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UNESCO Regional Office in Bangkok seeks the services of a youth-led/serving institution/organization based in Asia to convene and to co-chair with UNESCO Bangkok, a regional Project Reference Group for its project 'Youth Leadership for LGBTIQ+ Inclusive Learning Spaces'. Working closely with UNESCO Bangkok, the contractor will establish a workplan of activities of the Project Reference Group (PRG) that will provide overall guidance to, and quality assurance of project implementation, communication, monitoring and reporting of project implementation countries during 2025-2026, with its members offering expert inputs, peer support and technical review of all the project’s activities and outputs. 

UNESCO Regional Office in Bangkok (UNESCO Bangkok), working in partnership with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer and other diverse (LGBTIQ+) youth networks across Asian countries, is supporting a 5-year project (2021-2026) on enhancing LGBTIQ+ inclusion in education, while simultaneously advancing solutions to combating discrimination and violence in learning spaces based on sexual orientation and gender identity or expression or sex characteristics (SOGIESC). 

To date, project activities have been implemented by youth leaders in Thailand and Singapore in 2023 and 2024, with technical and financial support from UNESCO Bangkok. For the period 2025-2026, UNESCO is engaging with youth-led/serving partner organizations in Japan and the Philippines to design and lead together with learners, implementation of small-scale projects on inclusive education advocacy in formal education settings. 

In keeping with the principle of meaningful youth engagement and towards fulfilling the project’s outcome of empowering youth leadership, the convening of the PRG by a youth-led/serving organization is a strategic mechanism to ensure that young project implementers at country-level, benefit from the guidance and coaching of their regional peers, and that relevant experiences of diverse LGBTIQ+ youth leaders are structurally integrated into the design, implementation, and monitoring of project components.  

Since 2022, a PRG has been convened under the project with youth leaders from across Asia, to advise the in-country project implementation of youth-led activities and provide feedback to UNESCO Bangkok. The PRG aims to:

• Strengthen the quality of the project’s technical elements (process and outputs) and ensure fidelity of its objectives and key principles relating to meaningful participation, inclusion, equity, gender equality and human rights;
• Enhance the innovative elements of the project implementation by contributing ideas, tools and networks of experts, creatives and influentials as part of a wider resource bank from which to draw;
• Amplify the communications and outreach surrounding the project, its achievements, key messages and outputs; and,
• Guide the project’s monitoring and evaluation activities, including support to overall documentation and dissemination of results and lessons learned. 

The PRG is comprised of a maximum 12 members, including the Contractor and UNESCO Bangkok as co-chairs. The PRG includes ‘mandatory membership’ from a representative from each of UNESCO’s project implementing partners (Japan and the Philippines in 2025-2026) and a representative of a UN partner agency in Asia. The PRG’s ‘additional membership’ includes representatives who are mobilized from youth organizations in Asia serving diverse constituencies working on key thematic areas of the project: LGBTIQ+ inclusion; inclusive education; meaningful youth engagement; safe and healthy learning environments; youth leadership and empowerment; advocacy campaigns; digital advocacy; youth sexual and reproductive health and rights; right to education, gender equality and human rights etc. The PRG’s ‘additional membership’ have their contributions acknowledged through a modest financial stipend that is disbursed during their period of service to the PRG.

Under the overall authority of the Regional Director, UNESCO Regional Office in Bangkok, the guidance of the Chief of Education Section, and the direct supervision of the Regional Advisor on Education for Health and Well-being, the Contractor is required to recruit membership for, and manage engagement with the PRG, develop and coordinate implementation of the PRG’s workplan(s), and co-chair with UNESCO and provide secretariat support for four, online quarterly meetings, and one, online public-facing event to be scheduled during the contract timeframe. 

