Organization: UNDP – United Nations Development Programme
Location: Monrovia
Grade: Consultancy – National Consultant – Locally recruited Contractors Agreement
Occupational Groups:
Political Affairs
Youth
Legal – Broad
Closing Date: 2024-07-31
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.
UN Women’s goal in Liberia is to promote women’s human rights and gender equality which are key in sustaining and furthering achievements in stability and development. In this regard, its programming in the Country is connected to five corporate priority areas: women’s leadership and political participation; enhancing women’s economic empowerment (WEE); engaging women in all aspects of peace and security processes (WPS) and advancing women’s rights to live free from violence (VAW) and Gender Responsive Governance. UN Women also coordinates and promotes the UN system’s joint work in advancing gender equality.
UN Women Liberia is implementing a joint program with UNFPA and OHCHR called the “Youth Promotion Initiative – Accelerating Digital Opportunities for Youth Civic Participation as a lever for Building and Sustaining Peace in Liberia” (2024 – 2026). The project goal is to increase opportunities for youth participation in decision making processes through the digitalization of existing youth and women-led informal platforms.
Through this project, UN Women is supporting the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MoYS) to review the National Youth Policy (2019 to 2023) and develop a revised policy with a Costed Action Plan. This initiative comes at a critical time for Liberia, a nation with a remarkably young population and this also promotes the current priorities to invest in youth education, empowerment, participation and broad development.
Under the overall guidance and management of the UN Women Deputy Country Representative and direct supervision of the Women, Peace, and Security Programme Specialist the national consultant will work closely with the international consultant, the ministry of youth and sports, youth groups, and other stakeholders to review and revise the National Youth Policy and develop the Action Plan.
Duties and Responsibilities
Description of Responsibilities/ Scope of Work
UN Women Liberia seeks to hire a National Consultant with knowledge on government policy and youth issues. The consultant will support the international consultant to conduct a comprehensive review of the existing National Youth Policy(2019-2023) of Liberia, identifying its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT analysis). It should also be aligned with the Liberia’s national development plans and international frameworks like the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the African Youth Charter.
In close collaboration with the International Consultant, and other youth-led and women-led organizations, the Consultant will perform the following tasks:
Task 1: Desk Review and development of the inception plan
Conduct a desk review of the existing National Youth Policy of Liberia, identifying its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT analysis).
It should also be aligned with the Liberia’s national development plans and international frameworks like the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the African Youth Charter.
Conduct preliminary consultations with the Ministry of Youth’s leadership and review all related materials. Consult other UN and international, local partners, youth-led and women-led CSOs and develop an inception plan.
Conduct a gender analysis of the national youth policy, identifying emerging vulnerabilities of young women and girls
Identify and analyze intersectionality of the vulnerable groups of young people- specifically young women and girls
Task 2: National Consultative Process and Evaluation of Policy
The consultant will conduct a stakeholder analysis to identify key stakeholders and their perspectives on the policy through a national consultative process (across three regions) to gather insights from relevant stakeholders, including: Youth, Youth Groups, Youth organizations (established national and regional youth groups) etc. Government ministries (MoYS, Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Ministry of Education, etc.) Civil society organizations (focusing on youth and national development) Private sector entities, including those with a focus on youth livelihoods, skills development and employment.
Conduct consultations with diverse youth groups across Liberia, utilizing various methodologies to ensure inclusivity (e.g., regional workshops, focus group discussions, online surveys tailored for mobile phone access).
Use innovative means and processes to increase youth awareness of the National Youth Policy review process.
Enable active participation of young people from diverse backgrounds in consultations and discussions.
Integration of youth perspectives and priorities into the revised National Youth Policy.
Facilitate a sense of ownership and engagement among youth regarding the National Youth Policy.
Task 3: Development of a revised National Youth Policy
Based on the review, consultations, and best practices analysis, the consultant will draft a revised National Youth Policy document that is:
Aligned with Liberia’s national development priorities, the SDGs, and the African Youth Charter, UN Youth Strategy, UN Women Youth Strategy, UNFPA Youth Strategy and other critical global and regional youth development policies and frameworks.
Comprehensive and addresses key issues faced by Liberian youth (e.g., education, employment, health, participation).
Aligned to the aspirations of youth and youth development agenda of Liberia as well as development partners.
Clear, concise, and easy to understand for a broad audience.
Task 4: Submit final consultant report with all documents developed and recommendations to take forward.
Competencies
Core Values:
Respect for Diversity
Integrity
Professionalism
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 Core Values and Competencies:
FUNCTIONAL COMPETENCIES:
Excellent research and analytical skills
Excellent workshop facilitating skills
Excellent knowledge about key international resolutions for youth empowerment and gender equality
Required Skills and Experience
Education and Certification:
Master’s degree or equivalent in International Development, Public Policy, Youth Studies, or Social Development or a related field is required.
A project management certification would be an added advantage.
Experience:
At least 5 years of experience in youth policy development and implementation, preferably at the national level
Proven experience facilitating high-level consultative workshops and dialogues for institution at national and local level.
Proven experience in developing policies or strategies is a MUST.
Proven experience leading and conducting national consultations with diverse stakeholders from at least two different countries in Africa.
Strong analytical and research skills, with a demonstrated ability to conduct a comprehensive analysis using tools like SWOT and PESTL and other related tools for the national youth policy review.
Excellent knowledge of best practices in youth policy development and implementation across various countries, with a specific focus on Africa.
Strong drafting and writing skills, with the ability to produce clear and concise policy documents and action plans.
Knowledge of Monitoring and Results-based Management.
Excellent English communication and writing skills; (Samples of previous work will be required.)
Languages:
Fluency in English is required.
Knowledge of any other UN official language is an asset.
How To Apply
Personal CV or P11 (P11 can be downloaded from: )
A cover letter (maximum length: 1 page)
Managers may ask (ad hoc) for any other materials relevant to pre-assessing the relevance of their experience, such as reports, presentations, publications, campaigns, or other materials.
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.)