Consultancy - Technical Adviser, Gender, Human Rights and Diversity, Suva, Fiji

Purpose of consultancy:

The consultancy will provide strategic technical, programming and policy support in the areas of Gender and human rights to ensure that UNFPA Pacific remains abreast of policy, programme, current thinking, and academic advance affecting the ICPD Programme of Action and support country level implementation of the Nairobi Summit Commitments. The consultant will also maintain the primary responsibility for coordination, provision of technical assistance and programme support to countries in the Pacific region in gender and human rights across a multi country office context.

S/he will analyse regional, sub-regional and country trends and contribute to strategic action in response, and advocate for these analyses to be positioned within national development
frameworks and programmes, including achievement of the SDG’s. S/he will also work to support States in human rights monitoring and reporting requirements as well as submission of UNFPA’s contributions to UNCT human rights reporting and progressing an advocacy agenda through human rights-based approaches. S/he will support technical and programmatic coherence within UNFPA Pacific countries in tackling regressive social norms and structural issues on gender equality and young women’s empowerment while contributing to improved and meaningful participation of young people in policy formulation and implementation of programs for their well- being.

S/he will also work to integrate gender responsive climate action across UNFPA areas of work to ensure that women and young people are able to realise their sexual and reproductive health and rights and the right to be free from violence are prioritized in national development and humanitarian planning.

Scope of work:

In all activities, s/he works within an inter-disciplinary team providing integrated programme and technical support to the region. S/he liaises with Programme and Technical Divisions and the UNFPA Technical network, ensuring the timeliness, adequacy, relevance and quality of technical support to UNFPA operations. Working across three Multi Country Offices requires high level skills and competencies in interagency collaboration, advocacy, joint policy development and programming. The primary roles of the Technical Adviser for Gender are:

A). Strategic technical and environmental scanning

• Provide technical and strategic support to UNFPA Pacific in Gender and Human Rights across the development humanitarian continuum, including emergency preparedness for timely humanitarian response and assistance, recovery and transition in collaboration with technical and programme staff
• Analyze country specific and Pacific regional trends and contribute to strategic action in response of these, contributing to the monitoring of UNFPA Pacific Human Rights recommendations at country level, ICPD25 commitments.
• Scan the environment in the Pacific region to identify trends, opportunities, risks and threats that will influence organizational and programmatic success in Gender and Human Rights and ensure that they are appropriately addressed at the Pacific regional levels.
• Engage with the feminist movements and women led organisations at Regional and Country levels
• Ensure Gender and Human Rights are firmly grounded in the UNDSCF

B. Policy support and dialogue

• Identify and provide analytical based advice in Gender and Human Rights, on UNFPA
• Pacific’s comparative substantive role and specific contribution in the changing development agenda and participate in policy dialogue.
• Identify requirements for and contribute to the development of new and/or updated Gender and Human Rights policies, positioning, frameworks, guidance, standards, instruments, and tools, including preparing countries for Human Rights Reviews.
• Work with countries to prepare national input into Global Gender and Human Rights reports and advocacy events.
• Ensure the gender and human rights lens has a focus on those being left behind first and the gender and social norm change required to achieve the promotion and protection of human rights for all and gender equity.

C. Advocacy and technical representation

• Support the Director, and act as technical focal point in inter-agency working groups on Gender and Human Rights in both development and humanitarian arenas, including within the relevant regional and/or national humanitarian clusters and/or sub-clusters.
• Collaborate on substantive issues with UN agencies, academia, research and training institutions, think tanks, centers of excellence, professional societies in the Pacific region.
• Organize or contribute to Pacific regional and inter-country training activities in Gender for capacity development of both internal and external regional/sub-regional partners, including adaptation of training materials, manuals and tools in Gender and human rights.

Duration and working schedule:

The total duration of the contract will be for 108 working days

qualifications:

Education:

• Minimum Advanced degree (Masters) in gender studies, anthropology, feminist studies, public health, medicine, sociology, human rights, law, cultural studies, international development, or other field directly related to Gender is required;
• A PHD in social anthropology, law and women’s rights, sociology, gender, cultural studies, human rights, or other field directly related to the substantive area identified in the title of the post is strongly desired.

Knowledge and Experience:

• Minimum Ten (10) years of increasingly responsible professional experience in the substantive area, of which seven years at the international level; Field experience is strongly desirable.
• Demonstrated expertise in the substantive area of work and broad experience in gender programming is essential
• Strong track record of technical leadership, and proven ability to produce demonstrable results.
• Demonstrated ability to network within the academic and development community
• Essential experiences needed are good understanding of Human Rights dimensions of Gender, advising and supporting initiatives to eliminate Gender Based Violence, Gender budgeting understanding and culturally sensitive programming.
• Knowledge and experience of working on legal issues and Civil Society involvement in related security & protection; demonstrated expertise in policy dialogue is desirable.
• Knowledge and experience of working in areas related to harmful traditional practices.
• Strong verbal and written communications skills in English Language
• Familiarity with management and monitoring tools is desirable
• Familiarity with ICT/ERP is an asset
• Computer Skills: Proficiency in MS Office packages and the Internet Languages: Proficiency in both spoken and written English. Working knowledge of Pacific languages is an asset.

How to apply:

Candidates must complete a United Nations Personal History (P.11) form, together with updated Curriculum Vitae and a Cover letter. The P.11 form as well as a complete Terms of Reference can be downloaded from the office web site https://pacific.unfpa.org/en or a copy be obtained by sending an email to vacanciespsro@unfpa.org.

Completed applications can be emailed to vacanciespsro@unfpa.org before midnight on Wednesday 20th July 2022 [Fiji Time].

Notice: There is no application, processing or other fee at any stage of the application process. UNFPA does not solicit or screen for information in respect of HIV or AIDS and does not discriminate on the basis of disabilities, HIV/AIDS and gender. UNFPA does not condone sexual exploitation and abuse.