Gender Audit for UNDP Tanzania

Gender equality is a major strategic objective of the international community and UNDP country office as well as the Government of Tanzania. The global United Nations conferences, in particular the World Conference to Review and Appraise the Achievements of the United Nations Decade for Women: Equality, Development and Peace (Nairobi, 15-26 July 1985) and the Fourth World Conference on Women (Beijing, 4-15 September 1995), have set out a comprehensive global agenda for achieving gender equality. UNDP, like other UN Agencies, is committed to giving strong support to national, regional and international efforts to implement and accelerate efforts for full implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action and other global agreements. UNDP integrates gender equality and women's empowerment in all four main areas of its work: poverty reduction, democratic governance, crisis prevention and recovery, and environment and sustainable development. UNDP strives to mainstream gender equality and women’s empowerment across policies, programmes, administrative and operational activities, and in organizational procedures. Globally, UNDP has developed a Gender Equality Strategy 2008-2010, with recent extension until 2013. The strategy is designed to complement and reinforce UNDP’s Strategic Plan by defining in more detail how attention to gender equality and women’s empowerment will strengthen UNDP’s work. Gender mainstreaming is understood as a process of institutional transformation which means recognizing that gender is not just about programmes, policies and personnel balance, but also about institutional culture which entails profound changes in organizational culture and in staff and managers’ attitudes to systematically engender outputs (programmes). As such, gender mainstreaming requires development of capacity and accountability mechanisms, allocation of resources and strong political commitment and will. To translate these gender commitments down to the country level, UNDP Tanzania has developed a “Gender Mainstreaming and Capacity Strengthening Strategy for UNDP Country Office (CO) and Supported Programmes in Tanzania” on the basis of findings of a Gender Audit conducted in 2007 to assess gaps in terms of awareness of corporate policies, skills and resources for Gender Mainstreaming (GM). In addition, over the past year, following new global practice, UNDP Tanzania has integrated a ‘gender marker’ into all project outputs in the financial management system, to more effectively track the efforts that the office is undertaking with regards to gender equality and women’s empowerment. The result of this effort has not yet been evaluated. UNDP and other UN Agencies in Tanzania are at a critical stage of the reform process for Delivering as One (DaO) and preparation of the new United Nations Development Assistance Plan (UNDAP), 2011 to 2015, which will begin implementation in July 2011. The UNDAP is a single business plan capturing the entire range of activities supported by the UN system in Tanzania. It will replace the current United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) and agency specific country programme planning documents. The UNDAP is based on a results based planning model with Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timebound (SMART) Outcomes and Outputs, together with Key Actions. The agency responsible for a Key Action will also be accountable for the application of relevant cross-cutting considerations such as gender and HIV/AIDS mainstreaming, environmental sustainability, human rights and capacity development. To identify the main cross-cutting considerations in the planning stage, the UN Inter-Agency Gender Group (IAGG) has been involved in the process through provision of quality assurance and recently engaged a consultant to assess the extent of gender mainstreaming of UNDAP programmatic and thematic areas (report attached). It will continue to provide such assistance throughout the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the UNDAP. In view of the above developments, UNDP intends to engage a consultant to undertake a CO Gender Audit to take stock of the current level and nature of gender mainstreaming