Policy Specialist - Gender and Mediation

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.

Placing women’s rights at the center of all its efforts, UN Women leads and coordinates United Nations system efforts to ensure that commitments on gender equality and gender mainstreaming translate into action throughout the world. It provides strong and coherent leadership in support of Member States’ priorities and efforts, building effective partnerships with civil society and other relevant actors. In the area of conflict resolution and mediation, UN Women contributes to building peaceful and inclusive societies by supporting and enhancing women’s participation and leadership in ongoing peace, national dialogue and reconciliation processes, and the implementation and monitoring of peace agreements.

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.

Placing women’s rights at the center of all its efforts, UN Women leads and coordinates United Nations system efforts to ensure that commitments on gender equality and gender mainstreaming translate into action throughout the world. It provides strong and coherent leadership in support of Member States’ priorities and efforts, building effective partnerships with civil society and other relevant actors. In the area of conflict resolution and mediation, UN Women contributes to building peaceful and inclusive societies by supporting and enhancing women’s participation and leadership in ongoing peace, national dialogue and reconciliation processes, and the implementation and monitoring of peace agreements.

UN Women works closely with civil society organizations, Member States, and other UN agencies, among others, to increase women’s meaningful participation in peace processes. UN Women supports civil society organizations, through funding, capacity-building and organizing, for their meaningful participation and leadership in peace processes, and to strengthen their capacity to advocate effectively for gender and women’s rights issues in peace processes. UN Women provides technical expertise to support gender mainstreaming across peace processes; and enables knowledge generation through documenting good practices, research and policy development. UN Women is often uniquely positioned to provide a space to facilitate women’s civil society access to peacemaking actors and decision-makers.

Furthermore, to support the expansion of networks of women mediators at regional, national and local levels, UN Women provides technical and operational support to women mediator networks and contributes to raising the profile of these networks. UN Women also supports the development of networks of women leaders, namely the operationalization of the United Nations-African Union co-convened African Women Leaders Network.

The Peace, Security and Humanitarian Action Section leads UN Women’s work to fulfill its mandate in the area of peace, security and humanitarian action, as well as UN system efforts towards improved implementation, and monitoring and reporting of global commitments on women and peace and security, including as set out in the Beijing Platform for Action and in Security Council resolutions 1325 (2000), 1820 (2008), 1888 (2009), 1889 (2009), 1960 (2010), 2106 (2013), 2122 (2013), 2242 (2015), 2467 (2019) and 2493 (2019); relevant Statements by the President of the Security Council, and related accountability frameworks established by the UN system. Since 2010, UN Women and the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) have adopted a joint strategy on gender-responsive mediation.

Under the supervision of the Deputy Chief, Peace, Security and Humanitarian Action Section, the Policy Specialist, Mediation, will reinforce the development of work within the area of gender and mediation, including policy development and coordination, capacity building interventions and strategic partnerships, learning and knowledge production and management, and the support to networks of women mediators and women leaders. She or He will act as an important channel between country and regional offices, and global policy-related work in the areas of gender, conflict resolution and mediation. The Policy Specialist will also contribute to the broader work of the Peace and Security Section.

Under the direct supervision of the Deputy Chief, the Policy Specialist, Mediation will lead the implementation and coordination of UN Women’s work on gender and mediation; and will provide technical advisory services to UN Women presence on women’s participation in peace processes at all levels. The position will also oversee the implementation of the African Women leaders network initiative, as well as additional areas of work assigned by the Chief as agreed.

Functions

Policy development and coordination\:

• Support the Peace, Security and Humanitarian Action Section’s global-level coordination, monitoring, and programming efforts to advance the implementation of the women, peace and security agenda with regard to gender and peace processes;
• Provide inputs to intergovernmental processes and other international fora to help shape the development of global and regional policies, norms and standards, and implementation strategies to facilitate and increase women’s meaningful participation and influence in mediation and peace processes;
• Produce studies, reports, background papers on gender and mediation in accordance with mandates provided by relevant intergovernmental bodies, highlighting progress and challenges in critical areas and emerging issues, as well as preparing options and recommendations for action;
• Ensure information flow between field and HQ on lessons learned, promising approaches, and good practices.

