UN Women: National Consultant to conduct Final Evaluation for the Joint Programme: Empowering Women for Sustainable Peace in BARMM and in the Philippines, Home-Based, Cotabato City, National Consultant

Background:

1. Background and Context:

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000) marked a turning point by formally recognizing the link between gender equality and international peace and security. Emerging from sustained advocacy by global women’s organizations, it became the foundation of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda, which has since expanded through nine subsequent resolutions.[1] Today, WPS is a core thematic pillar of the UN Security Council’s work and a key international framework addressing the gendered impacts of armed conflict, political crises, displacement, violent extremism, disasters, and mass atrocities on women and girls. The agenda promotes inclusive and democratic decision-making, gender justice, and conflict prevention, supported by evidence showing that women’s participation significantly improves peace processes and post-conflict recovery.[2] Despite progress, implementation gaps persist globally, including women’s under-representation in peace processes, limited gender-sensitive conflict analysis, and inadequate financing.

In the Philippines, these global commitments intersect with a major peace milestone in Mindanao. The 2014 Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) between the Government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) led to the establishment of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and the ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) in 2019. The BOL institutionalized the mainstreaming of women’s empowerment and the WPS agenda across governance and peacebuilding and created the Bangsamoro Women Commission (BWC) as the lead body for advancing these goals. BARMM’s political and fiscal autonomy offered a historic opportunity to address decades of marginalization and conflict in Southern Philippines.

However, the transition has revealed deep and persistent challenges. BARMM continues to face layered and interlinked conflicts, including clan feuds (rido), ethnic tensions affecting both Moro and non-Moro groups, political rivalries, displacement, trauma, and the threat of violent extremism. These issues extend beyond the original scope of the peace agreement and are compounded by weak inclusivity in peacebuilding processes. Gender dimensions of conflict particularly the roles, experiences, and exclusion of women—remain insufficiently addressed, despite women’s long-standing involvement in both formal and informal peace efforts.

Historically, conflict in Mindanao has reshaped gender roles in complex ways. Women have been victims, caregivers, economic providers, peace advocates, and at times combatants or supporters within armed structures, while men have experienced shifting notions of masculinity linked to loss of livelihoods and exposure to violence. Although women have often filled critical social and economic gaps during displacement and insecurity, they remain largely excluded from formal peace and security decision-making. Political representation of women in BARMM institutions remains below 10 per cent, significantly lower than the national average. These persistent inequalities continue to shape women’s experiences of conflict and peacebuilding today and underscore the importance of institutionalizing the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda throughout BARMM’s ongoing political transition.

The successful conduct and completion of the first Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections (BPE) in September 2026 marked a significant milestone in the political transition of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). The inauguration of the first regular BARMM Government on 30 October 2026 signals the beginning of a new phase of democratic governance and institution-building in the region. While this transition presents important opportunities to deepen inclusive and accountable governance, it also underscores the urgency of sustaining and institutionalizing gains in women's participation, leadership, and protection within emerging governance structures. Notably, the Bangsamoro Gender and Development (GAD) Code has yet to be enacted, leaving critical gaps in the legal and policy framework needed to advance gender equality and women's empowerment across BARMM institutions. In this context, the integration of Women, Peace and Security (WPS) principles into government policies, programmes, and budgets remains more critical than ever. The BARMM Regional Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security (RAP-WPS) 2023–2028, coordinated by the Bangsamoro Women Commission (BWC), continues to provide the principal framework for translating policy commitments into concrete and adequately funded actions. At the same time, peacebuilding and development efforts continue to face challenges arising from displacement, localized conflicts and rido, resource competition, shrinking civic space, environmental degradation, climate-induced disasters, and regional geopolitical developments that disproportionately affect women and girls.

Against this backdrop, the Joint Programme (JP) has been implemented since April 2022 during a critical transition period marked by political, social, and environmental complexities. Following the completion of the first Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections and the establishment of the regular BARMM Government, the region continues to face persistent peace and security challenges, including localized conflicts, clan feuds (rido), violent extremism risks, and political competition. These challenges are compounded by recurring climate- and disaster-related shocks, including severe flooding and sea-level rise, which exacerbate displacement, livelihood losses, and gender-based violence. Women and girls continue to face intersecting vulnerabilities arising from conflict, disasters, climate change, and persistent economic exclusion, while Non-Moro Indigenous Peoples, particularly women, remain among the most marginalized groups, often excluded from formal peace and governance processes and disproportionately affected by localized conflicts and land disputes.

Despite these challenges, important policy and political openings continue to provide opportunities to advance the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda in BARMM. The successful completion of the first Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections in September 2026 and the inauguration of the first regular BARMM Government on 30 October 2026 mark a historic transition towards democratic self-governance. However, the transition period concluded without the enactment of the Bangsamoro Gender and Development (GAD) Code, representing a significant gap in the institutionalization of gender equality and women's empowerment within the Bangsamoro legal framework. This underscores the importance of strengthening the implementation of existing gender-responsive policies and accelerating efforts to establish a comprehensive legislative foundation for women's rights and participation. At the same time, existing gender provisions in the Bangsamoro Electoral Code and Bangsamoro Local Governance Code, growing national momentum for the localization of the National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security (NAP-WPS), and renewed global commitments under the Pasay Declaration on WPS, which highlights the interlinkages between security, climate change, and gender equality, provide critical entry points for advancing the WPS agenda. The 2024–2028 United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) further reinforces these priorities by committing the UN system to inclusive peacebuilding and ensuring that no one is left behind, particularly marginalized women, Indigenous women, former combatants, youth, and those living in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas.

Building on these enabling policy and institutional frameworks, the JP has played a catalytic role in advancing the localization of the WPS agenda. Most notably, the JP supported the development and launch of the BARMM Regional Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security (RAP-WPS) 2023–2028 in October 2023 and subsequently assisted in its early implementation and localization. The BARMM RAP-WPS has emerged as a landmark example of localized WPS planning in the Philippines and is recognized in the NAP-WPS 2023–2033 as a “unique document” that offers valuable lessons for adapting national WPS commitments to local conflict and peacebuilding realities.

