Overview : UNDP works to advance gender equality and empower women as agents of change and leaders in the development processes that shape their lives towards a more inclusive, sustainable and resilient world. Gender equality and women’s empowerment is integrated in the organisation’s work in promoting sustainable development pathways, inclusive and effective governance systems and resilience building. This second Regional Human Development Report on Women’s Economic Empowerment and Gender Equality in Africa builds on the success of the first Africa Human Development Report (2012) on a Food Secure Future for Africa that advocated for sustainable increases in agricultural productivity and better nutrition as drivers of growth and human development. The analysis highlighted the importance of building resilience, empowerment, social justice and gender as critical elements of the transformative change required for food security. It made the case for clear linkages between expanding women’s capabilities and enhancing food security including empowering women in agriculture by addressing unequal control of productive assets, time use and access to justice and markets.
This report intends to provide intellectually independent, empirically grounded analysis of development issues, trends, progress and policies in order to help advance human development. HDRs are based on the premise that “people are the real wealth of a nation” using empirical data to impact policies that enlarge people's choices and create an enabling environment for people to enjoy long, healthy and creative lives or simply to “advance the richness of human life, rather than the richness of the economy in which human beings live” (Amartya Sen). Today, more people are healthier, live longer, are more educated, have more access to goods and services and more power to select leaders, influence public decisions and share knowledge. Yet much more remains to be done in expanding choices and improving well-being for all people in all countries and communities, and for generations yet to come.
The junior researcher will support the work of the research and production team in carrying out consultations, research, production and finalisation of the report. In particular the junior researcher will be responsible for coordination of communication and monitoring the schedule of delivery of outputs to create a smooth exchange of information within the AfHDR Team.
Objectives of the report
This African Human Development Report aims:
• To establish the links between Sustainable Human Development, women empowerment and gender equality in Africa.
• To use existing and newly generated research, to provide evidence and demonstrate the intrinsic value of gender equality with a focus beyond economic aspects to social and environmental gains.
• To explore political, social and structural constraints to globally and nationally identified goal and targets while showcasing lessons learned from successes and failures in the African context.
• To provide policy recommendations that would lead to fundamental changes in policies, institutions, incentives, ideas and social processes to achieve Africa’s transformative vision.
Partnership
The Report will be prepared over a period of 18 months through a consultative process, using new and existing empirical research produced by a team of UNDP in-house experts led by UNDP Africa working in close collaboration with the Policy Bureau, leading scholars and development practitioners.
Timeline of the report preparation and finalization
Given the scope and dimensions of the report, the preparation and finalisation of the report is expected to take place over a period of 12 months. The initial duration of the assignment is 6 months. Based on the results of the first 6-month period, the work can be extended further. During this period, the junior consultant will be based at the UNDP RBA offices in New York.
Duties and Responsibilities
The individual consultant will work closely with the Research and Statistical Analysts, the RBA Senior Strategic Advisor and the Strategic Advisor working on the AfHDR.
• Gather documentation requested by AfHDR team as inputs to selected chapter reviews;
• Prepare and maintain a central repository for all draft background papers and chapters;
• Consolidate feedback from peer review and advisory panels on draft documentation;
• Support the communication with review and advisory panels
• Prepare a monthly report on status of various deliverables from the AfHDR work plan including draft documents, reviews and consultations
• Any other duties related to research and analytical work of the Strategy and Advisory Team
Deliverables
• List of documentation for selected chapter reviews
• Up to date central repository of background papers and chapters
• Consolidated comments from peer review and advisory panels on drafts
• Monthly report on status of delivery of work plan outputs
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