UN Women: International Technical Consultant to Enhance GBV Prevention, Home-based, International Consultant

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.

In Cambodia, UN Women's work is guided by the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) 2024-2028, the Regional Strategic Note (2023-2025), and the Corporate Strategic Plan (2022-2025), These frameworks shape UN Women Cambodia's key priorities in advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment (GEWE).

The first priority is to strengthen government capacity and accountability to integrate international norms and commitments (CEDAW, UNSCR 1325, SDGs, Beijing PfA, Sendai) into national legislative, regulatory frameworks and plan of actions, including supporting dialogue, national action plan women, peace security, civil society engagement in accountability for GEWE commitments.  The second area of focus is Ending Violence Against Women (EVAW) where office focus includes creating an enabling environment to prevent, respond to and prosecute all forms of gender-based violence (GBV) as well as ensuring that marginalised women who experience violence, including women migrant workers, access services and protections.  Thirdly, Cambodia office works to enhance gender responsiveness in climate change action and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR).  A focus on empowerment, women’s leadership, challenging negative gender norms and leaving no one behind runs through the programme. Lastly, women’s economic empowerment powered by Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEP) and right based approaches to foster innovation, advance gender equality and drive including economic growth partnerships, accelerators, and policy support. 

Cambodia has developed a legal framework to reduce violence against women and girls (VAW/VAWG), and through the Ministry of Women’s Affairs (MoWA), with support from development partners, implemented the first, second and third National Action Plan to Prevent Violence Against Women (NAPVAW) covering 2009 to the present. 

In collaboration with the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC), UN Women has been instrumental in the development and implementation of the National Action Plan to Prevent Violence Against Women (NAPVAW), particularly focusing on vulnerable groups such as women migrant workers. This includes strengthening multi-stakeholder coordination, improving services in line with the UN Essential Services Package and prevention. 

Recognising that harmful social norms drive gender-based violence, UN Women has implemented primary prevention strategies, engaging women migrant networks, LGBTIQ+ communities, and emerging young gender advocates. Through intergenerational dialogues and digital campaigns, these efforts aim to shift social norms towards more inclusive and respectful behaviours. 

Through an UN-to-UN agreement with UNFPA with funding support from the Australia-Cambodia Cooperation for Equitable Sustainable Services-Phase 2 (ACCESS 2), one of UN Women key priorities is to strengthen evidence-based actions in VAWG/GBV Primary Prevention. UN Women, in collaboration with UNFPA and key stakeholders, will lead in taking stock of current work on VAWG prevention interventions in Cambodia. This initiative will involve a comprehensive review/assessment of the evidence for effectiveness of existing or previous prevention programming to identify good practices and gaps to guide the development of new prevention approaches in Cambodia. The process will ensure an inclusive participatory from diverse groups such as women who are at risk of violence, women with disability women migrant workers, LGBTIQ and youth/gender advocates., . Informed by the assessment findings and in line with the RESPECT Framework, prevention models/approaches will be developed through co-creation processes and piloted in one of ACCESS 2 target provinces.

Description of Responsibilities/ Scope of Work

This consultancy is designed to take stock of current work on VAW/VAWG/GBV prevention interventions in Cambodia. This will include a review/assessment of the evidence for effectiveness of existing or previous prevention programming, identifying good practices and gaps including lessons learned and recommendations to inform the development of GBV prevention models/approaches for Cambodia context, which aims to contribute to strengthening the implementation of the NAPVAW IV Strategic Area on Prevention.

The consultant will work under the supervision of the Country Programme Coordinator and in close collaboration with UN Women Cambodia EVAW programme team, the Ministry of Women's Affairs (MoWA), ACCESS 2, UNFPA and other key stakeholders to undertake the tasks below: 

Provision of policy advice and technical assistance to conduct an assessment/review on GBV prevention work applying the contextualized RESPECT framework: 

