Background Information
Achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls is at the heart of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Turkmenistan actively pursues a gender-responsive national policy based on constitutional principles and the SDGs. Legislative and policy measures are adopted to realize the principles of equal rights and opportunities for men and women. Particularly, in 2015 the law “On State Guarantees of Ensuring Equal Rights and Opportunities for Women and Men” was adopted.
Turkmenistan ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) in 1996. By ratifying the Optional Protocol to CEDAW in 2009, Turkmenistan reaffirmed its firm commitment to ensuring women have access to and equal enjoyment of all fundamental human rights and freedoms. In 2020, Turkmenistan adopted its second National Action Plan on Gender Equality in Turkmenistan for 2021-2025 targeting areas of legislation, reproductive health, gender-based violence, education, gender data, engaging man and boys on promoting gender equality and others. However, while laws and policies are fundamental, it is equally important to address among others harmful social norms, understand cultural, social and behavioural factors which might adversely impact towards gender equality.
Working towards gender equality – by empowering women and engaging men – is fundamental to achieving a host of development outcomes, including reducing poverty, improving health and addressing other population concerns. Gender equality and human rights are core values in UNFPA and are reflected throughout its work.
It is a known fact that gender equality begins at home, and families are at the front lines of change. Home is the first place where children are socialized into gender norms, values and stereotypes. Construction of a harmonious family is to realize harmonious relationship and coordination between family members and to realize mutual respect, trust and assistance among family members. The first year of marriage is incredibly important for the young family’s future happiness. It is a time when both members of a couple figure out how to live as partners, establish good patterns and ways of being together that usually continue for the rest of the marriage. This is why marriage preparation is an important education that would support young people in their decision to build strong marriages.
Within this context, UNFPA plans to undertake a manual and training modules development as well as to conduct TOT training for Civil Registration Office to advise young couples about creating a strong, harmonious, healthy family and to promote positive social and family norms, reproductive rights and prevention of gender-based violence in Turkmenistan.
The overall purpose of this consultancy is to support the development of a manual with training modules as well as conducting TOT training for Civil Registration Office to advise young couples about creating a, strong, harmonious relationships with the partner, family planning, active fatherhood, taking care of the family and protecting the health of mother and child.
Main Tasks & Responsibilities
The National Consultant will carry out the following tasks:
1) Support the International Consultant in preparing an Inception Report which will include a conceptual framework, methodology, outline, as well as the steps and timeline for the development of a manual, training modules and schedule for a training for ZAGS personnel to submit to UNFPA CO upon commencement of consultancy – 2 days.
2) Development of manual with training modules – 15 days and includes the following:
a. Provide relevant country-level literature, mass media, social media as well as the information on the roles, responsibilities and ways of working of the civil registration offices to advise the International Consultant on national practices on the content.
b. Provide support to the International Consultant in developing a manual with training modules for Civil Registration Office and translate it into Turkmen.
c. Translate the presentations for training the specialists of the Civil Registration Office into Turkmen.
3) Co-present with the International Consultant the draft version of the Description of best practices and Manual with training modules for comments and suggestions to UNFPA CO and the national partners. – 2 days.
4) Co-facilitate and translate for the International Consultant during a 3-day TOT for the specialists of the Civil Registration Office.
5) Provide final report of the implementation of the assignment – 3 days.
Total number of days: 25 working days.
Expected Outcomes and Deliverables:
A collection of related materials and resources, relevant country-level literature, mass media, social media as well as the information on the roles, responsibilities and ways of working of the civil registration offices to advise the International Consultant on national practices on the content.
2. Draft version of the manual that includes the following:
a. Description of best practices incorporated in the Introduction to the manual in Turkmen language;
b. Training modules in Turkmen language;
c. Presentations for each module in Turkmen language.
3. Documentation related to the TOT: Concept note, Agenda in Turkmen language, signed LOP, summary of evaluations in Russian for the International consultant.
4. Final report of the implementation of the assignment.
Duration of this consultancy is from 1 July to 15 October, 2021 including operational closure of the contract.
The National Consultant is expected to work closely with UNFPA, the Institute of Democracy and Human Rights of Turkmenistan and International Consultant.
The National Consultant will directly report and work under overall guidance of the UNFPA National Programme Analyst on Gender and Youth along with overall guidance on vision from the UNFPA Head of Office.
Qualifications and Experience
- University Degree in Gender Studies, Law, Social Sciences or equivalent;
- Minimum 3 years of experience in developing training modules, sessions in Turkmen and Russian languages using participatory approaches;
- Minimum 3 years of experience working with young people at the age of 16-29;
- Experience in applying international policies and practices in the area of working with young people, gender stereotypes, domestic violence, reproductive health and women empowerment issues.
- Knowledge and practical skills of working with social media.
- Familiarity and experience with Turkmenistan country context is mandatory.
- Fluency and strong writing skills in Turkmen, Russian. Knowledge of English will be considered an asset.
- Strong analytical and effective communication skills.
Interested candidates must submit their applications to the above position by 29 June 2021 online through the website https://erecruit.partneragencies.org under Job opening ID: 38115- National Consultant to support the development of a manual with training modules for Civil Registration Office to advise young couples about creating a strong, harmonious, healthy family.
Please note that paper applications for this consultancy will not be accepted.
