Economic Commission for Africa
African Centre for Gender and Social Development

Gender Section

Objective

The program of work on Gender and Women in Development focuses on mainstreaming a gender perspective in national development policies and programs, including budgetary processes, in order to achieve the goals of gender equality and women's empowerment. It also aims at promoting women's human and legal rights; assisting member states in using comprehensive tools, such as “A Guidebook on Mainstreaming Gender Perspectives and Household Production in National Accounts, Budgets and Policies in Africa”, the Gender-aware Macroeconomic Model and the African Gender and Development Index in addressing gender and development issues. It also facilitates the implementation, follow up and reporting on regional and international instruments, conventions and protocols on the advancement of women and gender equality including the Dakar and the Beijing Platforms for Action, CEDAW, the Protocol to the African Charter on women's rights, the AU Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality, UN Resolution 1325 and the Abuja Declaration on HIV/AIDS. Strategic partners include the AU, RECs, AfDB and United Nations Agencies.

Duties and Responsibilities of Consultant

• Support research on gender and women's empowerment issues;

• Build and strengthen the capacity of member States and other stakeholders in mainstreaming gender in socio-economic policies, program and activities;

• Designing and providing tools for reviewing socio-economic trends and developments from a gender perspective;

• Provide technical assistance to member States for policy analysis with a gender perspective;

• Support and strengthen member States in the collection and use of sex-disaggregated and gender-responsive statistics;

• Strengthen gender mainstreaming within ECA Divisions and sub-regional offices (SROs);

• Support work on gender statistics;

• Participate in the organization of workshops on gender mainstreaming and discussion on the implementation of the regional and international agreements on gender equality and women's empowerment;

• Support work on with the Committee on the Status of Women;

• Work on the AGDI, its launch in the member States, their training on its use, data collection using the AGDI and writing of the country AGDI reports as well as the African Women's Report based on the information collected from the countries;

• Build the capacity of member States in mainstreaming women's human rights in national legal systems and related instruments and institutions;

• Contribute to expert group meetings in selected areas of gender equality and women's empowerment.

Qualifications

Education

Advanced University Degree (MA or MSc) in gender and development, development economics, economics, statistics and other related social science field.

Work Experience

A minimum of 5 years experience in the African context, in some of the following expertise: knowledge of the gender and policy issues; familiarity with working on gender issues and understanding of the global and regional declarations on gender equality and women's rights issues; broad experience working with development policies, gender and women's issues; broad experience in undertaking gender training and research.

Competencies

Professionalism - Sound analytical skills in the area of gender and development. Knowledge and understanding of theories and concepts related to socio-economic and development issues as they apply to gender concerns etc.; good research, analytical and problem solving skills, including ability to identify and participate in the resolution of issues; familiarity with and experience in the use of various research methodologies. Technological Awareness – Fully proficient computer skills and use of relevant software and other applications e.g. word processing, database management, spreadsheets and other statistical applications, economic/econometric software, Internet etc. Teamwork - Good interpersonal skills and ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and working relations in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity. Communication - Good communications skills, including the ability to draft/ edit a variety of written reports, studies and other communications. Gender mainstreaming - Ability to identify, analyze and address relevant gender issues in substantive work. Planning and Organizing: Proven ability to priotize, plan and organize own work and ability to integrate work into the work of the unit; ability to monitor and adjust plan and priorities as necessary and to work according to deadlines.

Languages

Fluency in written and oral English or French and knowledge of the other language is an advantage.

HOW TO APPLY

Interested persons who wish to be considered for the roster are requested to complete the Personal History Form (Form P-11) and send it before 31 May 2008 by e-mail to: ecarecruitment@uneca.org . Kindly note that only applications submitted on Form P-11 will be reviewed.

The United Nations shall place no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs (Charter of the United Nations – Chapter 3, article 8).

After the initial screening process, persons found to meet the eligibility requirements indicated in the TORs will be contacted for verification of their academic and professional credentials. On completion of the verification process, those retained for roster will be advised accordingly. They will subsequently be contacted to undertake consultancy assignments whenever the need arises. The duration of such assignments ranges from one to six months.