While these policy gains have created a strong foundation for advancing women’s participation and leadership in peacebuilding, sustaining momentum requires continued investment and support. In response, an 18‑month extension supported through a top-up contribution from the Government of Canada has enabled the JP to consolidate gains and respond to emerging risks by:

• Deepening the localization of WPS through coordinated work with Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU), Philippine Commission on Women (PCW), national agencies, local government units, and civil society;
• Supporting women’s political leadership and participation at different levels of governance;
• Advancing women’s economic empowerment at the intersection of peacebuilding and climate resilience;
• Strengthening the capacity and accompaniment of women peacebuilders and mediators, including those from Moro, Non-Moro Indigenous Peoples, settler, and youth communities;
• Expanding programming to the Special Geographic Areas in North Cotabato and BARMM-contiguous areas; and
• Extending WPS localization efforts to other priority regions, including the Cordillera Administrative Region and the Caraga Region.

By building institutional capacity, empowering women leaders, and grounding the WPS agenda in local realities, the JP positions women not as passive victims of conflict, but as central agents of peace. The implementation of the JP has been critical to ensuring that the gains of the peace process translate into inclusive, resilient, and sustainable peace in BARMM and beyond.

1. Alignment with Development Priorities of GAC:

With funding support from the Global Affairs Canada (GAC), this programme aligns with GAC Feminist International Assistance Policy, more specifically ‘Action area 1 (core): Gender equality and empowerment of women and girls’ and ‘Action area 6: Peace and security’. This programme is grounded on global evidence which says that societies that are more gender equal are more peaceful. Recognizing that when women are involved in peace and security efforts, solutions are more effective and longer lasting, this programme seeks to integrate women and women’s needs into BARMM’s regional peace and security processes. It seeks to leverage more effective and productive partnerships, bringing together BARMM ministries and agencies with civil society, international organizations, and academia. The programme draws inspiration from GAC’s global efforts to strengthen the WPS agenda, including through the Group of Friends on WPS and Canada’s National Action Plan (NAP) WPS. This programme also directly aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Framework (UNSDCF) Outcome 1[3], Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 5 and 16, as well as Canada’s NAP WPS in the following objective areas:

• Increasing the meaningful participation of women, women’s organizations and networks in conflict prevention, conflict resolution, and post-conflict state building.
• Preventing and responding to sexual and gender-based violence perpetrated in conflict and sexual exploitation and abuse by peacekeepers
• Promoting and protecting women’s and girls’ human rights, gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls in fragile, conflict and post-conflict settings.
• Strengthening the capacity of peace operations to advance the WPS agenda

1. Programme Description:

The Empowering Women for Sustainable Peace in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and the Philippines is a joint initiative of UN Women and UNDP designed to prevent insecurity and violence in BARMM by addressing structural gender inequalities and discriminatory social norms that undermine sustainable peace. The Joint Programme (JP) was initially implemented in BARMM and was later expanded to the national level through a costed top-up, particularly in the Caraga Region and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).

The JP commenced in April 2022 and was originally scheduled to end in September 2025. However, through the costed top-up, the programme was extended until March 2027. The JP is supported by the Government of Canada with a total budget of CAD 4.5 million, which includes the CAD 1.5 million costed extension.

There have been no major changes to the Performance Monitoring Framework (PMF) at either the immediate or intermediate outcome levels. However, additional indicators and targets were introduced to measure results in the top-up areas. For the complete PMF of the JP, please refer to the annexes and other relevant project documents.

The JP has focused on two mutually reinforcing priorities:

1. Strengthening women’s leadership and participation in peacebuilding, mediation, conflict prevention, and resolution at community and institutional levels; and
2. Enhancing the capacity, ownership, and accountability of BARMM ministries, offices, and agencies to mainstream gender equality and the WPS agenda in policies, plans, and programmes.

The JP ultimate outcome is by 2028, all people, especially those at risk of being left behind, have increased resilience to economic, climatic, disaster, and public health risk through improved, equitable, and gender-responsive access to and utilization of quality social services, social protection, healthy habitat, and enhanced good governance and peace which is the outcome 1 of the new 2024-2028 UNSDCF Philippines framework.

The JP has two intermediate outcomes:

Intermediate Outcomes 1100: Strengthened inclusive, gender-responsive policy and programming on conflict prevention and resolution by government institutions in the BARMM and the Philippines. (GAC: 1100)

(Equivalent to the UN outcome: Government institutions in the BARMM strengthen inclusive, gender-responsive policy and programming on conflict prevention and resolution)

Intermediate Outcomes 1200: Improved meaningful participation and leadership in conflict prevention and resolution and peace-humanitarian nexus of women peace mediators and women’s organizations in the BARMM and the Philippines ((GAC: 1200) (Equivalent to the UN outcome: Women peace mediators and women’s organizations have meaningful participation and leadership in conflict prevention for sustaining peace and address a peace-humanitarian nexus in BARMM)

1. Expected Results and beneficiaries:

The JP has continued the implementation of the WPS agenda into other regions and national level interventions. From the original JP results framework, the top-up will contribute to the original intermediate outcomes which still focus on BARMM but also extends support towards national WPS priorities, including NAP-WPS localization to other regions.

The primary beneficiaries of the joint programme include women and girls in BARMM, particularly those who are vulnerable to violence, conflict and crisis in the region. The immediate beneficiaries include the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA), BWC, BARMM ministries and National Agencies (duty bearers) and gender advocates, civil society women’s organizations and associations at regional and national levels (rights holders).

