Gender Specialist

UN-Water is the United Nations (UN) inter-agency coordination mechanism for all freshwater related issues, including sanitation. It was formally established in 2003 building on a long history of collaboration in the UN family. It currently counts 33 UN agencies and organisations as Members and 40 other international Partners. UN-Water complements and adds value to existing UN initiatives by facilitating synergies and joint efforts among the implementing agencies. In doing so, UN-Water seeks to: (a) improve the coherence in UN System actions at all levels, and in particular at the country level; (b) contribute to the global policy debate on water-related issues through active participation in global policy fora and events and the production of assessments and policy briefs; (c) contribute to increased knowledge on water-related issues through relevant monitoring and reporting mechanisms and by serving as an entry point for water-related indicators, data and information; and (d) identify emerging issues related to global water challenges and provide a platform for UN system strategic discussions on how to prepare for and cope with them more effectively. For further information: www.unwater.org 

With the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development under implementation and with a dedicated goal on water and sanitation, there is a need to advance global monitoring of the sector. Sustainable Development Goal 6 includes six technical targets and two targets on means of implementation, for which Member States, with support from UN-Water, have developed indicators and a monitoring framework. 

One of the flagship undertakings of  UN-Water is the Integrated Monitoring Initiative for SDG 6 (IMI-SDG6), an inter-agency initiative operating under the UN-Water umbrella which aims to support Member States and the international community in measuring progress towards SDG 6, based on a coherent monitoring and reporting framework spanning a total of 11 global indicators coordinated by eight UN custodian agencies. This is being done through the implementation of a set of monitoring methods, integrated into a monitoring guide to support the national processes. Given the central role of countries, an important component of the Initiative is the engagement with Member States to enhance their monitoring capacity, both through regional and national level interventions. For further information: http://www.sdg6monitoring.org 

Although it is well-known that women and girls are disproportionately affected by the lack of safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene services, the crucial role they play in water resource- and water use-related aspects has been only partially reflected in institutional arrangements linked to the development and management of water resources. Part of the reason may lie in the lack of robust, consistent sex-disaggregated and gender sensitive water data and related analysis that would help sustain the development of a gender baseline knowledge related to water. However, despite this, the contextualizing of the SDG 6 global indicators to gender-sensitive and inclusive analysis is still in its early stages. 

During 2021, the IMI-SDG6 intends to undertake a number of activities aimed at identifying and developing tools for disaggregation and/or the contextualization by gender of the global SDG 6 indicators. Following a desk review of existing guidelines, indicators, and tools, the custodian agencies will establish indicator working groups to conduct gender reviews for each of the eleven SDG 6 global indicators. Using the results of these analyses, the IMI-SDG6 will host a global consultation with experts, seeking feedback and recommendations on draft methodologies. These methodologies will then be tested on a small number of pilot countries.

UN-Water is seeking a consultant with substantial experience in gender analysis, possibly with a focus on  the impact that water-related issues have on women and minorities, to support the implementation of these gender contextualization activities. The consultant will work with the UN-Water Technical Advisory Unit under the direct supervision of the Global Monitoring Officer with close interaction with the eight UN custodian agencies involved in the IMI-SDG6. The consultant’s functional responsibilities broadly include coordination, synthesis, facilitation, and technical support on gender.

The consultant is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS. UNOPS is committed to achieving a truly diverse workforce.

Inventory of existing tools and approaches

• Conducting virtual discussions with experts inside and outside the IMI-SDG6 to identify relevant existing documents, taking care of/considering all the indicators of SDG 6

• Conducting review of existing documents

• Developing a typology/conceptual framework, with an additional attention/effort to the aspects related to unexplored/less explored aspects 

• Producing a consolidated synthesis analysis (Inventory) of existing indicators, tools, guidelines, and definitions following typology/conceptual framework, including recommendations for possible tools for SDG 6 global indicators

Gender Review by SDG 6 global indicator

• Developing common TOR/key questions/template for indicator working groups

• Coordinating/overseeing process of indicator working groups

• Providing technical advice where necessary

• Provide facilitation to working groups where necessary

• Consolidate and synthesise the individual gender reviews into a single document, with an additional attention/effort to the aspects related to unexplored/less explored aspects, including possible methodological paths per indicator

• Developing templates and providing editorial support to indicator teams developing draft methodological proposals

• Produce overview of the draft proposals, considering goal-level lessons and commonalities 

Stakeholder and expert consultation workshop

• Developing concept and agenda for workshop (most likely virtual)

• Presenting the findings of the Inventory and overview of indicator groups and facilitating workshop

• Drafting workshop report, including indicator-specific recommendations on the methodological proposals

• Providing editorial support to indicator teams developing final methodologies to be used

Pilot testing methods and tools (2-3 countries)

• Developing process, testing ‘protocols’, key questions, and report templates for pilots 

• Developing concept and agenda for national workshops (if virtually only one workshop can be organized with translations) 

• Developing presentations and workshop materials to be used in pilots

• Ongoing communication and advice with pilot countries/local expert(s) - consultant(s) and the working group (e.g.  indicator-specific focal points)

• Developing analysis of pilot reports, including reflection on common features of the different country experiences compared to differences due to national circumstances. 

Impact of Results 

The key outputs of this consultancy will be:

• typology/conceptual framework for inventory of exiting tools/approaches

• consolidated synthesis analysis (Inventory) of existing indicators, tools, guidelines, and definitions 

• common TOR/key questions/template for indicator working groups

• synthesis of the indicator working groups gender reviews into a single document

• template for draft methodologies

• overview of the draft proposals

• concept and agenda for workshop

• workshop report

• standard templates and materials to be used in country pilots 

• pilot phase analytical report

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in gender studies, social sciences, or development studies or related areas. 
Experience 

• At least 5 years of work experience related to gender and water or gender and natural resources is required.

• Work experience related to monitoring, evaluation, and the use of analytical skills is desirable. 

• Previous experience related to gender/social dimensions of water as a natural resource would be an advantage.

• Knowledge of latest means of aggregating data/information to produce meaningful gender-related/social-related interpretation of indicators of sustainable development.

• Knowledge of the available datasets related to population/gender/social dimensions.

• Knowledge of the global agenda on gender equality within the context of the Agenda 2030.

1. Contract type: Individual Contractor Agreement (ICA)
2. Contract level - International ICA Specialist Level 2 (Contract may be issued as Local ICA Specialist Level 10 based on the duty station of the successful candidate). 
3. Contract duration - 1 year (75%)

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• Work life harmonization - UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few Mandatory Courses (around 4 hours) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS.
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.  

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns. Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve sustainable development.

UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management and human resources.

Working with us

UNOPS offers short- and long-term work opportunities in diverse and challenging environments across the globe. We are looking for creative, results-focused professionals with skills in a range of disciplines.

Diversity

With over 4,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,000 personnel recruited on behalf of UNOPS partners spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a wide range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced, diverse workforce — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs, and continually strive to improve our gender balance through initiatives and policies that encourage recruitment of qualified female candidates.

Work life harmonization

UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands.