Gender Transformative Education Policy Consultant, Global Education Practice, 6 Months, CoE Bangkok, Thailand (Remote)

About UNICEF

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children's lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence. At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

Purpose of Assignment

Across Southeast Asia, progress towards gender parity in school enrolment and participation has not translated into equitable learning experiences or outcomes for all children. Deeply entrenched harmful gender norms continue to shape education systems, reinforcing unequal expectations in classrooms, learning outcomes and peer interactions. These norms are often reflected in teaching practices, curricula, and textbooks.

Evidence shows that gender norms influence subject choice, participation, and self-confidence during critical developmental years, limiting girls' and other marginalized learners' full engagement in education and future opportunities. A key manifestation of these harmful norms is school‑related gender‑based violence (SRGBV), which remains widespread across the region. Patterns of violence are strongly gendered: boys tend to experience higher levels of physical violence, while girls are disproportionately affected by sexual harassment, psychological violence and social exclusion, including technology‑facilitated abuse.

Learners who experience violence are more likely to have lower attendance, reduced concentration, diminished learning outcomes and increased risks of grade repetition or drop out. Persistent exposure to bullying and harassment is strongly associated with anxiety, depression and low self‑esteem, further undermining academic performance and participation.

UNICEF recognizes the pivotal role that education systems have to give every child an equal chance to thrive, reach their potential and live free of violence and discrimination. To unlock this potential, we need education systems to move beyond gender‑neutral approaches and become explicitly 'gender transformative'. Gender‑transformative education is about inclusive, equitable, quality education and nurturing an environment of gender justice for children and young people in all their diversity.

About the Programme

The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is supporting a programme on preventing school related gender-based violence in the Region, Empowered and Equal Futures for Girls through Education in Southeast Asia (EEE). Implemented in coordination with the Southeast Asia Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO), the programme aims to improve learning and skills, promote positive gender norms and equality for girls through strengthened gender-transformative approaches in education. It has both a Regional and Country-level focus, focusing on Cambodia and Viet Nam.

Key Responsibilities

This assignment will build on two documents developed under the EEE programme: a landscape analysis undertaken by SEAMEO and UNICEF in 2024-2025 and a policy diagnostic tool on gender transformative education (GTE toolkit) that has been used by a number of SEAMEO countries in 2025. The aim of the assessment is to:

• Assess progress made in the implementation of the Policy Diagnostic Tool (Gender Transformative Toolkit), enablers and bottlenecks (physiological, sociological and environmental)
• Provide an in-depth political economy analysis and case studies on the promotion of gender-responsive education in Cambodia and Vietnam
• Develop a set of recommendations (based on the 3 categories of barriers: physiological, sociological and environmental barriers) for designing and implementing gender-responsive education sector plans, policies and strategies in the Southeast Asia region

The mapping analysis will address the institutional challenges faced by national education systems in achieving gender equality, such as the availability of financial resources, the quality of the teaching workforce and gendered social norms affecting power and voice within the education sector. The study should emphasize an intersectional approach based on disability, geography, and ethnicity. The assessment will document how National Ministries of Education can ensure that they do not only design gender-responsive education systems and services but also ensure they are rolled-out with adequate quality assurance and support.