National Consultant to revise the National Youth Policy and Action Plan

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.

UN Women’s goal in Liberia is to promote women’s human rights and gender equality which are key in sustaining and furthering achievements in stability and development. In this regard, its programming in the Country is connected to five corporate priority areas: women’s leadership and political participation; enhancing women’s economic empowerment (WEE); engaging women in all aspects of peace and security processes (WPS) and advancing women’s rights to live free from violence (VAW) and Gender Responsive Governance. UN Women also coordinates and promotes the UN system’s joint work in advancing gender equality.

UN Women Liberia is implementing a joint program with UNFPA and OHCHR called the “Youth Promotion Initiative – Accelerating Digital Opportunities for Youth Civic Participation as a lever for Building and Sustaining Peace in Liberia” (2024 – 2026). The project goal is to increase opportunities for youth participation in decision making processes through the digitalization of existing youth and women-led informal platforms.

Through this project, UN Women is supporting the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MoYS) to review the National Youth Policy (2019 to 2023) and develop a revised policy with a Costed Action Plan. This initiative comes at a critical time for Liberia, a nation with a remarkably young population and this also promotes the current priorities to invest in youth education, empowerment, participation and broad development.

Under the overall guidance and management of the UN Women Deputy Country Representative and direct supervision of the Women, Peace, and Security Programme Specialist the national consultant will work closely with the international consultant, the ministry of youth and sports, youth groups, and other stakeholders to review and revise the National Youth Policy and develop the Action Plan.

Duties and Responsibilities

Description of Responsibilities/ Scope of Work

UN Women Liberia seeks to hire a National Consultant with knowledge on government policy and youth issues. The consultant will support the international consultant to conduct  a comprehensive review of the existing National Youth Policy(2019-2023) of Liberia, identifying its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT analysis). It should also be aligned with the Liberia’s national development plans and international frameworks like the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the African Youth Charter.

In close collaboration with the International Consultant, and other youth-led and women-led organizations, the Consultant will perform the following tasks:

Task 1:  Desk Review and development of the inception plan

• Conduct a desk review of the existing National Youth Policy of Liberia, identifying its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT analysis).
• It should also be aligned with the Liberia’s national development plans and international frameworks like the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the African Youth Charter.
• Conduct preliminary consultations with the Ministry of Youth’s leadership and review all related materials. Consult other UN and international, local partners, youth-led and women-led CSOs and develop an inception plan.
• Conduct a gender analysis of the national youth policy, identifying emerging vulnerabilities of young women and girls
• Identify and analyze intersectionality of the vulnerable groups of young people- specifically young women and girls

Task 2:  National Consultative Process and Evaluation of Policy

• The consultant will conduct a stakeholder analysis to identify key stakeholders and their perspectives on the policy through a national consultative process (across three regions) to gather insights from relevant stakeholders, including: Youth, Youth Groups, Youth organizations (established national and regional youth groups) etc. Government ministries (MoYS, Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Ministry of Education, etc.) Civil society organizations (focusing on youth and national development) Private sector entities, including those with a focus on youth livelihoods, skills development and employment.
• Conduct consultations with diverse youth groups across Liberia, utilizing various methodologies to ensure inclusivity (e.g., regional workshops, focus group discussions, online surveys tailored for mobile phone access).
• Use innovative means and processes to increase youth awareness of the National Youth Policy review process.
• Enable active participation of young people from diverse backgrounds in consultations and discussions.
• Integration of youth perspectives and priorities into the revised National Youth Policy.
• Facilitate a sense of ownership and engagement among youth regarding the National Youth Policy.

Task 3: Development of a revised National Youth Policy

• Based on the review, consultations, and best practices analysis, the consultant will draft a revised National Youth Policy document that is:
• Aligned with Liberia’s national development priorities, the SDGs, and the African Youth Charter, UN Youth Strategy, UN Women Youth Strategy, UNFPA Youth Strategy and other critical global and regional youth development policies and frameworks.
• Comprehensive and addresses key issues faced by Liberian youth (e.g., education, employment, health, participation).
• Aligned to the aspirations of youth and youth development agenda of Liberia as well as development partners. 
• Clear, concise, and easy to understand for a broad audience.

Task 4: Submit final consultant report with all documents developed and recommendations to take forward.

Competencies

Core Values: 

• Respect for Diversity 
• Integrity 
• Professionalism 

Core Competencies: 

• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues 
• Accountability 
• Creative Problem Solving 
• Effective Communication 
• Inclusive Collaboration 
• Stakeholder Engagement 
• Leading by Example 

Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Core Values and Competencies:  

FUNCTIONAL COMPETENCIES: 

• Excellent research and analytical skills
• Excellent workshop facilitating skills
• Excellent knowledge about key international resolutions for youth empowerment and gender equality

Required Skills and Experience

Education and Certification:

• Master’s degree or equivalent in International Development, Public Policy, Youth Studies, or Social Development or a related field is required.
• A project management certification would be an added advantage.

Experience:

• At least 5 years of experience in youth policy development and implementation, preferably at the national level
• Proven experience facilitating high-level consultative workshops and dialogues for institution at national and local level.
• Proven experience in developing policies or strategies is a MUST.
• Proven experience leading and conducting national consultations with diverse stakeholders from at least two different countries in Africa.
• Strong analytical and research skills, with a demonstrated ability to conduct a comprehensive analysis using tools like SWOT and PESTL and other related tools for the national youth policy review.
• Excellent knowledge of best practices in youth policy development and implementation across various countries, with a specific focus on Africa.
• Strong drafting and writing skills, with the ability to produce clear and concise policy documents and action plans.
• Knowledge of Monitoring and Results-based Management.
• Excellent English communication and writing skills; (Samples of previous work will be required.)

Languages:

• Fluency in English is required.
• Knowledge of any other UN official language is an asset.

How To Apply 

• Personal CV or P11 (P11 can be downloaded from:  )
• A cover letter (maximum length: 1 page)
• Managers may ask (ad hoc) for any other materials relevant to pre-assessing the relevance of their experience, such as reports, presentations, publications, campaigns, or other materials.