Background

The Spotlight Initiative is a global initiative of the United Nations which has received generous support from the European Union. Its aim is to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls. The Initiative represents an unprecedented global effort to invest in gender equality and women’s empowerment as a precondition and driver for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.  

The Spotlight Initiative Regional Programme for Central Asia and Afghanistan (SI Regional Programme) is fostering legal reforms, strengthening capacities of the respective institutions and women’s movements, promoting gender-equitable attitudes, and enhancing systems for collecting data on violence against women and girls. The Spotlight Regional Programme partners with a broad range of actors, including civil society, donors, practitioners, academia, and media, to facilitate the elimination of harmful practices and advocate further gender transformation in the region. Find out more on www.spotlightinitiative.org  

The Spotlight Initiative Pillar 5 aims at closing the data gap on SGBV-related issues. Data gaps on many of the gender-related SDG Indicators is an overarching challenge in Central Asia. Limited knowledge remains on men’s perceptions regarding gender equality and SGBV – assumptions are regularly made, but activists seldom distinguish assumptions between age groups and seldom understand the reasoning behind how/if perceptions result in violence, and what are the root causes of these perceptions.  

Although data on the scope and scale of violence against women and girls is context specific, men are the primary perpetrators. To prevent violence, it is vital to understand men’s perpetration — how many men use violence against women, what types of violence they use, what factors are associated with their use of violence against women and why some men use such violence while others do not.  Violence against women reinforces gender hierarchies and power imbalances between women and men within families and communities. To deepen understanding of the meaning and causes of men’s violence against women it is important to generate knowledge on how masculinities (identities and patterns of practices that shape gender norms for men) relate to men’s perceptions and perpetration of violence against women to prevent it. The study is premised on the well-documented hypothesis that violence against women is a manifestation of unequal gender relations and harmful manifestations of hegemonic masculinities governed by patriarchal beliefs, institutions, and systems. However, it is important to highlight that not all men are abusive and prone to exercise violence. In that sense, it will be also crucial to explore in what way men support gender equality and stand against SGBV. 

SI Regional Programme adapted the study methodology and survey instruments for the region and leads the process of implementing the study in Kazakhstan. The study is using the Toolkit for Replicating the UN Multi-country Study on Men and Violence: Understanding Why Some Men Use Violence against Women and How We Can Prevent which is being customized where necessary to the national context. 

The SI Regional Programme will form a Technical Advisory Group to consult and receive feedback during the research implementation. The Technical Advisory Group will include representatives from the SI Regional Programme team, SI country programme teams, UN Country Teams, representatives of national women’s machinery and other stakeholders from CA countries to the extent possible

Duties and Responsibilities

The International Consultant will be responsible for the following tasks: 

1. Obtain ethical approval for the research by an Institutional Review Board (IRB).  Prepare all required materials, including the IRB application and Deliverable 4 documents.  Provide responses to all IRB queries about the application until approval is granted in close coordination with the UN Women team. 

2. Develop training materials and provide some support for qualitative and quantitative training  

a. Develop training slides and manual for quantitative training  

b. Develop training slides and manual for qualitative training 

c. Brief other UN Women consultant(s) on developed training package on quantitative training delivery  

3. Support supervision of qualitative and quantitative data collection in partnership with the Data Analyst. The national research company will be responsible for quantitative and qualitative data collection: 

a. National research company will collect quantitative data involving no more than 1740 men de facto in 4 selected regions and Astana city. The quantitative survey will be conducted using a population-based sample and will ensure the sample is representative of the population in the regions where the study is conducted, as well as ensure the reliability of data. 

b. The International Consultant will lead two days of training for qualitative data collection phase. 

c. National research company will collect qualitative data in 3 selected regions and Astana city and conduct minimum 10 in-depth interviews and 3 focus group discussions. The range of the participants of the study should include but not limited to the key stakeholders, male champions (including religious leaders - desirable), and youth networks, as well as perpetrators, survivors, and regional experts. 

d. The International Consultant will support the Data Analyst in quality assurance. The Data Analyst will establish quality assurance procedures, conduct weekly data review and provide feedback and support to national research company; report to the International Consultant and UN Women.  