within CO programmes and operations and to establish a baseline against which to measure future mainstreaming efforts. While taking off from the current practices in regards to gender mainstreaming, the exercise should be as forward-looking as possible and is expected to make recommendations on concrete actions to assist UNDP CO deliver on its mandate for gender equality and women’s empowerment and enhance gender mainstreaming in proposed UNDP programme areas and key actions under the new UNDAP. Rationale: In synchronicity with the closure of the current UNDAF and the UNDP Country Programme Action Plan (CPAP) as well as the initialization of the UNDAP, UNDP Tanzania has highlighted the critical need of conducting an internal gender audit to support the CO in accelerating the delivery of results for gender equality in programmes and operations. The audit is not only intended to assess the past challenges and successes in gender equality and women’s empowerment, but also to analyze the CO’s current and future endeavors taking into account present awareness and capacities of staff and to learn from the findings of the assessment to make meaningful change for women and girls and men and boys through the strengthening of the gender component of UNDP operations and programme implementation in future years. UNDP will be among many UN agencies in Tanzania to undertake a Gender Audit in 2011. The results are likely to significantly influence delivery of UNDP contribution to the UN DaO for realization of gender equality and women empowerment and strengthening UNDP's commitments under the UNDAP through more gender sensitive work plans, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. Objectives of the Gender Audit Exercise The overall objective of the audit is to identify UNDP’s strengths, weaknesses and challenges and analyze the current capacity of the CO in addressing gender equality and women’s empowerment and to recommend a practical way forward for improved results for gender equality and women’s empowerment. Specifically, the gender audit is expected to: Analyze the overall levels of gender awareness of UNDP staff in terms of basic concepts and best practices/innovative approaches towards gender mainstreaming, and vis-à-vis knowledge of UNDP’s institutional mandates and policies on gender mainstreaming and national policies on gender equality; Assess the existing capacity of the country office, resources devoted, functionality of existing processes and structures for gender mainstreaming and gender equality. Identify good practices, successes and challenges in the existing country office processes and structures as well as strategies to overcome challenges; Identify opportunities to significantly enhance the impact of gender equality within the UNDP country office and its supported programs under UNDAP portfolio; Assist identification of clear commitments and innovative strategies to ensure empowerment of women/girls and gender equality in all UNDP’s interventions under the UNDAP; Based on the assessment and identified successes and challenges, propose changes that need to be undertaken to update the country office gender strategy and facilitate the development of a concrete action plan to direct the CO’s work in gender mainstreaming and gender equality including actions to improve staff skills in this area. The audit is a forward looking exercise giving practical guidance to UNDP CO on how to most effectively achieve results in gender equality and women empowerment in UNDP CO and its programme areas in the context of the UNDAP. Emphasis shall be on (i) assessing the degree of conformity of CO’s internal practices in operations (e.g. with human resources and procurement) and programme levels, based on UNDP gender policies and guidelines; (ii) identifying successes with gender mainstreaming and gender equality work to replicate and strengthen these efforts in the new UNDAP programme cycle; (iii) assessing staff capacity needs and competencies, familiarity with UNDP gender tools (strategy and guidelines) and understanding of the gender dimension pertaining to their respective area; and (iv) development of a plan of action for UNDP CO to advance gender equality and women empowerment in its work.

