UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security. Placing women’s rights at the center of all its efforts, UN Women leads and coordinates United Nations System efforts to ensure that commitments on gender equality and gender mainstreaming translate into action throughout the world. It provides strong and coherent leadership in support of Member States’ priorities and efforts, building effective partnerships with civil society and other relevant actors.
Afghanistan is one of the world’s most complex emergencies, and the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. Afghan people are grappling with the impact of conflict, poverty, economic decline, and natural disasters. In this context, Afghan women and girls face unique vulnerabilities and require urgent support as gender inequality is interwoven with conflict dynamics and humanitarian needs. It is essential that Afghan women and girls can continue to shape the development of their country, and that their gains are protected. UN Women remains fully committed to supporting Afghan women and girls and to putting them at the center of the global response to the crisis in Afghanistan.
UN Women has been in Afghanistan for two decades. UN Women’s programming approach is informed by analysis of the political, economic and humanitarian situation, risks to and capacities of partner organizations, and needs of Afghan women and girls. UN Women Afghanistan currently has four key programme priorities: (1) Gender in Humanitarian Action, (2) Ending Violence Against Women, (3) Women’s Economic Empowerment, and (4) Women, Peace and Security.
About the Spotlight Programme in Afghanistan
The Spotlight Initiative (SI) in Afghanistan main goal is to reduce the prevalence of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and harmful practices (HP) against women and girls in Afghanistan. The Afghanistan SI initiative aims at targeting the most at-risk groups, to accelerate efforts towards the elimination of sexual and gender-based violence and harmful practices. The initiative is tailored to promote Agenda 2030’s guiding principle of “leaving no one behind”. Across the six Pillars, the SI in Afghanistan will bring women and girls, including those with intersecting forms of discrimination and marginalization, to the centre of the interventions, recognizing that the empowerment of women and girls, and their unique experiences and solutions they bring based on their intersectional identities, is the key to design and implement a programme that responds to the needs and priorities of women and girls of Afghanistan in all their diversity. The SI in Afghanistan will work across the socio-ecological model, using a multi-sectoral and intersectional approach, to prevent and respond to SGBV/HP and impact lasting change at the national, sub-national, community and individual levels. The initiative will be informed by a comprehensive prevention strategy to address structural issues through this socio-ecological model.
Through a comprehensive and gender transformative approach, the Spotlight Initiative is being implemented by 4 UN agencies (UN Women, UNDP, UNICEF, and UNFPA) who through collaborative work and in a coordinated manner to achieve the six planned outcomes/pillars of the programme’s theory of change, namely: Pillar 1: Laws and Policies; Pillar 2: Institutional Strengthening; Pillar 3: Prevention; Pillar 4: Services; Pillar 5: Data; and Pillar 6: Women’s Movement and Civil Society. UN Women is leading the implementation of Spotlight Initiative Pillars 3 (Prevention of violence) and Pillar 6 (Women’s Movement and Civil Society) and aims to provide direct support to and partner with national, provincial, and grassroots women’s rights and women-led Civil Society Organizations (CSO’s) and groups to ensure sustainability and local ownership of all initiatives. This is being implemented at national, provincial and district levels, with a targeted focus on Kabul, Herat, Kandahar and Paktia.
Under the daily supervision of the Spotlight EVAWG Coordinator, and general guidance of the Finance Specialist (NOC) and the Spotlight Programme Officer, the Finance and Administration Assistant provides programme, administrative, logistical, financial and support services to Spotlight in Afghanistan responsibilities, deliverables, and operations. the Finance and Administration Assistant promotes a client-oriented approach, in the framework of UN Women policies and procedures, rules and regulations, ensuring effective delivery of the Spotlight in Afghanistan programme by supporting programme implementation.
The Finance and Administration Assistant works in close collaboration with the Spotlight programme staff and UN Women Operations team, as required in resolving administrative and finance-related issues and information exchanges. The Finance and Administration Assistant identifies and helps resolve bottlenecks, clarifies, and interprets procedures, and escalates complex programme and administrative issues as needed.
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