The Joint Programme is guided by the following theory of change:

If Government institutions in the BARMM and the Philippines strengthen inclusive, gender-responsive policy and programming on conflict prevention and resolution; and

Women peace mediators and women’s organizations have meaningful participation and leadership in conflict prevention for sustaining peace and address a peace-humanitarian nexus in BARMM and in the Philippines;

Then the contribution of women and girls to peacebuilding and consolidation of peace will be valued and bring broader benefits to communities in BARMM and in the Philippines; because inclusive governance and peacebuilding processes promote just and lasting peace in conflict-affected areas of Mindanao and the country.

Under the Intermediate Outcome 1100,

Immediate Outcome 1110. Increased capacity of Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) and National Government Agencies to develop and implement WPS and GAD policy and legislation in BARMM and the Philippines

Output 1111: Technical assistance provided to integrate WPS agenda into the regional and provincial action plans. [UNDP]

Immediate Outcome 1120: Increased capacity of the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) and the Bangsamoro Women Commission (BWC) to implement policy and programmes and coordinate with other national and regional government stakeholders to enhance women’s participation and leadership in conflict prevention and resolution.

Output 1112: Technical assistance provided to BARMM and other Philippine government agencies to produce WPS policies, financial management and monitoring of GAD legislation. [UN Women]

Output 1121: Technical assistance provided to BWC to strengthen capacities to implement policies and programmes that promote women’s participation in conflict prevention and resolution. [UN Women]

Output 1122. Technical assistance provided to BWC to draft strategies and coordination mechanisms on WPS with other regional government stakeholders. [UN Women]

Immediate Outcome 1130: Increased capacity of BARMM LGUs to support women’s participation and leadership in conflict prevention and resolution.

Output 1131. Technical assistance provided to integrate WPS agenda into Municipal and barangay development plans through the support from the women LGU officials in conflict-affected areas. [UNDP]

Under the Intermediate Outcome 1200;

Immediate Outcome 1210: Addressed local conflicts and peace humanitarian nexus through women peace

mediators and facilitators in all six provinces in BARMM.

Outputs 1211. Technical assistance provided to establish a network of women mediators/facilitators to support multistakeholder policy dialogue. [UN Women]

Output 1212. Technical assistance provided to communities with Women Mediators to develop and implement work plans to address specific situations of violence, displacement, and fragility across all five BARMM provinces. [UNDP]

Immediate Outcome 1220: Increase capacities of communities to promote awareness and understanding of gender, social cohesion and conflict prevention in BARMM.

Output 1221: Technical assistance provided to increase livelihood to women cooperatives with involvement of youth supporting the WPS agenda. [UN Women]

Immediate Outcome 1230: Generated evidence on gender-conflict analysis especially in BIFF controlled area and communities affected by violent extremism in order to inform conflict prevention and resolutions.

Output 1231: Technical assistance provided by UN Women to BARMM stakeholders to develop research and knowledge products on women and emerging conflicts. [UN Women]

1. Stakeholders Mapping:

The table below provides an initial overview of key stakeholder groups relevant to this evaluation. During

the inception phase, the evaluation team will undertake a more comprehensive mapping to ensure the inclusion of all relevant stakeholders and inform the sampling approach.

Overview of UN Women and UNDP key partners and stakeholders:

1. Project governance and management arrangements:

The JP is governed through a multi-tiered management structure designed to ensure strategic oversight, coordination, accountability, and effective implementation among participating UN organizations and national stakeholders.

1. Joint Project Steering Committee (JPSC)

• The Joint Project Steering Committee (JPSC) functions as the principal governance body of the Joint Programme. It provides strategic direction and oversight, reviews programme performance, and ensures alignment with national priorities, donor requirements, and organizational commitments of participating UN agencies.
• The JPSC's key functions include:
• Providing strategic guidance on programme implementation and results achievement;
• Reviewing progress against the programme's results framework and work plans;
• Approving annual work plans, major programme revisions, and strategic adjustments;
• Reviewing monitoring, evaluation, and reporting products, including the Mid-Term Review and Final Evaluation;
• Facilitating coordination among UN agencies, government counterparts, and development partners; and
• Supporting sustainability, ownership, and resource mobilization efforts.
• The Committee serves as the primary forum for addressing strategic issues, risks, and opportunities that may affect programme performance and achievement of results.
• UN Women acts as the lead coordinating agency for programme management, monitoring, and reporting, working in close collaboration with UNDP. The Programme Management Team (PMT) is responsible for the day-to-day management and coordination of programme implementation.
• Its responsibilities typically include:

2. Programme Management Arrangements

• Coordinating programme implementation across partners;
• Monitoring progress against agreed indicators and targets;
• Managing reporting and knowledge management processes;
• Coordinating field monitoring missions;
• Supporting implementation of JPSC decisions; and
• Managing communication among participating organizations and stakeholders.

3. Implementing and Government Partners

• Government institutions at national, BARMM, provincial, municipal, and barangay levels, together with civil society organizations, women's groups, and peacebuilding actors, contribute to programme delivery and provide technical and policy inputs. These partners play a critical role in ensuring national ownership, localization of interventions, and sustainability of results.

Given the costed top-up, the JPSC members were expanded, which now include representatives from the following organizations:

• Office of the Resident Coordinator in the Philippines
• Bangsamoro Transition Authority
• Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity
• Bangsamoro Planning and Development Authority
• Bangsamoro Women Commission
• Philippine Commission on Women
• Government of Canada
• Ministry of Interior and Local Government
• UN Women
• UNDP
• 2 representatives from UN agencies (International Organization for Migration and United Nations Population Fund)
• CSOs representative (United Youth for Peace and Development [UNYPAD] and Teduray-Lambangian Women Organization Inc. [TLWOI]) and Women Engaged in Action (WEACT) 1325

1. Objectives and use of the final evaluation:

The overall purpose of the evaluation is to assess the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, coherence, sustainability, and emerging impact of the Joint Programme, while generating strategic evidence to inform future decision-making, strengthen accountability, and promote organizational learning among stakeholders.

