Governance, Peace and Security Specialist (Climate Change), P3 (TA)

Background:

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security.

Based on UN legislative mandates and the UN Women Strategic Plan, the Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific is tasked with providing strategic programme development, policy / technical advisory services and quality assurance support to Multi Country Offices and Country Offices. It undertakes or coordinates regional research and data analysis; advises on norms, policies and strategies for achieving the internationally and regionally agreed goals related to gender equality and women’s empowerment. It acts as a knowledge hub at the regional level, collecting evidence on progress and emerging issues and sharing knowledge on innovative approaches and lessons learned in implementation.

Building on twenty years of experience in the area of governance and women, peace and security (WPS), the UN Women Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific leads knowledge development and coordinates implementation in areas of gender and peacebuilding, women’s access to justice, social cohesion, and cybersecurity. The office has also been implementing a joint regional programme with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) called EmPower: Women for Climate-Resilient Societies (Strengthening Human Rights and Gender through Climate Change Action and Disaster Risk Reduction) which is aimed at addressing the key drivers of vulnerability by strengthening capacities of women from at-risk communities, civil society, and government institutions. Over twenty years of implementing the WPS agenda in the disaster-prone context of the Asia-Pacific region has demonstrated that women and their communities often experience a range of intersecting security risks due to deeply embedded social inequalities, conflict, disasters, and climate-related risks, which impact women and girls in specific ways. Within this context, women and girls face additional and compounded obstacles to accessing justice and achieving their full rights. Moreover, women peacebuilders face added risks as they are frequently on the frontlines of responding and adapting to the compounded crises. The focus on women’s participation and leadership in sustaining peace and building resilience must reflect this full spectrum of regional experiences.

The UN Women Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific is committed to continue strengthening the regional knowledge base on the gendered impact and interlinkages between disasters, climate change resilience and environmental peacebuilding in the region. The office will also support communities and local and national government stakeholders to address climate-related security risks through the use of rights-based gender-responsive actions with a strong focus on women’s participation and leadership, including of young women, Indigenous women, women of diverse SOGIESC, and women with disabilities, especially in the most affected and fragile contexts in the Asia Pacific region. To further establish and strengthen this area of work, the office seeks to hire a Governance, Climate, and Security Specialist. The Specialist will be responsible for the development of Governance, Climate and Security programmes and programme strategies, provide capacity building to Country Offices (CO) and Multi Country Offices (MCO), establish and strengthen partnerships, and develop relevant knowledge products. The Specialist will report to the Regional Policy Advisor on Governance, Peace and Security, and work in close collaboration with the Governance, Peace and Security, Climate Change, as well as the Humanitarian Action and Disaster Risk Reduction teams. The Specialist will be based in Bangkok with frequent (long-term) deployments and strategic planning missions to priority locations in the region. 

Duties and Responsibilities:

1.  Lead the development of programmes on gender, climate and security in the Asia Pacific Region in collaboration with Country Office/ Multi Country Office teams and in coordination with UN Women Headquarters Peace, Security and Resilience team
•    Lead the development of Asia Pacific regional and global programme on WPS and climate change. 
•    Provide technical inputs to programme proposals from country offices.
•    Provide advice on contextualizing/ localizing programme documents, country strategies, and knowledge products.
•    Coordinate monitoring and reporting on climate and WPS initiatives, in collaboration with programme teams.

2.  Provide capacity building support to Country Office/ Multi Country Office/ Regional Office teams and partners, particularly in most affected/fragile contexts
•    Provide substantive technical and policy support to country office and multi-country office programme teams in developing and strengthening projects/ programmes to support the implementation of global norms and standards.
•    Undertake deployments and strategic planning missions to COs / programme presences, especially those most affected and fragile in the context of gender, climate and security.
•    Develop, implement and monitor capacity building initiatives on gender, climate and security, including initiatives to support women peacebuilders, government actors, local communities, community justice actors and youth/young women to address climate-related security risks and expand local knowledge.
•    Provide technical support to partners on implementation of gender, climate and security initiatives in the region.
•    Provide technical policy advice to programme/ project managers/ specialists in the CO and MCOs.
•    Facilitate internal capacity building initiatives to CO/ MCO/ RO to strengthen integrated actions for gender, climate, and security.

