CONSULTANT, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE - GENDER RESPONSIVE BUDGETING AND AID EFFECTIVENESS

Background

In response to calls from gender equality advocates for increased accountability for implementation of gender equality commitments in economic policies and financing decisions related to aid and domestic resources, UN Women will be implementing the programme Increasing Accountability in Financing for Gender Equality (2012-2015) funded by the EU and Spain. The programme aims at increasing the volume and effective use of aid and domestic resources to implement national commitments to gender equality and women's empowerment. It will be implemented in 15 countries in close partnership with the European Commission (EC), International Training Centre/International Labour Organization (ITC/ILO) building on the results of collaboration in the area of gender responsive budgeting and aid effectiveness carried out over the past years. The programme in the occupied Palestinian territory is twofold: (1) to achieve Gender Responsive Planning, Programming and Budgeting within the PA in such a way that Palestinian women and men benefit more equally from national public policies, and related aid and domestic resources, and (2) to enhance effectiveness of aid resources in relation to the advancement of national GE/WE priorities through building capacity for mainstreaming gender equality within aid coordination management and structures, and stepping up accountability for implementation of funding modalities used by donors. The Programme will focus on: donor performance with regard to gender equality and women’s empowerment content, including donor allocations and expenditures; development and implementation of a set of indicators to measure progress of the 5 principles of the Paris Declaration as a means to promote gender equality within the PA and donor key stakeholders in aid coordination, as well as with Local Aid Coordination Structure (LACS) staff; engagement in the national Public Finance Management system with regard to its responsiveness to gender equality; building capacities and resources of key institutions within the PA and CSO, as well as gender advocates and donors in gender responsive planning, budgeting and aid effectiveness; and, mainstreaming gender equality and women´s rights in aid coordination structure with regard to gender equality and women’s empowerment. The specific programme objectives are: 1. To strengthen national action plans for gender equality so that they have defined targets, financing and implementation arrangements line with national planning and budgeting processes. 2. To strengthen capacity and accountability of national governments to implement gender equality commitments and address women’s priorities in national planning, budgeting systems and programming. 3. To strengthen capacity and accountability of donors and stakeholders in aid coordination mechanisms to achieve commitments towards gender equality in stable and fragile countries.

Globally, the programme will also support the effective engagement of feminist economists and gender equality advocates’ in contributing to stronger policy coherence on gender equality in economic and development policy for a and facilitate learning and south-south exchange.

Objective of this Assignment

The main objective of this assignment is to provide technical assistance and knowledge transfer in the field of Gender Responsive Budgets to the project’s main stakeholders mainly the PA national institutions (target line ministries), the PA National Committee on Gender Responsive Budgeting established lately by a Cabinet Resolution, the GRB steering committee and UN Women staff.

In process, The Technical Consultant is required to provide technical assistance to the above mentioned parties and to any additional parties/institutions that may join the project throughout the implementation cycle on institutionalizing the development process of the Gender responsive Budgets in links with the PA planning and programing development process. In addition, it is required to provide peer support/coaching to budget teams at target ministries and to MoF budget department during the development process of line ministries and sectoral budgets. The consultant is required to review, develop and deliver capacity development and training initiatives for individuals, groups and institutions engaged in the GRB project and as required by the project management. He will more globally facilitate a process of institutional change following the GRB cycle (GRB Theory of Change).

Scope and Duration

The Scope of this assignment includes, but not limited to, providing technical expertise to the projects national partners/stakeholders/teams in the field of Gender Responsive Budgeting in accordance to the project budget and available resources, objectives and anticipated results set forth in the GRB project document/action plan (Financing for Gender Equality project in oPt). The duration of this assignment is 4 months (renewable upon discretion of UN Women), and in accordance to the UN Women recruitment applicable procedures.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the overall supervision of UN Women’s Special Representative, and the direct supervision of the “Financing for Gender Equality” Programme Coordinator, the technical Consultant will be responsible for providing the technical expertise and training of Gender Responsive Budgeting, and engage the Public Financing Management system of the oPt with regard to its responsiveness to gender equality:

Programme planning and implementation • Participate in project team meetings and provide technical support and advice for concerned individuals, groups and institutions during the implementation process of the project regarding gender mainstreaming in the PA Public Financial Management and planning System and budgets preparation cycle, especially regarding the link between gender planning and budgeting in the oPt. • Develop detailed plan and time frame for implementing activities related to capacity development of the MoF teams on GRB and other teams in other target line ministries. • Assist the programme coordinator/manager in all technical preparations needed for the project design and implementation such as preparation of the project annual budgets, costing of budget lines, and setting action plans and log frames.

