Mission and objectivesUNDPโs Programme of Assistance to the Palestinian People (PAPP) derives its mandate from the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 33/147 of 20 December 1978. Called upon by United Nations Member States in that year, UNDP was requested โto improve the economic and social conditions of the Palestinian people by identifying their social and economic needs and by establishing concrete projects to that endโ. UNDP/PAPP is a responsive development agency that works together with the Palestinian people to fulfil their aspiration for sustainable human development based on self-determination, equality and freedom.
ContextUNDPโs Palestinian Programmatic Framework (PPF) 2023-2025 sets out a vision of โa world in which all Palestinians can enjoy a dignified life and fulfil their own vision of a unified, peaceful and free societyโ. The PPF is centred around the concept of โTransformative Resilienceโ and its three elements: a cohesive Palestinian identity, self-reliance, and ownership and leadership. Over the next three years, UNDP/PAPP will build on its experiences and achievements to make critical contributions to the priorities defined by the Palestinian national development plans and the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF), through interventions in three programmatic priority areas: i) democratic governance and quality services; ii) inclusive economic opportunities; iii) sustainable natural resources management. This UNV assignment is part of UNDPโs Investment Programme for Resilience (IPR). The overarching objective of IPR is to enhance the socio-economic resilience of marginalized Palestinian communities, including greater self-reliance, enhanced ownership and leadership and cohesive identity, with a specific focus on womenโs empowerment and gender equality at the community level (impact). To do so, the programme has embedded community engagement throughout the life cycle of the project, thus building leadership and ownership of the community. In its first three phases, IPR addressed community needs through: enabling the health sector to respond to COVID-19 and strengthening local service delivery and enhancing social cohesion in marginalized communities (phase 1); expanding its investments in community infrastructure linked to stronger community resilience (phase 2); and further expanding the community infrastructure component, strengthening access to socio-economic services and enhancing social engagement in marginalized and disadvantaged communities (phase 3). In its fourth phase, IPR is integrating a focus on gender equality as a means to further advance its work and contribution to community resilience. Overall, IPR IV seeks to ensure inclusive and more resilient access to gender-responsive and, whenever possible, gender-transformative socio-economic opportunities, supported by community engagement and addressing environmental sustainability. A key strategic approach of IPR is the engagement of men as allies for womenโs socio-economic empowerment and agents of change towards gender equality.
Task DescriptionThe Gender Transformative Expert will play a key role in advancing the Investment Programme for Resilience, which integrates a strong focus on gender equality to contribute to community resilience. The expert will support efforts to strengthen social inclusion and gender mainstreaming throughout the project lifecycle across diverse areas, including infrastructure, social cohesion, economic empowerment, and social services, and ensuring alignment with UNDP/PAPPโs Gender Equality Strategy โ ensuring regular information sharing and consultation/coordination as needed with UNDP/PAPP Gender Analyst. This position involves working closely with partners, government counterparts, unions, and other stakeholders to ensure high-quality gender-responsive and, whenever possible, gender-transformative socio-economic interventions. The expert will focus on enhancing and operationalizing the programmeโs gender-transformative approach, with a strong emphasis on fieldwork to understand community needs and contexts better, as well as to support community-based social and behavioral change activities and actively engaging men and boys as allies and agents of change towards gender equality. Capacity Building: Enhance the capacity of partners, programme teams, and community stakeholders in social inclusion and gender mainstreaming throughout the project lifecycle. Gender Responsiveness and Gender Transformative Approach: Ensure that interventions in infrastructure, social cohesion, economic empowerment, and social services are systematically gender-responsive and, whenever possible, integrate a gender-transformative approach aimed at tackling the root causes of gender inequalities, as well as actively engaging men and boys as allies towards gender equality and womenโs empowerment (GEWE). Engaging Allies: Support initiatives that strengthen gender awareness of and actively engage and mobilize men and boys as allies in promoting womenโs socio-economic empowerment and advocate for gender equality within communities. Summary of Key Functions: - Capacity Building and Training Work closely with project teams, partners, and community stakeholders to provide training and technical support on social inclusion and gender mainstreaming, including integration of gender transformative approach . Design and deliver social inclusion and gender equality awareness sessions and workshops โ integrating a gender transformative approach -to empower diverse stakeholders, including government counterparts, unions, and partner organizations, to understand their role in advancing gender equality and community resilience. Facilitate knowledge-sharing sessions to promote awareness of gender dynamics, the importance of gender-responsive and gender transformative interventions, and the role of men and boys as allies. - Gender-Transformative Programme Development and Implementation Collaborate with programme teams in the planning, implementation, and monitoring of projects to ensure that gender considerations are embedded throughout all stages, and that activities adopting a gender transformative approach are integrated wherever possible. Conduct field-based and participatory needs assessments and gender analyses, engaging with communities to identify gender-specific needs and opportunities to create inclusive socio-economic resilience. Ensure that communication materials, visibility, and outreach activities of the programme and its partners are gender-sensitive, inclusive, and aligned with IPR IVโs gender transformative approach. Review project documents, including implementing partnersโ proposals, reports, and policies, to ensure alignment with gender-responsive and transformative principles. Review and assess gender toolkits and guidelines, providing support to ensure their proper implementation by programme teams and partners. Ensure compliance with UNDPโs gender strategy across all programme interventions. -Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning, and Documentation In collaboration with the IPR Monitoring and Knowledge Management Associate, conduct regular monitoring of interventions through a gender lens/perspective, to ensure effectiveness and alignment with IPR IVโs gender-transformative approach and UNDPโs gender equality strategy. Document best practices, case studies, and lessons learned in gender-responsive and transformative approaches, contributing to the programmeโs learning and knowledge-sharing agenda. Contribute to the development of knowledge materials, guidelines, and tools to support gender mainstreaming and the integration of community resilience across the programme. Prepare reports on gender activities, progress, challenges, and lessons learned, contributing to the programmeโs knowledge management and reporting. Stakeholder Engagement and Community Relations Liaise with partners, government counterparts, unions, and other stakeholders to promote gender-transformative practices that contribute to community resilience. Promote the active engagement of men and boys as allies in gender equality initiatives, fostering community-based advocacy and collaboration for sustainable change. Strengthen partnerships with organizations with expertise in social inclusion, gender equality and environmental sustainability to leverage knowledge and resources.
Competencies and valuesAccountability Adaptability and flexibility Creativity Judgement and decision-making Planning and organising Professionalism Self-management
Living conditions and remarksThe UN Volunteer will be living in Jerusalem which is a family duty station. It is currently at UNDSS security level MODERATE. As is the case for UN staff and partners, the volunteer will make his/her own arrangements for housing and transportation to and from work. A Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA) of ILS 9,034.06 is provided monthly to cover housing, utilities and normal cost of living expenses. Life, health and permanent disability insurance are included (health insurance for up to 3 dependents), as well as Exit allowance for satisfactory service.