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 Jordan Country Office supports the Government of Jordan to implement global norms and standards on gender equality and women’s empowerment. Under its Strategic Note for the period 2023-2027, the UN Women Jordan Country office promotes women’s economic empowerment, gender responsive governance and women’s political participation in alignment with the government of Jordan Triple Modernization Agenda; works to advance the implementation of the Women, Peace and Security agenda including through the Jordan National Action Plan for Women, Peace and Security (JONAP); and implements a resilience and empowerment model for Syrian refugee women and vulnerable Jordanian women in camps and host communities in support of the Jordan Response Plan (JRP).

The Ministry of Social Development plays a central role in regulating the social protection system in Jordan, including the supervision of shelters and protection services provided to the most vulnerable groups, particularly women, girls, and children. With the increasing engagement of civil society organizations in operating and managing shelters, there is a growing need for a clear institutional framework that regulates this role, defines the responsibilities of the Ministry and implementing organizations, and ensures the quality of services in line with national and international standards.

Building on this role, the consultancy will support the Ministry of Social Development to strengthen the institutional, regulatory, and supervisory arrangements governing shelter services provided by civil society organizations. While existing laws, regulations, and procedures provide an important foundation, further technical support is needed to translate these frameworks into practical tools, clear criteria, and standardized mechanisms that can guide the Ministry’s oversight. This includes clarifying roles and responsibilities between the Ministry and service providers, strengthening licensing and accreditation processes, improving monitoring and reporting systems, and establishing clear procedures for quality assurance, complaints management, accountability, and corrective action.

The objective of this consultancy is to support the Ministry of Social Development in developing and operationalizing a comprehensive framework for the regulation and supervision of shelter services provided by civil society organizations. The framework will clarify the roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders, strengthen quality assurance and accountability mechanisms, protect beneficiaries’ rights, and establish transparent criteria for the accreditation, monitoring, and performance assessment of service providers.

The consultant will be reporting to Programme Specialist Women, Peace and Security, and will be supported by the Programme Analyst Women, Peace and Security, who will be the point of contact on the contract and payment issues.

Description of Responsibilities/ Scope of Work

Review of the Current Situation

• Review legislative, regulatory, institutional, and operational frameworks related to shelter services, including provisions relevant to protection, violence against women, gender-based violence, child protection, safeguarding, and service quality.
• Analyze current supervisory mechanisms, institutional capacities, and practical implementation challenges faced by the Ministry of Social Development in regulating and monitoring shelter services.

Defining and Strengthening the Ministry of Social Development’s Supervisory Role in Shelter Service Provision

• Establish licensing and accreditation requirements for civil society organizations operating shelter services.
• Develop technical and administrative monitoring mechanisms to ensure compliance with agreed standards.
• Strengthen oversight, quality assurance, and performance monitoring systems for shelter service providers.
• Establish complaints, feedback, referral, and accountability mechanisms to safeguard beneficiaries’ rights and ensure service quality.

Establishing a Regulatory Framework for Collaboration with Civil Society Organizations

• Define the roles, responsibilities, and accountability of the Ministry of Social Development and civil society organizations providing shelter services.
• Establish clear coordination, reporting, communication, and performance monitoring mechanisms between the Ministry and service providers.
• Develop procedures for managing non-compliance, addressing violations, and implementing corrective and remedial actions to ensure adherence to standards and regulatory requirements.
• Developing Criteria for Evaluating and Selecting Qualified Organizations.

Deliverables

• Desk Review and Document Analysis: Conduct systematic desk review and document analysis of existing legislative, regulatory, institutional, and operational frameworks governing shelter services in Jordan.
• Inception Report (Arabic and English): A concise inception report outlining the proposed methodological approach, work plan, and analytical framework for delivering the assignment.
• Draft Assessment Report (Arabic and English): A draft analytical assessment report synthesizing the findings of the desk review and initial analysis.
• Final Assessment Report with Executive Summary (Arabic and English): A final, comprehensive assessment report incorporating feedback from the Ministry of Social Development and UN Women.

Consultant’s Workplace and Official Travel

This is a home-based consultancy. In-country meetings or field visits to relevant stakeholders in Jordan may be required, subject to prior agreement with UN Women and the Ministry of Social Development.

Competencies:

Core Values:

• Integrity;
• Professionalism;
• Respect for Diversity.

Core Competencies:

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

Functional Competencies:

• Extensive knowledge of social protection strategies and services.
• Demonstrated capacity to assess and strengthen institutional arrangements, governance structures, coordination mechanisms, and resource allocation systems to enhance organizational effectiveness and service delivery.
• Capacity to translate findings into actionable, practical recommendations.
• Strong background in gender and social protection.
• Ability to produce reports and presentations in accessible formats.
• Excellent analytical skills with strong drive for results and capacity to work independently.

Required Qualifications:

Education and Certification:

• Master’s degree or equivalent in social science, public policy, social work, law, gender studies, human rights, international development, or a related field.
• A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

• At least 5 years of progressively responsible experience in social protection, protection services, gender-based violence, child protection, or shelter services, including work with government institutions and civil society organizations is required.
• Demonstrated experience in developing or reviewing regulatory, supervisory, or policy frameworks, particularly related to service delivery oversight, licensing, accreditation, or quality assurance is required.
• Proven experience conducting institutional assessments, desk reviews, and analytical reports, including gap analysis and formulation of evidence-based recommendations is required.
• Experience in national protection systems, safeguarding principles, do-no-harm approaches, and alignment with international protection standards is required.
• Experience working with or supporting government ministries and coordinating with multiple stakeholders, including civil society organizations, is required; prior experience in Jordan or similar contexts is desirable.
• Experience working in the United Nations systems is desirable.

Languages:

• Fluency in Arabic and 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.

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.