Background:

The UNCT-SWAP Gender Equality Scorecard is a United Nations system-wide accountability framework and self-assessment tool that enables United Nations Country Teams (UNCTs) to assess how effectively gender equality and women’s empowerment are mainstreamed across their collective work, including joint planning, programming, monitoring and evaluation, partnerships, leadership, organizational culture, gender architecture, capacities, financing, and results. It assesses the collective performance of the UNCT as a system, rather than the performance of any individual UN entity.

Therefore, the UNCT-SWAP Gender Equality Scorecard is a mandatory accountability exercise that measures the UNCT performance against a standardized set of global minimum requirements reflected in 15 performance indicators.

UNCT Viet Nam completed its previous UNCT-SWAP Gender Equality Scorecard Comprehensive Assessment in 2021 and subsequently submitted Annual Progress Reports from 2022 to 2025. In 2026, UNCT Viet Nam is expected to undertake a new Comprehensive Report (CR) assessing performance against all 15 UNCT-SWAP Performance Indicators. This process comes at a strategic moment, as the UNCT concludes the 2022–2026 Cooperation Framework cycle and transitions to the new Cooperation Framework for 2027–2031.

The 2026 Comprehensive Report therefore provides an important opportunity for evidence-based accountability by assessing UNCT-wide progress, identifying remaining gaps, and setting priority actions for strengthening Gender Equality and the empowerment of Women (GEWE) in the next Cooperation Framework cycle.

In addition, the United Nations System-Wide Gender Equality Acceleration Plan (GEAP) has introduced strengthened expectations for country-level implementation and reporting on gender equality. Since 2025, GEAP-related questions have been integrated into the UNCT-SWAP reporting platform, and it is anticipated that GEAP monitoring and reporting requirements may be further strengthened in 2026.

In Viet Nam, relevant GEAP entry points include the updated Country Gender Equality Profile (CGEP) 2025–2026, CEDAW recommendation follow-up, CSW71 support and CSW70 agreed conclusions follow-up, no-all-male-panel tracking, strengthened RC leadership on gender equality, and the potential preparation for a future Biennial Country Gender Equality Review (BCGER). Where relevant and authorized, CGEP analysis may also inform the assessment of intersectional gender and power-related issues.

Under the overall leadership of the UN Resident Coordinator, UN Women Viet Nam will provide technical coordination for the 2026 UNCT-SWAP Comprehensive Report through the Gender Theme Group, in close collaboration with an Inter-Agency Assessment Team (IAT), responsible for undertaking the assessment.

Specifically, IAT will be responsible for collecting and reviewing internal evidence, validating the assessments of the 15 performance indicators, reaching consensus on self-assessment findings, and identifying priority follow-up actions.

As the UNCT-SWAP Gender Equality Scorecard comprehensive report is a self-assessment relying on internally generated evidence, the IAT is generally required to adopt a participatory, transparent and consensus-based approach throughout the process to ensure credibility, ownership, and collective accountability for the CR results.

To further facilitate the work of IAT in Viet Nam, UN Women Country Office seeks to hire an International Consultant to provide technical, analytical, facilitation, evidence synthesis, and drafting consolidation and quality assurance support to the process.

Description of Responsibilities/ Scope of Work

The consultant will work under the overall guidance of the UN Women Viet Nam Country Representative and with the day-to-day support of the UN Women Viet Nam Coordination Officer and Resident Coordinator Office (RCO) focal point.

The consultant is expected to support the preparation, technical facilitation, drafting consolidation, quality assurance revisions, and finalization of Viet Nam’s 2026 UNCT-SWAP Gender Equality Scorecard Comprehensive Report and GEAP-aligned action plan through the following tasks.

Task 1. Support Inception, Methodology Development, and Review of Background Documents

