1. Background and Purpose:

UN WOMEN is the women's fund at the United Nations. Established in 1976, it provides financial and technical assistance to innovative approaches aimed at fostering women's empowerment and gender equality. UN WOMEN has established offices in Islamabad, Pakistan which is working with the Ministry of Women Development and other government departments to support Pakistan in fulfilling its national and international commitments on Gender Equality. UN WOMEN also helps make the voices of women heard at the United Nations — to highlight critical issues and advocate for the implementation of existing commitments made to women.

Placing the realization of women's human rights and security at the centre of all of its efforts, UN WOMEN focuses its attention on women and peace especially during times of crises.
UN WOMEN is committed to ensuring that during and post crisis women and girls participate in crisis management, resettlement and rehabilitation, whilst remaining protected from violence. The implementation of CEDAW and other international commitment like WHR and IHL. can be ensured if the Women and Girls issues are also properly addressed and the implementation of Humanitarian response is a gender sensitive one.

UN WOMEN has been part of UN system for humanitarian response to the IDPs emergency from the onset of Pakistan’s most recent crises, and has been actively supporting the IASC Gender Standby Capacity Project (GenCap) in the effective coordination of the ‘cluster’ approach strategy. UN WOMEN has assisted in the coordination of gender sub-cluster meetings, input into the Malakand development strategy, CERINA, PCNA and other cluster documents besides leading the Gender Task force to support the humanitarian country team (HCT) for integrating , mainstreaming gender equality in the humanitarian response.

UN WOMEN has actively been supporting Gencap for effective coordination of the gender sub-cluster meetings, input into strategies and other cluster documents, as well as being instrumental in the development and maintenance of an internet group.

1. Background:

The humanitarian community as a whole is responding to the crisis in different ways and from different angles, all under the platform of a UN established cluster approach. However, the most vulnerable community which consists predominantly of women, girls and unaccompanied families, is open to violence and hostilities with very little protection available to them.

The response to this crisis needs to include sustained relationships with Government departments and ensure that the government’s policies and plans address the needs of women and girls, particularly in a post-crisis scenario.
2. Activities and Deliverables

The crisis in Pakistan resulted in coordinated efforts on part of the Government of Pakistan to support and protect all IDPs. With the support of the humanitarian communities, the Government met this and continues to meet this mounting challenge. UN WOMEN intends to support the efforts undertaken by the government by reviewing some key government policies and plans to ensure that clear entry points for integration of gender equality and women’s empowerment are identified and supported. Ahead of that, it is proposed that a report be commissioned to summarise all major policies and programmes with a specific focus on how gender concerns are currently handled, and with suggestions for improvements to respond to violence against women.

Following the review, a consultative process will be take place to discuss about the findings and identify strategies for interventions and enhanced accountability mechanisms. Tools such as check list, training kits and performance indicators will be developed to further enhance the integration of the specific recommendations.

The specific activities under this contract will include:

 In consultation with MoWD and other key stakeholders, indentify the policies to be reviewed
 Gather a baseline of the policies at the beginning of the consultancy and identify gender elements into it
 Analyse key selected national policies from gender lens
 Organize and conduct multi- stakeholders consultation on the findings of the review
 Develop strategies for interventions and gender sensitive mechanisms to be integrated into the country’s policies and plans.

The successful proposals would respond to the principles of Gender Equality and women’s participation in development, and contextualize it with respect to Pakistan keeping in mind the cultural and social sensitivities.

In the Request for Proposals UN WOMEN will be looking for organizations with strategic interest, academic outreach and practical elements that can translate recommendations into do-able interventions.

The selection criteria would include: understanding of all strategic government departments; understanding of gender equality issues; experience of working with the government; and undertaking similar research studies.

3. Deliverables:

 Work plan to be submitted to UN WOMEN
 Report on baseline of selected policies and plans
 Finalized Country Report on gender issues government plans and policies, and recommendations in this regard.
 Organization and participation in multi-stakeholder consultations and development of brief reports on key points/suggestions raised in consultations
 Strategies and recommendations for interventions for improvement of the policies – with agreement of MoWD.

Linked to SRS Outcomes and Outputs

SP Outcome 5
Gender equality experts, advocates and their organizations or networks effectively demand the implementation of gender equality dimensions in national laws, policies and strategies

SP Output 5.1.
National Machineries for Women have increased their capacity to mainstream gender equality into National (Development) Strategies, laws, and policies.

SP Output 5.2.
Gender equality experts, advocates and their organizations or networks have strengthened their capacity to advocate for gender responsive laws, policies and strategies at national, regional and global

4. Invitation for proposals:
Registered organizations can submit proposals (on provided format below). A Programme Appraisal Committee (PAC) will be arranged at the End of March to review the short-listed proposal and recommend awards of grants.

Who can apply?
• Registered Non-governmental organizations
Academic and Research institutes
• Governments, including National or Local governmental agencies

In cases where two or more organisations submit a joint proposal, the name of the organization that is taking responsibility for financial administration and reporting must be clearly stated. A copy of the MoU between the two organizations must be attached. Relevant details related to the collaborating organization with clear roles and responsibilities in design, implementation and monitoring of the proposed project should also be mentioned.

5. Language of submissions

Proposals should be submitted in English.

6. Where to submit proposals?

Proposals should be sent in sealed envelopes by post (with “RfP for Review of National policies on Women and Peace” written on the envelopes) to the


Anwar Qureshi
Operations Manager
UN WOMEN Programme Office in Pakistan
UN WOMEN Pakistan
House No 124, Street No 11, Sector E-7
Sector E-7,
Islamabad, PAKISTAN

7. Criteria for selection of proposals for funding

Projects will be selected by a Programme Appraisal Committee (PAC).

The PAC will take into consideration the following:

• Quality: The overall quality of the proposal, and how the activities are linked to results.
• Results: Realistic, objective, measurable results and how the strategies are developed to achieve them.
• Capacity: Capacity of the organization to implement the project; including qualified human resources (technical capacity) and financial systems.
• Experience: Relevant Experience of the organization with matters of security and defence sector analysis, expertise on gender and of working with the government
• Budget: A suitable, cost-effective budget against proposed activities.
• Partnership: Reflection of multi-stakeholder partnership/participation in the implementation of the project

Proposals that reflect availability of matching funds will be given priority

UN WOMEN will not consider proposals that are:
• NGOs/Community Based Groups and Associations that are not registered.
• Requesting funds to cover costs of building, infrastructure including purchase of land, property or towards construction or repair of buildings;
• Requesting funds to support ongoing service provisions – such as medications, ongoing counseling and treatment services, maintenance of shelters, etc;
• Incomplete or submitted after the stated deadlines;
• Already funded by other organizations in Pakistan for similar activities;

7. Announcement of the Result

Only short-listed applicants will be contacted by May 2010. UN WOMEN reserves the right to reject any proposal and its decision will be final and binding on all.

8. Deadlines

• Submission deadline: Not later than Thursday, 15 April 2010, COB 5:00pm

9. Budget:
Proposals will be considered for a duration of up to one year (sheet attached). Separate sheets should be provided for programmatic and operational costs, where programmatic costs must comprise at least 70% of the total budget.

See attached document