Local Individual consultant for the development of content on prevention of and protection from cyberviolence targeting women and adolescent girls- Yerevan, Armenia

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up

How can you make a difference?

The objective of the assignment is to develop content targeting women and adolescent girls to raise awareness about cyberviolence aiming at prevention of and protection from it.

Scope of Work: Communication technologies have permeated all spheres of human life, creating an enabling environment for social networking, service delivery, employment, and enterprising activities. It has somehow created an impression of being a safe space given that risks arising from physical contact are brought down to zero. However, with more usage and growing evidence one learns that digital public space takes on some of the risk qualities of offline environment, such as cyber violence against women and girls (VAWG), bullying, etc. There are certain risk factors that show women and girls being more susceptible to sexual harassment and stalking in online environment. Another direction that experts are already alerting the users, policy makers and other stakeholders is to ensure that cyber VAWG not to be seen as separate from VAWG that occurs offline. For example, cyber-stalking by a partner has the same characteristics as offline stalking and should be seen as an extension of it in an online space.

Although this is an emerging field, where data, research and impact on victims of cyber VAWG are in the making, as well as law enforcement system is lagging behind in providing the due protection, the lives and health of many women and girls are at risk, requiring increased attention to the awareness raising on cyber VAWG as to minimize the impact by tipping them with prevention and protection knowledge to avoid victimization in online space.

Under the current Country Programme Document 2016-2021 UNICEF in Armenia commits to support the country in ensuring that justice and human rights institutions better serve, protect and monitor the rights of children, especially the most vulnerable, in line with the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Under the broader outcome, UNICEF Armenia is set to support a child rights coordination mechanism with a clearly defined role and capacity for child rights monitoring (CRM) established, and partnerships sustained for generation of equity focused data on children with evidence-based programming, which is piloted for addressing gender-biased sex selection (GBSS). As part of the Joint Project on “Accelerating women’s empowerment for economic resilience and renewal: the post COVID-19 reboot in Armenia” implemented by UNDP, UN Women, UNICEF, and UNIDO, UNICEF Armenia is supporting the generation of digital content for Virtual Safe Space dedicated to prevention, protection from and prosecution of gender-based violence, targeting women and girls to raise their awareness related to topis of GBV, including cyberviolence. The assignment under this project is informed by the Socio-economic Impact Assessment of the COVID-19 Outbreak in Armenian Communities as well as the Rapid Gender Assessment on the Impact of COVID-19 on Women’s and Men’s Lives and Livelihoods in Europe and Central Asia. It is designed to advance the following priorities set out under the United Nations in Armenia COVID-19 Socio-economic Response and Recovery Plan Socio Economic Response Plan for Armenia (SERRP):

• Invest in distributed digital infrastructure, skills, distance education and learning, with specific focus on girls and women in STEM (SERRP Pillar 2).
• Ensure provision of basic support services (hotlines and support services) for survivors of gender-based violence (SERRP Pillar 2).

With increased internet and smartphone penetration and noticeable change in media consumption, as well as peer to peer communication among younger age groups in Armenia, raising the awareness on cyberviolence and particularly VAWG in online space is instrumental to protection of women and girls, as a first step in terms of providing tips and tools for prevention, while working to improve the protection and prosecution parts of the equation. For high quality impact, UNICEF Armenia is exploring the potential of developing and placing high quality expert content in identified virtual safe space designed for women and girls to prevent, protect and prosecute GBV. Linked to this, within the scope of the work, the consultancy aims at developing quality content on cyber VAWG developed by a cyber security expert and placed under the Expert Page as to ensure that women and girls know what is cyber stalking, cyber harassment and non-consensual pornography, what are some of the possible consequences and how to avoid falling prey to them in online environment.

Requirements for content should be guided by UICEF policy on prohibition of discrimination, harassment, sexual and harassment and abuse of authority (Doc. No. POLICY/DHR/2020/002) and abide with following requirements: (a) to ensure that each article, written in Armenian language is more than minimum 500 and less than maximum 1000 words; (b) it has a title tag with 40-55 characters for each article, (c) the title of the article is limited to max 60 characters to avoid lengthy and confusing titles and (d) at least 20 percent of the content targeting girls of ages 15 and above with age specific and sensitive language.

