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, 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.ย
UN Women has been working in Afghanistan since 2002 (as UNIFEM until 2010). Afghanistan has emerged as one of the worldโs most complex emergencies. The crisis dynamics in the country are multi-layered, and Afghanistanโs people are facing the devastating effects of successive decades of conflict, increasing poverty, economic decline and natural disasters, all of which are amplified by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. As per the Humanitarian Response Plan 2022, 24.4 million Afghans โ more than half of the countryโs estimated population of 42 million โ are projected to be in need of humanitarian assistance in 2022, with a staggering 55 per cent of the population expected to face crisis or emergency levels of food insecurity. In this context, Afghan women and girls face unique vulnerabilities as gender inequality is interwoven with conflict dynamics and humanitarian needs. Womenโs fundamental rights have been continually threatened since the Taliban takeover and the limited gains made over the past twenty years are now at risk of being erased โ and at worst regressed. The contest around gender norms remains at the center of the political, peace and security landscape in Afghanistan, putting women and girls at the frontlines of this crisis. Responding to this crisis, the UN Women Afghanistan Country Office is consolidating its programming under the humanitarian-peace-development nexus, anchored in the Country Office Strategic Note (2018-2022), and continues to deliver on its triple mandate across four thematic areas: 1) Women, Peace and Security and Humanitarian Action; 2) Ending Violence Against Women; 3) Women Economic Empowerment; and 4) Womenโs Leadership and Participation. UN Women Afghanistan thereby capitalizes on its five Sub-Offices located in the provinces Balkh, Bamyan, Herat, Kandahar and Nangarhar respectively, and is part of inter-agency Joint UN initiatives, such as the Special Trust Fund for Afghanistan (STFA). UN Women Afghanistan Country Office plays a critical role in ensuring gender-responsive humanitarian action, working in collaboration with a number of key partners.
To ensure effective coordination across these diverse initiatives, aย Program Coordinator is required to provide strategic oversight, facilitate inter-agency collaboration, and ensure timely progress in the implementation of humanitarian projects. Reporting to the GIHA Programme Manager and in close coordination with UN partner agencies, implementing and key partners, the consultant will be home-based but will undertake an initial four-week mission to Kabul to facilitate in-person coordination with stakeholders, onboarding, and administrative setup.ย
Description of Responsibilities /Scope of Work
The consultant will support and enhance coordination across all Afghanistan humanitarian projects, ensuring efficient collaboration with partners and stakeholders, while integrating gender-responsive approaches into humanitarian response efforts.
Coordination and Partnership Management
Facilitate inter-agency coordination efforts with IOM, STFA Twinning Project, Durable Solutions, UNOPS, AWAAZ, and AHF, and other partners as required. Strengthen collaboration with UN agencies, humanitarian clusters, NGOs, and donors to promote gender-responsive humanitarian action. Represent UN Women in humanitarian coordination forums and inter-agency meetings as required.Strategic Planning and Project Implementation Support
Ensure that humanitarian projects align with UN Womenโs Humanitarian Response Strategy 2022โ2025 and Afghanistanโs Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP). Monitor project timelines, ensuring efficient implementation and timely delivery of results. Facilitate learning and adaptive management practices by supporting ongoing reviews and debriefings.Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting
Support partners in applying Results-Based Management (RBM) approaches, ensuring that outcomes align with project objectives. Provide technical support for logframe development, indicator tracking, and data collection methodologies. Ensure that all projects adhere to accountability mechanisms, including reporting requirements and donor compliance standards. Lead relevant donor reporting, and develop periodic progress reports, situation analyses, and policy briefs on gender dimensions of humanitarian action. Support the development of knowledge products and advocacy materials.Capacity Building and Technical Support
Provide technical assistance to partners on gender in humanitarian action. Organize and facilitate training sessions on gender-sensitive humanitarian response, coordination, and accountability.Support other tasks as required for quality implementation UN Womenโs humanitarian programming to ensure alignment with GIHA team vision, UN Womenโs Humanitarian Strategy and Stategic Note.
Consultantโs Workplace and Official Travel
This is a full-time home-based consultancy. As part of this assignment, there will be an initial four-week mission to Afghanistan, with potential future missions to be determined based on need. The consultant is expected to work during working hours in Afghanistan (Sunday โ Thursday, 9:00 โ 17:00 Kabul time).
Competencies :
Core Values:
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:
Coordination and Facilitation Skills โ Ability to bring together multiple stakeholders and ensure effective communication and collaboration. Strategic Thinking and Problem-Solving โ Capacity to analyze complex humanitarian challenges and provide strategic solutions. Negotiation and Advocacy โ Ability to engage with partners, advocate for gender-responsive humanitarian action, and influence decision-making processes.Adaptability and Resilience โ Capability to work effectively in high-pressure environments, managing competing priorities and responding to evolving humanitarian needs.
Required Qualifications:
Education and Certification:
Masterโs degree or equivalent in social sciences, human rights, gender/women's studies, international development, or a related field is required A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. A project/programme management certification would be an added advantageExperience:
At least 2 years of progressively responsible work experience in development programme/project implementation, coordination, monitoring and evaluation, donor reporting and capacity building is required.ย Experience working in humanitarian settings and understanding of humanitarian coordination mechanismsย is an asset. Experience working with UN agencies, humanitarian clusters, NGOs, and donor agencies is an asset. Proven ability to work in complex humanitarian contexts, with an understanding of Afghanistanโs humanitarian landscape is an asset.Languages:
Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of Dari/Pashto is an asset.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,ย and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age,ย ability, national origin,ย 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 toย UN Womenโsย policiesย and proceduresย andย theย standardsย of conduct expected of UN Women personnelย 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.
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