National Consultant on Strategic Narrative Development for Gender Equality Advocacy

UN Women exists to advance women’s rights, gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls. As the lead UN entity on gender equality and secretariat of the UN Commission on the Status of Women, UN Women shift laws, institutions, social behaviours and services to close the gender gap and build an equal world. UN Women’s partnerships with governments, women’s movements and the private sector coupled with its coordination of the broader United Nations translate progress into lasting changes. In Türkiye, UN Women works in line with its  Global Strategic Plan 2026-2029 and Country Strategic Note (2026-2029), and the overall UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework for Türkiye (UNSDCF) (2026-2030).

UN Women works towards the overarching goal of “achieving gender equality, the empowerment of all women and girls, and the full enjoyment of their human rights where institutions deliver, civil society thrives, and women lead in Türkiye. Within this framework, UN Women works in four thematic areas: (i) women’s leadership and decision making; (ii) women’s economic empowerment; (iii) ending violence against women and girls; and (iv) women, peace and security, and humanitarian action.  Towards these impact areas, UN Women support countries to set gender equality norms and standards, collaborate with partners to translate norms into concrete action, aiming to advance gender equality, improve women’s access to opportunities, rights, and services in political, social, and economic life, and combat gender stereotypes, discrimination, and violence, as required by international and national legal and policy commitments. And in line with its coordination mandate, UN Women promotes coordination and coherence across the UN system, including through joint programmatic and advocacy actions and initiatives, standardized tools and guidance and services to strengthen the relevant capacities of the UN system.

UN Women collaborates with numerous partners, government and public institutions, civil society organizations, including women’s organizations and platforms, academia, private sector companies, strategic advocates and influencers and other UN agencies. It commits itself to the Leave No One Behind principle, by supporting targeted actions to remove the obstacles that marginalized and vulnerable groups of women face in accessing their rights and to promote them as agents of change. 

UN Women Türkiye has been at the forefront of support for Türkiye’s continuous commitment to implement international norms and standards on women’s rights, and the enhancement and implementation of relevant national legal and policy frameworks. 

Globally and in Türkiye, UN Women engages with and supports civil society organizations (CSOs), in particular women's organizations, as key advocacy and knowledge partners, as well as implementing partners in operational activities in advancing women's economic, political and social rights. UN Women's work with civil society encompasses facilitating and expanding spaces for CSOs to come together for coordinated actions and to engage in dialogue with duty-bearers and decision-makers at local, national, regional and international levels, and in the context of inter-governmental processes. UN Women is focused on convening multi-stakeholder partnerships and engaging a wide variety of stakeholders, including men and boys and young people, to bring forth transformative change towards gender equality, in line with the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, Sustainable Development Goals and the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. To serve this objective UN Women has been implementing the “Strong Civic Space for Equality and Women's Empowerment” since October 2024 to provide technical and financial support, tools and platforms for capacity development and data- and evidence-based advocacy to civil society organizations.  Within the scope of this project, a capacity development programme targeting CSOs aims to enhance the advocacy and monitoring capacities of CSOs in integrating gender perspective in the policies and actions of climate change and disaster risk reduction.

Under this framework, UN Women Türkiye is implementing the"Reimagining Gender Equality Across Generations and Communities" project (2024–2026), funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The project aims to reduce gender inequalities by strengthening the capacity of civic groups and young women to drive transformative change for gender equality and women’s rights. Through partnerships with local civic groups, grassroots initiatives, young people, and civil society organizations, the project promotes gender equality advocacy and awareness at the local level. It fosters intergenerational dialogue, engages young women and men as advocates for gender equality, and supports collective efforts to address gender backlash and strengthen inclusive civic participation.

A key component of the project is the development of the Push Forward Strategy Paper, which builds on the evidence, lessons learned and insights generated throughout the implementation of the project. Drawing on participatory consultations and engagement with grassroots civic groups, young people, civil society organizations and other stakeholders, the Strategy Paper will consolidate evidence-based recommendations and identify strategic directions for strengthening advocacy, public engagement and collective action for gender equality in Türkiye.

To ensure that the Strategy Paper presents a coherent, evidence-based and forward-looking vision, UN Women Türkiye seeks to develop a strong strategic narrative that translates the project's findings into accessible, compelling and action-oriented recommendations. The Strategy Paper is expected to articulate a shared vision that resonates with diverse audiences, reflects the aspirations emerging from participatory processes, and strengthens future advocacy and public engagement efforts.

