Background

Violence against women and girls is one of the most universal and pervasive human rights violations in the world. It constitutes a global pandemic of alarming proportions, with country data showing that about one third of women in the world report experiencing physical and/or sexual violence at some point in their lifetime, mainly by their partners. The magnitude of violence against women translates into very high costs – for women and girl’s lives and well-being, health and safety, as well as for school achievement, productivity, public policies and budgets. It has impacts on children, other family members, and whole communities. If unaddressed, these human rights violations have serious cost implications and consequences, on poverty reduction and development, including for efforts to achieve the MDGs and any post 2015 development goals. Access to corresponding essential services can provide women and girls the opportunity to break recurrent cycles of violence and mitigate the consequences.

• Reach an agreement on the set of essential services that are required to be provided to women and girls vulnerable to or that have been subjected to gender based violence;
• Develop and/or adapt standards and/or guidelines for the provision of the essential services  in the four key areas of 1) health, 2) police and justice, 3) social support services and 4) coordination and governance. These standards/guidelines must apply in all income/resource settings (ranging from the minimum required even in the least developed countries to the more optimal in middle income countries);
• Identify, develop or adapt methodologies, guidance or tools to assist implementation at the country level; and
• Provide technical assistance to assist implementation at the country-level.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Prepare a background paper (max.20-35 single-space pages) for the global technical consultation that will provide the context for the development or adaptation of standards and guidelines for the provision of police responses to women and girls vulnerable to or who have been subjected to gender based violence. This paper is expected to develop and further explore the following issues which include: reviewing existing global (UN and others) egional standards and guidelines for police response to VAW; identifying what policy/legal frameworks and structures have to be in place for the delivery of rights-based responses to survivors of violence; identifying the relevant core elements of the police response; developing draft standards and/or guidelines for the provision of a quality response; and discussion of the practical guidance for implementing the standards, particularly in low to medium income countries;
• Assist in the identification of a range of technical experts to participate in the consultation
• In close cooperation with UN Women, UNFPA, UNODC and UNDP, lead and facilitate the technical consultation on the police responses and work together with the second consultant to lead and facilitate the combined sessions of the consultation;
• Coordinate closely during the entire assignment with the second consultant hired for the justice part of the programme to ensure that all issues for both the police and  justice system have been addressed comprehensively and consistently;
• Present the paper and lead the discussions during various sessions at the global technical consultation;
• Draft and finalize the final technical consultation report and the final set of standards and guidelines; and
• Undertake any other activities as appropriate to assist UN Women, UNFPA, UNODC and UNDP in organizing the global technical consultation.

Outputs

• Technical background paper on “Police responses and standards for violence against women and girls.”
• Coordination and facilitation of the global technical consultation and presentation of the background paper.
• Final report of the technical consultation.
• Final set of standards and guidelines for the provision of a quality police response.
  

Competencies

• Demonstrate consistency in upholding and promoting the values of UN Women in actions and decisions, in line with the UN Code of Conduct.

Professionalism

• Demonstrate professional competence and expert knowledge of the pertinent substantive areas of work.

Cultural sensitivity and valuing diversity

• Demonstrate an appreciation of the multicultural nature of the organization and the diversity of its staff. Demonstrate an international outlook, appreciating difference in values and learning from cultural diversity.

Required Skills and Experience

• A qualified police practitioner or suitably qualified expert who has worked for or within a policing agency in the area of violence against women;
• At least 10 years work experience in the field of violence against women and girls including at international level. It is preferable that applicants have practical experience in working with the police in developing countries.

Language

•  Fluency in English is required (oral and written);
• Proficiency in another UN working language is desirable.