Activities

• Utilize relevant UNCT-SWAP technical guidance, platform guidance, templates, GEAP guidance, political strategy materials, and regional guidance on country-level GEAP implementation.
• Review Viet Nam’s 2021 UNCT-SWAP Comprehensive Report and Action Plan, and Annual Progress Reports from 2022 to 2025.
• Review necessary background documents, including the One Strategic Framework for Sustainable Development 2022–2026, Common Country Analysis, Evaluation report of UNSDCF 2022-2026, UNCT Cooperation Framework 2027–2031, and the Country Gender Equality Profile.
• Review GEAP guidance, political strategy materials, and regional guidance on country-level GEAP implementation.
• Review relevant documents related to the updated Country Gender Equality Profile 2025–2026, CEDAW follow-up, CSW70 support, no-all-male-panel tracking, gender parity tracking, organizational culture survey, GTG work, UN INFO / Gender Equality Marker, and other evidence sources.
• Prepare an inception note outlining a roadmap, methodology, workplan, evidence collection approach, IAT engagement plan, risks, mitigation measures, ROAP engagement points and reporting timeline.
• Develop or adapt evidence matrix and indicator scoring templates for the IAT.
• Inception note with detailed roadmap, methodology, workplan, evidence collection approach, and risk mitigation plan and ROAP engagement points.
• Refine IAT working approach and proposed division of labour by indicator cluster (IAT Sub-groups and assigned indicators).
• Annotated inventory of potential data sources and evidence gaps for each Performance Indicator, based on documents and evidence shared by UN Women, RCO and IAT members. The shared evidence folder will be maintained by UN Women/RCO.
• Orient the IAT on the 2026 Comprehensive Report process, technical guidance, rating criteria, evidence standards, and reporting timeline.
• Support IAT sub-groups to review assigned indicators and collect official evidence and means of verification.
• Facilitate evidence mapping across all 15 Performance Indicators.
• Identify evidence gaps and recommend follow-up actions with relevant evidence owners.
• Review of evidence from RCO, GTG, Results Groups, MEL Group, UNCG, OMT/HR, PMT, UN INFO / Gender Equality Marker, joint programmes, and relevant agencies.
• Consolidate evidence provided and verified by IAT sub-groups and identify evidence gaps.
• Review and analyze the 2026 Organizational Culture Survey results once available, including findings relevant to Indicators 4.1 and 4.2.
• Compare 2026 survey results with previous survey evidence where relevant.
• Review available OMT/HR gender parity data, staffing trends, BOS/OMT evidence and related documentation for PI 4.3.
• Prepare gender parity diagnostic findings and suggested recommendations to inform the GEAP-aligned UNCT-SWAP Action Plan.
• Identify feasible gender parity follow-up actions for consideration by OMT/HR, RCO, IAT and UNCT as part of the updated UNCT-SWAP Action Plan.
• Consolidated evidence matrix for all 15 Performance Indicators, based on evidence provided and verified by IAT sub-groups and relevant evidence owners.
• Evidence gap analysis with recommended follow-up actions, responsible evidence owners and suggested deadlines.
• Draft indicator scoring templates populated with evidence summaries, evidence gaps, and technical rating considerations for IAT subgroup review.
• Organizational Culture Survey analysis note, including findings relevant to Indicators 4.1 and 4.2.
• Gender parity diagnostic note and suggested recommendations to inform UNCT-SWAP action planning, particularly for PI 4.3 and, where relevant, related leadership and organizational culture actions under PI 4.1 and PI 4.2.
• Facilitate IAT technical and action planning discussions and rating validation workshops.
• Support IAT sub-groups to apply UNCT-SWAP rating criteria consistently and objectively.
• Support IAT sub-groups to prepare preliminary findings and rating justifications for assigned indicators, and consolidate and refine these inputs to ensure consistency with the UNCT-SWAP technical guidance and early ROAP technical feedback (tentatively in September 2026).
• Ensure each rating includes clear findings, explanation, evidence, and means of verification.
• Support identification of priority gaps, risks, and recommended corrective actions.
• Integrate GEAP-related evidence and priorities into the report and action plan.
• Draft the consolidated 2026 UNCT-SWAP Comprehensive Report based on evidence, findings, ratings and action priorities validated by the IAT.
• In collaboration with IAT sub-groups, draft a GEAP-aligned UNCT-SWAP Action Plan with clear actions, responsibilities, timelines, required resources, indicators, means of verification, and status.
• Support validation of the draft report and action plan with IAT, and other members of GTG, RCO, UN Women, and other relevant coordination groups, as relevant.
• Support preparation and facilitation, as needed, of a UNCT/Heads of Agencies briefing or debrief to present key findings, proposed ratings and priority action areas before final endorsement.
• Final rating matrix and indicator justifications for all 15 Performance Indicators.
• Draft 2026 UNCT-SWAP Comprehensive Report.
• Draft GEAP-aligned UNCT-SWAP Action Plan.
• Materials for IAT and/or GTG validation discussions, including presentation slides or facilitation notes if required.
• Support preparation of a preliminary draft rating matrix, evidence summary and draft action planning inputs for ROAP technical review and revised based on feedback (tentatively in September or early October 2026).
• Prepare upload-ready text for the UNCT-SWAP reporting platform.
• Support designated RCO and UN Women / GTG platform focal points to complete indicator entries and action plan information.
• Support completion of GEAP-related thematic questions once 2026 platform requirements are confirmed.
• Review and address comments from UN Women Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific and the Global UNCT-SWAP Helpdesk.
• Revise the report, rating justifications, and action plan based on quality assurance feedback.
• Support preparation of final materials for UNCT endorsement.
• Support finalization of the report package for submission by 31 October 2026 for internal review, ROAP/Helpdesk QA follow-up and final UNCT endorsement before the official 14 November 2026 submission deadline.
• Prepare a short handover note summarizing key follow-up actions for 2027 implementation.
• Upload-ready report text and action plan.
• Revised report package responding to QA and internal review comments.
• Final 2026 UNCT-SWAP Comprehensive Report and GEAP-aligned Action Plan.
• Short handover note on recommended follow-up actions for 2027.