In this context, UN Women Türkiye plans to hire one National Consultant on Strategic Narrative Development to support the drafting and development of the Push Forward Strategy Paper. Working in close coordination with the Programme Team and other consultants contributing to the Strategy Paper, the Consultant will review, synthesize and build upon the evidence, analytical outputs, consultation findings and knowledge products generated throughout the project, while providing technical expertise in shaping the paper's strategic narrative. The Consultant will ensure that the Strategy Paper's evidence, analysis and recommendations are translated into a coherent, compelling and forward-looking document that strengthens advocacy, public engagement and collective action for gender equality.

The Consultant will work under the supervision of the Programme Specialist, the overall guidance of the Deputy Country Director, and will be supported by the Programme Analyst, who will serve as the focal point for contractual and payment-related matters.

Description of Responsibilities/ Scope of Work

Within the scope of the assignment, under the supervision of UN Women Programme Specialist and in close collaboration with the Programme Analyst, the National Consultant will work collaboratively to accomplish the following tasks: 

Review, synthesize and further analyze the evidence generated throughout the project, including but not limited to grassroots listening tours, participatory workshops, regional consultations, youth engagement activities, intergenerational dialogues, workshop reports, analytical reports, consultant deliverables and other knowledge products.

Based on the evidence generated through these participatory processes, the Consultant will:

• identify the aspirations, values, lived experiences and recurring themes emerging from different stakeholder groups;
• synthesize project findings into a coherent Strategic Narrative Framework that reflects citizens' aspirations for a more gender-equal future;
• develop the overarching narrative and strategic framing underpinning the Push Forward Strategy Paper; and
• ensure that the Strategic Narrative Framework is grounded in project evidence and local realities while remaining aligned with international human rights standards and gender equality commitments.

Develop a Strategic Narrative Framework that positions the Push Forward Strategy around hope, solidarity, shared responsibility and collective action, moving beyond reactive responses to anti-gender narratives.

The Consultant will:

• develop the narrative principles and values framework underpinning the Strategy;
• establish strategic framing and language principles that communicate gender equality through shared aspirations, democratic values and collective well-being;
• identify narrative shifts that move public discourse from fear to hope, polarization to common ground, and reaction to collective action;
• propose approaches for framing gender equality in ways that resonate with everyday experiences and broaden public engagement beyond existing gender equality constituencies; and
• provide recommendations for consistent narrative development throughout the Strategy Paper.

Develop audience-responsive narrative approaches that enable the Push Forward Strategy Paper to resonate with different segments of society while maintaining a coherent and consistent strategic narrative.

The Consultant will:

• identify narrative entry points for engaging young women, young men, grassroots civic groups, local communities and broader public audiences; 
• provide guidance on how the strategic narrative of the Push Forward Strategy Paper can be adapted for different audiences while maintaining consistency in its core values and messages; 
• recommend approaches that strengthen dialogue, trust-building, bridge-building and shared ownership across diverse communities; and 
• develop audience-specific narrative considerations that support inclusive engagement, strengthen strategic communication efforts, and contribute to building alliances across generations, sectors and communities.

Working closely with the Programme Team and other thematic consultants contributing analytical and technical inputs to the Strategy Paper, the Consultant will integrate the Strategic Narrative Framework into the Push Forward Strategy Paper.

This includes:

• drafting and refining the narrative-related sections of the Strategy Paper;
• ensuring coherence between the analytical findings, strategic recommendations and the overall narrative framework;
• reviewing successive drafts from a strategic narrative and framing perspective;
• incorporating feedback received from UN Women and relevant stakeholders; and
• ensuring that the final Strategy Paper presents a coherent, actionable and future-oriented narrative capable of informing advocacy, movement-building, public engagement and future strategic communication efforts.

• Maintain close coordination with the UN Women Türkiye Programme Team throughout the drafting and development of the Push Forward Strategy Paper. 
• Provide technical inputs and feedback on the strategic narrative, framing, structure and overall coherence of the Strategy Paper. 
• Work collaboratively with other consultants contributing to the Strategy Paper to ensure consistency across different thematic sections and recommendations. 
• Support the Programme Team in ensuring that the Strategy Paper is developed in line with UN Women principles, values and programmatic priorities. 
• Participate, as required, in relevant project activities, consultations, workshops, meetings and strategic discussions to inform and further strengthen the development of the Strategic Narrative Framework and the Push Forward Strategy Paper.

