PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS VACANCY IS ONLY FOR NATIONALS OF BANGLADESH.
The Position:
The Gender Programme Specialist is located in UNFPA Bangladesh Country Office (CO) and reports to the Deputy Representative.
How you can make a difference:
UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled. UNFPA’s new strategic plan (2018-2021), focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices.
In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards, and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction.
UNFPA is seeking candidates that transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results; we need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results.
Job Purpose:
Women and girls in Bangladesh face various forms of gender-based violence committed by men and boys, physically, sexually and psychologically, mainly due to structural inequalities and deep-rooted social norms. 73% of ever-married women have experienced some form of violence from their husbands, while 27% of married women suffered from physical and sexual violence in by their husbands in the last 12 months. Over 40% of girls were sexually harassed or abused. Against this background, UNFPA’s current 9th Country Programme for Bangladesh (2017-2020) continues to focus on Gender Equality as one of the four key Outcomes, along with Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, Adolescents and Youth, and Population and Development. The Gender component of the Country Programme is aimed at addressing multiple violations of women’s and girls’ basic rights, with special focus on domestic violence and child marriage from three inter-related dimensions – prevention, protection, and economic empowerment – to support the government in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) especially Goal 5 and carrying forward the unfinished agenda of the 1994 ICPD Programme of Action, through capacity development support and advocacy for enhanced legal and policy framework for the elimination of GBV, as well as multi-sectoral response to GBV survivors, both in normal development and humanitarian settings. The Gender Unit partners with the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, Bangladesh Police, Ministry of Labor and Employment, etc.
Under the overall guidance of the UNFPA Representative and the direct supervision of the Deputy Representative, the Gender Programme Specialist oversees the Gender unit is responsible for managing the UNFPA Bangladesh’s Gender Programme and providing strategic and technical leadership in its development, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. S/he shall also assume supervisory responsibilities within the unit.
Requirements:
Qualifications and Experience
Education:
Advanced degree in gender studies, development studies, sociology, political science, education, international affairs, humanitarian affairs, population, and/or other related social science field.
Knowledge and Experience:
5 years of professional experience in the field of development and population activities, with experience in programme/project management, preferably related to Gender/GBV.
Experience in using computers and office software packages including Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and Google/Gmail, and handling of web-based management systems.
Languages:
Fluency in English and Bangla is required. Working knowledge of another UN language an asset.