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 has been in Afghanistan for two decades. UN Womenโs programming approach is informed by analysis of the political, economic and humanitarian situation, risks to and capacities of partner organizations, and needs of Afghan women and girls. UN Women Afghanistan currently has five key programme priorities: (1) Intgrated Programming and Localization, (2) Womenโs movement building through core grant making; 3) Policy and Research; 4) Economic Resilience and Private Sector and 5) Coordination, Access and Humanitarian Response.ย UN Women Afghanistan operates through its main office in Kabul and five sub-offices located in the provinces of Balkh, Bamyan, Herat, Kandahar and Nangarhar.
As UN Womenโs largest Country Office worldwide, the Afghanistan country portfolio and footprint scaled rapidly over the last four years as the countryโs womenโs rights context deteriorated with the takeover of the Taliban and the international community responding to the crisis. In 2024, ACO reached a $55 million budget and 180 personnel located in six offices, a central one in Kabul and sub-offices in Bamiyan, Herat, Kandahar, Nangarhar and Balkh provinces. ACO mobilized significant resources against its Strategic Note 2023-2025 (SN) which has allowed for flexibility in responding to a rapidly changing context. In early 2025, the international aid sector and UN Women Afghanistan were severely impacted by the cancelled agreements from US funding sources and subsequently from key donors diverting attention to other priorities or facing reduced ODA. This factor is coupled with development partners increasingly deprioritizing Afghanistan, and a donor fatigue of the lack of progress in the womenโs rights space, namely on girlsโ and womenโs education.ย
The ongoing restrictions on Afghan women's access to UN compounds and participation in programmatic activities have posed significant operational challenges. There is an urgent need to identify and implement practical adaptations to enable womenโs engagement across program responses, ensuring their meaningful participation and continued contribution.
The overall ownership of the assignment will be with the ACO. It will be overseen by the Deputy Country Representative-Programmes, working closely with Deputy Country Representative-Operations, and the Security Specialist, under the oversight of the Special Representative. ACO will assign 2 dedicated Afghan staff members who will work closely with the consultant to serve as focal points to help coordinate the process and provide documentation.ย
Description of Responsibilities/ Scope of Work
The consultancy aims to identify and recommend actionable entry points and solutions to facilitate Afghan women's participation across the UN Women country office priorities. Further, in line with the ongoing re-alignment of the ACO organogram, the Consultant will also identify potential roles and functions that can be assigned to the national women staff and o map the capacity needs and mentoring models for them to successfully adapt to new or realigned roles.
The work will involve collaborative and consultative approaches with ACO unit heads and sub-offices, focused discussions with national staff, and individual consultations.ย
Deliverables ย Activities and Deliverable Expected completion time (due day)ย
Options Paper/Brief
A comprehensive document outlining practical solutions for womenโs participation and alternative modalities for with clear steps for operationalization.
Task 1: Identify Entry Points and Solutions for Womenโs Participation
Assess current restrictions and barriers to Afghan womenโs access to UN compounds and meetings (HCT, ICCT, consultations, etc.). Identify practical entry points for CSO-affiliated women and other groups to engage in technical and strategic meetings. Explore and document potential solutions, such as remote participation, alternate venues, or hybrid models.Task 2: Develop Alternative Modalities for Afghan Women Staff of ACO
Evaluate the feasibility of alternative and safe working arrangements (e.g., alternate working venues spaces such NGOs, private sector, deployment to field offices, surge support, roving roles). Consult with stakeholders to document best practices and lessons learned from similar contexts. Propose operational models, including risks analysis, that maximize womenโs engagement and effectiveness under current restrictions. Byย 30 January 2026Capacity Needs Mappingย
A detailed report or matrix summarizing capacity needs (training, mentoring, skills) and recommendations for capacity development initiatives.
Task: Map Capacity Needs for New/Realigned Roles
Identify the training, mentoring, and skills development needs for women staff transitioning to new or modified roles/functions. Develop a framework for targeted support and capacity building tailored to these needs. Recommend mechanisms for continuous learning and professional development in remote or alternative modalities Byย 30 January 2026Presentation of Findingsย
A summary presentation of key findings and actionable recommendations for stakeholders.
Task: ย Prepare and Present Consultancy Results
Develop concise presentation materials summarizing the options paper and capacity mapping findings. Share recommendations and facilitate discussion with relevant teams, and key stakeholders. Finalize the outcome documents, incorporating the feedbackย Byย 30 January 2026Consultantโs Workplace and Official Travel
This is home-based consultancy with travel to Kabul and other provinces of Afghanistan as needed
Competencies :
Core Values:
Integrity; Professionalism; Respect for Diversity.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:
Demonstrated ability to consult collaboratively with diverse stakeholders. Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, with a strong drive for results Deep understanding of gender equality, womenโs rights, and the socio-political context Demonstrated ability to conduct high-quality qualitative and quantitative assessments.Education and Certification:
Masterโs degree or equivalent in public administration, law, human rights, gender equality, management, social sciences or other related areas is required.ย A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.ยExperience:
At least 7 years of progressively responsible work experience in gender equality programming, womenโs rights, humanitarian or development contexts, or organizational development is required. Experience conducting analytical assessments and developing practical operational recommendations in restrictive or crisis environments is required. Experience working on womenโs participation, access, protection issues, or gender-responsive operational modalities in humanitarian or conflict settings is required. Experience in capacity needs assessments, staff development frameworks, or organizational change processes is highly desirable. Previous experience working in the UN system is desirable.Languages:
Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language is desirable (French, Arabic, Chinese, Russian or Spanish).ยStatements :
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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