(vetted Roster) Provincial Consultants to support UN Women Programme Implementation in target provinces

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; 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 centre 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.

Afghanistan is one of the world’s most complex emergencies and the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. Afghan people are grappling with the impact of conflict, poverty, economic decline, and natural disasters. In this context, Afghan women and girls face unique vulnerabilities and require urgent support as gender inequality is interwoven with conflict dynamics and humanitarian needs. It is essential that Afghan women and girls can continue to shape the development of their country, and that their gains are protected. UN Women remains fully committed to supporting Afghan women and girls and to putting them at the centre of the global response to the crisis in Afghanistan.

UN Women has been in Afghanistan for two decades. UN Women’s programming approach is informed by analysis of the political, economic, and humanitarian situation, risks to and capacities of partner organizations, and needs of Afghan women and girls. UN Women Afghanistan currently has four key programme priorities: (1) Gender in Humanitarian Action, (2) Ending Violence Against Women, (3) Women’s Economic Empowerment, and (4) Women, Peace, and Security.

UN Women provides life-saving services for survivors of violence, in coordination and collaboration with development and humanitarian partners. UN Women works through partnerships at national and provincial levels, in addition to investing directly in community-based service delivery at district levels. The work focuses on strengthening capacities, building peer networks and structures at national and provincial levels to ensure a home-grown approach that can be sustained over time. 

Based on dialogues with national and provincial de-facto authorities, there is a shared recognition of the need for such services, and with an openness to approve the provision of services for women by women to respond to the pressing and critical needs of women and girls, including urgent humanitarian and social and economic empowerment needs. UN Women is also implementing the Spotlight Initiative (SI), a global, multi-year programme funded by the European Union (EU) being implemented in more than 12 countries around the world and aimed at eliminating all forms of violence against women and girls by 2030. In Afghanistan, the Spotlight Initiative aims in addressing to Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SBGV) and Harmful Practices (HP) and to bring women and girls including those with intersecting forms of discrimination and marginalization to the centre of the interventions not only as beneficiaries but also as key stakeholders, shaping and guiding the program design and implementation. Through a comprehensive and gender transformative approach, in Afghanistan, the Spotlight Initiative is being implemented by 4 UN agencies (UN Women, UNDP, UNICEF and UNFPA) who through collaborative work and in a coordinated manner work together to achieve the six planned outcomes/pillars of the programme’s theory of change, namely: Pillar 1: Laws and Policies; Pillar 2: Institutional Strengthening; Pillar 3: Prevention; Pillar 4: Services; Pillar 5: Data; and Pillar 6: Women’s Movement and Civil Society.

UN Women is leading the implementation of Spotlight Initiative Pillars 3 (Prevention) and Pillar 6 (Women’s Movement building and) and aims to provide direct support to and partner with national, provincial and grassroots women’s rights and women led Civil Society Organizations (CSO’s) and groups to ensure sustainability and local ownership of all initiatives. This is being implemented at national, provincial and district levels, with a targeted focus in Kabul, Herat, Kandahar and Paktia.

Objective

UN Women Afghanistan is looking for a team of Provincial Consultants to provide support to the effective day-to-day implementation of UN Women programmes across target provinces in Afghanistan and the delivery of results in accordance with agreed work plans.

The Provincial Consultants will act as focal point for UN Women to support the programme and coordinate gender related activities in the provinces by performing a variety of tasks while ensuring high quality and accuracy of work. This includes building and maintaining good working relationships and coordination with implementing partners and key stakeholders, assisting in establishing systems for project planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, in collaboration with partners ensuring coherence across project activities, and supporting partner capacity strengthening initiatives and trainings, as well as communication, knowledge management and learning and reporting.

The Provincial Consultants will work in close collaboration with UN Women EVAWG team and provincial coordinators, project staff, implementing partners, other UN agencies, and civil society stakeholders in ensuring successful EVAWG programme implementation.

Duties and Responsibilities

Specifically, the following major tasks shall be undertaken by the Provincial Consultants.

