The Position:
In Koshi Province, gender-based violence (GBV) remains a pervasive and deeply rooted issue, with over 27% of women having experienced physical, sexual, or psychosocial violence exceeding the national average of 23%. While significant progress has been made in establishing GBV response infrastructure, including One-Stop Crisis Management Centres (OCMCs) and safe houses, a critical gap persists in the sustainable economic empowerment of the most marginalized and at-risk women in Nepal.
These women, who include GBV survivors and those from structurally excluded and situationally vulnerable groups, face intersecting challenges including trauma, low literacy, limited mobility, and social stigma that prevent them from accessing conventional training and employment opportunities. Compounding this, existing economic programs often lack context-specific design, are poorly aligned with market demands, and fail to provide viable livelihood pathways. Labor market dynamics in many rural and semi-urban areas of Koshi province are characterized by informal, low-wage, and gender-segmented employment, where these women are often excluded due to stigma or lack of relevant skills. Moreover, the private sector remains weakly engaged, with limited incentives and mechanisms to include marginalized women in their workforce or value chains. Structural bottlenecks such as lack of job matching services, absence of flexible work arrangements, and limited access to childcare further restrict their economic participation.
To break cycles of dependency and vulnerability, a more integrated and structured approach is urgently needed. One that embeds economic empowerment within the broader GBV response system and actively addresses barriers in the economic system. This includes market-responsive skills training, tailored support services, and strong linkages to local employment ecosystems and enterprise development opportunities. Strengthening local governments' capacity to utilize GBV Elimination Funds and available employment funds in a transparent and inclusive manner is also essential. With coordinated efforts across government, private sector, and civil society, GBV survivors and other marginalized women can be supported to rebuild their lives with autonomy, dignity, and long-term resilience.
Against this background, this market assessment is a critical component of UNFPA's \"Strengthening linkages between gender-based violence responses and employment opportunities\" program. Its purpose is to lay the foundational understanding of the local economic landscape in target municipalities within Koshi Province, thereby ensuring that economic empowerment interventions are demand-driven, sustainable, and tailored to the unique needs and capacities of excluded and vulnerable women, including GBV survivors. By identifying high-growth sectors, potential private sector partners, and specific skills in demand, this assessment will directly inform the design of effective training, self-employment support, and job-matching services, ultimately facilitating their access to decent, safe, and dignified employment opportunities.
How you can make a difference:
UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled.ย UNFPAโs strategic plan (2022-2025), reaffirms the relevance of the current strategic direction of UNFPA and focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. These results capture our strategic commitments on accelerating progress towards realizing the ICPD and SDGs in the Decade of Action leading up to 2030. Our strategic plan calls upon UN Member States, organizations and individuals to โbuild forward betterโ, while addressing the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on womenโs and girlsโ access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, recover lost gains and realize our goals.
In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards, and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction.
UNFPA is seeking candidates that transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results; we need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results.
Job Purpose:
The primary objective of this market assessment is to identify and analyze existing and potential demand-driven employment and income-generating opportunities within the target municipalities (Palikas) of Koshi Province i.e. Biratnagar Metropolitan City of Morang, Triyuga and Katari Municipality of Udaypur.
The findings will directly inform the design and implementation of survivor-centered and market-responsive economic empowerment interventions, particularly for Gender-Based Violence (GBV) survivors and structurally excluded and situationally vulnerable women.
The scope of work will include, but not be limited to, the following key activities:
You would be responsible for:
A. Desk Review and Data Collection Strategy Development:
Review relevant existing literature, reports, government policies, and private sector analyses pertaining to the economic landscape, labor market trends, and vocational training initiatives in Koshi Province, with a specific focus on the targeted Palikas. Develop a comprehensive methodology and data collection tools (e.g., questionnaires, interview guides, focus group discussion protocols) tailored for consultations with various stakeholders.B. Stakeholder Consultations and Data Collection:
Conduct in-depth consultations with local business owners, private sector representatives, Home Stay Business, Chambers of Commerce, and industry associations to identify current labor demands, skill gaps, and potential for inclusive employment (including flexible work arrangements, compliance with labor law and safeguarding practices). Engage with cooperatives, micro-enterprises, and social enterprises to understand their operational models, growth potential, and capacity to integrate marginalized women into their workforce or value chains. Consult with relevant government departments at the local and provincial levels (e.g., Economic Development Units, Employment Coordinators, Vocational Training Institutes) to gather information on existing employment programs, GESI-focused resources, GBV and other employment funds and policy frameworks related to economic empowerment. Gather qualitative and quantitative data on sectors experiencing labor shortages, demonstrating high growth potential, or offering decent employment opportunities accessible to women from vulnerable and socially excluded groups. This should consider opportunities with trade or export linkages where applicable. The market assessment should incorporate gender and social inclusion dimensions by focusing on vulnerable and marginalized groups. It should consider the structural challenges these groups face, such as limited access to education and job opportunities, to ensure the assessment reflects the realities of their skills and employment potential.C. Analysis and Report Writing:
Analyze the collected data to identify specific market demands, viable income-generating opportunities, and promising sectors for employment of GBV survivors and vulnerable women. Present disaggregate findings by age, caste/ethnicity, and disability status to ensure intersectional recommendations for inclusive programming. Identify potential barriers and enablers for their participation in the identified economic opportunities, considering factors such as social norms, access to networks, and the need for safe work environments. Assess the feasibility of establishing public-private partnerships (PPPs) in the identified sectors to create survivor-sensitive employment models (e.g., safe recruitment channels, flexible work arrangements, on-the-job mentorship). Explore synergies with national initiatives such as \"Shramsansar\" and other digital labor market information systems for job matching and skills development. Develop a comprehensive market assessment report outlining key findings, detailed recommendations for market-responsive skills training, self-employment support, and job-matching services. The report should also highlight potential private sector partners and incentive mechanisms for their engagement.D. Dissemination and Advocacy:
Prepare and deliver a presentation of the key findings and recommendations to UNFPA, local and provincial government officials, private sector stakeholders, and other relevant partners through structured advocacy meetings. Facilitate discussions with Government and other stakeholders to strengthen government commitment, foster integrated planning, and secure private sector partnerships and resource allocation within municipal budgets for employment programs targeting marginalized women and GBV survivors.Qualifications and Experience:ย
Education:ย ย
Masterโs degree in Economics, Business Administration, Development Studies, Social Sciences, Gender Studies, or a related field.Knowledge and Experience:ย
Languages:ย
Fluency in written and spoken English and Nepali. Knowledge of local languages/dialects spoken in Koshi Province is highly desirable.Required Competencies:ย
Values:
ย Exemplifying integrity,ย
ย Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system,ย
ย Embracing cultural diversity,ย
ย Embracing change
Core Competencies:ย
ย Achieving results,
ย Being accountable,
ย Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen,
ย Thinking analytically and strategically,
ย Working in teams/managing ourselves and our relationships,
ย
UNFPA Work Environment:
UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore encourage women to apply. Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of UNFPA's workforce - clickย hereย to learn more.
Disclaimer:
Selection and appointment may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, visa issuance and other administrative requirements.ย
UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants' bank accounts.ย
Applicants for positions in the international Professional and higher categories, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.