Consultancy- Gender Assessment Specialist – (MENA) At Pathfinder International

Leave a Comment / Egypt / By

Request for Proposal (RFP)

Solicitation Number: CSLT SAHA**‐**FY25‐01

CONSULTANCY OPPORTUNITIES (MENA)

Issued on: July 28, 2025

Deadline: August 15, 2025

Executive Summary

This document presents the Terms of Reference for a series of consultancy positions supporting the development of Pathfinder International’s Funding Proposal to the Green Climate Fund (GCF) for the SAHA Programme. These consultancies will provide expertise across critical thematic areas – ranging from environmental and social safeguards to financial structuring – to ensure the programme is technically robust, gender-responsive, and implementation-ready. The SAHA programme aims to enhance the climate resilience of healthcare systems across Oman, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Iraq by addressing climate-health risks, strengthening institutional capacity, and promoting inclusive, sustainable approaches.

Position Title:

Gender Assessment Specialist

Level of Effort (days):

Deliverable Based

Period of Performance:

4 months

Country(ies) of Performance:

Choose an item.Multiple Countries in the MENA

Supervisor:

Pathfinder Project Lead

Activity:

Sustainable Adaptation for Healthcare Advancement in the MENA Region (SAHA)

Background

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is one of the most climate-vulnerable areas globally. The region has experienced a warming trend of 1-2°C in the last century and is projected to witness more frequent and severe extreme weather events as a result of anticipated shifts in the region’s climatic patterns. The health burden of climate change is significantly understudied across the MENA region. However, changing temperature and precipitation patterns related to climate change have broad effects on these countries, threatening agriculture, food and water security, and overall human health and well-being.

To answer these challenges, Pathfinder is working with a range of stakeholders to develop a comprehensive programme aimed at reducing the impact of climate change on the health sector in five target countries: Oman, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Iraq.

The Sustainable Adaptation for Healthcare Advancement in the MENA Region (SAHA) programme will address the root causes and barriers that contribute to and exacerbate climate and health challenges in the region, including 1) insufficient information on climate change’s impact on disease burden and health, 2) strained administrative capacity, 3) limited capacity of healthcare workers, 4) limited private sector investment and financial resources, 5) barriers to healthcare access, and 6) gender inequity. The programme proposal will be submitted to the Green Climate Fund (GCF) under the Project Specific Assessment Approach (PSAA) mechanism.

The overarching aim of the SAHA programme is to enhance the climate resilience of healthcare systems and health-related community practices in 200 health facilities and their catchment areas across 14 districts/regions in the target countries.

The SAHA programme will use a gender-responsive, community-based approach to integrate cross-sectoral issues that contribute to adverse climate-health outcomes, including climate-health information and warnings, agriculture, food and water security, and energy access. By doing so, SAHA increases the potential for substantial and sustained climate change mitigation and adaptation action in the health sector.

The programme goal has four outcomes:

  1. Climate-Informed Health Early Warning Systems are widely available and used to monitor and address the health impacts of climate hazards locally and regionally.
  2. Health facility staff can anticipate and respond to climate risks to healthand have increased adaptive capacity to maintain climate-resilient health facilities.
  3. Health facilities and infrastructure are more resilient, sustainable, and prepared for climate risks.
  4. Multisectoral community initiatives improve climate-sensitive health outcomes and inspire agents of change.

Women in the region experience notable gender inequality, are particularly vulnerable to climate change and face barriers to accessing healthcare. The entity is requested to elaborate on the gender-sensitive and gender-responsive approaches that will address the needs of women at the funding proposal stage and incorporate concrete actions in the gender action plan based on findings from the gender assessment for their participation in the programme.

Primary Objectives of the Consultancy

Pathfinder is seeking a consultant or firm to lead the Gender Assessment and Action Plan (GAAP) process, including assessment, reporting, and integration into the proposal. The selected consultants will be responsible for 1) leading a comprehensive GAAP process, including reporting and 2) supporting technical refinement and proposal writing in alignment with recommendations (Annex 8 of the full proposal).

