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.

The Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE) portfolio in India focuses on creating an enabling and safe environment for women’s greater participation and leadership in economic activities.

UN Women is undertaking efforts to address gender-based inequalities faced by women workers in the garment supply industry.

India has a total workforce of 520 million people, and the textile and garment sector is the third largest employer in the country after agriculture and construction, employing 45 million people. India is the second largest textile and garment exporter worldwide after China and the sixth largest exporter of garments globally. In November 2017, India’s textile and garment sector had a total turnover of USD 150 billion, the largest portion of which went to the domestic market and USD 36 billion of which was in the form of exports. Ready-made garments constitute the largest sub-sector, accounting for 43 percent of total textile exports in the first nine months of 2016-17. While the EU and the US are the main export markets, making up 47 percent of all textile and garment exports, China represents the main import country and accounts for 16.6 percent of all textile and garment imports to India.

Tamil Nadu is regarded as numero uno in textiles and garments in India. It has at least one-third of the textile business in the country, with 2,032 spinning mills (total mills in India: 3,542), 5.63 lakh power looms (India: 24.86 lakh), 1.55 lakh handlooms (India: 23.77 lakh), and nearly 15,000 garment units (close to one lakh units nationally).  The State houses clusters of the entire textile value chain –spinning, weaving, processing, and garmenting.

A study on ‘Socio-Economic profile of women working in textile units of Tiruppur district in Tamil Nadu’ by Dr. P Mala in 2016 reveals that in Tamil Nadu, the textile industry is female dominated.  Women workers are about 65% and mostly unskilled. Yet, despite being one of the largest employers of women, the conditions continue to be discriminatory, isolating and exploitative for women and girls. Studies by the Fair Wear Foundation and other organizations have indicated absence of formal contracts, long working hours in cramped spaces, insecure contracts, wage discrimination, absence of creches, widespread sexual exploitation and abuse. The predominance of small firms, low qualification of the workforce and limited trade union presence, contribute to this exploitation and discrimination particularly in terms of women.

The Project ‘ Women’s Empowerment for Textile’ forms part of UN Women’s WEE  Programme and its intersections with UN Women’s Flagship Programme Initiatives [Safe Cities and Safe Public Spaces for Women and Girls and global initiatives (SASA, RESPECT)]  to end Violence against Women and Girls.  It is an innovative and catalytic initiative aimed at preventing and responding to sexual harassment at the workplace and prevention of other forms of gender-based violence against women and girls in select community locations of the Textile Industry in the state of Tamil Nadu.

The Women’s Empowerment for Textile (WEFT) project is designed to forge and strengthen a multi-sectoral coalition in Tamil Nadu (Textile/Apparel) to effectively prevent and respond to sexual harassment of women and girls at the workplace, and other forms of gender-based violence, through targeted interventions.  Convened by UN Women the coalition will comprise of global brands suppliers/manufacturers, government, industry associations, trade unions, civil society organizations, and other relevant stakeholders.

The coalition will facilitate an enabling legislative and policy environment focused on effective prevention and response strategies and mechanisms to end violence against women. It will focus on factory and community interventions to promote favourable social norms, attitudes and behaviour at worksites, public spaces, community, and individual levels to prevent violence against women. The coalition will comprise suppliers/manufacturers, government, industry associations, trade unions, civil society organizations, businesses, global brands, etc.

Reporting to Project Coordinator – WEFT, the Programme Associate will support in programme design and implementation. S/he will coordinate with programme partners and stakeholders and ensure smooth functioning of the coalition. S/ he will be responsible for managing the budget and tracking delivery on timely manner following prescribed procedures. She/he works in close collaboration with the programme and operations team, UN Women HQ staff, Government officials, multi and bi-lateral donors and civil society ensuring successful project implementation.

Functions:

Support in the development of project strategies:

• Contribute technically to the project design
• Support in convening and functioning of the coalition
• Extend support to all the stakeholders including brands, government, civil society, trade unions, industry associations on prevention and response to sexual harassment at the workplace and in communities that can inform the project design and successful implementation

Support the implementation and management of Women’s Empowerment for Textile (WEFT) Project:

• Provide support to the Project Coordinator and other team members for implementation of project activities
• Provide administrative support in the preparation of programme work plans, budgets, and proposals on programme implementation arrangements, including tracking the delivery of funds;
• Provide administrative support to executing agencies/responsible parties in routine delivery and reporting of programme supported activities and finances;
• Coordinate with coalition members including brands, government, civil society, trade unions, industry associations
• Provide oversight to the implementing partners for successful achievement of project results
• Review, coordinate and the submission of implementing partner financial and narrative reports;

Assist in capacity development to project/programme partners:

• Identify opportunities for capacity building of partners and facilitate technical/ programming support and trainings to partners, as needed.
• Coordinate capacity development activities of the programme partners
• Provide necessary logistic support in organizing events, meetings, workshops

Financial management of the project:

• Manage the project budget, track expenditures and make budget re-alignments/ revisions, as required;
• Prepare financial reports;
• Create projects in Quantum, prepare budget revisions, revise project awards and status; and determine unutilized funds and the operational and financial closure of projects;
• Provide administrative support in monitoring and preparation of budgets and the finances of programmes/projects, and in the preparation of FACE forms.
• Prepare documents for the audit of projects and support implementation of audit recommendations;
• Follow-ups with vendors for timely submission of deliverables and invoices for settlement of payments.

Provide substantive inputs to building partnerships and resource mobilization strategies:

• Support in resource mobilization and outreach; analyze and maintain information and databases;
• Organize, compile, and process documentation and information from donors, and programme teams as inputs to various databases and documents.

Facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing:

• Develop background documents, briefs and presentations related to WEFT project
• Provide logistic and administrative support for advocacy campaigns, events, trainings, workshops and knowledge products;
• Coordinate the development of knowledge management methodologies, and products on WEFT project
• Support in collating and preparing quarterly and annual donor reports;

         Any other tasks as assigned by the Supervisor.

Key Performance Indicators:

• Workplan for the assignment
• Timely and effective delivery of the project
• Coordination between key stakeholders ensured
• Timely submission of partner reports
• Knowledge building and dissemination facilitated
• Financial reports for the project
• Organizing events successfully

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:

Will be added separately for each position

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.)