• Conduct a comprehensive desk review of relevant national and regional policy/ guidelines/protocols/SOPs, evaluations, assessments, reports, and relevant research on the existing practices of the national and sub-national GBV prevention programmes/mechanism to build understanding of alignment international/global guidance on what works in prevention applying such tools as the RESPECT framework or other good practice guidance.
• Develop a practical guiding framework, data collection methodology including tools for gathering input through participatory consultations with stakeholders at the national and sub-national levels including women from a diverse backgrounds and civil society organization working on EVAW. 
• Coordinate and provide technical leadership on the consultation process with relevant stakeholders including TWGG-GBV at the national level and data collection at the sub-national level 
• Conduct consultations and interviews with key government stakeholders at the national/sub-national levels and development partners, CSOs, selected GBV Working Group members at the sub-national level, and women subject to violence that have received services including maginalised groups (women with disabilities, women migrant workers, LGBTIQ, etc.).
• Conduct an analysis of the findings from the desk review and consultations/interviews both at the national and sub-national levels and produce the good quality report highlighting the good practices, identifying the areas for improvement, and providing strategic recommendations for effective prevention interventions for new co-creation approaches/models in line with global good practice standards tailored to the Cambodian context.

Provision of policy advice and technical assistance to coordinate and develop draft of new co-creation prevention models

• Work with UN Women in Cambodia and UN Women technical team from the Regional Office (ROAP), UNFPA team, and the Core Prevention Working Group to identify key priorities recommendations for co-creations new effective prevention approaches.
• Draft new effective prevention approaches with consultation with UN Women and UNFPA  
• Lead coordination and facilitation consultations with the Core Prevention Working Group to get technical inputs, validate and finalize those new prevention approaches.
• Finalize recommendations for new co-creation prevention approaches.

Expected deliverables and timelines 

Task 1: Develop an inception report, including approach designed to achieve deliverables and detailed workplan in consultation with UN Women and MOWA. 

            1st Deliverable: Submission of inception report including a detailed workplan

              Expected completion time: 19 July 2025

A. Conduct an assessment/review on GBV prevention work applying the contextualized RESPECT framework.

Task 2: Develop a workplan and concept note for conducting review/assessment on the existing practices of prevention programming for the assignment​ in consultation with UN Women programme team and key stakeholders.

• Conduct desk review on existing/relevant national and regional policy/ guidelines/protocols/SOPs document, existing TORs, evaluations, assessments, reports, and relevant research on the existing programmes on the VAWG/GBV in Cambodia.
• Conduct desk review international good practice guidance such as the RESPECT framework or other resources to guide development of the methodology for review of existing programmes and current practices in prevention in Cambodia 
• Develop a concept note and workplan for conducting participatory consultations to gather input from diverse stakeholders on stocktaking of good practices and areas for improvements to guide recommendations for the way forward to develop effective prevention programmes in Cambodia. 

          2^nd Deliverable: Part 1: Submission of the concept note and workplan for conducting stock taking of prevention interventions in Cambodia in line with global good                 practices and the Cambodian context.

           Expected completion time: 26 July 2025 

Task 3: Technical lead in conducting the consultation process both at the national and sub-national levels in cooperation with MOWA and UN Women

• Design methodology including tools for consultation workshop/interviews/focus group discussion (FGD) with key stakeholders including women who are risk of violence and from diverse background, for data collection process ensure the application of the survivor centered approaches and inclusive participatory approach applying ethical guidance for interviews with at women subject to VAW/GBV.
• Identify stakeholders to be consulted at the national and subnational level in consultation with MoWA and UN Women. 
• Lead in conducting data collection and consultations with relevant stakeholders at sub-national levels
• Lead in conducting consultation with relevant stakeholders at the national levels including drafting concept notes for conducting consultation workshop with relevant stakeholders at the national level
• Complete a field work/consultation analysis report

       3^rd Deliverable: 

• Part 1: Submission of the consultation/data collection tools for interview/FGD with key stakeholders both at the national and sub-national levels including fieldwork/data collection plan at the national and sub-national levels 

            Expected completion time: 6 Aug 2025

• Submission of fieldwork analysis report from the consultations with relevant stakeholders at the national and sub-national levels   

            Expected completion time: 30 Aug 2025 

Task 4: Develop an assessment report on stock taking of existing practice of prevention of VAW/GBV at the national and sub-national levels with recommendations specific to the Cambodian context in consultation with MOWA and UN Women

        4^th Deliverable:

• Part 1: submission of 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd draft of the stocktaking report on the existing practices of prevention at the national and sub-national levels with focus on the good practice, identifying area for improvement/gaps and  strategic recommendation for prevention interventions aligned with global good practice frameworks and responding to the Cambodian context, including powerpoint presentation to be consulted with MOWA, UN Women and relevant stakeholders for inputs and feedback

            Expected completion time: 30 Sep 2025 

• Part 2: Submission of final full report and final power presentation

            Expected completion time: 15 Oct 2025

B. Provision of policy advice and technical assistance to coordinate and the development of new prevention models

Task 5: Develop preliminary co-creation prevention models/approaches through coordinated consultations with UN Women Cambodia, the UN Women ROAP technical team, UNFPA, and the Core Prevention Working Group.

