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.

Through the General Assembly Resolutions 75/233 on the Quadrennial Comprehensive Policy Review (QCPR) and 72/279 on UN repositioning, the United Nations Development System (UNDS) is presented with a mandate to transform in order to respond to the ambition of the 2030 Agenda. The 2020 QCPR places strong emphasis on the fundamental importance of promoting gender equality and empowerment of all women and girls, noting the multiplier effect for achieving sustained and inclusive economic growth, poverty eradication and sustainable development. It calls upon all entities of the UNDS to continue to promote women’s empowerment and gender equality by enhancing and accelerating gender mainstreaming through the full implementation of the UNCT performance indicators for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE) (the “UNCT-SWAP Gender Equality Scorecard”) and calls on UN entities to draw on gender expertise, including in UN Women, to assist with gender mainstreaming in the preparation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Strategic Framework. As also recognized by the UNSDG Guidance for the Transitional Engagement Framework (TEF), gender equality and women’s empowerment should be mainstreamed through UN programming, and it is identified as a priority for the Decade of Action.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Provide guidance to ensure gender equality and women’s empowerment (GEWE) remains as a guiding principle during the development and implementation of the TEF (including the CCA update and development of the ACG joint strateic framework, following the current TEF timeline).

• Provide advice and inputs on the TEF Roadmap to ensure that the TEF and ACG mid-term strategic framework development processes ensuring gender is mainstreamed comprehensively, in line with the UNCT SWAP requirements, and facilitate active engagement with Afghan civil society organizations (CSOs), especially women-led and/or women focused CSOs, in coordination with the UN system in Afghanistan ;
• Substantially support the development of a rigorous gender analysis in the update of the Common Country Analysis (CCA) to explain immediate, underlying and root causes of gender inequalities and gender-based discrimination, and differentiated impacts (including through an appreciation of social, legal, political, economic and cultural dynamics that underpin gender inequality);
• Review and provide technical guidance and inputs to each step of the UNSTEF to ensure gender is comprehensively mainstreamed: strategic prioritization, results matrix, joint programmes, monitoring and evaluation;
• Provide technical guidance and coordinate the UNCT to strengthen monitoring and reporting on GEWE in the context of the existing TEF and development of the ACG Joint strategic framework;
• Coordinate the preparation of analytical and regular progress reports on gender index through UN Info;
• Provide technical guidance and advice to the RC/HC, UNCT, the ACG, including the EU, and national counterparts on implementation of key UN frameworks and conventions on gender equality;

Coordinate coherent inter-agency planning, analysis and action for enhanced accountability to GEWE:

• Coordinate the provision of technical advice to the RC/HC, the UNCT and ACG on the gender dynamics and opportunities to support inclusive engagement of women provided by the UNCT;
• Coordinate with the UNCT on improved accountability tools to ensure the UN’s commitments to gender equality and women’s empowerment are tracked and up-scaled as opportunities arise, including serving as the RCO focal person to coordinate efforts to ensure coherence on gender equality commitments across humanitarian-development-peace nexus;
• Lead coordination of the UNCT-SWAP Gender Equality Scorecard exercise and implementation of its Action Plan, and provide coordination and technical advisory support to the application of the UNCT Gender Equality Marker, as required;
• Provide technical inputs to development of the joint strategic framework and joint programmes related to gender equality and empowerment of women and girls’ priorities highlighted in the TEF, such as Spotlight programmes where relevant;
• Support the coordination the implementation of system-wide UN strategies and frameworks at the country level, such as SG Parity Strategy and lead related monitoring and reporting;
• Provide secretariat/technical support to the Co/Leads of gender-related inter-agency entities, e.g. Gender Theme Group;
• Ensure coordination with relevant structures/mechanisms in the humanitarian architecture to ensure coherence across the basic human needs and humanitarian planning, programming and monitoring frameworks.

Provide technical support to strategic partnerships building and resource mobilization:

• Provide technical and substantive inputs to partnerships and joint UN resource mobilization strategies related to GEWE and the Joint Strategic Framework;
• Support the RC/HC and UNCT in liaising with key stakeholders from academia, civil society, the private sector and key international actors, including the EU, to build and strengthen strategic alliances and partnerships on women’s rights and gender equality initiatives as needed;
• Under the new aid coordination structure, support the Strategic Thematic Working Groups (STWGs, especially on Gender and Human Rights) as required, in the coordination of basic human needs assistance to the UNCT and Afghan NGOs, ensuring emerging development support responds to women’s needs and rights;
• Coordinate, and review the development of interagency briefs on possible areas of GEWE cooperation, including identification of opportunities for cost sharing.

Coordinate and provide technical advice to the RC/HC, the UNCT and the ACG in the analysis and monitoring of trends, opportunities and challenges around gender equality and women’s empowerment:

• Serve as the focal person in the RCO to contribute with technical inputs to research and analysis of the political, social, and economic situation in the region related to the programming and normative areas of gender equality, including supporting the development of Country Gender Equality Briefs/Profiles;
• Coordinate accountability in policy dialogues around gender equality and the empowerment of women;
• Provide analysis and technical guidance to the RC/HC and the UNCT on key gender issues and opportunities to support women engaging in and benefitting from the assistance provided by the UNCT;
• Advise and lead on entry points for new initiatives for the UN Systems to strengthen capacities for gender equality and to support the advancement of women’s empowerment and gender equality;

Coordinate interagency advocacy and facilitation of knowledge building and management:

• Coordinate interagency efforts to establish advocacy networks and linkages to international networks related to gender equality;  women’s empowerment; across the humanitarian-development-peace nexus space;
• Develop capacity development initiatives on gender-related issues and priorities, as needed;
• Provide technical inputs to the development of interagency advocacy strategies and their implementation in close consultation with the UN Communications Group;
• Oversee the process of identifying and synthesizing best practices and lessons learnt, according to priorities set by the UNCT; and contribute to their dissemination;

Perform any other duties as required. 

Key Performance Indicators:

• Timely and quality contribution and coordination to the UNCT, the ACG, and relevant UN wide working groups and other coordination meetings such as the ACG STWG;
• Quality technical inputs to the RC/HC, UNCT, ACG, including IASC and basic human needs monitoring frameworks;
• Quality technical advice and coordination support provided to UN agencies at regional level;
• Quality communication and collaboration on GEWE between agencies;
• Quality RCO’s leadership and results in gender equality space;
• Quality suggestions for joint programming on GEWE;
• Quality knowledge and strategic inputs provided to DCO RO;

Required Skills and Experience

Education and certification:

• Master's degree (or equivalent) in international development, public administration, public policy, or another relevant social science field is required.
• A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the master’s degree.
• A project/programme management certification (such as PMP®, PRINCE2®, or MSP®) would be an added advantage.

Experience:

• At least seven years of progressively responsible relevant work experience/ demonstrated track record that combines intellectual; strategic and managerial leadership in development programs. At least 4 years of which should include having undertaken and led substantive programming and research/analysis on gender and development in key issue areas;
• Experience in working in emergency and crisis/conflict contexts is desired;
• Experience working in Afghanistan with the UN is desired;
• Experience with UN joint programming development and implementation in the area of gender equality and women’s empowerment;
• Experience in UN coordination and joint advocacy and/or programming is required;
• Experience in building and maintaining effective relationships with government institutions, CSOs and donors is desirable;

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English is required
• Knowledge of Dari and/or Pashto is desirable. Knowledge of another official UN language is an advantage.

Source: https://jobs.undp.org/cj_view_job.cfm?cur_job_id=112542