Tasks/Milestone:

Deliverables/Outputs:

Timeline

Development, editing, revision based on comments and Finalisation of Articles on General Tips on Staying Safe Online (max 4000 words)

• Why not to share passwords with anyone?
• How to improve personal security online?
• How to ensure that your children are safe online?
• Some of the early signs of danger that parents need to recognize.

August 1, 2021

Development, editing, revision based on comments and Finalisation of Articles on Cyber Stalking (max 6000 words)

Definition: Cyber stalking is stalking by means of email, text (or online) messages or the internet. Stalking involves repeated incidents, which may or may not individually be innocuous acts, but combined undermine the victim’s sense of safety and cause distress, fear or alarm.

• How to avoid receiving emails, text messages (SMS) or instant messages that are offensive or threatening?
• What are some of the tips if you have received emails, t, messengers and/or instant messages that are offensive or threatening?
• You have been attacked by offensive comments on the internet: Thinks to consider countering and minimize them.
• Think before sharing intimate photos or videos with even the closest friends or intimate partners
• How safe are your photos on your computer or phone? How they can be used without your knowledge?
• Once I post my photo: Some of the things that can go wrong with my public photos.

August 20, 2021

Development, editing, revision based on comments and Finalisation of Articles on Cyber Harassment (Max 4000 words)

Cyber harassment can take many forms, but for the purposes of this consultancy some of the topics to consider are:

• How to minimize or avoid being impacted by unwanted sexually explicit emails, text (or online) messages?
• Protection tips and mechanisms from inappropriate or offensive advances on social networking websites or internet chat rooms.
• What are some of the first steps after receiving threats of physical and/or sexual violence by email, text (or online) messages?
• Hate speech, meaning language that denigrates, insults, threatens or targets an individual based on her identity (gender) and other traits (such as sexual orientation or disability).

September 10, 2021

Identification of topics for 3 articles agreed upon with UNICEF Armenia and development, editing, revision based on comments and Finalisation of Articles on Non-consensual Pornography (Max 3000 words)

• Article 1
• Article 2
• Article 3

September 30, 2021

Placement and publishing of developed articles on VSS to be identified by UNICEF (including editing and design)

Note: The design for this assignment will require a high quality professional and enticing photo of the expert that is the author of the articles to accompany the articles. The purpose of the design is to establish knowledge-based learning hierarchies as to ensure due dissemination of knowledge. It is also a marker of quality content.

At least 17 articles are published in the Virtual safe space (VSS) with the payment delivered on the basis of word count

A short report (up to 1000 words) on viewer comments to the articles informing on possible directions for future content and topics of interest.

October 30, 2021

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Master's degree in sociology, political science, cyber security studies or other STEM related qualification.

At least 5 years of experience in cybersecurity related field and topics, demonstrated knowledge on the topic of cyberviolence and/or VAWG, VAC. Knowledge of child rights is an asset.

Ability to use logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of IT systems, social networks and online communication.

A deep understanding of how hackers work and ability to keep up with the fast pace of change in the criminal cyber-underworld, including their impact on human wellbeing and violation of basic human rights (i.e. as a result of violence against women and girls in online space).

Excellent IT skills, including knowledge of computer networks, operating systems, software, hardware and security and their possible negative impact on human rights and human wellbeing.

An understanding of the cyber security risks associated with various technologies and ways to manage them, including their impact on human rights and human wellbeing.

A good working knowledge of various security technologies such as network and application firewalls, host intrusion prevention and anti-virus.

Analytical and problem-solving skills to identify and assess risks, threats, patterns and trends.

Strong communication skills, as well as the ability to adapt communication styles to the requirements of virtual safe spaces.

For more details please refer to the attached ToR ToR_Cybersecurity expert_UNICEF-VA.pdf

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.

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.

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. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles 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.

Remarks:

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

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.