BACKGROUND:

UN Women (UNW), 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. Placing women’s rights at the centre of all its efforts, the UN Women leads and coordinates the United Nations system efforts to ensure that commitments on gender equality and gender mainstreaming translate into action throughout the world. It provides strong and coherent leadership in support of Member States’ priorities and efforts, building effective partnerships with civil society and other relevant actors.
UN Women’s triple mandate, along with its global network and deep policy and programming expertise, continues to endow the Entity with a unique capacity to: (i) support Member States to strengthen global norms and standards for gender equality and women’s empowerment, and mainstream gender perspectives in other thematic areas; (ii) promote coordination and coherence across the UN system to enhance accountability and results for gender equality and women’s empowerment; and (iii) undertake operational activities to support Member States, upon their request, in translating global norms and standards into legislation, policies and strategies at country level.

UN Women plays an innovative and catalytic role in the State of Palestine since its inception in 1997 (as UNIFEM). In line with the national priorities, the work of UN Women for the period 2023-2025 is aligned with three of the Palestine United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework’s (UNSDCF) outcomes:

• Palestinians have greater access to economic opportunities that are inclusive, resilient, and sustainable, including decent employment and livelihoods opportunities in an empowered private sector.
• Palestinians, including the most vulnerable, have equal access to sustainable, inclusive, gender responsive and quality social services, social protection, and affordable utilities.
• Palestinian governance institutions, processes, and mechanisms at all levels are more democratic, rights-based, inclusive, and accountable.

Its three-year Strategic Note supports the efforts to achieve measurable results in country in terms of four UN Women global Strategic Plan impacts (2022-2025): (SP Impact 1). Governance and participation in public life; (SP Impact 2). Women’s Economic Empowerment; (SP Impact 3). Ending Violence Against Women and Girls and; SP Impact 4. Women peace and security, Humanitarian & Disaster Risk Reduction.
The Global Disability Fund (GDF) funded project, “Enabling a Disability-Inclusive and Equitable International Response in OPT,” is implemented jointly by UN Women and OHCHR under the UNCT Diversity and Inclusion Group. The initiative aims to strengthen the inclusion of persons with disabilities in national and international policy-making processes, promoting an equitable approach that is fully aligned with international human rights standards. It also seeks to build the capacity of Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) to actively participate in the recovery process and to ensure disability inclusion in humanitarian response as well as in all recovery efforts.
This project represents a coordinated UN approach to disability inclusion, undertaken in collaboration with a wide range of stakeholders, including government entities, civil society organizations (CSOs), Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) and UN agencies.

EDUCATION AND CERTIFICATION:

• Master’s degree or equivalent in law, political science, international relations, social sciences or related field.
• A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

EXPERIENCE:

• A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience in disability rights, human rights, political affairs, international relations, law or related area is required.
• Experience in gender equality and gender responsive interventions is required.
• Experience in humanitarian protection in conflict or post-conflict situations is desirable.
• Experience in the coordination of the protection response within a humanitarian crisis is desirable.
• Experience in developing and drafting situational and policy analysis regarding persons with disabilities is desirable.
• Experience working with UN agencies is desirable.
• Experience working in the Arab Region and particularly in Occupied Palestinian Territories is highly desirable.
• Provide two samples of previous work, including assessments, policy briefs/analysis or research papers relevant to the assignment to be attached as part of the application.

DESCRIPTION OF RESPONSIBILITIES/ SCOPE OF WORK

Within the delegated authority, the Disability Advisor will be responsible for the following duties:

• Under the supervision of UN Women and OHCHR, coordinates the disability activities of the UNCT Disability and Inclusion Working Group (DIWG);
• Support in strengthening the Gaza DWG to better engage with clusters and the ICCG on disability mainstreaming in humanitarian response and recovery efforts.
• Coordinates the timely implementation of the Global Disability Fund project outcomes in close coordination with the DIWG
• Support the DIWG in strengthening UNCT compliance with the UN Disability Inclusion Scorecard.
• Support the planning process leading to the formation of a Disability Working Group under the protection cluster in the West Bank.
• Ensures disability issues are integrated into UN recovery planning and humanitarian response.
• Ensures up-to-date information regarding substantive matters in the field of disability rights and makes recommendations on actions to take.
• Coordinates with other sectors of the UN, international organizations and government on coordination and policy matters to strengthen national capacities and institutions for the promotion of disability inclusion and the rights of persons with disabilities.
• Works with UN and non-governmental programmes in the country/region to integrate disability, including their gender dimensions in their programs; helps design and implement the human rights program and designs the organization and focus of the evaluation.
• Assists national actors to develop training programs in the field of disability inclusion, with attention to gender perspectives.
• Performs other related duties as required.

UN Women plays an innovative and catalytic role in the State of Palestine since its inception in 1997 (as UNIFEM). In line with the national priorities, the work of UN Women for the period 2023-2025 is aligned with three of the Palestine United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework’s (UNSDCF) outcomes:

• Palestinians have greater access to economic opportunities that are inclusive, resilient, and sustainable, including decent employment and livelihoods opportunities in an empowered private sector.
• Palestinians, including the most vulnerable, have equal access to sustainable, inclusive, gender responsive and quality social services, social protection, and affordable utilities.
• Palestinian governance institutions, processes, and mechanisms at all levels are more democratic, rights-based, inclusive, and accountable