International Consultant for coordination and facilitation of the two-day regional workshop on addressing discriminatory gender social norms in CA countries

The Position:

The international consultant will work on preparation and facilitating the regional workshop on exchanging and sharing experience on positive gender social norms

You will report to Project Coordinato

 Background:

In Central Asian countries, UNFPA has been supporting the governments to address discriminatory gender norms, eradicate gender-based violence and harmful practices, such as early and forced marriages. UNFPA focuses on developing and strengthening a system of Multi-sectoral response to gender-based violence (MSR to GBV) through collaboration among the health, social support, and justice sectors. This involves adaptation of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for these sectors to support women and girls subjected to GBV with integration of special needs of GBV survivors with different types of disabilities. UNFPA also builds the capacity of national stakeholders and civil society organizations on MSR to GBV principles and SOPs to support survivors, supports the development of relevant legal frameworks for effective GBV prevention and response systems, and engages men, boys, and religious leaders to promote gender equality, reproductive rights, and prevent domestic violence and early or forced marriages.

Despite the progress made by Central Asian governments through implementing policies, laws, and regulations to improve gender equality and address GBV, significant gender disparities persist in the political and socioeconomic spheres.

According to the UN data, 1 in 3 women and girls in Central Asia have experienced violence at some point in their lives. GBV displays in various forms and is deeply ingrained in cultural traditions and social norms. Central Asian countries still lag in gender equality, with Tajikistan ranking 111th, Kyrgyzstan 84th, and Kazakhstan 62nd out of 146 countries in the 2023 Global Gender Gap Index. Despite lacking data, available evidence highlights comparable enduring gender disparities in Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. While the situation varies, all Central Asian countries face challenges with limited women’s representation in decision-making roles, unequal distribution of household and childcare responsibilities, and disparities in access to resources and economic opportunities. 

As such, according to the UNDP’s 2023 Gender Social Norms Index (GSNI), Uzbekistan reports the lowest percentage of biased attitudes toward women at 80.8%, which reflects high levels of gender bias. This is followed by Kazakhstan at 93.23%, and alarming 98.2% in Kyrgyzstan and 99.92% in Tajikistan. In Tajikistan, a staggering 97.50% of respondents believe that men are justified in using violence against women. This is followed by Kyrgyzstan with 90.18%, Uzbekistan with 84.18%, and Kazakhstan with 72.56%. Despite the absence of data for Turkmenistan, studies suggest comparable persistent gender bias in the country. Deeply rooted stereotypes persist in Uzbekistan as well. According to the 2023 GSNI, 80.8% of individuals in Uzbekistan hold biases favouring men as more effective political leaders than women, while 81.19% believe that men outperform women as business executives. Alarmingly, 84.18% of the population shows tolerance towards intimate partner violence.

According to the lates Analytical report on public perception of gender equality and women’s empowerment in Kazakhstan (2024), demonstrates that the complex of existing stereotypes about socially determined gender roles, according to which the main function of women is the birth and upbringing of children, largely determines the gender inequality that exists in Kazakhstan. More than half of the surveyed women (53.6%) and two-thirds of the surveyed men (67.9%) agree with the statement “The main duty of a woman is to create the comfort of the family, the upbringing, development and health of her children, she should not work.”

Therefore, within the framework of the UK Integrated Security Fund project “Strengthening prevention and response to violence against women and girls in Central Asia” (UK ISF) countries implement activities to shift social norms. Recognizing that GBV is not merely a result of individual behaviours but rather deeply ingrained in social norms, gender biases, roles and stereotypes, discriminatory practices, and unequal power dynamics, the UK ISF project adopts a holistic, gender-transformative approach that aims to challenge and change these root causes across multiple levels of intervention.

The rationale of the project activities is based on a gender transformative approach and the project works to change gender and social norms that are reproducing gender inequality, including changing expectations of masculinity and decreased tolerance for GBV within the context of a survivor-centered, human rights-based legal and policy environment/framework to foster more resilient and peaceful societies. UNFPA undertakes the work to promote male role models as champions of change through awareness raising campaigns, designing and organizing online campaigns and addressing stereotypes and misconceptions on feminism and masculinity, analyzing social media content critically and the portrayal of gender. 

Job Purpose:

Within the third year of the project, UNFPA will conduct a two-day workshop on exchanging and sharing experience on promoting positive gender/social norms. The purpose of this workshop is to facilitate an exchange of experiences among Central Asian countries on promoting positive social norms. While sharing achievements and developments is valuable, the primary goal is to address challenges and obstacles encountered in shifting gender norms. The two-day workshop will emphasize identifying and discussing actionable steps tailored to each country’s local context to address discriminatory gender social norms effectively.

UNFPA’s gender-transformative approaches for promoting positive masculinities, empowering women, and involving national stakeholders such as media, religious leaders, and communities, will be emphasized as a crucial method for advancing gender equality.

The workshop objective overview:

• Deep Understanding of discriminatory Gender Norms: To provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of discriminatory gender norms and their impacts on individuals and communities, and how to develop gender transformative strategies to address discriminatory gender norms. 
• How to identify discriminatory gender social norms and 
• What works and what does not work to address discriminatory gender norms
• To identify gaps and limitations in current strategies/policies/practices and explore why some practices may not effectively challenge discriminatory gender norms.
• Development of Practical Solutions: To engage participants in collaborative problem-solving to develop actionable strategies for addressing and transforming discriminatory gender norms.
•  Enhancing Skills and Knowledge: To build participants’ skills in analyzing gender norms, designing effective interventions, and measuring impact.
• Fostering Collaboration and Networking: To create a platform for participants to share experiences, challenges, and successes related to addressing gender norms.

