Regional pool of gender and climate change experts

The Global Gender and Climate Alliance (GGCA) is a global network of organizations working to ensure that climate change policies, decision-making, and initiatives at the national, regional and global levels incorporate gender dimensions. Since the launch of the GGCA in 2007 by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and the Women Environmental Development Organization (WEDO), governments and institutions from all regions have requested assistance in applying a gender approach to climate change initiatives. This is partly the result of the worldwide training of trainers and orientation sessions for negotiators that have taken place with GGCA support, as well as successful awareness raising and gender mainstreaming efforts around climate change processes. In 2011-2012, with funding from the Governments of Finland and Denmark, the GGCA will build upon the successful capacity development activities undertaken in 2009-2010 to expand its regional pools of experts on gender and climate change. The overall intention is to develop a broad range of experts who can be called upon to provide macro and sectoral support to specific government policy and programme development processes, including mainstreaming gender into National Adaptation Programmes of Action (NAPAs) and in project proposals under climate change finance mechanisms. The experts will also participate in GGCA training and awareness-raising activities from national to international levels.

Duties and Responsibilities

UNDP, on behalf of the Global Gender and Climate Alliance, is seeking candidates to be considered for inclusion in regional pools of experts for Africa and Asia-Pacific. Candidates should have an in-depth knowledge of gender climate change issues AND related national government planning processes in one or more countries of Africa and Asia-Pacific. Key climate affected sectors for which gender expertise is sought include agriculture and food security, forestry and natural resource management, water, energy access, health, disaster risk reduction, infrastructure and transport. Selected candidates will participate in one of two regional-based capacity development planning and training workshops on gender and climate change to be held in May/June 2011. Travel to the workshop and daily subsistence allowance will be covered by UNDP, as well as possible further follow-up activities at the national level. Experts may be commissioned as resource persons to integrate social and gender considerations in national and global climate change policies and programmes; Mainstream gender into proposals for funding from climate change finance mechanisms; Participate in GGCA training and awareness-raising activities at national and or international levels; Develop gender and climate change knowledge products for use by policy-makers and practitioners in developing countries and by GGCA partners. The selection process for the pool of experts will be conducted by a joint selection committee composed of UNDP and UNEP staff. Any subsequent contracting for selected participants for specific assignments related to regional or country level policy advisory services and capacity development activities on the gender dimensions of climate change, will be done by UNDP, UNEP, or partnering agencies for which candidates will be notified in advance and separately. This TOR will be randomly re-advertised to update the pool of expertise with new candidates.

Competencies

Demonstrate excellent and effective written skills; Manage multiple tasks, set deadlines and plan work independently; Set clear priorities and be able to meet key deadlines under pressure; Synthesize and summarize complex information; Be a team player; and Display cultural, gender and political sensitivity in the workplace.

Required Skills and Experience

Master’s Degree in Natural Resource Management, Environment, Gender Studies, Development Studies or other related fields; At least 5 years experience in policy advocacy across various thematic and sectoral areas of gender and climate change; Experience developing training resources, preferably in the area of gender and climate change; Proven skills and expertise in policy formulation and system analysis related to developing economies; Substantive knowledge of the global, regional and national climate change regimes; Fluency in English and/or French required, other languages an asset.