National consultant on Women, Peace and Security

TERMS OF REFERENCE

I. BACKGROUND

UN Women

The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the empowerment of Women (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.

Placing women’s rights at the center of all its efforts, UN Women leads and coordinates United Nations system efforts to ensure that commitments on gender equality and gender mainstreaming translate into action throughout the world. It provides strong and coherent leadership in support of Member States’ priorities and efforts, building effective partnerships with civil society and other relevant actors.

In Viet Nam, UN Women contributes to the development objectives of Viet Nam’s Socio-Economic Development Plan and the National Strategy for Gender Equality. Its Country Strategy Note for 2022-2026 is aligned to the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (CF) 2022-2026 and is focused on supporting Viet Nam’s fulfilment of Gender Equality commitments under The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), and the promise of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda to “leave no one behind”. The key priorities of UN Women in the 2022-2026 period are:

• By 2026, people in Viet Nam, especially those at risk of being left behind, will benefit from and contribute to safer and cleaner environment resulting from Viet Nam’s effective and gender responsive mitigation and adaptation to climate change, disaster risk reduction and resilience building, promotion of circular economy, the provision of clean and renewable energy, and the sustainable management of natural resources.
• By 2026, people in Viet Nam, especially those at risk of being left behind, will contribute to and benefit equitably from more sustainable, inclusive and gender-responsive economic transformation based on innovation, entrepreneurship, enhanced productivity, competitiveness, and decent work.
• By 2026, people in Viet Nam, especially those at risk of being left behind, will have benefited from and have contributed to a more just, safe and inclusive society based on improved governance, more responsive institutions, strengthened rule of law and the protection of and respect for human rights, gender equality, and freedom from all forms of violence and discrimination in line with international standards.

The Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda was first formalized by the UN Security Council through Resolution 1325 (2000) (UNSCR 1325) and then with the subsequent 9 Resolutions that affirmed the critical roles of women in the prevention and resolution of conflicts and peacebuilding initiatives. For more information about the WPS Agenda, the WPS situation in ASEAN and in Viet Nam, and the ASEAN Regional Plan of Action on WPS, please view the link below:

• https://www.unwomen.org/en/news-stories/in-focus/2022/10/in-focus-women-peace-and-security
• https://asean.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/ASEAN-WPS-Study-01082021.pdf
• https://asiapacific.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/2022-12/FINAL-UN%20Women-NAP%20WPS-VietNam-Report-Dec2022.pdf
• https://asean.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/32-ASEAN-Regional-Plan-of-Action-on-Women-Peace-and-Security.pdf

The aim of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is to complete the first draft of the National Action Plan on WPS by the last quarter of 2023 with a final submission to the Prime Minister targeted for November.

Therefore, UN Women Viet Nam is seeking to hire a senior National consultant to work with the National Drafting Team of the WPS NAP and implement assigned tasks as presented in section II-SCOPE.

II. SCOPE

The successful performance of the incumbent will effectively contribute to the development of a National strategic document based on a consultative process. In particular, the expert is expected to carry out the following functions and activities:

1. Produce communication materials on WPS Agenda and NAP (10 days):

• Prepare a comprehensive briefing package aimed at increasing stakeholders' awareness of the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) Agenda, highlighting key WPS issues specific to Vietnam, and outlining the significance of a National Action Plan (NAP) on WPS for the country.
• This can be done through the review, translation, editing, summarizing, and synthesizing relevant reports and studies[1] into a comprehensive, reader friendly information package on the WPS Agenda and NAP.
• The briefing will serve as an implementation tool to raise awareness and to familiarize stakeholders with the WPS Agenda and NAP during the consultation and drafting processes.

2. Prepare instruments to support the consultation process and process the information obtained from the consultation process (20 days):

• Studying provincial plans on gender, socio-economic development, and other policy frameworks relevant to WPS to develop a well-structured set of questionnaires for the consultation process, with an aim to obtain their insights on relevant works, experiences, and achievements thus far in areas related to WPS, the challenges, emerging security issues, and women and girls’ needs to address their security issues, the policy gaps, priority areas, and recommendations for the WPS NAP.
• Conduct an analysis and synthesis of the responses received from the consultation process.

3. Produce a comparative review of international and regional WPS frameworks and NAPs from selected countries, and based on the results from the consultation process, to propose the outline of the Vietnamese NAP (25 days):

• Produce a comparative review: Review and analyze international and regional frameworks on WPS, the NAPs from selected countries and regions, to produce a comparative summary of contexts, patterns, trends, best practices, etc. relevant to an all-government, all-society and high-impact NAP to further support the National Drafting Team to prepare the NAP contents for Viet Nam, together with the results of the on-line consultation process,
• Reviewing and making adjustment, if necessary, on the gender gap analysis conducted by UN Women’s Gender Expert
• Propose the draft NAP outline for the National Drafting Team.
• Join the relevant event and workshop, including the national consultation workshop, as appropriate.

4. Prepare the draft 0 of the NAP for the national consultation workshop(20 days)

• Support the National Drafting Team to produce the first draft of NAP for Viet Nam.

