Governance, Youth Justice and Gender Empowerment Specialist

As the United Nations lead agency on international development, UNDP works in 170 countries and territories to eradicate poverty and reduce inequality. We help countries to develop policies, leadership skills, partnering abilities, institutional capabilities, and to build resilience to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Our work is concentrated in three focus areas; sustainable development, democratic governance and peace building, and climate and disaster resilience.

Mission and vision

UNDP’s mandate is to end poverty, build democratic governance, rule of law, and inclusive institutions. We advocate for change, and connect countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life.

The assignment will support the UNDP Trinidad and Tobago MCO’s efforts to strengthen inclusive, people-centered justice systems and promote gender equality throughout the MCOs programmes and projects. The Specialist will provide technical assistance and programming support to develop concept notes, develop project documents, design and deliver training modules, facilitate dialogues, and build partnerships with government and civil society actors. This role will contribute to broader efforts to enhance human rights, gender-responsive programming, sustainable development and support policy development with the MCO and key stakeholders. This is in line with UNDP’s mission to foster democratic governance, human rights, and sustainable development in Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean. 

Under the direct supervision of the UNDP TT Governance Programme team or the designated authority, the UN Volunteer undertakes the following tasks: 

Develop concept notes and project documents.  Design and implement participatory workshops, training modules on human rights, gender justice, gender-responsive programming, and civic engagement.  

Support the establishment of structured dialogue platforms between youth and justice-sector stakeholders, facilitating intergenerational roundtables, policy dialogues, and youth-led community initiatives that promote justice access and violence prevention. 

Contribute to the development of institutional guidelines for youth engagement in justice and governance processes, ensuring integration of gender-sensitive and inclusive approaches. 

Assist in building local capacity through mentorship, training, and technical support to civil society organizations, women-led groups, and government partners involved in project implementation. 

Support monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) processes, including the design of project indicators, collection of data disaggregated by gender, age, and other relevant Leave No One Behind markers, and preparation of knowledge products such as learning reports and policy briefs. 

Facilitate partnerships and stakeholder coordination among government agencies, civil society organizations, and regional bodies to ensure alignment with national justice reform priorities and regional gender equality frameworks. 

Promote human rights-based and gender-responsive approaches throughout project activities, ensuring that principles of non-discrimination, participation, and accountability are mainstreamed.