UN WOMEN Jobs - 61905- Mid-Term Review of the National Strategy to Combat

Mid-Term Review of the National Strategy to Combat Violence Against Women

Advertised on behalf of

UN WOMEN

Location :

Home-based (With Frequent visits to Ministry of Women’s Affairs and UN Women’s Premises, As Well As the Relevant Partners, PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

01-Jan-2016

Application Deadline :

07-Dec-15 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

National Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

Approximately 35 working days before 30 April 2016

Languages Required :

Arabic English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

Approximately 35 working days before 30 April 2016

UNDP 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. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Background

The UN Women (UNW), grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security. Placing women’s rights at the center of all its efforts, the UN Women will lead and coordinate United Nations system efforts to ensure that commitments on gender equality and gender mainstreaming translate into action throughout the world. It will provide strong and coherent leadership in support of Member States’ priorities and efforts, building effective partnerships with civil society and other relevant actors.

UN Women plays an innovative and catalytic role in State of Palestine since its inception in 1997. UN Women State of Palestine focuses its activities on one overarching goal, namely to support the implementation at the national level of existing international commitments to advance gender equality in line with the national priorities. In support of this goal and thoroughly taking into consideration the specificities of the Palestinian context, UN Women concentrates its efforts and interventions toward the realization of following strategic goals: Engendering governance, peace and security; Supporting women's economic security and rights; and Promoting women’s rights and protection against violence.

UN Women is currently working within the framework of its 2014-2016 Strategic Note which is aligned with national priorities. Combating violence against women and providing services for women and girls survivors of violence in accordance with international standards is a main focus area for UN Women in Palestine. To that extent, UN Women is implementing the Rule of Law Programme jointly with UNDP with a main component related to compacting violence against women. UN Women’s work including the joint programme on the Rule of Law contributes to achieving the results of the National Strategy to Combat Violence Against Women 2011-2019 (NSCVAW).

The National Strategy to Combat Violence Against Women 2011-2019 was developed by the Ministry of Women’s Affairs (MOWA) in full cooperation with UN Women and with the involvement of all concerned stakeholders including the National Committee to Combat Violence Against Women, the General Union of Palestinian Women, national NGO’s and CSO’s, semi-governmental organizations, several UN agencies, in addition to a wide range of Palestinian women. The Strategy covers both the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The strategy responds to the third Millennium Development Goal, which calls for gender equality and women’s empowerment.

The goal of the Strategy is to combat VAW by promoting the principle of the rule of law based on women’s rights and improving institutional mechanisms in the Palestinian society in order to protect and support abused women, and allow them to live in a society free from all forms of discrimination, based on equality, dignity, and respect for human rights. To achieve this goal, the Strategy adopts a cross-Sectoral approach, as it deals with a developmental issue that not only affects women, but also extends its influence to the social, economic, and political systems of the State of Palestine as a whole. Hence the implementation of the Strategy will depend on the government’s commitment to ensuring that ministries adhere to the necessary procedures, as well as on the commitment of non-governmental organizations to the strategy’s general framework.

The Strategy places specific focus on the following thematic areas:

Violence against Palestinian women as a result of the Israeli occupation;
Domestic violence and VAW within the family; and
VAW in the workplace.

The Strategic Objectives of the Strategy are:

Promote protection and empowerment mechanisms for women subjected to violence resulting from the Israeli occupation;
Promote a legal framework and institutional mechanisms to protect women from violence;
Improve social protection and social support offered to women victims of violence;
Improve health services in dealing with cases of VAW;
Improve the protection, judicial, shari’a and defense systems to protect women from violence based on a women’s human right-based approach;
Promote the principle of violence prevention as part of the strategic direction of institutions working on the protection of women’s human rights; and
Build a monitoring, follow-up and evaluation system involving both governmental and non-governmental institutions.

The expected outcomes of the plan are:

Victims of violence obtain the protection and support necessary for their rehabilitation in the community at a national level;
Change occurs in the attitudes of the Strategy’s target groups towards more support for women’s rights;
Local laws and legislation change to reflect a view towards protecting women from violence;
Infrastructure of community institutions concerned with women’s protection from violence better serves women’s rights;
Media deals with cases of VAW in a systematic and organized manner; and
Organized work and systemic exchange of information takes place between institutions working on combating VAW.

Within this framework, UN Women and the Ministry of Women’s Affairs are recruiting an external consultant to undertake a mid-term review of the National Strategy to Combat Violence Against Women.

