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.

UN Women is committed to the achievement of equality between women, men, boys and girls as partners and beneficiaries of humanitarian action. The impact of conflict is often measured by casualties: Women and girls face heightened risks due to displacement and the breakdown of normal protection structures and support, gender-based violence. In May 2015, UN Women engaged in Gender in Humanitarian Action and in 2017 created the Humanitarian Action and crisis Response Office to consolidate its advocacy, coordination and capacity development role for the integration of gender equality across humanitarian action.

In November 2021, UNWOMEN adopted a new humanitarian strategy ( 2022-2025). The aim of UN-Women’s engagement in humanitarian action is to ensure effectiveness in addressing gendered needs, working across the humanitarian-development – peace continuum, and embodying  two approaches; i) supporting the mainstreaming of gender in the coordination, planning, prioritization, financing of humanitarian response in the immediate aftermath of emergencies and humanitarian crises; and ii) contributing to long term recovery and protection of rights of women and girls in emergencies and protracted crises through the nexus approach using the LEAP Framework.

UNWOMEN collaborates closely with UN system partners, national institutions and civil society organisations to ensure accountability and coherence in addressing gender equality in humanitarian action. UN Women works with gender equality institutions and organizations, from grassroots to intergovernmental bodies, to strengthen their position and capacity as champions for gender equality in humanitarian action, recovery and beyond.

About the portfolio/ thematic area

In the world, the number of people affected by humanitarian situations increased from 52 million in 2014 to nearly 132 million in 2019 [1]. A large part (at least 22 million) of this population is in West and Central Africa with various humanitarian priority: Food insecurity caused by climate shocks, arm conflicts, terrorism, epidemics, and natural disasters. The increased action of terrorism with Boko Haram in the Sahel  has generated new and complex situation in the region.

West and Central Africa is faced with many conflict situations (Central African Republic, Cameroon, Nigeria, Chad, Niger, Mali, DRC) with more than 10.7 million refugees and internal displaced persons requiring life-saving assistance and protection. Women, girls and children represent a large part of this population.

Governmental and non-governmental civilian infrastructures and services were systematically destroyed or closed after conflict. The lack of access to life-saving, medical care and insecurity caused by displacement has exacerbated women’s security and safety. The violence, especially rape/violence against women and instability have accentuated existing gender inequalities and exposed women to the risk of heightened violence at the home and in the community. Regarding terrorism orientation in West and central Africa, women in many countries are afraid to send their daughters to school, in public places, in markets, for fear to having them kidnapped, and the latter live in an advanced state of trauma. This escalation of violence raises the issue of protection for IDPs, host vulnerable populations, refugees as women, girls and children have been frequently targeted by Boko Haram in its new conflict strategy. Communities and individuals in the affected regions are resilient to shocks and have already withstood numerous crisis of different nature in the past decades. Life-saving humanitarian assistance has been critical to help them absorb the impact of these socks and it must continue.

Countries in the Sahel have been dealing with successive political and humanitarian crises for years. The situation has left the Sahelian countries increasingly vulnerable to disasters and humanitarian emergencies.

Under the direct supervision of Regional Policy Adviser on Peace, Security and Humanitarian Action, the Gender Humanitarian Specialist will contribute to the effective implementation of the UN Women Humanitarian strategy and the DRR program in West and Central Africa. The scope of tasks to be undertaken with regards to gender equality, humanitarian action will be agreed with the incumbent as the need arises.

[1] https://www.unocha.org/es/node/951883

1- Provide technical support to Country Office teams to develop programmes on humanitarian action:

• Manage the development of an integrated strategy for the delivery of technical assistance, policy advocacy and programme support in the region.
• Manage the development of regional programme documents on humanitarian action.
• Oversee the contextualization/ localization of programme documents, country strategies, and knowledge products, and ensure proper monitoring and reporting on humanitarian action programmes.
• Provides technical support to COs on GIHA and ensures coherence of COs response in emergency and protracted crisis with UN Women global strategies and policies.
• Support for developments of inputs into Countries’ Humanitarian Needs Overviews (HNOs) and Humanitarian Response Plans (HRPs).

2- Lead the design of humanitarian action programmes in the region and the development of relevant knowledge products:

• Lead the provision of policy recommendations and guidance to strategic planning and positioning on gender and humanitarian response,
• Lead and provide advice to regional/ national bodies; represent UN Women in interagency groups that influence policies related to humanitarian action,
• Lead the research, development and presentation of analytical reports, research papers, briefing notes, background papers, summaries, correspondence and talking points on humanitarian action.
• Identify promising practices, technical expertise, and strategic opportunities.