The key objectives of the evaluation are to:

1. Assess the JP’s performance against the agreed evaluation criteria and its progress toward expected results;
2. Examine the integration of gender equality and human rights in the JP implementation, including assessing the extent to which Mid-Term Review findings informed the remaining implementation period;
3. Document the JP’s contribution to higher-level and transformative results, including intended and unintended changes and sustainability of results;
4. Collect and validate stories of change, lessons learned, good practices, and innovative approaches; and
5. Provide actionable recommendations for future WPS programming, replication, and scale-up.

The evaluation will apply the OECD-DAC criteria and an additional criterion on gender equality and human rights, in line with the commitments of the Government of Canada, UN Women, and UNDP.

The table below presents key evaluation questions per criterion. The consultant is expected to refine these questions and develop an evaluation matrix during the inception phase.

Criteria

Potential guiding questions

Relevance Assess the relevance of the programme’s objectives, outcomes, and design in addressing the problems faced by women	To what extentis the JP aligned withregional and national priorities and to international normative frameworks and to GAC priorities on WPS? To what extenthas the JP been responsive to contextual changes - including emerging regional and national security threats - to remain relevant? How do the JP interventions leverage UN Women and UNDP mandate and comparative advantages in relation to other organizations working in this area? To what extent did the JP’s Theory of Change (ToC) remain valid and responsive to context shifts during implementation?
Coherence Assess the compatibility and alignment of the intervention with other interventions	To what extent has the JP facilitated synergies and strengthened partnerships with other initiatives at national and BARMM levels, including those implemented by the UN, international NGOs, and civil society organizations, to achieve its objectives? To what extent did the JP complement and create synergies with UN Women and UNDP strategies, programmes, and comparative advantages in advancing the Women, Peace and Security agenda? To what extent was the JP coherent with national and BARMM policy commitments and institutional priorities on Women, Peace and Security, and how effectively did it complement the efforts of other stakeholders in the WPS ecosystem? To what extentwas the project coherent with theinterventions of other UN organizations, targeted government agencies (national and BARMM), and Development Partners?
Effectiveness Assess the contribution towards achievement of outcomes	To what extent have the planned outputs been delivered, and how has the JP contributed to the achievement of expected outcomes? What key factors (including contextual challenges, strategies and good practices) influenced the achievement or non-achievement of results? What unplanned positive or negativeresults have emerged duringthe JP’s implementation? Which strategies have been most effective in achieving the JP’s intended results, and why?
Efficiency Assess the operational efficiency	To what extent were the JP management structure, coordination and monitoring mechanisms efficient in supporting project implementation? Were the financial and human resources allocated for the JP sufficient and utilized efficiently to achieve the intended results? To what extent were activities and outputs delivered in a timely manner? How effectively did the JP leverage cost-sharing opportunities, partnerships, or in-kind contributions to enhance overall efficiency?
Contribution towards impact Assess the contribution of the intervention toward the intermediate outcome and ultimate outcome	To what extent have the WPS policy frameworks developed through the JP advanced the role of women in conflict prevention, resolution, and peacebuilding? How effectively has the project contributed to achieving its ultimate outcomes, and what evidence supports this progress? Has the JP contributed to any transformative changes, such as shifts in gender equality, power dynamics, social norms, or empowerment among target groups? What are the added value of joint programme UN Women–UNDP delivery and explicitly require an approach for assessing contribution to higher-level results.
Sustainability Assess the key factors affecting sustainability of the project	What is the likelihood that the JP 's results, including its policies and frameworks, will be sustained and remain useful in advancing the WPS agenda over the long term after the JP ends? To what extent has UN Women and UNDP strengthened the institutional capacity of the National Steering Committee of NAPWPS and other mechanism in BARMM, and key sectoral bodies to advance the Women, Peace, and Security agenda? To what extent do government counterparts, and CSOs show ownership and commitment to sustaining and expanding the JP's outcomes? Which components of the JP should be carried forward into future programming, and what positive or innovative approaches can be improved, scaled up, or replicated in similar contexts?
Gender equality and human rights Assess to what extent the intervention promoted gender equality and human rights	To what extent were the most marginalized groups (i.e., ethnic minorities, youth, persons with disability, LGBTIQ+) perspectives integrated in the JP and reached in meaningful ways? To what extent was a human rights-based approach and gender responsive approach embedded in JP design and implementation (i.e., participatory, transparent, inclusive, realizing power dynamics, etc.)? To what extentwas the JP relevant to address the causes and structural factors of gender inequalities in the national and BARMM?

The evaluation will provide actionable recommendations to enhance the implementation of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda in BARMM and the Philippines and guide the design of future programming.

Specifically, the evaluation will:

1. Assess the Joint Programme's contribution to advancing the Women, Peace and Security agenda and strengthening institutional capacities, policies, and systems at national and BARMM levels.
2. Generate evidence on effective and promising approaches for the implementation, localization, and mainstreaming of the WPS agenda, contributing to the broader knowledge base on women’s participation, leadership, peacebuilding, and social cohesion in conflict-affected settings.
3. Inform strategic planning, resource mobilization, and the potential design, scaling, and replication of future WPS interventions within BARMM and in other regions facing similar peace and development challenges.
4. Strengthen accountability to stakeholders, including programme participants, government partners, donors, and implementing organizations, through an independent assessment of results achieved and lessons learned.
5. Facilitate organizational learning by identifying good practices, innovations, and lessons that can improve future programming and support the implementation of the National Action Plan and BARMM Regional Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security.

