National Consultant for updating and finalization of research report “Leaving No One Behind”, IC, UN Women Kazakhstan

Background:

The Central Asian Alliance to End Gender-Based Violence (GBV) (hereafter - the Alliance) was established in June 2023 under the EU-UN Spotlight Initiative for Central Asia and Afghanistan (hereafter - the Spotlight Initiative) as a regional platform uniting state and non-state actors from Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The Alliance brings together government institutions, civil society organizations, including youth-led and by-and-for initiatives, GBV experts, and media actors to advance coordinated and gender-transformative action to prevent and respond to GBV across the region.

During the implementation of the EU-UN Spotlight Initiative Regional Programme for Central Asia and Afghanistan, UN Women commissioned a regional qualitative research study titled “Leaving No One Behind: Gender-based Violence among Women with Intersecting Identities in Central Asia.” The study applied the Leaving No One Behind (LNOB) principle of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to examine how multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination increase women’s exposure to GBV and restrict access to protection, justice, and services.

The research was conducted in 2023 and combined desk review with qualitative interviews with women from marginalized groups, GBV service providers, and civil society organizations, with primary data collected in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, and Uzbekistan, and contextual analysis covering Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.

Following the conclusion of the Spotlight Initiative, the Central Asian Alliance to End GBV, the successor of the programme, has assumed responsibility for finalizing, validating, and making this research available as a flagship regional knowledge product. The Alliance intends to use the report to support evidence-based advocacy, regional and national policy dialogue, learning, and programming on inclusive GBV prevention and response.

While the research draft has been completed, additional work is required to ensure analytical coherence, editorial quality, policy relevance, and compliance with UN Women and Alliance publication standards, as well as readiness for public dissemination. To this end, the Alliance seeks to engage a National Consultant to support the finalization and publication of the study.

Goal: Under the overall guidance and direct supervision of the Central Asian Alliance EGBV Coordinator and in
close coordination with UN Women Kazakhstan, the National Consultant will provide technical, analytical, and
editorial support to finalize the “Leaving No One Behind” research and prepare it for publication as a high-quality
Alliance knowledge product. As the report was originally developed in English, the Consultant will carry out all
revisions and updates in English; following its translation into Russian, the Consultant will also conduct a final
review of the Russian version to ensure consistency and quality. This assignment does not involve primary data
collection or re-analysis of qualitative data, but focuses on updating, for example, the context, data,
recommendations, etc., strengthening the existing research and aligning with UN Women’s Knowledge
Management guidance and other UN Women’s relevant policies.

Scope of work:

Within the assignment, the National consultant will be responsible for the following activities:
1. Technical and analytical Review
- Conduct a comprehensive technical and analytical review of the full research draft, including methodology,
findings, country sections, conclusions, and recommendations.
- Update relevant sections of the report to reflect the latest available data, policy developments, and
programmatic changes (2023-2026), particularly in:
✓ legislative and policy frameworks;
✓ GBV service provision and systems;
✓ regional and national initiatives.
- Ensure analytical consistency and alignment with the Leave No One Behind LNOB and intersectionality
frameworks.
- Strengthen the coherence between evidence, analysis, and recommendations, identifying and addressing any
gaps or inconsistencies.

2. Policy Relevance and Strategic Framing
- Refine and sharpen key messages, conclusions, and recommendations to ensure they are:
✓ clear, evidence-based, and actionable;
✓ aligned with current regional and national policy priorities.
- Strengthen the differentiation between regional and country-specific findings and recommendations, where
relevant.
- Ensure that the report effectively supports policy dialogue and advocacy efforts of the Alliance and UN
Women.

3. Editorial and Structural Finalization
- Edit and refine the full report to improve clarity, structure, flow, and readability, while maintaining survivorcentered, inclusive, and ethically sound language.
- Harmonize terminology, formatting, tables, figures, and referencing across all sections.
- Ensure consistency with UN Women and Alliance Knowledge Management, editorial, communication, and
branding standards.

4. Quality assurance and compliance
- Ensure that the report complies with ethical standards for GBV research, including sensitivity to marginalized
populations.
- Integrate consolidated comments and inputs from the Alliance and UN Women into revised drafts.
- Ensure overall internal consistency and quality of the final document.

5. Finalization and Publication Preparation
- Prepare the final, publication-ready version of the report in English, including the executive summary,
annexes, and all supporting materials.
- Coordinate and incorporate inputs related to layout, design, and translation, in collaboration with the Alliance
and UN Women.
- Review the translated Russian version of the report to ensure accuracy, consistency of terminology, and
alignment with the original English version, including technical content and tone.
- Support the development of dissemination products, such as a concise briefing note or summary, if requested.

Expected Outcome:
The consultancy will result in a finalized, publication-ready regional report that strengthens the Central Asian
Alliance’s evidence base on GBV and intersectionality. The study will support informed policy dialogue, advocacy,
and programming, and contribute to advancing the Leaving No One Behind principle in GBV prevention and
response across Central Asia.

This is a home-based consultancy with regular meetings in the online format when required. No travel is required

Competencies :

Core Values:

• Integrity;
• Professionalism;
• Respect for Diversity.

Core Competencies:

• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues;
• Accountability;
• Creative Problem Solving;
• Effective Communication;
• Inclusive Collaboration;
• Stakeholder Engagement;
• Leading by Example.

Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Values and Competencies Framework:

Functional Competencies:

● Demonstrated expertise in gender-based violence research, including qualitative and intersectional analysis.
● Strong knowledge of the Central Asian context, current GBV legislation, policies, and GEWE challenges.
● Experience developing and updating research for public dissemination.
● Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to develop clear reports, strategic
recommendations, and presentations for diverse audiences.
● Demonstrate integrity, fairness, and adherence to UN values and ethical standards.

Education and Certification:
Master degree in gender or social sciences.

Experience:
• 5 years of professional experience in the field of human rights, gender equality, elimination of violence
against women and girl.
• At least 3 years of experience in report writing and editing
• Experience in the UN, international organizations in the field of human rights , and gender equality in the
countries of Central Asia is an advantage.
• Familiarity with gender equality issues in Central Asia and an understanding of the socio-cultural, economic,
and political context of the region is an asset.
• Experience working with intersectionality frameworks, marginalized groups

Languages:
• Fluency in written and spoken Russian and English.

Statements :

In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. The creation of UN Women came about as part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact. It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system (DAW, OSAGI, INSTRAW and UNIFEM), which focused exclusively on gender equality and women's empowerment.

Diversity and inclusion:

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If you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in your application.

UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to UN Women’s policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UN Women personnel and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. (Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.)

Note: Applicants must ensure that all sections of the application form, including the sections on education and employment history, are completed. If all sections are not completed the application may be disqualified from the recruitment and selection process.