National Consultant to develop a New National Gender Policy and Strategic Result Framework for the Government of Liberia

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.

UN Women’s goal in Liberia is to promote women’s human rights and gender equality which are key in sustaining and furthering achievements in stability and development.  In this regard, its programming in the Country is connected to five priority areas: women’s leadership and political participation; enhancing women’s economic empowerment; engaging women in all aspects of peace and security and humanitarian processes; advancing women’s rights to live free from violence; and gender responsive budgeting and governance. UN Women also coordinates and promotes the UN system’s joint work in advancing gender equality. 

These goals of the UN Women are aligned to that of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection which has the mandate to promote the development, empowerment and protection of women, girls and children, as well as the welfare and integration of persons with disabilities, the vulnerable, extremely poor, excluded and disadvantaged. The Ministry of Gender Children and Social Protection (MGCSP) is about to initiate, develop and implement and/or coordinate policies and programs aimed at women, girls, and children, as well as those physically challenged, marginalized, disadvantaged and excluded, to ensure that their rights are protected and that they are integrated, and contribute to, and benefit from, the peace, stability and socio-economic advancement of the Country, Liberia.

The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MGCSP) was established October 2014 by an Act of the Legislature, headed by a Minister of Government and has four (4) departments: Department for Administration, Department for Gender, the Department for Research, Policy and Planning, and the Department for Children and Social Protection. 

The Government of Liberia’s commitment to International and regional conventions, treaties, and protocols on gender equality, equity and mainstreaming led to the formulation and adaption of the first National Gender Policy (NGP) framework in Liberia. After its adoption in 2009, the policy implementation began in 2010 and was to continue until 2020 (10 years lifespan) with a midterm review conducted in 2015. Since 2010, the Government of Liberia through the former Ministry of Gender and Development (MOGD), now Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MGCSP) has been working along with all stakeholders in the Country including line ministries, non-governmental organizations, civil society organizations, development and donor partners in designing and implementing various programs and projects to address gender inequalities. These efforts were aimed at enhancing gender equality and women’s empowerment as well as protecting children’s rights in Liberia. 

In 2015, stakeholders conducted a mid-term study to review the implementation of the National Gender Policy after five years of implementation. The Mid-Term Review Reported among other recommendations, that the National Gender Policy be revised to align it with national and global realities or agendas. For example, the transition from the Ministry of Gender and Development to the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, which gives additional responsibilities to functions and mandates of the institution; and the transition from the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), were justifications to revise the National Gender Policy for a strategic direction and reflect the current realities. The findings and recommendations of the study were crucial to the revised policy because, it offered stakeholders the opportunity to review, validate, and provide inputs in the Mid-term study findings; identify gaps, and make recommendations that could address emerging issues by the revised National Gender Policy. 

In 2018, the revised National Gender Policy was adopted, launched, and implemented from 2018 – 2022. The Policy elapsed and a content and impact end-line evaluation was conducted highlighting the level of achievements, challenges, gaps, and recommendations to inform the development of the new National Gender Policy. This Policy will adapt strategies to address emerging issues and a new direction for gender equality and women’s economic empowerment and a gender-responsive country. This is in furtherance of the Liberian Government’s commitment to these instruments such as: Conventions for the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW); UNSCR 1325 on Women Peace and Security; the Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs); African Union Agenda 2063, Aspiration 6, African Continental Framework on Gender; the Maputo Protocol, the ECOWAS Framework on Women Economic Empowerment and the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development regarding Pillar-Six: “Human Capital Development” as a development tool for Liberia.

Justification

The development of a new National Gender Policy is timely as the Country now has a new development plan called the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID). The NGP will align its activities with the AAID including emerging issues and will serve as an instrument to break with the past and move on with sustainable development for both women and men, boys and girls inclusive of persons living with disabilities and to eliminate all forms of gender-based discrimination. It will also provide a mechanism for accountability within the Government itself and for other stakeholders, in eliminating all forms of gender-based discrimination. Promoting gender equality is a development strategy for reducing poverty levels among women and men, improving health and living standards, and enhancing the efficiency of public investments. The attainment of gender equality is considered a prerequisite for the achievement of sustainable development, a just society where girls and boys, women and men enjoy their human rights equally based on non-discrimination; where the full potentials of all, irrespective of sex, are harnessed towards achieving equitable rapid economic growth and equal access to social, financial and technological resources.

Notwithstanding, Liberia is still confronted with the challenges of persistent structural poverty, sexual and gender-based violence, unemployment, gender inequalities, child abuse, and disadvantaged youths, lack of opportunity to access higher or vocational education to develop and enable them to play a meaningful role in society, and  disparity against women, girls, and lack of access to basic services for the majority of the population, especially women, girls and marginalized groups. Also, Liberian youth’s engagement in pen-pens (Motorbike), tricycle riding, and artisanal mining have further created issues of school dropouts, teenage pregnancy, early marriages, and becoming victims of drug abuse increasing prostitution and children in street situations.  The National Gender Policy development is very crucial to addressing these critical national issues, as it will lead to devising strategies for understanding the current trend of gender and social inclusion context, the development of a new National Gender Policy, and the drafting of legislation to address emerging issues.  The Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection and its partners are determined to turn the future of Liberia into a gender-responsive society. consolidate the gains and dividends made, and sustain the peace.

Objectives of the assignment

The primary objectives of the consultancy are:

Description of Responsibilities/ Scope of Work

Scope of Work and Tasks

Under the overall guidance of the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection through the office of the Deputy Minister for Research, Policy and Planning (DMRPP) and supervision of UN WOMEN Deputy Country Representative, with coordination from the Technical Working Group, the national Consultant will work  in performing the following tasks:

Task 1. Desk review and development of a consultancy work plan and an inception report;

Task 2: Conduct Stakeholder Consultation and Data Analysis; 

Task 3: Draft the New National Gender Policy and Strategic Result Framework

Task 4: Finalize and submit the New National Gender Policy and its Strategic Result Framework 

Expected Deliverables

The consultant will produce the following deliverables: 

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Deliverables

Indicative Deadline

1

Consultancy inception report submitted 

August 15, 2025

2

Stakeholder Consultation and Data Analysis completed

September 5, 2025

3

The draft of the New National Gender Policy and Strategic Result Framework developed

October 3, 2025

4

Validation Workshop held

October 31, 2025

5

The New National Gender Policy and its Strategic Result Framework finalized and submitted

Ethical Considerations:

In all interactions with respondents, ethical guidelines should be followed while conducting interviews, data collection, etc: 

Competencies :

Core Values:

Core Competencies:

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

Functional Competencies:

The Consultant should fulfill the following requirements:

Master’s degree is required, but PhD would be an added advantage in Gender Studies, social sciences, political science, governance, or other related fields. 

Languages:

How to Apply 

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:

At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity and organizational need.

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.