Purpose and Use of the Mid-Term Review:

The overall purpose of the mid-term review (MTR) is to assess results achieved compared to planned strategic goals outlined in the strategy. It is expected that the MTR will review and analyze the implementation status of the strategy and provide targeted recommendations for the remaining implementation period. The main objectives of the MTR are:

Provide an evidence based evaluation of the Strategy’s status of implementation, including the government’s efforts and the de-facto impact on beneficiaries and partners, based on the strategic objectives in the Strategy;
Draw lessons learned and challenges encountered by the key stakeholders in the first implementation phase;
Provide realistic and targeted recommendations for the final period of the Strategy; and
Draw lessons learned, conclusions, and recommendations for the next planning cycle.

The MTR will be used by MOWA, the National Committee to Combat Violence Against Women, UN Women and other partners to increase the impact of the strategy in the second implementation phase and to engage in evidence based programming and policy making towards the elimination of violence against women.

The recommendations and results of the MTR will also play an important role in terms of informing the next government strategic planning cycle for the period 2017-2019, which will begin in 2016.

Scope of the MTR:

The scope of the MTR is defined by three dimensions: timeframe, and geographic and thematic focus:

Program: National Strategy to Combat Violence Against Women.
Timeframe The Strategy period to be covered by the MTR: January 2011 – to – December 2015 (inclusive) and taking into account the three phases of the Action Plans developed to implement the Strategy: Phase 1: 2011-2013; Phase II: 2014-2016; Phase III: 2017 – 2019.
Geographic: The West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Thematic Scope: Combating Violence Against Women.

MTR approach and Methodology:

The methodology must use a combination of quantitative and qualitative research methods that are appropriate to address the main objectives of the MTR. The entire methodology will ensure a fully participatory process, engaging multiple stakeholders from the planning to the final reporting stage. It is considered essential that a human rights and gender equality perspective is integrated within the methodology and throughout the analysis. This is particularly important to understand and assess complex, intersectional issues such as preventing and combating violence against women.

The MTR methodology will include:

A combination of instruments and methods for data collection (interviews, observations, focus groups, literature review, survey, rating, knowledge test, site visits, etc) and identify a wide range of data collection sources (documents, filed information, institutional information systems, financial records, beneficiaries, staff, funders, experts, government officials and community groups, media);
A methodological framework to be used to achieve the MTR objectives. This will include a tailored MTR questions matrix that will include review criteria, questions, indicators, and sources of information (to be developed by the consultant during the inception phase);
A work and mission plan; clearly indicating timing of activities, deliverable deadlines and resources (MTR Time line);
Definition of approaches for the analysis and interpretation of data;
Risk and mitigation strategy; and
Communication and reporting strategy for dissemination of the MTR results.

The MTR will use methods and techniques as determined by the specific needs of information, the availability of resources and the priorities of stakeholders. The consultant is expected to identify and utilize a wide range of information sources for data collection (documents, filed information, institutional information systems, financial records, monitoring reports, past evaluations) and key informants (beneficiaries, staff, funders, experts, government officials and community groups).

The consultant is also expected to analyze all relevant information sources and use interview and focus group discussions as a means to collect relevant data for the MTR, using a mixed-method approach that can capture qualitative and quantitative dimensions. The methodology and techniques (such as a case study, sample survey, etc.) to be used in the MTR should be described in detail in the inception report and in the final MTR report and should be linked to each of the MTR questions in the MTR Matrix. When applicable, a reference should be made regarding the criteria used to select the geographic areas that will be visited during the country mission.

The methods used should ensure the involvement of the main stakeholders. Rights holders and duty bearers should be involved in meetings, focus group discussions and consultations where they would take part actively in providing in-depth information about how the strategy was implemented, what has been changed in their status and how the strategy helped bring changes in their livelihoods. The consultant will develop specific questionnaires pertinent to specific group of stakeholders. When appropriate, audiovisual techniques could be used to capture the different perspectives of the population involved and to illustrate the findings of the MTR. The MTR should ensure that the contributions of both CSOs and the five Ministries that have signed MoUs with MOWA relating to the strategy are included in the assessment of implementation as the overall strategy identified government and non-government actors as joint partners in implementation. To this end the MTR should also evaluate the role of the National Committee in facilitating implementation and the impact of external factors on achievement of results as well as the internal institutional action plans designed to implement the strategy over three phases.

Evaluate and review.

MTR Criteria:

The MTR shall be organized around the standard OECD evaluation criteria, which are relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainability of the strategy.

