The Position:

As part of its work to end conflict related gender-based violence and harmful practices and enhance the voices of young people in local governance, UNFPA in partnership with UNDP is implementing a peace-building project entitled “Enhancing social cohesion and social contract, through empowerment of women and youth in three northern regions of Ghana”. The project aims to prevent and address the root causes of localized and spillover conflicts and vulnerabilities to violent extremism in Northern Ghana. Specifically, the project will empower local governance institutions, actors and customary governance structures to ensure more inclusive, responsive and accountable governance, economic development and quality service delivery, as a peace dividend in these marginalized regions. It will also empower women and youth and other marginalised groups to participate meaningfully in the development processes highlighting their needs whiles holding both formal and customary duty bearers accountable.

You will report to:

The Programme Analyst, Gender

How you can make a difference:

UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. UNFPA’s strategic plan (2022-2025), reaffirms the relevance of the current strategic direction of UNFPA and focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. These results capture our strategic commitments on accelerating progress towards realizing the ICPD and SDGs in the Decade of Action leading up to 2030. Our strategic plan calls upon UN Member States, organizations and individuals to “build forward better”, while addressing the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on women’s and girls’ access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, recover lost gains and realize our goals.

In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards, and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction.

UNFPA is seeking candidates that transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results; we need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results.

Job Purpose:

To support partners undertake effective advocacy with local and customary governance actors for inclusive development as part of the project implementation, UNFPA seeks to engage an individual consultant:

To develop an ‘Equal Engage’ guide that will facilitate effective advocacy to ensure transformation of negative socio-cultural norms and stereotypes that exclude major groups such as women, youth, and other marginalised groups from participating meaningfully in development discourses /processes.

You would be responsible for:

1. Undertake a desk review of existing community advocacy materials, identify gaps and determine areas for improvement based on the objectives and goals of the PBF project.
2. Develop a draft advocacy document for community facilitation focused on the principles of human rights, equality, equity, justice and social accountability.
3. Facilitate a consultative workshop with the PBF implementing partners organised by the Upper East Regional Coordinating Council to generate context specific issues that are predominant in the districts and communities of focus. This will inform the types and levels of advocacy skills and materials that will be most effective to be utilised as part of the PBF implementation.
4. Utilise the issues gathered from the consultative meeting to finalise the ‘Equal Engage’ guide.
5. Develop advocacy messages from the guide that will be user friendly and effective within the contest of the PBF districts. The consultant will also produce a comprehensive report covering all the stages of the assignment.

Duration and Work Schedule:

40 working days within 2 months

Expected Travel:

This assignment will include traveling to the Upper East region for the consultative meeting with the implementing partners.

Qualifications and Experience:

Experience:

Minimum of 5 years of work experience in human rights-based programming, training and development of planning tools including:

1. Knowledge of the decentralised system of governance in Ghana (Local Government System) including the development planning in the districts and local government space.
2. Experience in the development of training manuals/guides, participatory frameworks/tools, training materials including user-friendly versions.
3. Excellent participatory training and group facilitation skills.
4. Excellent communication/presentation, report writing and documentation skills.
5. Ability to analyse/ understand the complex issues of human rights and culture within the local governance sphere.
6. Good knowledge of the development challenges in northern Ghana and its implications for radicalisation in the face of the current Sahel crisis.
7. Excellent knowledge of peace building, governance, gender, youth, population & development and advocacy.
8. Research-related experience in issues and policies on cross border conflicts, peace and security, gender and social norms as well as humanitarian, peace and development nexus in Ghana.
9. Good human relations skills and ability to work with diverse groups with different backgrounds.
10. Good knowledge of the UN system and the development sector.

Education:

Master’s degree in Governance, Human Rights, Development Studies, Gender Studies and related fields.

Languages:

English

Required Competencies:

Values:

Exemplifying integrity,

Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system,

Embracing cultural diversity,

Embracing change

Core Competencies:

Achieving results,

Being accountable,

Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen,

Thinking analytically and strategically,

Working in teams/managing ourselves and our relationships,

Compensation and Benefits:

This position offers an attractive remuneration package including a competitive net salary plus health insurance and other benefits as applicable.

UNFPA Work Environment:

UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore encourage women to apply. Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of UNFPA’s workforce – click here to learn more.

Disclaimer:

Selection and appointment may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, visa issuance and other administrative requirements.

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants’ bank accounts.

Applicants for positions in the international Professional and higher categories, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.