Consultant of the Development of the “Gender Responsive and Participatory Budgeting” Capacity Building Module for Cities and Local Governments

Vacancy No: 012/UCLG ASPAC/II/2023
Post Title: Consultant of the Development of the “Gender Responsive and Participatory
Budgeting” Capacity Building Module for Cities and Local Governments
Division: Strategic Services and Programme
Duty Station: Remote
Duration: 2 month with 15 working days
Closing Date 15 February 2023

Background

United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) is the only local governments’ global association,
recognised by the United Nations. UCLG ASPAC is one of the Regional Sections of UCLG to promote
strong and effective democratic local self-government in the Asia-Pacific region and connected to more
than 7,000 cities and local governments in the region that represents well over 3.76 billion people – more
than half of the world population. UCLG ASPAC supports local governments and their associations by
providing knowledge and information, building their capacities and providing opportunities for the
exchange of knowledge and best practices. One of the UCLG ASPAC’s main focuses is to improve
women’s participation in the local governments in the region and to support gender participatory planning
and budgeting.

In October 2019, UCLG ASPAC, Penang Women’s Development Corporation (PWDC) and the United
Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
to collaborate for improving gender mainstreaming in Malaysia across sub-national governments and
design a capacity building programme for local governments practitioners. By considering the gender
disparities situation and lacking women’s participation in decision-making at the local level in the AsiaPacific region, UCLG ASPAC also comprehended to build the capacity of cities and all local governments
in the region and organised an online webinar on “Asia-Pacific Mayors Dialogue on Gender Responsive
and Participatory Initiatives (GRPI).” It aimed to share knowledge, best practices and tools for incorporating
inclusiveness particularly ensuring women’s participation in the decision-making processes, and
developing local policies, planning and budgeting for gender inclusiveness. Later, it was deliberated to
develop a comprehensive module of knowledge and capacity development on “Gender Responsive and
Participatory Budgeting” that will be adopted by cities and local governments, particularly members of
UCLG ASPAC.

Gender Responsive and Participatory Budgeting
Gender Responsive and Participatory Budgeting (GRPB) is a two-pronged approach that includes a topdown approach, which is Responsiveness in local government budgeting, and a bottom-up approach, which
is Participatory to ensure community (particularly women) participation. Instead of having a separate
budget for women, GRPG is an important tool to improve the transparency, accountability, effectiveness
and efficiency of the management of public expenditure and provides for a more equitable distribution
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of public finances for women and men. It differentiated the needs of women and men and has the potential
to accelerate women’s roles in the local economy which can contribute to women’s participation in
decision making and women’s economic empowerment. Gender responsive budgeting strengthens the
equality perspective at all stages of the budget process to approaching gender equality to reduce
inequalities.

Purpose of the Assignment
UCLG ASPAC is devoted to taking the GRPB notion into local policies, planning and development by
imparting knowledge and training to local government practitioners and developing the GRPB capacitybuilding module for cities and local governments in the Asia-Pacific region. The GRPB module will include
content based on the pre-assessment of the UCLG ASPAC members (local governments and local
government association) as well as best practices of cities and local governments to demonstrate how they
have involved relevant machinery and ensure women’s participation in the GRB process and integration of
GRB in the local plans/strategies for implementation.
UCLG ASPAC Secretariat intends to hire a consultant to develop a GRPB module for knowledge and
capacity building targeting cities and local governments and to ensure women’s participation in planning
and budgeting and gender equality in the Asia-Pacific region.

Objectives
1. To assess the need of the UCLG ASPC members (local governments and local government
associations), other local governments and organisations and actors working with local
government.
2. Develop a module of GRPB on the bases of need assessment to:
a. Increase awareness on gender equality, mechanism and opportunities for inclusive
participation in decision-making processes for delivery of public service and resource
allocation,
b. Introducing best practices and tools to incorporate inclusiveness in programmes/projects
undertaken by cities and local governments. The best practices of political will and strong
leadership, institutional support, a pro-equality environment, and economic conditions are
determinants of GB practices.
Scope of Work/Key Duties
• Submit the proposal with methodology and timeline.
• Development of tool/s for need assessment and incorporating the feedback from UCLG ASPAC
Secretariat.
• Facilitate the online FGDs and other means of online data collection of need assessment.
• Conduct pre and post-need assessment of the orientation workshop for participants in Kathmandu,
Nepal.
• Desk review of the available knowledge and information and good practices on GRPB in the AsiaPacific region.
• Develop the draft module on GRPB and incorporate feedback from peer review.
• Finalisation of the module on GRPB for local governments in the Asia-Pacific region.
UCLG ASPAC is inviting potential Consultants to provide consultancy services for the development of the
GRPB Module for capacity building of Local Governments and Cities. The period of the consultancy is
spread over two months and the working days include 15 days. The Consultant(s) will be hired from 27
February to 27 April 2023. The Consultant can work remotely, and will directly report to the Secretary
General of UCLG ASPAC. The online hosting service for FGD and data collection and technical
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arrangement will be prepared by the Consultant him/herself. Moreover, he/she will facilitate the
development of content for the orientation workshop and conduct the orientation on GRPB on 11 April
2022 in Kathmandu, Nepal.
Qualifications
• Minimum of Bachelor’s degree in the field of urban and development planning, gender study, law
and/or other relevant studies.
• Understand the gender equality and inclusiveness issue, local governments’ role in sustainable
development and efficient and equitable services in Asia and the Pacific.
• Demonstrate experience working as a consultant for issues of gender equality, gender mainstreaming
planning and budgeting.
• Demonstrate experience of working with the government especially local government and its
associations, as well as demonstrate understanding of local government work on local development
planning and budgeting.
• Have basic IT skills and familiarity with the usage of an online discussion platform.
Deliverables
 Need Assessment tools for developing the module.
 Approved a Module on GRPB for local governments and cities
 Presentation on the GRPB module
How to apply
Please send your CV outlining your capacity and experience in consultancy services and/or areas of work
and provide us with your best price for the services before the above-mentioned deadlines.
Please send your offer and submit your application letter, to UCLG ASPAC Portal link below:
http://recruitment.uclg-aspac.org/apps/.
Only selected ones will be contacted.