International Consultant, Expert in Women's Economic Empowerment, Care Economy and Caregiving in Crisis and Recovery Settings (Retainer)

The consultant will provide technical expertise on care economy programming, caregiving systems, unpaid care and domestic work, and gender-responsive recovery programming. The role supports the design, implementation, evidence generation and institutionalization of care-focused approaches across UN Women's recovery portfolio in Gaza.

Responsibilities

• Lead technical efforts to surge women’s employment during Gaza’s early recovery.
• Guide the integration of care-responsive approaches across humanitarian, recovery and development programmes.
• Identify and address care-related barriers affecting women's participation in employment, livelihoods, skills development and entrepreneurship.
• Develop practical recommendations on childcare, disability care, caregiving support, referral systems and enabling services including community based care models, workplace care, and formal care organizations.
• Advise on the establishment of informal and formal care structures in crisis settings including: Safeguarding, PSEA and protection systems including child protection and protection for vulnerable groups; SOPs; Decent work standards for care workers; Accountability and complaints mechanisms; Quality assurance, monitoring and supervision; Childcare and care infrastructure investments; transitioning from informal community based care to formal models of care.
• Guide the design of gender-responsive care interventions for vulnerable groups, including women with disabilities, caregivers and women-headed households.
• Conduct and lead care economy assessments, care needs analyses and labour market assessments related to care services.
• Identify opportunities for creating decent jobs and enterprise opportunities within the care economy.
• Develop evidence, policy recommendations and practical guidance on care systems, care services and women's economic empowerment.
• Guide the collection and analysis of sex-, age- and disability-disaggregated data related to care work and care needs.
• Design and deliver capacity-building initiatives on care-responsive programming and care economy approaches.
• Strengthen engagement with WLOs, service providers, government institutions, private sector actors and development partners.
• Facilitate dialogue and partnerships around care systems, care needs, and care-related employment.
• Develop tools, guidance products and learning materials to support scaling up care-responsive and care-focused programmes including transitioning from informal community care models into more formal care structures including work place care and private sector.

Requirements

• Master's degree in Economics, Social Policy, Gender Studies, Development Studies, Labour Economics, Social Sciences, International Development or a related field is required.
• A first-level university degree combined with two additional years of relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced degree.
• At least 5 years progressive experience in care economy, caregiving systems, social protection, women's economic empowerment or related fields is required.
• Demonstrated experience conducting care economy analysis, assessments or related research is desirable.
• Experience designing and implementing care-responsive programmes and policies is required.
• Experience supporting women's employment, livelihood and economic empowerment initiatives is required.
• Experience working with civil society organizations, women's organizations and government stakeholders is desirable.
• Experience in humanitarian, crisis-affected or recovery settings is required.
• Experience in Palestine and/or the Middle East region is highly desirable.
• Previous experience working with UN agencies and international organizations is desirable.
• Fluency in English is required.
• Knowledge of Arabic is desirable.

Skills

• Care Economy
• Caregiving Systems
• Social Protection Policies
• Women's Economic Empowerment
• Care-Responsive Programme Design
• Policy Implementation
• Livelihoods Support
• Economic Empowerment Initiatives
• Humanitarian Experience
• Crisis Recovery Programming
• Gender-Responsive Programming
• Research and Assessment
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Civil society collaboration
• Government Relations
• UN Agency Collaboration
• International Development
• Social Policy
• Labour Economics
• Evidence Generation

Languages

English, Arabic