Working in close consultation with UNESCO, key tasks of the Contractor will include to: 

1. Review existing project documentation to become familiar with the project, its objectives and achievements to-date. Documents will include: the project summary, project communications plan, project monitoring and evaluation plan; activity plans of project implementers in Japan and the Philippines; past reports of the 2023-2024 PRG; report of the project’s 2025 Learning Exchange meeting and the mid-term evaluation report of the project. Relevant existing project documents will be shared with the Contractor by UNESCO.
2. Review and update, as necessary, the existing PRG Terms of Reference (TOR) to strengthen meaningful engagement with members and enable timely coordination over a period of 12 months. Each PRG member shall contribute a maximum of 12 working days to the PRG. The existing PRG TOR will be shared with the Contractor by UNESCO.
3. Design and deliver an online approach for recruiting to the PRG, an expected six ‘additional members’. This includes the drafting of selection criteria, the drafting and implementation of the recruitment strategy (e.g. open call or targeted outreach), the drafting of basic service agreements to be co-signed with each ‘additional member’ recruited to the PRG, based on a scope of work agreed with UNESCO, and the finalization of the recruitment process to establish the 2025-2026 PRG.  
4. Draft, deliver and monitor progress of the 12-month workplan (15 June 2025 to 15 June 2026) of the PRG to: facilitate and monitor a peer-review process (eg through meetings, email exchanges and parallel, remote review etc.) of the PRG to provide feedback and technical inputs to: a maximum four milestone outputs of the implementing partners in Japan and the Philippines, including outputs on draft capacity-building/training plans and draft project proposals of trained youth groups; draft UNESCO project communications plan; and, draft UNESCO Learning Exchange 2026 meeting concept note and agenda. The Contractor shall consolidate and summarize all provided feedback for UNESCO’s review. Each round of review shall allocate seven calendar days for members’ review and three calendar days for the Contractor’s consolidation and summarizing. All draft milestone outputs will be shared with the Contractor by UNESCO.  The Contractor shall finalize the PRG workplan in consultation with PRG members.
5. Organize four, online quarterly meetings and one, online public-facing event of the PRG, on dates and at times agreed with its members. Online meetings will be co-chaired by the Contractor and UNESCO. The agenda and notes for record of each online meeting will be drafted by the Contractor. The meeting agenda of each online meeting shall be sent by the Contractor to the PRG members at least 5 days prior to the agreed meeting date. The detailed notes for record of each meeting shall be made available and shared with the PRG members within 14 days after the meeting date.   
6. Participate in virtual quarterly project check-in meetings to provide project updates with the UNESCO team during office hours of Bangkok, Thailand.
7. Provide a stipend up-to USD1920 to each of the six recruited ‘additional membership’ representatives in the PRG members covering at least 12 working days (on the basis of an eight-hour working day) over a period of 12 months as acknowledgement of their technical support to the project. The Contractor is expected to disburse payments upon submission by each PRG ‘additional membership’ representative of a 1-page written summary of their review of milestone outputs, and the quarterly online meeting attendance sheet. The stipend will be paid in three tranches – in the 4^th, 8^th, and 12^th months of their membership.
8. Participate in a post-project evaluation activity commissioned by UNESCO (dates TBC and based on prior agreement), including taking part in key informant or focus group discussion(s), mobilizing PRG members to be engaged through survey and qualitative data collection, and joining a Learning Exchange and validation meeting organized by UNESCO Bangkok to receive and react to evaluation findings (meeting format and dates TBC, with any participation expenses borne by UNESCO).
9. Prepare and submit a consultancy close-out report (maximum 10, A-4 pages excluding annexes) covering all convening, coordination and co-chairing support provided to the PRG and proposed action points for UNESCO; revise and finalize the report based on feedback provided by UNESCO. 

Contractor tasks and anticipated number of days and level of effort (40 days in total)

• Preparatory: Tasks 1-3
  Anticipated level of effort (Consultancy days): 6
• Implementation: Task 4-6
  Anticipated level of effort (Consultancy days): 26
• Wrap-up and closure: Task 7-9
  Anticipated level of effort (Consultancy days): 8
• Total number of consultancy days: 40

The Contractor will be required to work for a maximum period of 14 months spanning the period May 2025 to July 2026. 

