Lead Researcher: Assessing the Situations of Displaced Women, women from the host communities, and the Engagement of Women-Led Peace organizations, and the media in Responding to The Humanit

Contract

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Background

United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) strives to promote gender equality and women’s human rights, strengthen the implementation of gender-sensitive policy and legislation, and eliminate all forms of violence against women. UN Women is strategically positioned at both the national and provincial levels in moving towards the realization of gender equality and women’s empowerment. UN Women provides support to innovative initiatives that promote women’s human rights, with a special focus on their economic security, governance/ political participation, freedom from violence, as well as access to justice.

Sudanese women have played a central role in all the key political events Sudan has gone through, from the 2018 uprising to this date, supporting peace and civilian rule. During the uprising and post-military coup in October 2021, women, particularly young women, were at the forefront of the demonstrations, demanding the fall of the regime and stepping down of the military. With the renewed political process between the military and civic forces in 2023, and with the support of the UN, IGAD, and African Union, women actively engaged in the process of reinstalling the civil government, contributed to the engendering of the Political Framework Agreement, drafted gender-sensitive provisions for the constitution and advocated for its integration in the forthcoming fundamental law. In response to the war of April 15th, between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, women have organized themselves in an unprecedented manner between groups calling for ending the war and accountability for conflict-related sexual violence while others took the lead in providing humanitarian assistance and ensuring a gender-responsive response of humanitarian action across the country.

Significant peace and peacebuilding efforts by women’s groups, however, face key challenges. In addition to questions about how to ensure a coordinated response and agree on an agenda to robustly contribute to regional peace processes, another challenge is inclusivity amidst the new situation of war and deteriorating economic situation, as well as the emergence of war economy. The destruction of the factories and other productive assets, the basic infrastructure (such as water facilities and electricity), and the looting of the banks have all had paramount effects on the economic and social domains. Women and girls bear the brunt of the conflict as many have fled their state to other safe states where they have been hosted in shelters by relatives and unknown individuals. The situation of women refugees in the neighboring countries is yet to be documented. However, the reports of the human rights commissions have indicated that women refugees have been exposed to severe violations of their rights, specifically SGBV on the corridors and migrations routes to neighboring countries.

Loss of livelihood is among the critical issues that emerge during the humanitarian crisis, and it is also key and central to peacebuilding. Normally, women constitute the majority of the informal workers, actively engaging in subsistence farming and petty trade. The war has had devastating effects on the main source of livelihood that women rely on. The displacement of women, girls, and children to safe states has added a burden on women on how to secure their family’s livelihood, an issue that has been reiterated by several women’s organizations and initiatives in their statements to the international community.

In addition, the hosting states are negatively impacted and suffer the economic consequences of the war. Women in the shelters lack access to basic needs and services. Further, the hosting families are overburdened with high expenditures levels, compounded by the rise of the cost of living, increased number of unemployed family members, and the high prices of goods and services. The suspension of trade activities impacted the prices of goods and services. New routes of trade have been opened from Ethiopia to Eastern and other safe states to replace the suspension of trade with other countries due to the war. Displaced male traders from the hosting communities have started to engage in border trade activities while displaced women and vulnerable women from hosting communities are confronted with cultural barriers, social norms, and a lack of access to funds to pursue and engage in trade, and other business domains. This in return is negatively impacting on the participation of a considerable number of women in determining the course of the direction of peace in Sudan and creating lasting peace.

UN Women is implementing a project In Gezira Blue Nile, Red Sea and Gedarif aimed at enhancing the role of women's and young women-led peace organizations' role in humanitarian settings and peace, amplifying women’s voices, and strengthening coordination for effective participation in the peace process. Furthermore, the project aims to support displaced women with livelihood and enhance the economic opportunities, and the autonomy of women in the hosting communities of displaced persons.

It is against this backdrop that UN Women seeks to recruit a qualified consultant to undertake a baseline survey to support and generate baseline value for the project intervention and to facilitate the measurement of the achievement against the target. Further, a mapping of the women, and young-women-led peace organizations will be convened to generate data on the capacities of the organization, the challenges they face, and how they coordinate to enhance their role in humanitarian and peacebuilding. Additionally, the consultant will also the situations of displaced women, and women from the host communities, and the role of media in fostering women’s role in humanitarian and peacebuilding.

