Indigenous Peoples, Social Inclusion and Community Development Expert (IC)

Agency: UNDP | Reference: UNDP-PHL-00926 | Type: Call for individual consultants

Description of the Assignment: Despite the landmark passage of the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act (IPRA), many Indigenous CulturalCommunities/Indigenous Peoples (ICCs/IPs) continue to experience poverty, marginalization, and limited accessto basic services and decision-making spaces.

Women and girls remain disproportionately excluded due toentrenched sociocultural and institutional barriers that limit their leadership, control over and resources, andaccess to finance, training, digital tools, and economic opportunities.

I-LEAD seeks to address these challengesby ‘affirming and strengthening the rights and leadership capacities of at least 1,600 indigenous women andgirls across four ancestral domains of Regions XI and XII in Mindanao by 2030, through improved access toinformation, decision-making spaces, economic opportunities, and leadership roles within their ancestraldomains’.I-LEADs Theory of Change posits that ‘if indigenous women and girls are equipped with the capacities, skills,and platforms to understand, assert, and exercise their rights, and if ancestral domain governance structures,national and local duty-bearers, and development partners adopt gender-responsive—inclusive-- and rights-basedservice delivery models, then indigenous women and girls will be positioned to meaningfully participatein governance and decision-making, access improved services, and engage in economic activities aligned withtheir cultural values and environmental realities’.With support from the Government of New Zealand and in partnership with the National Commission onIndigenous Peoples (NCIP), the Project will be implemented through three interlinked components:1.

Strengthening Ancestral Domain Governance with Human Rights and Gender Perspectives;2.

Promoting Gender-Equitable and Culturally Appropriate Economic Empowerment; and3.

Enhancing the Capacity of the NCIP and other Stakeholders on Human Rights-Based, Gender Responsive,and Culturally Appropriate Policy Development and Knowledge Management.Together, these components will deliver nine (9) key outputs that contribute to three long-term outcomes: (i)Resilient, Responsive, and Relevant indigenous women and girls, and ICCs/IPs; (ii) Economically empoweredindigenous women and girls; and (iii) Improved access to basic services by indigenous women and girls.Collectively, these advance the project’s overarching goal: ‘ICCs/IPs in the Philippines are economicallyempowered and resilient, enjoying decent and sustainable livelihoods that support their cultural integrity andenhanced intergenerational well-being’.

Implemented over four years (2026–2030), I-LEAD adopts anintegrated, rights-based, gender-transformative, and systems-strengthening approach, convening ICCs/IPs,local government units, national government agencies, and civil society to co-create solutions anchored inindigenous rights, cultural identity, human rights, and gender equality.

The project emphasizes evidence-basedplanning, participatory decision-making, capacity development, digital connection, and scalable women andyouth-led enterprise models to advance inclusive development.Scope of WorkUnder the supervision of the I-LEAD Project Manager and with guidance from the Programme Analyst of theClimate Action Programme Team, the Indigenous Peoples, Social Inclusion and Community Development Expertwill:• Lead and provide technical support in the development of the Community Resources Management andDevelopment Plan (CRMDP), ensuring it reflects inclusive, participatory processes and integrates culturalsensitivity, climate resilience and sustainable resource management principles;• Prepare a comprehensive case study documenting the CRMDP development process, including bestpractices, challenges, and lessons learned in resource mobilization for implementation;• Support the enhancement and institutional strengthening of governance structures within the pilotICCs/IPs;• In coordination with the Enterprise Development and Private Sector Engagement Expert, ensuremeaningful and inclusive participation of community members in the formulation of business andinvestment plans, as well as the establishment of community-based enterprises;• In consultation with the Capacity Development Expert, identify priority training needs for key stakeholders(e.g., IPS, IPMR, ADMO, Women IPO, Youth Organizations) and facilitate delivery of priority trainingprograms through in-house sessions, external service providers, or project partners;• Collaborate with the Project Management Unit (PMU) to design and implement a community-basedMonitoring and Evaluation (M&E) system that tracks progress and promotes accountability;• Provide technical inputs to the enhancement of the Indigenous Peoples (IP) Master Plan;• Provide technical inputs to the development of the IP Investment Portfolio and Framework for RenewableEnergy Development.Qualifications:A bachelor’s degree in social sciences, community development, international development,sustainable develo

CONTACT:
• Email: procurement.ph@undp.org