National Consultant (Conduct a Gender Responsive Assessment of the Mining Industry in Nigeria) at UN Women

UN Women - 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.

We are recruiting to fill the position of:

Job Title: National Consultant (Conduct a Gender Responsive Assessment of the Mining Industry in Nigeria)

Location: Homebased, Nigeria
Additional Category: Gender Equality
Type of Contract: Individual Contract
Post Level: National Consultant
Languages Required  English
Duration of Initial Contract  40 Working days
Expected Duration of Assignment: 40 Working days

Background

• The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women) was established by General Assembly resolution 64/289 of 2 July 2010 on system-wide coherence, with the mandate to assist countries and the United Nations system itself to progress more effectively and efficiently toward the goal of achieving gender equality, women’s empowerment, and upholding women’s rights. 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.
• The mining industry in Nigeria plays a significant role in the country's economic development, contributing to the production of a range of minerals and providing employment and income opportunities for a large number of people. The main minerals that are mined in Nigeria include coal, limestone, zinc, lead, tin, limestone, and barite. The major mining sites in Nigeria are located in the states of Benue, Kogi, Nasarawa, and Plateau, as well as in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). However, the industry has also been associated with various challenges, including environmental degradation, social conflict, and gender inequality.
• The mining industry in Nigeria provides employment and income opportunities for a large number of people, including miners, support staff, and local communities. The industry is also a major contributor to the country's GDP, with the minerals sector accounting for around 0.3% of GDP in 2019. The mining industry in Nigeria also plays an important role in the country's infrastructure development, with the construction of roads, bridges, and other transportation systems that are needed to access mining sites and transport minerals to market. In addition to its direct economic contributions, the mining industry in Nigeria also has indirect economic impacts. For example, the industry supports local businesses and services, such as transportation, accommodation, and food services, and it helps to stimulate economic growth and development in the regions where mining takes place.
• The mining industry in Nigeria also provides employment and income opportunities for a large number of people, including miners, support staff, and local communities. This can help to reduce poverty and improve living standards in the regions where mining takes place. Diversification of the economy: The mining industry in Nigeria has the potential to contribute to the diversification of the country's economy, which is currently heavily reliant on the oil and gas sector. By developing the mining sector, Nigeria can reduce its reliance on oil and gas and create a more diversified and resilient economy. Additionally, the mining industry in Nigeria has the potential to generate significant export earnings for the country. Nigeria exports a range of minerals, including coal, limestone, zinc, lead, and tin, and these exports can contribute to the country's foreign exchange earnings and contribute to economic growth and development in the country.
• Despite the economic benefits of the mining industry in Nigeria, the sector also faces a number of challenges that can impact its ability to contribute to the country's development. As part of its commitment to engendering legal and policy frameworks in Nigeria to advance gender equality and the empowerment of women, as enshrined in UN Women’s 5-year Strategic Note (2023 -2027) and the SDGs, UN Women Nigeria Country Office seeks to engage a national consultant to conduct of a gender responsive assessment of the mining industry in Nigeria. The assessment will prioritize the identification of the challenges faced by women in the industry and recommend strategies for addressing these challenges, while proffering action plans for mainstreaming gender in the industry.

The key objectives of the assessment will include:

• To understand the gender dynamics within the mining industry in Nigeria, including the roles, responsibilities, and opportunities available to women and men.
• To identify gender gaps in terms of challenges faced by women in the mining industry, including issues related to health and safety, working conditions, unequal power relations, Gender Based Violence, access to resources and opportunities.
• To assess the impact of the mining industry on the local community, including any negative impacts on the environment and on the social and economic well-being of women and men.
• To recommend strategies for addressing the challenges faced by women and men in the mining industry and for promoting gender equality and social inclusion.
• To identify entry points for mainstreaming gender within the Sector

Duties and Responsibilities
Under the guidance of the Deputy Country Representative, and working closely with the Programme Specialist WEE, The assessment will be conducted using a mixed-methods approach, including both qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis. The following methods will be used.

