National Consulting Technical Advice to Academia and the Electoral Court of Justice Vacancy-Job Ref: BJHNUNWOMEN/1905/2025803

National Consulting Technical Advice to Academia and the Electoral Court of Justice Vacancy-Job Ref: BJHNUNWOMEN/1905/2025803

Tegucigalpa (Honduras)

JOB DESCRIPTION
I. Organizational context

The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, UN Women, based on the vision of equality enshrined in the United Nations Charter, works to eliminate discrimination against women and girls; for the empowerment of women; and to achieve equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action, and peace and security. By placing women’s rights at the heart of its work, UN Women leads and coordinates the efforts of the United Nations system to ensure that commitments to gender equality and mainstreaming are translated into action worldwide.

At the same time, it exercises substantive and coherent leadership to support the priorities and efforts of Member States, building an effective partnership with government, civil society, and other relevant stakeholders.

UN-Women comprehensively addresses the root causes of inequality from a perspective of transforming the systems that reproduce gender inequalities and discrimination and with a peacebuilding approach based on:

Women’s voice, leadership and autonomy
Strengthening multilateral and regional regulatory frameworks, laws, policies and institutions that promote gender equality at the national and subnational levels;
Effective participation and protection of women in all areas of peacebuilding, security, and humanitarian action
Equal access for women to services, goods and resources;
Financing gender equality and women’s empowerment;
Positive social norms, including the participation of men and boys;
Production, analysis and use of gender statistics; and
United Nations System Coordination for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women.

The 2022-2035 Strategic Plan seeks to achieve gender equality, the empowerment of all women and girls, and the full realization of their human rights. The Strategic Plan is based on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security and subsequent resolutions of this agenda, the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development, and other outcomes of relevant intergovernmental processes, such as General Assembly resolutions and agreed conclusions of the Commission on the Status of Women. UN Women contributes to the implementation of the Regional Gender Agenda for Latin America and the Caribbean and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development by placing Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5 on gender equality at the center of the SDGs and in coordination with all other Goals to ensure comprehensive progress.

II. Background

Women’s political participation in Honduras has shown progress in recent electoral processes. However, despite the increase in the number of female candidates and elected officials, structural and temporary barriers persist that limit their equal access to positions of power (Observatorio Político de Mujeres 2021). Although significant electoral reforms have been implemented and acceptance of women’s participation in the public sphere has increased, inequalities in their political representation persist (FOSDEH 2020).

Demographic and socioeconomic context

According to estimates from the INE Household Survey (2023), the population of Honduras is 9,745,149, of which 5,004,519 are women and 4,740,630 are men. The young population, under 19 years of age, represents 36.1%, while the older adult population reaches 13.6%, indicating a relatively young demographic structure. However, this population composition has not translated into greater political representation for women and young people.

The country’s socioeconomic conditions disproportionately affect women, limiting their access to power. The GINI coefficient of 0.52 and poverty rates of 59.9% reflect high inequality, with 36.7% of the population living in extreme poverty, 38.5% of whom live on one dollar a day. Furthermore, by June 2023, 64.1% of Honduran households were living in poverty, with incomes below the cost of a basic consumer basket.

This socioeconomic crisis disproportionately affects women, who face greater barriers to employment, access to healthcare, education, and political participation. In this context, the consolidation of democracy and peace will not be possible if the barriers that exclude more than half of the population, especially Afro-descendant, Indigenous, and young women, continue to exist.

Advances and challenges in women’s political participation

While Honduras has not reached the Latin American average for female parliamentary representation (35.8%), recent electoral processes reflect an increase in the presence of women in the National Congress, rising from 21% in 2017 to 27.3% in 2021 (UN Women 2021). At the municipal level, the election of female councilors increased from 30.7% to 43.8%, while the election of female mayors decreased, with only 16 women serving in mayoral offices out of a total of 298 municipalities (5.3%). In the National Congress, out of 128 seats, 35 are held by women (27%). Furthermore, for the first time in the country’s history, Honduras has a female president and a female presidential appointee. However, only four women hold the position of departmental governor, out of a total of 18 positions.

Despite these advances, obstacles to achieving full representation of women remain:

Limited access to information and political training, especially for young people, Afro-descendant women, and indigenous people.
Rigid social norms and gender roles that promote male dominance in decision-making spaces.
Political gender violence, which limits women’s participation in campaigns and public office.
Lack of redistribution of caregiving responsibilities, which prevents many women from continuing in political life.

The ” They Decide, They Represent ” project has a national impact, focusing on municipal capitals, and seeks to strengthen women’s political participation in Honduras. It emerged as part of the EuroElect Honduras Agreement, signed in November 2024 between UNDP and UN Women.

