WOMEN EMPOWERMENT SPECIALIST ON EVAW
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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. UN Women supports UN Member States as they set global standards for achieving gender equality and works with governments and civil society to design laws, policies, programmes and services needed to ensure that the standards are effectively implemented and truly benefit women and girls worldwide. It works globally to make the vision of the Sustainable Development Goals a reality for women and girls and stands behind women’s equal participation in all aspects of life.
Programme Description: The Spotlight Initiative (SI), funded by European Union, comes at a key moment in Tajikistan, bringing the resources to leverage the increasing political will to strengthen institutions and to engage civil society to significantly increase and expand on the Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (EVAWG) efforts done to date. Building on European Union’s (EU) “commitment to gender equality, human rights, the empowerment of women and girls and the eradication of gender-based violence” it will contribute to a new way of collaborating to fill important legal gaps and institutional needs and change the norms and perceptions that will address root causes of SGBV and prevent VAWG in Tajikistan, while supporting women and girls - survivors of violence, in a holistic and impact-oriented manner.
The overall vision of the Spotlight Initiative in Tajikistan is that women and girls enjoy their right to a life free of violence. The programme will contribute to the elimination of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) by responding to the needs of women and girls and addressing the underlying causes of violence against women and girls using a multi-sectoral and intersectional approach across the ecological model.
The Spotlight Initiative will accelerate Tajikistan's progress toward reaching its targets under the 2030 Agenda, particularly regarding SDG 5 on Gender Equality, but also SDG 3 “Health and Well-Being”, SDG 4 “Quality Education”, SDG 10 “Reduced Inequalities”, SDG 16 “Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions”, and SDG 17 on “Partnerships”. It will contribute to the National Development Strategy for the period from 2016 to 2030 and the Mid-term Development Programme for the period 2016-2020 and reinforce Tajikistan’s implementation of its commitments under the Beijing Platform for Action, the Concluding Observations of the CEDAW Committee, among other obligations.
The Programme is grounded on the core principle of leaving no one behind and reaching the furthest behind first.
In Tajikistan, despite the adoption of the Law of RT “On prevention of violence in the family” (2013), which is considered a progressive step in addressing violence against women and girls (VAWG), and the National Action Plan (NAP) on implementation of abovementioned law (2014-2023), Tajikistan does not yet have strong coordination and accountability mechanisms to promote gender equality and address sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). The limited role of responsible bodies to lead responsibility for prevention and response to SGBV is one of the problems of the SGBV coordination. In addition, important legislative and policy measures have been undermined by lack of funding and serious institutional capacity gaps, impeding effective implementation. Both the Law and the NAP “fail to attribute clear tasks to each of agencies leading to weak coordination between the ministries it enumerates. The Action Plan does not specify deadlines for implementation or specific indicators for measuring impact and progress”.[1]
Institutional capacities: The systematic and generalized lack of knowledge and skills for consideration of gender issues and lack of critical thinking about the stereotypes and biases limit the capacity of national institutions in the justice, social, statistics, law enforcement and health sectors, employment-related institutions and at the community level to plan and implement programmes that prevent and respond to VAWG. The insufficient understanding of VAWG and gender equality issues by the civil servants - and the attitudes of these individuals towards women and girls in general (and survivors of violence in particular) – limits the efforts and investment in the elimination of VAWG. Institutional strengthening requires a review of attitudes among civil servants towards VAWG, and CSOs highlighted the urgency for systematic and consistent training on EVAWG as a vital factor for increasing effectiveness in the elimination of VAWG.
The Spotlight Tajikistan Programme aims to effect change at the individual and inter-personal level, while shifting institutional practices and social norms which are more gender equitable and supporting legal and policy improvements and enforcement of existing legislation on VAWG, in line with international human rights standards.
Developing a comprehensive training package on gender mainstreaming, SGBV and transformative leadership – based on existing materials from the UN Family and other key development partners (such as the SDC/PVF) and according to the capacity needs assessment - for the capacity building of key ministries, agencies, parliament.
Considering the need to mainstream and act with one voice and coordinated messages, this will include a Training of Trainers course to key partners and UN Agencies (UNDP, UNICEF, UNFPA) as well in support of institutional strengthening in EVAW across stakeholders. Using the training package developed and based on the capacity assessment conducted, UN agencies- SI implementing partners will support the capacity development and institutional strengthening of the key ministries and committees, including IA), RT Ministry of Health and Social Protection of the Population of RT (MHSPP), Ministry of Education and Science of RT (MoES) and the Committee on women and family affairs under the Government of RT (CWFA).
