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.

In the Philippines, UN Women has played a vital role in advancing the WPS agenda since 2015, including the support to advance the WPS normative framework at the national, regional and local levels, including the inclusion of gender and women empowerment provisions in the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) and subsequently the establishment of the Bangsamoro Women’s Commission (BWC) in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). In close collaboration with other UN agencies in the Philippines, UN Women has been part of three Peace Building Fund (PBF) initiatives, including the implementation of the current PBF III jointly with UNFPA and IOM under the leadership of the UN Resident Coordinator Office (RCO). It also has a number of ongoing projects in BARMM with a particular focus on capacity building and supporting women’s leadership and meaningful participation in conflict prevention, resolution and recovery in the Philippines as well as localization of the WPS agenda in BARMM Ministries and Agencies to expand space for engagement and participation of local women peace mediators, civil society and women organizations. In 2021, UN Women has established the Women Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF) in the Philippines in close collaboration with RCO. The WPHF is a flexible and rapid financing mechanism. It supports quality interventions designed to enhance the capacity of local women to prevent conflict, respond to crises and emergencies, and seize key peacebuilding opportunities in the Philippines. At the ASEAN regional level, UN Women also launched the regional programme, “Empowering women for sustainable peace: preventing violence and promoting social cohesion in ASEAN”, which includes country-level implementation in the Philippines, given its prominent role in advancing WPS in the region.

Reporting to Programme Specialist, WPS and Humanitarian Action (HA) (SB5), the Field Programme Support is responsible to coordinate the implementation of the UN Women-UNDP Joint Programme, “Empowering women for sustainable peace in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) region” in Cotabato in close collaboration with UNDP. He/she will coordinate the field implementation for a minimum period of three months and ensure the overall coherence of all of UN Women projects implemented in BARMM in close collaboration with RCO and UN agencies that have a presence in Cotabato. Under the technical guidance of the Programme Specialist, WPS and HA, the Field Programme Support will work in close collaboration with government and civil society partners in Cotabato as well as the programme and operations team of UN Women Philippines and ROAP, and civil society ensuring successful delivery of UN Women’s programme results on the ground.

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Provide substantive technical support to the implementation and management of the Joint Programme, “Empowering women for sustainable peace in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) region.”

• Gather and compile all information necessary for monitoring and reporting on programmes and projects from the planning to the evaluation stages including the support to conduct of Mid-Term Review of the Joint Program.
• Convene the Joint Programme Steering Committee.
• Support the review of the JP Project Document by finalizing technical and budgetary updates as required.
• Support the BWC implement the Gender Responsive Budgeting Programme through Ministry Level Meetings and development of GAD Plans and Budgets of 8 priority ministries.
• Lead the implementation of programme activities in partnership with the Bangsamoro Women Commission, Ministry of Public Order and Safety and CSO partners. Support local consultants to:

• Finalize JMC 2023 and other priority policies.
• Conduct preparatory activities for Institutional Analysis of the BWC
• Conduct preparatory activities to set up BARMM GAD Pool
• Conduct of GAD Courses for BARMM Officials

• Lead the coordination of the call/request for proposals, including the organization of technical review committees, and capacity assessment of partners for the Women Economic Empowerment for Women in the Normalization
• Lead the contracting of consultant for Listening Research
• Review, coordinate and monitor the submission of implementing partner financial and narrative reports.

2. Provide implementation support to other UN Women and WPS programs in BARMM including the WPS-ASEAN Project, Women Peace Humanitarian Fund and other

• Provide support in coordinating with BARMM CSO partners for contracting, capacity building, audit and other monitoring activities.
• Support the setting up and selection of WPS Advanced Course for BARMM Practitioners

3. Advocate and facilitate knowledge building and management and communication

• Ensure the documentation of the BARMM programme implementation process and products.
• Contribute to the exchange of information and provide inputs to the development of knowledge products internally and externally of the programme;

• Coordinate the organization of major advocacy campaigns, events, trainings, workshops, and knowledge products.
• Provide inputs from WPS-HA programme activities and results in BARMM to Philippines Office reporting.

• Ensure participation on UN Women to BARMM related activities and other WPS network activities in BARMM

Consultant’s Workplace and Official Travel

The National Consultant is expected to be based in Cotabato, but if applicable with field missions in the project area, BARMM, Mindanao. Philippines. The travel, if necessary, will be arranged by the WPS Unit following the UN Women Travel Policy. As part of this assignment, there will be a maximum of 2 mission/travel as required.

Competencies

Required Skills and Experience

Education and Certification:

• Master’s degree or equivalent in social sciences, political science, human rights, gender equality, management or other related areas is required.
• A first-level university degree in combination with two (2) additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
• Completed minimum of 30 hours trainings on WPS-related capacity building.
• A project/programme management certification is desired.

Experience:

• Minimum 1 year of relevant experience in gender, peace building or Women Peace and Security with a demonstrable ability in project coordination networking and support programming
• Capability and proven experience in coordinating and implementing development projects and activities in BARMM

• Strong understanding and experience in the areas of gender equality and women’s empowerment, gender mainstreaming, gender analysis and the related mandates within the UN system,
• Excellent analytical, facilitation and communications skills and the ability to engaged and negotiate amongst a wide range of stakeholders.

Languages:

• Proficiency in English and Filipino is required.
• Knowledge of local BARMM language is desirable.

Interested candidates are encouraged to submit their electronic application to [email protected] with cc to [email protected] and [email protected] not later than 28 May 2024, 17:00 Manila, PHL time. The submission package includes:

• Personal CV or P11 (P11 can be downloaded from: https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/Headquarters/Attachments/Sections/About%20Us/Employment/UN-Women-P11-Personal-History-Form.doc )
• A cover letter (maximum length: 1 page)
• Written samples or links to access the work portfolio.
• Provide a copy of training certificate (30 hours training WPS-related capacity building)