Vacancy: Senior Program Officer, Agricultural Policies at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is seeking a Senior Program Office to join the Agricultural Development Team within their Global Development Program.

The job description is as follows:

The Senior Program Officer (SPO) will be a leader and a team player in the implementation of these goals, with a specific focus on creating gender-responsive agricultural development programming. The SPO will work closely with the full Agricultural Development team to develop and execute an advocacy strategy, forge new partnerships, and develop grants. S/he may also play a leadership role in promoting gender-responsive strategies across the Global Development program.

In Agricultural Development, the SPO will play a critical role in managing high impact and complex grants and partnerships around gender and agriculture interactions. S/he will provide research and analysis in support of grant making, strategy development, donor coordination and communication and advocacy. Furthermore, s/he will support the Agricultural Development team in a cross-cutting function by providing tools and resources to the team to build capacity and foster practical gender-responsiveness across the Agricultural Development grant portfolio. S/he will also be a spokesperson and public advocate for our grants, portfolio and strategy.

The SPO will bring a depth and breadth of experience in, and knowledge of, donor and developing country governments’ development activities and mechanisms, and technical expertise in evidence based, results oriented advocacy.

Key responsibilities include:
- Consult with grantees to develop new grant ideas around gender and the role of women in achieving sustainable productivity growth according to the Agricultural Development team’s strategy, conduct site visits, provide technical guidance and convene meetings.
- Manage a portfolio of project grants. Partner with grantees to develop project objectives and define key outcomes and milestones, ensuring that appropriate monitoring and evaluation systems and processes are established to produce robust evaluation of outcomes.
- Review letters of inquiry and grant proposals, provide written analysis and recommendations for funding, including drafting and editing of proposal summaries and progress reports for existing grants for review by Foundation leadership.
- Develop and manage tools and resources and provide back-stopping for fellow POs and their grantees in the area of gender-responsive agricultural development to enhance gender awareness and accountability in the team’s grant-making.
- Manage internal processes and portfolio progress while ensuring appropriate documentation, grant budgeting and reporting.
- Plan and execute a wide range of activities in support of strategic planning, grant management and external relationship management related to the foundation’s leadership in promoting gender-responsive agricultural development programs. Provide written analysis of key topics to foundation leadership.
- Represent the foundation to key program-related external constituencies. This will likely include both formal and informal public presentations such as making speeches, attending international conferences and other meetings as necessary.
- Serve as a point of contact on Gender-related issues for key internal and external stakeholders. In particular, play a role in advancing gender across the foundation, with a specific focus on the programs in the Global Development program

For the full posting, including information on qualifications and the link to the online application, click here.

New Resource: Guidelines for Ministries of Agriculture and FAO on CEDAW

A recent report by the FAO lays out guidelines on how the FAO and national agricultural ministries around the world can use CEDAW (the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women) at the country level to guide policy development and programming with the goal of achieving equality between women and men in agriculture.

The document gives a brief overview of CEDAW and, in particular, those articles that relate to rural women (especially Article 14). It then continues on to discuss how different organizations can use CEDAW for gender-sensitive program and policy formulation. It also gives some example case study “success stories” within different countries, as well as some further resources.

For the full report, click here.

New IFPRI Discussion Paper: Data Needs for Gender Analysis in Agriculture

A newly-released IFPRI Discussion Paper written by Cheryl Doss offers guidelines on how to collect better gendered data through surveys. It details who should be interviewed; how the interview should be structured; and what kinds of questions should be asked, both at the individual level and also more broadly at the household, community or regional levels. The paper was written as part of an edited volume of background papers for the State of Food and Agriculture 2010-2011: Women and Agriculture: Closing the Gender Gap for Development.

For the full text of the Discussion Paper, click here.

News: Feed the Future Empowers Women in Agriculture

A recent article on the website of the US Department of State shows how the Feed the Future Initiative, led by USAID, supports smallholder farmers and empowers women. The article details the case of the COOPAVI women’s fishing cooperative in western Rwanda and how a grant through Feed the Future (FTF) allowed the cooperative to receive training, buy motorboats and fishing supplies, substantitally increase income, and even donate 10 percent of its profits to a local orphanage and hospital.

The article also mentions the Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index that was developed as part of the FTF Initiative, as well as highlights other examples of support given to women, including training for female rice farmers in Ghana and training for women in the field of agricultural research.

For the full article, click here.

Vacancy: Social Development Specialist (Gender and Development) at the Asian Development Bank

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is seeking a Social Development Specialist as part of their Regional and Sustainable Development Department.

Job Purpose:

Promote, coordinate, and facilitate the implementation of ADB’s Policy on Gender and Development (GAD). As member of the gender team of Regional and Sustainable Development Department (RSDD) carry-out ADB knowledge work on gender and provide support to operational departments in integrating gender equality into ADB operations. Analyze and report on the region’s and ADB’s performance in advancing gender equality. Serve as focal point for engagement with external agencies on GAD including bilateral and multilateral development agencies, developing member country governments, and women’s NGOs. Work with broad policies and objectives, working directly with clients, with supervision for critical tasks.