The consultant will be reporting to the Specialist Women Peace and Security Specialist and will be supported by the Women’s Political Participation Consultant, who will serve as the primary contact for contractual and payment matters.

Duties and Responsibilities

Description of Responsibilities/ Scope of Work

Overall Objective

Present a comprehensive analysis of the situation of displaced women, women from the host communities, and the involvement of women-led peace organizations in peace and humanitarian initiatives.

Specific Objectives:

• Provide contextual analysis on the socio-economic, political, and cultural environment surrounding displaced women, and from the host communities.
• Undertake mapping of the existing and potential women and young women-led peace organizations and initiatives, and reflect on their roles, engagement in coalition with other women’s groups and other civic-led initiatives against war such as but not limited to ( trade unions movement, “Tgadom” etc), capacities, needs, the scope of their work, challenges they face, opportunities for empowerment and their coordination efforts to enhance the humanitarian delivery as well as WPS messages.
• Reflect on the socio-economic, political, and cultural situations of the displaced women, and women from host communities, and examine their economic empowerment status, including access to resources at the household level, improved livelihood and economic opportunities, priorities, and the challenges they face.
• Identify the media capacities and roles in fostering women’s engagement in the humanitarian and peace processes.
• Assess the current levels of women's participation and leadership in peacebuilding and conflict resolution initiatives in Sudan.
• Identify vocational training capacities of IDP’s women and host communities.
• Undertake a quick market assessment to understand the vocational training needs of women, girls, and young men in IDPs and the host community.
• Understand the protection needs of women and girls, the resources available, and how to strengthen the capacity available at the community level.

Duties and responsibilities of the Lead Consultant:

The lead consultant is expected to perform the following tasks:

• Undertake desk review of the available literature on the mapped women's organizations, and movements (in different domains), and examine the socio-economic, political, and cultural situations in the target project areas.
• In close collaboration and coordination with the lead researcher, design the tools of the primary data collection, and identify the stakeholders to be consulted, and the potential farming communities to be targeted.
• Identify the displaced women to be targeted and set the criteria for the selection.
• Manage the data entry and analysis.
• Adhere to the criteria and definition of vulnerability set by the UN Women when undertaking vocational training gap and capacity assessment.
• Identify the protection services available in target localities and recommend ways of strengthening the services.

Identify women in host communities and/or IDPs already involved in livelihood activities with an income before the project initiation and specify the nature of these.

Deliverables

Deliverable

Expected completion time (due day)

Payment Schedule (optional)

Inception report within 2 weeks, outlining objectives, methodology, work plan, risk factors, and mitigation strategy.

15 April 2024

30% upon the submission of the inception report by the consultant

Draft study report with sections on background, objectives, methodology, literature review, contextual analysis, findings, conclusion, and recommendations.

29 April 2024

Separate Excel sheet with detailed information for each targeted women-led organization/movement/initiative.

09 May 2024

Log frame of the project document as an annex.

15 May 2024

70% upon the completion of the task

Consultant’s Workplace and Official Travel

This is a home-based consultancy. Any trips to other cities will be confirmed accordingly

Competencies

Core Values:

• Respect for Diversity
• Integrity
• Professionalism

Core Competencies:

• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues
• Accountability
• Creative Problem Solving
• Effective Communication
• Inclusive Collaboration
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Leading by Example

Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Core Values and Competencies:

https://www.unwomen.org/en/about-us/employment/application-process#_Values

FUNCTIONAL COMPETENCIES:

• Research and analytical skills.
• Skills in designing data collection tools.
• Excellent skills in managing data entry and analysis, ensuring accuracy and reliability of the collected information.
• Report writing skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.

Required Skills and Experience

Education and Certification:

• Minimum M.SC degree in gender, social sciences, or any other related discipline

Experience:

• Expertise in gender-related aspects
• At least 7 years of experience in working on gender issues or related fields;
• At least 7 years’ experience in conducting research, mapping, and assessments.;
• Strong writing skills; and
• Sound knowledge of women’s dynamics, and movements is desirable.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English and Arabic are required.

Please note that applications without a completed and signed UN Women P-11 form will be treated as incomplete and will not be considered for further assessment.

UN Women Personal History form (P-11) can be downloaded from http://www.unwomen.org/en/about-us/employment .

UNWOMEN is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, colour, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity and organizational need.

If you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in your application.

UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to UN Women’s policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UN Women personnel and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. (Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.)

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