The MTR should be answering the following questions at a minimum and the consultant will elaborate on the questions based on the inception phase of the MTR:

Relevance:

Are the strategy’s goals addressing identified rights and needs of the target group(s) in the local and national contexts? How much does the strategy contribute to shaping women’s human rights priorities?
Does the proposed policies and interventions address the problems identified?
Is the strategy design articulated in a coherent structure? Is the definition of objectives clearly articulated?

Effectiveness:

What has been the progress made towards achievement of the expected results? What are the results achieved?
Were there any unexpected results /unintended effects (negative or positive)?
What are the reasons for the achievement or non-achievement?
To what extent are the intended beneficiaries participating in and benefitting from the implementation of the strategy?
What are the changes produced by the implementation of the strategy on legal and policy frameworks at the national level?
To what extent and in what ways did the implementation of the stargey contribute to the goals set by UN Women at the country level?

Efficiency:

Is the implementation of the stargey cost-effective, i.e. could the results have been achieved at lower cost through adopting a different approach and/or using alternative delivery mechanisms?
Have the results been delivered in a timely manner?
How does the implementation strategy utilize existing local capacities of right-bearers and duty-holders to achieve its results?

Sustainability:

What is the likelihood that the benefits from the implementation of the strategy will be maintained?
Is the strategy supported by national/local institutions? Do these institutions demonstrate leadership commitment and technical capacity to continue to work with for the final period of the strategy?
What operational capacity of implementing agencies such as technology, finance, and staffing, has been strengthened?

Impact:

What are the intended and unintended, positive and negative, long term effects of the strategy?
To what extent can the changes that have occurred as a result of the implementation of the strategy identified and measured?
To what extent can the identified changes be attributed to the implementation of the strategy?
What are the positive and negative changes produced directly or indirectly by the implementation of the strategy on the opportunities of different groups of women?

The evaluation should also take into account the principles of gender responsive evaluation laid out in UN Women’s Evaluation Handbook:

National ownership and leadership;
UN system coordination and coherence with regard to gender equality and the empowerment of women;
Innovation;
Fair power relations and empowerment;
Participation and Inclusion;
Independence and Impartiality;
Transperancy;
Quality and Credibility;
Intentionality and use of evaluation; and
Ethics.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the overall supervision of UN Women Special Representative in the State of Palestine and the direct supervision of UN Women MTR Task Manager in cooperation with MOWA, the MTR Consultant will undertake the following duties and responsibilities:

Develop the Inception Phase of the MTR:

Conduct an initial desk review of documents and information;
Conduct brief interviews with key stakeholders to refine the MTR scope and methodology;
Develop the MTR methodology including a detailed MTR question matrix;
Submit an Inception Report for the MTR in line with UN Women Guidelines;
Present the Inception Report to the MTR management group; and
Refine and Finalize the Inception Report.

Data Gathering & Analysis Phase:

More in-depth review and analysis of data including existing baseline data;
Plan field visits as needed;
Collect survey data from beneficiaries and stakeholders;
Conduct in-depth interviews with different stakeholders; and
Any other data collection methods applicable.

Preparation of Final Report:

Present initial findings to MTR management group;
Draft final report and submit for feedback and input from MTR management group; and
Prepare Final MTR Report.

Management of the Assignment

The consultant will report directly to the UN Women MTR Task Manager. A reference group, chaired by MOWA, will be established to assist in managing the MTR and to ensure the quality of the work produced and to provide technical assistance to the assignment. The Reference Group will be comprised of MOWA, representatives of the National Committee to Combat Violence Against Women, other key institutional actors, UN Women and other relevant stakeholders. The Reference Group will review and validate the Inception Report (including the methodology for the survey) and the draft MTR Report and will have access to all the raw data collected through the MTR, while maintaining confidentiality and/or anonymity. Any changes to methodology will require approval of the Reference Group. All deliverables will be considered final upon the approval of the UN Women Task Manager and the Ministry of Women’s Affairs focal point.

The Consultant will be responsible to facilitate all field work related to the assignment.

Timeframe:

The assignment is expected to start in mid-January 2016 and to be finalized by April 2016.

Key Deliverables:

An Inception Report detailing proposed methodology.The Inception Report will detail the methodology including data collection tools (such as questionnaires) and methods and a detailed workplan. It is further expected that the Consultant will prepare:

A PowerPoint Presentation of the Inception Report detailing the MTR methodology;
Delivering a presentation of the Inception Report to the Reference Group; and
A Final Inception Report based on comments received by the Reference Group.

