International Consultant, Expert on Gender and Disability in Crisis and Recovery Settings (Retainer)

The consultant will provide technical expertise to UN Women and partners to integrate gender-responsive disability inclusion across recovery, protection, livelihoods, economic empowerment, governance and resilience programming in Gaza. The role supports capacity development, evidence generation, and inclusive approaches to protection and economic empowerment for women and girls with disabilities in crisis and recovery settings.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical guidance to integrate gender-responsive disability inclusion across UN Women's recovery, protection, livelihoods, economic empowerment, governance and resilience programming.
• Support disability-inclusive approaches in service delivery, infrastructure, livelihoods, social protection, GBV prevention and response, and recovery planning including technical guidance on disability-inclusive measures and SOPs.
• Advise on accessibility, universal design, reasonable accommodation and inclusive participation throughout the programme cycle.
• Support disability mainstreaming across Joint Programmes and recovery initiatives to ensure alignment with LNOB commitments and disability-inclusive recovery standards.
• Strengthen the capacities of Women's-Led Organizations (WLOs), Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs), service providers and national institutions on gender-responsive disability inclusion.
• Support organizational strengthening of OPDs, particularly organizations representing women with disabilities, to enhance their participation, advocacy and leadership in recovery processes.
• Facilitate partnerships and collaboration between WLOs, OPDs, service providers, UN agencies and national stakeholders.
• Promote the meaningful participation and leadership of women and girls with disabilities in programme design, implementation, monitoring and recovery decision-making processes.
• Advise on gender-responsive and disability-inclusive eligibility criteria, collect sex-, age- and disability-disaggregated data, and monitor equitable access to productive assets, grants, cash, training, paid work, enterprise support and markets.
• Support the collection, analysis and use of sex-, age- and disability-disaggregated data, including the application of Washington Group Questions where appropriate.
• Conduct disability and gender analyses, accessibility assessments and inclusion reviews to identify barriers and opportunities.
• Support strengthening disability-inclusive monitoring, accountability and information management systems.
• Develop practical guidance, tools, knowledge products and recommendations to inform disability-inclusive recovery planning, programming and policy development.
• Advise on inclusive approaches to protection, GBV prevention and response, livelihoods, employment, entrepreneurship and women's economic empowerment initiatives including disability-inclusive workplaces, training centres, protection hubs and other services.
• Support improved accessibility of services, referral pathways, safe spaces, community facilities and economic opportunities for women and girls with disabilities.
• Promote integrated approaches that strengthen access to rehabilitation, assistive devices, psychosocial support, SRHR, livelihoods and other essential services.
• Provide technical support to ensure that women and girls with disabilities are effectively reached through recovery interventions and are able to exercise leadership, agency and economic participation.
• Advise on disability and gender inclusive measures, such as accessible information and registration, childcare or care referrals, flexible and proximate delivery, safe mobility support, reasonable accommodation, suitable PPE, safe working conditions, equal remuneration and accessible feedback mechanisms.
• Assess and identify barriers to participation for women (and girls) with disabilities including accommodation needs, and accessibility of worksites, training, productive assets and enterprise services.
• Advise on required support which may include adapted information, assistive technologies, accessible workstations, communication support and flexible delivery.

Requirements

• Master's degree in Disability Studies, Gender Studies, Human Rights, Social Policy, Social Sciences, International Development, Public Policy or a related field is required.
• A first-level university degree combined with two additional years of relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced degree.
• At least 5 years of progressive experience in disability inclusions and gender equality is required.
• Demonstrated experience mainstreaming disability inclusion across multiple sectors, including livelihoods, economic empowerment, protection, governance or recovery programming is required.
• Proven experience engaging with OPDs, WLOs, civil society organizations and national institutions is desirable.
• Experience conducting gender and disability analysis and developing evidence-based recommendations is desirable.
• Experience conducting accessibility audits and disability inclusion assessments is desirable.
• Experience designing and delivering capacity-building programmes is desirable.
• Experience developing disability-inclusive tools, guidance and monitoring frameworks is desirable.
• Experience in humanitarian or crisis-affected contexts is required.
• Experience in Palestine and/or the Middle East region is highly desirable.
• Previous experience working with UN agencies and international organizations is desirable.
• Fluency in English is required.
• Working Knowledge of Arabic is desirable.

Skills

• Disability Inclusion
• Gender Equality
• Disability Mainstreaming
• Livelihood Programming
• Economic Empowerment
• Protection Programming
• Governance Programming
• Recovery Programming
• Engagement with OPDs
• Civil Society Engagement
• Gender and Disability Analysis
• Accessibility Audits
• Disability Inclusion Assessments
• Capacity Building
• Development of Inclusion Tools
• Monitoring Frameworks
• Humanitarian Experience
• Crisis Recovery Expertise
• Experience with UN Agencies
• English Fluency

Languages

English, Arabic