UN Women: Local Consultant-Curation, Dhaka Bangladesh

UN Women exists to advance women’s rights, gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls. As the lead UN entity on gender equality and secretariat of the UN Commission on the Status of Women, we shift laws, institutions, social behaviours and services to close the gender gap and build an equal world for all women and girls. Our partnerships with governments, women’s movements and the private sector coupled with our coordination of the broader United Nations translate progress into lasting changes. We make strides forward for women and girls in four areas: leadership, economic empowerment, freedom from violence, and women, peace and security as well as humanitarian action. UN Women keeps the rights of women and girls at the centre of global progress–always, everywhere. Because gender equality is not just what we do. It is who we are.

UN Women in Bangladesh supports the government to implement commitments to international normative standards on gender equality and women’s human rights. The UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) 2022-2026, launched in 2021, and the corresponding UN Women Bangladesh Strategic Note (SN) 2022-2026, defines UN Women’s strategic engagement in Bangladesh. The country strategy focuses on strengthening the national structures and mechanisms for gender mainstreaming in policies, plans, and budgets; supporting efforts to prevent and eliminate violence against women; promoting women’s access to decent and safe work; promoting policies and government investment in women’s empowerment and resilience building in the context of climate change, humanitarian crisis as well as other threats to peace and security. UN Women works with a range of stakeholders in Bangladesh, including the government, civil society, women’s organisations, youth, UN agencies, and donors, to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment.

The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action of 1995 is a visionary agenda for the empowerment of women. It still remains today the most comprehensive global policy framework and blueprint for action, and is a current source of guidance and inspiration to realize gender equality and the human rights of women and girls, everywhere. This landmark text was the outcome of the Fourth World Conference on Women, held in Beijing, China, in September 1995. After two weeks of political debate, exchange of information on good practice and lessons learned, and sharing of experiences, representatives of 189 Governments agreed to commitments that were unprecedented in scope. More than 30,000 people also participated in the Forum of non-governmental organizations in Huairou, a unique space of advocacy, networking, training and knowledge sharing. The Platform for Action covers 12 critical areas of concern that are as relevant today as 20 years ago: poverty; education and training; health; violence; armed conflict; power and decision-making; institutional mechanisms; human rights; media; environment; and the girl child. For each critical area of concern, strategic objectives are identified, as well as a detailed catalogue of related actions to be taken by Governments and other stakeholders, at national, regional and international level. 

2025 marks the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995) and provides a pivotal moment to review state action and compliance in the implementation. It also offers an opportunity for feminist movements to analyse the political, economic, and social concerns of the moment and consider ways to advance human rights and gender equality for all. 

To commemorate Beijing +30, UN Women is launching a series of communication and visibility initiatives . As part of this effort, UN Women Bangladesh plans to produce a coffee table book highlighting 30 changemakers from Bangladesh who have made significant contributions to advancing gender equality. The book will also feature 30 art pieces from the International Women’s Day Art Competition and Exhibition, which UN Women organized in collaboration with the Faculty of Fine Arts (Charukola) at Dhaka University. These pieces, created by 30 young female artists, will be presented alongside the stories of the changemakers, reflecting the 12 critical areas of concern identified by the Beijing Declaration in 1995.

Against this background, UN Women is seeking the services of a highly qualified International Consultant to support the Communication unit to curate the book, including substantive editing and narrative coherence. 

Objective: 

The objective of this consultancy is to ensure the professional curation of the Beijing+30 commemorative coffee table book. The consultant will bring a  curatorial perspective to weave together narratives of 30 Bangladeshi changemakers and 30 artworks by young women artists into a coherent, engaging, and advocacy-driven publication. The consultant will:

Scope of work, deliverables, timeline and payment 

Under the direct supervision of the Communication Analyst and guidance of the Deputy Representative, the international consultant will be responsible for the following tasks:  

Scope of Work, Deliverables and Timeline

1.Initial consultations and scoping- Inception discussion with UN Women Communication team to clarify objectives, approach, and structure of the book.- 01st Deliverables  
• Agreed work plan and schedule.-  Required days 02 days

2. Review of existing material- Assessment of 30 changemaker stories and 30 artworks provided by UN Women. Recommendations on gaps, additional information, and narrative emphasis.- Required days 7 days     
 

3. Story refinement and research    • Revised drafts of stories with suggested re-writes, additions, or further research while maintaining original structure and length. - Required days 7 days         
 

4. Development of introduction    • Draft introduction to the book (standalone or aligned with the UN Women Country Representative’s introduction).  -Required day 1day     
5. Editing and narrative alignment    • Edited stories and introduction, ensuring journalistic flow and alignment with the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action themes.  - Required day 05 day 
6. Incorporation of feedback    • Final versions of 30 stories and introduction after integrating UN Women’s comments.    Required day 1.5 day     
7. Copy editing and quality control    • Copy-edited, proofread manuscript (stories + introduction) ready for design.   - Required day 5 days         
8. Selection of key highlights    • Pull quotes from 30 stories selected and edited for emphasis.    Required day 01 day

     
9. Visual and artistic integration    • Curated selection of accompanying artwork and photographs in collaboration with UN Women.    Required 1.5 days-  40% of the total amount shall be paid upon submission of the deliverables from (9-10), certified by the UN Women contract administrator 
10. Layout and design collaboration    • Recommendations on layout, text size, placement of visuals, pull quotes, and overall look in consultation with designer.  Required  5    
Total Assignment     36 days in 04 months    -Required

Payment schedule

01 Instalment - 60% of the total amount shall be paid upon submission of the deliverables from (1-08), certified by the UN Women contract administrator  

Final Instalment - 40% of the total amount shall be paid upon submission of the deliverables from (09-10), certified by the UN Women contract administrator 

Duration of the assignment: 

The assignment will commence on 25 October 2025 and be completed by 25 February 2026. 

Supervision & Performance evaluation:

The consultant’s performance will be evaluated based on timeliness, responsibility, initiative, communication, accuracy, and quality of the services delivered. The contract performance shall be evaluated and monitored by the Communication Analyst, under guidance of Deputy Representative.  

Duty Station(s): Dhaka.  

Travel and DSA: No DSA will be paid at the duty station(s). It will be  home based consultancy. For travel outside the duty station, especially to project location, upon prior agreement/approval from contract manager, such travel shall be UN Women’s expenses, and the individual contractor shall receive a per-diem not to exceed United Nations daily subsistence allowance rate in such other location(s). 

Core Values

Core Competencies:

Functional Competencies:

Eligibility Criteria or Required Experience and Qualification:

Education:

Experience:

Language:

Fluency in English, including strong English writing skills is required. 

Evaluation criteria:

The total number of points allocated for the technical qualification component is 100. The technical qualification of the individual is evaluated based on the following technical qualification evaluation criteria:

Education Qualification:  15 Point
Experience in editorial leadership & content curation linked to women’s rights, and human rights: 40 Point 
Experience in copy-editing, quality assurance, and preparation of manuscripts for publication with international media/publishing/ academic institutions.    30 Point
Experience in working for South Asian countries with a deep contextual understanding of South Asian political, social, and cultural dynamics.:  15 Point
 

The following documents should be submitted as part of the application:

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, colour, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All recruitment/procurement 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.