While strides have been made in promoting gender equality in Montenegro over the past few decades, persistent inequalities remain. The advancements can be attributed primarily to antidiscrimination and equal treatment legislation, specific measures for women’s advancement, and efforts to align with UN and EU agreements. However, challenges persist in areas such as power dynamics, decision-making processes, resource accessibility, time allocation disparities, and notably, a substantial gap in the care economy, underscoring various structural gender-based inequities. The EU accession process has brought to light existing gaps in policies and practices, emphasizing the crucial need for strategic focus and progress in gender mainstreaming and governance responsive to gender issues.

Despite 28 years passing since the adoption of the Beijing Declaration, Montenegro has yet to effectively integrate gender concerns across society and implement inclusive public policies and services. Consequently, the proposed Action seeks to bolster the gender mainstreaming efforts of governing institutions responsible for implementing domestic and international gender equality and women’s rights frameworks. Its goal is to assist the country in aligning with the EU gender equality acquis during the pre-accession phase.

UNDP is leading strategic process in order to advance gender equality agenda in line with international frameworks (EU & UN) and development priorities of the country. Montenegrin society, despite rapid developments in the process of EU accession, remains highly patriarchal. Even though Constitution, national legislation and internal obligations guarantee women in Montenegro the full enjoyment of their social, economic and political rights, traditional gender stereotypes, progress towards gender equality has been slow because of poor implementation of existing policies and commitments and lack of financial support to responsible institutions and agencies. A combination of structural gender inequality and cultural factors result in multiple forms of discrimination and continuously deprive women of their rights.

In order to address these complex issues systematically, the UNDP implements a number of programmatic

interventions, with the main areas of work being economic empowerment of women at local, national and regional level, gender-based and violence against women focusing on economic dimensions of violence, women’s leadership, gender mainstreaming in policy development and capacity development for lasting systemic solutions delivering for gender equality.

In parallel to issue-based thematic work, the Programme is also moving towards strengthening policy framework and development of human capacities for integration of gender equality principles in the work of institutions, specifically contributing to the citizens’ wellbeing, economic development and growth as well as country’s capacities for the EU accession process.

In addition, UNDP cherishes strong partnerships with local, national, and regional stakeholders, affirming cross-institutional partnerships and cooperation with CSOs in the implementation of existing international and national commitments to women’s rights and gender equality, facilitating networking and exchange of good practices and advocates for women’s rights and gender equality in all areas of life.

In the area of economy and entrepreneurship, UNDP intensively works on addressing policy level interventions, research and data collection, assessment of women’s needs and support through tailored

capacity development support, creation of enabling environment at local, national and regional levels, advocating for affirmative measures to enable access to finances and markets and supporting women’s business networking and role modelling.

UNDP in Montenegro is initiating the implementation of the UN Joint programmes EmpowerHer-fostering development aiming to enhance institutional CSO capacities and women’s capacities to advance women’s economic empowerment. UNDP will be focused on supporting relevant stakeholders to advance economic empowerment of women and the efforts are intensifying knowledge generation and knowledge sharing, support to women in entrepreneurship, boosting women’s networking and leadership from local to regional levels, raising awareness, advancing policy responses to the needs and potential of women in economy, advancing potential of women in rural areas and boosting opportunities of women in STEM.

Promotion of gender equality and apply gender mainstreaming across strategic, legislative and policy frameworks and state programmes and development plans. Technical assistance and gender mainstreaming support will be informed by gender analyses, and guided by tools, methods, and knowledge products, ensuring dialogue. This will help to channel political will and commitment of the highest-ranking public officials into concrete actions and help support the reinforcement of gender equality infrastructure from local, to national and regional levels.

UNDP CO Montenegro fully aligned the Country Programme Document for Montenegro (2023-2027) (CPD) with the Strategic Plan 2022-2025 and global Gender Equality Strategy, 2022-2025. The UNDP CPD is based on a gender analysis, that is then integrated within programmatic priorities, while CPD’s results framework uses gender-sensitive and disaggregated data. The CPD plans to allocate a minimum of 15% of the planned resources in gender specific initiatives.

Accordingly, in line with Gender Equality Strategy UNDP assures gender mainstreaming across its programmes driven by national development choices. Committed to structural transformation UNDP works with country to shift the underlying systems and power structures that determine development. Linking issues and partners, asking questions and holding difficult conversations helps development build on a foundation of gender equality and inclusion. In this regard, UNDP serves as a convener and advocate as much as, if not more than, a programme provider.

The UNDP Gender Strategy includes a focus on addressing the multiple and intersecting forms of deprivation, disadvantage, and discrimination. For instance, discrimination against women based on sex and gender is inextricably linked with factors such as race, ethnicity, religion or belief, health, status, age, class, caste, and sexual orientation and identity. Other factors are urbanization, migration and displacement, natural disasters and armed conflicts.