Capacity building and strategic partnerships

• Support UN Women Country Offices, civil society and governmental partners in advancing women’s inclusion in peace processes and the implementation of peace agreements including through technical assistance, training and networking, collation of good practices and lessons learned, and knowledge production;
• Develop and strengthen collaboration with regional networks of women mediators including through knowledge sharing, research and advocacy, and the provision of technical and operational support on request;
• Identify relevant actors/forums, and liaise with key international, national, regional, and local civil society and governmental stakeholders to strengthen women’s capacity and solidarity and to facilitate and increase their access, participation and representation to peace processes and to key stakeholders;
• Develop and solidify partnerships with key stakeholders, including academic institutions, governments and civil society organizations.

Managing the African Women Leaders Network initiative

• Participate in, and contribute to joint UN Women-African Union coordination mechanisms of the African Women Leaders Network;
• Liaise with the Executive Director Special Representative on the Establishment of AWLN National Chapters to provide technical and financial assistance to Country Offices on the support to the National Chapters;
• Provide substantive guidance and technical inputs to ensure the quality of knowledge and advocacy products commissioned under the Section’s project on “Women’s Leadership for Inclusive Development and Stability”;
• Coordinate the production of narrative and financial reports, and liaise closely with Germany and other partners and potential donors.

UN Women works closely with civil society organizations, Member States, and other UN agencies, among others, to increase women’s meaningful participation in peace processes. UN Women supports civil society organizations, through funding, capacity-building and organizing, for their meaningful participation and leadership in peace processes, and to strengthen their capacity to advocate effectively for gender and women’s rights issues in peace processes. UN Women provides technical expertise to support gender mainstreaming across peace processes; and enables knowledge generation through documenting good practices, research and policy development. UN Women is often uniquely positioned to provide a space to facilitate women’s civil society access to peacemaking actors and decision-makers.

Furthermore, to support the expansion of networks of women mediators at regional, national and local levels, UN Women provides technical and operational support to women mediator networks and contributes to raising the profile of these networks. UN Women also supports the development of networks of women leaders, namely the operationalization of the United Nations-African Union co-convened African Women Leaders Network.

The Peace, Security and Humanitarian Action Section leads UN Women’s work to fulfill its mandate in the area of peace, security and humanitarian action, as well as UN system efforts towards improved implementation, and monitoring and reporting of global commitments on women and peace and security, including as set out in the Beijing Platform for Action and in Security Council resolutions 1325 (2000), 1820 (2008), 1888 (2009), 1889 (2009), 1960 (2010), 2106 (2013), 2122 (2013), 2242 (2015), 2467 (2019) and 2493 (2019); relevant Statements by the President of the Security Council, and related accountability frameworks established by the UN system. Since 2010, UN Women and the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) have adopted a joint strategy on gender-responsive mediation.

Under the supervision of the Deputy Chief, Peace, Security and Humanitarian Action Section, the Policy Specialist, Mediation, will reinforce the development of work within the area of gender and mediation, including policy development and coordination, capacity building interventions and strategic partnerships, learning and knowledge production and management, and the support to networks of women mediators and women leaders. She or He will act as an important channel between country and regional offices, and global policy-related work in the areas of gender, conflict resolution and mediation. The Policy Specialist will also contribute to the broader work of the Peace and Security Section.

Under the direct supervision of the Deputy Chief, the Policy Specialist, Mediation will lead the implementation and coordination of UN Women’s work on gender and mediation; and will provide technical advisory services to UN Women presence on women’s participation in peace processes at all levels. The position will also oversee the implementation of the African Women leaders network initiative, as well as additional areas of work assigned by the Chief as agreed.

Functions

Policy development and coordination\:

• Support the Peace, Security and Humanitarian Action Section’s global-level coordination, monitoring, and programming efforts to advance the implementation of the women, peace and security agenda with regard to gender and peace processes;
• Provide inputs to intergovernmental processes and other international fora to help shape the development of global and regional policies, norms and standards, and implementation strategies to facilitate and increase women’s meaningful participation and influence in mediation and peace processes;
• Produce studies, reports, background papers on gender and mediation in accordance with mandates provided by relevant intergovernmental bodies, highlighting progress and challenges in critical areas and emerging issues, as well as preparing options and recommendations for action;
• Ensure information flow between field and HQ on lessons learned, promising approaches, and good practices.

