Consultant FGM evidence- advocacy and accountability

Purpose of consultancy:

The overall purpose of this international consultancy is to translate the latest empirical data, research findings, and legal/policy analyses regarding FGM/C in Asia into evidence-based advocacy messages, policy briefs and use them for movement-building to increase accountability. The consultant will bridge the gap between evidence and action, supporting regional networks, civil society organizations (CSOs), youth leaders, and national stakeholders to advance evidence- based advocacy and UNFPA COs to strengthen evidence- based narratives on FGM/C.

UNFPA is the lead United Nations agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is intended, every childbirth is safe, and every young person's potential is fulfilled. The UNFPA Strategic Plan for  articulates the organization’s response to a complex global environment, providing a roadmap for resilience and renewal. It is designed to accelerate the implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

This mandate is pursued through a focus on four interconnected outcomes: ending the unmet need for family planning; ending preventable maternal deaths; ending gender-based violence and harmful practices; and adapting to demographic change through evidence and rights-based policies.

In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff who embody these international norms and standards and will defend them courageously and with full conviction.

UNFPA is seeking candidates who transform, inspire, and deliver high-impact sustained results, ensuring effective external relations, communications, partnership-building and resource mobilization in a rapidly changing development and funding landscape. We need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them, and who commit to delivering excellence in programme results

An estimated 80 million girls and women in Asia have undergone Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C), accounting for approximately 35% of the global burden. Despite its high prevalence across South and Southeast Asia—including Indonesia, Malaysia, India, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, and others—the region remains underrepresented in global discussions due to limited political visibility, sensitive cultural contexts, and a growing trend toward the medicalization of the practice.

Under the DFAT-supported TUSIP initiative, UNFPA and UNICEF are jointly implementing the regional programme "Breaking the Silence:
Increasing Accountability on Addressing Female Genital Mutilation in South-East Asia" (2024–2028). The programme aims to accelerate progress toward SDG 5.3 by strengthening regional accountability, generating robust evidence, supporting civil society movements, and shifting social and gender norms.

In the first half of 2026, the programme undertook a mid term review which featured key recommendations on strengthening knowledge management across countries in the region and elevate the regional accountability framework (RAF) to a flagship initiative for regional and global impact.

Within this framework this consultancy will strengthen the knowledge management of the programme, ensuring cross-country learning and movement building for increased accountability, ensuring strengthened understanding and coordination for the implementation of the RAF among strategic partners and beyond. To do so, this consultancy will focus on translating emerging regional research and data into actionable advocacy products, strategic movement-building initiatives, cross-learning initiatives for increased accountability.

In details, the consultant will:

• Develop a mapping of “who does what” among CSOs in the region
• Support the geo-visualization of the mapping, linking it with the implementation of Regional Accountability Framework
• Support the operationalization of the Regional FGM Accountability Framework to monitor national and regional commitments toward eliminating harmful practices.
• Develop tools and…