Background/Context
UN Women (UNW), 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. Placing womenโs rights at the centre of all its efforts, the UN Women leads and coordinates the 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 Statesโ priorities and efforts, building effective partnerships with civil society and other relevant actors.ย
UN Womenโs triple mandate, along with its global network and deep policy and programming expertise, continues to endow the Entity with a unique capacity to: (i) support Member States to strengthen global norms and standards for gender equality and womenโs empowerment, and mainstream gender perspectives in other thematic areas; (ii) promote coordination and coherence across the UN system to enhance accountability and results for gender equality and womenโs empowerment; and (iii) undertake operational activities to support Member States, upon their request, in translating global norms and standards into legislation, policies and strategies at country level.ย
UN Women plays an innovative and catalytic role in the State of Palestine since its inception in 1997 (as UNIFEM). In line with the national priorities, the work of UN Women for the period 2023-2025 is aligned with three of the Palestine United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworkโs (UNSDCF) outcomes:
โข ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Palestinians have greater access to economic opportunities that are inclusive, resilient, and sustainable, including decent employment and livelihoods opportunities in an empowered private sector.
โข ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Palestinians, including the most vulnerable, have equal access to sustainable, inclusive, gender responsive and quality social services, social protection, and affordable utilities.
โข ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Palestinian governance institutions, processes, and mechanisms at all levels are more democratic, rights-based, inclusive, and accountable.
Its three-year Strategic Note supports the efforts to achieve measurable results in country in terms of four UN Women global Strategic Plan impacts (2022-2025): (SP Impact 1). Governance and participation in public life; (SP Impact 2). Womenโs Economic Empowerment; (SP Impact 3). Ending Violence Against Women and Girls and; SP Impact 4. Women peace and security, Humanitarian & Disaster Risk Reduction.ย
In 2022, the Palestinian Council of Ministers approved a strengthened national referral system for women survivors of violence, expanding the protection network across diverse state sectors. In light of the escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the realities faced by women and girls have become especially dire. Widespread conflict, repeated displacement, and destruction of infrastructure have disproportionately affected women and girls, exposing them to acute risks of gender-based violence, exploitation, and loss of support systems. An estimated one million women and girls have been displaced, many living in overcrowded shelters with severe shortages of food, water, privacy, and basic hygiene.
Domestic violence, early and forced marriage, and various harmful coping strategies have increased alarmingly since the onset of war. Many women report deep psychological distressโdepression, anxiety, and traumaโexacerbated by relentless fear, grief, and the daily struggle to provide for their families under extremely difficult conditions.
Humanitarian actors and local womenโs organizations continue to provide a crucial lifeline. Yet, the scale of need far exceeds available resourcesโsafe spaces, psychosocial services, and legal assistance remain severely limited and often inaccessible due to insecurity, mobility restrictions, and resource constraints. Women and girls in Gaza urgently require comprehensive, gender-responsive support that addresses not only physical protection, but also mental health, dignity, empowerment, and social reintegration.
Within the framework of the Sawasya III Joint Programme, and in close partnership with the Ministry of Social Development (MoSD)ย in Ramallah, UN Women is planning to recruit two full-time social workers to support women and girls in Gaza. The main objective of this consultancy is to deliver specialized social work support for women and girls affected by violence, displacement, and trauma, in coordination with the MoSD
The consultant will be reporting to Rule of Law and ProtectionSpecialist and will be supported by the Governance and Rule of law Analyst, in addition to the CSOs Support and Finance Associate who will be the point of contact on the contract and payment issues.