Tasks and activities
Provide direct support and guidance to UN Women partners on programme/project management, and operational and technical matters focusing on the achievement of results against agreed workplans
Actively participate in UN Women and other coordination meetings with partners and key stakeholders at national and provincial level to support the implementation of community-based services and initiatives
Conduct monitoring and evaluation activities with onsite visits to assess progress on programme activities and results, and support partners to gather monitoring data/information to guide the delivery of workplans and reports, and ensure quality inputs
Build and maintain close working partnerships and relationships with partners, key stakeholders, and other agencies at provincial and national levels, through meetings, mailing lists, site visits and other ways of communication, and ensure visibility for UN Women
Maintain documentation and record keeping of all the processes, meetings, trainings, workshops and correspondences, including monthly progress reports
Provide support to advocacy, capacity building, communication and learning efforts through coordinating and supporting trainings, workshops, consultations and meetings, and documenting lessons learned and best practices in project implementation
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Deliverables

The assignment should be carried out within a period of 24 months, not exceeding 150 working days, with the incumbent being responsible for delivering the following outputs:

• Monthly progress reports on major tasks performed and the results, including related to support provided to UN Women partners, communication, monitoring and analysis and other as per above description of tasks.
• Final report on the overall progress of key activities, achievements and challenges.
• Documentation of information and processes relevant to the assignment.

All the deliverables will be provided in English, in hard and electronic copy.

Duration of this Assignment

The duration of this assignment will be up to 150 days, in a period of 24 months, starting in March2023.

Management Arrangements

The Provincial Consultants will work under the overall guidance and supervision of the UN Women Afghanistan EVAWG Programme Manager and also of the EVAWG Coordinator, with the support of UN Women Provincial Coordinators, in a participatory and transparent manner. The Provincial Consultants will be provided with the necessary information, materials and logistics. Selected candidate is expected to have her/his own laptop, while UN Women will provide access to other equipment for the fulfilment of tasks (such as printer, copier) as needed.

Travel

The position is based at the provincial capitals. In the case of travel within districts and other provinces, payment of travel costs including road transportation, tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between UN Women and the Provincial Consultants, prior to travel. The consultant will need to advance the payment, to be reimbursed by UN Women as per the agreement.

Performance Evaluation

Consultant’s performance will be evaluated against such criteria as: timeliness, responsibility, initiative, communication, accuracy, and quality of the products delivered.

Financial Arrangement

Payments will be disbursed on a monthly basis, upon submission and approval of deliverables and timesheets with actual days worked and certification by the UN Women Afghanistan Violence Against Women and Girls Coordinator that the services have been satisfactorily performed.

Payment will be made within 30 (thirty days) after receipt and acceptance of the specified deliverable and corresponding invoice but only after UN Women have certified that the services have been satisfactorily performed by the Consultant.

Competencies

Core Values

• Respect for Diversity;
• Integrity;
• Professionalism.

Core Competencies

• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues;
• Accountability;
• Creative Problem Solving;
• Effective Communication;
• Inclusive Collaboration;
• Stakeholder Engagement;
• Leading by Example.

Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Core Values and Competencies:  https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/Headquarters/Attachments/Sections/About%20Us/Employment/UN-Women-values-and-competencies-framework-en.pdf

 

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s Degree) in social sciences, human rights, gender/women's studies, international development, or a related field is required.

Experience:

• Minimum 3 years of proven experience working/collaborating with national stakeholders in coordinating/facilitating/assisting/supporting projects at the provincial level in the areas of women’s issues, social protection, gender equality and development, or related field.
• Experience with project management, monitoring and evaluation processes, report writing and documentation.
• Experience working with community-based services and diverse groups of women and girls with sensitivity and inclusivity.
• Proficiency in the usage of computers and office software packages (Microsoft Word, Excel, etc.)
• Strong communication skills (ability to moderate meetings, give presentations and fluency of at least one local languages)

Language skills:

• Good verbal and written English skills.
• Fluency in one or more additional languages relevant for Afghanistan (Dari/Pashto).

Evaluation Criteria

Technical Evaluation (70%) - max. 70 points

Criteria for technical evaluation	Max. points
A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s Degree) in social sciences, human rights, gender/women's studies, international development, or a related field	15
Minimum 3 years of proven experience working/collaborating with national stakeholders in coordinating/facilitating/assisting/supporting projects at the provincial level in the areas of women’s issues, social protection, gender equality and development, or related field	15
Experience with project management, monitoring and evaluation processes, report writing and documentation	15
Experience working with community-based services and diverse groups of women and girls with sensitivity and inclusivity	10
Strong communication skills (ability to moderate meetings, give presentations) and fluency in at least one local language (Dari or Pashto) with good verbal and written English skills	10
Proficiency in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.)	5
Total Technical Scoring	70

Financial Evaluation (30%) – max. 30 points:

In the second stage, the financial evaluation, only candidates who have attained minimum 49% score in the technical evaluation will be compared.

The technical and financial evaluation will be represented through desk review of applications and an interview will be organized if needed, depending on the short-listed candidates’ qualifications.

