Consultancy: Education and Prevention of Violence Against Children, CARICOM Spotlight Initiative (11.5 months), LACRO, Panama

Consultant Human Rights Programme & Policy

Contract

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Background:

UNICEF promotes the rights and welfare of all girls, boys and adolescents in everything we do. Together with our allies, we work in 190 countries and territories to transform this commitment into practical actions that benefit all children, especially focusing our efforts on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded, worldwide. Guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), the Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), and in line with the 2030 Agenda, UNICEF works to put the rights and well-being of the most disadvantaged boys, girls and adolescents at the heart of the social, political, and economic agenda, in line with our equity focus, working across our organization and with our partners in government, civil society and the private sector to support shifts in public policy, fuel social engagement, and increase investment for children.

Gender equality is a priority for UNICEF, as manifested in its Gender Action Plan 2018–2021 (GAP). The GAP establishes UNICEF’s intention to transform into a more gender-responsive organization with enhanced ambitions for gender equality across results areas. Programme priorities included in the GAP include child marriage and early unions, gender-based violence, girls’ secondary school education, menstrual health and hygiene, adolescent health, girls’ empowerment and transforming harmful gender norms from early childhood through adolescence.

In September 2017, the EU and the UN launched an ambitious joint partnership to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls worldwide. The Spotlight Initiative (SI) aims at mobilizing commitment of political leaders and contributing to achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Initiative aims at ending all forms of violence against women and girls, targeting those that are most prevalent and contribute to gender inequality across the world. The Spotlight Initiative will deploy targeted, large-scale investments in Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Pacific and the Caribbean, aimed at achieving significant improvements in the lives of women and girls. The Spotlight Initiative thematic focus in the Caribbean is the reduction in prevalence and incidence of family violence. Family violence includes physical, social, sexual, economic and psychological/emotional abuse and acts of aggression within relationships that are considered as family connections or akin to family. The definition is guided by the domestic violence legislation across the region and the Initiative will take a non-discriminatory approach in advancing a comprehensive approach for all regardless of social status, location, identity or sexual orientation.

The initiative recognizes that family violence is a form of gender-based violence in which women and girls are disproportionately the victims. The initiative is concerned to address the root causes of this violence, that is, patriarchal and unequal gender norms and relations between women and men. Family violence negatively affects a range of human rights including women’s and girls’ enjoyment of sexual and reproductive rights. While the focus of Spotlight is on women and girls, the improved capacities of regional and national institutions to implement laws and policies, collect and analyse data and engage in prevention programming will benefit men and boys some who also experience family violence and all of whom are affected by harmful stereotypes around masculinity.

The UNICEF Latin America and Caribbean Regional Office is based in in Panama, operating in 36 territories, including 24 country offices. Five of those offices support child rights goals in Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Member States, with offices in Belize, Jamaica and Haiti. Multi-country offices are located in Guyana (covering Guyana and Suriname) and Barbados (covering 12 countries and territories in the Eastern Caribbean Area).

The CARICOM Secretariat, located in Georgetown, Guyana, is the principal administrative organ of the Caribbean Community. There are fifteen (15) full Member States of the Community (Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia. St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago); with five (5) Associate States (Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands and Turks and Caicos). The functions of the Secretariat are set out in the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, Article 25, and include the following:

• To initiate, organize and conduct studies on issues for the achievement of the objectives of the community.

• To provide, on request, services to Member States of the Community on matters relating to the achievement of its objectives; and

• To assist Community Organs in the development and implementation of the proposals and programmes for the achievement of objectives of the Community.

Job organizational context:

Within the SI Caribbean Regional Programme, UNICEF-supported activities focus on areas such as child marriage, Violence Against Women- Violence Against Children (VAW-VAC) intersections, girls’ empowerment and gender socialization within three pillars of the Caribbean Spotlight Regional Programme, towards strengthening regional priorities set out in the CARICOM Gender Equality Strategy, CARICOM Prevention of Violence Against Children (PVAC) Strategy and CARICOM New School Model (CNSM). Collaboration with OECS and a range of other Caribbean institutions will be required. Below is a summary of the main areas under UNICEF responsibility in the Spotlight Regional Programme.

Pillar 2: Coherence around VAW-VAC policies and standards; education standards for violence against women and girls (VAWG), and gender competencies for front-line workers.

