Apply Now: UNFPA Home-Based Consultant Opportunity 2026–2027| Apply to Document Successful Programming on Harmful Practices

Overview

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is seeking an international consultant to document successful programming approaches against harmful practices, including child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation. The consultancy is home-based and supports the UNFPA Asia-Pacific Regional Office. It falls under UNFPA's Strategic Plan 2026-2029 objective of accelerating progress toward ending gender-based violence and harmful practices. The consultant reports to the UNFPA APRO GBV Advisor.

What the role involves

The consultant will analyse and synthesise regional evidence on social norms and develop seven knowledge products and advocacy briefs. Topics are the catalytic impact of the DFAT-funded TUSIP programme, adaptive management during crises, long-term investment, evidence-based approaches to end FGM in Indonesia, UNFPA's comparative advantage, a framework linking drivers of child marriage to interventions in six countries, and the link between pronatalism and child marriage. The consultant will also develop and roll out a harmonised tool for measuring social norms change and support at least four countries in using it.

Requirements

Applicants need a PhD or Master's degree in gender studies, sociology, human rights, public health, international development or a related field, and at least 10 years of research and programming experience on harmful practices and changing social norms. Required experience includes managing or conducting research on social norms change or gender-based violence, documenting programmes, and working with UNFPA or UNICEF programming on harmful practices. Expert-level policy brief writing for institutional donors and proficiency in English are needed.

What you get

The contract is for a maximum of 155 working days, from 1 November 2026 to 30 October 2027. Payment comes in four instalments after acceptance of each deliverable: 10 percent, 35 percent, 35 percent and 20 percent. Deliverables are due on 15 December 2026, 30 March 2027, 30 June 2027 and 20 October 2027.

Key dates

Applications must be submitted by 6 September 2026 at 23:59 New York time.