Application Process and submission package

Interested candidates must submit via online submission system the following documents/ information to demonstrate their qualification:

• A brief cover letter (not exceeding one page) explaining your suitability for the work and indicating your relevant skills and work experience.
• A current completed and signed P11 form/UN Personal History Form in English (blank form can be downloaded from: UN Women Personal History Form (P11) https://www.unwomen.org/en/about-us/employment/application-process
• Financial proposal specifying an all-inclusive fixed total contract price, supported by a breakdown of costs as per template provided.
• Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please make sure you provide all requested materials.

Please submit the above documents online…

For any clarifications, please write to evawg.afg@unwomen.org

Sample of Financial Proposal: For guidance on preparing the financial proposal please see Annex I: Price Proposal Guideline and Template and Annex II: Price Proposal Submission Form outlined below.

Annex I: Price Proposal Guideline and Template

The prospective Individual Consultant should take the following explanations into account

during submission of his/her price proposal.

1. Daily fee

The daily price proposal should indicate a "lump sum amount" which is "all-inclusive" except

if there are any related costs (communications, internet, daily transport, supplies etc.) that need to be factored in the other related costs line with a proper description.

UN Women will not withhold any amount of the payments for tax and/or social security related payments.

UN Women shall have no liability for taxes, duties or other similar charges payable by the Individual Contractor in respect of any amounts paid to the Individual Contractor under this Contract, and the Contractor acknowledges that UN Women will not issue any statements of earnings to the Individual contractor in respect of any such payments.

2. Travel costs

All travel costs in relation to the candidate movement from home to the duty station must be

included in the total contract amount of the contractor. Travel costs outside the provincial capital will be covered separately by UN Women with prior approval.

3. Daily Subsistence Allowance

Not applicable.

4. Currency of the price proposal

The applicants are requested to submit their price proposals in Afghan Afghani (AFN) and all payment will be done in the local currency.

5. The format shown on the following table (Annex II: Price Proposal Submission Form) is suggested for use as a guide in preparing the Financial Proposal.

Annex II: Price Proposal Submission Form

To: United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women

Ref: Provincial Consultants to support UN Women programme implementation in target provinces

Dear Sir / Madam,

I, the undersigned, offer to provide professional consulting services to UN Women within the scope of the referred Assignment.

Having examined, understood and agreed to the Terms of Reference and its annexes, the receipt of which are hereby duly acknowledged, I, the undersigned, offer to deliver professional services, in conformity with the Terms of Reference.

My maximum total price proposal for the assignment is given below:

Description of Activity	Unit of measure (e.g.  day, month, etc.)	Unit price	No. of units	Total Price
Consultancy fee	Daily fee
Other related costs (communication, internet, daily transport, supplies, etc.) Please specify
Total daily fee

Please be informed that for shorter assignments than a full day, the daily rate will be prorated into hourly rate.

I confirm that my financial proposal will remain unchanged. I also confirm that the price that I quote is gross, and is inclusive of all legal expenses, including but not limited to social security, income tax, pension, etc., which shall be required applicable laws.

I agree that my proposal shall remain binding upon me for 90 days within the 24 months, from the date of signature of the contract.

I understand that you are not bound to accept any proposal you may receive.

[Signature]

Date:

Name:

Address:

Telephone/Fax:

Email:

Application:

• All applications must include (as an attachment) the completed UN Women Personal History form (P-11) which can be downloaded from Application and recruitment process | About us: Careers at UN Women | UN Women – Headquarters  Kindly note that the system will only allow one attachment. Applications without the completed UN Women P-11 form will be treated as incomplete and will not be considered for further assessment.

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.

Inclusion Statement:

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.

If you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in your application.

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. (Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.)

 

Tasks and activities

• Provide direct support and guidance to UN Women partners on programme/project management, and operational and technical matters focusing on the achievement of results against agreed workplans

• Actively participate in UN Women and other coordination meetings with partners and key stakeholders at national and provincial level to support the implementation of community-based services and initiatives

• Conduct monitoring and evaluation activities with onsite visits to assess progress on programme activities and results, and support partners to gather monitoring data/information to guide the delivery of workplans and reports, and ensure quality inputs

• Build and maintain close working partnerships and relationships with partners, key stakeholders, and other agencies at provincial and national levels, through meetings, mailing lists, site visits and other ways of communication, and ensure visibility for UN Women

• Maintain documentation and record keeping of all the processes, meetings, trainings, workshops and correspondences, including monthly progress reports

• Provide support to advocacy, capacity building, communication and learning efforts through coordinating and supporting trainings, workshops, consultations and meetings, and documenting lessons learned and best practices in project implementation

Total