3.  Establish and strengthen strategic partnerships with stakeholders and partners
•    Support the integration of a gender- and youth- responsive lens across climate, peace and security initiatives 
•    Develop regional stakeholders' analysis in the region for gender, climate and security and identify entry points for collaboration.
•    Build and maintain alliances and strategic partnerships for the advancement of gender, climate and security in priority contexts across the region, including engagement with women peacebuilders, women’s organisations and civil society organisations, academia, inter-governmental organisations, and financial institutions.
•    Produce periodic updates and briefs on regional/country development situation and legislative changes related to climate, disasters, natural resource management and protection to be used by stakeholders, CO and HQ.
•    Maintain close contact with relevant staff in UN Women MCO/COs/HQ.

4.  Support the development of the resource mobilization strategy for gender, climate and security in in the region
•    Participate in the implementation, monitoring and periodic updating of the resource mobilization strategy on gender, climate and security in the region.
•    Provide technical support to field-based presences in the region through mobilizing resources for the implementation of gender, climate and security programming.
•    Research and analyse information on donors.
•    Prepare substantive briefs on possible areas of cooperation.

5.  Oversee the design of gender, climate and security initiatives in the region and the development of relevant knowledge products
•    Provide recommendations and guidance to strategic planning and positioning on gender, climate and security in the Asia Pacific Region.
•    Support MCO/COs with development of contextualized gender, climate and security initiatives.
•    Research, develop and present analytical reports, research papers, briefing notes, background papers, summaries, correspondence, and knowledge products on gender, climate and security.
•    Identify promising practices, technical expertise, and strategic opportunities in gender, climate and security, as well as climate justice, in the Asia Pacific Region.

6.  Lead knowledge building and sharing for gender, climate and security in the region
•    Support the development of relevant guidance materials on the interlinkages between climate, peace and security, women, peace and security, and youth, peace and security.
•    Develop and review background documents, briefs and presentations related to gender, climate and security in the Asia Pacific Region.
•    Represent UN Women in meetings and policy dialogues on issues related to gender, climate and security in the region as necessary.
•    Identify and disseminate lessons learnt and good practices in collaboration with country offices.
•    Ensure technical skills and knowledge are shared within and among MCO/ COs.
•    Work closely with Headquarters’ Peace, Security and Resilience team and the UN system, as relevant, for the development of policy briefs, knowledge products on WPS and Climate Change.

Key Performance Indicators:
•    Timely and quality technical advice and support.
•    Leadership in area of expertise in the region.
•    Quality reports and other strategic documents drafted and submitted in a timely manner.
•    Strong relationships with various partners and stakeholders.
•    Timely and effective delivery of technical support and capacity building to offices and national/local stakeholders in various contexts across the region.
•    UN Women is well represented in important meetings on topics related to expertise.
•    Contributions to resource mobilization.
•    Timely and quality knowledge products.
 

Competencies :

Core 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.

Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Values and Competencies Framework: 

Functional Competencies:

•    Strong knowledge and experience related to current policies and practices in the fields of gender, climate change, human rights, peace and security, environment and/or natural resource management and the intersection of climate, peace and security.
•    Strong knowledge of the Asia Pacific Region.
•    Excellent interpersonal and networking skills.
•    Ability to build partnerships with civil society organizations, government partners and other local and national stakeholders across contexts.
•    Strong knowledge of programme development, implementation, results-based management and reporting.
•    Excellent analytical skills, including ability to analyse gendered needs and priorities across different contexts.
•    Ability to perform policy research and to write policy papers, speeches, briefings.
•    Ability to identify and analyse trends, opportunities and threats to fundraising, and develop strategies accordingly.
 

Required Skills and Experience

Education and certification:
•    Master’s degree or equivalent in environmental/climate studies, gender studies, human rights, international development or other relevant fields is required.
•    A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:
•    At least 5 years progressively responsible experience in designing and managing programmes and advocating for gender and climate security or similar topic, with some experience in developing countries 
•    Experience in establishing relations with development partners and mobilizing resources.
•    Experience working with and building partnerships with government stakeholders and civil society organizations.
•    Experience providing capacity building/training.
•    Experience in programme, policy analysis, and strategic planning.
•    Experience working in the Asia Pacific region on gender and climate, environment or natural resource management is highly desirable.
•    Experience working with the UN is an asset.
•    Ability to travel as required in the region.

Language Requirements:
•    Fluency in English is required.
•    Knowledge of another UN official working language is an asset.
 

Statements :

In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. The creation of UN Women came about as part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact. It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system (DAW, OSAGI, INSTRAW and UNIFEM), which focused exclusively on gender equality and women's empowerment.

Diversity and inclusion:

At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity and organizational need.

If you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in your application.

UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to UN Women’s policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UN Women personnel 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.)