Primary users of the evaluation findings are the Government of the Philippines and BARMM regional government institutions, UN Women, and UNDP, as the principal stakeholders responsible for advancing and implementing the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda in the region. These users can apply the findings to inform strategic decision-making, strengthen policies and programmes, enhance coordination mechanisms, and guide the future implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP) and the BARMM Regional Action Plan (RAP) on Women, Peace and Security. The findings will also provide evidence for the design of a second phase of the Joint Programme or similar WPS initiatives, including the adaptation and replication of successful approaches in other conflict-affected and peacebuilding contexts in the Philippines.

Secondary users include implementing partners, civil society organizations, women's organizations, academic and research institutions, development practitioners, and donors. These stakeholders can use the findings to identify effective and scalable approaches for promoting women's participation in peacebuilding, conflict prevention, leadership, and social cohesion. The findings will support organizational learning, inform advocacy efforts, strengthen programme design and implementation, and contribute to the broader evidence base on Women, Peace and Security. Donors will use the evaluation results to assess programme effectiveness, accountability, value for money, and to inform future funding decisions and partnerships in support of the WPS agenda.

Primary and Secondary users and their intended use:

Primary & Secondary Intended Users	Learning and Knowledge Generation	Strategic decision making	Accountability
ASEAN Philippines Secretariat	X	X	X
Joint Programme Steering Committee	X	X	X
UN Women and UNDP	X	X	X
National Government	X	X	X
BARMM Government	X	X	X
Civil Society Organizations and Non-Government Organizations	X	X	X
Development Partners (Global Affairs Canada)	X	X	X
Other UN Agencies supporting WPS	X	X

1. Scope:

The evaluation will focus primarily on the 2022 (Inception stage)–2027 (first Quarter) implementation period of the project, with a view toward identifying lessons learned and actionable recommendations for future programming. The evaluation will assess the JP’s inputs, activities, outputs, use of outputs, and progress toward immediate outcomes, including its contribution to higher-level results where evidence is available. It will examine the extent to which the programme has contributed to advancing the Women, Peace and Security agenda through institutional strengthening, policy support, capacity development, and engagement with target groups and communities.

The evaluation will also examine the extent to which recommendations from the 2024 Mid-Term Review were implemented and used to adjust the programme’s course of action.

The evaluation will cover all geographic areas where the JP has been implemented and will consider results across relevant levels of intervention, including national, BARMM, CAR, CARAGA local government, institutional, and community levels. Particular attention will be given to the experiences, participation, and benefits of target groups[1], in line with the JP’s intended results and accountability commitments. The identification of field sites should be determine by the lead evaluator in consultation with the JP team.

1. Design, Process and Methodology:

The final evaluation will adopt a utilization-focused, theory-based, mixed-methods, participatory, and gender-responsive approach. It will ensure that the perspectives of government partners, duty-bearers, rights-holders, women-led organizations, and community beneficiaries are reflected in the assessment.

The evaluation will use multiple lines of evidence and triangulate findings from quantitative and qualitative data sources to strengthen the validity and credibility of conclusions. It will assess progress against the JP theory of change and results framework, examining how JP interventions contributed to changes at national, BARMM, institutional, local government, and community levels.

The evaluation will build on existing evidence generated throughout the programme lifecycle, including the 2022 baseline study, the 2024 Mid-Term Review, project monitoring data, and available sex-, age-, and diversity-disaggregated data. These sources will be complemented by primary data collection and stakeholder consultations to validate findings, assess results achieved, identify lessons learned, and generate recommendations for future Women, Peace and Security programming.

The evaluation is expected to include the following methodological components:

• Theory of Change and evaluability assessment: The evaluator will review the existing JP Theory of Change (ToC), results framework, and assumptions to assess their validity and determine how JP interventions contributed to observed results. Where necessary, the ToC may be refined to reflect contextual or programmatic changes that occurred during implementation.
• Desk review and secondary data analysis: The evaluation will review relevant JP documentation, including the project document, annual work plans, baseline study (2022), Mid-Term Review (2024), monitoring and reporting data, evaluations, knowledge products, and other relevant documents. Existing sex-, age-, and diversity-disaggregated data will be analyzed to assess progress and results.
• Primary data collection: A combination of qualitative and quantitative methods will be used to collect and triangulate evidence. Methods may include:
  • Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) with UN Women, UNDP, government counterparts, implementing partners, donors, and other stakeholders;
  • Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with rights-holders, community beneficiaries, women-led organizations, and other target groups;
  • Surveys, where appropriate, to gather broader stakeholder perspectives and validate key findings; and
  • Most Significant Change (MSC) and storytelling techniques to capture perceived changes, unintended results, and transformative impacts experienced by JP participants.
• Stakeholder engagement: The evaluation will engage a diverse range of stakeholders, including UN Women and UNDP programme teams, government institutions, local government units, civil society organizations, implementing partners, rights-holders, and community beneficiaries, ensuring the meaningful participation of women and marginalized groups.
• Sampling strategy: The evaluator will develop a sampling framework that ensures adequate representation of stakeholder groups, intervention areas, and vulnerable populations. Site selection for field visits should be transparent, purposive, and representative of the geographic and programmatic diversity of the JP. The lead evaluator is independently determine the sample and the field sites in consultation with the JP team.
• Data analysis and triangulation: Findings will be generated through systematic triangulation of information from multiple sources and methods. The analysis will assess programme performance against the evaluation criteria and answer the evaluation questions while considering gender equality, human rights, conflict sensitivity, and inclusion dimensions.
• Inception phase: The final methodological approach, including the evaluation matrix, sampling strategy, data sources, data collection schedule, analytical framework, and quality assurance measures, shall be detailed in the Inception Report and reviewed and agreed upon with the Evaluation Manager and key evaluation stakeholders prior to data collection.
• Fieldwork and onsite participation: The evaluation team is expected to conduct onsite field visits to selected JP locations to undertake stakeholder consultations, KIIs, FGDs, and direct observation where necessary to validate findings and capture contextual factors influencing JP results.

