Women, Peace and Security Specialist

UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet.

UNDP’s work in Serbia is guided by its Country Programme Document (2021-2025), and the UN-Serbia Development Partnership Framework for 2016-2020, which is in line with the priorities of the Government of Serbia. Evaluation of previous CPD is available here. UNDP assists Serbia to meet its international obligations and requirements for the European Union accession.

UNDP works in partnership with the Government of Serbia, development partners, UN agencies, civil society and local communities to help identify local solutions to meet national and global development challenges.With our expertise we contribute to the development of Serbia by providing support in four key focus areas:

· Inclusive and sustainable growth;

· Building and strengthening of accountable and representative governance institutions serving people;

· Low-carbon and climate-resilient development; and

· Gender Equality and lives free of violence;

In the aftermath of the violent conflicts in the former Yugoslavia during the 1990s, Serbia has faced significant challenges related to gender-based violence (GBV), particularly against women and girls https://www.undp.org/serbia/publications/firearms-misuse-domestic-violence-and-suicide-brief-overview. The legacy of these conflicts, coupled with the widespread availability of firearms, has heightened insecurity and violence, especially in domestic environments https://www.undp.org/serbia/publications/characteristics-and-prevention-intimate-partner-femicide-suicide-cases-committed-firearm and https://www.undp.org/serbia/publications/domestic-violence-and-firearms-misuse. Since the adoption of Serbia's first National Action Plan for implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1325 in 2010, efforts have centered on increasing women's representation in the security sector, their inclusion in international missions, and bolstering initiatives to prevent violence against women.

UNDP Serbia is strongly committed to advancing the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda, to which it is currently contributing through two key projects: Reduce Risk – Increase Safety and Youth 4 Inclusion, Equality & Trust. ‘Reduce Risk-Increase Safety’ is focused on preventing domestic violence, suicides, and mass shootings involving firearms, and on integrating gender perspectives into Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) control policies. Our work prioritizes the meaningful inclusion of women in security forces, supports the development and implementation of gender-based violence (GBV) policies, and contributes to restoring safety and trust within communities.

The joint UN initiative ‘Youth 4 Inclusion, Equality & Trust’ (2022-2026) is empowering young people in Serbia and the region to engage in constructive narratives, strengthen intercultural dialogue, inclusion, gender equality and create mutual understanding and trust. The initiative aims at enhancing the role of youth in promoting increased comprehension and respect for diversity. Working with diverse young people, the project aims to increase youth participation in policy and decision-making processes, advancing Youth, Peace & Security and Women, Peace & Security agendas and promoting social cohesion. Collaboratively, UNDP, UNFPA, UNESCO, UN Women, relevant local ministries, municipal and youth councils, youth members of political parties, media, academic and cultural institutions, and civil society organisations are working to fulfil these goals.

This United Nations Volunteers (UNV) assignment is part of UNDP Serbia’s Women, Peace and Security (WPS) programming initiative, currently implemented through two key projects: Reduce Risk – Increase Safety and Youth 4 Inclusion, Equality & Trust.

Under the direct supervision of Gender Equality Portfolio Manager, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:

Contribute to the development of programmes in the area of Women, Peace and Security (WPS)
• Assist in the design and implementation of programmes and initiatives under the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda, with a focus on preventing the misuse of firearms in cases of domestic violence, violence against women, harmful masculinities, and suicide, as well as promoting youth engagement in building a culture of peace. Tasks include providing support in collecting background information and conducting basic context analysis, drafting inputs for project documents, helping coordinate events and workshops with key stakeholders, and contributing to the preparation of aware-ness-raising materials and campaigns.;
• Assist in identifying key areas for priority support and intervention related to WPS pro-grammes;
• Assist in identifying opportunities to integrate WPS priorities into humanitarian, peace-building, and development programming—particularly by promoting women’s leader-ship in crisis response, addressing gendered impacts of armed violence, and ensuring gender-sensitive approaches in conflict prevention and recovery efforts.;
• Provide technical inputs to annual work planning, monitoring, and reporting for WPS-related projects, including Reduce Risk–Increase Safety and Youth 4 Inclusion, Equality & Trust, ensuring integration of gender-sensitive approaches.
• Support collaboration with women’s groups in the security sector, civil society organizations, women’s rights advocates, youth-led initiatives, media, and national partners to enhance women’s participation and leadership in peacebuilding and security governance.

Contribute to the implementation and management of WPS Programmes
• In cooperation with the UNDP’s SDG Center on WPS and Humanitarian action, follow up with key national partners on the implementation of targeted interventions that sup-port women’s participation in the security sector, such as through the Network of Women Police Officers in Serbia. The Network was established to enhance the role and visibility of women police officers within the Ministry of Interior of Serbia. It aims to empower women in their professional roles, support their career advancement, and promote women's safety and the prevention of gender-based violence—aligning with the Ministry’s principles of equality, non-discrimination, and respect for diversity.Support the UNDP’s SDG cluster in implementing, monitoring, and reporting on targeted program activities within projects that advance the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda, including “Reduce Risk – Increase Safety” and “Youth 4 Inclusion, Equality & Trust.”
• Contribute with technical assistance and capacity development to WPS team’s efforts in managing programme/project partners including with the Ministry of Interior, the Network of Women Police Officers, women’s and youth civil society organizations, and the Network of Women Journalists Against Violence;
• Contribute to the development and implementation of capacity building initiatives targeting key WPS partners and stakeholders in Serbia including on high-level advocacy and women’s participation in conflict resolution and local peacebuilding.

Assist in partnership building and resource mobilization efforts
• Contribute with inputs to WPS resource mobilization efforts; analyze and maintain in-formation and databases;
• Assist in preparing relevant documentation such as project summaries, meeting minutes, speeches, and donor profiles;
• Participate in donor meetings and public information events, as delegated;
• Support the expansion of partnership on WPS with governmental, non-governmental and UN sister agencies in the area of advancing the WPS agenda.

Provide support to advocacy, knowledge building and communication efforts;
• Support drafting background documents, briefs and presentations related to WPS;
• Contribute to organizing events on WPS, including the Open Day/high-level dialogue on WPS;
• Compile information from different sources on contextual developments and key WPS trends;
• Support as needed the development of publications, advocacy and communication materials.

Furthermore, UN Volunteers are required to:
• Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for in-stance in events that mark International Volunteer Day);
• Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country;
• Reflect on the type and quality of voluntary action that they are undertaking, including participation in ongoing reflection activities;
• Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.;
• Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly-arrived UN Volunteers;
• Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering, or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.