Description of Responsibilities/ Scope of Work
Under the overall guidance of UN Women Special Representative and direct supervision of the UN Women Sawasya III Rule of Law and Protection Specialist, in close coordination with the Ministry of Social Development (MoSD) in Ramallah, the social workers will be responsible for the following tasks:
Conduct the initial reception of cases and open a dedicated file for each beneficiary to ensure accurate and systematic case management. Collect comprehensive and relevant data for each beneficiary, including rehabilitation history and current challenges, in coordination other local partners within the beneficiaryโs residential area. Enhance beneficiariesโ sense of safety, protection, and dignity within the shelter or service environment. Perform a holistic assessment of beneficiaries and their family contexts, covering economic, social, psychological, cultural, health, and legal aspects. Support beneficiariesโ adaptation process within the shelter or service context to promote resilience and well-being. Develop dedicated individual- based plans that are survivor-centere addressing health, psychosocial, legal, and counseling needs. Facilitate beneficiaries' enrollment in academic, rehabilitation, vocational, or cultural programmes when appropriate, to foster empowerment and skill development. Provide individual and group psychosocial support through therapeutic and awareness sessions focused on healing and empowerment. Strengthening beneficiariesโ capacities and empowerment to enable safe reintegration into families and communities once immediate threats are resolved. Regularly evaluate and update intervention plans based on beneficiariesโ evolving skills, health status, family circumstances, and risk assessments. Conduct final evaluation sessions and prepare comprehensive reports for shelter management, relevant directorates, and referring organizations. Coordinate with the MoSD and women-led orgs as relevant- ย to implement and monitor follow-up plans post-discharge. Maintain active coordination and collaboration with local women-led organizations (WLOs) to maximize outreach, enhance survivor-centered care, and ensure integrated service delivery. Participate actively in coordination meetings, joint case reviews, and capacity-building initiatives involving WLOs and other partners. Collect feedback from beneficiaries and partners to continuously improve and adapt support strategies. Provide advocacy support aligned with protection and empowerment priorities identified by partner organizations and survivors. Work in shifts when possible and as required to ensure continuous coverage and support. Prepare monthly progress reports and certificate of payments. The monthly progress reportsย submitted to UN Women and reviewed by MoSDโs focal point must detail key activities, achievements, challenges, and next steps aligned with the approved work plan. Reports must include relevant annexes (case summaries, meeting minutes, monitoring data, etc.). Each report clearly relates to planned activities and objectives. Reports contain quantifiable data and qualitative analysis. Reporting reflects progress toward empowerment and protection outcomes. Monthly submissions covering the period from Mid-October 2025 through mid-October 2026 (12 reports). Ensuring comprehensive case management documentationย including beneficiary files, intervention plans, evaluations, and referral records maintained systematically and securely. Submitting final consultancy reportย summarizing overall achievements, lessons learned, challenges faced, and recommendations for ongoing social work support beyond the consultancy period, submitted at the end of the contract.Reporting on the assignment
The consultant is expected to work full-time (5 days per week). The consultant will submit the following: Deliverable Expected completion time (due day)ย Monthly Progress Report (12 reports) End of each monthย Final Consultancy Report & Case Files End of last month of assignmentConsultantโs Workplace and Official Travel
This is a home-based consultancy in Gaza. As part of this assignment, the social workers will be required to undertake intermittent field visits to partner facilities, shelters, or community locations to provide direct support, conduct case follow-ups, and liaise with women-led organizations in Gaza strip.ย
Competenciesย
Core Values:ย
Respect for Diversityย Integrityย ProfessionalismยCore Competencies:ย
Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issuesย Accountabilityย Creative Problem Solvingย Effective Communicationย Inclusive Collaborationย Stakeholder Engagementย Leading by ExampleยPlease visit this link for more information on UN Womenโs Core Values and Competencies:ย ย https://www.unwomen.org/en/about-us/employment/application-process#_Valuesย ย ย FUNCTIONAL COMPETENCIES:ย
Ability to conduct needs assessment through consultation with stakeholders; Very strong background on gender; Ability to manage time and meet tight deadlines; Focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback; Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude; Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills; Builds strong relationships with clients, focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback; Remains calm, in control and good humored even under pressure; Proven networking, organizational and communication skills.Required Qualifications
Education and Certification:
Bachelorโs degree in social work or social science or any other related field is required.ย Completion of secondary education in combination with three additional years of qualifying experienceย may be acceptedย in lieu of the bachelorโs degree. (10 points)Experience:
Minimum of 5 yearsโ professional experience in the field of social work is requiredย Experience in in areas related to violence against women and case management is required.ย Experience of national referral mechanisms in Gaza within the current context is required.ย Experience with CSOs is highly desirableยLanguages:
Fluency in Arabic is requiredย Working knowledge of English is desirable