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.
Placing womenโs rights at the heart of its mission, UN Women leads and coordinates efforts across the UN system to ensure that global commitments to gender equality are translated into meaningful action. It also provides strong leadership in support of Member Statesโ priorities, while building effective partnerships with civil society and other key stakeholders.
In Rwanda, the UN Women Country Office is committed to fostering a gender-responsive environment in collaboration with national partners. In partnership with the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion (MIGEPROF), the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI), the World Food Programme (WFP), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), UN Women is implementing theย Joint Programme on Rural Womenโs Economic Empowerment (JP-RWEE). This program also aims to strengthen gender-responsive agriculture and food systems by empowering rural women through improved systems, policies, and strategies; enhanced partnership, and increased access to resources, services, and opportunities that support sustainable livelihoods.ย To this end, the program supports the socialization of key policy and strategic frameworks relevant to rural women through the development of accessible, user-friendly knowledge products that enhance awareness, ownership, and engagement among rural communities and local actors, ensuring that national commitments lead to concrete results on the ground.ย
In this regard, theย National Gender Policy, originally adopted in 2010 and revised in 2021, serves as a cornerstone and key framework that reinforcesย Rwandaโs commitment to gender equality and womenโs empowerment.
This policy builds upon the Rwandaโs significant progress in areas such as political representation, education, and economic inclusion and seeks to institutionalize gender mainstreaming across all sectors. By aligning with Rwandaโsย National Transformation Strategy (NST-2)ย andย Vision 2050, the policy ensures that gender equality remains central to the nationโs sustainable development agenda.
Specifically, the policy is a key instrument for advancing rural womenโs economic empowerment in Rwanda as it provides a clear framework for addressing structural gender inequalities in critical sectors such as agriculture and food systems. By institutionalizing gender mainstreaming, the policy promotes the integration of women's needs, roles, and contributions into agricultural planning, extension services, access to land and productive resources, markets, and climate-resilient practices. This approach fosters an enabling environment for rural women to transition from subsistence farming to more profitable and sustainable agricultural livelihoods. Given that rural women form the backbone of Rwandaโs agricultural sector, the effective implementation of the policy is vital to unlocking their full economic potential and strengthening both household and national food security.ย
Additionally, another ย key framework is theย Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA)ย strategy for Rwanda, a continental initiative developed by the African Development Bank (AfDB) to close the gender gap in access to finance for women entrepreneurs. Developed by the Government of Rwanda as part of the localisation effort, the national AFAWA strategy aims to close the gender gap in access to finance for women entrepreneurs and reduce the barriers they face. The strategy is built on three pillars namely: (1) Capacity buildingย for women entrepreneurs and financial institutions; (2) Improved access to financeย for women-owned businesses; and (3) Policy dialogue and reformย to create an enabling environment for womenโs economic participation and innovation.
To ensure that the revised National Gender Policy, the AFAWA Strategy and related frameworks lead to meaningful and sustained change, it is essential that they are widely disseminated and well understood by all stakeholders. Effective dissemination and socialization will not only build ownership but also support the consistent application of the frameworksโ commitments across sectors and institutions to bridge the gap between policy and practice and advancing rural womenโs economic empowerment. This is particularly critical in agriculture and food systems, where rural women play a central role yet continue to face structural barriers to full participation. To this end, developing disseminating theirย abridged versions will serve as essential tools for raising awareness and advocating for gender-responsive development among a wide range of stakeholders including government institutions, civil society, development partners, financial institutions, private sector, women entrepreneurs, and the general public.
In this context, UN Women Rwanda aims to support the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion (MIGEPROF) in enhancing the visibility and understanding of key gender-related frameworks, while also strengthening awareness and advocacy around gender and finance policies and strategies. To achieve this, UN Women is recruiting a national consultant to develop abridged, user-friendly booklets for both the Revised National Gender Policy and AFAWA Strategy .ย
The consultant will be reporting to the UN Women Country Representative through the Programme Management Specialist and the Womenโs Economic Empowerment Programme Analyst, who will serve as the primary point of contact for this assignment.