The evaluation team and its collaborators will follow the UN Women Evaluation Handbook, UNDP Evaluation Guidelines, and UNEG Norms and Standards for Evaluation. The process will uphold independence, impartiality, ethical conduct, inclusivity, conflict sensitivity, and the use of credible evidence for accountability, learning, and decision-making.

The evaluation is expected to report using disaggregated data. To the extent possible, the evaluation will integrate an inclusive approach and ensure do no harm in engaging marginalized groups, including from diverse SOGIESC, persons with disabilities and/or ethnic minorities, data privacy guidelines. Ethical protocol will be developed and annexed to the inception report.

The evaluation findings will be disseminated through a structured knowledge-sharing and utilization process targeting primary and secondary users. This will include a validation workshop with the Joint Project Steering Committee and key stakeholders, dissemination of an executive summary and policy brief, learning and reflection sessions with implementing partners to ensure accountability to rights-holders and beneficiaries. The findings and recommendations will further inform management responses, future Women, Peace and Security programming, policy dialogue, and the potential scaling and replication of successful approaches within BARMM and other regions of the Philippines.

1. Ethical considerations:

UN Women will develop a UN Women Evaluation Consultant Agreement Form for the evaluator, which must be signed as part of the contracting process. This form is based on the UNEG Ethical Guidelines and Code of Conduct. All data collected by the consultant must be submitted to the evaluation manager in Word, PowerPoint or Excel formats and is the property of UN Women. Proper storage of data is essential for ensuring confidentiality and a data protection plan will be developed during the inception phase. The evaluation’s value added is its impartial and systematic assessment of the project. As with the other stages of the evaluation, involvement of stakeholders should not interfere with the impartiality of the evaluation. The evaluators have the final judgment on the findings, conclusions and recommendations of the evaluation report, and the evaluator must be protected from pressures to change information in the report.

Proper procedures for data collection with rights holders who may have been affected by violence must be adhered to as outlined in the Improving the collection and use of administrative data on VAW and WHO Ethical and Safety Recommendations for research on violence against women.Fieldwork shall comply with applicable UN security requirements, and data collection should be conducted in appropriate local languages and, where relevant, by women data collectors. Enhanced safeguarding measures shall apply to participants under 18. Particular attention shall be given to protecting the identity, confidentiality and security of women mediators, women peacebuilders and other potentially at-risk participants, including through anonymization or aggregation of sensitive information where necessary. These safeguards, including data protection and secure storage arrangements, shall be detailed in the inception report and applied throughout data collection, analysis and reporting. Additionally, if the evaluator(s) identify issues of wrongdoing, fraud or other unethical conduct, UN Women and UNDP procedures must be followed and confidentiality be maintained. The UN Women Legal Framework for Addressing Non-Compliance withUN Standards of Conduct, and accompanying policies protecting against retaliation and prohibiting harassment and abuse of authority, provide a cohesive framework aimed at creating and maintaining a harmonious working environment, ensuring that staff members do not engage in any wrongdoing and that all allegations of wrongdoing are reported promptly, investigated and appropriate action taken to achieve accountability.

The Lead Evaluator and evaluation team members shall maintain independence and impartiality throughout the evaluation. They must disclose any actual, potential, or perceived conflict of interest, including prior or current professional, financial, organizational, or other relationships with the JP, participating UN organizations, implementing partners, donors, or other key stakeholders that could compromise, or reasonably be perceived to compromise, the independence of the evaluation. Any conflict identified before or during the evaluation shall be promptly disclosed and addressed through appropriate mitigation measures.

The evaluation team may use approved AI tools to support specific evaluation tasks, provided their use complies with UN Women and UNDP requirements on data protection, information security, ethics and safeguarding. Any sensitive data used in AI-supported processing must be appropriately protected and anonymized, and AI-generated outputs must be reviewed and validated by the evaluation team. AI may support but will not replace human evaluative judgement, and the evaluation team remains fully responsible for the analysis, findings, conclusions and recommendations.

1. Limitations:

The evaluation team (one lead evaluator and 2 data collectors) will rely on the accuracy and completeness of the documents provided by the offices,

with independent verification of the information provided, where possible. To avoid biases raised, the information will be triangulated and validated with the JP team at UN Women and UNDP.

1. Management Arrangements:

JPSC as the Evaluation Reference Group

The Joint Project Steering Committee (JPSC), serving as the Evaluation Reference Group (ERG), will provide strategic oversight, institutional guidance, and governance support throughout the evaluation process. The JPSC will help ensure that the evaluation remains relevant to the Joint Programme’s strategic objectives, stakeholder priorities, and accountability and learning needs, while safeguarding the independence, credibility, and impartiality of the evaluation.

In its ERG capacity, the JPSC will provide strategic guidance on the evaluation scope and Terms of Reference; facilitate meaningful engagement of key stakeholders; review and provide strategic inputs on major evaluation deliverables; and support the validation and contextualization of evaluation findings and recommendations. The JPSC will also promote ownership, learning, and use of evaluation results in programme decision-making and future programming. Following completion of the evaluation, the JPSC will provide strategic oversight to the development and endorsement of the management response and monitor progress on agreed follow-up actions arising from the evaluation recommendations. While exercising these functions, the JPSC will maintain an oversight and advisory role and will not interfere with the evaluators’ methodological decisions, analysis, judgments, or conclusions, thereby preserving the independence and integrity of the evaluation process.

The evaluation will be jointly managed by UN Women and UNDP, with clearly defined roles and accountabilities throughout the evaluation process. Overall management responsibility will rest with the UN Women WPS Programme Specialist, supported by the Monitoring and Reporting Analyst for day-to-day coordination, documentation, stakeholder engagement, and consolidation of comments from the Joint Programme (JP) team. The Lead Evaluator will have primary responsibility for the technical leadership and conduct of the evaluation, including the evaluation design and methodology, data collection and analysis, and preparation of evidence-based findings, conclusions, recommendations, and all evaluation deliverables. The Lead Evaluator will retain independent professional judgment and responsibility for determining how comments are addressed and incorporated, consistent with applicable evaluation standards.

