Background
The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) is the global organization of national parliaments. It was founded in 1889 as the first multilateral political organization in the world, encouraging cooperation and dialogue between all nations. Today, the IPU comprises 183 national Member Parliaments and 15 regional parliamentary bodies. The IPU promotes democratic governance, institutions and values, working with parliaments and parliamentarians to articulate and respond to the needs and aspirations of the people. It works for peace, democracy, human rights, gender equality, youth empowerment, climate action and sustainable development through political dialogue, cooperation and parliamentary action.
The IPU recognizes gender equality as a key component of democracy and works to achieve the equal participation of men and women in politics. It provides support to parliaments in advancing gender equality, increasing women’s political participation and leadership, and in transforming themselves into gender-sensitive institutions that deliver on women’s rights. Combatting and eliminating sexism, harassment and violence against women in politics and in parliament are at the heart of such support.
In 2026, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) is funding the IPU to implement the project Support to women’s political participation in and through parliament. These funds will allow the IPU to continue and extend its assistance to
parliaments in about 10 countries in their efforts to enhance women’s political participation, build capacities to promote gender equality, advance actions and work on gender-sensitive issues, and combat gender-based violence, in particular online violence.
Tasks
Under the supervision of the Manager of the Gender Partnership Programme, the Senior Project consultant will carry out tasks and responsibilities related to project coordination, research and needs assessments, capacity building, monitoring, evaluation and reporting and communications in six priority countries, namely Armenia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Republic of Moldova, Serbia, and Türkiye.
More specifically, the Senior Project consultant will be responsible for the following
tasks:
Project coordination
- Plan, implement, monitor, evaluate, and report on the project activities.
- Develop and maintain project timelines, budgets and reporting schedules.
- Prepare communication tools and materials on the project and its activities.
- Coordinate project activities with the beneficiary parliaments and other relevant stakeholders, including Swedish embassies/accredited missions
Research and needs assessment
- Conduct desk research and establish baselines on women’s political participation, gender equality, and violence against women in parliament and politics in the target countries.
- Carry out in-country missions to assess needs, gather relevant information and data, and build relationships and understanding with the beneficiary parliaments.
- Prepare detailed reports on findings and recommendations based on assessments.
Capacity-building
- Organize muti-stakeholders round tables to assess needs and mobilize engagement.
- Roll out workshops, trainings and briefings aimed at building knowledge and capacities of members of parliament (MPs) in general and women MPs in particular and parliamentary staff.
- Support caucuses of women MPs, their members and support staff.
- Organize and facilitate parliaments’ gender sensitivity self-assessments.
Monitoring, evaluation and reporting
- Establish indicators for measuring the success of the project activities and outcomes.
- Monitor project progress, prepare regular updates, and submit progress reports to the IPU and Sida, ensuring compliance with reporting requirements.
Communication
- Facilitate liaison and communication between the IPU, parliaments and other stakeholders, ensuring alignment with project goals.
- Prepare communication materials to promote project achievements.
The Senior Project consultant will carry out these tasks and responsibilities in line with IPU’s Common Principles for Support to Parliaments.
The Senior Project consultant will work and coordinate with other consultants of the Project.
Deliverables
Key deliverables will include:
- A baseline document including findings from desk research on women’s political participation, gender equality, a parliament’s gender sensitivity and violence against women in politics in the countries targeted by the project.
- In-country missions in the six targeted countries, including meetings with stakeholders to assess needs and facilitate identification and planning of priority activities to be implemented by December 2026.
- Needs assessment reports summarizing findings from in-country missions.
- A detailed work plan outlining project activities, timelines, responsible parties, activity budgets, and notes to inform and facilitate implementation of activities.
- Country level multi-stakeholders’ workshop on parity/enhancing women’s political participation in each of the following countries: Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Türkiye.
- One training or another type of empowerment activity for women MPs in each of the following countries: Armenia, Serbia and Türkiye.
- One activity in support to the caucus of women parliamentarians in Moldova.
- Coordination with another consultant to organize in-person multi-stakeholders’ round tables, guidance on legal drafting, an trainings for MPs and parliamentary staff on combatting digital violence against women in politics and gender-based disinformation and biases in Moldova, Armenia, Serbia and Türkiye.
- Monthly progress reports on project implementation, including challenges faced and solutions implemented or proposed.
- Final narrative report recapping outcomes and outputs advanced, providing facts and figures, focusing on impact and results, and exploring lessons learned and next steps.
Required experience and qualifications
- Advances university degree in political science or law; specialization in gender studies an asset.
- At least 10 years of experience in work related to gender equality and/or women’s rights required.
- At least five years of experience in project management required, experience in an international organization and/or a parliamentary setting would be an asset.
- Experience of work in one or more of the project’s beneficiary countries would be an asset.
- Complete fluency in English required, fluency in one of the languages spoken in the project’s beneficiary countries, would be an asset.
- Excellent drafting skills in English required.
- Personal attributes of initiative, self-motivation and sound judgement. Aptitude for human contacts and resourcefulness; team spirit; and attention to details. Adaptability to varying working environments and conditions.
- General computer skills (MS Office applications, internet).
Other requirements
- Willingness and availability to travel extensively for in-country missions as needed.
- Good connections with gender experts and trainers specialized in women’s political participation, digital violence against women in politics and the empowerment of women MPs or politicians.
- Experience in organizing workshops, multi-stakeholders’ meetings and events, missions and trainings.
Time frame and conditions
The Senior Project consultant will undertake this work over a timeline commencing on 15 August 2026 and concluding on 31 December 2026. Over this period, he/she shall be expected to work a maximum of 83 days. The Senior Project consultant can be home-based or based in the IPU Headquarters in Geneva.
This position will be for an initial period of five months, renewable depending on satisfactory performance and availability of funding. The IPU shall cover the expenses related to the missions that the Senior Project consultant will need to carry out for purposes of the above assignments.
Employment conditions
The Senior Project consultant is an independent contractor, is not considered to be an official or employee of the IPU and is not subject to the IPU Staff Regulations and Staff Rules. The Senior Project consultant is not entitled to recover from the IPU any
income tax payable in respect of the fee provided under this contract and shall be solely liable for the payment of any national income tax due in respect of the emoluments payable under this contract.
