UNDP Jobs - 1877- Consultant: Senior Researcher

Consultant: Senior Researcher - Mainstreaming Gender in Policy

Location :

Home-based (with travel to countries in the Pacific)

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

01-Jul-2007

Application Deadline :

13-Jun-07 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

Duration of Initial Contract :

5 months Contract over an 8 month period

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

8 months

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

Consultant: Assessment to Support Project Mainstreaming Gender in Policy and Programmes to Prevent Violence and Conflict and Strengthen Post-Conflict Recovery in the Pacific Region

There is a great deal of research (published and unpublished) on violence, conflict and instability in the Pacific, including studies of domestic and family violence and its particular impacts on women and children. Much of the literature is analytical, not orientated to policy or programming, and limited in how it encapsulates and addresses the needs/issues from grass roots, rural and urban communities. UNDP and UNIFEM have acquired some experience in addressing violence, instability and conflict in the region and acknowledge the efforts of many local actors and organizations to document it. Without seeking to duplicate existing or relevant past efforts, this assessment will build on what knowledge exists and the research undertaken so far, partner with institutions and organizations currently doing relevant work and focus on areas directly relevant to gender-sensitive policy and programme development on violence reduction.

The proposed assessment will consist of: (a) an extensive desk review of existing unpublished documents and published literature in a range of relevant fields (governance and conflict studies, anthropology and cultural studies, psychology, political sciences, etc) complemented by selected local development documentation, lessons learned from previous and ongoing programmes and projects, case studies/field work reports in country; (b) primary research in three Pacific countries to generate missing data and analyze issues raised in the literature review.

Specifically, the assessment will seek to:

Understand the linkages between violence patterns and the impacts in the public and private sphere;

Understand how factors that cause violence affect social dynamics in the private sphere (including by increasing family, domestic and sexual violence, as has been observed in societies elsewhere);
Analyse gaps on the part of the law and justice sector in responding to violence, including gender-based violence;
Examine gendered differences in levels of perpetration and victimization, identify root causes behind these patterns, and suggest ways to tackle these root causes on the part of individuals, communities, civil society, local and national government, and international agencies;
Examine whether reduction of gender inequities could help address the incidence and negative impacts of violence, and be a strategy for overcoming the use of violence as a tool to prevent or promote change;
Identify new strategies and non-traditional actors that could take more innovative, and community-embedded approaches and have a sustained impact in addressing problems of violence;
Identify strategies to address violence (particularly at the community level) that are more encompassing, holistic and able to cut through the private/public divide; and
Examine the role of local cultures and traditions in determining both violent behaviors and gender roles, and identify strategies for tackling violence and enhancing equality related to local cultures and traditions.

The research will cover three countries in the Pacific region: PNG, Solomon Islands and Tonga. The methodology and approaches for the assessment will draw heavily on the Conflict Analysis work undertaken in the region by UNDP (Solomon Islands, PNG and Fiji), the Gender and Early Warning Research developed by UNIFEM in the Solomon Islands and work in this field undertaken by other regional actors. It will also draw on the methodologies used for research into violence and, in particular, gender-based violence, in other regions, in consultation with UNDP-PC, who will provide examples of relevant previous studies and methodologies.

2.0 METHODOLOGY AND APPROACH

The research team will be responsible for production, to the highest professional standard, of the following outputs:

1. A draft inception report containing:

A typology of violence in the region;
An examination of relevant data and analysis generated by previous research and projects, paying particular attention to gaps in relevant information;
An initial analysis of critical gender issues related to violence, covering economic, cultural, security and political dimensions;
A list of and preliminary analysis of existing responses of governments, UN agencies, donors and selected NGOs and their relevance for effective violence reduction, taking account of project documentation and, crucially, monitoring and evaluation reports from previous or ongoing initiatives related to violence reduction in the countries covered;
A list of key issues to be examined and taken forward in the second phase of research;
A detailed workplan for the second phase of research containing a timetable of activities, examples of tools to be used and locations where research will be undertaken (presenting rationale behind the tools developed and locations selected); and
Draft terms of reference to be used with local partner organizations/individuals in conducting the research.

2. A revised inception report reflecting an agreed approach to the second phase of research taking into account the views of the review team consisting of (a) UNDP PC, (b) UNIFEM and (c) UN Country Teams and (d) selected external experts.

3. A draft case study (PNG)

4. A draft case study (SI)

5. A draft case study (Tonga)

The three case studies are expected to examine:

Types and levels of violence;
Impacts of violence, including perceptions;
Causes of violence;
Capacities to reduce violence (on the part of individuals, communities, civil society, local and national government, and international agencies). This will draw on a constructive critique of past and ongoing policies, programmes and projects.

