Background:
Since 2018, the UN Women Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia (ECARO) has been implementing the regional component of the global Flagship Programme Initiative Making Every Woman and Girl Count (Women Count), developed by UN Women Headquarters. This pioneering programme aims to catalyze a radical shift in the production, availability, accessibility, and use of high-quality data and statistics on key aspects of gender equality and womenโs empowerment.
A core priority of the Women Count programme is the promotion of alternative and innovative data-collection methods to address persistent data gaps and generate more inclusive and representative gender data. Traditional data-collection approaches often fall short in capturing the diverse experiences and perspectives of marginalized and underrepresented groups, including women from rural areas, ethnic minorities, and persons with disabilities. To address these limitations, the programme promotes non-conventional methods such as participatory research, big data analytics, social media analysis, and qualitative approaches. This inclusive methodology enhances the quality and scope of gender data, enabling a deeper understanding of gender inequalities across critical domains such as education, employment, health, and political participation.
Moreover, the Women Count initiative goes beyond data production by focusing on the meaningful use of gender data. It actively promotes innovative and engaging approaches to involve data users in transforming data into actionable insights for evidence-based decision-making. Through collaborative platforms, dialogue spaces, and capacity-building initiatives, Women Count fosters a dynamic, inclusive data ecosystem that empowers policymakers, researchers, civil society actors, and advocates to design more effective, targeted interventions to advance gender equality and womenโs empowerment.
In this context, UN Women CO in Kyrgyzstan, as part of the broader Women Count initiative led by the UN Women Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia, is organizing the Data Art Exhibitionย at the Historical National Museum of the Kyrgyz Republic in July 2025.
This groundbreaking exhibition seeks to merge gender data with artistic expression, harnessing the power of visual storytelling to translate complex gender issues into accessible and thought-provoking narratives. The exhibition will showcase 14 data-driven artworks created by artists from Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan.
Each artwork will highlight the lived experiences of women and girls across Central Asia, addressing critical themes such as gender-based violence, economic inequality, discriminatory social norms, and barriers to political participation. By translating data into art, Exhibition seeks to inspire reflection, dialogue, and action, engaging a broad audienceโincluding policymakers, civil society, academia, and the general publicโin meaningful conversations about gender equality. The exhibition aligns with the broader goals of the Women Count programme by promoting innovative data use, fostering data literacy, and contributing to evidence-based advocacy for womenโs empowerment and gender equality.
To implement this initiative, UN Women Country Office (CO) in the Kyrgyz Republic is seeking the expertise of a National Consultant to serve as the Curator for the exhibition, who will be responsible for the overall implementation of the exhibition. The Curator will lead the conceptual development, artistic coordination, and narrative curation of the exhibition, working in close collaboration with participating artists, the UN Women team, and the Historical National Museum of the Kyrgyz Republic.
Goal:ย Under the overall guidance of the Regional Gender Data Specialist based at UN Women Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia (ECARO), SDG Data and Partnership Coordinator at UN Women Country Office at the UN Women Country Office in the Kyrgyz Republic, theย National Consultant โ Data Art Curator will support the finalization and coordination of the Data Art EXPO, contributing to the refinement of existing materials, assisting in the development of key exhibition content, and facilitating key events during the exhibition period.