The review and approval of key evaluation deliverables, including the inception report, draft evaluation report, and final evaluation report, will follow a clear sequence: (1) Lead Evaluator submission, with the Lead Evaluator submitting the deliverable to the evaluation management team; (2) JP Team review, with UN Women and UNDP programme teams reviewing the deliverable for factual accuracy, completeness, programme context, and consistency with the agreed scope, and consolidating comments for the Lead Evaluator; (3) Technical Quality Assurance, with the UN Women ROAP IES and UNDP Results and Quality Team reviewing the deliverable for methodological rigor, evidence-based analysis, and compliance with applicable UNEG, UN Women, GERAAS, and UNDP evaluation standards; (4) Lead Evaluator revision and finalization, with the Lead Evaluator considering and addressing consolidated comments while retaining independence over evaluation judgments, findings, conclusions, and recommendations; (5) ERG/JPSC strategic review and acceptance, with the JPSC, acting as the Evaluation Reference Group (ERG), reviewing the deliverable from a strategic governance, accountability, learning, and stakeholder perspective and confirming that the agreed evaluation scope and requirements have been satisfactorily addressed; and (6) Formal approval, with the designated evaluation management authority confirming completion and approval of the deliverable following technical quality assurance and JPSC/ERG acceptance. Formal acceptance or approval of a deliverable will confirm that the agreed contractual and evaluation requirements have been met and will not constitute approval, alteration, or endorsement of the independent findings, conclusions, or recommendations, which remain the professional responsibility of the Lead Evaluator.

The Evaluation lead National Consultant will be supported by two Data Collector (National Consultant) that will facilitate data collection processes, such as collection of documents and co-facilitation of interviews and focus group discussions. The Data Collector National Consultant will directly report to the Monitoring and Reporting Analyst hired under the Joint Programme and the evaluation lead provides the technical direction of the two data collectors work/task. The Evaluation Lead National Consultant will report to the WPS Programme Specialist of UN Women Philippines, in close collaboration with the UNDP Peacebuilding Project Manager-Peace and Stabilization Team. Both consultants are expected to work closely in the conduct of this final evaluation, and to undertake regular consultations and updating with the UN Women and UNDP JP team. The authority of approval of all the deliverable will be via joint UN Women and UNDP consent. UN Women administrative approach will be strictly followed throughout the review process.

1. Expected final evaluation activities, deliverables and timeframe.

The final evaluation will be conducted according to the following phases and timeline (subject to adjustment):

No.Key JP Final Evaluation ActivitiesIndicative deadline1

Preparation:

• Development of Terms of Reference (ToR) of the Evaluation and submission to the JPSC
• Approval of ToR from the JPSC
• Recruitment of the evaluation team (one evaluation lead and 2 data collectors)

June 2026-October 15, 2026

2	Inception of the Final Evaluation: Briefing and consultation with JP team Desk reviewof key documents including baseline study, evaluability assessment, Mid Term Review, Project Monitoring Framework, Project Documents and others. Evaluability assessment and reconstruction of the TOC if needed. Stakeholders workshop if needed Evaluation matrix and datacollection tools Presentationof the inception report to JP team feedback and comments Submission of final versionof the inception report	November 15, 2026-Janaury 30, 2027
3	Data collection and analysis: Data collection, including virtual and on-site interviews and meetings and debriefing withUN Women and UNDP upon finalization Data systematization, analysis and interpretation of findings	February-April 15, 2027
4	Reporting: Presentthe preliminary findings to JPSC to validate findings and allow theevaluators to incorporate preliminary feedback in the draft report. Draft report Comments and feedback fromJPSC Final Evaluation report Presentation of the finalevaluation report to the JPSC	May-July 15, 2027
5	Use and follow-ups: Management response within 3 weeks of completion Development of knowledge and communication products Communications based on the final evaluation to be disseminated widely to stakeholders and public	July 16, 2027-August 30, 2027

Evaluation Lead National Consultants Key Deliverables:

To ensure the timely and high-quality implementation of the final evaluation, the Evaluation Lead National Consultant will be responsible for delivering a series of key outputs throughout the evaluation cycle. The table below presents the consultant’s main deliverables and expected timelines.

No.Key DeliverablesIndicative deadline1

Inception Report and power point presentation. The inception report should capture relevant information including background, and proposed methods for data collection and analysis. The inception report should also include an evaluation review matrix, guiding questions, methodology, list of stakeholders to be engaged, and proposed schedule of tasks, activities and deliverables.

Theinception report shouldbe approved bythe JPSC

Development of collection tools

December 15, 2026-January 15, 2027

Presentation of preliminary findings to the JPSC

The consultant will share preliminary findings and recommendations with the ERG at the end of the field visits/data collection phase.

April 30, 2027

Submission of draft Evaluation Report. The report willbe structured as follows:

• Title
• Executive summary
• Context / Background andproject description
• Purpose, objectives and scope
• Methodology and limitations
• Findings structured by evaluation criteria
• Conclusions
• Recommendations
• Lessons learned and innovations.
• Proposed dissemination Strategy
• Annexes:
  • Terms ofreference
  • List ofdocuments/publications reviewed and cited.
  • Data collection instruments
  • Lists of institutions consulted, and sites visited (without direct reference to individuals)
  • Evaluation matrix.
  • List of findings, conclusions and recommendations

May 30, 2027

Submission of a Finalevaluation Report andpower point presentation. Revise the draft report- in line with feedback provided by UN Women, UNDP and partners.

Deliverable: Finalreport of no more thanforty pages. Thereport should be structured as the draft Evaluation report

Brief (2 pager) with an overview of the evaluation methodology, key findings, conclusions and recommendations.

