International Consultant to Mainstream Gender in the Comprehensive Education Sector Analysis (ESA), Republic of Moldova

Vacancy Number: Pr18/01749

Location:Chisinau, Moldova
Application Deadline: 17 Aug 2018, 23:59 (GMT+2:00)
Application Extended deadline:
23 Aug 2018, 23:59 (GMT+2:00)
Application Extended deadline:
23 Aug 2018, 23:59 (GMT+2:00)
Type of Contract:Individual Contract
Starting date: 17 Sep 2018
Reference to the project: UN Women
UNICEF Moldova
Expected Duration of Assignment:40 working days within a five-month assignment
Supporting Documents:
Terms of Reference
Procurement Notice
Financial Proposal Form
Personal History Form (P11) UN Women

Contacts:

Ms. Irina Cozma.


Ms. Viorica Culeac.




Background

UN Moldova is working together with the Government of Moldova to achieve the objectives defined in the United Nations Republic of Moldova Partnership Framework for Sustainable Development (UNPFSD) 2018–2022. Individual UN agencies implement their respective Country Programmes to contribute to the results of the UNPFSD, in cooperation with the other UN agencies, to ensure the preeminent utilization of technical expertise and establishment of synergies between interventions.

As of beginning of 2018, UNICEF Moldova initiated its new 2018-2022 Country Programme with the Government of Moldova. As part of this programme, UNICEF Moldova supports the Government and civil society to ensure enhanced attention to children (and their families) at risk of exclusion due to geographic disparities, poverty, ethnicity, disability, gender, and lack of, or poor parental care. The Country Programme incorporates wider targets reflected in international treaty body recommendations to Moldova, specifically the Concluding Observations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child to the combined 4th and 5th report of the Republic of Moldova and is also aligned with national goals reflected in national policy documents.

The work of UN Women in the Republic of Moldova is guided by its new Country Strategic Note for 2018-2022, which aims to contribute to the realization of the National Strategy on Gender Equality for 2017-2021 (NSGE). Under its 2018-2022 Strategy, UN Women focuses on three main areas where gender equality gaps are still present: 1) strengthening women’s participation in politics and decision making, 2) advancing the economic empowerment of women and 3) preventing and combating violence against women and girls. To achieve progress under these areas, UN Women works with variety of national and international partners and as part of different national and regional initiatives, placing special focus on women and girls from marginalized groups. The NSGE for 2017-2021 and its associated Action Plan aim to advance gender equality in a wide range of policy areas including education, political participation, social protection, labour market, health, the peace and security agenda, climate change and overall policy making and budgeting. It has specific objectives to integrate gender equality in education system.

In 2018, the Ministry of Education, Culture and Research (MECR) of the Republic of Moldova received from the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) the Education Sector Plan Development Grant to be used for carrying out the Education Sector Analysis (ESA). The ESA will be comprehensive and will cover: early childhood education, primary, secondary, higher and vocational education, and non-formal education, as well as adult literacy and life-long learning. The ESA will include a context analysis;  an analysis of the existing policies including the national policies on education and international commitments; an analysis of the cost and finance to analyse the level of investment in education and its trend overtime; an evidence based analysis of education system performance which will factor the differences by sex and geographic areas; an analysis of education system capacity to examine the effectiveness of education administration at central and local level; an analysis of information sources and their availability; and concrete recommendations and strategic vision with regards to further development of the education system.  The comprehensive analysis of the education sector will inform further actions of the government regarding modernizing the sector. UNICEF is supporting the overall ESA by a team of experts commissioned to carry out the analysis.

Aiming at the advancement of gender equality in the educational system, gender mainstreaming should be also comprehensively ensured in the Education Sector Analysis. For this purpose, UN Women and UNICEF plan to recruit an international consultant.

Scope of work

PURPOSE OF THE CONSULTANCY

The purpose of the consultancy is to provide gender expertise to the team of experts (hired on a separate contract by UNICEF) to ensure the comprehensive education sector analysis is gender responsive.  

The consultancy is expected to be carried out within the period September 15 – 30 December 2018. The final deliverables, including the final report of the analysis, will be presented and validated by MECR,  UNICEF and UN Women and no later than 30 December 2018.

SCOPE OF WORK

Under the overall guidance of the UN Women and UNICEF responsible staff, the international consultant will ensure that gender is mainstreamed in the comprehensive analysis of the education sector in Moldova, which will cover the sections on early childhood, primary, secondary, higher and vocational education, non-formal education, as well as adult literacy and life-long learning. The comprehensive sector analysis will be carried out in a participative manner, with close involvement of MECR; Ministry of Finance; Ministry of Economy and Infrastructure; Ministry of Health, Labour and Social Protection; civil society; academia; teachers’ unions, education professionals and participation of students and relevant developmental partners, including but not limited to EU, UNDP, UNFPA, IOM, WHO and the WB.

The role of the international consultant will be to review and propose specific changes to the below stated documents from gender perspective:

  1. The context analysis;
  2. The analysis of existing policies;
  3. The analysis of education system performance;
  4. The analysis of the education system capacity;
  5. The analysis of the information sources and their availability;
  6. Specific recommendations for the education sector.

In addition, the international consultant is expected to participate in the public presentation for validation of findings.

The international consultant will be part of the team of experts which is separately contracted by UNICEF. S/he will work in close consultation with UNICEF Moldova Country Office and UNICEF Europe and Central Asia Regional Office, UN Women Moldova Country Office, the MECR and other line ministries and the Local Education Group (LEG) established by MECR supporting the work on the Education Sector Analysis and Development Plan.

Requirements for experience

Education:

  • Master’s degree in social studies, gender studies, public policy, development studies and/or another field related to the area relevant for the assignment

Experience

  • A minimum of 7 years of experience in gender equality, which includes provision of consultancy and technical advice services to public institutions related to gender equality and gender mainstreaming;
  • At least 5 years of proven experience in carrying out gender analysis of policy documents, strategies, plans;
  • Demonstrated experience and knowledge in the field of education sector is a strong asset;
  • Experience in working with UN Women or other UN Agencies will be an asset;
  • Demonstrated experience in the field in CEE/CIS region including Moldova is an asset.

Language Requirements:

  • Excellent command of English, both oral and written. Working command of Romanian and/ or Russian is a strong asset

Documents to be included

  • Interested candidates are invited to submit their online applications by 17 August 2018 with the following documents.
  • Letter of Intent to include a brief overview about which of your previous experiences makes you the most suitable candidate for the advertised position;
  • Duly filled Personal History Form P11 and the CV, including records on past experience in similar projects/ assignments and specific outputs obtained; P11 can be downloaded at http://www.unwomen.org/about-us/employment;
  • Financial proposal – specifying a total lump sum amount for the task specified in Terms of References. The Financial proposal shall include a breakdown of this lump sum amount (daily rate). Please see ANNEX I and ANNEX II.
  • Technical proposal – which shall include:
  • Description of the candidate’s relevant experience with similar type of assignments (max 300 words)
  • Proposed approach and methodology (max 1500 words), including:
    • Timeline and milestones
    • Risk and mitigation measures
  • Annex: Short Sample or links to related work previously conducted by the consultant

Financial proposal

Please see ANNEX I and ANNEX II from Terms of Reference; 


 

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