Economic and social policy expert (consultant)

Project title: Evidence-Based Policy for Advancing the Care Economy in Kenya

Location: Nairobi – Kenya

Time period: September 2024 – October 2025

Duration: 45 days

Overview:

The International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) is a global research institute with offices in Washington, D.C.; New Delhi, India; Nairobi, Kenya; and Kampala, Uganda. ICRW advances rights and opportunities for women and girls to ensure a more gender-equal world. For over 47 years, ICRW has been the world’s leading non-profit building evidence and promoting solutions for how to improve the lives of women, girls, and other marginalized people. Our Research and Programs, Advocacy and Policy, and Private Sector teams focus on economic opportunity and security, health and reproductive rights, gender norms, and climate action.

ICRW is seeking to hire the services of an economic and social policy expert to work with the team on a short-term basis as a consultant.

Scope of the Assignment:

ICRW is implementing the “Evidence-Based Policy for Advancing the Care Economy in Kenya” project which seeks to address the systemic barriers that hinder women’s equal participation in the economy by developing and implementing a comprehensive National Care Policy. This initiative involves capacity building for the State Department for Gender and Affirmative Action (SDfGAA), engaging stakeholders through policy dialogues, and raising public awareness about the gendered impacts of unpaid care work. The project will also document best practices and conduct a mid-term review of Kenya’s commitments to care work, ensuring that the policy is well-informed and widely supported.

The economic and social policy expert will work with the team to support the finalization, awareness, sensitization and documentation of the National Care Policy in Kenya. The consultant’s work will focus on providing technical expertise in policy analysis, knowledge material development, workshop facilitation, and comprehensive reporting. This role is crucial in ensuring that the policy is evidence-based, publicly supported and effectively addresses the care needs of the economy.

Key Responsibilities

Knowledge materials development:

1. Develop high-quality Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) materials to raise awareness about the National Care Policy and unpaid care work.
2. Create training modules and materials for the capacity building of the State Department for Gender and Affirmative Action (SDfGAA) staff and other stakeholders.
3. Produce comprehensive reports and policy briefs that synthesize findings from various studies and stakeholder inputs.

Workshop and meeting facilitation:

1. Facilitate technical working groups to review and finalize the National Care Policy.
2. Conduct training workshops for SDfGAA staff to enhance their understanding of the care economy and its gendered impacts.
3. Facilitate national and county-level policy dialogues to gather input from diverse stakeholders.
4. Facilitate national validation meetings with the general public and other stakeholders to gather feedback on the policy.
5. Lead round table dialogues with private sector actors and policymakers to incorporate their viewpoints into the policy.

Report development:

1. Work with the team to conduct a mid-term evaluation to assess progress on Kenya’s commitments to care work as outlined in Medium-Term Plan IV (MTP IV).
2. Develop comprehensive evaluation reports that provide insights into the progress and areas for improvement.
3. Prepare required documents and reports for review by the Kenyan Cabinet.

Key Outputs:

• High-quality IEC materials developed and disseminated to raise awareness about the National Care Policy and unpaid care work.
• Comprehensive training modules and materials created for the capacity building of the State Department for Gender and Affirmative Action (SDfGAA) staff and other stakeholders.
• Detailed reports from technical working group sessions that capture discussions, decisions, and recommendations for the National Care Policy.
• Documentation of inputs and recommendations from national and county-level policy dialogues, round table discussions with private sector actors, and other stakeholder meetings.
• Reports summarizing feedback and recommendations from national validation meetings with the general public and other stakeholders.
• A comprehensive mid-term evaluation report assessing progress on Kenya’s commitments to care work as outlined in Medium-Term Plan IV (MTP IV), including insights and recommendations for further action.
• The finalized version of the National Care Policy, incorporating all feedback, inputs, and recommendations from stakeholders and technical working groups.
• Prepared documents and reports required for the review and approval of the National Care Policy by the Kenyan Cabinet.
• A report documenting lessons and best practices on public care services and infrastructure gathered from CSOs, WROs, and other stakeholders.
• Detailed reports on training sessions conducted for SDfGAA staff, including participant feedback and evaluation of the training’s effectiveness.

Qualifications/Competencies:

• Deep understanding and appreciation of the care economy in Kenya
• Advanced degree in social sciences, public policy, gender studies, or a related field.
• Proven experience in policy analysis, development, and facilitation.
• Strong background in gender and care economy.
• Excellent analytical, writing, and communication skills.
• Ability to develop high-quality training materials and IEC content.
• Experience in conducting evaluations and writing comprehensive reports.
• Ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders.

Timeframe:

The assignment is expected to run from September 2024 to October 2025.

ICRW has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse. All employment/contractual offers are conditional upon the receipt of satisfactory references and signing our code of conduct, Safeguarding Policy with a particular focus on Protection from Sexual

Exploitation and Abuse and Child Safeguarding.