The finalevaluation report should be presented tothe JPSC,

June 30-July 15, 2027

All deliverables, including the Inception Report, Draft Evaluation Report, Final Evaluation Report, presentation materials, annexes, datasets, and other supporting documents, shall be prepared and submitted in English.

The Inception Report will be subject to technical review and approval by the JP Team, UN Women, and UNDP prior to the commencement of data collection. The review period for the Inception Report will be up to two weeks following receipt of the document, after which consolidated comments will be provided to the Evaluation Lead National Consultant for revision and finalization.

The Draft Evaluation Report will undergo a quality assurance and technical review process by the JP Team, UN Women, UNDP, and key stakeholders. Consolidated comments will be provided to the consultant for incorporation into the Final Evaluation Report. The review period for the Draft Evaluation Report will be one week following receipt, consistent with the evaluation timeline.

The Final Evaluation Report and all accompanying annexes will be submitted upon incorporation of comments received during the review process. Final approval of the report by the JPSC, will serve as the basis for the release of the final payment installment.

All data collected by the consultant must be submitted to the JP team in Word, PowerPoint or Excel formats and is the property of the PUNOs. Proper storage of data is essential for ensuring confidentiality and should be in line with UN Policy on data management and security. Final reports will follow the United Nations Editorial Manual, which can be found here.

1. Inputs

• UN Joint Programme team will provide the Consultant with background information and documents, and a list of stakeholders relevant to the assignment.
• The Consultant is expected to work using his/her own devices (e.g., computer, recorder, etc.).
• UN Women and UNDP will directly cover travel costs as per UN rules and regulations.
• Two data collectors will be hired/deployed to support the data collection in the field and accompany the Evaluation lead consultant. The evaluation lead provides technical direction of the two data collectors work.

1. Scope of bid price and schedule of payments:

The contract price is a fixed deliverable-based price regardless of the extension of the contract duration. Payment will be made once deliverables detailed in section III are submitted and approved by UN Women as lead PUNO.

The lump sum costs should include a consultancy fee, administration costs, communication costs, and expenses related to the consultancy. All prices/rates quoted must be exclusive of all taxes. The lump sum costs must be accompanied by a detailed breakdown of costs calculation using the template in Annex 1.

1. Performance review:

The Consultant’s performance will be evaluated based on timeliness, responsibility/responsiveness, initiative, communication, accuracy, and quality of the products delivered.

1. Required experience and qualifications:

The Consultant should fulfil the following requirements:

1. Education

• Master’s degree in Political Science or Social Science, Gender Studies, International Development or in Monitoring and Evaluation

1. Experience:

• At least ten years of relevant experience in evaluation and review and research at the national or international level
• Minimum seven years of relevant work experience undertaking reviews, assessments, or evaluations of programmes relating to gender equality.
• The candidate should have a minimum of seven years of experience in programme development or implementation with a particular attention to monitoring and evaluation results related to Women, Peace and Security project(s).
• Proven experience in facilitating workshops on results-based and participatory monitoring and reporting;
• Experience in the United Nations systems and/or UN Women would be an advantage;
• Knowledge of the Philippines and BARMM context would be preferable.
• Previous work experience with ASEAN and/or the UN in Southeast Asia is strongly preferred.
• Share/provide one recent evaluation writing sample

2. Language and other skills:

• Proficiency in oral and written English
• Computer literacy and ability to effectively use office technology equipment, Internet and email.
• Excellent facilitation skills

1. Submission package:
2. Cover letter.
3. Curriculum vitae including contact information of at least 3 referees.

4. A financial proposal. The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount per each deliverable, including any administrative fees, based on the template in Annex 1. The lump sum costs must be accompanied by a detailed breakdown of costs calculation.

The documents detailed above should be submitted in one PDF document. Applications without any of the items listed above will be treated as incomplete and will not be considered for further processing.

Please note that only short-listed candidates will be invited to the interview.

Selected candidates will need to submit before the commencement of work:

1. A copy of the latest academic certificate
2. UN Women P-11 form, available via http://www.unwomen.org/en/about-us/employment
3. Review:

Applications will be evaluated based on the Cumulative analysis.

• Technical Qualification (100 points) weight; [70%]
• Financial Proposal (100 points) weight; [30%]

A two-stage procedure is utilised in evaluating the proposals, with a review of the technical proposal being completed before any price proposal is compared. Only the price proposal of the candidates who passed the minimum technical score of 70% of the obtainable score of 100 points in the technical qualification review will be evaluated.

Technical qualification review criteria:

The total number of points allotted for the technical qualification component is 100. The technical qualification of the individual is evaluated based on the following technical qualification review criteria:

Technical Review Criteria

Obtainable Score

Education	5
Experience and skills	80
Writing sample	10
Language and other skills	5
Total Obtainable Score	100

Only the candidates who meet the minimum requirements will be shortlisted, and additional documentation may be requested. Candidates with a minimum of 70% of total points will be considered technically qualified candidates and will be shortlisted for interviews.

Financial/Price Proposal review:

• Only the financial proposal of candidates who have attained a minimum of 70% score in the technical review will be considered and evaluated.
• The total number of points allotted for the price component is 100.
• The maximum number of points will be allotted to the lowest price proposal that is opened/ evaluated and compared among those technically qualified candidates who have attained a minimum of 70% score in the technical review. All other price proposals will receive points in inverse proportion to the lowest price.

Competencies :

Core Values:

• Integrity;
• Professionalism;
• Respect for Diversity.

Core Competencies:

• 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:

Statements :

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.

Diversity and inclusion:

At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity and organizational need.

If you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in your application.

UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to UN Women’s policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UN Women personnel and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. (Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.)

Note: Applicants must ensure that all sections of the application form, including the sections on education and employment history, are completed. If all sections are not completed the application may be disqualified from the recruitment and selection process.