Capacity building and strategic partnerships

• Support UN Women Country Offices, civil society and governmental partners in advancing women’s inclusion in peace processes and the implementation of peace agreements including through technical assistance, training and networking, collation of good practices and lessons learned, and knowledge production;
• Develop and strengthen collaboration with regional networks of women mediators including through knowledge sharing, research and advocacy, and the provision of technical and operational support on request;
• Identify relevant actors/forums, and liaise with key international, national, regional, and local civil society and governmental stakeholders to strengthen women’s capacity and solidarity and to facilitate and increase their access, participation and representation to peace processes and to key stakeholders;
• Develop and solidify partnerships with key stakeholders, including academic institutions, governments and civil society organizations.

Managing the African Women Leaders Network initiative

• Participate in, and contribute to joint UN Women-African Union coordination mechanisms of the African Women Leaders Network;
• Liaise with the Executive Director Special Representative on the Establishment of AWLN National Chapters to provide technical and financial assistance to Country Offices on the support to the National Chapters;
• Provide substantive guidance and technical inputs to ensure the quality of knowledge and advocacy products commissioned under the Section’s project on “Women’s Leadership for Inclusive Development and Stability”;
• Coordinate the production of narrative and financial reports, and liaise closely with Germany and other partners and potential donors.

Key Results Expected

• Successful implementation of HQ AWP within the determined timelines;
• Submission of donor narrative and financial reports to Germany and Italy;
• Effective coordination with the AWLN joint UN Women-African Union Secretariat to ensure the achievement of all deliverables as per required by the project.

Key Results Expected

• Successful implementation of HQ AWP within the determined timelines;
• Submission of donor narrative and financial reports to Germany and Italy;
• Effective coordination with the AWLN joint UN Women-African Union Secretariat to ensure the achievement of all deliverables as per required by the project.

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.

Functional Competencies\:

• Substantive knowledge and experience related to current policies and practices in the fields of gender, peace and security, conflict prevention, conflict resolution and mediation;
• Strong policy analysis experience and knowledge of women, peace and security;
• Ability to lead the formulation of strategies and their implementation;
• Proven analytical and problem-solving skills;
• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral;
• Strong organization skills and ability to pay close attention to detail; and
• Ability to proactively engage with staff at all level of the organization, with other UN departments and agencies and with Member State partners on issues of WPS, conflict resolution, and gender and mediation.

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.

Functional Competencies\:

• Substantive knowledge and experience related to current policies and practices in the fields of gender, peace and security, conflict prevention, conflict resolution and mediation;
• Strong policy analysis experience and knowledge of women, peace and security;
• Ability to lead the formulation of strategies and their implementation;
• Proven analytical and problem-solving skills;
• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral;
• Strong organization skills and ability to pay close attention to detail; and
• Ability to proactively engage with staff at all level of the organization, with other UN departments and agencies and with Member State partners on issues of WPS, conflict resolution, and gender and mediation.

Education\: 

• Master’s degree (or equivalent) in gender or development issues, peace studies, public policy, law or other social science fields.
• A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree

Experience\: 

• A minimum of 7 years of progressively responsible experience in development, law, policy analysis, sociological/gender equality or related areas at national and international levels.
• Substantial experience working on conflict resolution and mediation, women’s human rights and gender equality,
• Excellent understanding of women, peace and security issues, with field experience in peace and security contexts an advantage;
• Experience working with women’s networks and feminist movements; and
• Experience coordinating and liaising with government agencies and/or donors.

Languages\: 

• Written and oral proficiency in English is required

Education\: 

• Master’s degree (or equivalent) in gender or development issues, peace studies, public policy, law or other social science fields.
• A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree

Experience\: 

• A minimum of 7 years of progressively responsible experience in development, law, policy analysis, sociological/gender equality or related areas at national and international levels.
• Substantial experience working on conflict resolution and mediation, women’s human rights and gender equality,
• Excellent understanding of women, peace and security issues, with field experience in peace and security contexts an advantage;
• Experience working with women’s networks and feminist movements; and
• Experience coordinating and liaising with government agencies and/or donors.

Languages\: 

• Written and oral proficiency in English is required