What's Happening?
UN Women Indonesia is seeking an individual consultant to develop and implement a strategy for fostering gender-responsive civil-military engagement in humanitarian preparedness and response. This initiative is part of the BRIDGES 4 PEACE project, a two-year
regional program (2026–2028) spanning Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam, supported by the Government of Canada. The project aims to integrate the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda within defense institutions and enhance civil-military collaboration in humanitarian settings. The consultant's role will involve conducting stakeholder consultations, designing and facilitating a table-top exercise to integrate WPS and humanitarian principles into operational scenarios, and providing technical support for national and regional policy dialogues. The goal is to ensure that humanitarian assistance is delivered effectively, safely, and in accordance with humanitarian principles, while also safeguarding women's and girls' meaningful participation and minimizing their exposure to gender-based violence.
Why It's Important?
This consultancy is important because it addresses the critical need for gender-responsive approaches in humanitarian action, particularly in civil-military coordination. Crises and disasters disproportionately affect women and girls, who often face heightened risks of gender-based violence, disrupted access to essential services, and exclusion from decision-making. By integrating the WPS agenda and humanitarian principles, this initiative aims to improve situational awareness, identify diverse needs and protection risks, and strengthen trust with affected communities. The project's focus on enhancing civil-military engagement ensures that military capabilities complement, rather than replace, civilian-led humanitarian efforts, while upholding humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence. This work has the potential to significantly improve the effectiveness and inclusivity of humanitarian responses in the region, ultimately leading to better outcomes for vulnerable populations.
What's Next?
The selected consultant will be tasked with several key deliverables, including developing a gender-responsive strategy and workplan for civil-military engagement by November 20, 2026. Following this, a comprehensive report on a table-top exercise (TTX) designed to test gender-responsive civil-military coordination in a crisis setting is due by February 26, 2027. A report summarizing the national policy dialogue on civil-military engagement in humanitarian settings is expected by March 30, 2027. Finally, a comprehensive final consultancy report, including an Indonesia case study and reflective learnings, is due by September 30, 2027. These deliverables will guide the implementation of the BRIDGES 4 PEACE project and inform future efforts to strengthen gender-responsive humanitarian policies and practices across the region, with ongoing coordination with UN Women personnel and various stakeholders.
Beyond the Headlines
The initiative underscores a broader shift towards recognizing and addressing gender-specific impacts in humanitarian and security contexts. By emphasizing the meaningful participation and leadership of women and women-led organizations, it challenges traditional, often gender-blind, approaches to disaster management and conflict response. This work has ethical implications, as it seeks to rectify historical inequities and ensure that humanitarian aid does not inadvertently perpetuate harm or discrimination. Legally, it reinforces international commitments to gender equality and human rights, particularly those outlined in the WPS agenda. Culturally, it promotes a more inclusive and nuanced understanding of community needs during crises, moving beyond viewing women solely as beneficiaries to recognizing them as active agents of change and decision-makers. This long-term shift could lead to more resilient communities and more effective, equitable humanitarian interventions globally.