• Desk review: A desk review of existing literature and data on the mining industry in Nigeria, including reports, articles, and policy documents, will be conducted to gather background information and to identify key issues and challenges related to gender and the mining industry, especially relating to gender gaps, gender policies, strategies, plans and budgets, Women's participation in decision making and policy making, gender-based violence, corporate social responsibility, etc.
• Stakeholder consultations: Consultations with key stakeholders, including policymakers, industry leaders, civil society organizations, and community representatives, will be conducted to gather their perspectives on the challenges faced by women and men in the mining industry and their views on strategies for addressing these challenges.
• Field visits: Field visits to mining sites and communities in Nigeria will be conducted to gather first-hand information on the working conditions, health and safety issues, and social and economic impacts of the mining industry.
• Focus group discussions: Focus group discussions with women and men working in the mining industry and with community members affected by mining activities will be conducted to gather their views and experiences.
• Surveys: Surveys will be conducted with a representative sample of women and men working in the mining industry and with community members affected by mining activities to gather quantitative data on the challenges faced by women and men and the impact of the mining industry on the local community.

Usage of findings:
It is expected that the finds will provide:

• better understanding of the gender dynamics within the mining industry in Nigeria and the challenges faced by women and men.
• recommendations for addressing the challenges faced by women and men in the mining industry, including strategies for promoting gender equality and social inclusion.
• increased awareness among stakeholders, including policymakers, industry leaders, and civil society organizations, of the challenges faced by women and men in the mining industry and the need for gender responsive interventions.
• capacity enhancement for stakeholders to implement gender responsive strategies and policies in the mining industry.
• an opportunity for women to participate in leadership positions and employment opportunities in the industry.
• a monitoring action plan with indicators to measure success of actions
• The consultant will develop a detailed methodology to guide the mapping and assessment exercise.

Report Should:

• Contain an executive summary (mandatory)
• Be analytical (both quantitative and qualitative)
• Be structured around the key issues/entry points highlighted above and related findings
• Include identified opportunities, challenges, a plan of action/strategy, and recommendations.

The selected Consultant will be expected to complete the following key deliverables within the indicative timeframe:

Requirements
Education:

• Master’s Degree or equivalent in areas related to Social Sciences, Economics, International Development, Law, Management science or related field.
• Practical skills in survey and research analysis or applied statistical data.

Experience:

• A minimum experience of 10 years of relevant professional work experience in areas such as business research, business development and management, public relations, and human resource.
• Proven experience in conducting qualitative and quantitative research or studies.
• Sound experience in conducting gender-related programming, especially private sector financing of gender equality and empowerment of women.
• Ability to speak and write in a clear and gender-sensitive language.
• Familiarity with the UN system and knowledge of UN Women.

Competencies
Core Values / Guiding Principles:

• Integrity: Demonstrate consistency in upholding and promoting the values of UN Women in actions and decisions, in line with the UN Code of Conduct.
• Professionalism: Demonstrate professional competence and expert knowledge of the pertinent substantive areas of work.
• Cultural sensitivity and valuing diversity: Demonstrate an appreciation of the multicultural nature of the organization and the diversity of its staff. Demonstrate an international outlook, appreciating difference in values and learning from cultural diversity.

Functional Competencies:

• Excellent methods for content analysis of large bodies of qualitative information.
• Demonstrates outstanding skilled knowledge of qualitative data analysis methods.
• Demonstrates excellent ability to prioritize and focus research questions to produce relevant and useful recommendations.
• Objectivity and ability to analyze large datasets in short period.
• Excellent knowledge and technical skills on corporate social responsibility.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, particularly to summarize complex findings and convey complex achievements in clear results language.
• Produces timely, quality outputs.
• Strong skills in data presentation.
• Excellent understanding of international development issues and knowledge of the UN system

Application Closing Date
10th March, 2023.(Midnight New York, USA)