Consultant to conduct a study on Decent Work and Social Protection as drivers of Gender Transformative Agricultural Sector in Rwanda

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.

Rwanda’s Agricultural Sector through the implementation of Strategic plan for agriculture transformation (PSTA-5) focuses on building resilient and sustainable agri-food systems, enhancing food security and climate commitment for boosting economic growth. The five-year plan (2024-2029) is aligned with Vision 2050 and aspires to accelerate the interlinked sustainable development goals (SDGs) more specifically SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDG1 (No poverty) through Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection for a Just Transition. This initiative seeks to assess and enhance decent work conditions and social care systems within Rwanda’s agriculture sector, thereby contributing to inclusive and sustainable development.
The Government of Rwanda (GoR) aspires to transform agriculture for wealth creation (Rwanda, Vision 2050) through the involvement of professional farmers (women and men) and commercialized value chains.  Despite of this overarching long-term commitment, Rwanda still has a large informality sector that contributes 40%-50% to Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Additionally, 80%-90% of Rwanda’s labor force is engaged in the informal sector. 51% of women are represented in the informal sector than their male counterparts specifically participating in agriculture, trade, construction, and service

Within the above context, the GoR registered remarkable progress in promoting gender equality and empowering women economically in both the formal and informal sector. These efforts enhanced women's working conditions, ensured equal land ownership rights, decent work, and integrated gender considerations such as care services in social protection. Furthermore, Rwanda labor law stipulates legal rights in informality sector namely, right to equal pay, right to maternity leave, right to social security, occupational health and safety, the right to form a trade union and protection against workplace discrimination as well as EJOHEZA saving and pension scheme for old age of those working in informal sector. 

Despite these initiatives, significant gaps still exist in formalization and employment in the agriculture sector. Even though Rwanda’s unemployment rate has dropped below 20%, more than half of the workforce is still underutilized. This challenge hits young people (20.8%), women (20.3%), and those living in rural areas the hardest. Women make up over 60% of the agricultural workforce, but they earn 20% less than men and have less access to land, credit, and other resources they need to succeed. In rural communities, women’s economic opportunities are further limited by the burden of unpaid care work. Many agricultural workers, especially women, do not have access to social protection or fair wages because most of them work in the informal sector. Other issues such as low productivity, skills gaps, and limited business capacity continue to fuel poverty, food insecurity, and child malnutrition.

Placing women’s rights at the center 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.
UN Women Rwanda is committed to uplifting women in agriculture, recognizing both their vital role in feeding communities and unpaid care work they carry out. Through this approach, UN Women supports the recognition, reduction, and redistribution of unpaid care work, helping to transform workplace norms and policies so they better reflect the lived realities of women and promote truly inclusive economic participation.
To address the challenges related to decent work and social protection in the agriculture sector, the UN Women Rwanda Country Office, in collaboration with the International Labor Organization (ILO) and the Government of Rwanda, is undertaking a study on Decent Work and Social Protection in gender transformative agricultural sector in Rwanda under the framework of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG). 

Within framework of global accelerator on decent jobs and social protection as driver of gender transforming the informality in Agriculture sector, UN Women is seeking a qualified national consultant to conduct the study on decent work and social protection as drivers of Gender Transformative Agricultural Sector in Rwanda through conducting an in-depth research and stakeholder consultations.

The consultant will be reporting to Programme Management Specialist and the head of programmes and will be supported by women Economic Empowerment Programme Analyst, who will be the point of contact on the contract.

The Overall objective of the study

To promote the formalization of the informal agricultural sector within the framework of decent work and inclusive social protection programmes as well as focusing on transformational imperatives from informality to formality perspective.

Specific Objectives:
•     Map and conduct comprehensive diagnostic/SWOT analysis of current landscape of Rwanda’s agriculture sector focusing on informal employment with a gender perspective including types of work, wage conditions, employment security and access to rights and protection.  The study intends to unfold to demographics, economic activities, and the key challenges faced by informal workers particularly youth and women while highlighting their contribution to the national economy.  This should include but not be limited to a detailed and disaggregated analysis of LFS, establishment census and IECV data to identify employment relations (employees, self-employed, employers, helping family members), size of enterprises and cooperatives, level of registration with different authorities, level of income, ownership of land, etc. 
•     Assess the coverage, adequacy, and accessibility of social protection schemes (e.g., contributory, and non-contributory schemes) relevant to agricultural workers, especially for women, informal workers, and youth.
•     Identify systemic barriers that limit the participation of women and vulnerable groups in decent agricultural employment and social protection systems.
•     Review national policies, strategies, and institutional arrangements relevant to agriculture, social protection, labor, and gender equality focusing in identifying barriers that hinder the formalization of agriculture in rural settings. The review of institutional arrangement needs to explore the role of cooperatives, producer organizations, and rural women’s associations in facilitating the transition to formal employment and greater social protection coverage.
•     Document best practices, innovations, successful models, and lessons learned both from Rwanda and comparable country contexts that demonstrate gender-transformative outcomes. The evidence base intends to generate priority actions for among others integrating decent work and social protection into climate-resilient, sustainable rural development and just transition strategies.
•     Examine the intersection of gender equality and access to decent work and social protection in the agriculture sector, with focus on wages, occupational safety, job security, rights at work, promotion of social dialogue and access to social care and insurance.  
•     Assess the role of climate resilience, digitalization and commercialization in job creation and expanding social protection coverage within the agriculture sector.
•     Propose actionable recommendations and programmatic pathways for policymakers and program implementers aimed at promoting decent work and expanding social protection as tools for gender equality and agricultural transformation.