Using the training package developed by UN Women experts and based on the capacity assessment conducted by these experts, engaged UN agencies (UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF and UN Women) will support the capacity development and institutional strengthening of the following key ministries:
- UN Women will arrange training for MoES, MoHSP and CoWFA
- UNDP will arrange training for MoJ, MoIA (including the Police), and judiciary, aiming to develop a gender mainstreaming strategy (incorporated into existing internal documents) that will promote increased access of women to decision-making positions and support the development of accountability and monitoring mechanisms.
The educational program should help to foster proactive leadership from senior officials, including through setting effective systems, coordination and coherence of state efforts at vertical and horizontal levels; and support creation the functional platforms for collaboration with women’s human rights advocates and CSOs. Ministries and agencies will be supported in undertaking gender assessment of institutional capacities to address EVAWG and training and support will be delivered to selected key stakeholders. This training and support will be provided based on a package to be developed in consultation with these stakeholders and with participation from CSOs, which will then be delivered by the UN implementing agencies with best entry points into each ministry and agency (therefore leveraging their experience).
This intervention aims to ensure not only that key officials are better able to develop and deliver evidence-based interventions to prevent and respond to VAWG (especially for those groups of women and girls facing intersecting and multiple forms of discrimination), but also that these trainings are institutionalized.
In a first stage this individual awareness and institutional strengthening will operate mainly at the national level, engaging high-level duty bearers responsible for upholding the laws and supporting primarily women and girls at risk of SGBV. Finally, these efforts aim to support the institutionalization and effective and impactful operation of a multi-stakeholder coordination group at the national level, which will be refined in consultation with the Committee on women and family affairs under the Government of RT and key stakeholders.
In light of above-mentioned, UN Women in Tajikistan seeks Women Empowerment Specialist to support National Leading Expert on strengthening cooperation and coordination between ministries and departments on introducing institutional transformative change to prevent SGBV/VAW (****WOMEN EMPOWERMENT SPECIALIST ON EVAW).
[1] Women’s UN Report Network - Domestic violence in Tajikistan: time to right the wrongs, available at https://wunrn.com/2017/03/tajikistan-domestic-violence-report-many-victims-not-protected-or-supported/
Duties and Responsibilities
During this assignment, the incumbent will support National Leading Expert to contribute to the strengthening institutional capacities of the Women and girls’ empowerment sector through a holistic and integrated approach that includes:
- capacity needs assessment of the CoWFA,
- contribution to developing of a comprehensive educational package “Strengthening cooperation between ministries and departments on leadership transformation to achieve the goals of promoting the principles of gender equality and the elimination of gender-based violence”,
- testing the training programme with representatives of the Committee on women and family affairs under the Government of RT (CoWFA),
- conducting a 3-day training for selected s****taff of CoWFA,
- and support of National Leading Expert in establishing integrated approach to prevention of SGBV/VAWG.
The scheme of work is seen as the following (also see Annex A. The scheme of cooperation):
- Women Empowerment Specialist on EVAW is accountable to National Leading Expert and supports him/her by contributing to all final products of the assignment from Women Empowerment sector viewpoint;
- The work of Women Empowerment Specialist on EVAW and of 4 other Local Sectorial Specialists will be managed/coordinated by National Leading Expert;
- National Leading Expert consults focal points of related state agencies (not paid) assigned by the Government, (including CoWFA).
The objective of this assignment is aimed to:
- Deepen understanding and awareness of the partners in Women empowerment sector concerning the principles of gender transformative programming in specific EVAW context to advance the rights and realities of specific groups of women and the obligations of the country in promoting and protecting women’s human rights;
- To contribute to improvement of internal gender policies of Women empowerment institutions;
- To catalyze strengthening of the state institutions’ coordination and collaboration on elimination of violence against women and girls’ issues, including in Women empowerment sector.
It is important to note that part of preparatory activity (desk review of related policies) in 2020 was completed. National and sectoral strategic, programmatic and regulatory legal documents in the field of VAWG were collected and studied and the report submitted to Lead Expert.