Expected Outcomes:

• Enhanced understanding of what are and how to address discriminatory gender norms.
• Understand what works and what does not work in the development of tailored, effective strategies for addressing these norms in local contexts.
• Strengthened skills and tools for participants to apply in their work.
• Increased opportunities for collaboration and exchange of best practices among participants.

This workshop aims to move beyond theoretical discussions/experience and good practices sharing and provide practical, actionable steps for tackling discriminatory gender norms in meaningful and effective ways.

You would be responsible for:

The international consultant will work on preparation and facilitating the regional workshop on exchanging and sharing experience on positive gender social norms. Specific Duties and Responsibilities: International consultant is expected to:

• Pre-workshop planning and preparation
• Review relevant literature and data (Situational Analysis of Men and Gender Equality in the Central Asia Region and others) to understand the specific context and requirements of the workshop participants.
• Jointly with UNFPA, co-create and develop the overall structure and content of the workshop, including objectives, agenda, concept note, and key themes related to positive social norms.
• Collaborate with the national consultant to ensure the workshop content is tailored to local context and needs. 
• Develop and provide workshop materials such as presentations, case studies, and pre-; post-tests. Ensure these materials are adaptable for the local context.
• Jointly with UNFPA and the national consultant identify and brief international or regional guest speakers who will contribute to the workshop.
• Workshop facilitation
• Lead Sessions: Facilitate key sessions and discussions, focusing on sharing global perspectives and experiences on positive gender social norms.
• Promote International Best Practices: Introduce and explain international best practices and frameworks that can be adapted to the local context; 
• Engage Participants by using interactive methods to engage participants, encouraging them to share their experiences and insights in relation to international perspectives.
• Monitoring, evaluation and follow-up activities
• Create tools/methods for evaluating the effectiveness of the workshop, including feedback forms/assessment criteria. 
• Assess how local experiences and feedback align with global trends and best practices in positive gender social norms. 
• Prepare a detailed report on workshop outcomes, integrating feedback from both international and local perspectives. Provide recommendations for future initiatives. 
• Provide additional resources or materials with participants post-workshop to support ongoing learning and application of positive gender social norms.
• Collaboration and communication
• Maintain open and effective communication with the national consultant to ensure alignment on workshop objectives and execution.

  Based on the duties and responsibilities outlined the deliverables for the consultancy as follows:

Preparation Phase

• Workshop Structure and Content Development: 

Deliverable: based on the review of relevant literature and data (e.g., Situational Analysis of Men and Gender Equality in the Central Asia Region) and in collaboration with UNFPA and national consultant, co-create and developed workshop structure, agenda, concept note, and key themes.

• Collaboration with National Consultant:

Deliverable: Finalized workshop content tailored to the local context. Work with the national consultant to adapt the content based on local needs and cultural context.

• Development of Workshop Materials:

Deliverable: Complete set of workshop materials. Prepare and adapt presentations, case studies, and pre- and post-tests for the local context. Ensure materials are ready for distribution.

• Identification and Briefing of Guest Speakers:

Deliverable: List of identified guest speakers and briefing documents. Collaborate with UNFPA and the national consultant to select and brief international or regional guest speakers who will contribute to the workshop.

Implementation Phase

• Workshop Facilitation:

Deliverable: Facilitated workshop sessions. Lead and manage key sessions and discussions, focusing on global perspectives on positive gender social norms. Use interactive methods to engage participants and foster sharing of experiences.

• Promotion of International Best Practices:

Deliverable: Presentations and discussions on international best practices. Introduce and explain best practices and frameworks, showing how they can be adapted to the local context.

Deliverable: Additional resources and materials. Provide participants with additional resources or materials to support continued learning and application of positive gender social norms.

Finalization and Reporting Phase

• Monitoring and Evaluation:

Deliverable: Evaluation tools and methods. Create and implement feedback forms and assessment criteria to evaluate the effectiveness of the workshop.

• Workshop Outcomes Report

Qualifications and Experience: 

Education:  

At least a master’s degree in fields related to gender studies, Human Rights, Women’ Rights, Social Sciences, Gender Studies, Law, sociology, or a related discipline.

Knowledge and Experience: 

• Extensive experience in gender equality, gender-based violence, social justice, sexual and reproductive health or related fields. Experience with various gender norms in different cultural contexts is valuable.
• Demonstrated experience in designing and facilitating workshops or training sessions on gender issues or social norms.
• Deep knowledge of positive gender social norms, including how they can be developed and maintained. Understanding intersectionality and how different identities intersect with gender norms. 
• Experience in developing standards, recommendations, training materials and programmes on GBV response, gender equality and social norms.
• Ability to navigate and respect diverse cultural contexts and norms, especially if the workshop involves participants from various backgrounds.
• Competence in designing a structured and effective workshop agenda that balances theory with practical activities.
• Efficiently managing the workshop schedule to cover all planned content while allowing for discussions and feedback.
• Adhering to ethical standards in discussing sensitive topics related to gender and ensuring a safe space for all participants.
• Work experience on having undertaken similar assignments;
• Knowledge on UN development programmes;
• Familiarity with UN development programmes and working methods and particularly with UNFPA policies and programming procedures is desirable.
• Prior experience in Central Asia countries;

Languages: 

• Excellent English speaking and writing skills required. Knowledge of Russian will be considered an asset; 

Required Competencies: 

Values:

• Exemplifying integrity, 
• Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system, 
• Embracing cultural diversity, 
• Embracing change

Core Competencies:

• Achieving results,
• Being accountable,
• Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen,
• Thinking analytically and strategically,
• Strong analytical and effective communication skills.

UNFPA Work Environment:

UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore encourage women to apply. Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of UNFPA’s workforce – click here to learn more.

Disclaimer:

Selection and appointment may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, visa issuance and other administrative requirements. 

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants’ bank accounts.