Deliverables

Task 2. Support the Inter-Agency Assessment Team in Evidence Collection and Evidence Review Process, including Organizational Culture Survey Analysis and Gender Parity Recommendations

Activities

Deliverables

Task 3. Facilitate the IAT in developing consensus-based Ratings, drafting the Comprehensive Report, and developing the GEAP-Aligned Action Plan

Activities

Deliverables

Task 4. Support Platform Upload, Quality Assurance, Finalization, and Submission

Activities

Deliverables

Performance Evaluation

Consultant performance will be assessed based on timeliness, quality and accuracy of deliverables, responsiveness to feedback, effective communication, participatory facilitation, and ability to support a credible, evidence-based and consensus-oriented assessment process.

• Payments

Payments for this consultancy will be based on the submission and acceptance of deliverables approved by UN Women Viet Nam.

3 Final Comprehensive Report, GEAP-aligned Action Plan, upload-ready platform text, QA revisions, and handover note completed and approved 31 October 2026, with availability for limited QA revisions through 14 November 2026 40%

No.
Deliverables
Target time
% of payment

1.
Inception note including a detailed roadmap, with a methodology, draft evidence matrix, and proposed IAT working approach completed and approved
31 August 2026
20%

2
Consolidated evidence matrix, evidence gap analysis, Organizational Culture Survey analysis note, gender parity diagnostic note, and preliminary rating matrix completed and approved
30 September 2026
40%

Consultant’s Workplace and Official Travel

The consultancy is home-based.

The consultant is expected to work remotely and participate in meetings, consultations, and workshops virtually. No official travel is anticipated under this assignment.

If travel to Viet Nam is later deemed necessary, it will be subject to prior approval by UN Women and availability of separate travel budget. Work-related travel of UN Women consultants is considered official mission and will be arranged in line with relevant UN Women consultant contract and duty travel policies.

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

Functional Competencies:

• Strong technical expertise on gender equality and women’s empowerment, gender mainstreaming, and UN system-wide accountability frameworks.
• Excellent knowledge of UNCT-SWAP Gender Equality Scorecard methodology, technical guidance, and reporting processes.
• Strong understanding of UN coordination architecture, including UNCT, RCO, GTG, Results Groups, PMT, MEL Group, UNCG, and OMT.
• Strong knowledge of results-based management, evidence-based reporting, indicators, baselines, targets, and means of verification.
• Ability to analyze complex institutional evidence and synthesize findings into clear, concise, and actionable reports.
• Ability to facilitate inter-agency dialogue, build consensus, and support participatory self-assessment processes.
• Strong understanding of GEAP country-level implementation, gender parity, organizational culture, Gender Equality Marker, and Cooperation Framework processes.
• Excellent drafting skills in professional UN English.
• Strong communication, presentation, and facilitation skills.
• Ability to work independently, manage competing deadlines, and deliver high-quality outputs under time pressure.
• Political sensitivity, discretion, and ability to manage confidential information responsibly.

Required Qualifications

Education and Certification:

• Advanced university degree, Master’s degree or equivalent, in gender studies, international development, social sciences, public policy, human rights, monitoring and evaluation, organizational development, or a related field.
• A first-level university degree in combination with additional relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced degree.

Experience:

• At least 10 years of international experience in gender equality, gender mainstreaming, UN coordination, results-based management, monitoring and evaluation, institutional accountability, or related fields.
• At least 3 years of previous experience in conducting UNCT-SWAP Gender Equality Scorecard, UN-SWAP, gender audits, gender equality seals, or similar gender accountability frameworks is required.
• Experience supporting the UNSDCF processes, Common Country Analysis, Joint Work Plans, UN INFO, Gender Equality Marker, or UN results reporting is required.
• Experience facilitating inter-agency consultations, validation workshops, or participatory assessment processes engaging UN Country teams, RCOs, GTGs and other inter-agency coordination mechanisms is required.
• Experience in gender data collection, evidence review, gap analysis, and report drafting is required.
• Experience with GEAP, gender parity, organizational culture surveys, gender-responsive financing, or UN system-wide gender accountability processes is an advantage.
• Experience working in Asia and the Pacific or Viet Nam is an advantage.
• Previous work with UN Women, RCO, United Nations Development Coordination Office (DCO), or UNCT coordination mechanisms is an advantage.

Languages:

• Fluency in written and spoken English is required.

Statements :

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, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, 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 to UN Women’s policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UN Women personnel 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.