Vets Without Borders has an open Gender Advisor volunteer position in Ghana with our partner, the Apex Body of Women in Poultry Value Chain (WIPVaC Apex)

Volunteer Placement Details

Position Title: Gender Advisor

Country: Ghana

Location: Greater Accra

Partner Organization: WIPVaC-Apex Ghana

Duration: 3 months+ (flexible)

Start Date: January, 2026 (flexible)

Pre-departure Training: VWB/VSF will provide training orientation.

Eligibility: Canadian Citizens and Permanent Residents of Canada only

Language: English (essential). Volunteer will have support of translator for some duties

Academic Requirements: Degree and/or relevant experience in international development, gender studies or a related field

Fundraising: VWB/VSF encourages each volunteer to raise funds towards the organization’s operations.

Volunteer Support Package

VWB offers you an incredible experience to take part in an international volunteer experience where you will expand your personal and professional skills while contributing to global development. VWB commits to supporting you throughout your volunteer journey and will cover the majority of the costs involved in being an overseas volunteer, including:

Return airfare to placement country
Pre-departure training
In-country orientation upon arrival in country of placement
Return airfare to placement country
Visa/permit costs
The cost of required for vaccinations and anti-malarial medication
Overseas emergency travel health insurance
A monthly living allowance (MLA) that will be paid into the volunteer’s bank account in Canada. The MLA is designed to be sufficient to cover simple housing, basic food requirements, and other typical monthly living expenses.
Debrief after the placement

Placement Goals and Responsibilities

As the Gender Advisor based in Ghana, you will support WIPVaC-Apex Ghana to conduct gender assessments with organization within the VETS project. Following these assessments, the findings would be utilized to develop a Gender Equality Action Plan (GEAP) aligning to VETS project objectives.

The Gender Advisor will also provide support to the WIPVaC-Apex Ghana team to develop a Gender Strategy on operationalizing their GEAP with a focus on tools development.

As part of your role, you will:

Prepare key gender background notes for WIPVaC-Apex Ghana include known gender features of the population and guidance on gender issues in this type of context (e.g. different physical needs & capabilities to access aid, gendered roles & responsibilities in the communities, security & exploitation);
Work collaboratively with WIPVaC-Apex Ghana staff and VWB/VSF local coordinator to review WIPVaC-Apex’s existing processes for encouraging the equal participation of men and women among students, trainers and staff members;
Review human resources & administration issues: balanced recruitment and deployment of staff; appropriate working conditions provided for both male & female staff; staff aware of gender equality principles (Gender Policy) and Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) policies and codes of conduct duly signed; personal needs, security & risk considerations of staff;
Review organizations’ budgets to ensure that adequate attention is paid (and resources allocated) to the promotion of gender equality across sectors;
Create tools to collect data for the gender assessment and to monitor progress of the gender action plan;
In collaboration with WIPVaC-Apex Ghana and the VWB/VSF local coordinator, support the collection and analysis of sex disaggregated data (quantitative and qualitative) as well as streamlining the needs assessment, collection and analysis so that it can be more effective in meeting beneficiary needs;
Analyse the organizational and community level gender context and provide other technical supports to build knowledge and skills relating to gender equality;
Work with WIPVaC-Apex Ghana staff to prepare a Gender Equality Action Plan

Required Experience and Skills

Degree in a relevant area of study (gender studies, global development, etc)
A minimum of five years (5) experience in program management or program development in an international development/humanitarian organization;
A minimum of three (3) years international development experience
Preference for volunteer with experience in Ghana or Africa in general
A strong understanding of women’s rights is required, as well as demonstrated experience incorporating gender and feminist approaches into the design, monitoring, learning, and evaluation of programs;
Experience in applying participatory methods and tools, including the promotion of gender equality, good governance, and environmental sustainability;
Strong knowledge and experience in conducting gender assessment and gender Action Plan in a developing country context;
Knowledge of training tools and methods and proven experience delivering training on gender responsive programs. Experience in coaching and mentoring in rural and agricultural communities is considered an asset.
Effective cross-cultural communication skills
Commitment to the principles of volunteer cooperation and familiarity with participatory approaches to development, including the promotion of gender equality, good governance and environmental sustainability

Working Conditions

Travel to remote areas in Ghana
Frequent driving on gravel road when going outside of Accra
Stairs in the office, no elevator

VETS Volunteer Application

Personal Information

First Name/Last Name

Email Address

City (optional)

Country (optional)

Eligibility Requirements

Due to funder requirements, Canadian International Volunteers must be either Canadian citizens or permanent residents in order to be eligible to volunteer. Canadian citizens or permanent residents who are residing outside of Canada and/or who do not have a Canadian permanent address are eligible to apply.

Due to VWB's volunteer insurance eligibility requirements, we are unable to recruit volunteers over the age of 79 years of age for international assignments.

Please note that final selection as an international volunteer is subject to completion of a criminal record verification and approval by VWB's insurance provider. International volunteers will also require a valid passport with an expiry date that must exceed the assignment end date by at least six months.

I confirm that I understand and meet the above eligibility requirements.

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Application

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Additional Information

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I am Indigenous (Aboriginal); that is First Nations (North American), Métis, or Inuit or International (non-Canadian) Indigenous

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(Optional) What is your gender identity? By gender, we mean your self-identified gender, which may differ from the sex assigned at birth or from the one entered in legal documents.

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Our Commitment

Veterinarians Without Borders/Vétérinaires sans Frontière is an equal opportunity employer and values the diversity of our team.

We are committed to inclusive and equitable employment practices and strive to create a workplace that supports diversity, equity, and inclusion. VWB/VSF Canada welcomes applications from all qualified candidates, including members of racialized groups, Indigenous peoples, women, persons with disabilities, and persons of any sexual orientation or gender identity.

Please let us know if you require an accommodation and we will work with you to ensure an equitable hiring process. Thank you for your interest in VWB/VSF Canada.

About the Project: VETS

Volunteers Engaged in Gender Responsive Technical Solutions (VETS), funded through the Volunteer Cooperation Program at Global Affairs Canada, will engage 190 volunteers to work with local partner organizations in Ghana, Kenya, Senegal, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam.

Volunteers will help create integrated animal health systems to increase the livelihoods and household nutrition of small-scale farmers. The VETS program utilizes the skills of volunteers to build local partner capacity to support community members, primarily women, to reduce poverty. Through improved production of livestock and crops, volunteers help improve family income and nutrition.

The VETS program is built around the One Health concept, which recognizes that the health of people, animals, and the natural environment are interconnected. This project promotes the production of more and better food and increased incomes from livestock, all the while promoting land rehabilitation and conservation for sustainable development.

Learn More About The VETS Project

About Veterinarians Without Borders

In the global south, more than 90 percent of food animals are raised by subsistence farmers. However, small-scale livestock producers, the majority of whom are women, have very limited access to quality and affordable animal health services.

Aside from the risks associated with the loss of valuable livestock that provides important protein and/or income for low-income households, zoonotic diseases that can be passed from animals to humans offer a very real threat to human health on a wider scale.

Veterinarians Without Borders/Vétérinaires sans frontières (VWB/VSF) works for and with communities in need to foster the health of animals, people, and the environments that sustain us. VWB/VSF works nationally and internationally to train animal health workers, increase food security, and improve animal and public health.

VWB/VSF provides overseas volunteer placements for veterinarians and other animal and public health professionals.

Learn More About VWB

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