International Consultant

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; women’s empowerment; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace, and security.

UN Women is leading and coordinating the United Nations System to ensure that commitments on gender equality and gender mainstreaming translate into action throughout the world. It is providing strong and coherent leadership in support of Member States’ priorities and efforts, building effective partnerships with the private sector, civil society, government, and other relevant actors.

With 10 years to go to the end date of gender inequality in 2030, UN Women is calling for enhanced and sustained actions to deliver on our collective global commitments on gender equality and women’s empowerment as they are reflected across the Sustainable Development Goals including in SDG 5 and in the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action which celebrates 25 years in 2020. To this end, UN Women established the Generation Equality Campaign and together with key partners mobilizes - through Action Coalitions across six, urgent key topics - UN Member States, private sector companies, foundations, and civil society for accelerated action. 

Under the leadership of the Director of the Nordic Liaison Office, UN Women is looking to recruit a consultant to enhance and deepen ongoing initiatives with the Nordic private sector and the financial institutions in the Nordic countries for deepened collaboration and accelerated action on gender equality in the context of UN Women initiatives as well for longer-term engagement across UN Women’s portfolio.  

The consultant will continue work begun under two global Memorandum of Understandings signed with private sector partners in 2021, and further develop and expand both these relationships. Current relationships need to be translated into concrete actions and aligned with Generation Equality Action Coalitions; new relationships need to be established in additional geographic locations; the work with the eSport and online gaming industry in the Nordic region needs to be strengthened to leverage gender equality mandate; further support is needed to strengthen relationships between the Nordic private sector and UN Women operations; additional research on gender work within the Nordic federations of industries are needed.   

Purpose and Objective of the Consultancy

The consultant will facilitate the strengthening of these relationships, and contribute to the development of enhanced collaboration with identified partners as well as to suggest, develop and implement strategies for further collaboration, including organizing two roundtables with relevant Nordic stakeholders.  

The objective of the consultancy is fourfold: (i) to identify new and strengthen established partnerships and coalitions with the Nordic private sector, by identifying ways to further engage across UN Women operations both at the global and national level, with particular attention to engagement in Generation Equality Action Coalitions and UN Women initiatives; (ii)  to engage with the Nordic development funds and private sector financial institutions to enhance investment in gender equality and identify ways to leverage innovative financing in line with UN Women's mandate (iii) to support the work of the Unstereotype Alliance by co-leading a working group together with a Nordic industry actor; and (iv)  to build on the MOU between UN Women and Nokia to further enhance the relationship and identify additional areas of work under the MOU to promote women’s empowerment and gender equality.

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of Work and Responsibilities

Strengthen partnerships with the Nordic private sector

1. Identify a workplan for the consultancy addressing each of the areas covered by the scope of work (review status of existing engagement, define a way forward and timeline) and review relevant guidelines for engagement of the Private Sector in the Action Coalitions.
2. Support the work of the Nordic Liaison Office in managing the portfolio with Nokia under the global MOU signed between UN Women and Nokia by supporting ongoing communication with Nokia, preparing tailor-made documents for meetings, providing additional background research, and providing support to UN Women regional and country office in their work with Nokia under the MOU, and liaise with relevant units in UN Women.
3. Support the following up of potential private sector opportunities in the Nordic countries and prepare tailor-made documents for meetings with each stakeholder related to a relevant business proposition and partnership models, including background research, design strategy, and approach, liaise with relevant units in UN Women on shared value of stakeholder partnerships, and support Due Diligence and MOU processes as well as country level agreements.
4. Follow up of an established relationship with the Nordic Federations of Industries, including background research, development of strategy and approach in the Nordic region, and lead on establishing a Roundtable on gender-responsive budgeting with relevant Nordic Federation of Industries.
5. Support the following up with Private Sector partners in Finland and support ongoing work under the MOU, including providing technical support to the partnership, identify further locations for collaboration, and coordinate engagement in Generation Equality Action Coalition.
6. Follow-up with members of the Gender Diversity Roundtable in Denmark on diversity in the workplace, and lead on designing background research and development of a strategy to further leverage the concept, liaise with relevant units in UN Women, and coordinating dialogue with members.

Establish partnerships with the Nordic Development Funds

       7.  Support the following up on work begun in 2021 with the Nordic Development Funds and identified relevant private sector financial institutions on gender lensed investments with the purpose of engaging these actors in a Roundtable on innovative financing for gender equality. Providing technical support to dialogue with identified actors with the purpose of furthering collaboration, prepare tailor-made documents for meetings with each stakeholder, provide background research, development of strategy and approach, and liaise with relevant units in UN Women on shared value of stakeholder partnerships.

Provide technical support to work of the Unstereotype Alliance

           8. Together with Finnish industry actors convene and facilitate the working group with Nordic stakeholders on harmful stereotypes and online harassment in eSport and online gaming industry, including identifying content for each session, provide background support as needed, conduct event at Summer Assembly event in October to present the final result of a working group, draft supporting documents and coordinate with participants.

Deliverables:

The consultant is expected to deliver the following outputs: 

1. Workplan for the consultancy completed and approved, relevant Private Sector strategies reviewed. (1 day)

Strengthen partnerships with the Nordic private sector (41 days)

1. Further thematic areas and geographical locations identified for collaboration with Nokia under global MOU with extensive engagement in support of the GEWE mandate. (9 days)
2. Background research finalised and engagement by three private sector entities with UN Women secured for collaboration with UN Women through MOUs or with extensive engagement in support of the GEWE mandate. (11 days)
3. Gender Diversity Roundtable with Nordic Federation of Industries targeted to gender-responsive investments/budgeting and gender diversity conducted, way forward identified, partners engaged in GEWE mandate. (11 days)
4. Additional geographical locations identified for collaboration with Private Sector partner in Finland, partner engaged in Generation Equality Action Coalition, relevant UN Women country offices engaged with a partner. (5 days)
5. Way forward for Gender Diversity Roundtable in Denmark identified, including background research conducted and strategy for further engagement of members in GEWE mandate identified in writing. (5 days)

Establish partnerships with the Nordic development funds and private financial institutions (28 days)

        6. Engagement with the Nordic Development Funds initiated and value proposition for engagement with UN Women and with the GEWE mandate made, including support to the completion of a high-level roundtable with the Nordic development funds.

         7. Engagement with the Nordic private sector financial institutions initiated and value proposition for engagement with UN Women and with the GEWE mandate made, including engagement in high-level roundtable completed.

Mobilize Nordic eSport and online gaming industry stakeholders in reducing harmful stereotypes and online harassment under Unstereotype Alliance mandate (14 days)

          8.  Convening a working group on the issues of harmful stereotypes and online harassment in eSport and online gaming industry together with stakeholders in Finland, three working group sessions planned, facilitated, and completed, including the completion of relevant background research, communicating with participants, drafting guiding documents and liaising with stakeholders, all in a timely fashion.

         9.  The Event at Summer Assembly in Finland conducted with the purpose of presenting the result of the working group to the industry.

Competencies

Functional Competencies

• Proven ability to design and implement relevant and targeted initiatives
• Ability to develop and maintain strong partnerships with a variety of stakeholders and develop inter-institutional coordination and communication mechanisms.

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.

Required Skills and Experience