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Ref.
2023/GME/10296

Job offer type
Experts

Type of contract
Service contract

Activity sectors
Sustainable development ; Género, derechos y modernización del Estado

Deadline date
2023/12/17 23:59

Duration of the assignment
Beaded expertise

Contract
Freelancer

Duration
over the course of 36 months

Mission description

General objective

The overall objective of this consultancy is to actively contribute to the EU Green Recovery Facility's mission in supporting the reduction of gender disparities. In doing so, the consultancy plays a pivotal role in advancing gender equality, inclusivity, and responsiveness.

 

Specific objectives

A.      Transversal Integration of Gender Considerations in Activities: Ensure the transversal integration of gender considerations in the construction and implementation of the Facility’s activities which are implemented by service providers, including Individual Experts and Consultancy companies.

B.      Gender Inclusive Approach in Project Development: Ensure that the complementary projects developed by Expertise France’s team integrate gender considerations and align with the Facility’s gender objectives.

 

Indicative Activities and Deliverables

Gender considerations have been included in the Facility’s Project Documents, including the Logical Framework and its associated plans and tools (i.e., indicators, methodology). The main objective of this consultancy is to further advance this work and promote gender equality and inclusivity at every level and every stage of the project implementation activities.

1.      Indicative Activities in relation with Specific Objective A.

i.        Gender Mainstreaming in the design and implementation of Project Activities

Ø  Gender Mainstreaming in the design of Project Activities: Ensure a clear integration of gender dimensions in the Terms of References (ToR) produced by the team for the activities to be implemented by service providers in the framework of the Facility. The gender-sensitive ToRs will not only guide service providers in understanding and fulfilling the Facility’s expectations regarding gender, but they will also ensure that those service providers implement gender-inclusive and gender-responsive activities. --> Indicative Deliverable 1: Commented ToRs, integrating gender dimensions in the description of service provider responsibilities and activities.

Ø  Service Providers Selection Process:

o   Analyse the technical proposals submitted by service providers, ensuring their approach, methodology and team structure align with the overall Facility’s and specific ToR’s gender objectives. As such, the consultant must identify aspects within the proposals that pertain to gender responsiveness, such as strategies for inclusivity, diversity, and the integration of gender perspectives.

o   Evaluate those aforementioned proposals utilising pre-existing matrices developed by the team. --> Indicative Deliverable 2: Completed and filled matrices evaluating service providers’ proposals in terms of fulfilling gender objectives.

o   If/When considered necessary, participate in the selection committees for those service providers. --> Indicative Deliverable 3: Participation in the selection committee of service providers (when deemed necessary).

Ø  Monitoring and Quality Control Support

o   Evaluate service providers’ deliverables, focusing on gender integration and inclusivity. --> Indicative Deliverable 4: Commented version of service providers’ deliverables, providing comprehensive feedback on gender inclusion. This process will be iterative, ensuring continuous improvement in subsequent deliverables.

o   Participate in meetings with service providers, on a needs-basis, to discuss, review and refine their aforementioned deliverables.

ii.      Ongoing Gender-Responsive Advisory Support

Ø  Provide real-time advice and recommendations to project team members whenever gender-related questions or challenges arise. Maintain a detailed log compiling information on these exchanges and interactions. --> Indicative Deliverable 5: A log documenting real-time advice and recommendations provided to project team members and service providers on gender-related matters, to be disseminated and accessible to team members on an ongoing basis.

The log must include the dates of the request, the nature of the request/issues faced, the advice given, and the parties involved.

2.      Planned Activities in relation with Specific Objective B. 

iii.    Gender Mainstreaming for Activities under the EU Policy & Programme Window --> Indicative Deliverable 6: Reviewed and commented concept notes, ensuring gender inclusion and sensitivity

As part of the Facility, Expertise France will support the development of project and programme concept notes to help attract additional funding from development partners for the benefit of government institutions and other Facility stakeholders.

