By continuing to browse this site, you agree to our use of cookies. Read our privacy policy

National Consultant for the Development of a Bill for the Women Enterprise Development Fund South Sudan

Juba

  • Organization: UNWOMEN - United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women
  • Location: Juba
  • Grade: Consultancy - National Consultant - Locally recruited Contractors Agreement
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Women's Empowerment and Gender Mainstreaming
    • Labour Market Policy
    • Social Entrepreneurship
    • Sustainable Business Development
  • Closing Date: Closed

Background

South Sudan achieved its independence from the Sudan on July 9th, 2011, after a referendum in January 2011, and this led to the end of Africa's longest-running civil war. Unfortunately, the country has been critically confronted with internal conflicts, and one of which is the December 15, 2013, a political dispute within the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) which degenerated into fierce fighting across the country.  The new wave of armed violence created a huge humanitarian crisis, involving the loss of thousands of lives, torture, rape and other forms of gender-based violence against women and girls, boys and men; destruction of property, forced recruitment of youth into armed militias.

In August 2015, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), with the support of the Governments of the United States of America, United Kingdom and Norway, also known as the Troika, and in consultation with the concerned parties proposed a peace agreement which was signed on August 2015, the Agreement is known as Revitalized Agreement for the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R_ARCSS).

Implementation of the R_ARCSS began in 2015, with the appointment and immediate functioning of the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC), and other critical milestones.  Within the Agreement was a critical article which had been negotiated by women of South Sudan, the Article 4.15 of the R-ARCSS calls for the establishment of an Enterprise Development Fund with a section 4.15.1.5 that clearly spells outs “establish a women Enterprise Development Fund for provision of subsidized credit for women-based enterprise development and capacity building of women entrepreneurs”

Women account for over 60% of the population in South Sudan. However, due to engrained patriarchal cultural practices and the perceived low status of women in southern Sudanese   society, women   are   deprived opportunities to empower themselves.  This special provision in the Peace Agreement was one of the ways in which women could be supported to build resilience, support their families, and contribute to a stable and democratic South Sudan.  

The government of South Sudan subsequently gave the mandate for the establishment of the Women Enterprise Fund to the Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare.  As a result of ongoing partnership between the Ministry of Gender and UN Women, and the fact that there are no such enterprises in South Sudan, there is a need to develop modalities for establishment of such a Fund – looking at constitution, legislation, and polices needed to roll it out, engaging the views of women across the country, especially women entrepreneurs including aspiring young women entrepreneurs, funding and institutional mechanisms.  The collaboration between Ministry of Gender and UN Women is to support a process of drafting a women enterprise development fund bill that will suit South Sudanese context that will then be converted into a legislation through an act of parliament such that the women enterprise development fund can have a legal act for establishment to operate as a functioning independent body in South Sudan.

Organizational Context: 

The Ministry of Gender, Child, and Social Welfare (MGCSW) was established in 2010 in its current form, but with a history that dates to 1994 when the first SPLM Convention was convened in Chuhudum (South Sudan) and a Secretariat of Gender and Child Welfare was established. The Ministry attained the status of a Ministry in 2005 after the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA0 was signed and with a mandate to promote gender equality, women empowerment, social justice, and safeguard the rights and welfare of women, children, persons with disability and other vulnerable groups. The scope of the mandate of the Ministry covers gender and women’s empowerment, which is in line with UN Women’s mandate. The Ministry has been tasked by the Government of South Sudan to establish and implement the Women Enterprise Development Fund that will empower women economically by offering affordable credit to women entrepreneurs.  

UN Women as a key partner of the government is grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the UN and works specifically 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 in partnership with the government of South Sudan, and in collaboration with the Ministry of Gender, Child, and Social Welfare. Through its implementing partners the UN Women had been empowering South Sudanese women with livelihoods projects for the women to build resilience for themselves and support their families. 

Duties and Responsibilities

Objectives

  1. To draft a WEDF’s bill in consultations with stakeholders, relevant bills, and guidance from the line ministries-Gender and Trade, and UN Women;
  2. To coordinate with women groups and assess the situation of women entrepreneurs- micro, medium and macro businesses and incorporate important items into the bill;
  3. To review the public financial management act, microfinance acts and all the relevant legislations to women entrepreneurs to strengthen the development of the bill.

Deliverables:

  1. Report on the consultations on the Bill;
  2. Draft the WEDF bill;
  3. Develop and submit a comprehensive report of the consultancy, and the proposed draft bill with proposed legislative policy gaps;
  4. Lead an experts’ validation workshop on the proposed draft bill. 

Impact of Results:

The key results have a major impact on the overall effectiveness of UN Women’s work on establishment of women enterprise fund and women economic empowerment South Sudan, improving women’s productivity and access to new businesses, building their resilience to shocks caused by conflict and fragile economy, and ultimately leading to the achievement of equality between women and men.

Competencies

Core Competencies and Values:

  • Demonstrates integrity and fairness by upholding UN values and ethical standards;
  • Demonstrates professional competence and is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines, and achieving results;
  • Display cultural, gender, nationality, religion and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Functional Competencies:

  • Proven experience in pre-drafting of legal documents especially on inclusive economic development or business enterprises;
  • Proven experience in poverty reduction strategies;
  • Experience in conflict resolution and peacebuilding;
  • Knowledge of gender equality including Women's Economic Empowerment in a conflict/post-conflict context;
  • Proven skills and experience in conducting gender analysis;
  • Excellent communication skills (oral and written).-English preferably;
  • Ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor own work plan;
  • Previous experience in a conflict, post-conflict setting;
  • Field experience would be an asset;
  • Ability to work under pressure;
  • Capacity to work with diverse partners including governments, donors, UN country teams and civil society.

Required Skills and Experience

Education and certification: 

  • Masters’ Degree in commercial/business law, and other relevant fields. 

Experience: 

  • At least 10 years of working on law firms in financial institutions, business settings;
  • Expertise in the development/drafting of constitutional laws and awareness of gender aspects in the constitution;
  • Previous experience in drafting of bills;
  • Proven experience in gender and women’s empowerment issues. 

Language Requirements: 

  • Fluency in English and Arabic is required. 

 

Please note, that the system will only allow one attachment, and, hence please combine the multiple files while uploading the attachment.

  • Applications without the completed UN Women P-11 form will be treated as incomplete and will not be considered for further assessment. Personal History Form P11 that can be downloaded from http://www.unwomen.org/en/about-us/employment

Qualified women candidates are highly encouraged to apply.

Note:In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality, and the Empowerment of Women. The creation of UN Women came about as part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact. It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system (DAW, OSAGI, INSTRAW, and UNIFEM), which focused exclusively on gender equality and women's empowerment.

At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits employ, trains, compensates and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity and organizational need.

 UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to UN Women’s policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UN Women personnel and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Gender Sensitivity:

At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, trains, compensates and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity and organizational need.

UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to UN Women’s policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UN Women personnel and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

This vacancy is now closed.
However, we have found similar vacancies for you: