National Consultant for Gender environmental and Conflict analysis for Blue Nile State

Background

This gender, conflict and environmental assessment/analysis will inform the development of a joint UN Women, UNEP Peace Building Fund (PBF) Project in selected regions of Blue Nile State. The proposed project is responding to protracted conflict in the state, in which the impacts of climate change have compounded natural resource scarcity and threatened livelihoods that depend on fertile land for farming and grazing.

In many contexts, climate change and environmental degradation exacerbate insecurity, further draining the availability of resources that underpin livelihoods for framers and herders alike. Women and men are affected by – and contribute to – these dynamics in different and unique ways. The goal of this analysis is to assess these dynamics, and identify entry points for peacebuilding that can both empower women and strengthen community adaptation to climate change.

The analysis will assess the differences in the conditions, needs, participation rates, access to resources and development, control of assets, decision-making powers, protection issues including SGBV, etc. between and among girls/women and boys/men in their assigned gender roles and how this has been impacted by the conflict, environmental and climate crises.

The findings will inform the design of project interventions and will serve as a key gauge and benchmark in ensuring that project implementation is responding to conflict and gender as well as environmental issues in the target communities in Blue Nile State which is our region of intervention. The consultant will be recruited for 5 days and will be guided by the terms of this contract.

A consultant is being recruited with the aim of undertaking a gender, conflict and environmental analysis in order to generate data to better inform the project with essential information on the perceived historical and structural background of violent conflict and how conflict relates to gender and environment issues. The consultant is further expected to generate qualitative and quantitative information to provide benchmark against which the project design can contribute the reduction of gender, conflict and environmental sensitivities in the Blue Nile in order to achieve project goal.

 

Duties and Responsibilities

The consultant will be expected to undertake the following:

1. Conduct an integrated gender, conflict and climate analysis that answers the following questions:

a. What are the  root causes, current drivers of conflict, current conflict patterns and trends  across the following domains:

1. economic;
2. political;
3. social;
4. Environmental.

b. How do climate shocks and environmental change impact conflict dynamics? Using a gender lens, consider:

1. Changes to resource availability;
2. Changes to predictability of natural resources;
3. Displacement and migration;

c. How do gender norms and power relations influence – and how are they are affected by – conflict and climate-related risks? Consider:

1. access, use, and control of environmental and economic assets;
2. Protection risks, including gender-based violence, conflict-related violence;
3. participation and influence in natural resource decision-making and governance, as well as in conflict resolution and peacebuilding processes.

2. Map key actors in project locations with the mandate and capacity to act for gender equality (Community Leaders, CBOs, NGOs, Youth Groups, Women led CSOs etc.), sustainable development, and/or peace and security;

3. Prepare a comprehensive report with detailed specific findings and recommendations to promote gender equality, address the environmental and climate crisis, and strengthen peacebuilding.

3.0 Methodology

This analysis will follow the integrated gender, conflict, and environmental framework, attached as annex. Qualitative and quantitative methods will be employed to ensure inclusion of all the project actors and stakeholders in the gender, environmental and conflict analysis process. The process will be consultative and based on the principles of participation, the consultant is expected to take all necessary steps to ensure that the security and dignity of the respondents and the rest of the population participating in the gender, environmental and conflict analysis exercises is not compromised.

The methods for gathering the required information for the gender and conflict analysis may include:

3.1 Secondary data sources:

1. A review of local laws, policies and strategies related to the target groups, including those related to environment, climate, and gender; 
2. A review of current and up-to-date secondary sources regarding the target programme locations, especially in terms of specifying the target group and the local stakeholders;
3. A review of climate and environmental data and assessments the project area.

3.2 Primary data sources

Phone/email interviews/discussions, key informant interviews with national, state and local authorities whose roles are related to dealing with environment in situations of vulnerability. These can serve both to gather data and to discuss existing or potential modes of collaboration.

1. Phone/email interviews/discussions, key informant interviews, and/or questionnaires with representatives of non-governmental organizations and local associations that provide capacity strengthening for the target group and/or are involved in advocacy in women welfare. Again, these can serve both to gather data and to discuss existing or potential collaboration;
2. Phone/email/interviews/discussions, key informant interviews, risk mapping exercises, etc. with Community leaders, religious leaders and a diversity of gender groups (e.g. Women led CSOs, Youth led CSOs, Adolescent Boys and Girls, Persons with disabilities etc.) within the selected Communities.

4.0 Deliverables:

1. A draft of an integrated gender, conflict and environmental analysis document 5 days after end of contract. The documents will consist of analysis of the gender equality landscape in the domain of conflict and environment, providing deep understanding to the underlying gender power relations and how they influence and are affected by armed conflict and peacebuilding and a changing climate;
2. A final document with UN Women’s and UNEP’s comments incorporated.

Competencies

Core Values/Guiding Principles:Integrity:

•  Demonstrate consistency in upholding and promoting the values of UN Women in actions and decisions, in line with the UN Code of Conduct.

Professionalism:

• Demonstrate professional competence and expert knowledge of the pertinent substantive areas of work.

Cultural sensitivity and valuing diversity:

• Demonstrate an appreciation of the multicultural nature of the organization and the diversity of its staff. Demonstrate an international outlook, appreciating difference in values and learning from cultural diversity.

Core Competencies:Ethics and Values:

• Demonstrate and safeguard ethics and integrity.

Organizational Awareness:

• Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment.

Development and Innovation:

• Take charge of self-development and take initiative.

Work in teams:

• Demonstrate ability to work in a multicultural, multi ethnic environment and to maintain effective working relations with people of different national and cultural backgrounds.

Communicating and Information Sharing:

• Facilitate and encourage open communication and strive for effective communication.

Self-management and Emotional Intelligence:

• Stay composed and positive even in difficult moments, handle tense situations with diplomacy and tact, and have a consistent behavior towards others.

Conflict Management:

• Surface conflicts and address them proactively acknowledging different feelings and views and directing energy towards a mutually acceptable solution.

Continuous Learning and Knowledge Sharing:

•  Encourage learning and sharing of knowledge.

Appropriate and Transparent Decision Making:

• Demonstrate informed and transparent decision making.

Functional Competencies:

• Demonstrated development/programming skills particularly those that are pertinent to gender issues and women’s rights;
• Good knowledge of Results Based Management principles and approaches;
• Ability to apply gender analysis to programme planning;
• Good analytical skills;
• Good knowledge of Women, Peace and Security (WPS) and gender analysis and mainstreaming strategies (such as gender-integrated approaches, and gender-targeted approaches) and tools.

Required Skills and Experience

- Education Qualifications:

Master’s degree or equivalent in social sciences, human rights, gender/ women’s studies, international development, environment or a related field is required. 5 years of experience of working in the Blue Nile state would be accepted on lieu of the master’s degree.

- Experience:

1. Minimum 5 years of practical experience with initiatives and projects on gender equality and women’s empowerment;
2. Experience in gender mainstreaming, for programme/projects, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, organization of related trainings;
3. Knowledge of gender equality and women’s rights in Blue Nile State is an asset;
4. Knowledge in environmental studies is an asset;
5. Experience of working with relevant stakeholders from the governmental and non-governmental institutions at the national and sub-national levels;
6. Previous experience of working with UN and the other international organizations is an asset;
7. Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Office, Excel, Outlook, etc);

- Language Requirements:

1. Fluency in English;
2. Ability to work in Arabic will be an added advantage.