Expected Outcomes

a.    Policies, Strategies, and Frameworks

• Contribute to the overarching objective of ADB’s policy on GAD and the ADB-wide Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Operational Plan 2013-2020.
• Contribute to ensuring gender mainstreaming in other sector and thematic policies, strategies, and operational plans of ADB.
• Prepare reports on progress in implementation of the Gender Equality Operational Plan and GAD Policy.
• Contribute to tracking and reporting on gender-related targets in the annual corporate Development Effectiveness Review reports.

b.    Operational Support -

• Provide technical advice to the operations departments (ODs) to integrate gender considerations into their country partnership strategies and programming.
• Lead the preparation of selective country gender assessments as part of the CPS process.
• Provide technical advice to ODs to integrate gender into project designs, including project-specific gender strategies and plans.
• Support ODs in monitoring the implementation of project gender action plans (GAPs) and in tracking gender equality results of projects.
• Carry out selected GAP implementation review missions to elicit good practices and lessons learned from ongoing projects.
• In collaboration with ODs, conceptualize, develop, and implement gender pilot initiatives.
• Conduct staff training and briefing sessions on areas relevant to gender mainstreaming.

c.    Regional Cooperation and Partnerships 

• Build institutional partnerships on GAD and maintain knowledge networks with other agencies and organizations, including bilateral and multilateral development agencies, DMC governments, women’s NGOs.  Coordinate with other international agencies in the preparation of joint reports, workshops, advocacy activities, etc.
• Coordinate partnerships with technical agencies and other external organizations addressing GAD.
• Develop and implement regional technical assistance projects (TAs) on gender issues relevant to regional cooperation and economic integration.

d.    Knowledge Generation and Sharing

• Prepare knowledge products and services on gender issues of importance, such as studies on current and emerging issues, operational tools (sector checklists and toolkits), and good practice project case studies.
• Disseminate ADB gender knowledge by organizing knowledge and learning events, use of media and website, and represent ADB in external events.
• As part of Gender Equity Community of Practice (CoP) Secretariat, contribute to carrying CoP activities such as peer review function and management of CoP committee.
• Keep track of regional trends on emerging issues and key challenges, such as gender-related impacts of climate change, reduction of women’s time poverty through infrastructure development, food security, gender-based violence, and women’s participation in decision-making and voice.
• Contribute in the administration and implementation of the GAD Cooperation Fund, including the provision of advice to regional departments on proposal preparation -           Provide input to other social development areas, and capitalizing on synergies with other teams working on social sectors and social themes

e.    Staff Supervision

• Supervises the work of team members.
• Supervise the performance of reporting staff, providing clear direction and regular monitoring and feedback on performance.
• Ensure the on-going learning and development of reporting staff.

For the complete job posting, including information on educational requirements and desired experience, click here.

Applications must be submitted by April 4, 2013 by 5:00 PM Manila time.

IFPRI’s 2012 Global Food Policy Report

Today IFPRI launched its 2012 Global Food Policy Report, entitled Walk the Talk. The report explores the world food situation in 2012; highlights several key issues, including youth employment in agriculture, and a green economy; and looks ahead to scenarios in the future of food.

Chapter 4 in the report, entitled “Closing the Gender Gap” focuses on women in agriculture. It points to the growing attention that was given to gender in 2012, particularly through the FAO’s State of Food and Agriculture Report 2010-2011, and the World Bank’s Development Report 2012.

In addition, it highlights the development and rollout of the Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index, which is being used to measure progress towards inclusive agricultural growth in the 19 USAID Feed the Future countries, as well as the issuance of a CGIAR gender strategy by the Consortium Board in November 2011.

Research and development programming is thus moving from gender-blind to gender-aware, though more needs to be done. In particular, a more solid evidence base on gender in agriculture needs to be built (in particular through more detailed, robust, and longer-term analyses of both quantitative and qualitative gender data); women’s control over assets needs to be strengthened (including natural resources, tools and technologies, and financial, human and social capital); and partnerships with women’s organizations need to be formed (though enlisting men’s support is crucial). A commitment to gender-responsive and gender-transformative agriculture can improve agricultural productivity, food security, and nutrition and thus cannot be ignored.

The event page for today’s launch event can be found here: http://www.ifpri.org/event/launch-ifpri-s-2012-global-food-policy-report

International Women’s Day #AskAg Twitter Chat

Join the conversation about gender integration in agriculture and food security during the AgrilLinks chat today, entitled “Gender in Agriculture – Not Only About Women”. The chat takes place from 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm here.

The guiding questions for the chat, also found here, are:

1. Gender-based violence (GBV)/violence against women: This year’s theme for International Women’s Day is “Elimination and prevention of all forms of violence against women and girls.” We see that GBV is an important issue is an important issue in many (if not all) the countries where we work, yet it remains a challenge to incorporate GBV in agriculture and food security programming. What experiences have you had in addressing GBV in sectors such as agriculture and food security?

2. Engaging men and boys: USAID and its partners have moved from the classic “women in development approach” (focusing on women only) to “gender and development” (changing the social relations between men and women). How can we engage men and boys to address gender equality or women’s empowerment in your programs?

3. Gender analysis: Gender analysis is a crucial step in ensuring that projects address the different needs and interests of men and women. Yet it is often a step that is overlooked, and when gender analysis does take place, the findings are not always incorporated into the project design. How do we overcome these challenges and incorporate gender analysis into our projects?