UN Women - In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. In doing so, UN Member States took an historic step in accelerating the Organization's goals on gender equality and the empowerment of women. The creation of UN Women came about as part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact. It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system, which focused exclusively on gender equality and women's empowerment.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Consultant - Gender Analysis for a Sustainable Agriculture and Livelihoods Improvement Project

Location: Borno
Additional Category: Gender Equality
Type of Contract: Individual Contract
Post Level: National Consultant
Languages Required: English  
Starting Date (date when the selected candidate is expected to start): 12-Mar-2018
Slots: 2

Background and Justification for the Consultancy

• The crisis in North-East  Nigeria since 2009, coupled with the unfriendly climate condition has impacted negatively on livelihoods and food security especially with an estimated 80-90% of the population in the area who are dependent on agriculture, fisheries and livestock for their livelihoods. The impact of the conflict on agriculture is estimated to be USD 3.7 billion
• Access to fishing grounds has been reduced, irrigation and farming facilities destroyed; extension services and key agriculture based value chains have collapsed
• The situation has also impacted on transportation of farm produce, market and trade facilities (including fish markets); and reduced production due to mass displacement and limited access to markets. Looting and fear of attacks have prevented farmers from working in their fields, leading to reduced harvests, a loss of productive assets and extremely reduced purchasing power
• The conflict situation has negatively impacted men, women, boys and girls in Borno State in different ways and changed household and community dynamics. The IOM Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) Round XXI (February 2018) indicates that 77% of the total amount of 1,782,490 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Nigeria is located in Borno State. Additionally, 79% of the IDP population are women, men and children are displaced and they are at constant risk of grave human rights violations and sexual and gender-based violence.
• A high percentage of displaced women and girls are survivors of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and face stigmatization when they return to their communities
• Female headed households, widows and adolescent girls remain critically vulnerable to violence by armed actors as well as members of the community, and are susceptible to resorting to survival sex in exchange for resources, including food and shelter. Women and girls have been particularly vulnerable to abductions by non-state armed groups, and have experienced severe violations including rape, forced marriage, forced labour, or other forms of violence during their abduction. Safety and security challenges are higher for women and girls living in areas where the security parameter is limited to the LGA towns
• Women and girls walk long distances to collect firewood and water and in the process, some are abducted and sexually violated thereby limiting their freedom of movement which in turn affects their livelihoods
• As a result, negative coping mechanisms, such as families using child marriage to access food and ensure social security and protection are common. Safety measures (including safe energy options) especially for female-headed households are needed to restore the dignity and harness resilience.
• The interplay of patriarchal, cultural and weak socio-political and economic factors account for a much higher negative impact on women and girl’s with low literacy rates; marginalization of women from decision-making processes, limited access to education, employment, and other economic opportunities. The failure to adequately address the gendered impact of the conflict has led to continued victimization and violation which totally undermines early recovery efforts as well as post-conflict accountability and resilience
• About 2.9 million people are estimated to be at risk of gender-based violence (GBV) threats
• The most vulnerable groups are women, girls and boys. Female-headed households, widows, women with disabilities and adolescent girls remain the most at-risk groups.

Duties and Responsibilities
The FAO, UN Women and WFP, with support of the European Union, are collaborating on a three-year joint project: Restoring and promoting sustainable agriculture based livelihoods for food security, employment and nutrition improvement in Borno State. The project will seek to build the resilience of conflict affected people and public-sector institutions in Borno State, emphasising a gender responsive and environment-friendly approach by working to achieve two broad objectives:

• Enhance social protection, through creation of employment and the promotion of environment and climate-friendly livelihood opportunities (with a special focus on women, youth and vulnerable households) in 13 local government areas (LGAs) in Borno State, with the aim of increasing access to basic needs, significantly reducing malnutrition and strengthening resilience in communities affected by the insurgency.
• Supporting resilience in terms of food security and of the wider economy, including basic services for local populations, and in particular the most vulnerable, as well as the refugees and displaced people, including through food and nutrition security, health, education and social protection, as well as environmental sustainability
• The project will target 99,500 households (646,750 people), who will be directly reached by productive safety nets to boost their agricultural production and income generating activities; so that they can move from protection to production. Among those, the action will provide safety nets through cash transfers to 78,300 vulnerable households (391,500 people). The project will seek to achieve the following results and will target women and youth with the participation of men:
  • Small holder farmers (men, women and youth) have enhanced skills and knowledge to implement good gender-sensitive agriculture and nutrition practices
  • Small holder farmers) have diversified food source and income
  • Small holder farmers have opportunities for markets and business development

Gender and Protection Component of the Project

• To ensure that the differential needs of men, women, boys and girls are met in the programming cycle a gender analysis is being planned as part of the project inception activity
• The gender analysis will shape beneficiary targeting, with adapted programming including training tools, sensitization and advocacy to take the outcomes of the gender analysis into account.