Pillar 3: (UNICEF co-lead with UNFPA): Pillar co-coordination with all partners; education system strengthening; parenting practices for early childhood and adolescents; girls’ empowerment index; gender norms change.

Pillar 5: Evidence gaps around gender and family violence; child marriage manifestations and measurements.

This position responds to activities led in conjunction with the CARICOM Secretariat in Pillars 2 and 3. These areas are led, respectively, by Human Resource Development (HRD) and the Gender and Development Programmes of the CARICOM Secretariat, requiring strengthened inter-divisional collaboration to achieve shared results. The position will be housed in HRD, and will serve as Programme Coordinator for SI activities particularly related to ensuring due attention and standard setting around the prevention of VAWG in PVAC, CNSM and overall Education Reform activities, including the incorporation of impacts in each sector due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Purpose of the Assignment:

Under the overall guidance of the Regional Gender Advisor, the proposed Education and PVAC, SI Coordinator will work with Programme 12, HRD at the CARICOM Secretariat and serve as SI-CARICOM focal point to coordinate Education and PVAC activities from the Secretariat.

In particular, s/he will support the Programme Manager, Human Resource Development of the CARICOM Secretariat and the UNICEF Regional Spotlight Coordinator to advance the implementation of Education and PVAC related activities within Pillars 2 and 3 of the SI Annual Workplan. S/he will play a key coordinating role with other CARICOM divisions (notably the Gender and Development Programme) and institutions, UN Agencies and the SI Civil Society Reference Group.

Specific Tasks:

1. SI Coordination and reporting on PVAC and Education activities.

• Serve as liaison between HRD, Gender and Development Programme and other relevant CARICOM Programmes, Units and/ Associate Institutions to ensure gender and VAWG mainstreaming in SI activities.
• Facilitate consultative processes among CARICOM Programme Units and other partners – including adolescent and youth groups – to ensure their due participation in SI activities.
• Attend, when delegated by the Programme Manager, Human Resource Development, SI Technical Advisory Group and/or Civil Society Reference Group meetings.
• Support supervision and/or document review of SI material production related to PVAC, gender equality and Education.
• Monitor financial and programme implementation of the CARICOM-UNICEF SI workplan.
• Develop communications materials, in collaboration with SI partners, around PVAC and Education actions and results.
• Contribute to SI and UNICEF-CARICOM Contribution Agreement reporting in coordination with UNICEF SI Coordinator

2. Support coherence efforts around addressing VAW-VAC Intersections (SI Pillar 2, Activities 2.1.1 and 2.1.5).

• Support coherence and complementarity between Regional Gender Equality, PVAC and CNSM Strategies.
• Identify ‘good practices’ in policy and programme response within PVAC and Education areas to contribute to regional guidance development.
• Coordination of sensitization sessions with education stakeholders.
• Preparation of advocacy materials to present results from regional studies on policy coherence and ‘good practices’ in various CARICOM, and other regional, policy-making arenas.
• Ensure on-going mitigation measures within the Education and PVAC sectors due to COVID-19 impacts are duly addressed and integrated into all SI activities.

3. Coordinate Whole-of-School Strengthening to address VAWG prevention (SI Pillar 2, Activity 2.1.3; Pillar 3, Activity 3.1.2).

• Oversee the development of Education Standards for preventing VAWG to be incorporated in the Essential Package of Services roll out in the Caribbean, in collaboration with UNFPA.
• Propose age-appropriate criteria in the Caribbean Tenets for the Ideal Caribbean Person, gender-transformative standards to address gender stereotyping and the naturalization of VAWG for boys, girls and adolescents, in collaboration with the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC).
• Review of Basic Education curriculum to ensure gender-transformative curriculum.
• Review pre and in-service training programmes to strengthen teacher training programmes to incorporate gender competencies for teachers.

4. Support the development and roll out of parenting guidelines and addressing harmful gender norms in PVAC Strategy finalization and monitoring (SI Pillar 3, Activity, 3.2.2).

• Support and review the development of a compendium of parenting materials for parenting adolescents around gender equality and VAWG prevention.
• Support existing multi-sector ECD Commissions, develop guidelines to address violence prevention in Care for Child Development programmes.
• Develop training materials on gender-responsive parenting, with a particular focus on gender norms change and VAWG prevention.

