National consultant for conducting gender analysis of the education sector in Zimbabwe(Open to national of Zimbabwe Only)

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. 

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. 

And we never give up. 

For every child, education 

UNICEF has been operating in Zimbabwe since 1982. We are a team of passionate professionals committed to the protection and fulfillment of children’s rights. 

Supporting the Government’s vision of a prosperous and empowered upper-middle-income society, the 2022 to 2026  UNICEF Zimbabwe country programme is aimed at contributing to sustainable socioeconomic development that provides all children, including adolescents, with opportunities to fulfil their potential, lead a healthy life, access quality learning and protection and meaningfully participate in society.

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How can you make a difference? 

UNICEF Zimbabwe is seeking to hire an enthusiastic individual consultant to support the Ministry of Primary and Secondary (MoPSE) in conducting a gender analysis of the education sector in Zimbabwe.

BACKGROUND 

The education system in Zimbabwe is committed to ensure gender equality as well as empowerment of girls and support right that release potential in all its learners. While the recent Education Sector Strategic Plan (2021-2025) has used a very strong gender lens in developing the sector’s plan, there has not been any comprehensive gender analysis of the sector as a whole to determine how well the sector integrates gender equality in all its programmes at all levels. It is noted that other social identity markers such as  class, race, ethnicity, caste, sexuality orientation, (dis)ability, age, and religion may also interact with gender and where appropriate they need to be included in the Zimbabwe education sector gender analysis, as they affect children’s lives and learning in different ways.

In 2019, the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (MOPSE) conducted a holistic organisational development (HOD) review. One of the key recommendations was for MoPSE’s Learners Welfare department to establish a fully manned Gender Desk as this will assist the Ministry to better be proactive in addressing gender related issues, including matters affecting the boy child. In 2020, MoPSE conducted an Education Sector Analysis (ESA) as a precursor to the development of the Education Sector Strategic Plan (ESSP 2021-2025) which was among other things, guided by United Nations Girls’ Education Initiative and UNICEF guidance for developing Gender-Responsive Education Sector Plans.

The purpose of the education sector gender analysis is to gain an informed perspective on the gender equality landscape in Zimbabwe and to strengthen the gender equality focus in the ESSP. The education sector gender analysis will assess the current status of, and remaining gaps in, gender equality, review the actions taken to better integrate gender equality in education sector programming and implementation,and identify key gaps that when addressed, would improve the sectors gender responsiveness to education. Based on the analysis findings, recommendations drawn will lead to proposed actions for strengtheing gender mainstreaming in the ESSP including strategic actions on gender-transformative priorities, opportunities and entry-points. This exercise will also provide an understanding of the different levels of resources used for services for girls, boys, children with disabilities (girls and boys) and teachers (females and males) to access services.

ASSIGNMENTS: 

The education sector gender analysis should provide quantitative and qualitative information, sex-age disaggregated data and analysis of systemic gender sensitivity in the education sector in Zimbabwe.

The analysis grid should cover the demand for education (e.g., social norms, economical conditions, existence of social protection programs, etc.), the provision of education (e.g., school infrastructure, school fees, teaching practices and teachers’ code of conduct, curriculum and learning materials, etc.), and the enabling environment (e.g., availability of data, gender-presponsive budget, availability of female/male teachers, teacher training, policies and practices regarding gender-based violence in and around schools and admission of pregnant girls /young mother, participation of girls and boys in school decisions, girls clubs etc.)

The analysis should include but is not limited to:

• Review of what is in place in the education sector to contribute to Gender Equality including policy frameworks
• Key barriers to achieving gender equality (including social norms, legislative, institutional capacity, political will etc.) and knowledge gaps, to be drawn from i) data analysis, and ii) review of the national policies, plans and reports related to gender equality in education;
• Key recommendations and an action plan for MoPSE to strengthen its systemic gender equality approach and, where necessary, adjust its key national documents and their implementation accordingly.
• A mapping of government, civil society and development partner actors with their mandate, capacity and added value in the implementation of the MoPSE action plan for achieving gender equality within the education system 

The final output will be an analytical and operative document based on qualitative and quantitative documentary review and focused group discussions (FGD) and analyses.

The analysis should contain the following sections:

1. Context

2. Methodology

3. Findings

(a) Key Strengths and Weaknesses

(b) Barriers to achieving gender equality

4. Key recommendations

5. Actions Plan for Key Actors defining responsibilities

Additionally, the consultations during the focus group discussions should include young girls and boys, as well as male and female participants. Focus groups in different context could be relevant at local level (urban/rural, fragile context, etc.). MOPSE and Education Coordination Group (ECG) will be the approving institutions of the final draft. All the instruments used such as TORs, interview guide, focus group guide, list of documents and institutions/ persons involved in the analysis, agenda of the meetings will be placed in annexes.

The raw data gathered from the FGDs and interview guides to be shared with UNICEF. The analysis will consider the various inter-related causal factors, and will highlight trends and forces which could contribute to the overall change in existing gender-related relations. All information must be sought disaggregated by sex as a minimum; other criteria (age groups, vulnerabilities, rural/ urban, persons with disabilities, etc.)

Major tasks and deliverables:

The detailed consultancy terms of reference is downloadable via this link Gender analysis ToR PDF.pdf

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have… 

Education 

An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in gender, education , development studies, social sciences and/ or other related social sciences fields.

Experience 

A minimum of five (5) years’ experience working in education development or in a development context.

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required

• Sound knowledge in gender and education
• Ability to engage and work with a variety of stakeholders (government, development partners, civil society)
• Good oral and written communication skills in English, with good report writing skills
• Quantitative and qualitative data analysis skills
• Analytical, with good computer and presentation skills
• Familiarity with the Zimbabwean education context
• Understanding of the gender context in Zimbabwe

Languages:

Fluency in English is required.  Knowledge of a local language of the duty station is considered as an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS). 

 To view our competency framework, please visit  here. 

  UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment. 

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check. 

Remarks:  

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. 

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.