Country Program Evaluation (CPE) Consultant /National Evaluator

Background/Context: UN Women leads the UN system’s efforts to advance gender equality and women’s empowerment. The UN Women Kyrgyz Republic Country Office Strategic Note (2023-2027) aligns with national priorities and international commitments on gender equality, ending violence against women, women’s economic empowerment, and the Women, Peace and Security agenda. This Country Portfolio Evaluation (CPE) will assess the relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability, and human rights and gender equality dimensions of the Strategic Note to support learning, accountability, and evidence-based decision-making for the next programming cycle. Implementation of the Strategic Note took place in a complex and evolving political, socio-economic, and civic environment. Despite progress in strengthening the legal and policy framework on gender equality and women’s empowerment (GEWE), challenges such as shrinking civic space, political and economic instability, gender inequalities, and violence against women and girls continued to affect vulnerable groups, particularly women with disabilities, women living with HIV, female-headed households, and women in remote areas. In response, the Country Office adapted its partnerships and policy engagement approaches to remain responsive to emerging challenges. The evaluation will assess how effectively the Strategic Note addressed interconnected barriers to GEWE and aligned national priorities with international frameworks, including CEDAW, the Beijing Platform for Action, UNSCR 1325, and the 2030 Agenda. It is guided by UN Women and UNEG Norms and Standards (2016), the 2024 UNEG Guidance on Integrating Human Rights and Gender Equality in Evaluations, the UNEG Ethical Guidelines (2020), and the UN Women Evaluation Policy and Handbook, while observing the principles of integrity, accountability, respect, and beneficence. UN WOMEN KYRGYZ REPUBLIC’S STRATEGIC NOTE (SN) 2023-2027 SN Theory of Change The UN Women Strategic Note for the Kyrgyz Republic is based on the premise that transformative progress in gender equality and women’s empowerment (GEWE) can only be achieved when women and girls, especially those furthest behind are meaningfully included in governance, economic development, peacebuilding, and decision-making processes. It recognizes that linear and one-size-fits-all approaches are insufficient in a context marked by political volatility, shrinking civic space, socio-economic pressures, climate risks, and deeply entrenched gender norms. Therefore, change is expected through coordinated action among state institutions, local authorities, civil society, the private sector, and the UN system to strengthen accountability, scale locally grounded solutions, and address the root causes of inequality. The Strategic Note assumes that accelerated GEWE outcomes will emerge when: (i) institutions have the capacity, incentives, and tools to implement human rights-based, survivor-centered, and gender-responsive policies and services; (ii) women, youth, and intersectional rights groups are empowered as active participants and solution holders in political, peacebuilding, and economic processes; and (iii) harmful social norms are systematically challenged through education, media, community engagement, and the involvement of men and boys. Its programmatic logic is built on four interconnected pillars: governance and participation, women’s economic empowerment, elimination of violence against women and girls (EVAWG), and Women, Peace and Security (WPS). These areas are designed to reinforce one another and generate systemic rather than isolated results. Through approaches such as adaptive leadership, design thinking, inclusive consultations, and alignment with international frameworks including CEDAW, BPfA, UNSCR 1325, SDGs, and UPR recommendations, the Strategic Note aims to strengthen institutional coherence, social trust, inclusive growth, and sustainable peace. By 2027, it seeks to ensure that women and girls, particularly those facing multiple forms of exclusion more equally enjoy their rights, agency, opportunities, and security in a resilient and violence-free environment. UN Women’s work in Kyrgyzstan is implemented through its triple mandate: Normative mandate -supporting the Government in implementing and monitoring international and national commitments on gender equality, including CEDAW, the Beijing Platform for Action, UNSCR 1325, the National Gender Equality Strategy until 2030, and gender-responsive legislation and policies related to EVAWG, women’s leadership, budgeting, climate resilience, and peacebuilding. Coordination mandate - leading and supporting UN system-wide coordination and accountability on GEWE. The Country Office chairs and coordinates key inter-agency mechanisms, including the UNCT Gender Thematic Group (GTG), UNCT-SWAP Gender Scorecard, GEAP implementation, and from mid-2026 the UN Working Group on LNOB. UN Women plays a central role in integrating gender commitments across the UNSDCF Results Groups, co-chairing RG2 (2023-2024) and RG4 (since 2025), while contributing to joint advocacy, resource mobilization, and system-wide coherence through multiple UN coordination platforms. Operational mandate - supporting implementation through partnerships with government institutions, Parliament, civil society organizations, and development partners via consultations, policy dialogue, advocacy, and programmatic interventions focused on women’s leadership, economic empowerment, EVAWG, and peacebuilding. The main interventions undertaken across three mandate areas under the Kyrgyz Republic Country Office (CO) Strategic Note 2023-2027 include the following: Name Modality Dates Spotlight Initiative to EVAWG EU funded Joint program (UN Women, UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF and UNODC) 2020-2023 Women in Batken lead social cohesion for peace and development Country project, funded by the Central Asia-UK Conflict Stability and Security Fund 2023-2024 Blossoming Aigul: Capacitated Women CSOs sustaining peace UN PBF funded Joint Country Program(UN Women, FAO, and IPF “Roza Otunbaeva’s Initiative”) 2023-2025 Making Every Woman and Girl Count Regional Program 2023-2025 Strengthening Gender Data Systems for Sustainable Development in ECA (SDG Funds ) Joint Regional Program (UN Women and UNFPA) 2025-2026 ZERO VAWG Initiative: “Action Now, Result Now: Women and Youth Organizations Lead Transformative Actions to Eliminate Violence Against Women and Girls in the Kyrgyz Republic” Country Project 2025-2028 “Challenging Harmful Attitudes and Norms for Gender Equality (CHANGE)” program Joint Regional Program (UNDP, UN Women and UNFPA) 2026-2028 UN Women’s Strategic Note supports the following UNSDCF Outcomes: By 2027, the well-being of the population of the Kyrgyz Republic will have improved through the further rollout of a green economy based on sustainable and healthy food systems, natural resource management, and effective migration processes, by accelerating the use of gender transformative social and technological innovations and entrepreneurship ( SN Outcome 1 (SP Impact Area 2)/UNSDCF Outcome 2 ). By 2027, all people in the Kyrgyz Republic enjoy the benefits of fair and accountable democratic institutions that are free from corruption and apply innovative solutions that promote respect for human rights, and strengthen peace and cohesion. (SN Outcome 2 (SP Impact Area 1, 3, 4)/UNSDCF Outcome 4) PURPOSE, OBJECTIVES AND USE OF THE EVALUATION The evaluation aims to : Support evidence-based learning and decision-making for UN Women Kyrgyz Republic Country Office. Ensure accountability for contributions to gender equality and women’s empowerment. Capture lessons learned and good practices to inform the next Strategic Note. The primary users of this evaluation include the UN Women Kyrgyz Republic Country Office, the Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia, and UN Women Headquarters, as well as national government in