For the concept notes prepared in-house by Expertise France's team, the consultant will play a key role in ensuring that gender issues are properly integrated (for concept notes prepared with the support of external consultants, similar work will be carried out under specific objective A). This process will be iterative and the consultant will provide feedback for every version of the concept notes developed, so as to ensure continuous improvement. Ultimately, the consultant’s role is to ensure that the final concept notes not only account for gender considerations but also align with the Facility’s gender objectives.

 

Project or context description

1.       Presentation of Expertise France

Expertise France is the French inter-ministerial agency in charge of international technical cooperation, the second-largest of its kind in Europe. As a subsidiary of Agence française de développement Group (AFD Group), Expertise France designs and implements projects that durably strengthen public policies in developing and emerging countries. It operates within key sectors of development such as governance, security, climate change, health, and education. Alongside its partners, it contributes to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

For more information, please visit our website: https://www.expertisefrance.fr/en/web/guest/accueil

 

2.       European Union Delegation to Sri Lanka and the Maldives

The European Union (EU) Delegation in Sri Lanka is the funding partner of the EU Green Recovery Facility. Cooperation between the EU and Sri Lanka is based on the partners’ mutual respect for democratic principles and human rights and covers a number of key areas of cooperation, including; diversification of trade and investment; networking between EU and Sri Lankan business communities; strengthening technical, economic and cultural linkages and providing technical assistance to Sri Lanka to interact more effectively with the EU; supporting Sri Lanka's efforts to improve the living conditions of the poorer sections of the population; green recovery, environmental protection and sustainable management of natural resources.

The EU Green Recovery Facility is part of a series of EU funded initiatives to be rolled out between 2021 and 2027 under the Team Europe Initiative (TEI) “Green Recovery”, which will mainly focus on green economic recovery and on valuing and protecting Sri Lanka’s rich biodiversity.

For more information: https://www.eeas.europa.eu/delegations/sri-lanka_en?s=238

 

3.       The EU Green Recovery Facility

The EU Green Recovery Facility (the Facility) is a four-year intervention funded by the EU. Its seeks to use the current economic crisis as an opportunity to support Sri Lanka towards a more sustainable growth trajectory. The ultimate goal would entail achieving a green (and blue) economy that is circular, carbon neutral, and socially inclusive; which, not only, would be more respectful of biodiversity resources and socio-economic/demographic context, but would also provide much needed macroeconomic stability.

The Facility would more specifically support the mainstreaming of green economy (GE) challenges and objectives in the Sri Lankan policy landscape, as well as the facilitation of bringing GE policy to action by contributing to the following specific objectives (SO):

•         SO1: Support the development and implementation of inclusive national green, blue and sustainable public policies, with participation of women and men in all their diversity.

•         SO2: Improve the business and investment climate in view of promoting an inclusive circular economy (both green and blue).

•         SO3: Increase accessibility and availability to green and sustainable finance.

The primary direct beneficiaries of the project will be the public institutions particularly, the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Finance as well as government institutions focused on SMEs. Other direct beneficiaries include the private sector, financial institutions, and civil society.

The EU Green Recovery Facility, which started in Q2 2023 is the first bilateral project to be implemented by Expertise France in Sri Lanka.

 

4.       Context

Sri Lanka is highly vulnerable to climate change, consistently ranking among the top thirty nations for extreme weather events. This susceptibility is exacerbated by the climate sensitivity of pivotal economic sectors, including tourism, fisheries, tea plantations, and agriculture, making them prone to unpredictable swings of nature. In this context, fortifying the resilience of vulnerable communities and safeguarding ecosystems from climate change's adverse effects emerge as paramount concerns.

Compounding this environmental challenge is Sri Lanka's status as one of the 36 global biodiversity hotspots, covering a small percentage of Earth's land surface but hosting a significant portion of the planet's plant and animal species. The conservation of these areas is crucial not only for global biodiversity but also for sustaining Sri Lanka's vital tourism industry, a major contributor to foreign exchange. The intricate web of biodiversity intertwines with pivotal sectors such as agriculture, forestry, and the maritime domain, amplifying its significance in the nation's development trajectory.