Furthermore, building resilience by helping countries develop capacities to prevent, mitigate and respond to diverse risks and crises. This depends on fully involving women, on equal terms and at all levels, including in decision-making. UNDP will put gender equality at the centre of resilience-building by diminishing structural obstacles and empowering individual.

Guiding principles of results-based management, human rights-based approach, capacity development, digital transformation, and environment-friendly interventions will be assured to bring added value and awareness of partners regarding human-cantered policy design and gender equality.

Under the direct supervision of the Team Leader for Gender Equality, the Project Analyst will ensure effective and efficient implementation/delivery of the Gender Equality Projects, as well as providing CO support for corporate commitment on gender mainstreaming in the organizational work consisting of the following specific tasks:

Ensure effective project management:

• Manage/implement the activities and contribute to the further development of the gender projects through its promotion and partnership building with the relevant stakeholders and relevant international and local partners.
• Contribute to the formulation and development of new projects and strategic plans that are in line with the UNDP strategic focus.
• Monitor implementation progress and ensure quality and timely reporting to donors and Project partners.
• Maintain regular communication with other UN Agencies, CSOs, international organizations and stakeholders interested to provide further support to gender equality in Montenegro.
• Identify opportunities for synergies between the gender equality work, UNDP CO portfolios and ongoing and planned UN programmes.

Ensure effective project implementation:

• Maintain regular communication and provide advisory support to identified institutional and CSO partners towards development of gender responsive institutions and policies.
• Organize teamwork within the gender equality projects consisting of team members, consultants, prepare and assign tasks, monitor progress and motivate hired pool of experts.
• Ensure that work plans are prepared and updated on time and reflect project objectives and outputs.
• Ensure timely coordination and implementation of recruitment of individual consultants.
• Ensure that procurement of goods and services under covered projects is undertaken in an optimal quality manner.
• Monitor implementation progress and ensure quality and timely reporting to project partners.
• In cooperation with the Project Assistant ensure the establishment and maintenance of complete accounting records of all project activities (budget, commitments, expenditures, income); ensure proper follow up in relation to project expenditures, approval, and financial reporting.
• Manageall assets purchased and used under the portfolio.
• Monitoring of the resources being spent i.e., approve requisitions in Quantum and certify/confirm receipt of goods and services.

Oversee day-to-day projects’ activities:

• Ensure day-to-day management and oversight of all project activities.
• Assistance in identifying relevant sources of expertise and funds for project/activity implementation.
• Implementation of action plans and assigned tasks including the field visits to monitor progress on a regular basis.
• Review official documents and communications, including drafting routine correspondence, facsimile, memoranda and reports from oral instructions, previous correspondence or other available information sources, in accordance with the standard office procedures.
• Advice respective Team Leader on potential adjustments of actions and procedures in light of changing requirements, issues, risks and needs.
• Regular monitoring of the relevant events and/or subjects in the local media.

Facilitate implementation of the CO Gender Strategy including Gender Sensitive Communication and Advocacy:

• Gender mainstreaming in UNDP projects, programmes and portfolios across the CO; and Institutional gender mainstreaming in line with Gender Equality Strategy and golden standards of the Gender Equality Seal.
• Ensure visibility of included projects by keeping target public informed about Project objectives, results/achievements and their impact on the recipient communities.
• Ensure that outputs produced by the projects are adequately communicated in partnership with relevant institutions and donors.
• Contribute to the learning and knowledge sharing within UNDP and among external partners at the country, regional and global levels.
• The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization

Institutional Arrangement

The Project Analyst reports to the Team Leader on Gender Equality. S/he works in close collaboration with other members of the programme team, the operations team, UNDP HQs global and regional, other UN Agencies staff, government officials, technical advisors and experts, multi-lateral and bi-lateral donors, civil society and private sector. The Project Analyst will supervise the Project Assistant.

• Achieve Results: LEVEL 2: Scale up solutions and simplifies processes, balances speed and accuracy in doing work
• Think Innovatively: LEVEL 2: Offer new ideas/open to new approaches, demonstrate systemic/integrated thinking
• Learn Continuously: LEVEL 2: Go outside comfort zone, learn from others and support their learning
• Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 2: Adapt processes/approaches to new situations, involve others in change process
• Act with Determination: LEVEL 2: Able to persevere and deal with multiple sources of pressure simultaneously
• Engage and Partner: LEVEL 2: Is facilitator/integrator, bring people together, build/maintain coalitions/partnerships
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 2: Facilitate conversations to bridge differences, considers in decision making

People Management Competencies:

UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site
Cross-Functional & Technical Competencies:

• Gender:
  • Gender and Institutional Development
• Resource Mobilization:
  • Ability to identify funding sources, match funding needs (programmes/projects/initiatives) with funding opportunities, and establish a plan to meet funding requirements
• Gender:
  • Women’s Economic Empowerment, including labour issue
• Partnership Management:
  • Ability to build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts and others in line with UNDP strategy and policies.
• Inclusive growth:
  • Job/ Employment /Decent work Promotion
  • Entrepreneurship
• Project Management:
  • Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals