Education for Sustainable Development and Gender Consultant

OVERVIEW

Parent Sector : Education Sector (ED)

Duty Station: Other cities

Job Family: Education

Type of contract : Non Staff

Duration of contract : Up to 1 month

Recruitment open to : External candidates

Application Deadline (Midnight Paris Time) : 08-OCT-2021

 

UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism

 

OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POST

Background

• The destructive impact of climate change is visible across the world and new studies suggest there is at least a one in five chance of average global temperatures temporarily exceeding 1.5 °C by 2024, already breaking the threshold of the Paris agreement. However, the consequences of environmental destruction tend to be disproportionately felt by the most vulnerable, often amplifying the existing social inequality and injustice. In particular, women and girls are more vulnerable to the effects of climate change and other environmental issues, as they are more dependent on natural resources for their livelihood, and as pre-existing gender-roles and expectations limit their coping capacity, access to resources and decision-making process, as well as their mobility. At the same time, women and girls have an important role as the drivers of transformation, building on their local knowledge and expertise as well as their capacity to nurture.
• As recognized in the UNFCCC Lima work programme on gender and its gender action plan, it is important to ‘strengthen the understanding of the gender-differentiated impacts of climate change and the role of women as agents of change and on opportunities for women’.
• Education is crucial to provide the knowledge, awareness and action that are needed to achieve sustainable development. UNESCO has been promoting educational responses to sustainability challenges through Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). Recent UN General Assembly Resolutions 72/222 and 74/233 reaffirmed UNESCO’s role as the lead UN agency on ESD and calls ESD “an integral element of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) on quality education and a key enabler of all the other Sustainable Development Goals”. The UNESCO World Conference  was organized in May 2021 following the adoption of the new ‘ESD for 2030’ framework with over 70 ministers making commitments for its implementation.
• ESD emphasizes a holistic problem-solving approach on how environmental issues need to be addressed in connection with the economic and social pillars of sustainable development to achieve a fundamental transformation. In this regard, gender perspective allows for more profound and complete understanding of the environmental challenges such as climate change, thereby a better understanding of its potential solution. 
• In light of the dramatic and unequal challenges the world is facing, there is a need to strengthen gender perspective in the design of ESD, in particular climate change education, to ensure gender-differentiated impacts of sustainability challenges such as climate change are well understood by all learners; to prepare women and girls to address these issue; and to empower them to lead the transformative repositioning of humans within nature. To respond to this need, the following is proposed: a background paper on ESD and gender in view of various sustainability challenges including climate change, which can inform gender-responsive ESD policies and practices in Member States that are carried out as part of the new ‘ESD for 2030’ framework.

Long Description

Main tasks:

The purpose of this study is to review and map the concept, policies and practices on gender-responsive ESD. It is expected that the mapping is based on desk review of literature, relevant documents and online resources, as well as exchanges with relevant experts. Under the supervision of the project manager from the Section of Education for Sustainable Development (ED/PSD/ESD), undertake the task of developing a 20-30 page background paper(excluding the annexes), which includes 1) literature review on the conceptual linkages between gender and ESD; 2) mapping of on-going efforts on policies and practices of formal and non-formal education, including TVET, STEM including some good practice examples; 3) identification of related challenges and opportunities. The duration of the assignment is estimated as 30 working days between October and December 2021 (the first draft of report need to be submitted by 30 November 2021). The final version of the deliverable is to be submitted by 30 December 2021.

Specifically, the consultant will deliver:

1. A workplan and proposed detailed outline for drafting the report 
2. A first draft for the report, of approximately 20-30 pages of length, consolidating inputs into a coherent report, to be reviewed by the UNESCO ESD Section
3. A second draft of the report, including annexes, incorporating comments from UNESCO, to be shared more widely for peer review.
4. A final draft of the report, incorporating feedback from the review. (20-30 page background paper excluding the annexes)

The consultant shall write the report in a style that is reader-friendly for its intended audience, i.e., policy makers and planners and development partners involved in education for sustainable development, and follow the UNESCO Style Manual for English.

Long Description

Place of Work and Management

The consultancy is home-based and will take place in the consultant’s usual place of residence. No travel is foreseen to carry out the assignment. The consultant will report directly to the project manager, under the authority of the Chief, Section of Education for Sustainable Development, Division of Peace and Sustainable Development, Education Sector, UNESCO HQ, Paris. Payments will be linked to specific deliverables negotiated and agreed between the consultant and UNESCO during the finalisation of the contract.

Long Description COMPETENCIES (Core / Managerial) Accountability (C) Communication (C) Innovation (C) Knowledge sharing and continuous improvement (C) Planning and organizing (C) Results focus (C) Teamwork (C) Professionalism (C) - For detailed information, please consult the UNESCO Competency Framework. REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Advanced university degree (equivalent to Masters) in education, social sciences, environment, gender studies or related field

Work Experience

At least 5 years of relevant post qualification experience, with demonstrated experience in analyzing data and writing reports on topics related to education, gender, and sustainability. Experience working with the UN is highly desirable.

Skills/Competencies

• Professional knowledge and experience on education, sustainable development and/or gender studies. 
• Strong analytical and synthesis skills; Good communication and interpersonal skills
• Excellent writing skills in English
• Ability to prioritize and deliver to deadline, as well as work under pressure.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

Knowledge of another official UN language

SELECTION AND RECRUITMENT PROCESS

All applications should be submitted in English to esd@unesco.org by 8 October 2021 COB in GMT (No need to register and apply in this system.) Please label the subject line ‘Consultancy work for the Gender and ESD study’.

Interested candidates are kindly requested to submit the following documents in their applications:

• CV and a cover letter highlighting the relevance of the qualification and experiences of the candidates to this consultancy work;

• List of publications and projects for last 5 years;

• Number of days required for accomplishing the tasks.

For any inquires and additional information, please contact: esd@unesco.org.

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