Local Consultant to strengthen the Tajikistan Network of Women Living with HIV (TNWLWH) to incorporate the HIV agenda into the national response to VAWG

Consultant Human Rights

Contract

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Background

UN Women, the UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women has been created to accelerate up the process of meeting the needs of women and girls across the world. As a part of the UN reform agenda, it brings together resources and mandates which will subsequently have a lasting impact on the whole community. Gender inequality contributes to the spread of HIV and increases infection rates and reduces the ability of women and girls to cope with the epidemic. Often, women and girls have less information about HIV and fewer resources to take preventive measures. They face barriers to the negotiation of safer sex, because of unequal power dynamics with men. Sexual violence, a widespread violation of women’s rights, exacerbates the risk of HIV transmission.

According to UNAIDS data, as in all countries of Eastern Europe and Central Asia, the increase in HIV cases in Tajikistan continues and over the past 10 years the number of new cases has increased approximately by 20%. Over the past five years the proportion of women living with HIV in Tajikistan has increased by 17% and has reached 41%. The National Program on HIV Prevention for the next 5 years has been adopted and the country determined its steps towards achieving the goal of ending AIDS.

Within the framework of UNAIDS Unified Budget, Results and Accountability Framework (UBRAF), the UN Women country office in Tajikistan conducted a National Review to identify key barriers of women’ access to HIV treatment in Tajikistan to determine the gender related gaps in HIV response. The office

presented the results of the assessment and supported the National AIDS coordinating authorities in developing action plans based on the findings of the assessment; building capacities of representatives of National AIDS coordinating authorities in integrating gender equality in their HIV response; to involve women living with HIV in monitoring and evaluation through the implementation of the National Action Plan for HIV Prevention for 2021-2025.

Recently, the COVID-19 pandemic has widened gaps and challenges in access to and quality of services, overwhelmed healthcare systems, exacerbated financial pressure on domestic financing of healthcare, increased incidence of intimate partner and gender-based violence, and increased experiences of stigma and discrimination in health care settings and other human rights and gender-related violations among key and vulnerable populations. Consequently, community-led monitoring (CLM) of services has emerged as an important tool for improving the quality and accessibility of services while building political accountability of service providers, governments, and donors too, and by the people and communities they serve.

To better address the bi-directional nature of the VAWG and HIV/AIDS in Tajikistan, it was suggested by the 2021 Independent evaluation of the work of the UN Joint Programme on AIDS on preventing and responding to violence against women and girls to enhance the integration of VAWG into existing HIV programmes and vice-versa, which require more in-depth attention to the gender dimensions and recognition and support of the critical role of civil society both in advocacy and service delivery.

In 2021-2022 the UNAIDS, jointly with UN Women, introduced the concept of Community-Led Monitoring (CLM), trained 20 women living with HIV on pilot basis, and successfully advocated for inclusion of the CLM into the Monitoring and Evaluation Plan of the National HIV Programme. Since then, the CLM activities have not been continued due to the lack of funding support. The CLM concept for women living with HIV is currently planned for introduction in Armenia with the support of the UNAIDS.

The UN-EU Spotlight Programme to end Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG) has been successful in terms of the programme interventions, including strengthening and supporting feminist/women’s rights and progressive movements. Unfortunately, the needs and problems of women living with HIV have not been in the specific focus of the Programme. Likewise, although the Programme has incorporated the concept of CLM, but the tool for assessing VAWG, needs, provision and quality of services provided to the women living with HIV has not been developed. In 2023, the Programme plans to support the Committee on Women and Family Affairs (CoWFA) in drafting and adopting the new National Programme to fight all forms of violence against women in Tajikistan.

The Consultant shall work on strengthening the Network of Women Living with HIV to incorporate the HIV agenda into the national response to VAWG with particular focus on transformational leadership of women living with HIV, CLM and advocacy, and complementing and collaborating with other on-going projects and programmes on VAWG and HIV/AIDS in line with the conclusions and recommendations of the Independent evaluation of the work of the UN Joint Programme on AIDS (UNAIDS) on preventing and responding to violence against women and girls conducted in 2021 in Tajikistan.

Noteworthy, he/she is expected to work jointly and provide technical assistance and guidance to the UNAIDS-supported TNWLWH project on strengthening capacities of WLWH and engaging them in evidence-based advocacy through Community-Led Monitoring (CLM).

Duties and Responsibilities

I.Goal and objectives

The overall goal of the subjected assignment is to strengthen monitoring and evaluation, data collection and presentation, evidence-based advocacy of the WLWH to enact change and ensure accountability of decision-makers and other duty bearers, and networking of CLM activists with the peers in the region. The consultancy shall be conducted in close coordination with the Tajikistan Network of Women Living with HIV to provide needed technical assistance in implementation of the project: Strengthening the Network of Women Living with HIV to incorporate the HIV agenda into the national response to VAWG.

