Introduction
Country: Philippines
Description of the Assignment:
A. Project Title
Inception Phase: Indigenous Women and Girls – Leadership and Empowerment in Ancestral Domains (I-LEAD) Project
B. Project Description
In the Philippines, Indigenous Peoples, particularly women, endure significant economic and social disparities, despite the country’s adoption of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). Barriers such as limited access to education, health care, electricity, and financial services, as well as tenurial insecurity and lack of or limited investments both public and private, persist in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs) where ancestral domains are situated. These challenges, compounded by cultural and gender norms, hinder meaningful participation, leadership, and economic opportunities for Indigenous women and girls. Notably, 60% of the IPs in the country resides in Mindanao, a conflict-affected region that has been a focal point of international development efforts, including support from Aotearoa New Zealand over the past two decades.
Gender equality and women’s empowerment are central to the New Zealand Government Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s (NZ MFAT) international development agenda, as outlined in the Ministry’s Gender Action Plan (GAP) and its broader commitment to human rights. To address these issues, a targeted intervention in Mindanao is proposed, focusing on (i) enhancing employment and livelihood opportunities for indigenous women and girls through investments in entrepreneurial skills and leadership training; (ii) raising awareness of the rights of indigenous women and girls; and (iii) addressing formal and informal customs that perpetuate gender-based social exclusion.
The initiative, named the Indigenous Women and Girls – Leadership and Empowerment in Ancestral Domains (I-LEAD) Project, aims to bolster intergenerational socio-economic development of indigenous women and girls in Mindanao. It targets two key barriers: weak participation of Indigenous women and girls in governance and management of ancestral domains, and their constrained access to education and livelihood services hindering their economic participation.
To address these barriers, the Project will carry out interventions that will result in the following: (i) IP women and girls benefiting from improved accountability and transparency of ancestral domain management and governance; (ii) IP women and girls with increased income and improved livelihoods; and (iii) improved gender and human rights-responsive policy and institutional support for IP women and girls at national and regional levels. With these targets, the I-LEAD Project will undertake three interrelated and mutually reinforcing project components:
1. Ancestral domain governance is strengthened with a human rights and gender perspective
2. Gender-equitable and culturally appropriate economic empowerment
3. Support to NCIP and stakeholders on gender and human rights-responsive policy and knowledge management
The Project will operate in select ancestral domains in Regions XI and XII, and will prioritize gender and human rights perspectives, ensuring the full enjoyment of rights by diverse gender identities, especially women, and empowering individuals to claim and advocate for their rights.
3. Scope of Work
Under the supervision of the I-LEAD Project Manager and the Programme Analyst of the Climate Action Programme Team, the Community Economic Development Specialist will be responsible for the following functions:
a. Conduct of technical studies and reviews:
• Review existing relevant information, including economic assessments and value chain studies, interventions, policies and governance arrangements on community economic development related with Indigenous Knowledge, Systems, and Practices (IKSP), ancestral domain management, and access of IPs to resources and basic service delivery, among others;
• Conduct a comprehensive assessment of the current economic status, challenges, and opportunities for indigenous women and girls in the project sites;
• Identify and map key economic sectors and potential areas for enterprise development and/or potential investment/economic opportunities that align with the cultural and economic context of the community, this should include mapping of potential investment/economic opportunities from ongoing and pipeline initiatives of government, CSOs, private sector, and other stakeholders;
• Identify and map relevant international experiences on enterprise development with indigenous women and girls;
• Analyze and synthesize inputs from stakeholders to inform the Inception Report and mandatory annexes;
• Conduct capacity needs assessment (for skills, tools and resources) of selected indigenous communities and the NCIP;
• Provide expert inputs to the review and finalization of the site selection criteria, ensuring factors relevant to indigenous communities, particularly women and girls, are considered.
b. Formulation of the Inception Report and mandatory annexes:
• Lead the incorporation of indigenous women and girls’ economic empowerment in the Inception Report;
• Develop tailored economic empowerment strategies and initiatives, including capacity-building programs, skills training, and access to financial resources;
• Develop a livelihoods process framework to identify, develop, and sustain livelihood opportunities, incorporating community needs assessments, market linkages, skills development, and resilience-building strategies;
• Provide expert inputs to the UNDP Social and Environmental Screening Procedure (SESP), Environment and Social Management Framework (ESMF) Stakeholder Engagement Plan, and Gender Action Plan emphasizing economic empowerment of indigenous women and girls;
c. Stakeholder engagement:
• Ensure inclusivity and comprehensiveness in stakeholder engagement processes;
• Collaborate with local stakeholders, community leaders, government agencies, NGOs, and relevant organizations to leverage resources and support for economic empowerment initiatives;
• Work closely with the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) as the lead government partner of the project and other relevant stakeholders.
Competencies and Qualifications
The Consultant should possess the following qualifications:
• A Master’s degree or higher in relevant fields such as economics, community development, international development, or sustainable development;
• A minimum of seven (7) years of experience working on community economic development, particularly with marginalized or indigenous populations, in program and project design and implementation; preference is given to the candidate with experience in both project development and implementation;
• Demonstrated expertise in designing and implementing economic empowerment programs, including skills training, enterprise development, and access to finance;
• Experience working with indigenous communities and familiarity with cultural and socio-economic contexts and issues affecting indigenous women and girls;
• Experience working with UNDP, other international organizations, national government agencies, and civil society organizations is desirable;
• Strong analytical and communication skills, with the ability to synthesize complex information and present clear recommendations;
• Fluency in Filipino and excellent written and spoken English.
Period of assignment/services: 40 days spread over 6 months (April to September 2025), unless revised in a mutually agreed upon timetable between the Expert and UNDP
Proposal should be submitted directly in the portal no later than indicated deadline.
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