UN Women Gender Equality Specialist, UN Women Papua New Guinea, Port Moresby, P4, Fixed-Term Appointment

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. 

Papua New Guinea ranks 144th out of 163 countries (53.6% score) on the SDG Index (2022). It ranked 156th out of 191 countries globally on the 2021 Human Development Index and currently ranks 169th out of 191 countries globally on the Gender Inequality Index. Gender-based violence (GBV) remains at endemic levels across the country with rampant domestic violence in both urban and rural areas as well as increasing sorcery accusation-related violence (SARV) killings. 

In order to address GBV, SARV and broader gender related challenges, the UN Women in partnership with other UN agencies, UNDP, UNFPA and UNICEF, under outcome one of the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) 2024-2028 on Equality for Women and Girls, is implementing a comprehensive programme on GBV, SARV and Child Violence. 

The GBV/SARV programme is a dedicated component of the Highlands Joint Programme Phase 2 (HJP2), focused on addressing the root causes and strengthening both community and institutional responses to GBV and SARV – both as a factor and consequence of conflict, fragility, and underdevelopment in the Highland provinces. The programme adopts an integrated, area-based programming approach, in which actors and interventions converge to holistically address GBV and SARV, while paying special attention to linkages with primary drivers of conflict, social and economic inequalities, and climate change risks in the provinces of Hela, Southern Highlands, Enga, and Western Highlands.  The GBV SARV Component of the (HJP2), is led by UN Women as the convening Agency, and will be implemented by participating UN Organisations (PUNOs) - UNFPA, UNICEF and UNDP in partnership with the Provincial Administrators, Civil society organisations (CSOs), churches, and community structures. Through its collaborative and inclusive approach, the GBV SARV Component of the (HJP2), integrates humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding efforts, ensuring transformative and sustainable change in the region.

Reporting to the Country Representative, as well as providing regular updates to the UN Resident Coordinator, and the Highlands Joint Programme Coordinator;  the Gender Equality Specialist will be based in Mt Hagen, Western Highlands Province and will be responsible for providing guidance and coordination of gender equality and women’s empowerment of the Highlands Joint Programme, particularly on GBV/Violence Against Children/SARV component.  The Gender Equality Specialist provides technical and advisory/guidance and inputs to every step of programme planning, implementation, reporting, monitoring and evaluation; including capacity building, strategic partnerships and resources mobilization, and knowledge management.

Key Functions And Accountabilities:

1.Provide guidance and coordinate gender equality and  women’s empowerment (GEWE) as a guiding principle during the development, implementation, monitoring and reporting of Highlands Joint Programme. 

• Review and provide technical guidance and inputs at  each step of programme development, implementation and monitoring, evaluation and reporting of the Joint GBV/VAC/SARV component of the Highlands Joint Programme to ensure gender is mainstreamed in all its operational and programmatic areas, e.g. gender indicators, gender sensitive monitoring system, etc.
• Provide technical input and recommendations into work-plans, periodic narrative progress reports, analytical report and expenditures status reports to the Programme and UN Women and other stakeholders as necessary.
• Liaise with the Programme team, national counterparts, donors, UN Agencies and partners to ensure the Programme results including reporting are gender sensitive and inclusive.
• Provide technical advice to the Country Representative and Programme team on national GEWE policy and legal framework to ensure coherence/alignment.

1. 2. Manage gender coordination with UN Agencies, subnational partners and other stakeholders 
2. 3. Provide substantive inputs for the monitoring and reporting of the Programme. 
3. 4. Interagency advocacy and facilitation of knowledge building and management:

• Manage relationships with provincial partners to support implementation of the Programme, raise potential problems and provide solutions related to gender mainstreaming.
• Provide substantial guidance to partners on establishment of gender indicators and monitoring the achievement of results.
• Identify capacity building needs of partners and support partners through technical assistance, mentoring, training, and cross partner learning and sharing, and capacity development initiatives; develop training materials and workshops, as necessary. 
• Ensure that project reporting, monitoring and evaluation fully addresses the gender issues of the project.
• Ensure that gender sensitization modules are included in all training activities supported by the project, including support to the development of these modules.
• Ensure that guidelines, protocols, procedures, standards and incentives developed by the project include gender dimensions.
• Ensure full, equal and meaningful participation of women in all programme-related activities and interventions.
• Gather and compile all information related to gender for monitoring and reporting on the programme from the planning to the evaluation stages.
• Monitor the implementation of activities related to the Joint GBV/VAC/SARV component of the Highlands Joint Programme; oversee regular monitoring visits.
• Provide technical input into annual and quarterly reports; financial and narrative reports.
• Provide technical input into programme activities and results to Country Office reporting.
• Promotes the collection, analysis and use of  gender disaggregated data to improve programme monitoring and evidence-based decision making that leaves no one behind.
• Coordinate interagency efforts on the implementation of the GBV, SARV joint programme, establish advocacy networks and linkages to women’s rights and equality networks at provincial, national and global levels.
• Lead and oversee the process of identifying and synthesising best practices and lessons learned, according to priorities set by the programme steering committee and UNCT and contribute to their dissemination.
• Coordinate the development and implementation of relevant interagency advocacy strategies on GBV and SARV. 
• Maintain and strengthen relationships with a wide range of partners to optimise Innovative Financing including exploring opportunities for financing through national governments' fiscal and monetary policy actions, UN Joint Programmes, Capital markets with de-risking strategies, Philanthropy, individual giving and business development activities as applicable.
• Develop capacity development initiatives on gender-related issues and priorities as needed.
• Coordinate the exchange of information and knowledge products internally and externally of the programme as required.
• Organize major advocacy campaigns, events, trainings, workshops and knowledge products.
• Perform other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Highlands Joint Programme on GBV and SARV. 
• Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities: 
• The Gender Equality Specialist works closely with the inter-agency programme team within the joint programme.  S/he has no supervisory role.

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

Functional Competencies:

• Strong knowledge of general gender equality and women’s empowerment issues;
• Strong gender-focused results-based management, programme implementation and monitoring and evaluation skills;
• Ability to lead/coordinate the development of detailed operational plans, budgets, and deliver on them for development results 
• Ability to envision, conceptualize and communicate strategic vision
• Excellent analytical and conceptual thinking skills
• Strong negotiating, cultural sensitivity and diplomatic skills
• Strong planning, goal-setting and prioritization and organizational skills
• Strong knowledge of UN programme management systems

Recruitment Qualifications:

Education And Certification:

• Master’s degree or equivalent in public administration, law, human rights, gender equality, management, social sciences or other related areas is require.
• 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 advantage.

Experience:

• At least 7 years of progressively responsible experience at the national or international level in managing complex and multi-component programme interventions with national partners, preferably related to gender-based violence is required.
• Experience in coordinating, implementing, monitoring and evaluating development programmes and projects; specifically with different UN agencies is required.
• Familiarity with the Papua New Guinean socio-economic and cultural context. 
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and spreadsheet and database packages, experience in handling of web-based management systems is required.
• Experience in the use of a modern web-based ERP System, preferably Oracle Cloud, is desirable.
• Previous experience working in the UN system is desirable.
• Previous experience working in a  joint-programme is an advantage.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English is required.
• Knowledge of another official UN language is desirable (French, Arabic, Chinese, Russian or Spanish).