Historique

The different crisis and conflicts that have affected DRC have considerably weakened the entire social fabric and rendered women’s position more precarious with a progressive breakdown of both traditional and post-colonial systems over the past decades.

Eastern DRC and particularly North and South Kivu have paid a heavy price to the political and military crisis that has affected the country and introduced sexual violence at large scale and rape used as a weapon of war. Despite notable progress toward peace and stability, the socioeconomic situation of communities remains extremely fragile and the restoration of security and State authority remains one major stumbling block, despite security improvements in most provinces.
At the same time, the reform process of the security sector has been very slow and the deployment of police and army throughout the country is far from effective. The poor functioning of justice mechanisms leads to Impunity which deters survivors from reporting sexual and gender Based Violence (SGBV) cases.

The recrudescence of SGBV appears to be more complex than initially perceived. Beyond the practice of rape used as a weapon of war and mainly related to conflict and committed by men in uniform, new trends have increasingly developed and spread among civilians, over the past years. SGBV mostly increase women’s vulnerability, due to lack of opportunities and to their low status. At the same time, lack of economic opportunities added to their low status, account for women’s vulnerability by exposing them to violence.

Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security adopted in 2000 and SC Resolution 1820 were adopted to address from both a prevention and protection angle the plight of women and girls in conflict situation. Since 2006, there has also been a clear stand from highest spheres of the State against sexual violence which resulted in the adoption of the Law combating rape and sexual violence.

Many bilateral and multilateral agencies have engaged into activities aiming at assisting survivors. The UN Country Team and MONUC, through the UN Action on Sexual violence has developed a comprehensive strategy to support the government, to strengthen prevention, protection, and response to sexual violence. The strategy is being operationalised and will contribute to strengthening the stabilization process and civilians’ protection, particularly women and girls’ security as a matter of priority.
Within the framework of its country program 2008-2012, UNDP has, through a multiannual and multisectoral program, integrated a specific and additional contribution to the current efforts to combat sexual and gender Based Violence (SGBV) and implement UNDP-BCPR’s eight points agenda for women’s empowerment in conflict and post-conflict situation. The program started its activities through an Access to justice Project for the North and South Kivu and a second project in the same provinces is about to start on Security, Women’s Empowerment and Socioeconomic reintegration (PSAR).
The two projects complement each other to strengthen Security, Justice and the protection of the women and girls’ rights, Women’s and community empowerment and reintegration, and technical and institutional support to national partners and institutions.

To that effect, a SGBV specialistAdvisor is required to support the PSARUNDP Country Office in this area and to work with UN and national partners to strengthen the Government’s leading role in preventing sexual violence, bringing perpetrators to justice, ensuring victims of sexual violence receive comprehensive response and redress, and building the basis for the rehabilitation of perpetrators to permit reconciliation and begin to re-build social cohesion.

The SGBV Advisor will be based in Goma, with frequent travels within North/South Kivu and other provinces whenever required. by the UNDP Country Office based in Kinshasa. He/she will be supervised by the Poverty Programme Coordinator Deputy Country Director, in close collaboration with the Heads of Offices of North and South Kivu.

Devoirs et responsabilités

Under the direct supervision of the Poverty Programme Coordinator Deputy Country Director and in close collaboration with the SGBV Advisor/Head of Sexual Violence Unit at MONUC and relevant coordination mechanisms on SGBV, the SGBV Advisor will:

• In close collaboration with Ggovernance and Ppoverty programs, relevant field offices and SGBV related projects managers and coordinators, provide technical and advisory support to the implementation of UNDP SGBV program, particularly the Project on Security,  Women’s empowerment and socioeconomic reintegration
• Establish and maintain strong working relationships with all stakeholders – including MONUC, UN agencies, community leaders, community-based organizations, local and international NGOs, donor partners to support capacity building in the areas of  gender justice, security, protection and women’s empowerment.
• Organise capacity strengthening exercises for UNDP programme and project staff in order to improve their ability to mainstream SGBV and human rights issues in their approach and activities
• Participate and substantivelysubstantively contribute to a Rule of Law and security based response to sexual and gender-based violence in North and South Kivu, as well as to the implementation of the  UNDP Comprehensive Strategy on Sexual Violence as well as other inter-agency initiatives on a Rule of Law and socioeconomic response to sexual and gender-based violence in North and South Kivu, in collaboration with  MONUC Sexual Violence Unit and relevant national coordination mechanisms and international development partners,
• Provide technical and advisory support to the provincial Ministry of Gender and other line ministries involved in justice and security sector reform and stabilization program ‘STAREC´ to ensure that SGBV is mainstreamed in the different components as appropriate. 
• Promote national ownership by supporting the government in its leadership role and engaging keys government officials involved in civilians protection and SGBV program and project’s oversight.
• Engage in capacity- and confidence-building local authorities in establishing legitimate mechanisms to improve the physical security of the female civilian population and promote women and girls’ access to justice. Strengthen their capacity to play this role.
• Perform quality control function of project activities, including gender-sensitive monitoring and evaluation, assessing impact and effectiveness, tracking outputs and results, and ensure timely and efficient delivery of project outputs through a client-satisfaction approach.
• Organize baseline information and ensure high quality reporting on project activities.
• Develop and strengthen capacities of  local SGBV committees to collect information on SGBV related abuses or potential for abuse and to report cases and follow up with relevant authorities for action to be taken as appropriate
• Prepare the narrative and consolidate financial information on expenditures for the programme.
• Identify and address problems relating to implementation as they arise, including issues related to the programmatic capacities of implementing partners, and to support the revision of programs as necessary.
• Help coordinate the development of SGBV project proposals for submission to the relevant funding mechanisms.
• Works closely with the UNCT, Government and other operational actors to ensure that early recovery and stigma and discrimination of vulnerable women concerns are taken into consideration at both strategic and implementation levels within the framework of the STARECUNSSSS
• Ensures the sustainability of complementarity of SGBV response through their integration into central and provincial frameworks and reconstruction.
• Contribute to the establishment of relevant SGBV early warning and prevention mechanisms at local level and support the involvement ofinvolving  community leaders, men’s groups and women networks in an integrated consultations frameworks
• Organise, in consultation with other SGBV and gender experts within UNDP and UN system, joint advocacy activities and campaigns on SGBV and women’s rights and empowerment.
• Develop and strengthen capacities of local SGBV committees to collect information on SGBV related abuses or potential for abuse and to report cases and follow up with relevant authorities for action to be taken as appropriate
• Undertake any other tasks as required by the Country Office.

Compétences

Corporate Competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards.
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP.
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.
• Treats all people fairly without favouritism.

Functional Competencies:

• Very good knowledge of SGBV, gender and human rights issues in post-conflicts situations, including the inter-agency joint programming principles.
• Ability to work and act under pressure in a politically and psychologically difficult environment, with a minimum of comfort and in dangerous security conditions.
• Sound political judgment, impartiality, diplomacy and discretion.
• Proven expertise in area of assignment; in-depth understanding of and an ability to evaluate international political situations in that area; experience in bilateral and multilateral negotiations.
• Proven ability to provide effective technical advice and knowledge to staff at all levels and from different national and cultural backgrounds.
• Proven effective supervisory skills; ability to mentor staff and provide guidance and support.
• Proven ability to establish priorities and to plan, organize, coordinate and monitor own work plan and provide advice and guidance to others; in-depth understanding of SGBV program’s strategic direction; resourcefulness, sound judgment and decision-making skills.
• Demonstrated sound judgment in resolving issues/problems; ability to proactively seek and recommend sound policy initiatives.
• Ability to actively seek to improve programmes/services, offer new and different options to solve problems/meet client needs.
• Excellent and effective communication (verbal and written) skills, including ability to prepare reports and conduct  

Qualifications et expériences requises

Education:

• Advanced university degree (Masters degree or equivalent) in law, political sciences or international relations, preferably with specialization in gender and/or human rights.

Experience:

• At least 5 years work experience dealing with issues in conflict and post-conflict countries and substantial direct experience on strengthening of the rule of law, early recovery and protection of vulnerable groups. 
• Good understanding of and proven experience in addressing SGBV.
• Detailed knowledge of development process and post-conflict related issues, particularly in the revival and development of accountable rule of law institutions in a post-conflict/peace-building environment.
• Proven experience in transition and development coordination and resource mobilization.
• Prior experience within the United Nations, in particular UNDP, is desirable.

Language requirements:

• Excellent written and spoken French; and fluency in English is an advantage.