        5^th Deliverable:

• Part 1: submission of 1^stand 2^nd draft of the new co-creation effective prevention models/approaches after the draft has been comprehensive consultations with key stakeholders. 

            Expected completion time: 19 Dec 2025

• Part 2: Submission of finalized new co-created prevention models, including methodology, pilot instructions, and M&E tools.

            Expected completion time: 27 Jan 2026

Consultant’s Workplace and Official Travel

The consultancy is expected to be started on 14 July 2025  and continue until 27 Jan 2026.

This is a home-based consultancy. As part of the official duty of this consultancy, the consultant may be expected to travel, which will be processed by UN Women, following the duty travel policy.

Payments

Payments for this consultancy will be based on the achievement of deliverable and certification that each has been satisfactorily completed. Payment will not be based on the number of days worked but on the completion of each stated deliverable within the indicated timeframes on satisfactory completion of task. Payments will be made upon submission of deliverables with approval of the National Country Programme Coordinator. 

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:

Technical Competencies:

• Expertise in prevention of GBV/VAW, Gender Equality and Gender Mainstreaming: deep understanding of gender equality principles, gender mainstreaming strategies.
• Proven experience in working on prevention programmes aimed at reducing GBV/VAW.
• Expertise in global guidance on good practices in prevention such as the UN RESPECT Framework or other relevant resources. 
• Strong facilitation skills, with the ability to engage diverse groups of participants, encourage active participation and manage group dynamics effectively.
• Proven expertise in monitoring and evaluation (M&E) techniques, including assessing the impact, effectiveness, and coordination of GBV/VAW programs
• Familiarity with the UN system and its relevance to gender equality and women’s empowerment
• Ability to analyze and interpret data related to gender equality and use this analysis to inform coordination and prevention SOP development.

Functional Competencies: 

• Knowledge of the social, cultural, and political context of Cambodia and local issues of gender, women’s participation in private and public sphere, multiple challenges that potential young leaders face to advance their personal development plan as well as participate equally in emergent socioeconomic development. 
• Promotion respectful and gender sensitive learning environment throughout the assignment and in the office. 
• Knowledge of gender-sensitivity, GESI and how to respond to the priorities of survivors of GBV and people with disabilities research methodologies, particularly with vulnerable populations. 
• Proven excellent context analysis and writing skills and high-quality reports produced.
• Communicating and information sharing: facilitate and encourage open communication and strive for effective communication.

Required Qualifications

Education and Certification:

• Master’s degree (or equivalent) in social and political sciences, human rights, gender equality, development study, etc., or relevant field 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:

• Minimum 7 years of professional experience in addressing gender, policy development and in EVAW programme planning and implementation, monitoring, evaluation, reporting and resource mobilization, preferably from the UN System or an international organization.
• Experience in working on multi-sectoral coordination and prevention programmes addressing gender equality, violence prevention, victim support services, and response mechanisms is essential.
• Experience in intervention programs offering support to GBV/VAW survivors, such as legal aid, psychosocial services, shelters, and healthcare, along with experience in assessing their impact and sustainability.
• Comprehensive knowledge of gender-sensitivity, Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) principles, and responsive research methodologies tailored to the priorities of GBV survivors and individuals with disabilities, especially within vulnerable populations.
• Experience in liaising and coordinating with a myriad of stakeholders and partners, including government, civil society, international organizations and grassroots organizations. 
• Professional experience working in women’s human rights and/or gender related work in Asia and Pacific, preferably in Cambodia, in particular on GBV and EVAW would be a strong asset.

Languages Requirements:

• Fluency in English is required.

How to Apply 

• A cover letter (maximum length: 1 page)
• Additional materials relevant to pre-assessing the relevance of their experience, such as reports, presentations, publications, campaigns, or other materials will be requested from the shortlisted candidates.

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.)

Note: Applicants must ensure that all sections of the application form, including the sections on education and employment history, are completed. If all sections are not completed the application may be disqualified from the recruitment and selection process.