Project Officer Gender Partnership Programme

The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) is the global organization of national parliaments with a membership of 181 Member Parliaments and 15 Associate Members. The IPU promotes democratic governance, institutions and values, working with parliaments and parliamentarians to articulate and respond to the needs and aspirations of the people. It works to promote peace, democracy, human rights, gender equality, youth empowerment and sustainable development through political dialogue, cooperation and parliamentary action. These objectives are pursued through the Organization’s political and programmatic work, which includes research, standard-setting, knowledge dissemination, technical cooperation and capacity-building.

The IPU recognizes gender equality and youth participation as key components of democracy and works to achieve the equal participation of men and women in politics, including from among the young generation. It provides support to parliaments in advancing gender equality and youth empowerment, increasing youth and women’s political participation and leadership, and transforming themselves into more open and more gender-sensitive institutions.

In 2025 and 2026, thanks to a UN Women grant, the IPU will be implementing one of the components of the European Union-funded Women and Youth in Democracy Initiative (WYDE). In this framework, UN Women, the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA), and United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), are implementing the WYDE/Women’s Leadership component through a programme entitled: Advancing Women’s Political Participation and Decision-Making through Social Norms Change, Networking and Global Advocacy.

The WYDE/Women’s Leadership programme (WYDE/WPP) prioritizes changing social norms and shifting cultural attitudes that portray women’s roles in communities and society as incompatible with political power; and puts specific focus on building critical skills among young women, and engaging men and boys, office holders and the media as allies for gender equality and women’s empowerment. It works to enhance synergies between women’s rights movements, decision makers, the international community, the media and other key actors, including the WYDE community across its different components, to maximize the effectiveness of spaces for coalition building, advocacy and campaigning to promote women’s political participation.

In this framework, the IPU will promote synergies between members of parliament, women’s rights movements and other stakeholders in support of women’s political participation, including young women and women from vulnerable and marginalized groups. It will also support parliamentary capacities in addressing negative gender social norms and violence against women in politics.

Tasks

Under the supervision of the Manager of the Gender Partnership Programme and Youth Participation Programme, the Project Officer will coordinate the project’s planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, reporting, communication, and delivery towards results. The Project Officer will also carry out other tasks as required.

Deliverables

Key deliverables will include:

• Project management and implementation, including: Planning, budgeting, preparation, organization and execution of the project’s activities, liaison with parliaments and the partners in the WYDE/WPP Project.
• Monitoring, evaluation, and reporting, including: establishment of baselines, collection of quantitative and qualitative data, preparation and conduct of qualitative surveys, analysis of results, change and impact, adaptation as required, reporting on progress and lessons learned, including quarterly and annually.
• Communications, including: internal, external, with partners and parliaments, communication tools and documents, including news stories and regular updates for the IPU website.
• Coordination with partners, including: correspondence, support to coordination and planning meetings, provision of inputs and feedbacks on documents, surveys, reports, etc.
• Facilitation of participation, including of parliamentarians, partners in the WYDE/WPP Project, women’s rights movements, decision makers, the international community, the media, and other key actors in the project’s activities.
• Research and collection of data and information related to areas of interest within the project’s outcomes and activities.
• Drafting of speeches, concept notes, terms of reference, budgets and briefing notes as required.
• Responding to queries and requests for information received by the IPU.
• Cooperation with staff in other IPU programmes and facilitation of coordination, as necessary.

Required experience and qualifications

• University degree in political science or law required, specialization in gender studies an asset.
• At least five years of experience in work related to gender equality and/or women’s rights required.
• At least five years of experience in project management required, including managing multiple projects’ activities simultaneously and in different cultural and political contexts. Project management certification an asset.
• Experience in a parliamentary setting as well as in an international organization required.
• Experience of work on a project involving multiple partners and stakeholders’ engagement required.
• Complete fluency, excellent drafting skills and effective communication in English required. Working-level French is an asset.
• Personal attributes of initiative, self-motivation, resourcefulness, creative problem solving and sound judgement. Aptitude for human contacts, teamwork, respect for diversity, integrity and professionalism. Adaptability to varying working environments and conditions.

Time frame and conditions

• The Project Officer will undertake this work over a period commencing on 1 February 2025 and concluding on 31 January 2026.
• He/she shall be expected to work a maximum of 220 days.
• A possibility of extension is open – based on an annual appraisal of performance – until 31 December 2026.
• In principle, the Project Officer shall be based at the IPU Headquarters in Geneva.
• The IPU shall cover the expenses related to any missions that the Project Officer may need to carry out for the purposes of the above assignments.

Employment conditions

The Project Officer is an independent contractor, is not considered to be an official or employee of the IPU and is not subject to the IPU Staff Regulations and Staff Rules.

The Project Officer is not entitled to recover from the IPU any income tax payable in respect of the fee provided under this contract and shall be solely liable for the payment of any national income tax due in respect of the emoluments payable under this contract.