The objective of the assignment
The overall objective of this consultancy is to support the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion (MIGEPROF) in developing two bridged, user-friendly booklets that summarize the key components of:
- Rwandaโs Revised National Gender Policy.
- The Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA) Strategy for Rwanda.
These booklets will serve as strategic communication tools to enhance awareness, understanding, and stakeholder engagement aroundย gender-responsive policies and strategies in agriculture and food systems as well as gender and finance policies in Rwanda there by promoting priorities rural womenโs economic empowerment and inclusive agricultural development.ย
For theย Revised National Gender Policy, the consultant will develop a clear and accessible summary that outlines the policyโs guiding principles, strategic objectives, and gender mainstreaming approaches. A particular focus will be placed on accountability mechanisms, including how the policy supports Rwandaโs national transformation agenda through robust monitoring, evaluation, and enforcement frameworks.
For theย AFAWA Strategy, the consultant will produce a concise and visually engaging summary that highlights the strategyโs core pillars capacity building, access to finance, and policy reform. The booklet should be informative, easy to understand, and designed to mobilize stakeholders toward the effective implementation of the strategy.
Both booklets will be tailored to a broad audience including government institutions, development partners, civil society organizations, the private sector, and the general public, with special attention to women and underserved groups. They will clarify stakeholder roles and responsibilities, fostering ownership, collaboration, and accountability across all sectors.
Description of Responsibilities/Scope of Workย
The consultant is expected to carry out the following key tasks and responsibilities:
Document Review and Analysis
- Conduct a comprehensive review of the full AFAWA Strategy (approx. 40 pages), the Revised National Gender Policy, February 2021 (Approx. 67 pages), and other relevant documents to extract key components such as objectives, strategic pillars, implementation frameworks, and expected outcomes.
Content Development
- Develop concise, accessible, and contextually relevant content for each booklet:
- AFAWA Bookletย (max. 15 pages each in English and Kinyarwanda):
- A context overview linking AFAWA to NST1, 2, Vision 2050, and the SDGs
- Strategic pillars, objectives, and focus areas of the AFAWA
- Expected outcomes and national implementation framework
- Clearly defines roles and responsibilities of key stakeholders
- Contact information and useful resources to guide stakeholder engagement.
Gender Policy Bookletย (max. 20 pages + 1-page executive summary):
- High-level overview of the Revised National Gender Policy, including rationale and relevance
- Vision, strategic goals, principles and priority actions for mainstreaming gender across sectors
- Monitoring and Accountability frameworks, including indicators and reporting lines
- Roles and responsibilities of key implementing stakeholders, including government entities, CSOs, and development partners, etc.
- Policy Contributionโs to Rwandaโs national transformation agenda, including NST1 and 2, Vision 2050, and the SDGs
N.B: Both booklets will use plain, jargon-free language and visually engaging formats to ensure wide accessibility, especially for community-level actors and decision-makers.
Stakeholder Engagement
- Engage key stakeholders including MIGEPROF, relevant sector ministries, financial institutions, civil society organizations, and development partners to gather insights and feedback on the bookletโs content, format, and messaging, ensuring alignment with national priorities and stakeholder expectations, and enhancing the relevance, usability, and ownership of the final products.
Validation and Finalization
- Present the draft versions of both booklets to UN Women, MIGEPROF, and other key stakeholders for review and validation, incorporating feedback to ensure accuracy, relevance, and usability before finalizing the content and design for dissemination.
Additional Deliverables
- Develop a 1-page executive summary of the Revised National Gender Policy tailored for high-level stakeholders; create a 10โ12 slide PowerPoint presentation summarizing key elements of the AFAWA and Gender Policy for use in workshops, meetings, and advocacy events; and deliver the final versions of both booklets in English and Kinyarwanda, ready for print and digital dissemination.