The Contractor shall submit the following deliverables (submission dates provisional):

1. Updated workplan to deliver an approach to recruit, convene and co-chair the PRG over a period of 12 months; revised Terms of Reference for the PRG; and provisional list of the PRG members (maximum 10, A4 pages, excluding annexes) by 30 June 2025.
2. Narrative progress report on all meetings and peer-review carried out up to that time, including recordings and notes of the meetings delivered with proof of PRG attendance, and summary of PRG’s peer-review inputs; and final workplan and list of PRG members (maximum 10, A4 pages, excluding annexes) by 30 October 2025.
3. Narrative progress report on all meetings and peer-review carried out up to that time, including recordings and notes of the meetings delivered with proof of PRG attendance, and summary of PRG’s peer-review inputs (maximum 10, A4 pages, excluding annexes) by 28 February 2025.
4. Final, revised contract close-out report (maximum 15, A4 pages, excluding annexes) with proposed action points for UNESCO, and appendices of all payment receipts from third-party service providers and transaction proofs to the additional members of PRG, including the evidence of stipend disbursement to six PRG additional members: the quarterly online meeting attendance sheet, 1-page member review submissions per output round, and a summary of the stipend disbursement by 21 July 2026.

The contract shall conclude by 21 July 2026 at the latest.

The Contractor will be home-based in any location. It is expected that the Contractor will be available to meet with the UNESCO team (online) during office hours of Bangkok, Thailand. No duty travel or physical presence at the UNESCO Bangkok office is expected. 

The contractor will be directly supervised by, and report to the Regional Advisor on Education for Health and Well-being, UNESCO Bangkok. In addition to the submission of contract deliverables, the contractor will routinely engage with the Regional Advisor and members of the Education Section through emails and virtual meetings. Upon commencing the consultancy, the contractor will participate in an initial online meeting with UNESCO Bangkok to reconfirm the parameters of the consultancy and to update, as needed, the consultancy approach to work and timeline, to define required sub-tasks and interim outputs to be carried out as contractor and the supportive inputs required from UNESCO and collaborating partners on the respective activities.

Institution/Organization Profile

Qualifications:

• The Firm/Institution must be a legally constituted entity and have demonstrated capacity for receiving, administering and reporting on project funds provided by a UN organization;
• Must have demonstrated subject matter expertise in one or more of the following: expert group management and coordination, youth development, education, gender, human rights, social inclusion and social justice, public policy, social work or other social sciences. 
       Experience:
• Must have minimum 3 years of related professional experience in coordinating civil society-led development projects and/or LGBTIQ+ community mobilization, including providing basic secretariat support. Submission of at least two (2) references/supporting examples of relevant projects previously managed.
• Must be able to engage in online meetings with/organized by UNESCO and provide written technical and financial project reports in the English language.
• Demonstrated previous experience working with the UN and/or other multilateral, bilateral or development partners (Desirable).
• Demonstrated previous experience working directly with youth-led/serving organization (Desirable).

Skills: 

• Strong project management skills, including the ability to manage timelines, convene and coordinate with multiple stakeholders, and ensure the timely delivery of high-quality outputs.
• Proficiency in designing, delivering, and coordinating remote and in-person meetings that are participatory, engaging, effective, and tailored to the needs of LGBTIQ+ youth and their allies.
• Ability to use digital platforms and tools to support advocacy work, facilitate online collaboration, and deliver virtual meetings.

Language Requirements:

• The Institution/Organization must have a high level of proficiency in English, both written and spoken, to ensure clear communication and the production of high-quality reports.

Lead Consultant 

Education: 

• Advanced university degree (Master's or equivalent) in project management and coordination, education, development studies, social sciences, or other related disciplines. 