Technical oversight and support • Design, produce and deliver capacity development initiatives for national stakeholders and for the project staff on Gender mainstreaming especially in Public Financial Management System and in Gender Responsive Budgeting. • Provide on-going technical support including on-the-job training to target line ministries described in the project action plan, in addition to any other additional ministers that may be targeted throughout the project implementation cycle, on preparation of Gender Responsive Budgeting. • Institutionalize the GRB process, tools, techniques, methodologies, approaches and standards at target Budgets Departments at target Ministries. • View and comment on capacity development materials including training materials on the subject of GRB that intended to be delivered by external implementing parties to national partners and line ministries’ staff. • Attend and monitor capacity development initiatives that are intended to be delivered throughout the project implementation cycle. • Provide training and peer technical support for the MoF team while preparing the national budget to ensure that it is more gender responsive. • Train the target line ministries’ budget preparation teams and provide peer support during the preparation of the ministries’ budgets ensuring that they are gender responsive. • Provide technical guidance to the implementation of programme activities in line with a results-and rights-based framework. • Ensure quality outputs of analysis and technical assistance generated by the programme (training material, analytical reports, etc.). • Ensure quality of capacity development initiatives/deliverables in relation to GRB that may be produced and delivered by external parties/individuals/consultants and/or other Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) that may become partner in the GRB project. • Engage in technical discussions with implementing partners, and facilitate meetings when required. • Provide technical inputs to global knowledge products and reports in relation to gender mainstreaming in planning and budgeting processes, as well as supporting and possibly participating in related local, regional and global activities/events upon request of UN Women. • Support the project team and UN Women with all required technical assistance related to GRB including development of project and programme materials, documents and/or development of other funding proposals in similar interventions. • Advise the Special Representative on ways to ensure synergy with other UN agencies regarding gender mainstreaming and Gender Responsive Budgeting related issues.

Advocacy and partnership building • Facilitate processes for building and strengthening UN Women partnership with the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Planning and the Ministry of Women’s Affairs in addition to any other ministry deemed necessary to become a partner in the project during the implementation phase. • Support the “Financing for Gender Equality” Project Manager in responding to GRB implementation requirements more effectively specially in ensuring integrity of all project components. • Support the “Financing for Gender Equality” Project Manager in facilitating collaboration and regular communication with the Local Aid Coordination Structure (LACS), The European Union Delegation and other programme partners. • Ensure full cooperation and engagement with the project national stakeholders in a way that fosters the sense of ownership, commitment and responsibility amongst national partners towards the project objectives.

Knowledge building, visibility and communication Support the internal communication process and knowledge sharing with the UN WOMEN staff in relation to the GRB project. • Ensure proper and timely communication with the UN WOMEN project management during the implementation process including preparation and submission of required progress reports and daily required correspondences. • Ensure visibility and branding of the project deliverables in line with the branding and visibility policy of the UN WOMEN.

Deliverables/results: ________________________________________

Deliverables • Strategy/action plan to achieve Gender Responsive Budgeting at a national level developed in close cooperation with MoF, MoWA and MoPAD. • Training materials, toolkits and other capacity development materials on GRB are reviewed developed and delivered properly either those produced by the consultant or by any other external party including any CSO partner. • Progress and final reports Results • Knowledge and capacity of the GRB project staff and related UN WOMEN staff are developed in the field of GRB. • Knowledge, competences and the know-how on gender mainstreaming in national budgets is transferred to target finance and planning staffs in core and line ministries and other project stakeholders • Capacities of the Gender Responsive Budgeting (GRB) national committee and the project steering committee are raised. • Technical support for the Ministry of Finance (MoF) provided to revise the budget circular, documents and forms to be more gender responsive; and all needed tools (revised documents) drafted. • Required technical documents and background information that are needed to advise the on-going discussions prepared and presented.

The consultant is required to submit the following upon signing the contract:  Week 1 : A) Work plan covering the whole assignment period initially for 4 months (rolling action plan). B) Implementation methodology and C) Need assessment report.  Monthly progress reports.  Impact assessment upon completion of the assignment.  Final report upon completion, including training materials produced in the frame of the assignment. Required skills and experience________________________________________

Education:

Preferably a Master degree in Economics, public finance, administration, development studies, or bachelor in any same field with at least 10 years of professional experience.

Experience: - At least 10 years of relevant experience in the field of aid effectiveness, macro-economics, public finance or related fields. - Proven experience on gender equality and women’s empowerment. - Specific expertise on related issues of financing for gender equality, including Gender Responsive Budgeting - Proven expertise in Aid Effectiveness, gender and economics. - Preferably Experience in results-based and rights-based programming and management of multi-stakeholder programmes. - Proven analytical and writing skills

Language Requirements: - Fluent spoken and written English and/or Arabic

Submission of application: Interested candidates must apply on-line (jobs.undp.ps).

This SSA modality is governed by UN WOMEN General Terms and Conditions. Please be advised that due to the high amount of replies UN Women receives, we can only get back to the candidates who meet the minimum requirement for this assignment.

How to apply:

Interested candidates must apply on-line (jobs.undp.ps).