Duties and Responsibilities

Assess the current extent and nature of gender mainstreaming within UNDP’s programmes and operations and in the context of UN DaO and UNDAP Assess the degree of conformity of CO’s internal practices with UNDP gender policies and guidelines, pertaining to operations (Human resources procedures, staff gender balance, gender sensitive work environment, and procurement) and programmes (staff capacity for planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and reporting) Identify successes with gender mainstreaming and gender equality work to replicate and strengthen these efforts in the new UNDAP programme cycle; Analyze concrete entry points for increased gender equality and women empowerment through UNDAP programming; Assess staff capacity needs and competencies, familiarity with UNDP gender tools (strategy and guidelines) and understanding of the gender dimension pertaining to their respective area (keeping in mind divisions such as operations vs programmes, communication, management); Based on the assessment, develop an action plan to direct the CO’s work under the UNDAP and DaO process in Tanzania in gender mainstreaming and gender equality and gender capacity and competency building of its staff. Throughout the exercise, the consultant will be assisted by country office gender team which includes a focal point (programme officer) in the Zanzibar sub-office, as well as two focal points in the main office (an international UNV and a team leader for HIV/AIDS & Gender unit). Methodology: A review of relevant background documents provided including the UNDAP/CCPD, UNDP Project/Programme documents and reports and past JP audits, UNDP Global Gender Strategy, Country Office Gender Strategy, UNDAP matrices (focus on UNDP), recent UNDAP gender evaluation for IAGG, as well as Operations policies including HR and Procurement Guidelines to assess level and nature of gender mainstreaming and extract gender challenges and successes; Capture the gender mainstreaming capacity, level of interest and engagement within the CO as reported through the Self Assessment Exercise (SAE) administered prior to the consultancy to inform interviews and further discussions with staff as well as the capacity building workshops to be held in association with the gender audit exercise (the SAE is developed and administered by the UNDP Tanzania Gender Focal Points); Conduct individual and focus group interviews with selected CO Management, programme and operations staff to gain insight on gender mainstreaming in the CO and capacity gaps to be addressed; Focus group interviews among UNDP staff at the Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar offices (incorporating Kigoma staff in the Dar es Salaam interviews); Use the findings to facilitate gender training session for programme and operations staff (1 day each); Review selected projects implemented to see whether these have taken a gender perspective into account in design, planning implementation, monitoring and evaluation/report writing and to identify challenges and successes; Based on audit findings, in cooperation with CO gender focal points/gender team, develop an action plan to direct the CO’s work in gender mainstreaming and gender equality and gender mainstreaming in UNDP programme areas under UNDAP, including reviewing and developing the modus operandi of the CO gender team and their involvement in the IAGG, as well as capacity and competency building of CO staff; Prepare a draft report and brief staff on findings and introduce the way forward and solicit feedback from staff through an interactive face to face one day session; Provide the final report (in hard and soft copy) to UNDP Deputy Country Director (Programme) with copy to the Team Leader (HIV and Gender Unit). Timeframe: Prepare and submit an inception report (4 days) Literature review of relevant documents for mainland and Zanzibar (4 days) Individual and focus group interviews of management, programme and operations staff, including analysis of a self assessment exercise. Administration of self-assessment exercise by all UNDP Tanzania staff (Prepared prior to arrival) (5 days) Plan and facilitate two strategic sessions on gender mainstreaming with programme and operations’ staff (3 days) Working sessions with key staffs and the UNDP Gender Focal Points to assist in the development of gender action plan for the office (3 days) Preparation of draft report (5 days) Briefing about findings and recommendations (1 day) Finalize Gender audit report and country office action plan incorporating feedback from sessions with staff (4 days) Provide the final report (1 day) Total: 30 days Deliverables: As a result of the Gender audit exercise, UNDP Tanzania should have An inception plan detailing the assignment, desk review of documents, tools and methods, capacity building and other deliverables and time table for the delivery of results A detailed Report on the assessment process, results, findings and recommendations including a strong and comprehensive Executive Summary of the entire exercise with: (i) Separate sections of the report on the results of the analysis; (ii) Gender capacity needs assessment; (iii) Rapid assessment of gender mainstreaming in select programme interventions (iv) Analysis of operational/HR issues (v) Baseline of the current state of gender mainstreaming against which future improvements can be measured (vi) Concrete recommendations for enhancing the impact of UNDP’s UNDAP programming on gender equality and women’s empowerment Recommendations and suggestions for improvement of the UNDP CO Gender Strategy Suggestions for the composition of UNDP CO Gender reference team and its mandate Report on staff capacity and competency building on gender mainstreaming Proposed UNDP CO Gender Action Plan A presentation on key findings and recommendations for staff Final report

Competencies

A good experience and knowledge of UN Gender Equality and Women Empowerment policies and strategies and related working documents and processes Good computer skills in word, excel and PowerPoint programmes Good facilitation, training, analytical, comprehension and writing skills Excellent command of English; Kiswahili will be of added value A demonstrated experience of gender assessments in Tanzania or other countries and regions will be an added value Excellent interpersonal and communication skills Self managing and efficient use of own time within agreed priorities

Required Skills and Experience

A minimum experience of 5 years of work experience at national or international level in gender programming, or gender research and training, gender advocacy and communication, women empowerment and capacity building, monitoring and evaluation aspects The consultancy rate will be based on the candidate’s expertise and experience. 25% of the consultancy fee, based on UN rates will be paid upon submission of a satisfactory inception plan, and the balance 75% against satisfactory performance and completion of all of the indicated and agreed deliverables.

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

Gender Audit for UNDP Tanzania