The project addresses the lack of opportunities for women to access decision-making spaces, both in elected positions and within party structures. It focuses on strengthening the capacities of women politicians, including pre-candidates for deputies and mayors, as well as political party leaders, through training, advocacy, visibility, and gender-sensitive communication strategies. The project results in the promotion of reforms and/or special measures aimed at increasing women’s participation in the electoral cycle, promoted by women’s civil society organizations and Women Politicians.

In addition, the project seeks to:

Strengthen the organizational and operational sustainability of the FMPH.
Promote the effective implementation of laws that guarantee women’s political participation.
Ensure the approval of key electoral reforms, including the certification that requires parties to allocate 15% of their funding to the Women’s Secretariats’ Work Plan.

This project responds to the structural challenges of discrimination and inequality in access to political power, evidenced by the 2021 election results, where only 27% of seats in the National Congress were held by women and 5.4% of mayoralties were won by women. “They Decide, They Represent” represents a key opportunity to ensure the sustainability of female leadership in decision-making spaces and the promotion of a more equitable and inclusive democracy.

The UN Women Office in Honduras is seeking to hire a consultant to provide technical assistance to universities in coordination with the ECJ (CJEU) to create and implement a legal assistance strategy for women in politics, specifically to promote the achievement of outcome 1, which states that electoral bodies and relevant public institutions have improved their electoral operational strategies, the integrity and accuracy of electoral processes in the exercise of their mandates, and integrate a gender perspective.

The consultant will work in coordination with the country team of the Political Participation Area, aligning their results with the country goals set by the EURO ELECT-H project. In the performance of their duties, the consultant may have the authority to make decisions and undertake actions within their assigned area, but not with regard to other areas of the project; these consultations should be conducted with the project coordinator.

III. Objective

The main objective of this consultancy is to develop and implement a comprehensive legal assistance strategy to prevent, address, and effectively respond to violence against women in the political sphere. It will provide technical advice to academia and the Electoral Justice Tribunal to strengthen institutional procedures and capacities, promoting a safer, more inclusive, and equitable political environment for women in the exercise of their political and electoral rights.

The specific objectives are:

To assess current practices for integrating the gender perspective in the ECJ as an electoral institution.
Coordinate with the National Autonomous University of Honduras (UNAH) and the Technological University of Honduras (UNITEC), and the Electoral Justice Tribunal (TJE) to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the legal needs faced by women in exercising their right to political participation.

Develop and adopt a legal assistance strategy for the legal clinics of UNAH and UNITEC that enables access to justice for women seeking legal protection services as victims of political violence.
Develop socialization, validation, and training sessions on the legal assistance strategy aimed at university professors and attorneys.
The expected results of the consultancy are:

At least 1 diagnostic evaluation of the use and practices of gender integration in the TJE (in coordination with said state institution).
At least 1 tool that measures gender perspective in TJE.
At least one diagnosis identifying legal obstacles that prevent women from participating in coordination with the TJE and universities.
At least one law office at one university has a legal assistance strategy for litigating cases of political violence against women. (Percentage increase in women who report being satisfied with services, surveys, focus groups (target is 40%)
At least one process of socialization and validation of the legal strategy with the CJEU and university authorities.
At least one training process aimed at the EJC, and university professors and attorneys from law firms have the skills to use the legal strategy.
IV. Scope of the objectives

The incumbent is expected to carry out the responsibilities and activities necessary for the delivery of the products described below in order to achieve the objective(s) of the consultancy.

These responsibilities will include:

Coordination with UN WomenEnsure compliance with the goals established for the activities for the development of the consultancy.
Identify and report critical issues that hinder progress in the implementation of the consultancy, and coordinate actions with UN Women to ensure their resolution.
Convene and/or participate in follow-up meetings with the Political Participation Area team.
Ensure the visibility of UN Women and the donor in all consultancy activities and the correct application of the project’s graphic identity in project materials and spaces, in coordination with Communications.
Coordination with UN Women, TJE and universitiesCoordinate activities with stakeholders to achieve the project’s objectives.
Develop relationships with public institutions and other non-governmental actors within the framework of consulting.
Organize and facilitate training sessions with stakeholders involved in the consultancy, ensuring the inclusion of a gender perspective.
Reporting and approval of products in coordination with UN WomenUnder the supervision of the Coordinator and the Financial Support Officer of the Political Participation Area, present the products that are the subject of the consultancy.
In coordination with the Political Participation Area Coordinator, carry out the activities corresponding to the successful development of the consultancy.

