Consultancy to Write a Policy Brief on Financing Gender-Transformative Social Protection in Asia

Oxfam is a global movement of people who are fighting inequality to end poverty and injustice. Across regions, from the local to the global, we work with people to bring change that lasts. OVERVIEW Start date 1st September 2026 How to apply: Interested candidates are invited to submit: A technical proposal describing how the research will be conducted Financial offer CV (s) A written example of a policy brief developed Deadline 20th August 2026 Application to be submitted to: https://jobs.oxfamnovib.nl/job-invite/14456/ Assignment location: Remote, home-based PURPOSE OF THIS CONTRACT Oxfam is seeking the services of a consultant to develop a regional policy brief for the Asia Feminist Coalition on social protection in Asia titled "Financing Gender-Transformative Social Protection in Asia: Who Pays, Who Benefits, and How Do We Build Fiscal Justice?" Across Asia, governments increasingly recognize the importance of social protection. However, social protection systems remain chronically underfunded, fragmented, and unable to respond adequately to the realities of women’s lives, particularly those of informal workers, unpaid caregivers, migrants, Indigenous peoples, and other marginalized communities. This brief seeks to shift the conversation from what social protection covers to how it is financed. Fiscal policy determines whether governments have the resources and political commitment to build universal, rights-based, and gender-transformative social protection systems. Through a feminist political economy lens, the brief will examine how taxation, public expenditure, borrowing, debt management, and budgeting shape who contributes to public revenues, how resources are allocated, and ultimately who benefits from social protection. The Asia Feminist Coalition (AFC) proposes to develop a 20-page regional policy brief that examines how fiscal policies shape social protection financing across Asia and identifies pathways towards feminist fiscal policies that can sustainably finance universal and gender-responsive social protection systems. The publication will serve as an advocacy resource for governments, regional institutions, development partners, and feminist organizations seeking to advance fiscal justice and gender equality across Asia. BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT Across much of Asia, fiscal systems continue to rely heavily on regressive consumption taxes while public revenues remain insufficient due to weak progressive taxation, generous tax incentives, illicit financial flows, and corporate tax avoidance. At the same time, rising public debt and fiscal consolidation measures have constrained investments in health, education, care services, and social protection. These policy choices disproportionately affect women, who absorb the consequences through increased unpaid care responsibilities, insecure informal employment, and reduced access to essential public services. While there is a growing body of literature on social protection financing, taxation, care economies, and gender-responsive budgeting, these issues are often examined in isolation. Existing publications largely focus on the technical aspects of financing social protection or tax systems, with limited attention to how fiscal policy, feminist economics, unpaid care work, informal employment, debt, and climate resilience intersect. This policy brief seeks to fill that gap by reframing social protection as a question of political and fiscal choice rather than fiscal scarcity. It will be organised around three central questions: Where does the money come from? Who pays? Who benefits? The publication will demonstrate how taxation, public spending, debt management, and budgeting directly influence gender equality and the realization of economic and social rights. It will also position social protection as a productive public investment that strengthens economies, supports care systems, builds climate resilience, and advances gender justice. The brief will draw upon the experiences and evidence of the Asia Feminist Coalition (AFC) , a network of 25 feminist organizations working across 11 countries to advance collective advocacy on Climate justice, Unpaid care and domestic work, and Feminist economies and financing Through collective advocacy, evidence generation, and movement building, AFC seeks to influence economic and social policies that advance gender justice across the region. The policy brief will combine feminist political economy analysis with practical recommendations and advocacy pathways for civil society organizations seeking to influence fiscal policy and social protection financing at national, regional, and global levels. SCOPE OF WORK The consultant will be responsible for researching, drafting, and finalizing a 20-page regional policy brief that analyses how fiscal policy shapes social protection financing in Asia and proposes feminist solutions for creating fiscal space to finance universal and gender-transformative social protection systems. The assignment will include a comprehensive literature review, policy analysis, consultation with AFC member organizations, incorporation of regional case studies, and development of actionable policy recommendations. Specific tasks related to this scope of work are outlined as follows: Conduct a desk review of regional and global literature on social protection financing, fiscal policy, feminist economics, care systems, taxation, debt, gender-responsive budgeting, and fiscal justice. Review policy experiences, evidence, and country-level analysis from AFC member organizations across 11 Asian countries, incorporating relevant case studies and examples. Develop a policy brief that: Examines the fiscal choices that shape social protection financing across Asia. Analyses the gendered impacts of taxation, debt, austerity, and public expenditure. Demonstrates why financing care is central to sustainable and inclusive social protection. Highlights how climate change and economic crises reinforce the need for stronger public financing. Identifies feminist policy solutions to expand fiscal space for universal and gender-responsive social protection. Consult with AFC members to ensure that their evidence, advocacy experiences, and recommendations are reflected throughout the publication. Revise the draft based on feedback received from Oxfam in Asia, AFC members, and submit a publication-ready final version. Intended Audience The primary audience for this brief is feminist and civil society organisations seeking to influence social protection financing and fiscal policy in Asia. It is also intended to support engagement with Ministries of Finance, social protection agencies, parliamentarians, regional institutions, development partners, and international financial institutions working on fiscal policy, social protection, and gender equality. DELIVERABLES Overall Objective The objective of this assignment is to develop a regional policy brief that demonstrates how fiscal policy shapes governments' ability to finance universal and gender-transformative social protection systems and provides evidence-based feminist recommendations for advancing fiscal justice across Asia. Specific Outputs and Deliverables The consultant is expected to deliver the following outputs: An inception note outlining the proposed methodology, workplan, and outline of the policy brief. A first draft of the approximately 20-page regional policy brief. This should include Evidence and case studies drawn from AFC member organizations, ensuring that the voices and experiences of the Coalition's 25 member organizations across 11 Asian countries ar