Policy Advocacy and Advisory Consultant

Location: Islamabad
Company Name: United Nations Pakistan

Background:

In Pakistan, large gaps continue to exist between men and women in health, education, politics, and economic participation. Factors contributing to high inequalities for women include restricted mobility, lack of education, little awareness of rights, lack of access to and ownership of resources and assets, gender-based violence, and limited access to social services, requiring robust policy and legal actions and implementation mechanisms.

In the face of developmental challenges in Pakistan, including the large spectra of gender inequality encompassing women’s empowerment, economic dimensions and gaps in fulfilment of women’s reproductive rights, UNFPA, UNWOMEN and UNICEF designed a five-year (2018-22) joint programme - “Empowering and Protecting Pakistan’s Women, Youth, Girls and Boys for a Developed Tomorrow” (AAWAZ II Programme).

The AAWAZ II Programme, funded by DFID, aims to promote the rights of children, women, youth, religious minorities, people with disabilities, and other excluded groups in Pakistan. It aims to achieve the following outcome: “Pakistani society and government institutions support increased voice, choice and control for women, girls, boys, youth, religious minorities and other marginalized groups, protect them from exploitation and prevent discrimination and intolerance at all levels”.

Purpose of consultancy:

To provide high quality policy advise and technical support to the UN Joint Programme (AAWAZ II Programme) and relevant government institutions mandated to develop evidence-based gender/GBV policies and legislation, related implementation mechanisms and law enforcement systems benefiting marginalized and vulnerable groups;

To support UNFPA in strengthening policy advocacy work with relevant institutions in support of quality results achievement for CPD 9 implementation

Scope of work:

Specific tasks:

Specifically, on Provision of technical assistance on

Advocacy:

In close collaboration with other members of the team, develop and implement an advocacy strategy for the priority themes, in line with UNFPA mandate and CPD 9 priorities, Policy Advocacy Advisor:

• Ensures regular reporting, monitoring and evaluation of the advocacy strategy.

• Clearly articulate message on the advocacy priorities in the media and in other public and on-line communications and events.

• Develops culturally sensitive and context-specific strategies for lobbying in support of advancing women’s and girls’ rights.

• Engages with relevant stakeholders, including members of the federal and provincial assemblies and women parliamentary caucuses to form a coalition of gender champions.

Research:

• Develops and maintain an excellent working knowledge of current and emerging policy trends relevant to UNFPA mandate and focus area.

• Leads and facilitate the process of identifying advocacy priorities in collaboration with gender teams of the Pakistan Country Office and Asia Pacific Regional Office.

• Provides analysis and strategic advice on international conventions, programmes of action and commitments such ICPD, UPR, CEDAW, among others and as well as global tools, guidelines and packages.

• Engages relevant stakeholders in policy dialogue and advocacy endeavors.

• Develop high-quality policy position papers, publications and briefing papers on priority policy and advocacy issues.

• Provides technical oversight to research products like Political Economy Analysis on Child Marriage, Youth Sexual and Reproductive Rights Study and in-depth studies for Social and Economic Wellbeing Survey

Communication for Policy Development:

• Provides substantive inputs to the development and utilization of a variety of communication materials and resources.

• Develops policy briefs, technical papers and advocacy products including newsletters on important policy interventions around child marriage and domestic violence.

• Undertakes desk reviews and research where necessary to produce evidence based products for supporting policy work and progressive discourse.

• Supports the Country Office Gender Team in identifying and documentation of recommended practices related to gender/GBV programmes and policy interventions.

Legislative Reforms & Policy Advocacy:

• Support advocacy efforts aimed at policy reform and legislative actions including:

o Reproductive Health and Rights Bill, Child Marriage Restraint Act, Domestic Violence Act and ensures their alignment with national and international commitments and inclusion of disability, minority and vulnerable groups rights where necessary.

• Supports national and provincial partners, including the Ministry of Human Rights, Social Welfare, Women Development Departments and Provincial Commissions to take action and advocate for relevant policy implementation and formulation, where necessary, and to roll out action plans to implement gender equality and violence against women policy frameworks; and

• Provides capacity building support to National and Provincial Commissions for the Status for Women in evidence-based policy advocacy, policy formulation, legislation, policy implementation and law enforcement.

Supervisory Arrangement:

Consultant will report to Deputy Representative

Required expertise, qualifications and competencies, including language requirements:

Qualifications and experience:

• A Master degree in – in human rights, international relations, international development or Law.

• 7 years’ experience of working with policy advocacy areas of work with track record of minimum 3 years’ record in policy analysis, research and production of analytical and/or advocacy material on a relevant policy area.

• Experience in the areas of human rights, violence against women and girls, advocacy and disability rights.

Knowledge and Skills

• Familiar with institutional arrangements of governance and of departments working on gender based violence and child marriage.

• Legal understanding of the legislative processes in Pakistan.

• Knowledge of political systems of Pakistan.

• Understanding and sensitivity towards women and gender issues

• Sound understanding of socio-political context of the Pakistan particularly Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab.

• Networking and advocacy skills.

• Excellent leadership skills (decision making, pro-active approach)

• Abilities and skills for multi-tasking, and taking up challenges.

• Excellent written and oral communications in English essential.

• Well-developed interpersonal and communications skills

• Superior analysis and writing skills

• Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office software, and social media

• Available for travel