3- Lead the provision of technical support to Country Office teams and partners:

• Provide gender expertise to relevant inter-agency and inter-governmental forums, clusters, inter-agency coordination mechanisms.
• Contribute to the development/ adaption of tools and training/orientation on gender equality and Humanitarian Action and gender with UN Women Offices, UN Women partners.
• Lead country office programme teams in developing and strengthening policies, projects/ programmes and modalities; and ensuring the proper monitoring.
• Develop, implement and monitor capacity building initiatives.
• Lead the provision of technical policy advice to programme/ project managers/ specialists in the CO.
• Provides emergency surge support to country offices to strengthen UNW’s humanitarian emergency response in programming and coordination.
• Support Country Offices in rapid data gathering/assessments in the event of sudden-onset emergencies to provide inputs into humanitarian/emergency deliverables as required.

4- Establish and strengthen strategic partnerships with stakeholders, regional/ international actors:

• Build and strengthen strategic partnerships for the advancement of gender and humanitarian action agenda and gender.
• Build and strengthen close liaisons with relevant donors and other actors supporting efforts towards enhanced implementation of gender and humanitarian.
• Provide technical GiHA advisory capacity to UN-led humanitarian and coordination mechanisms.
• Supports strengthening inter-agency partnerships with UN and INGO humanitarian actors.

5- Manage the resource mobilization strategy for humanitarian action in the region.

• Participate in the implementation, monitoring and periodic updating of the resource mobilization strategy on humanitarian action in the region.
• Provide technical support to field-based presences in the region in mobilizing resources for the implementation of humanitarian action.
• Research and analyze information on donors.

6- Manage the advocacy of humanitarian action through inter-agency coordination.

• Work closely with and provide advice to regional/ national bodies and interagency groups that influence policies related to humanitarian action.
• Participate and contribute inputs to the regional Humanitarian Clusters.
• Coordinate the regional GIHA group and provide technical expertise to gender groups in different countries.
• Coordinate specific efforts in mainstreaming gender and protection efforts of other clusters and relevant working groups;
• Advocate for the engagement and participation of local organizations and civil society networks in humanitarian coordination mechanisms.

7- Manage advocacy and communication efforts of humanitarian action

• During emergency response, develop and implement communication and advocacy messages and contribute inputs to strategies on key gender and protection concerns;
• Develop information, education and communication (IEC) materials, press releases, situation reports, alerts and contribute gender and protection-related inputs to documents prepared by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

8- Manage knowledge building and sharing for enhanced contribution of women to humanitarian planning processes:

• Identify best practices and lessons learned to guide Regional and Country Offices on humanitarian programme improvement and strategy planning.
• Ensure technical skills and knowledge are shared within and among country offices.
• Manage and monitor the regional knowledge platform and innovative approaches on gender, humanitarian action;
• Collect information at the regional level to input to into regional mechanisms as appropriate and different reports;
• Provide strategic information and draft briefings and policy briefs on humanitarian emergencies in the region.

Key Performance Indicators

• Timely and quality technical advice and support
• Quality reports and other strategic documents drafted and submitted in a timely manner
• Strong relationships with various partners and stakeholders
• Contributions to resource mobilization
• Timely and quality knowledge products

• 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

Functional Competencies

• Strong knowledge and experience related to current policies and practices in the fields of gender equality, protection and humanitarian action and coordination.
• Strong knowledge of the region
• Strong networking skills
• Ability to interact with donors, identify and analyze trends, opportunities and threats to fundraising.
• Ability to perform qualitative and quantitative policy research.
• Ability to advocate and provide policy advice.
• Strong analytical skills.
• Ability to write policy papers, speeches, briefings.
• Strong knowledge of programme development, implementation, results-based management and reporting

• Master’s degree or equivalent in human rights, gender, international relations, international development, international law or other social science fields is required.
• A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
• A project/programme management certification (such as PMP®, PRINCE2®, or MSP®) would be an added advantage.

Experience

• At least 7 years of progressively responsible experience in designing and managing humanitarian programmes, with a particular focus on gender and protection in emergencies and recovery
• Technical experience in inter-agency coordination, preferably protection cluster coordination, and/or ProCap/GenCap in a humanitarian setting;
• Experience in policy analysis and strategic planning;
• Experience working with, and building partnerships with governments, donors and civil society organizations internationally and in the field;
• Experience working with the UN is an asset;
• Experience working in the region is an asset

Language requirements

• Fluency in French and English (both oral and written) is required ;
• Knowledge of the other UN official working language is an asset;