Draft MTR Report: It is further expected that the Consultant will prepare:

A PowerPoint Presentation of the Draft MTR Report; and
Delivering a presentation of the MTR Report with focus on initial findings for the Reference Group.

Final MTR Report incorporating comments from the Reference Group. The Report shall include at a minimum:

Executive Summary;
Background Information summarizing the Strategy;
The Methodology of the MTR Report;
Findings of the MTR;
Analysis of the Findings;
Recommendations; and

Annexes

Including all raw data, developed tools, list of consulted stakeholders, etc;
Templates for tracking results and indicators from the strategy;
Tools for data collection for planning and policy directorates from responsible ministries; and
Tools to link Council of Ministers policies to implementation and allocation of budget.

All deliverables must be submitted in Arabic with an executive summary of the Final Report in both Arabic and English. In addition, an outline of the Inception Report will be in English.

Competencies

Core Values/Guilding Principles:

Integrity:

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

Cultural Sensitivity/Valuing Diversity:

Demonstrating an appreciation of the multicultural nature of the organization and the diversity of its staff; and
Demonstrating an international outlook, appreciating differences in values and learning from cultural diversity.

Core Competetncies:

Ethics and Values:

Demonstrating / safeguarding ethics and integrity; and
Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment.

Developing and Empowering People / Coaching and Mentoring:

Initiative-taking; coaching and mentoring ability.

Working in Teams:

Acting as a team player and facilitating team work.

Communicating Information and Ideas:

Facilitating and encouraging open communication in the team, communicating effectively.

Conflict Management / Negotiating and Resolving Disagreements:

Managing conflict.

Knowledge Sharing / Continuous Learning:

Learning and sharing knowledge and encouraging the learning of others.

Functional Competetnices:

Knowledge and understanding of the Palestinian socio-economic and political context;
Knowledge and understanding of international frameworks related to gender equality and women’s empowerment;
Knowledge of the principles of gender responsive evaluation;
Ability to liaise with a variety of stakeholders and partners, including government and international organizations;
Strong analytical, dialogue, consultation and communication skills;
Maturity, ability to take decisions under pressure and ability to deal with matters that are politically and culturally sensitive;
Ability to work as a member of a team;
Demonstrated experience in timely delivering of quality products, including knowledge products, and in contributing to complex processes within the women’s protection area of work;
Demonstrated coordination, facilitation and presentation skills; and
Results oriented, flexible and problem solving skills.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Advanced degree in Social Sciences, Economics, Statistics or other related field.

Experience:

The Consultant should have the following qualifications:

At least five years of experience in conducting evaluations and/or drafting reports, assessments and analyses of programmes and policies; and
Previous professional experience within the UN system or international NGO will be an asset.

Language Requirements:

Fluency (both oral and written) in Arabic and English.

Application procedure:

The following documents should be submitted as part of the application. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please make sure you have provided all requested materials:

Cover letter to include a brief overview about which of your previous experiences makes you the most suitable candidate for the advertised position; and
CV including past experience in similar assignments; or P11 form which can be downloaded at http://www.unwomen.org/about-us/employment, a signed copy should be submitted.
Please group all your documents into one (1) single PDF document as the system only allows to upload maximum one document.

Candidates should have the ability to quickly submit degree certificates, medical certification (of good health) and writing sample (not to exceed 20 pages) related to a recent evaluation/assessment conducted by the candidate should they be short-listed in consideration of the consultancy.

Evaluation of applicants:

Candidates will be evaluated using a cumulative analysis method taking into consideration the combination of the applicants’ qualifications and financial proposal. A contract will be awarded to the individual consultant whose offer receives the highest score out of below defined technical and financial criteria. Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 50 points in the technical evaluation will be considered for financial evaluation.

Technical Evaluation (70%) – max. 70 points:

Relevant education: max. 10 points;
Five years of experience with evaluations/assessments: max. 20 points;
Experience/knowledge related to gender equality and women’s empowerment: max. 10 points;
Experience with UN entities or other international organizations: max. 10 points; and
Quality of the written sample: max. 20 points;

Financial Evaluation (30%) – max. 30 points:

The maximum number of points assigned to the financial proposal is allocated to the lowest price proposal. All other price proposals receive points in inverse proportion. A suggested formula is as follows:

p = 30 (µ/z)

Using the following values:

p = points for the financial proposal being evaluated

µ = price of the lowest priced proposal

z = price of the proposal being evaluated

Only long-listed candidates will be contacted. Applications should clearly indicate how they meet the above mentioned criteria.