Background

20 years after the 1992-95 war, which was marked by serious violations of International Humanitarian Law, including widespread rape and sexual violence, many survivors of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) have not been redressed and still suffer the dramatic consequences of these violations on their daily lives.

As recognized by Mme. Manjoo, the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, its Causes and Consequences, and by Mme Zainab Hawa Bangura, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, the critical need to provide assistance and comprehensive services to survivors of CRSV in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) is greater than ever. Indeed, both societal and governmental recognition of the harms suffered by CRSV survivors - both women and men - during the war is lacking and survivors suffer from widespread stigma. Moreover, survivors need enhanced access to tailor-made services, such as free legal advice and access to affordable and appropriate psycho-social and health care services, including mental, sexual and reproductive health services, as well as economic empowerment. Even where these services exist, there are no institutional mechanisms for the referral of survivors between institutions and the exchange of information is often not systematized.

In 2014 the UN developed a Joint Programme entitled “Seeking care, support and justice for survivors of conflict related sexual violence in BiH”. The Joint UN Programme is aimed at promoting the rights and respond to the needs of survivors of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) from the conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the early 90s, and at providing redress to both them and their families. In particular, the Programme works on improving the status of CRSV survivors and their access to reparations, justice, health, social protection and economic empowerment programs in their respective communities. It represents the combined efforts of IOM, UNDP, UNFPA and UN Women, and demonstrates the resolve of the entire UN Country Team (UNCT) to tackle this issue.

As part of the Joint Programme, UNDP, UNFPA and UN Women are working to improve service providers’ response to the needs of CRSV survivors. While UNDP is focusing on the justice sector, UNFPA’s focus are health care, mental health and social protection service providers; finally, UN Women is concentrating on economic empowerment and economic rights. In order to better guide and link these elements into an institutional mechanism that can ensure proper referral of users amongst institutions as well as a comprehensive response to the needs of CRSV survivors, UN Women and the other UN Agencies are looking for an international lead consultant to develop an optimal referral model for comprehensive support services to conflict-related sexual violence survivors in BiH. The lead consultant will oversee and review the work of three national consultants respectively working on:

• the specific role within the referral of institutions relevant for the economic empowerment sector (UN Women led);
• the specific role within the referral of institutions relevant for the justice and security sector (UNDP led);
• data management and exchange within the referral mechanism (UN Women led).

Duties and Responsibilities

The development objective of this consultancy is to provide the UN and BIH government partners with a roadmap to comprehensively address the needs of survivors of conflict-related sexual violence in BIH and improve the current delivery of services.

The main objective of this consultancy is to develop a report delineating an optimal referral model for comprehensive support services to conflict-related sexual violence survivors in BiH. The referral model should be tailored to the BIH context, and in particular to the administrative and institutional setting of the country and be comprised but not limited to the three sectors of health, justice & security and economic empowerment.

The model should be based on UNDP, UNFPA, UN Women and other relevant global and regional standards in developing referrals for survivors of domestic violence, UNFPA Minimum standards for CRSV referrals in BiH, the work already done by the UNFPA in BiH in the health sector as well as existing practices and guidelines for referring survivors of gender-based violence (GBV) and CRSV in BiH.

Further to that, the specific objectives of the consultancy are:

1. To define what are the institutions and organizations (governmental and non-governmental) that need to be included in the referral mechanism at the local level as well as their responsible ministries; to delineate how these institutions should be linked to form an institutional referral mechanism and who should be the body in charge of coordination;
2. To help delineate, with the support of two national consultants, the role and scope of work of the justice and economic empowerment sectors within the referral mechanism;
3. To integrate into the model the element of data management and exchange, with the help of a third national consultant that will be exclusively working on this issue.

Under the direct supervision of the UN Women Programme Specialist and Conflict Related Sexual Violence Coordinator and the Joint Programme Manager, and in consultation with representatives from UNDP and UNFPA working on the Joint Programme, the consultant will be expected to deliver the following outputs:

1. Preparatory work:

1.1. Desk review, including:

• Desk review of UNDP, UNFPA, UN Women and other relevant global standards and SOPs in developing referrals for survivors of domestic violence as well as any other relevant international standards for establishing multi sectorial referrals for GBV/CRSV;
• Review of UNFPA regional standards for GBV referral mechanisms;
• Review of UNFPA minimum standards for CRSV referral mechanisms in BiH (2013);
• Review of existing standards and practices of establishing referrals for GBV/CRSV in BiH, including government and civil society-led referral networks (desk review and interviews with UN Agencies and NGOs working in the sector);
• Review the work already done by UNFPA in BiH on GBV/CRSV referrals in the health sector;
• Review of UNDP Capacity needs assessment for the creation of a referral mechanism in BiH;
• Review of UNFPA Survey on perceptions, attitudes and opinions of medical and social services professionals towards Gender Based Violence and Conflict Related Sexual Violence issues and survivors;
• Review the research on the socio economic impediments for CRSV survivors.

1.2 Draft a methodology for the conduct of the research including, but not limited to:

• Workplan;
• Mapping of all relevant stakeholders;
• Tentative schedule of meetings;
• Draft outline of the report;

The methodology needs to be submitted, presented and discussed with the UN Agencies before starting the development of the report.

2. Development and validation of the report:

2.1. Conduct interviews with, at least:

• UNFPA, UNDP, UN Women and IOM CRSV Joint Programme staff members;
• Representatives of relevant ministries in both Entities and Brcko District, as well as with the gender mechanisms and the Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees;
• Sample group of representatives of institutions and organizations included in existing local referral mechanisms (to be agreed together with the UN Agencies) – at least one per entity;
• Sample group of representatives of institutions and organizations in locations where referral mechanisms for GBV/CRSV do not exist - at least one per entity;

Tasks performed through taking three trips across the country.