Objectives of the Gender Analysis
The analysis will attempt to achieve the following objectives:

• To examine the differential needs of women and men in the target communities in relation to gender, age, and how dominant social norms and power dynamics play out
• To understand who has access and/or control over land, productive resources and food insecurity and other social protection amongst women, men, household in the face of the insurgency /scarce resources
• To understand differential vulnerability, barriers and constraints faced by women and men of different ages in informal and formal institutions (people living disability elderly people, youth), in relation to agriculture, livelihoods (including access to market business) and security
• Explore strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to improve women and girls’ participation in decision making and policy formulation/review of agricultural practices, food security and nutrition, livelihoods and security in the state
• Explore what and how to mitigate the risks of backlashes and violence that women and girls may face because of their empowerment and involvement in programme implementation and governance
• Identify programming opportunities, strengths, gaps, lessons learned and recommended strategies for designing a gender-responsive livelihood program that caters for the needs and interests of women, men, boys and girls to enhance program effectiveness that maximizes impact for food security.

Scope and Study Target
The analysis will be a qualitative one and it will be carried out in at least 50 % of the target communities. The following persons will be targeted as respondents for the study:

• Women and men of different ages and other diversities (disability, ethnicity etc) in selected LGAs and communities (Host, IDPs and returnees)
• Women groups; farmers’ cooperatives,
• Youth Leaders
• Community leaders-Traditional and Religious Leaders
• Formal and informal Institutions; Government MDAs
• Relevant CSOs, Coalitions and networks
• UN Agencies and relevant sub groups working on agriculture, livelihoods, etc
• Other indirect beneficiaries

Timeframe

• The estimated timeframe of the analysis is two months (March-April/May 2018) (This will include collection of the data/information and development of the report)
• Hiring Agency and Specific Consultancy Requirements:
• UN Women Nigeria is looking to hire two Consultants with expertise and experience in both gender and agriculture and gender and nutrition/livelihood within humanitarian and conflict settings. Experience of working in the North East will be desirable
• The consultants  will work with the UN project team to conduct a comprehensive analysis and write up the report of the findings
• The consultants will be expected to work together to undertake the following for the successful conduct of the study:

Summary of Key Functions

• Develop an indicative proposal of how the gender analysis will be implemented
• Develop an inception report after due consultation with the project team
• Mobilize respondents and conduct the study among the agreed target population
• Analysis and report on findings 

Description of Functions

• Develop and submit a comprehensive technical proposal with clear methodology and approach to community mobilization, data collection, analysis and reporting
• Develop and submit a comprehensive budget with clear budget lines
• Develop and share a workplan with clear activities and timeline (if possible combine with other ongoing project assessments to avoid beneficiary exhaustion)
• Develop and share indicative guiding questions guides for the study
• Work with the project team to mobilize the selected community and stakeholders for the interviews
• Conduct the interviews with relevant stakeholders
• Analyze the findings
• Support validation exercise
• Develop the report
• Others as will be agreed 

Expectations

• Work with the project team to mobilize the selected community and stakeholders for the interviews
• Conduct the interviews with relevant stakeholders
• Analyze the findings
• Support validation exercise
• Develop the report

Competencies
Core Values:

• Integrity: Demonstrates consistency in upholding and promoting the values of UN Women in actions and decisions, in line with the UN Code of Conduct.
• Professionalism: Demonstrates professional competence and expert knowledge of the pertinent substantive areas of work.
• Respect for Diversity: Demonstrates an appreciation of the multi-cultural nature of the organization and the diversity of its staff. Demonstrates an international outlook, appreciating difference in values and learning from cultural diversity.

Core Competencies:

• Ethics and Values: Demonstrate and safeguard ethics and integrity
• Organizational Awareness: Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment
• Development and Innovation: Take charge of self-development and take initiative
• Work in teams: Demonstrate ability to work in a multicultural, multi ethnic environment and to maintain effective working relations with people of different national and cultural backgrounds.
• Communicating and Information Sharing: Facilitate and encourage open communication and strive for effective communication
• Self-management and Emotional Intelligence: Stay composed and positive even in difficult moments, handle tense situations with diplomacy and tact, and have a consistent behavior towards others
• Conflict Management: Surface conflicts and address them proactively acknowledging different feelings and views and directing energy towards a mutually acceptable solution.
• Continuous Learning and Knowledge Sharing: Encourage learning and sharing of knowledge
• Appropriate and Transparent Decision Making: Demonstrate informed and transparent decision making

Functional Competencies:

• Strong research/evidence gathering and documentation expertise and experiences
• Experience of working with communities, government institutions NGOS and international organizations
• Knowledge and experience of working in Northern Nigeria and in conflict and humanitarian settings
• Strong facilitation skills
• Ability to work under strict deadlines and schedules
• Excellent skills in written and spoken English
• Other languages of Northern Nigeria, including Hausa and Kanuri is desired

Required Skills and Experience
Education:

• Master's Degree or equivalent in the field of Gender and Agriculture, Gender and Nutrition/Livelihoods work.

Experience:

• Minimum of 10 years of relevant experience in required
• Strong research. evidence gathering and documentation expertise and experiences
• Experience of working with communities, government institutions NGOS and international organizations
• Knowledge and experience of working in Northern Nigeria and in conflict and humanitarian settings
• Experience and strong facilitation skills
• Ability to work under strict deadlines and schedules

Language:

• Fluency in written and spoken English is required
• Knowledge of the other UN working knowledge is an asset.
• Knowledge of Hausa is an asset.