Background

The Project “Gender Equality in Political Leadership and Participation in Turkey” aims to contribute to women’s increased leadership and political participation in Turkey by focusing on the Parliament as a model institution that is uniquely placed to drive changes and lead by example. The Project works to achieve this goal by ensuring that:

• legal frameworks and policies to advance gender equality and women’s right to participate in decision making are reformed/adopted and implemented;
• women’s leadership and participation in politics is promoted by gender responsive measures (parliamentary mechanisms, processes and services); and
• legal frameworks and policies to increase women’s leadership and political participation are influenced by gender equality advocates.

Working closely with the Committee on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men (EOC) of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TGNA), the Project intends to enhance the Committee’s capacity to engage with a range of stakeholders both within the parliament and outside, in reaching the goal of gender equality. This will ensure that EOC is widely understood to be, and accepted as, the central focal point for gender equality in the parliament, and a key component of the Turkish national gender equality machinery.

The Project also aims to enhance the sustainability of the EOC’s work, by developing the methods and tools for gender mainstreaming across the TGNA as a whole, and broadening the range of beneficiaries to include not just elected members of parliament, whose electoral terms inevitably mean a high turnover of membership, but also the professional staff which support its work. Ultimately, this Project aims to contribute to women’s enhanced participation, both as members and leaders, within TGNA.

The Project is being implemented by UN Women, in partnership with the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) (responsible party) and the EOC (beneficiary) and financed by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA). Other key stakeholders include TGNA Secretariat, Leadership of Political Parties, Membership of Parliament, Other Parliamentary Committees, Legislative Experts, General Directorate on the Status of Women, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Gender Experts from Academia and CSOs. There are two advisory mechanisms established in order to support project implementation with the participation of key stakeholders: The Project Steering and Implementation Committee (PSIC) reviews project progress and provides coordination and monitoring support; whereas the Project Advisory Board (PAB) provides oversight and advisory support in regards of overall progress in the project’s implementation and facilitation of knowledge sharing.

Within the scope of Project, a Communication and Advocacy Strategy will be developed in line with the Project work plan and with the aim of providing coordination, communication, visibility, dissemination and advocacy guidance to the key partners. The Strategy will include coordination and communication mechanisms and advocacy work to increase women’s participation in decision making.

The Project will also support EOC to develop its communication and advocacy strategy by providing consultancy and technical expertise.

Within this context, UN Women wishes to hire a Communication and Advocacy Associate who will work closely with the Project team, under direct supervision of the Project Manager.

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Support the implementation and monitor effectiveness of Project Communication and Advocacy Strategy, which will aim at increasing awareness on project results and achievements and enable an environment of interactive discussion and participation for partners and stakeholders;
2. Support development and dissemination of the Project’s key messages; implementation of communication and advocacy activities;

• Carry out communication campaigns in cooperation with parliament, civil society and political parties
• Support dialogue mechanisms through organizing public hearings in consultations with EOC, and implementing joint activities with civil society on gender equality issues
• Support the organization of meetings with MPs, CSOs, political parties to enable gender equality advocates and to promote gender equality and political participation
• Support to the development of information materials to directly communicate with MPs, political parties, EOC, CSOs, faith based leaders and outreach activities for dissemination of the messages
• Reinforce advocacy and awareness raising with women politicians and convene dialogue spaces with newly elected women MPs
• Assist to provide information on legal and/or policy reforms and women’s right advocates
• Assist to identify and support male or female champions of gender equality
• Support the promotion and sharing of good practices on GE through organizing national and international meetings and exchange

     3. Support visibility of the Project and its partners;

     4. Support the co-ordination of media relations;

• Design, develop, disseminate and monitor all outreach materials and activities to advertise the products of Project to the target audiences and media, including folders and fact sheets, media coverage, newsletters, press releases, interviews, tweets, brochures, website, photo essays, videos and campaigns for broadcast and print media
• Respond to media requests in close collaboration with the Project Manager and Communication and Advocacy Specialist at UN Women Europe and Central Asia Regional Office
• Identify and prioritize critical communication-related project activities that can achieve higher visibility through print and/or social media
• Follow up with media to ensure coverage of public events and report on media coverage of project events

     5. Upon request of the EOC, provide assistance during development and implementation of the EOC’s Communication and Advocacy Strategy;

     6. Monitor and report results of the Project’s communication activities;

     7. Support Project Manager and the Project Team in communication related tasks, including;

• Support the project reporting process (making information useful and interesting to the target audience, proof-reading and fine-tuning the narrative sections);
• Supporting organization of project meetings -Project Advisory Board, Project Steering and Implementing Committee, and as such- (preparation of invitation letters, meeting agendas, talking points, editing presentations and minutes of meetings, preparing visibility and promotion materials);

• Support the maintenance and upkeep of the project website and providing project related content for the UN Women Europe and Central Asia Regional Office’s website;
• Supporting organization of external events such as, national dialogues, international and national events, exchanges, retreats, workshops, trainings, meetings, study visits, public  campaigns;
• Assist with the promotional materials, such as brochures, posters, infographics, press releases, presentations and videos, in coordination with partners.

The key results have an impact on the successful implementation of Project activities, as well as enhancing the visibility of UN Women’s contribution to women’s political leadership and participation in Turkey.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:  

• Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UN and UN Women
• Facilitates and encourages open communication and strive for effective communication
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability and maintains effective working relations with people of different national and cultural backgrounds

Core Competencies:

• Development and Innovation: Take charge of self-development and take initiative
• Work in teams: Demonstrate ability to work in a multicultural, multi ethnic environment and to maintain effective working relations with people of different national and cultural backgrounds.
• Communicating and Information Sharing: Facilitate and encourage open communication and strive for effective communication
• Self-management and Emotional Intelligence: Stay composed and positive even in difficult moments, handle tense situations with diplomacy and tact, and have a consistent behavior towards others
• Continuous Learning and Knowledge Sharing: Encourage learning and sharing of knowledge
• Appropriate and Transparent Decision Making: Demonstrate informed and transparent decision making

Functional Competencies:   

• Support the preparation of information for advocacy
• Implementing processes and uses products
• Basic research and analysis
• Fundamental knowledge of processes, methods and procedures
• Research and analysis
• Maintains effective client relationships

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Secondary Education, preferably with specialized certification in an area relevant to communications/advocacy would be desirable, but it is not a requirement.

Experience:

A minimum of seven (7) years of professional experience is required in one or more of the following areas:  communications, journalism or advocacy, public relations;

Experience in the following areas would also be considered an asset:

• formulation and implementation of internal and external communications and advocacy strategies and related plans is required;
• supporting the compilation of communication packages, supporting publication and dissemination of communication materials, and supporting knowledge management, preferably in the field of gender
• Social media and related communication
• proof-reading, writing and editing briefs, reports, guidelines, articles, web-content and similar texts for various audiences is required;

Experience in the use of computer applications and software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) as well as web based management systems, and social media platforms is required.

Language Requirements:

Fluency in Turkish and English, both verbal and written, is required