Gender and Peacebuilding Advisor at United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

Job Title: Gender and Peacebuilding Advisor

Job Locations: Manila, Philippines

Job Type: Full Time

Job Description

BackgroundUNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Currently, the UNDP Country Office in the Philippines needs to strengthen its overall ability to ensure gender sensitivity in its peacebuilding portfolio, and further ensure that its programmes contribute in specific terms to women’s empowerment, through the deployment of a full-time gender advisor in its field office in Manila City.

To enable the recruitment of the P3-level Gender and Peacebuilding Advisor, the Peace Programme Team submitted proposals to various donors—i.e. Sweden, United Kingdom and the Netherlands—on “Integrating Women, Peace and Security in Peacebuilding in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).” The donors have responded positively to the proposal and have agreed to provide funding support. The Government of Sweden, in particular, was amenable to supporting the recruitment of the Gender and Peacebuilding Advisor.

The Bangsamoro Organic Law that established the BARMM provides for the regional government to mainstream women’s empowerment and the women, peace and security agenda into all aspects of peacebuilding and governance. The law also establishes a Bangsamoro Women’s Commission towards this end.

While the regional government maintains a progressive stance on these issues, women are still under-represented in peacebuilding, business and governance in BARMM as compared to the rest of the country.

Women’s membership in the BARMM cabinet, the Bangsamoro Transitional Authority legislature, and the ranks of local government chief executives is less than 10%, as compared to 20% or more for the rest of the country.

At the same time, women are heavily impacted by regional challenges such as vulnerability to disasters and conflict, and violent extremism, even as they are some of the most active role players in advocating for resilient and safer communities.

From the perspective of the global agenda for women, peace, and security, investment in this issue in BARMM is hugely significant. While Islamic in orientation, the new government has taken an extremely progressive stance towards the rights and inclusion of women. However, the government is led by an armed group that is transitioning to a civilian role while many of its leadership positions are still held by male former combatants.

The right support for them at this time will establish new precedents for both how Islamic democracies as well as post-conflict transitions work with women’s rights and participation. More broadly, the success of Bangsamoro—a minority Islamic region in a majority Christian country—in  this area could positively challenge the narrative of extremists around the world.

Under this project, UNDP seeks to enhance the role of women in maintaining stability in the BARMM. In particular, UNDP will pursue the attainment of the following outputs: 1. Strengthened \ capacities of the Bangsamoro Women Commission; 2. The  Rapid Action and Mobilization Platform (Women’s RAMP) effectively supported to provide community level early-warning-and-response to crises in all five provinces of BARMM, 3. Enhanced capacities of local women’s groups to accompany returnees from violent extremist groups to support their comprehensive reintegration, and, 4. Advancing the Role of Women in Mental Health and Psycho-Social Support.The Gender and Peacebuilding Advisor will help ensure that gender sensitivity will be integrated fully in UNDP’s development interventions. Duties and Responsibilities The Gender and Peacebuilding Advisor will work under the direct supervision of the Team Leader of the Peace Programme Team, who in turn, will closely monitor and track the Advisor’s performance and delivery of expected outputs in accordance with agreed upon schedules.

As the Gender and Peacebuilding Advisor will be based in Manila, she will closely coordinate with the Head of the Cotabato Field Office and also with the Programme Analysts of the Peace Programme Team.

•  Support UNDP’s Peace Team with the integration of Women, Peace and Security (WPS) into all aspects of its programming.
•  Assist with the implementation of the Peace Team’s core WPS initiatives in partnership with the Bangsamoro Women’s Commission, including WIM-RAMP.
•  Assist the Peace Team to engage civic leaders, faith-based groups, and community organizations more widely to generate effective initiatives for advancing WPS.
• Liaise with the other UNCT members and with UN RCO to ensure coordination on WPS.
• Work with other UNDP team’s to contribute to CO efforts to achieve the gender gold seal.
• Depending on time and availability, assist other UNDP teams in integrating WPS into their BARRM programmes.
• Depending on time and availability, support other peacebuilding initiatives of the Peace Team, with a particular focus on normalization.

CompetenciesCore values:

• Integrity
• Professionalism
• Respect for Diversity

Core Competencies:

• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues
• Accountability
• Creative Problem Solving
• Effective Communication
• Inclusive Collaboration
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Leading by Example

Functional Competencies:

• Good knowledge of programme management
• Ability to administer and execute administrative processes and transactions
• Ability to create, edit and present information in clear and presentable formats
• Ability to manage data, documents, correspondence, and reports information and workflow
• Strong financial and budgeting skills
• Strong IT skills
• Good report writing skills

Required Skills and Experience Education:

• A Master’s degree or equivalent in peacebuilding, social sciences, law, human rights, gender/women’s studies, international development, or a related field is required.

Experience:

• At least 5 years of progressively responsible work experience in gender and peacebuilding work.
• Possess experience in engaging with communities and women.
• Excellent knowledge and understanding of normative frameworks.
• Good understanding of the BARMM context; familiarity with the context of the BARMM on gender issues; particularly as they relate to the National, Regional and International instruments; Experience and Good working relationship with women organizations.
• Proven experience in the development and review of policies and strategic plans.
• Proven skills and experience in conducting gender analysis.
• Experience in successful gender-mainstreaming in post-conflict countries’ reconstruction is considered an asset.
• Previous experience working with INGO or UN agencies.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English.
• Excellent interpersonal skills in networking and building partnerships;
• Ability to work under pressure.

Language Requirement:

• Fluency in English is required.

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