5. Support the National Drafting Team to finalise the draft NAP after the national consultation workshop (10 days)

III. DELIVERABLES

IV. CONTRACT PERIOD AND WORK LOCATION

This contract tentatively commences on 10^th August 2023 and ending on 31st December 2023. The Expert will work home-based and MOFA based, with participation in meetings and workshops, as appropriate.

UN Women will provide the expert with a work laptop and a workstation if the expert is based in UN Women Viet Nam Country Office in Ha Noi, Viet Nam. If home-based/flexible location, then the laptop and workstation will not be provided. If the expert needs to travel during the consultancy for assignment-related purposes, UN Women will bear the costs of requested travel expenses.

V.  SCHEDULE OF PAYMENT

Payment for services will be made upon delivery of each deliverable outlined in the table above, subject to satisfaction and approval by UN Women following the schedule set forth below.

The SSA contract provides for the inclusion of all costs (all-inclusive); the Organization will not assume any costs or benefits in addition to the fee for services.? Therefore, it is the expert's responsibility to have medical insurance for the period of the contract.

VI. REQUIREMENTS

For the applicant to be considered, applicants must meet the following qualifications and requirements:

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in law, Political Science, International Relations, Human Rights, Development Studies or other related areas.
• Postgraduate studies and/or specializations in International Relations and Politics, Human Rights.
• Fluent in Vietnamese, English and French (oral and written).

Professional Experience

• Demonstrable experience in the field of human rights, women, peace and security, diplomacy, policy planning and policy making.
  
• At least 10 years of work in human rights, diplomacy.  
• Experience working with Gender Equality and Women's and Girls' Empowerment issues.
• Previous experience with United Nations Agencies and/or International Organizations, regional organizations desirable.
• Experience of working with senior government officials and state institutions in Vietnam.
• Experience in chairing/managing the drafting process, development and review of national action plans, national reports, preferably on gender, human rights, peace and security.

Functional competencies

• Excellent analytical, coordination and communication capabilities to senior level of leadership and management, at the same time is competent to work in a participatory and inclusive manner.

Management

• Distinctive competence in consulting and communication skills, as well as the ability to work independently and with diverse and complex team composition (the Drafting Team)

Language requirement:

• Vietnamese as mother tongue
• Proficiency in English and French. Working knowledge of UN agencies UN language is desirable.

Core Values and Competencies

In addition to requirements and qualifications, it is important that the expert shares the core values and core competencies of the organization.

Core Values

• Respect for Diversity
• Integrity
• Professionalism

Core Competencies

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

Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Core Values and Competencies:

http://www.unwomen.org/-/media/headquarters/attachments/sections/about%20us/employment/un-women-employment-values-and-competencies-definitions-en.pdf

VII. EVALUATION

Applications will be evaluated based on cumulative analysis.

• Technical Qualification (100 points) weight; [70%]
• Financial Proposal (100 points) weight; [30%]

A two-stage procedure is utilized in evaluating the applications, with evaluation of the technical application being completed prior to any price proposal being compared. Only the price proposal of the candidates who passed the minimum technical score of 70% of the obtainable score of 100 points in the technical qualification evaluation will be evaluated.

Technical qualification evaluation criteria:

The total number of points allocated for the technical qualification component is 100. The technical qualification of the individuals is evaluated based on the following technical qualification evaluation criteria:

Financial evaluation:

• Only the financial proposal of candidates who have attained a minimum of 70% score in the technical evaluation will be considered and evaluated.
• The total number of points allocated for the financial component is 100.
• The maximum number of points will be allotted to the lowest price proposal that is opened/ evaluated and compared among those technically qualified candidates who have attained a minimum of 70% score in the technical evaluation. All other price proposals will receive points in inverse proportion to the lowest price.
• Financial proposal: the financial proposal shall specify a lump sum amount breaking down the professional fee for each deliverable.

VIII. SUBMISSION OF APPLICATION:

Interested candidates are requested to submit electronic applications no later than 02 August 2023 Hanoi time.

Submission package with email title [TOR-VNM-2023-019 - Full Name] needs to send to email: [email protected] 

1. Updated CV.
2. Personal History Form (P11). The P11 Form can be downloaded from the following website: http://asiapacific.unwomen.org/en/about-us/jobs
3. Financial proposal with your signature specifying a daily consultancy rate in VND and a breakdown per deliverable.

NOTE:  

* Please see the financial proposal template below:

FINANCIAL PROPOSAL

* Documents required before contract signing:

• The medical statement from the physician certifying good health to work and travel. (This is not a requirement for RLA contracts).
• Completed UNDSS BSAFE online training course.
  EN: https://agora.unicef.org/course/info.php?id=17891
• Release letter in case the selected expert is a government official.

* Regarding application submission:

• Applications received incomplete or after the closing date will not be considered.    
• Only successful applicants will be contacted to be advised of the next phase of the recruitment process.
• All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence. 

UN Women is committed to achieving workplace diversity in terms of gender, nationality, and culture.    

People from minority groups, indigenous groups and people with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply.

IX. DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided based on qualifications, competence, integrity and organizational need.

If you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in your application.

UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to UN Women’s policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UN Women personnel and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. (Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.)