 Experience: 

• 3-5 years of experience in project management  
• Demonstrated experience in convening with groups of youth and facilitating consultative and participatory discussions, including for peer learning and communities of practice

• Demonstrated experience delivering remote backstopping support to youth-led implementation of social advocacy initiatives.

  Submission of at least two (2) references/supporting examples of relevant projects previously managed. 

 Skills/Competencies:

• Excellent writing and communication skills, as demonstrated with at least one writing sample.
• Understanding of the social and political sensitivities associated with youth sexual and reproductive health and rights including the needs of young key populations; LGBTIQ+ inclusion; SOGIE-based discrimination and violence (Desirable);
• Demonstrated previous experience coordinating with youth-led/serving organization (Desirable);
• Previous experience working with the UN is an additional asset (Desirable);

 Language:

• Fluency in spoken and written English.

Junior Consultant:

Education

• Minimum of a university degree (Bachelor’s or equivalent) in a field related to civic engagement, education, social sciences, or social justice work.

Experience

• Demonstrated at least 1 year of experience in coordinating with groups of youth and supporting consultative and participatory discussions. This expertise must be demonstrated with at least one (1) reference/supporting example of relevant project implementation support.

Skills/Competencies

• Demonstrated skill in utilizing Microsoft Office and virtual meeting platforms and tools (e.g., Zoom, Microsoft Teams) to support coordination, documentation, and communication tasks.

Language: 

• Fluency in spoken and written English

The consultancy is open to suitably qualified institutions/organizations. Youth-led organizations or youth-serving organizations will be given priority attention. 

Suitably qualified organizations that satisfy the eligibility criteria are invited to submit an Expression of Interest in these TORS, composed of both Technical and Financial Proposals. 

The entire Expression of Interest should be in English and should not exceed 7, A4 pages, including reference to relevant examples/reports of successfully carrying out similar or comparable assignments.

A) Technical Proposal (maximum 7 A4 pages)

     The technical proposal must include the following information:

1. A cover letter identifying relevant contact information (organizational name, telephone and email address) and why you are interested in the consultancy and the project theme.
2. Description of the innovative approach that you will use to carry out the consultancy that will include the compulsory tasks of the Work Assignment (Item II. of these TORs): ie. approach to mobilize PRG ‘additional membership’ representatives and approach to co-convene the Project Reference Group (PRG) over a period of 14 months.
3. Timeline for delivering the key activities and expected deliverables.
4. Rationale as to why your organization is best suited to carry out this work with UNESCO’s support, together with relevant examples that demonstrate your experience carrying out similar initiatives (see Item VI.) of these TORs on Qualifications and Experience Requirements).
5. CVs of the qualified lead consultant and junior consultant, along with information on their respective role(s) in project tasks (see Item VI. of these TORs on Qualifications and Experience Requirements).
6. Brief profile of the Institution/Organization.

B) Financial Proposal

Interested organizations may submit a price proposal quoted in US dollars for all project expenses related to the maximum 14-month implementation period. 

The financial proposal should provide an itemized, detailed breakdown of all costs (quoted in US dollars) associated with carrying out the consultancy, including: coordination/ management or running costs; personnel hours for time on tasks delivered by relevant team members etc. 

UNESCO places great emphasis on ensuring that the objectives of the work assignment, as described in the Terms of Reference, are met. Accordingly, in evaluating the proposals for the assignment, attention will focus first and foremost on the technical elements. From those proposals deemed suitable in terms of the criteria in the Terms of Reference, UNESCO shall select the proposal that offers the Organization the best value for money. 

The Expression of Interest must be received by email at ed.bgk(at)unesco.org  no later than 20 May 2025, midnight Bangkok time (GMT+ 7:00). Only complete applications submitted before the deadline will be considered. Any Expressions of Interest submitted after the deadline will automatically be disqualified from the process.

Due to the large number of applications UNESCO receives, we are able to inform only the successful candidate(s) about the outcome or status of the selection process.

#CallForProposals #EducationForHealth