Capacity buildingProvide technical support to universities in coordination with the ECJ to create and implement a legal aid strategy for women in politics.
Provide technical assistance to strengthen the gender and intersectional perspective and the capacity to respond to gender-based violence in universities and TJE.
Organize and facilitate training for the TJE and universities.
V. Deliverables

Activity
Product/Deliverable
Delivery time
Develop a work plan with its methodology and schedule of consulting activities.
Product No. 1

Technical proposal and work schedule.
Month 1 after signing the contract
To assess current practices for integrating the gender perspective in the ECJ as an electoral institution.
Product No. 2

Diagnosis of the use and practices of gender mainstreaming in the ECJ.
2 months after signing the contract
Develop a tool to measure the implementation of the gender approach in the actions of the ECJ.
Product No. 3

Tool that measures gender perspective in TJE.
3 months after signing the contract
Collaborate with universities and the ECJ to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the legal requirements faced by women in exercising their right to political participation.
Product No. 4

Diagnosis of the identification of legal obstacles that prevent women from participating, in coordination with the TJE and universities.
4 months after signing the contract
Develop a legal assistance strategy for litigating cases of political violence against women.
Product No. 5

Legal assistance strategy for litigating cases of political violence against women.
8.5 months after signing the contract
To socialize and validate a legal assistance strategy for litigating cases of political violence against women.
Develop a training process aimed at the EJC, university professors, and attorneys from law firms to ensure they have the skills to use legal strategy.
Prepare a final report on the development of the consultancy.
Product No. 6 Final Report
9 months after signing the contract

Product/Deliverable
Payment condition
1
Product No. 1: Technical proposal and work schedule.
10% of the total contract
2
Product No. 2: Diagnosis of the use and practices of gender integration in the TJE.
20% of the total contract
3
Product No. 3: Tool that measures gender perspective in TJE.
10% of the total contract
4
Product No. 4: Diagnosis of the identification of obstacles at the legal level that prevent women from participating in coordination with TJE and universities
20% of the total contract
5
Product No. 5: Legal assistance strategy for litigation of cases of political violence against women.
30% of the total contract
6
Product No. 6: Final Report
10% of the total contract
The consulting contract specifies the inclusion of all costs (all inclusive); the Organization will not assume any additional costs or benefits beyond the fees for services. Therefore, it is the consultant’s responsibility to have medical insurance for the duration of the contract, and it is recommended that it include medical coverage for COVID-19-related illnesses. Medical coverage must be international in cases where the contract requires international missions or assignments.

If selected for this position, proof of medical coverage will be required within the first two months of the contract.

VII. Supervision and performance evaluation

The consultancy will be managed by UN Women Honduras. The consultancy will be supervised by the official/coordinator/official in charge/representative/focal point of the UN Women Governance and Political Participation Area. The consultant is not a United Nations official and will conduct the consultancy activities virtually, from their own workspace, in accordance with the agreed-upon work plan.

The consultant will work under the supervision of the Political Participation Governance Area Coordinator and will have the support of the Area’s Program Associate, who will be the point of contact for matters related to the contract and payments.

Three months after the start of the consultancy, an evaluation of the selected individual’s performance and the products produced will be conducted. If the evaluation is not favorable, the contract will be terminated by mutual agreement within 30 days.

For the successful completion of the consultancy, the supervisor will provide the selected individual with existing documents and information available to UN Women related to the consultancy topics. It is the consultant’s responsibility to obtain primary and secondary information from other sources, if necessary.

The selected individual will maintain ongoing coordination with the supervisor to ensure the effective execution and development of the products requested in these Terms of Reference and will provide information as requested within the framework of the Terms of Reference.

Travel is not contemplated for the consultancy; however, if travel and/or transfers are required, the costs will be covered by UN Women, in accordance with the Organization’s current rates for such purposes.

VIII. Performance indicators

Products/deliverables presented in a timely manner according to the Terms of Reference
Quality of work
Meeting expected results
Compliance with the aforementioned competencies (Ref. Consultant Profile)
IX. Intellectual Rights, Patents and Other Property Rights

A) Ownership of the equipment and supplies provided by UN Women to the Consultant for the fulfillment of its obligations under the Contract shall vest in UN Women. Such equipment shall be returned to UN Women upon termination of the Contract or when no longer required by the Consultant. Such equipment, when returned to UN Women, shall be in the same condition as when it was delivered to the Consultant, subject to normal wear and tear. The Consultant shall be responsible for compensating UN Women for any damage or degradation to the equipment beyond normal wear and tear.

