Research and Evidence Specialist - International Consultant - Home Based

Background:

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security.

Under its Strategic Plan 2022–2025, the UN Women Regional Office for the Arab States (ROAS) is advancing efforts to strengthen data and evidence systems to inform programming, coordination, and advocacy across the region. Improved data access and visualization will enhance programmatic planning and delivery, support coordination with partners, and promote informed decision-making in humanitarian and development contexts.

In 2025, UN Women is collaborating with the World Food Programme (WFP) and OCHA Syria to conduct gender-focused secondary analyses of two major datasets:

1. The Food Security Assessment (FSA) 2025 for Syria
2. The Multi-Sector Needs Assessment (MSNA) 2025 for Syria

UN Women is responsible for interpreting the analytical outputs (to be produced by the data team) and writing two high-quality narrative analytical reports that:

• Highlight gender-differentiated vulnerabilities
• Analyze intersectional patterns (e.g., gender × displacement × disability)
• Present evidence on women’s and girls’ access, coping strategies, food security, livelihoods, and unmet needs
• Provide actionable recommendations for humanitarian actors in Syria

UN Women now seeks an experienced international gender researcher to synthesize the analytical findings into two professional, publication-ready reports.

Description of Responsibilities/ Scope of Work

Under the supervision of the Regional Monitoring Specialist and in close coordination with WFP/OCHA Syria technical teams, the Consultant will perform the following:

Inception and Data Review

• Review the FSA and MSNA analytical plans, questionnaires, and methodological notes;
• Review all prepared analytical outputs (tables, graphs, regressions, PiN estimates);
• Review Syria HNO/HRP documentation, sectoral guidance, and any relevant secondary literature;
• Provide an inception note outlining the structure of both reports.

Draft Gender Analysis Report for the FSA

• Interpret quantitative findings shared by UN Women;
• Identify key gender and vulnerability patterns (e.g., food insecurity trends among FHH, PLW, women with disabilities, adolescent girls);
• Contextualize results within the Syria humanitarian context;
• Establish a comprehensive analytical report covering:
  • Executive Summary
  • Methodology and limitations
  • Key findings with thematic sections
  • Sectoral implications (Food Security & Livelihoods)
  • Evidence-driven recommendations
• Integrate maps, charts, and tables into the narrative (provided by the data team).

Draft Gender Analysis Report for the MSNA

• Repeat the above process for the MSNA analytical outputs;
• Structure the report according to MSNA sectors (WASH, Shelter, Health, Protection, Education, etc.);
• Highlight gendered needs and intersectional vulnerabilities across all MSNA domains;
• Provide actionable recommendations per sector and for cross-cutting gender mainstreaming.

Validation, Presentation, and Finalization

• Incorporate feedback from UN Women, WFP, and assessment partners;
• Provide a presentation (PowerPoint) summarizing the key findings of both reports;
• Submit fully edited, publication-ready final reports.

Consultant’s Workplace and Official Travel

This is a home-based consultancy without travel.

Deliverables and Timeline:

DeliverableExpected completion time (due day)  Inception note with report outlines 12 January 2026 Provide FSA Gender Analysis Report 18 January 2026 Provide MSNA Gender Analysis Report 22 January 2026

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 Engagem