2.2. Draft a report delineating an optimal referral model for comprehensive support services to conflict-related sexual violence survivors in BiH containing at minimum:

• Executive summary;
• Introduction with a brief overview of existing international and regional standards (the content of this chapter is already addressed by other reports, hence a summary would suffice);
• Analysis of practices of establishing referrals in BiH, including a summary review of their effectiveness and functionality (as much as available through desk review and interviews);
• Model of multi sectorial referral including three sectors (health, justice and security and economic empowerment) in line with the referral protocols established within health system; this will include:

1. Mapping and role of relevant organizations (governmental and non-governmental), institutions and ministries within the referral mechanism;
2. Elements necessary for the formalization and establishment of the mechanism;
3. Functioning of the mechanism (coordination body, overall modality of exchange of information, etc.);
4. Description of the specific role of the institutions relevant for the justice &security and economic empowerment sectors;
5. Functioning of data management and data exchange amongst institutions and organizations;
6. Plan of action delineating the steps to be taken to establish the referral mechanism.

The chapter on the specific role of the institutions relevant for the economic empowerment sector will be drafted by the national consultant to conduct accessibility assessment for the economic empowerment of CRSV survivors in BiH hired by UN Women and reviewed by the international consultant.

The chapter on the specific role of institutions relevant for the justice and security sector will be drafted by the national consultant on justice and security hired by UNDP and reviewed by the international consultant.

The chapter on data management and exchange will be drafted by the national consultant to develop guidelines on data exchange and management for multi sectorial referrals for CRSV survivors hired by UN Women and reviewed by the international consultant.

2.3 Present and discuss the draft report with the UN Agencies and with the Joint Programme Manager; address comments and make amendments as per the UN Agencies’ request.

2.4 Validate the model of multi sectorial referral mechanism through a two-day workshop with all relevant institutions, integrate the comments and suggestions and finalize the report. The costs of the workshop will be covered by the UN Agencies.

The consultant will be expected to complete the following tasks within the indicative timeframe:

• Preparatory work: desk review and development of the methodology; Deliverable: methodology submitted to the UN Agencies - 4 days; 10 December 2016;
• Develop the draft report on the optimal referral model for comprehensive support services to conflict-related sexual violence survivors in BiH - 20 days; 28 January 2017;
• Validate the model of multi sectorial referral mechanism - 4 days; 15 February 2017;
• Finalize the report on the optimal referral model for comprehensive support services to Conflict-related Sexual Violence Survivors in BiH - 2 days; 15 March 2017;

The consultant will report to the UN Women Programme Specialist and UN Women CRSV Coordinator as well as to the Joint Programme Manager.

Competencies

Competencies:

• Builds strong relationships;
• Focuses on impact and results and responds positively to feedback;
• Approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude.

Values:

• Demonstrates integrity and fairness by modelling UN values and ethical standards;
• Demonstrates professional competence and is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results;
• Displays cultural, gender, nationality, religion and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Required Skills and Experience

Academic Qualifications:

• Master degree in social sciences, law, economy, public administration or related field. PhD will be considered an asset.

Skills and Experience:

• At least 10 years of relevant work experience;
• Demonstrated experience in GBV and/or CRSV issues, social transformation, violence prevention or related fields, particularly in service development, assessment, monitoring and evaluation;
• Demonstrated experience and understanding of referrals, preferably referrals for gender based violence or CRSV;
• Previous experience working/consulting for international projects/programmes;
• Fluency in English, excellent spoken and written skills.

DOCUMENTS TO BE INCLUDED WHEN SUBMITTING THE PROPOSALS

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents:

1. Expression of interest
2. Detailed financial proposal (broken down to demonstrate the consultancy fees and a budget for travel, accommodation, subsistence etc.)
3. UN P11 form (can be downloaded at http://www.ba.undp.org/content/bosnia_and_herzegovina/en/home/operations/jobs.html)

Please note: All documents have to be uploaded in 1 single file.

EVALUATION OF OFFERS

UN Women applies a fair and transparent selection process that takes into account both the technical qualification of potential consultants as well as the financial proposals submitted in support of consultant applications. Candidate applications will be evaluated using a cumulative analysis method taking into consideration the combination of applicant qualifications and financial proposal. The contract will be awarded to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

• responsive/compliant/acceptable, and
• having received the highest score out of below defined technical, interview and financial criteria.

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 70 points in the technical evaluation will be considered for an interview. Top 3 candidates (with highest number of points in the technical evaluation) will be interviewed. The maximum number of points assigned to the financial proposal will be allocated to the lowest price proposal among those candidates who have reached at least 70% of points in the interview. All other price proposals receive points in inverse proportion.

Criteria:

• Technical Evaluation – documents based (40%)
• Technical evaluation – interview based (40%)
• Financial Evaluation (20%)

Evaluation of submitted financial offers will be done based on the following formula: S = Fmin / F * 20

• S - score received on financial evaluation;
• Fmin - the lowest financial offer out of all the submitted offers qualified over the technical evaluation round;
• F - financial offer under the consideration.

Please note that travel costs and accommodation cost should be covered by the consultant and included in the financial offer.

Qualified women, men and members of minorities are encouraged to apply. UN Women applies fair and transparent selection process that would take into account the competencies/skills of the applicants as well as their financial proposals.

Due to large number of applications received, UN Women will inform only the successful candidate about the outcome or status of the selection process.