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Consultancy - Review of the 2010 National Gender Policy

Mbabane

  • Organization: UNDP - United Nations Development Programme
  • Location: Mbabane
  • Grade: Consultancy - International Consultant - Internationally recruited Contractors Agreement
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Political Affairs
    • Legal - Broad
    • Women's Empowerment and Gender Mainstreaming
  • Closing Date: Closed

Background

Swaziland adheres to a number of international, regional and national instruments that express commitment for the promotion of gender equality commitments, namely the 1995 Beijing, 2004 CEDAW and the 2007 SADC Gender Policy. These pledges recognize the promotion of gender equality as a development objective and a prerequisite for sustainable development. Such recognition and commitment calls for appropriate measures to ensure the full realization of equitable sustainable development that leaves no one behind through national policy and programme interventions. The domestication of the various instruments led to the Government of Swaziland (GOS) developing the National Gender Policy in 2010.

The Beijing Plus 20 Outcome Document, and its First 10-Year Implementation Plan, both adopted in 2015 have been translated into the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development for adoption by the Members States. Additionally, the global community, including Swaziland endorsed, Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Africa Union Agenda 2063. These instruments foster gender equality across the 17 SDGs, and further embrace and close interface with culture in the AU Agenda. The country has taken the initial steps to integrate these two in unison, into the National Development Strategy (NDS), Vision 2022, for realisation of inclusive gender-responsive outcomes.

Sustainable development participation and opportunity deviation status for the country was assessed through the 2016 Swaziland Gender Development Index. The Index revealed progress made regarding the social-related development in particular in the education sector. Economic opportunities and women participation in decision-making however lag, in particular when considering that women parliamentary representation is recorded at 15%. Access to credit and production tools and skills remain low contributing to the high unemployment rate of 40% amongst women versus 28.1% of the general population. Maternal mortality rates are high with access to quality services challenging the public health sector. On the other hand, the national surveillance mechanism on the gender-based violence indicates an increase in reported cases and more women and children than men falling victims.

Gender indifferent sectoral policies and strategies limit the ability of the country to translate the gender equality mainstreaming agenda, and combined with inadequate monitoring and evaluation (M&E) tools the national resources allocation requires a review to enhance commitment through resource allocation and targeted results and timeframes.

The 2010 National Gender Policy capacity to drive effective national institution coordination through the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office (DPMO) Department of Gender and Family Issues (DGFI) remains deficient of benchmarked national performance along the 2015 Agenda 2030 SDG 5 and the AU 2063 Agenda. This is to promote comprehensive gender mainstreaming and protection of human rights ensuring coherent gender definitions and conceptualisation for improved understanding of gender equality process and its integration in the various sectors, hence the call for the review of the Gender Policy.

A team of an International Consultant (IC) and a National Consultant (NC) is required to undertake a comprehensive valuation of the 2010 National Gender Policy under the leadership of the Department of Gender and Family Issues and develop a comprehensive costed Strategy Action Plan (SAP) with and M&E Framework and indicators. The International Consultant will lead in achievement of the assignment deliverables with supported by a National Consultant and work closely with the Technical Working Group (TWG) that will be established by the DPMO.    

Scope of Work and Objectives:

The Team of Consultants will review the 2010 National Gender Policy and align it with the international instruments such as the Beijing Plus 20 Outcome Document, CEDAW, Agenda 2030,  African Union Agenda 2063 and AU Gender Policy, Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights and on the Rights of  Women in Africa, Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality, African Charter on the Rights of the Child, Protocol on the Suppression and Punishment of Trafficking in Persons Especially Women and Children, Convention on the Rights of the Child,  the reviewed SADC Protocol on Gender and Development and its indicators and the United Nations’ Resolutions 1325, 60/2.

This process is envisaged to align all gender equality related issues with the National Development Strategy (NDS), Vision 2022 and the Nation Action Plan 2013-2018.  The SAP will be transformational in its nature, highlighting the strategic direction of gender equality including institutional frameworks, capacity provisions and clear benchmarks and indicators for monitoring and evaluation its performance.

Duties and Responsibilities

The assignment tasks includes:

  • Development of a detailed Inception Report, indicating the roles and responsibilities of the IC, NC and TWG, and work plan for the review of the 2010 National Gender Policy.  The Report is to be presented within five (5) days of signing the contract;
  • Review all relevant international, regional and national instruments and documents, including the 2005 National Constitution, Parliamentary Reports, policy guidelines, and legal framework that provide the gender equality institutionalization, mainstreaming and implementation in the country; 
  • Review the SDG 2030 and AU63 NDS-integration process and facilitate prioritization of gender equality targets at national and sectoral levels;
  • Conduct in-depth national stakeholder discussions, including DPMO Parliament National Portfolio Committee, Traditional Leaders and community members and groups (women and the people leaving with disabilities), non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the private sector to solicit further inputs on the formulation of the reviewed National Gender Policy and Strategy Action Plan document addressing the key focal areas: Constitution and Institutional Arrangements; Human Rights and Legal Regulatory Instruments of Good Practice; Gender Equality Development and Sectoral Management for education, health food-security and nutrition, HIV and AIDS, Economic Production and Trade; Women Empowerment and Participation; and Capacity Building, Research and Training.
  • Review the national budgetary allocation and mainstreaming process and suggest improved resource envelops to meet gender equality outcomes.Conduct quality assurance in the development of the SDG-aligned sectoral-based M&E Framework with ASMART Indicator Reference per thematic area and design disaggregated Sector-based Data Reporting Tool;
  • Develop the National Stakeholders Consultation Report;
  • Facilitate the validation of the comprehensive National Gender Policy and costed Strategy and Action Plan by national stakeholders; and
  • Draft the final National Gender Policy and Strategy and Action Plan for approval by the Government of Swaziland DPMO.

Competencies

  • Strong conceptual and analytical skills, in particular on gender equality
  • Excellent facilitation, communication and presentation and report- skills.
  • Proven analytical, organizational development and inter-personal skills.
  • Ability and demonstrated experience in working with multi-disciplinary teams.
  • Ability to meet deadlines with minimum supervision.
  • Proficiency in English, written and spoken.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

  • A Masters / Degree in Gender Development Studies, Social Sciences, Law, Demography with good knowledge and skills on Monitoring and Evaluation. A PhD would be an added advantage.

Experience:

  • Seven (7) years’ experience in gender equality policy development for the International Consultant and five years (5) for National Consultant.
  • Knowledge of gender promoting and protecting international, regional and national instruments.
  • Proven record and experience in Policy formulation.
  • Experience and knowledge in working in countries with dual system of governance and strong cultural foundations would be an asset.
  • Experience with development of Strategy Action Plans and Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E). Frameworks and research on gender and development.

Language:

  • Fluency in English.
UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.
This vacancy is now closed.
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