Job Description

Background:

The "Empower for Inclusion" (E4I) programme is a 24-month United Nations Joint Programme (UNJP) implemented in Timor-Leste from January 2024 to April 2026, with a total budget of $600,000. It is a collaborative effort between three Participating United Nations Organizations (PUNOs): UN Women, OHCHR/HRAU, and UNICEF. The programme was established to strengthen national capacity for implementing the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and to promote disability-inclusive development through governance, data generation, and policy reform.

Implementation is conducted in close collaboration with the Ministry of Social Solidarity and Inclusion (MSSI) and other line ministries, in partnership with Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs). The E4I programme aligns with the CRPD, ratified by the Government of Timor-Leste in 2023, and the National Action Plan for Persons with Disabilities (DNAP) 2021-2030. Funded by the UNPRPD (United Nations Partnership on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities) Fund, the initiative supports national efforts to ensure that policies, budgets, and services comply with the CRPD, thereby contributing to the achievement of disability-inclusive Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Purpose of the Review:

The primary aim of this assignment is to conduct a learning-oriented end-of-programme review. Departing from formal impact evaluation methodologies, this review focuses on assessing progress against outputs and identifying strategic recommendations for future sustainability. It evaluates the "catalytic" nature of the interventions—specifically how they triggered the mainstreaming of disability inclusion—and informs national stakeholders and the UNPRPD Fund on the appropriateness of the program's strategic priorities.

Specific learning objectives for the end of programme review include the following:

• To assess the overall progress and achievements of the programme against its intended results, objectives, outputs, and indicators, including the extent to which planned activities contributed to expected outcomes and programme commitments.
• To examine the relevance, coherence, and appropriateness of the programme design and implementation approach in addressing identified needs, priorities, and the evolving context of target stakeholders and partners.
• To analyse the effectiveness of programme implementation, including key achievements, challenges, enabling factors, and operational lessons learned to understand what worked well and areas requiring improvement.
• To document good practices, innovative approaches, and lessons learned from programme implementation that can inform future programming, partnerships, and strategic decision-making.
• To review the sustainability and potential continuation of programme results, including institutional capacities, partnerships, ownership, and mechanisms established during implementation.
• To provide practical and forward-looking recommendations to strengthen future programming, resource mobilization, knowledge management, and the scaling or replication of successful approaches.

Scope of the End of Programme Review and key questions

The Programme Review will cover the implementation period of the UN Joint Programme “Empower for Inclusion” in Timor-Leste. The review will be conducted during the period from 07 September to 31 October 2026 and will have a nationwide scope, with specific stakeholders and consultation areas identified in consultation with the Joint Programme team.

The review will focus on assessing programme achievements, implementation progress, challenges, lessons learned, sustainability considerations, and contributions to disability inclusion, gender equality, CRPD implementation, UNPRPD objectives and the One UN approach.

The review framework and guiding questions will be further refined during the inception phase, taking into consideration the purpose of the review, available evidence, timeframe and resources.

Table 1: Framework for country-level end of programme review

Dimension

Key Review Questions

Effectiveness

To what extent have outputs contributed to intended outcomes and catalytic change in mainstreaming disability inclusion?

How successful was the programme in fostering meaningful participation of OPDs in decision-making?

Efficiency

Did the "One-UN" management structure reduce transaction costs or create bottlenecks?

How effective was the collaborative synergy between PUNOs compared to single-agency efforts?

Did the operational model allow partners enough time/resources for reporting and engagement?

Relevance

To what extent did programme priorities remain aligned with the CRPD, the DNAP, and the specific needs of persons with disabilities in Timor-Leste?

Coherence

How effectively did the PUNOs coordinate to prevent overlaps and leverage each other's technical strengths?

Were there clear mechanisms for information sharing and joint advocacy?

Equity and Inclusion

How well did the programme address the diverse needs of women, children, and marginalized groups within the disability community?

How did the role of diverse OPDs vary throughout the programme cycle?

Sustainability

To what extent has the programme fostered national ownership within the MSSI and other line ministries?

What is the likelihood that the partnerships and outputs (such as CRPD-compliant budgeting) will be maintained?

Programme Review Approach

The consultant will utilize a variety of data collection methods to ensure a comprehensive, learning-oriented review:

• Desk Review: Analysis of key programme documents, the DNAP, and the broader disability inclusion landscape.
• Key Informant Interviews (KIIs): Consultations with stakeholders including MSSI officials, PUNO staff, and OPD representatives.
• Online interview: Engaging a broader range of representatives and participants across the Joint Programme.
• Site Visits: Physical verification of activities in specific regions identified by the project team.

Note: All data collection tools and sessions must be designed inclusively and be fully accessible to persons with disabilities. The review is managed by UN Women, in collaboration with HRAU and UNICEF.

Programme Review Deliverables and Timeline

Payment Schedule

Payment will be made upon satisfactory completion and acceptance of the agreed deliverables in accordance with the specified requirements.

Payments are linked to the successful submission and certification of deliverables by the Joint Programme Coordinator.

• 30% Payment: Upon submission and acceptance of the Inception Report
• 30% Payment: Upon completion of data collection and submission of the Interim Findings Report (including transcripts and workshop synthesis).
• 40% Payment: Upon approval of the Final Review Report and the summary PPT.

Note:

Payment will be made upon submission of all required deliverables, including relevant consultation materials, notes, supporting documents and reports in English, subject to review, acceptance and certification by the UN Women Monitoring and Coordination Analyst Analyst.

Inputs

• The consultant is expected to use her/his own computer and have all needed software for related tasks.
• The cost of mobile phone communication needs to be covered by the consultant.
• UN Women will cover covers travel costs during the review process and completion of the task in municipality.
• UN Women and Project OHCHR/HRAU and UNICEF will support resource materials and reference documents as relevant.

Competencies Core Values:

All applicants must include (as an attachment) of item 1-5. Application with missing required documents (item 1-5) will be treated as incomplete and will not be considered for further assessment.

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

Functional Competencies:

Will be added separately for each position

Statements :

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Diversity and inclusion:

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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