Design and Layout
- Collaborate closely with a professional graphic designer to create visually appealing and user-friendly layouts for both the AFAWA and Gender Policy booklets. The design will incorporate infographics, icons, and relevant visuals to enhance readability, engagement, and understanding of key messages. All design elements will be aligned with UN Women and MIGEPROF branding guidelines ensuring consistency with institutional identity and professional presentation standards.
Deliverables
The Consultant will be required to submit the following deliverables:
Deliverable Expected completion time (Day)- Inception Report outlining the proposed methodology, work plan, and timeline for the assignment 4 Days
- Draft Content of the abridged booklets submitted for review and inputs from UN Women and MIGEPROF 10 Days
- Stakeholder Engagement Summary, including documentation of consultations and key feedback gathered to inform content refinement. 2 Daysย
- Final Abridged Booklet in both English and Kinyarwanda, incorporating all feedback and finalized with professional design and layout, ready for print and digital dissemination. 4 Days
- Finalize visually appealing and user-friendly layouts for both the AFAWA and Gender Policy booklets in collaboration with a professional graphic designer 5 Days
- Prepare and submit a concise 1-page executive summary of the Revised National Gender Policy tailored for high-level stakeholders; develop a 10โ12 slide PowerPoint presentation summarizing key elements of both the AFAWA and Gender Policy booklets for use in workshops, meetings, and advocacy events; and deliver the final versions of both booklets in English and Kinyarwanda, fully formatted and ready for print and digital distribution. 3 Days
- Final Report detailing the development process, stakeholder engagement outcomes, feedback received, and recommendations for future use, distribution, and scale-up. 2 Days
Institutional Arrangements and Supervision
The consultant will be contracted by UN Women Rwanda Country Office and will operate under the direct supervision of the UN Women Country Representative. Technical guidance and oversight will be jointly provided by the Womenโs Economic Empowerment Thematic Area of UN Women Rwanda Country Office and the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion (MIGEPROF).
To ensure quality and strategic alignment, regular briefings and coordination meetings will be held throughout the assignment. These sessions will serve to monitor progress, address emerging issues, provide technical feedback, and ensure that the deliverables are in line with national priorities and UN Womenโs programmatic goals.
Consultantโs Workplace and Official Travel
This is aย home-based consultancy, and no travel is required for the completion of the consultancy.
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 Engagement;
- Leading by Example.
Please visitย this linkย for more information on UN Womenโs Values and Competencies Framework:ย
Functional Competencies:
- Proven Experience developing strategies and policies related to gender equality and women empowerment preferably in the areas of gender responsive agriculture, food systems and financial inclusion areas.
- In-depth knowledge of gender equality and women's rights issues in Rwanda and in the region.ย
- Strong skills in summarizing complex strategic documents including policies, strategies and reports.
- Demonstrate the ability to design and produce high quality, professional communication materials and booklets.
- Excellent capacity to synthesize complex information and present it in formats tailored to diverse audiences.
Required Qualifications.
Education and Certification:
- A masterโs degree in gender studies, linguistic and communication studies, Social Sciences, Agriculture, Development Studies, or a related field.
- A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree
- A least 7 years of progressively responsible experience in consultancy work related to gender mainstreaming and strategic development, with a strong focus on advancing gender equality and womenโs empowerment.
- Proven experience in summarizing and translating policies and strategies particularly in the areas of gender equality, womenโs empowerment, or related fields for diverse audiences, including policymakers, practitioners, and the general public.
- Demonstrate excellence skills in reviewing complex strategies, policies, and reports, and translating them into clear, impactful communication tools for awareness-raising and policy advocacy.
- Excellent skills in writing, presentation and communication with the ability to synthesize complex information for diverse audiences with sample of previous work performed.
- Excellent skills in designing and producing a high-quality, professional and printable abridged booklet in English and Kinyarwanda.