B) UN Women shall have access to all intellectual property rights and other proprietary rights, including, but not limited to, patents, copyrights, and trademarks, relating to any products, processes, inventions, ideas, know-how, or documents and other materials that the Consultant has developed for UN Women under the Contract and that are directly related to the performance of the Contract or that are produced, prepared, or compiled as a result of or in the course of the performance of the Contract. The Consultant acknowledges and agrees that such products, documents, and other materials constitute works made for hire for UN Women.

However, to the extent that such intellectual property or other proprietary rights consist of any intellectual property or other proprietary rights of the Consultant: (a) that predate the Consultant’s performance of its obligations under the Contract, or (b) that the Consultant may develop or acquire, or may have developed or acquired, independent of the performance of its obligations under the Contract, UN Women does not and will not claim any ownership interest therein, and the Consultant grants UN Women a perpetual license to use such intellectual property or other proprietary right solely for the purposes of and in accordance with the requirements of the Contract.

At UN Women’s request, the Consultant will take all necessary steps, execute all necessary documents, and generally assist in securing such proprietary rights and in transferring or licensing them to UN Women, in accordance with the requirements of applicable law and the Contract. Subject to the foregoing provisions, all maps, drawings, photographs, mosaics, plans, reports, estimates, recommendations, documents and all other data compiled by or received by the Consultancy under the Contract shall be the property of UN Women, shall be made available to UN Women for its use or inspection at reasonable times and places, shall be considered confidential and shall be delivered only to authorized officials of UN Women upon completion of work under the Contract.

X. Competencies

Core values

Professional integrity
Professionalism
Cultural sensitivity and diversity of values
Main competencies:

Awareness and sensitivity regarding gender issues.
Autonomy
Creative problem solving
Effective communication
Inclusive collaboration and teamwork
Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Core Values ​​and Competencies:

https://www.unwomen.org/en/about-us/employment/application-process#_Values

Functional competencies:

Technical credibility
Risk management
Investigation
Resilience
XI. Selection procedure and application requirements

The selection process will be conducted through a desk review , which first formally verifies that applications meet the documentary requirements for review and the minimum requirements established for the consultancy. The applications received are then technically evaluated, and they will be ranked based on the technical requirements established in the following scoring table:

Evaluation criteria (professional requirements vary depending on the profile)
1. Bachelor’s degree in Law, Social Sciences, Political Science, or related fields (minimum requirement)
2. Master’s degree in Human Rights and/or Women’s Rights (desirable)
3. Demonstrable experience of at least 7 years in women’s human rights.
4. Solid knowledge of the main obstacles and challenges that Honduran women face in exercising their right to political participation.
5. Solid knowledge of Democracy and Rule of Law (desirable)
6. At least 4 years of experience working with civil society organizations, women’s and feminist organizations, and/or with a gender perspective, and serving vulnerable population groups.
7. Experience in research using qualitative and quantitative techniques, as well as in preparing reports in Spanish/English.
8. Mastery of the English language
Shortlisted candidates may be invited to a competency-based interview based on their level of knowledge in the subject area and the specific topic of this consultancy. The interview, if held after the desk review, will carry a 50% weighting of the total score (i.e., 50% for the requirements compliance table and 50% for the interview).

XII. Documents to be submitted for the application

UN Women Personal History Form (P11), which can be found at the following link:  https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/Headquarters/Attachments/Sections/About%20Us/Employment/UN-Women-P11-Personal-History-Form.doc
Personal identification (ID or passport)
IMPORTANT NOTES.

Applications received incompletely or after the closing date will not be considered.
Only those candidates who qualify on the shortlist (at least the three with the highest scores) will be contacted for an interview (if applicable).
Applicants with an employment relationship with public institutions may only be hired if they present proof of an unexpired work permit (license) and a letter of no objection to the consultancy, issued by the employing institution. If the relationship is with a research institution, academic center, or university, the previous clause will not apply.
If the consultation requires travel, medical coverage, required vaccinations for the destination, and travel insurance must be confirmed.
In the case of international consulting, the currency will be US dollars or the local currency.
Diversity and inclusion

At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes without discrimination based on race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis provided by law. All employment decisions are based on skills, competence, integrity, and the needs of the organization.

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

UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy against conduct inconsistent with the purposes and objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority, and discrimination. Successful candidates must adhere to UN Women policies and procedures and the standards of conduct required of UN Women staff and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include verification of academic credentials and employment history. Successful candidates may be required to provide additional information for a background check.

Applications are encouraged from individuals belonging to minority groups, indigenous groups or populations, and people with disabilities.

All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality.

Note: Applicants must ensure they complete all sections of the application form, including the education and employment history sections. Failure to complete all sections may result in the application being disqualified from the hiring and selection process.

Please click on the button below to Apply.