Expected Results (measurable):

CARICOM-UNICEF SI workplan implemented.

VAWG and the transformation of harmful gender norms integrated into on-going CARICOM processes and strategies (i.e., Education reform/CNSM, PVAC monitoring, etc.)

Communications products developed and implemented around SI activities and results (Education standards for preventing VAWG, adolescent parenting materials, etc.).

Capacities strengthened within Caribbean Community and Institutions on gender, VAWG, PVAC and Education Reforms to contribute to VAWG prevention.

Deliverables

Description

Expected

deadline

Monthly progress report with updates on agreed work plan 1

Every month

Monthly progress report with updates on agreed work plan 2

Every month

Monthly progress report with updates on agreed work plan 3

Every month

Monthly progress report with updates on agreed work plan 4

Every month

Monthly progress report with updates on agreed work plan 5

Every month

Monthly progress report with updates on agreed work plan 6

Every month

Monthly progress report with updates on agreed work plan 7

Every month

Monthly progress report with updates on agreed work plan 8

Every month

Monthly progress report with updates on agreed work plan 9

Every month

Monthly progress report with updates on agreed work plan 10

Every month

Monthly progress report with updates on agreed work plan 11

Every month

Final progress report with updates on agreed work plan

Every month

Minimun Requirements:

Education:

• An Advanced University Degree in social work, international relations, gender and development, women’s studies, child psychology, or relevant field.
• Academic credentials in education are a strong asset.

Work Experience:

• A minimum of 5-8 years of experience in the Caribbean; experience within Regional Institutions, the UN or civil society organizations on related areas a strong asset.
• Strong substantive, technical, programmatic and research skills in gender equality and VAWG, along with sectoral skills in Education.
• Substantive knowledge and experience in gender mainstreaming, institution strengthening and inter-sectoral collaboration.
• Wide knowledge and understanding of regional/global gender equality, family violence and education trends; previous experience on child and adolescent rights an asset.

Languages:

• Fluency in English is required; French or Dutch is an asset.

Technical knowledge (if applicable):

• Strong substantive, technical, programmatic and research skills in gender equality, VAWG and Education.
• Proven ability to bring together various sectors and partners on gender equality and education.
• Substantive knowledge and experience of gender, family violence and education in the Caribbean.
• Proven rigor in analytical, conceptual, and programme /project coordination skills relevant to gender, family violence and education.
• Familiarity with CARICOM and UN roles and functions in the Caribbean Region.

Other skills and attributes (optional):

• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including an ability to write succinctly and clearly and speak in public forums compellingly and with confidence.
• High level of initiative and independence in ability to undertake complex tasks while proactively seeking relevant input, cooperation, and guidance from key constituents.
• Experience and demonstrated ability to motivate others and create and encourage a climate of teamwork and collaboration across sectors and in a multi-cultural environment.
• Ability to make effective use of political processes to influence and persuade others inside and outside UNICEF and negotiate a desired direction and/or outcome.
• Ability to think outside the box, generate new ideas, approaches, or insights and develop innovative ways to undertake projects and initiatives, shape solutions to problems.
• Strategic thinker who can pull disparate ideas into a cohesive vision, strategy, plan that is positive and compelling for other to join, collaborate, and implement.
• Proven ability to build rapport with individuals and groups and maintain an effective network of individuals across organizational departments as well externally.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results. UNICEF...Core values of care, respect, integrity, trust, and accountability. UNICEF competencies: building and maintains partnerships, demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness, drive to achieve results for impact, innovates and embraces change, manages ambiguity and complexity, thinks and acts strategically, works collaboratively with others and nurtures, and, leads and manages people.

Supervision: The consultant will work under the direct supervision of the Regional Gender Advisor and in close collaboration with the Spotlight Coordinator.

Workplace: Home based

How to Apply: Application should be submitted online and should include: Resume, Cover Letter and Financial proposal. Qualified candidates are requested to submit daily and monthly fees in their financial proposal.

Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

Duration of contract: 11.5 months.

Remarks:

Please note only short-listed candidates will be contacted. UNICEF reserves the right to make additional assessment of the pre-selected candidates, if needed UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

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Added 3 years ago - Updated 2 years ago - Source: unicef.org