Description of Responsibilities/ Scope of Work:
Within the assignment, the National Consultant -Data Art Curator will be responsible for the overall conceptual design and coordination of the Data Art Exhibition in close collaboration with UN Women. Specifically, the Consultant will be responsible for the following activities:
1. Finalization of the Exhibition Catalogue and Supporting Materials
Provide inputs on curatorial introduction text for each data project and description on Gender Data Exhibition ensuring clarity for audience. Provide curatorial guidance on the visual identity and thematic coherence of all supporting materials, including posters, banners, and signage, ensuring alignment with the final Concept Note and exhibition objectives. Provide inputs and quality assurance guidance on the finalization of the exhibition catalogue and supporting materials, while UN Women will oversee the overall production process.2. Preparation for the Data Art EXPO
Finalize the Concept Note for the Data Art EXPO in close consultation with UN Women Support the preparation of the Agenda and detailed Run of Show for the Opening Ceremony, workshops, guided tours, and film screenings, in close collaboration with mentors and UN Women and ensuring alignment with the finalized Concept Note. These documents should ensure seamless flow of activities, smooth transitions between segments, and effective engagement of target audiences. Collaborate closely with UN Women and the technical team of the Historical National Museum of the Kyrgyz Republic to design the spatial layout, visual flow, and overall installation plan for the exhibition. Support UN Women in ensuring all technical and logistical elements are in place for the successful execution of the Data Art EXPO, including sound, lighting, presentation equipment and accessibility considerations in full alignment with the Concept Note.3. Implementation and Execution of the Data Art EXPO
Facilitate the Opening Ceremony of the Data Art EXPO, ensuring smooth event flow, delivery of key messages, coordination of speeches Conduct three (3) guided tours and three (3) film screenings during the exhibition period, providing expert explanations of gender data narratives, artistic interpretations, and the connection between data and gender equality. Submit final report documenting the curatorial process, achievements, challenges, lessons learned, and recommendations for future gender data art exhibitions. Deliverable Expected completion time (due day)ย Detailed workplan outlining key tasks, milestones, and timeline for the implementation of the Gender Data Art Exhibition. 09 June 2025Finalization of the Exhibition Catalogue and Supporting Materials:
Curatorial inputs and quality assurance guidance for the finalization of the exhibition catalogue in line with agreed Concept Note. Curatorial inputs for the design and visual identity of supporting materials (e.g., posters, banners etc), ensuring consistency and alignment with endorsed Concept Note.Preparation for the Data Art EXPO
Finalized Concept Note, Agenda, and detailed Run of Show for the Opening Ceremony, 3 guided tours, and 3 film screenings. Finalized spatial layout, visual flow, and installation plan for the exhibition, developed in collaboration with UN Women and the technical team of the Historical National Museum.Implementation and Execution of the Data Art EXPO
Facilitated the Opening Ceremony of the Data Art EXPO, 3 guided tours and 3 film screenings during the exhibition period. Final report summarizing the curatorial process, key achievements, challenges, lessons learned, and recommendations for future gender data art exhibitions. 31 July 2025Consultantโs Workplace and Official Travel
This is a home-based consultancy.ย
Competencies:
Core Values:
Integrity; Professionalism; Respect for Diversity.Core Competencies:
Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues; Accountability; Creative Problem Solving; Effective Communication; Inclusive Collaboration; Stakeholder Engagement; Leading by Example.Please visitย this linkย for more information on UN Womenโs Values and Competencies Framework:ย
Functional Competencies:
Knowledge of the social, cultural, and political context of Kyrgyzstan, including local issues related to gender, public policy and governance Strong analytical, communication, and facilitation skills, with the ability to translate data and complex concepts into accessible narratives. Demonstrateย ย ย integrity, fairness and adherence to UN values and ethical standards. Proven competencies in coordination, planning and effective teamworkEducation and Certification:
Bachelorโs degree in Art History, Curatorial Studies, Cultural Studies, Gender Studies, Social Sciences, or a related field.Experience:
A minimum of 9 years of demonstrated experience in curating, coordinating, or managing art exhibitions, preferably with a focus on gender equality, social justice, or cultural themes. Proven expertise in developing and delivering curatorial concepts, exhibition narratives, and artistic content that align with feminist and social justice principles. Familiarity with gender equality issues in Central Asia and an understanding of the socio-cultural, economic, and political context of the region is an asset. Strong coordination, stakeholder engagement, and communication skills, with a proven ability to work collaboratively with artists, technical teams, and institutional partners.Languages:
Fluency in oral and written in Russian Working knowledge of English is an assetHow to Apply:
Personal CV or P11 (P11 canbe downloaded from:ย https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/Headquarters/Attachments/Sections/About%20Us/Employment/UN-Women-P11-Personal-History-Form.docย ) A cover letter (maximum length: 1 page) Managers may ask (ad hoc) for any other materials relevant to pre-assessing the relevance of their experience, such as reports, presentations, publications, campaigns, or other materials.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.
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