The total duration of the assignment is up to 25 working days until 10 December 2026. The Consultant is expected to work on a non-consecutive basis to support the drafting and development of the Push Forward Strategy Paper within the scope of the project. The contract will be daily fee–based and payment will be made according to the actual number of days worked during the assignment period.

Payments will be made based on the provision of timesheets and supporting deliverables approved by the UN Women Programme Analyst who shall confirm Consultant’s work is completed and eligible for payment.

Consultant’s Workplace and Official Travel

This is a home-based assignment with travel within Türkiye, as required for the implementation of the assignment. UN Women Türkiye Office will cover the organization and the costs of the consultant’s travel as per UN Women’s rules and regulations. UN Women will not be responsible for covering any transportation costs within the duty station, including taxi fares.

Mandatory Training Courses

The Consultant shall complete all the mandatory and other required UN training courses and modules on time. The certificates shall be submitted to the supervisor and the HR focal point.

It is permissible for a Consultant to be engaged by UN Women if the individual has a contract with another employer, provided that there is no actual or perceived conflict of interest and that the performance of the required services for UN Women is feasible (for example, where both contracts involve a part‑time work schedule).

Where the Consultant holds a full‑time contract with another employer, eligibility will be subject to the Consultant’s ability to present formal acknowledgement or approval from their primary employer confirming that engagement with UN Women is permitted. Candidates unable to provide such acknowledgement will not be considered eligible.

The consultant is responsible for payment of any taxes that may be due on the gross fees received from UN Women for their services. UN Women has no liability for taxes, duties or other payments payable by the Individual Contractor on remuneration made under the contract.

• Integrity;
• Professionalism;
• Respect for Diversity.

• 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: 

• Ability to synthesize complex evidence and translate research findings into coherent strategic narratives and practical recommendations.
• Strong conceptual thinking and ability to develop strategic narratives, framing approaches and audience-responsive recommendations.
• Demonstrated ability to think strategically and develop forward-looking, evidence-based approaches for advocacy and social change.
• Knowledge of gender equality and women's empowerment issues, including the evolving dynamics of gender backlash in the Türkiye context.
• Excellent analytical, drafting and editing skills, with demonstrated ability to produce high-quality strategy papers, analytical reports and other knowledge products.
• Ability to communicate complex concepts in accessible, inclusive and audience-responsive ways.

Required Qualifications

Education and Certification:

• Master's degree (or equivalent advanced university degree) in social sciences, political science, sociology, gender studies, communications, public policy, human rights, or another relevant fields. 
• A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

• Minimum 5 years of progressively responsible professional experience in strategic narrative development, advocacy, creative writing, screenwriting, public discourse, public policy, social change, or related fields is required.
• Demonstrated experience in developing strategic narratives, framing approaches, advocacy strategies, scripts, storylines or other creative storytelling products for general public audiences on social issues, including gender equality, human rights, democracy, social justice and related fields, is required.
• Demonstrated experience in translating complex research findings, consultation outcomes, analytical evidence and diverse knowledge products into coherent, accessible and action-oriented outputs, including strategy papers, policy papers, analytical reports, scripts, stories, video concepts, productions for mass media outlets or other high-quality written or creative products, is required. Relevant work samples (or links to published work) demonstrating this experience shall be submitted as part of the application.
• Experience working with civil society organizations, grassroots initiatives, social movements, public institutions or international organizations on issues related to gender equality, human rights, democratic participation or civic space is desirable.
• Experience in facilitating or contributing to participatory consultation processes involving diverse stakeholders is desirable.
• Experience in translating technical or complex issues into clear, compelling and accessible narratives, including stories or other creative formats that can engage and mobilize communities, and in adapting such narratives to the needs and expectations of diverse audiences, is desirable.
• Knowledge of narrative framing, values-based advocacy, audience segmentation, public engagement approaches or strategic communications is desirable.
• Previous experience working with UN agencies or other international organizations is desirable.

Languages:

• Fluency in written and spoken Turkish and English is required. 

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.

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