Gender Assessment and Action Plan (GAAP)

TheGAAP aims to identify and address gender-specific inequalities, needs, roles, and vulnerabilities that may influence the design, implementation, and outcomes of the SAHA programme. The assessment will analyze how climate change impacts women and men differently in Country X, particularly in relation to access to health services and resilience. The GAAP will align with GCF Gender Policy, and help identify relevant entry points, policies and opportunities for enhancing gender equality in the SAHA programme. In the case of climate change programmes, a well-done gender analysis/assessment helps to identify multiple causes of vulnerability, including gender inequality. It also helps to identify and build on the diverse knowledge and capacities within communities/households that can be used to make them more resilient to climate related shocks and risks.

Scope of Work

The selected consultants are expected to conduct literature review, review of the existing environmental and social documentation as well as existing stakeholder engagement documents (i.e. the “Baseline”), field-level data collection, stakeholder consultations (in logistic synergy with the consultations ran for the setup and implementation of the Stakeholder Engagement Plan), and context-specific analysis as part of GAAP report development. The GAAP report should include findings from these assessments, an assessment of the level of climate risk and related impacts on women as well as concrete recommendations, indicators, institutional responsibilities, and resources to ensure that the project promotes gender equality and contributes to empowering women and marginalized groups.

The programme-level Gender Assessment should provide the context of gender issues and analysis for the beneficiary countries, identify responsible entities that can address gender issues in the countries and that can be included in project’s steering and technical committees as appropriate (for example, women’s ministry, gender focal points and experts).

Information collected through the gender assessment should be analysed and used to recommend opportunities or entry points that ensure participation and access to project benefits by both men and women, including identification of the project’s activities that offer such opportunities.
The gender assessment findings should inform the theory of change in the funding proposal as well as opportunities for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of women.

The Gender Action Plan will draw from activities identified through the gender assessment and will include sex-disaggregated targets, baseline data to rationalize set targets, quantitative and qualitative performance indicators, timelines, and responsibilities (presence of gender expertise) and costs for implementation (allocated from the project’s budget). The Gender Action Plan will be developed in alignment with the “Gender assessment and action plan: Annex 8”

The consultant will also:

  • Ensure that the funding proposal includes sex-disaggregated data for direct and indirect beneficiaries of the project
  • Act as a gender expert in the project management unit/office.

Throughout the duration of the assignment, the selected consultant will work closely with Pathfinder’s project team and relevant stakeholders in the countries of interest. The consultant will be required to coordinate and interface closely with consultants leading other specialistic studies and drafting the Financing Proposal (FP), notably with those leading the Feasibility Study, the ESS Studies and the Project Design, to provide inputs from its deliverables and to ensure coherence of approach, alignment, and avoidance of duplication across activities. The consultant will also be required to interface with external stakeholders as required by the client.

Detailed Tasks

The selected consultants will work closely with Pathfinder’s project team to undertake a comprehensive gender assessment and develop a Gender Action Plan for the programme in alignment with the Green Climate Fund (GCF) Gender Policy and the programme’s overall objectives. The work will inform the design of the financial and technical proposals and ensure the project is gender-responsive and inclusive. Specific tasks include, but are not limited to:

  • Participation in inception and design activities
  • Literature Review: Undertake a desk review of relevant national policies, strategies, and action plans related to gender, health, and climate resilience in Choose an item., to include:
  1. Review of relevant research published in peer review literature (e.g., gender and health systems, climate resilience, both context specific and generally).
  2. Identify key gender gaps, lessons learned, and best practices from similar programmes implemented in the region.
  • Baseline review: review the existing environmental and social documentation as well as the existing stakeholder engagement documents (i.e., the “Baseline”) and identify the gaps between the Baseline and the documentation needed to produce the deliverables and outputs as outlined below (the “Deliverables”).
  • Field-Based Gender Data Collection:
    1. Collect and analyze sex-disaggregated data and gender-specific information on access to health services during climate shocks, including:
      • Apply do-no-harm principles throughout the assessment process by identifying and mitigating potential risks of backlash or unintended harm related to gender-sensitive activities
      • Ensure safe, respectful, and inclusive participation, particularly in conservative or vulnerable settings
      • Provide recommendations for managing community resistance, household tensions, or other gender-related risks.
    2. Utilize participatory methods such as key informant interviews, focus group discussions, and community-based assessments to collect diverse and thorough data.
  • Gender Analysis: Identify gender-specific vulnerabilities, barriers, and inequalities that may affect access to and participation in climate-resilient health services and interventions. Examine roles, responsibilities, and decision-making power across intersectional gender groups (such as urban and rural, women with and without disabilities, younger generations and older generations of women, employed women and non-employed women) to determine who is most vulnerable and why, particularly in the context of climate change and health.
  • Stakeholder Consultations: facilitate gender-focused stakeholder consultations, ensuring gender-related inputs are documented and integrated into the assessment and action plan. Contribute to the organization of said consultation together with the ESS specialists.
  • Development of the Gender Assessment and Action Plan (GAAP) report: Develop a programme-level GAAP report aligned with the findings of the gender assessment, including:
  1. Highlight how addressing identified gender-based vulnerabilities will contribute to equitable participation in and benefits from the programme.
  2. Identify gender-specific recommendations, indicators, and measurable targets that align with each programme objective.
  3. Prepare a concise summary at the beginning of the GAAP report, including methodology, key findings, and recommendations.

Deliverables & Outputs

  1. GAAP workplan
  2. Interim progress report upon completion of literature review, stakeholder consultations, and gender assessment

Gender Assessment and Action Plan4. technical review of the FP package for gender integration, and review of budget to ensure gender-responsive budgeting.

Required Skills, Qualifications & Experience

  • Minimum 10 years of experience in gender and social inclusion due diligence including designing, implementing, assessing and monitoring gender inclusion in programmes related to health and/or climate change.
  • Demonstrated expertise in the intersection of gender, health, and climate change, particularly related to adaptation and resilience programming.
  • Demonstrated capacity to provide well-written, accurate, comprehensive, and actionable assessments reports, plans, and/or programme recommendations
  • Experience leading gender assessments in the MENA region, including in Choose an item..
  • Demonstrated ability to develop and communicate actionable recommendations appropriate for organizational aims, programme scope, institutional perspectives and needs, and the local context.
  • A strong understanding of GCF’s gender policies or familiarity with development banks E&S standards (e.g. Equator Principles etc).
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills in English; proficiency in Arabic is an advantage.
  • Strong understanding of relevant gender and social inclusion laws, regulations, customs and practices in the MENA region.
  • Previous experience in assessing or producting Gender documentation for development banks and/or climate funds is a distinct advantage.
  • Familiarity and/or experience with GCF GAAP processes is a distinct advantage, as well as experience conducting comprehensive GAAP processes for programmes specifically related to strengthening the climate resilience of the health sector.

How to apply

Guidelines and Instructions

Interested candidates are requested to submit Curriculum Vitaes (CVs), including your daily rate to procurement@pathfinder.org by August 15, 2025. Additionally, kindly visit Pathfinder’s Consultant Database, and complete the Pathfinder Consultant Application Form at Careers – Pathfinder International

Consultants who are shortlisted, may be invited for short interviews prior to engagement on a particular Terms of Reference.

Inquiries

If you have any questions/inquiries, please e-mail procurement@pathfinder.org no later than close of business August 5, 2025

Deadline

All submissions must be received by Pathfinder no later than 11:59 PM for electronic submission (Washington, D.C. time) on August 15, 2025.

Please email information directly to: procurement@pathfinder.org

Agreement

Any resulting contract will be subject to terms and conditions.

Thank you,

Procurement Department

Pathfinder International