BACKGROUND

United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) is a worldwide association of local governments and the officially recognised voice of local governments by the United Nations. Aligning with the subsidiary principle, the United Cities and Local Governments Asia Pacific (UCLG ASPAC) represents the entire Asia and the Pacific region. It is the largest regional section of UCLG that has linkages to more than 10,000 cities and local governments. It covers well over 4.1 billion people – more than half of the world population – and incorporates economically fast-developing countries such as China, India, and Indonesia.

UCLG ASPAC published its first Status Report on Women in Local Governments in 2010. With support from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) through the PMI-WILL programme, UCLG ASPAC will update this regional report.

The updated Status Report will analyse progress, challenges, and trends in women’s political representation across Asia-Pacific at urban, rural, intermediary, and provincial levels. The report will contribute to SDG 5, Beijing +25, and UCLG’s Feminist Municipal Movement.

OBJECTIVES

The Consultant will:

1. Update the Status Report on Women’s Representation using data from LGAs, gender focal points, and secondary sources.
2. Analyse trends, gaps, and intersectional challenges in women’s political participation.
3. Produce a comprehensive, ready-to-publish report with case studies and policy recommendations.

SCOPE OF WORK

The Consultant is expected to carry out the following tasks in close coordination with UCLG ASPAC:

1. Design and implement a regional data collection methodology with LGAs and country focal points.
2. Verify and validate sub-national data through cross-checking and secondary research.
3. Conduct regional and sub-regional analysis at various sub-national levels, including urban, rural, intermediary, and provincial councils, including good practices, policy gaps, and barriers. The analysis should capture intersectional disparities in representation.
4. Draft the report with case studies, visual data (charts, tables), and recommendations.
5. Facilitate consultations and update the draft based on feedback.
6. Finalise the report and prepare executive summaries and dissemination briefs.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

To ensure the consultant’s deliverables meet high standards, the following KPIs will be used to evaluate progress and outcomes:

1. Stakeholder Engagement and Participation

• Target: At least 4 consultations and 2 validation workshops with diverse groups (e.g., local government representatives, gender focal points, NGOs, community leaders).
• Measurement: Track the number of consultations conducted and the quality of participation (e.g., number of participants, diversity of stakeholders engaged).
• Feasibility: Aim for 10–15 stakeholders per session to ensure meaningful engagement without excessive logistical burden.

2. Data Collection and Validation Completeness

• Target: 95% of required data points (sub-national data on women’s representation) should be collected, verified, and validated for all countries included.
• Measurement: Monitor the percentage of data points collected and validated, ensuring comprehensive data coverage for all participating countries.
• Feasibility: A target of 95% ensures reliable, high-quality data, while allowing flexibility for minor gaps that can be filled with secondary data sources.

3. Quality of Analysis and Recommendations

• Target: Final deliverables (GEDSI Strategy and Women’s Representation Report) must reflect comprehensive integration of gender equality, disability inclusion, and social inclusion frameworks.
• Measurement: Ensure the depth and relevance of recommendations in terms of gender, disability, and social inclusion. Check for alignment with SDG 5, Beijing +25, and regional frameworks.
• Feasibility: Ensure the recommendations are practical, actionable, and focus on high-priority areas, while ensuring no major gaps in the integration of inclusion principles.

4. Adherence to Timelines

• Target: The consultant must adhere to agreed-upon timelines for each deliverable, with no more than 10% variance from the original schedule.
• Measurement: Track the timeliness of each deliverable (drafts, revisions, and final reports). Deadlines for key milestones (e.g., draft submission, validation) should be tracked via project management tools or progress reports.
• Feasibility: A 10% variance provides flexibility but ensures the timely delivery of key outputs.

5. Dissemination and Outreach Effectiveness

• Target: Ensure that the final deliverables (GEDSI Strategy and Women’s Representation Report) are disseminated to key stakeholders and relevant audiences (e.g., UCLG ASPAC members, local governments, gender-focused organisations) through online channels (e.g., webinars, UCLG ASPAC website, social media), and offline means (e.g., workshops, printed reports).
• Measurement: Track the engagement quality (e.g., feedback received, stakeholder interaction, views, downloads, shares) rather than focusing solely on the number of stakeholders reached. This ensures the targeted outreach is meaningful.
• Feasibility: This KPI focuses on effectiveness rather than a specific numerical target, ensuring that key stakeholders are engaged in a way that reflects relevant, high-quality dissemination.

Monitoring and Reporting

The Strategic Services and Programme Manager will oversee the overall consultancy. She will be supported by the Knowledge Management and Communications Officer for coordination, monitoring, and reporting support. The consultant will be expected to submit:

• Bi-weekly progress reports summarising key activities, challenges, and milestones.
• Post-consultancy follow-up to monitor implementation of recommendations for at least 6 months after the final report’s dissemination.

DELIVERABLES

1. Inception Report and Work Plan (Mid-Dec 2025)
2. Draft Status Report Outline and initial analysis (Mid-Jan 2026)
3. Revised Draft after Validation Workshops (Mid-March 2026)
4. Final Status Report and Visual Briefs (Mid-April 2026)

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

The ideal candidate should possess the following qualifications and experience:

• Advanced degree in gender studies, political science, public policy, or related field.
• Minimum 5 years’ experience in gender research, data analysis, and political participation studies.
• Experience conducting multi-country data collection and validation.
• Familiarity with gender and governance issues in Asia-Pacific.
• Strong analytical and writing skills with published research preferred.

PROPOSAL EVALUATION

Evaluation of proposals will be based on Technical (50%), Experience (30%), and Financial (20%) components.

Payment will be disbursed in installments based on deliverables, such as:

• 20% upon contract signing and approved Inception Report
• 50% upon mid-project milestone
• Final payment (30%) will be released only upon successful completion of all deliverables.

HOW TO APPLY

Interested candidates can submit a proposal along with their CV and relevant portfolios that outline their capacity and experience in delivering similar services and relevant areas of work to procurement@uclg-aspac.org with the subject: “[Your Name] – Women’s Representation Status Report Consultant” by 04 January 2025.

Applicants should submit the following:

1. Curriculum Vitae of its team for this Call for Proposal, which including relevant experience and portfolio of relevant work.
2. Proposal (Max 10 Pages, Excluding Annexes): Covering concept & ideas, proposed methodology, detailed Gantt Chart (workplan with weekly milestones), Workflow, etc.
3. Risk Management Plan: At least three (3) key risks identified along with their mitigation measures.
4. Financial Proposal including taxes.
5. Sample(s) of previous research or reports.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for interviews.