As Sri Lanka faces increased unpredictability in climate-sensitive sectors, fortifying the resilience of vulnerable communities becomes urgent within the broader framework of sustainable development. Simultaneously, addressing gender-specific challenges is integral to ensuring that climate adaptation and mitigation strategies consider the distinct needs and vulnerabilities of both men and women. In light of these challenges, decisive action is imperative to protect people, preserve unique ecosystems, and chart a course toward sustainable development that aligns with the delicate ecological tapestry of Sri Lanka.

 

Specific context regarding Gender

Regarding gender context, Sri Lanka's Gender Inequality Index (GII) value of 0.383 places it 92 out of 170 countries in 2021. Despite strides in education and healthcare, persistent gender imbalances persist, notably within economic spheres. The disparity is evident as male labour force participation significantly surpasses that of women, leading to higher unemployment rates for women. The substantial engagement of women in unpaid care work further impedes their formal labour market participation.

Even with women achieving notable educational milestones, gender-related obstacles endure, rooted in societal expectations and norms. Initiatives to promote women's entrepreneurship, including preferential grants and the removal of discriminatory fiscal policies, have seen limited success. In response to these challenges, the Facility endeavors to integrate gender considerations into all activities, recognizing the importance of fostering inclusivity and addressing the multifaceted issues impeding gender equality in Sri Lanka.

The Facility will seek to mainstream gender in the design and implementation of all its activities, which is the subject of these Terms of Reference.

Required profile

A.      Education

·         A Master’s degree in a relevant field, such as gender studies, political science, international development, or a related area.

B.      Experience

·         At least 7 years of proven experience in the implementation of gender-related project and programmes;

·         Proven experience in the implementation of a gender approach in international cooperation projects or in the public sector (ministries and decentralized state services);

·         Experience with gender-related issues and challenges in the South Asian region would be a strong asset;

·         Knowledge of Sri Lankan institutions and context is a strong asset;

·         Demonstrated expertise in integrating gender considerations into development projects would be an asset;

·         Knowledge of European Union procedures would be an asset;

·         Fluency in English is mandatory. French is an asset.

 

C.      Skills

·         Excellent writing skills, including for developing methodologies, elaborating diagnoses, drafting informative summary notes as well as producing essential documents for project structuring and initiation;

·         Strong knowledge of international development best practices and principles;

·         Rigor and ability to write in a clear, precise and concise manner;

·         Global, synthetic and concrete vision;

·         Strong autonomy and interpersonal skills

·         Solution-oriented.

Additional information

I.     Place, duration and terms of performance

1.       Implementation period: 36 months

2.       Start date: 15 January 2024

3.       End date: 14 January 2027

4.       Location : Remote

5.       Nature of contract: Service contract with purchase orders

6.      Estimated number of days : 160 man-days

 

II.      Application modalities

Submission deadline: 17/12/2023, 23:59 CET (18/12/2023, 4:29 Sri-Lanka time)

Documents to submit

  • -          An updated CV highlighting the skills and experience in line with the required ones (5 pages max), including contact details of 3x professional references
  • -          A cover letter
  • -          The duly completed Application Form, including its Appendixes

How to apply: Apply here online. Only applications that are registered here via our online portal will be considered.

Selection criteria for applications

The selection process for candidates will be based on the following criteria :

  • Candidate’s training/skills/experience

Deadline for application : 2023/12/17 23:59

File(s) attached : Gender Mainstreaming Expert_ToRs.DOCX - Gender Mainstreaming Expert_Application Form.docx

Expertise France is the public agency of French international technical cooperation. The agency operates around four priorities:

  • democratic, economic and financial governance;
  • security and stability of countries in crisis/post-crisis situations;
  • sustainable development;
  • strengthening health systems, social protection and employment.

In these areas, Expertise France carries out engineering and implementation missions for capacity building projects, mobilizes technical expertise and acts as an aggregator of projects involving public expertise and private know-how.

With an activity volume of 233 million euros, more than 400 projects in portfolio in 80 countries, and 63,000 days of expertise, Expertise France focuses its action towards France’s solidarity policy, influence and economic diplomacy.

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