Job description
Background
To provide specific evidence on the links between women’s economic empowerment, sustainable agricultural production and economic growth, UN Women Regional Office for Eastern and Southern Africa (ESARO), the UNDP-UN Environment Poverty-Environment Initiative (PEI) Africa, and the World Bank in 2015 undertook a joint study ‘Costing the Gender Gap in Agricultural Productivity in Malawi, Tanzania and Uganda ’. In 2017, UN Women and UNDP-UN Environment PEI undertook similar studies on the cost of gender gap in agricultural productivity in Ethiopia and Rwanda in 2017.The 2015 report estimates the gender gap in agricultural productivity in Malawi to be 28%, Tanzania 16% and Uganda 13%. The 2017 analysis estimated the cost of the gender gap in agricultural productivity in Ethiopia and Rwanda to be 9.8% and 11.7% respectively. The gender gap in agricultural productivity in the listed countries translates to high loss of GDP per annum. For instance, the gender gap in terms of GDP loss in Malawi is USD 100 million; Tanzania USD 105 million; and Uganda USD 67 million per annum while the one-off GDP loss in Ethiopia is USD 256.6 million. The reports further estimated that closing the gender gap could lift many people out of poverty. For instance, 238,000 people could be lifted out of poverty in Malawi, 119,000 people in Uganda, and approximately 80,000 people in Tanzania on an annual basis, while in Ethiopia 1,323,886 people and Rwanda 2,100,000 people could be lifted out of poverty on a one-off basis. The findings of the report are striking and send a strong signal to policy makers in Africa as well as development partners that closing the gender gap in agriculture is smart economics.Following the costing exercises and the dissemination of the findings, there has been a growing demand from the target countries to build on the existing evidence through qualitative field studies to dig deeper into the findings of the 2015 studies. To respond to this demand and with the overall goal of influencing agricultural policies, programmes and investment frameworks in 2017, PEI and UN Women conducted follow up country field qualitative studies in Malawi, Tanzania and Uganda. The follow up studies build on the existing evidence and contextualize the findings to expand on the national policy analysis including costing of the solutions. The studies included field work analysis and in country validation workshops as a form of building capacity among national stakeholders on the recommendations to close gender gaps in agricultural productivity. The studies also tend to explore and quantify the link and impact of CSA on the gender gap productivity and suggest strategies and tools that could help in closing the gender gap in productivity through the adoption of CSA practices by the women farmers.
UN Women and PEI seek a consultant to develop a regional policy brief based on the 1st studies (quantitative analysis) conducted in Malawi, Tanzania and Uganda in 2015; Ethiopia and Rwanda in 2017; and follow up studies (qualitative analysis) conducted in Malawi, Tanzania and Uganda in 2017. The purpose of the policy brief is to create synergies on the different country studies with regards the cost of gender gap in agricultural productivity and highlight lessons learned from the different countries. The policy brief will also be an opportunity to elicit key gender issues on agricultural productivity prominent in the quantitative studies and in the qualitative studies and provide key regional recommendations. This includes linking the different aspects of climate smart agriculture approaches that have been highlighted in the follow up reports in Malawi, Tanzania and Uganda. The brief shall employ the use of innovative presentation formats including infographics and multimedia communications hence the need for inclusion of key facts and figures from the review.
Duties and Responsibilities
Review the first phase reports on Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi (2015 report), and Ethiopia and Rwanda (2017 reports) and provide an analysis of key trends, differences and lessons learned;
Review the second phase of the follow up studies in Malawi, Tanzania and Uganda on the factors driving the gender gap in agricultural productivity highlighting key trends, differences and lessons learned in adoption to climate smart agriculture and sustainable Environment and Natural Resource Management (ENRM);
Based on the analysis, develop a policy brief highlighting key challenges that cause the gender gap in agricultural productivity in Africa and highlight key findings, policy and investment options and recommendations;
Propose actions for the partners on how to move forward in implementing some of the recommendations of the studies focusing on actions required at the regional level;
Distill similarities and differences among the countries of study and seek possible attributions;
Attend and contribute to the roundtable discussion on the regional policy brief during the Africa Summit on Climate Smart Agriculture on 14-15th May, 2018.
Deliverables
A draft report of the Policy Brief;
Revised report upon incorporation of comments from both UN Women and PEI;
Proof read revised draft report after design and editing;
Final report incorporating comments following the round table discussions during the Africa Summit on CSA.
Competencies
Core Values
Respect for Diversity;
Integrity;
Professionalism;
Core Competencies
Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues;
Accountability;
Creative Problem Solving;
Effective Communication;
Inclusive Collaboration;
Stakeholder Engagement;
Leading by Example.
Functional Competencies
Strong knowledge of gender, climate and environment in the context of the assignment is required;
A demonstrated ability (through previous similar assignments) to analyze, compile and synthesize information in coherent and succinct formats;
Demonstrated skills in statistical research and policy analysis and detailed knowledge of econometric and statistical tools applied in the context of agriculture, gender and climate change analysis.
Education
Required Skills and Experience
Masters degree or equivalent in Agricultural Economics, Economic, Statistics or relevant social science;
Ph.D will be an asset.
Experience
Minimum of 10 years experience in relevant field;
Previous experience in writing comprehensive reports aimed at an audience that include policy-makers;
Previous experience with gender disaggregated data and decomposition analysis preferred, bonus for analyses of the agricultural sector;
Strong understanding of gender and demonstrated experience in applying gender tools and conceptual framework;
Previous experience in Africa required and in Eastern and Southern Africa Region preferred.
Language Requirements
Proficiency in written and spoken English.