6. A draft comprehensive final report following phase two of the research, containing:

An executive summary with detailed policy and programming recommendations;
An introduction to key issues at the regional level
A section on methodology explaining the approach taken and highlighting lessons learned;
The three case studies revised presenting findings from the secondary review and primary research.
A detailed conclusion;
An annotated bibliography;
A list of persons contacted;
Questionnaires, focus group guidelines and other key methodological tools used in the primary research;
Summary of data from questionnaires and media analyses.

7. A revised version of the final report based on the comments of the review team;

8. Critical comments on the text of guides for development practitioners (to be produced under a separate consultancy based in part on the research findings);

9. Presentation of findings at one regional and three national workshops (to be organized directly by UNDP/UNIFEM);

10.Advice on the disbursement of seed funding to implement findings of the research at the community level (throughout the research process as required).

Note: Following the finalization of the comprehensive report (Output 7), any further work to revise and adapt the work for publication in book form will be the responsibility of the team leader. Copyrights will belong to UNDP and UNIFEM.

3.0 IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROJECT

3.1 PHASES OF THE RESEARCH

The research consists of 6 phases for remuneration purposes:

Phase 1: Secondary data analysis and review (Outputs 1-2)

Phase 2: Country case study 1 (Output 3)

Phase 3: Country case study 2 (Output 4)

Phase 4: Country case study 3 (Output 5)

Phase 5: Comprehensive final report (Outputs 6-7)

Phase 6: Inputs to how-to guide and follow-up workshops (Outputs 8-10)

Phase 1 will seek to identify what is already known and synthesize the critical issues relevant to the objectives of the assessment. This review will generate an inception report, preparing the way for the second phase of the research. Phases 2-4 will consist of field work in Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Tonga. In each country the research activities are expected to involve the following components (modifiable on the basis of the findings of the first phase of research):

Key informant interviews and/or consultation meetings with programme and project staff in donor agencies, NGOs and CBOs working on programming related to violence;

Key informant interviews with relevant Government officials, law enforcement agencies, and other related national bodies;

Collation of data from records of healthcare institutions, police, courts and other relevant sources documenting levels of crime, violence, prosecution rates etc;

A quantitative review of media articles reporting on violence over a fixed period;

A survey of the perceptions of local people in each country. These should cover levels of victimization, impacts of violence, availability of arms, trust in law enforcement agencies and other organizations working on violence related issues, as well as other issues as determined by phase one of the research; and

Focus group discussions. These will inform a more qualitative analysis of violence and related issues, including from a gender perspective, and inquire into appropriate responses.

These activities will lead to the production of Country case studies with contents as specified in the outputs section above.

In Phase 5, the Country Case Studies will be drawn together in a comprehensive final report, with contents as specified above in the outputs section.

In Phase 6, the research team is required to provide inputs to follow-up activities related to the research, as specified in the outputs section above.

3.2 ASSESSMENT TEAM

This research project will be conducted within the framework of a joint project by UNDP and UNIFEM. The research team will work under the guidance of and in close co-ordination with the UNDP Pacific Centre CPR Team Leader and Head of UNIFEM Pacific. The research team will consist of the following:

Team Leader

Senior Researcher
3 National researchers
Research Assistant (UNDP)
Research Assistant (UNIFEM)

The team leader will head and manage the research team, with responsibility for delivery of the project outputs to UNDP and UNIFEM. The team leader will be supported by the senior researcher in ensuring the implementation of all the project deliverables. A national researcher will assist the team leader and senior researcher to plan and implement the field research in each of the 3 countries covered. UNDP Pacific Centre, in co-operation with regional country offices, and/or UNIFEM, through appropriate local organizations, will support the activities of the team in each country covered, in conducting surveys, focus group discussions and media analysis. UNDP will recruit an international research assistant to support the research team full time for the duration of its work, reporting to the research Team Leader. UNIFEM will provide a project officer who will accompany the research team in some of its field activities, while UNDP PC will provide feedback on the ongoing work, will co-ordinate a review team to examine the f

Duties and Responsibilities

Take a leading role in the design of the methodology and the inception report;
Manage relationships with and provide training and technical support for national researchers and local NGOs participating in the study;
Take a leading role in conducting the assessment including design and implementation of field research activities, and overseeing the desk review, in co-operation with the Team Leader;
Contribute, substantively to the production of policy recommendations; and
Play a key role in the writing of the report.

Competencies

Excellent and detailed knowledge of Pacific Island societies, including ability to penetrate communities at grass-roots level in rural as well as urban settings;
Track record of designing and implementing field research in Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and/or Tonga, preferably on a related topic;

Required Skills and Experience

A PhD in a relevant academic field, including anthropology, gender studies, social/political sciences, development or peace and conflict studies;
Track record of research on gender and violence related issues;
Track record of work on policy;
Excellent interpersonal skills, including ability to establish strong, co-operative relations with development practitioners and other key informant and partner organizations and individuals.