit a report outlining key outcomes, recommendations, commitments and action points emerging from the engagement.

Deliverable:

Consultant’s Workplace and Official Travel

This is a home-based consultancy. 

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:

• Excellent facilitation and written skills, including conveying complex concepts and recommendations;
• Ability to interact independently or as part of a team; 
• Demonstrated ability to multitask under pressure and to meet strict deadlines;
• Strong knowledge of Democratic Governance;
• Ability to identify and analyze trends, opportunities, and threats and develop strategies.

Required Qualifications

Education and Certification:

• Bachelor’s degree in gender, human rights, social science, or a related field.

Experience:

• At least 2 years of progressively responsible work experience in democracy, governance and gender equality, women’s political participation, leadership and decision-making;
• A good understanding of Kenya’s political and electoral environment and women’s political participation, leadership and decision making is required;
• Experience working with young women and facilitating mentorship, leadership development and intergenerational learning programmes is required; 
• Ability to work effectively with women leaders, young people, government institutions, political actors, civil society, academia, business, community leaders and other stakeholders is required;
• Excellent facilitation, communication, analytical and writing skills is required.

Languages:

• Fluency in English is required.
• Knowledge of any other UN official language is an asset.

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.