Description of Responsibilities/Scope of Work
Reporting to the UN Women Country Representative through the Programme Management Specialist (P3) and working collaboratively with the Macro Economic Consultant, the consultant responsible for leading the study on decent work and Social Protection is expected to deliver under the following phases: 
Inception Report
A detailed inception report outlining the study methodology, the inception phase includes the provision of comprehensive work work-plan detailing specific tasks, timelines, and milestones that allows monitoring progress and ensure that all activities are executed according to the agreed schedule. The consultant required to prepare a list of stakeholders to be consulted as annex to the inception report. 
Methodology 
The consultant shall apply a quantitative and qualitative approach. This phase should encompass a detailed quantitative analysis of the situation of the informal sector in the agricultural sector based on secondary survey data examining the trends in national employment, income, labor force participation within the agriculture sector through desk review of existing data sets including but not limited to  (LFS, establishment census, EICV) comprehensive review of relevant literature, national policies, and previous studies related to decent work and agriculture in Rwanda to establish a contextual and theoretical foundation for the research including description of several sub-sectors in agriculture with high potential for formalization, promoting gender equality, extension of social protection and job creation. While qualitative method entails the development of interview guide to be administered for focus group discussions with agricultural workers, employers, trade unions, cooperatives, social protection agencies, and relevant government agencies, farmers and farm workers, national and local authorities, and civil society organizations to deepen insights into collective experiences and perceptions regarding decent work in agriculture.
Draft Report
A comprehensive draft report that includes an executive summary, preliminary findings, in-depth analysis, and actionable recommendations. The consultant will prepare a PowerPoint Presentation for the validation of the findings carried out virtually or physically with targeted stakeholders. The draft report should present in-depth case studies of successful initiatives at policy or programmatic level that have demonstrably improved decent work conditions in the agriculture sector.
Deliverables

During this assignment, the consultant shall be responsible for the following deliverables:

No

                                        Deliverables

Tentative time frame

1

Inception Report

A detailed inception report outlining the study methodology, referencing previous similar studies. It will include data collection tools (e.g. interview questions, list of interviewees), stakeholder mapping, and a detailed work plan with timelines.

2

Data Collection and Analysis

3

Draft Report

A comprehensive draft report that includes an executive summary, situational analysis, preliminary findings, in-depth analysis, and actionable recommendations. Position for validation of the findings with targeted stakeholders where the consultant will present the findings for feedback, before the final report. 

3 weeks  

4

Presentation of Findings 

A PowerPoint presentation summarizing the key findings, conclusions, and recommendations, to be delivered to UN Women for validation and further engagement.

1 week 

5

Final Report 

A final, polished report and policy brief incorporating feedback from UN Women and key stakeholders that include executive summary, detailed findings, analysis, and policy recommendations.

1 week 

Institutional Arrangements and Supervision

The consultant will be contracted by UN Women and will work under the direct supervision of the focal person or department. Technical oversight will be provided by a steering committee composed of representatives from relevant ministries, agencies, and partner organizations. Regular briefings will be scheduled to monitor progress, provide feedback, and ensure alignment with strategic priorities.

Consultant’s Workplace and Official Travel

This is a home-based consultancy. However, the consultant is expected to undertake official travel as necessary for field data collection, stakeholder consultations, and presentations.  The consultant will indicate field and related expenses in the financial proposal to the contracting UN Women in accordance with the applicable organizational policies and guidelines.

Competencies :

Core Values:

Core Competencies:

Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Values and Competencies Framework: 

Functional Competencies:

IV. Required Qualifications

Education and Certification:

Experience:

Languages:

Application Process 

Interested individual candidates should submit the following documents  

Statements :

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.

Diversity and inclusion:

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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.)

Note: Applicants must ensure that all sections of the application form, including the sections on education and employment history, are completed. If all sections are not completed the application may be disqualified from the recruitment and selection process.