II.Duties and Responsibilities

Under the overall guidance of the UN Women Portfolio Manager the Consultant will perform, but will not necessarily be limited, to the following tasks:

• Preparation of the detailed work plan, including the methodology of work in close coordination with UN Women Programme Office in Tajikistan.
• Conducting (as the Lead Trainer) 3-days national-level training for 20 women living with HIV representing all regions (oblasts) on the basics of monitoring and evaluation in the framework of CLM. The UNAIDS-supported TNWLWH will fund a second trainer from the community and one out of three training days.
• Conduct 1 day session on gender mainstreaming and HIV for the staff of Republican Center for HIV/AIDs/ M&E department.
• Providing technical guidance (including checklists and reporting forms) to conducting, preferably, jointly with the Spotlight team, 4 CLM monitoring visits to the regions (Khujand (Sughd); Vose (Khatlon); Rudaki (DRS) and Khorog (GBAO)) on the key issues faced by women living with HIV (access to services, stigma and discrimination, violence) – The UNAIDS-supported TNWLWH will cover DSAs of the CLM teams.
• Facilitation of the cross-fertilization and experience sharing with Armenian CLM group (through preparing and conducting four thematical webinars; topics TBC, may include: CLM tools, access to services, stigma and discrimination, violence, social order, etc.)
• Analyzing findings of CLM and developing a set of recommendations for inclusion in the new National Programme on Prevention of all Forms of Violence 2024-2030
• Preparing a detailed concept note and conducting one multi-stakeholder meeting to present the set of CLM recommendations and coordinate with the CoWFA and the Spotlight Programme for inclusion in the new National Programme on Prevention of all Forms of Violence 2024-2030 (50 people, national level) Coordination with the National AIDS authorities. The meeting will be cost-shared with UNAIDS-supported TNWLWH.
• Facilitation of the above-mentioned meeting/presentation.
• Preparation and submission of the detailed report along with the supporting documents for the review and approval of UN Women Portfolio Coordinator, further recommendations and follow up actions.

1.Deliverables

No.

Deliverables

Timeline

1.

Detailed work plan, including the methodology of work in close

coordination with UN Women Programme Office in Tajikistan developed and approved.

28 July 2023

2.

Reviewed and adapted training module on CLM, development of the CLM M&E guidelines, checklists, other necessary tools submitted

7 August 2023

3.

One national-level 3-day training for 20 women living with HIV representing all regions (oblasts) on the basics of monitoring and evaluation in the framework of CLM conducted

One day session on gender mainstreaming and HIV for the staff of Republican Center for HIV/AIDs/ M&E department conducted

17 August 2023

4.

Technical guidance, including checklists and reporting forms, to conduct 4 CLM monitoring visits to the regions (Khujand (Sughd); Vose (Khatlon); Rudaki (DRS) and Khorog (GBAO) on the key issues faced by women living with HIV (access to services, stigma and discrimination, violence) developed and approved

25 August 2023

5.

4 CLM monitoring visits to the regions (Khujand (Sughd); Vose (Khatlon); Rudaki (DRS) and Khorog (GBAO) on the key issues faced by women living with HIV (access to services, stigma and discrimination, violence) conducted

5 October 2023

6.

Draft agenda, topics, presentations, and discussion points for conducting four thematical webinars for cross-fertilization and experience sharing with Armenian CLM group (through; topics TBC, may include: CLM tools, access to services, stigma and discrimination, violence, social order, etc.) prepared and submitted to UN Women

10 October 2023

7.

Set of recommendations for inclusion in the new National Programme on Prevention of all Forms of Violence 2024-2030 developed and submitted to UN Women

20 October 2023

8.

Detailed concept note and conducting one multi-stakeholder meeting to present the set of CLM recommendations and coordinate with the CoWFA and the Spotlight Programme for inclusion in the new National Programme on Prevention of all Forms of Violence 2024-2030 (50 people, national level) developed and submitted to UN Women

10 November 2023

9.

Facilitation of the multi-stakeholder meeting for 50 people, national level conducted.

25 November 2023

10.

The detailed report along with the supporting documents with further recommendations and follow up actions submitted for approval to UN Women

By 15th December 2023

Competencies

Core Values:

• Respect for Diversity
• Integrity
• Professionalism Core Competencies:
• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues
• Accountability
• Creative Problem Solving
• Effective Communication
• Inclusive Collaboration
• Good knowledge of the training topic on medical aspects and ethical norms in the field of HIV counselling.

Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Core Values and Competencies: https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/Headquarters/Attachments/Sections/About%20Us/Employment/UN-Women-values-and-competencies-framework-en.pdf

Functional Competencies:

• Possesses the ability to work independently, under pressure and meet deadlines;
• Good knowledge of technical area;
• Good organizational skills and ability to pay close attention to detail;
• Experience in report writing.
• Proven excellent communication and facilitation skills;

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• University degree in gender equality, women’s studies, law, human rights, social studies,

development studies or related field.

Experience:

• At least 5 years of relevant experience in promoting the rights of women living with HIV (WLWH) to overcome stigma and discrimination and the empowerment of WLWH.
• At least 2 years of experience in mainstreaming gender in policies and plans, especially in the context of WLWH rights is an asset.
• Previous work and direct working relationships with UN agencies considered an asset.

Knowledge of languages:

- Proficiency in written and oral Russian, Knowledge of English is an advantage.

Application Process

The application should include:

• Personal History Form (P-11 form) - including past experience in similar assignments; can be downloaded at http://www.unwomen.org/about-us/employment, a signed copy should be submitted;
• Financial Proposal: Specify a total lump sum amount for the tasks specified in this Terms of Reference. The financial proposal shall include a breakdown of this lump sum amount per deliverable;

Candidates should have the ability to quickly produce degree certificates and medical certification (of good health) should they be short-listed in consideration of the consultancy post.

Payment Schedule

Payment for the services provided will be made by deliverables as per the below table upon achievement of expected results and approval of the deliverable and acceptance of services by the UN Women (PERF) that the services have been satisfactorily performed.

1. First payment upon submission and approval of the the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th deliverables.
2. Second payment upon submission and approval of the the5th, 6th & 7th deliverables
3. Final payment upon submission and approval of the 8th, 9th & 10th deliverables

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Added 9 months ago - Updated 9 months ago - Source: jobs.undp.org