- Excellent skills in writing, presentation and communication with the ability to synthesize complex information for diverse audiences with sample of previous work performed.
- Demonstrated understanding of the AFAWA Strategy, the Revised National Gender Policy, and womenโs financial inclusion, with a clear appreciation of their relevance to Rwandaโs national development context
Languages:
- Fluency in English is required.
- Knowledge of Kinyarwanda is mandatory.
Application Processย
Interested candidates should submit their required documents as listed below.
- A detailed technical proposal, including methodology, timeline, and work plan.ย
- A financial proposal.ย
- Personal CV or P11 (P11 can be downloaded from:ย https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/Headquarters/Attachments/Sections/About%20Us/Employment/UN-Women-P11-Personal-History-Form.doc.ย
- Three samples of previous similar assignments accomplished.ย
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.
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,ย and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age,ย ability, national origin,ย or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity and organizational need.
If you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in your application.
UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere toย UN Womenโsย policiesย and proceduresย andย theย standardsย of conduct expected of UN Women personnelย and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. (Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.)
Note: Applicants must ensure that all sections of the application form, including the sections on education and employment history, are completed. If all sections are not completed the application may be disqualified from the recruitment and selection process.
- Final Report detailing the development process, stakeholder engagement outcomes, feedback received, and recommendations for future use, distribution, and scale-up. 2 Days
- Prepare and submit a concise 1-page executive summary of the Revised National Gender Policy tailored for high-level stakeholders; develop a 10โ12 slide PowerPoint presentation summarizing key elements of both the AFAWA and Gender Policy booklets for use in workshops, meetings, and advocacy events; and deliver the final versions of both booklets in English and Kinyarwanda, fully formatted and ready for print and digital distribution. 3 Days
- Finalize visually appealing and user-friendly layouts for both the AFAWA and Gender Policy booklets in collaboration with a professional graphic designer 5 Days
- Final Abridged Booklet in both English and Kinyarwanda, incorporating all feedback and finalized with professional design and layout, ready for print and digital dissemination. 4 Days
- Stakeholder Engagement Summary, including documentation of consultations and key feedback gathered to inform content refinement. 2 Daysย
- Draft Content of the abridged booklets submitted for review and inputs from UN Women and MIGEPROF 10 Days
- Inception Report outlining the proposed methodology, work plan, and timeline for the assignment 4 Days
- Collaborate closely with a professional graphic designer to create visually appealing and user-friendly layouts for both the AFAWA and Gender Policy booklets. The design will incorporate infographics, icons, and relevant visuals to enhance readability, engagement, and understanding of key messages. All design elements will be aligned with UN Women and MIGEPROF branding guidelines ensuring consistency with institutional identity and professional presentation standards.
- Develop a 1-page executive summary of the Revised National Gender Policy tailored for high-level stakeholders; create a 10โ12 slide PowerPoint presentation summarizing key elements of the AFAWA and Gender Policy for use in workshops, meetings, and advocacy events; and deliver the final versions of both booklets in English and Kinyarwanda, ready for print and digital dissemination.
- Present the draft versions of both booklets to UN Women, MIGEPROF, and other key stakeholders for review and validation, incorporating feedback to ensure accuracy, relevance, and usability before finalizing the content and design for dissemination.
- Engage key stakeholders including MIGEPROF, relevant sector ministries, financial institutions, civil society organizations, and development partners to gather insights and feedback on the bookletโs content, format, and messaging, ensuring alignment with national priorities and stakeholder expectations, and enhancing the relevance, usability, and ownership of the final products.
- AFAWA Bookletย (max. 15 pages each in English and Kinyarwanda):
- Develop concise, accessible, and contextually relevant content for each booklet:
- Conduct a comprehensive review of the full AFAWA Strategy (approx. 40 pages), the Revised National Gender Policy, February 2021 (Approx. 67 pages), and other relevant documents to extract key components such as objectives, strategic pillars, implementation frameworks, and expected outcomes.