Consultant: Youth Engagement in National Beijing +25 Reports

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.

Duties and Responsibilities

Develop a youth-focussed report based on the national-level reviews of the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.

• Develop a research protocol, analysis framework, report outline, work plan and timeline to process youth-related content in approximately 165 national reports.
• Conduct a comprehensive review and analysis of the youth-related content in the national reports.
• Prepare and submit draft reports that show the global and regional youth-focussed trends on the achievements made and challenges encountered in the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action as well as new emerging youth-related challenges and achievements not covered by the Platform for Action.
• Provide weekly email updates to Civil Society Division on the progress made, challenges encountered and request support as needed. Address feedback from the Civil Society Division.
• Share timely drafts of deliverables with the Civil Society Division based on the work plan submitted.
• Submit final report with appropriate annexes with Civil Society Division within the set deadline.
• Submit a PowerPoint Presentation highlighting the findings of the report including relevant graphics.

Competencies

Core Competencies

• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues
• Accountability
• Creative Problem Solving
• Effective Communication
• Inclusive Collaboration
• Leading by Example

Required Skills and Experience

• Research experience on youth, gender equality and women's rights issues; preferably prior research experience on the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.
• Demonstrated ability to produce high quality knowledge and research products. A published research writing samples is required. 
• Excellent writing and analytical skills;
• Knowledge and understanding of UN system and familiarity with inter-governmental processes, and especially of UN Women’s mandate;
• Excellent IT skills, including databases, extranet and office software packages;

Education and certification:        

• Master’s degree or equivalent in social sciences, international relations, communications, women's studies, or a related field is required.

Experience:       

• At least 3 years of progressively responsible experience in research on gender equality and women’s empowerment;
• Experience or familiarity with youth and the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action;
• Experience working in the UN system is an asset.
• Experience compiling information from a large number of reports to produce analytical pieces is an asset.

Language:

• Fluency in English and French.
• Knowledge of the other UN official working language is an asset.

2020 will mark a milestone moment for accelerating implementation of global commitments to gender equality. It will be the 25th anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women (Beijing+25) and of the adoption of its landmark outcome, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BPfA), widely considered the blueprint for the achievement of gender equality.

States have been called upon to undertake comprehensive, participatory and multi-stakeholder national preparatory reviews, and prepare national reports, including an assessment of progress, challenges, and priorities.  UN Women has received 151 reports so far and expects to receive approximately 165. The five regional commissions are leading regional review processes that will culminate in intergovernmental meetings, in late October 2019 and January 2020.  The outcome of the regional intergovernmental processes will feed into the sixty-fourth session of the Commission on the Status of Women, from 9 – 20 March 2020.  The Commission will undertake a comprehensive review and appraisal of the implementation of the Platform for Action. 

In this context, UN Women is seeking a consultant to produce a report analysing the submitted national reports focussing exclusively on youth-related content in the reports. The report will analyse youth-specific aspects of the national-levels reports on the progress made and challenges encountered in the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the outcomes of the 23rd special session of the General Assembly. It will identify regional youth-focussed trends on the achievements made and challenges encountered in the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action as well as new emerging youth-related challenges and achievements not covered by the Platform for Action.

Under the direction of the Deputy and the guidance of the Civil Society Division, and with the support of the Global Youth Focal Point, the consultant will work with UN Women, to produce this youth-focussed report based on all received and incoming national reports.