POLICY ADVISOR, SEXUAL MINORITIES, HIV/AIDS *Location :* New York, UNITED
STATES OF AMERICA *Application Deadline :*20-Oct-08 *Additional Category*
Management *Type of Contract :*200 Series *Post Number :*38106 *Post Level :
*L-5 *Languages Required :
* English *Starting Date :*
(date when the selected canditate is expected to start)01-Dec-2008 *Duration
of Initial Contract :*1 year *Expected Duration of Assignment :*1 year
Background
Human rights violations and inequitable gender relations continue to fuel the spread of the HIV epidemic. Protecting the rights of people living with HIV and promoting gender equality are essential for reducing vulnerability
to HIV and scaling-up national responses.
UNDP supports countries in creating an enabling human rights environment to protect the rights of people living with HIV, with particular attention to women and other most
at-risk groups. The UNDP HIV/AIDS Practice in the Bureau for Development Policy's strategic outcome 11 focuses on Human Rights, Gender and HIV/AIDS.
Under this outcome area, UNDP addresses vulnerability of sexual minorities (sexual minorities is a working phrase encompassing men who have sex with men and various transgender/intersex populations that are disproportionately affected by HIV) as part of its efforts to scale-up human rights and gender equality approaches in national, regional and global AIDS responses.
Under the Global Task Team's division of responsibilities, UNDP has been
designated as the lead UNAIDS Cosponsor for gender, men who have sex with
men (MSM) and transgender populations.
Working with the HIV/AIDS Practice in BDP, under the overall guidance of the Practice Director and in collaboration with the Gender Advisor, this Sexual Minorities Advisor will lead global programming on sexual minorities
including men who have sex with men and transgender persons.
Practice Approach:
HIV/AIDS Practice
UNDP is a founding cosponsor of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).
The UNAIDS division of labor provides the framework for UNDP's response to
the AIDS epidemic. UNDP is responsible for leading the UNAIDS response in
addressing the following:
*Development Planning and Mainstreaming*
AIDS responses are integrated into poverty reduction strategies, MDG-based
national development plans and macro-economic processes.
*Governance of the HIV responses*
Strengthened national capacity for inclusive governance and coordination of
HIV responses, and increased participation of civil society organizations
and people living with HIV in the design, implementation and evaluation of
HIV programmes.
*Human Rights and Gender *
Policies and programmes implemented through multi-stakeholder approaches to protect the human rights of people affected by AIDS, mitigate gender related vulnerability and address the impact of AIDS on women, girls and other key populations, including men who have sex with men and transgender populations.
*Country Implementation Capacity*
Accelerated implementation of AIDS funds and programmes financed through multilateral funding initiatives, including the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
Duties and Responsibilities
The Sexual Minorities Advisor will serve as the technical resource person in
sexual minorities and HIV/AIDS supporting Country Offices, Regional Offices,
as well as leading the UNDP's global HIV/AIDS Practice.
Summary of Functions:
- Policy Development and Advisory Services
- Research and Content Development
- Practice Advocacy
- Management and Coordination
Detailed functions and results in line with UNDP Strategic Plan Results
Framework:
1. Policy Development and Advisory Services (40%)
- Lead policy development and advisory services for programme support in
the MSM, transgender and HIV/AIDS thematic area;
- Lead the provision of policy advisory and technical support to Country
Offices, UN Country Teams and other beneficiaries in the area of MSM,
transgender and AIDS;
- Provide technical support to increase the quantity and quality of
sexual minority activities at country level by Joint UN Teams on AIDS;
- Provide guidelines and technical support to scale-up integration of MSM
and transgender issues;
Provide policy advice for advancing gender equality and equity through
AIDS programming, including addressing men who have sex with men,
transgender populations, sex workers and IDU;
- Development and dissemination of enhanced technical guidelines on
sexual minority issues in different epidemiological and socio-legal
settings, to support country and regional Global Fund applications;
- Provide direct technical support to Global Fund and related sexual
minority proposal development processes;
- Contribute collaborative capacity building efforts targeting:
- Men's networks, transgender networks and groups of men and transgenders
living with HIV to strengthen their participation in all aspects of the AIDS
response at the national level
- Government and Civil Society in addressing gender inequality,
gender-based violence, and discrimination against men who have sex with men
and transgender populations
- UNDP gender and HIV focal points to strengthen their roles in
implementing gender and AIDS programmes and as effective advocates for
gender equality in the context of HIV/AIDS
2. Research and Content Development (30%)
- Advocacy and policy development of normative standards and approaches
on sexual minorities and HIV;
- Promote the integration of gender sensitive approaches into national
development planning;
- Promote and disseminate evidence-informed policies and practices in
gender-sensitive HIV/AIDS initiatives;
- Collaborate with gender and HIV focal points in the Regional Service
Centres and Country Offices on HIV/AIDS initiatives;
- Provide substantive and technical leadership in promoting gender
equality in HIV/AIDS;
- Contribute experience and expertise to the formulation of new policies,
documenting practice and cross-practice experience and lessons learned;
- Monitor trends, good practices and case evidence in gender and HIV
including support to address the vulnerability of men to HIV, sexual and
gender-based violence in order to provide technical leadership in the field;
- Actively participate in the global HIV/AIDS community of practice and
in sub-practice activities in the area of gender equality;
- Promote knowledge management to enrich the content base for AIDS
response strategies by documenting practice experience, lessons learned, and
replicable tools from applied initiatives; and
- Design and promotion of 'know your epidemic' tools linking MSM and
transgender issues to gender issues.
