National Consultant, Women’s Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Assessment and Private Sector Skills Needs Mapping
Organizational Context
UN Women in Uzbekistan works to eliminate discrimination against women and girls, empower women, and achieve gender equality. The "Women's Economic Empowerment in Uzbekistan" project aims to create an inclusive economic environment where women can participate equally, free from gender stereotypes. This initiative aligns with national development strategies and focuses on improving women's access to decent work, entrepreneurship, and economic participation.
Job Purpose
This consultancy aims to provide national technical expertise for assessing Uzbekistan's women's entrepreneurship ecosystem and mapping private sector skills needs. The goal is to generate evidence and recommendations to inform gender-responsive programming, skills development, and private sector engagement under the Women's Economic Empowerment Project. The consultant will support UN Women in conducting a comprehensive assessment of the entrepreneurship ecosystem, including a legal review, and mapping HR and skills needs within the private sector to identify employment opportunities and skills development pathways for women.
Responsibilities
Conduct a comprehensive assessment of the women's entrepreneurship ecosystem in Uzbekistan, including profiling women entrepreneurs and businesses, identifying constraints, and assessing sectors with potential. Undertake a gender-responsive review of the legal and regulatory framework affecting women's entrepreneurship and economic empowerment, including family-friendly policies. Assess the seven WED framework conditions and identify key barriers, gaps, and opportunities. Map relevant stakeholders and existing initiatives supporting women's entrepreneurship. Conduct consultations with stakeholders to validate findings and identify programming and partnership opportunities. Develop evidence-based recommendations for policymakers and implementers. Additionally, map human resources and skills needs in the private sector, identifying current and emerging demands relevant to women's employment and career advancement. Assess existing skills gaps and barriers for women in selected sectors and analyze private sector recruitment practices. Review relevant policies and conduct consultations with private sector stakeholders to identify priority skills and occupations. Develop recommendations for targeted capacity-building interventions for women.
Work Experience
Requires at least 8 years of experience in women's economic empowerment, entrepreneurship, labor market analysis, or skills development. Proven experience in skills-needs assessments, labor market mapping, and designing skills development interventions is essential. Experience working with public institutions, the private sector, and CSOs on women's economic empowerment is required. Demonstrated experience in gender-responsive legal and policy reviews and applying gender-responsive approaches is necessary. Experience with results-based management is an asset.
Skills
Gender-responsive analysis, Legal and policy review, Stakeholder consultation, Data collection and analysis, Report writing, Skills needs assessment, Labour market mapping, Project implementation support, Partnership development.