Research and support for the implementation of the Gender Marker

Gender equality and women’s empowerment are human rights that lie at the heart of development and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. This is why UNDP integrates gender equality and women's empowerment in its four main areas of work and inside the organization (Poverty Reduction and MDG, Democratic Governance, Crisis Prevention and Recovery and Environment and Sustainable Development). The key lesson learned from UNDP experience is that committed leadership, effective oversight, adequate funding, a quality management system and improved capacity, are the key ingredients for achieving tangible gender equality results. In 2009, UNDP adopted the use of a Gender Marker to track and monitor how gender-responsive each financial allocation and expenditure is; and to analyze trends by region, outcome and focus area of the UNDP Strategic Plan/Gender Equality Strategy 2008-2013. The gender marker rates the contributions of investments and expenditures to both gender mainstreaming and targeted interventions for gender equality and women's empowerment. This involves the following: Every output for both development and management projects must be rated against a four-point scale that ranges from 0 (not expected to contribute noticeably to gender equality) to 3 (gender equality as a principal objective). During the second half of 2011, UNDP is planning to integrate the Gender Marker into its result based management system, undertake a review of the implementation of the Gender marker methodology by UNDP country offices, and conclude recommendations for its improvements. The consultant will support the Gender Team to strengthen the utilization of the Gender Marker as an accountability tool for gender equality within the organization and for reporting to the Executive board.

Duties and Responsibilities

The consultant will perform the following tasks under the overall guidance of the Institutional development Cluster within the Gender Team: Quality Assurance and Accountability: Undertake a qualitative assessment of the gender marker rating at a country, regional and global level and present options/suggestions for improvement. Update the gender marker guidelines by consulting with users and adjusts them accordingly. Ensure integration of the gender marker in UNDP’s results based management platform. Ensure integration of the gender marker in UNDP’s accountability framework, including evaluation, auditing and balance score card. Capacity Building: Assist in preparing training tools and modules to support Country Offices and other units in using the Gender Marker. Reporting and Knowledge Management: Identify and share good practices where the gender marker has been utilized beyond its monitoring function (e.g. for planning, monitoring, capacity building or advocacy purposes). Assist with preparing reports to the Executive Board and other corporate reports, such as the GSIC, using the gender marker results by region, country, bureau and thematic area. Update the gender marker service space in team works, including all the knowledge products, good practices, guidelines and other information related to the gender marker. Inter-Agency Leadership: Assist in training of units and UN agencies on the gender marker. Support the activities of the UNDG sub-group by coordinating meetings, taking minutes, supporting participating agencies and following up on the sub-group work plan.

Competencies

Knowledge of gender issues and analytical work in international development. Experience in result management, accountability, and reporting tools and mechanisms. Experience in research and compilation of information to show results desired. Field experience would be an asset. Expected deliverables: The Gender Marker guidelines are updated (1 September 2011). Validate accurate use of gender marker methodology by country offices. Country offices will be selected (31 October 2011). A summary of best practices on the gender marker at the field level prepared (December 2011). Effective support to the UNDG sub-group to strengthen implementation and coherence of the Gender Marker provided (through the project duration). Training tools and modules on gender equality and the Gender Marker developed (December 2011) . Trainings to Country Offices, Units and UN agencies delivered (throughout the project duration).

Required Skills and Experience

Education: Master’s degree in development or related field. Experience: A minimum of three to five years of experience with international organizations, preferably with the United Nations. Prior experience with UNDP is preferred. Language : Fluency in English. Working knowledge in another UN language is an asset. Documents to be uploaded when applying for the assignment: Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications. Proposal explaining why you are the most suitable for the work and providing a brief methodology on how you will approach and conduct the work (if applicable). Financial proposal; Please indicate the daily rate for your services. Remuneration for specific assignments will be established based on the competencies and skills of the consultant and nature of the task to be assigned. Personal CV including past experience in similar projects and at least 3 references. Financial Proposal : Contract is based on a daily fee. The financial proposal will specify the daily fee, travel expenses and per diems quoted in separate line items, and payments are made to the Individual Consultant based on the number of days worked upon presentation of an invoice, on a monthly basis, and upon satisfactory performance. Travel: There is no travel anticipated as part of this consultancy services. In the case of unforeseeable travel, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between the UNDP Gender Team and Individual Consultant prior to travel, and should be reflected in the contract through processing an amendment. Evaluation: Applicants will be evaluated based on the following methodologies: Cumulative analysis The award of the contract will be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as: Responsive/compliant/acceptable Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation. Technical Criteria weight: 70 maximum Financial Criteria weight: 30 maximum The following formula will be used to evaluate financial proposal: p = y (μ/z), where p = points for the financial proposal being evaluated y = maximum number of points for the financial proposal μ = price of the lowest priced proposal z = price of the proposal being evaluated Evaluation Criteria Weight Max. Point Technical Knowledge of gender issues and analytical work in international development 20% 20 Experience in result management, accountability, and reporting tools and mechanisms 30% 30 Field experience would be an asset. 10% 10 Familiarity and work experience with UNDP and the UN system 10% 10 Financial 30% 30 Due to large number of applications we receive, we are able to inform only the successful candidates about the outcome or status of the selection process. Applicants are required to fill and sign a P11 Form and submit it together with Curriculum Vitae on the online application. The P11 Form can be obtained at http://sas.undp.org/Documents/P11_Personal_history_form.doc

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Research and support for the implementation of the Gender Marker