Practice Advocacy (20%)
- Take the lead in maintaining and developing regional partnerships in
MSM, transgenders and AIDS;
- Contribute to strengthening partnerships with other UN agencies in
developing global MSM/TG strategy through an internal working group;
- Development and promotion of guidelines / action tool for Resident
Coordinators and other UN country staff on why and how to address HIV, MSM
and LGBT issues in different country contexts;
- Support the involvement of positive women's, men's, transgender and
people living with HIV groups in the formulation and implementation HIV
policies and programmes;
- Enhanced partnerships with key civil society networks for advocacy
activities, policy input and peer support amongst CSOs;
- Promote global, regional and local partnering and exchange, through
HIV/AIDS information and learning;
- Support networking among partners, including the identification of
external support providers; and
- Support the communication of UN/UNDP policy positions and practice
approaches to external support providers to ensure continuity and coherence
in all collaborative efforts.
4. Management and Coordination (10%)
- Work closely with the Bangkok MSM and HIV/AIDS Policy Specialist to
develop work plans and monitor and report progress in line with the
strategic goals of the HIV/AIDS Practice; and
- Enlist management solutions to troubleshoot programme delivery
difficulties and share best practices.
Competencies
Corporate:
- Demonstrates integrity and fairness, by modeling the UN/UNDP's values
and ethical standards;
- Promotes the vision, mission and strategic goals of UNDP; and
- Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age
sensitivity and adaptability.
Functional:
- Minimum of 10 years national/international working experience in the
HIV/AIDS area including considerable focus on sexual minorities as well as
other key populations (sex workers, IDU, etc);
- Proven professional credibility, as well as senior-level working
experience in a governmental, multilateral or civil society organization, in
both developed and developing countries;
- Work experience in a developing country highly desirable;
- Extensive network of international and individual contacts;
Leadership:
- Strong managerial/leadership experience and decision-making skills;
- Ability to conceptualize and convey strategic vision from the spectrum
of development experience;
- Knowledge and expertise in UNDP's programming processes; and
- Proven ability to lead a practice area and drive for results with a
strong knowledge of results-based management and budgeting.
Managing Relationships:
- demonstrated well developed people management and organizational
skills;
- Strong ability to manage teams; creating an enabling environment,
mentoring and developing staff;
- Excellent negotiating and networking skills; and
- Strong resource mobilization and partnering skills.
Managing Complexity:
- Ability to address global development issues;
- Substantive knowledge and understanding of development cooperation with
the ability to support the practice architecture of UNDP and
inter-disciplinary issues;
- Demonstrated substantive leadership and ability to integrate knowledge
with broader strategic, policy and operational objectives; andA sound global
network of institutional and individual contacts.
Knowledge Management and Learning::
- Ability to strongly promote and build knowledge products;
- Promotes knowledge management in UNDP and a learning environment in the
office through leadership and personal example;
- Seeks and applies knowledge, information and best practices from within
and outside of UNDP; and
- Provides constructive coaching and feedback.
Required Skills and Experience
- An Master's degree in a development related area - International
Relations, Gender, Social Science, Political Science, Public Administration,
Public Health, Epidemiology or other related field.
- At least 10 years of overall relevant professional experience as well
as a proven professional record in the area of HIV including considerable
focus on sexual minorities as well as other key population issues (sex
workers, IDU, etc);
- Familiarity with human rights and gender equality approaches;
- Academic research skills including review and synthesis of public
health evidence;
- Work experience from a developing country context is a necessity;
- A track record of extensive national/international working experience
with increasing managerial responsibilities in the development arena and
UNDP's practice areas; and
- Experience in leading/managing knowledge product development and
dissemination.
- Fluency and proficiency in English; working knowledge of another UN
language desirable.
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