Working in close cooperation with the focal point of the Committee on Women and Family Affairs under the Government of RT and indirectly [if required] with the representatives of 4 other state partners - 1) Ministry of Justice, (2) Ministry of Health and Social Protection of the Population, (3) Ministry of Education and Science and (4) Ministry of Interior Affairs; as well as under coordination of National Leading Expert, the Women Empowerment Specialist on EVAW will be responsible for the following:
- Supporting National Leading Expert through communication with assigned focal points of the ministries and committee to conduct the needs assessment (survey) in the Committee on women and family affairs under the Government of RT on EVAW/ elimination of SGBV issues;
- Support mapping Women empowerment institutional learning needs;
- Conducting 2 focus groups’ discussions with related vulnerable populations that receive services in CoWFA GRT’s facilities;
- Contributing to draft of the comprehensive educational package “Strengthening cooperation between ministries and departments on leadership transformation to achieve the goals of promoting the principles of gender equality and the elimination of gender-based violence” from Women and girls’ empowerment viewpoint;
- Testing the module (training) with support of assigned focal points of 3 key agencies (indicated further, including the CoWFA GRT);
- Supports National Leading Expert in provision of training for staff of the CoWFA GRT RT (3 state bodies (shown in the table below);
- Supports of National Leading Expert in facilitating a Training of Trainers’ course to UN Agencies in support of institutional strengthening in EVAW across key institutions.
Deliverables
Responsible from state side
Responsible from project side
Delivery dates
1. Assessment of staff needs is conducted through questionnaires for CWFA GRT among 25 employees of CoWFA
the focal point representing Women empowerment sector, assigned by GoT (COWFA)
National Lead Expert (with support of Women Empowerment Specialist on EVAW)
6 August 2021
2. Report on Needs assessment and mapping of capacity on EVAW (Women empowerment sector component) (25 respondents) is submitted to National Lead Expert
the focal point representing Women and girls’ empowerment sector, assigned by GoT (COWFA)
National Lead Expert (with support of Women Empowerment Specialist on EVAW)
12 August 2021
3. Report is submitted to National Lead Expert on conducted 2 focus groups discussions (FGDs) regarding satisfaction by provided state services on response to violence
With participation of responsible focal points assigned by the GoT
National Lead Expert (with support of Women Empowerment Specialist on EVAW)
15 August 2021
4. Contribution is made to a comprehensive educational package “Strengthening cooperation between ministries and departments on leadership transformation to achieve the goals of promoting the principles of gender equality and the elimination of gender-based violence”, as requested by led Expert.
National Lead Expert (with support of Team of Experts)
5. Report is submitted to National Lead Expert on testing the training package among the control group of representatives of 5 sectorial working groups (25 participants, 5 people from each group).
NOTE: testing training will be conducted by Lead Expert with support of 5 thematic specialists, including Women Empowerment Specialist on EVAW
With participation of responsible focal points assigned by the GoT
National Lead Expert (with support of Team of Experts)
20 August 2021
6. Contribution is made to Final version of consolidated educational package
National Lead Expert (with support of Team of Experts)
20 August 2021
7. Report on conducted training to 25 staff of CWFA GRT is submitted to National Lead Expert
NOTE: the training will be conducted with support of Leading Expert.
National Lead Expert (with support of Women Empowerment Specialist on EVAW)
30 September 2021
8. Report is provided to National Lead Expert on conducted TOT for UN Agencies (UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF, UN Women) for their further work with the state structures
NOTE: the TOT will be conducted by experts’ team including of Women Empowerment Specialist on EVAW
National Lead Expert (with support of Women Empowerment Specialist on EVAW and sector specialists)
10 October 2021
Competencies
Core Values:
- Respect for Diversity
- Integrity
- Professionalism
Core Competencies:
- Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues
- Accountability
- Creative Problem Solving
- Effective Communication
- Inclusive Collaboration
Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Core Values and Competencies: https://www.unwomen.org/-/media/headquarters/attachments/sections/about%20us/employment/un-women-values-and-competencies-framework-en.pdf?la=en&vs=637
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.
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
- University degree in women empowerment, gender issues, humanities or an area relevant to the requirements of this TOR.
Working Experience:
- At least 2 years of experience in development/application of assessment tools (questionnaires, checklists, thematic markers) and experience in developing report on needs assessment and mapping of capacities;
- At least 2 ToT provided solely by the candidate or as a co-trainer;
- At least 3 years of experience of interaction with business processes of women empowerment state structures, mechanisms and operational ability to effectively respond to SGBV (e.g. investments in institutional capacities, skills and knowledge of personnel to respond to incidents, protect victims, and investigate and refer cases, and placing accountability mechanism, oversight mechanisms, recruitment criteria);
- At least 3 years of experience in working with UN, development partners or INGOs.
Knowledge of languages:
- Proficient in written and oral Russian and Tajik languages.
Application Process
The application should include:
- Letter of Interest;
- 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.
Candidate 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 upon achievement of expected results and approval of all deliverables and acceptance of services by the UN Women (PERF) that the services have been satisfactorily performed.
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Source:
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