3. Support finalization of a final research report with recommendations and supporting documents. Data Analyst will be supporting the whole process, in particular compiling all materials for a proper documentation of survey stages, including but not limited to documents reviewed during the research, translated methodology, sample of questionnaires, interviewers and filed workers’ training manuals, information sheet for community leaders, respondent’s information sheet, informed consent sheet, interviewer’s progress sheet, ethical and safety guidelines for research, etc.  

It is expected that the International Consultant will work from home and will conduct online consultations with the UN Women research team. The communication will take place through emails, meetings in MS Teams, Zoom and other platforms. 

All results must be submitted within the specified timeline (see IV) and approved by the SI Project Officer. 

Competencies

Core Values:  

• Respect for Diversity  

• Integrity  

• Professionalism  

Core Competencies:  

• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues  

• Research skills (conducting qualitative and quantitative research)  

• Effective Communication and coordination  

• Inclusive Collaboration  

Required Skills and Experience

The selection process of the International Consultant will be based on the following criteria: 

Education: 

• Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent, PhD is an advantage) in gender studies, psychology, sociology or related field. 

Experience: 

• At least 7 years of experience in developing of research methodologies, quantitative and qualitative research methods, data analysis and report writing in the fields of masculinities, GBV, psycho-social fields, gender equality, women’s rights. 

• At least 3 years of experience in masculinities, power and gender, behavioural attitudes on gender-based violence against women research. 

• Previous experience on developing policy recommendations and programs using data and evidence on gender equality, social norms, behavioural changes and attitudes on GBV. 

• Experience working with UN agencies or other international organizations on similar issues in the field of gender equality and human rights is an asset. 

Languages: 

• Fluency in English is required. 

echnical evaluation criteria: 

Applicants must meet the above minimum qualification requirements, which will be included in the technical evaluation process in the future. The next stage of the evaluation process will be maintained by cumulative analysis methodology of the technical proposal (70%) and the financial proposal (30%) of the applicant.  

Only candidates, who will score at least 490 (70%) out of the maximum 700 points during the technical evaluation process, will be qualified for financial proposal *. 

* Each candidate will be invited to submit consolidated financial proposal in USD (a ‘consolidated financial proposal’, which includes applicant’s all the expenses required to perform the assignment). 

The financial proposals of technically qualified candidates will be requested and will be weighted in terms of selection points as per the following formula: 

B = T + Clow / C x 300, where 

T is a universal technical score awarded to the evaluation of the proposal (only those proposals that pass 70% of the technical evaluation); 

C is the financial proposal of the candidate; and 

Clow is the lowest financial proposal among all evaluated candidates. 

300 is the maximum financial point that can be obtained. 

The successful candidate will have accumulated the highest aggregated point (technical and financial scoring). 

Payment will be made only if the expected results will be achieved, agreed package of documents and reports provided without delay and approval by UN Women. 

Application process: 

All documents should be sent including: 

1. CV and UN Women Personal History form (P-11), which can be downloaded from http://www.unwomen.org/en/about-us/employment 

2.  A technical proposal describing how the expected assignment will be performed. The technical proposal should also include:  

• supporting materials or link(s) to documents, publications are available to learn about candidate's experience in research, especially in the field of masculinities, GBV, psycho-social fields, gender equality, women’s rights, and other related fields; 

• supporting materials or link(s) to documents, publications to learn about candidate’s experience in masculinities, power and gender, behavioural attitudes on gender-based violence against women research; 

• reference to the candidate's experience in developing policy recommendations and programs using data and evidence on gender equality, social norms, behavioural changes and attitudes on GBV; 

• reference to the candidate's experience with UN agencies or other international organizations on similar issues in the field of gender equality and human rights. 

3. Financial proposal in USD, which includes all the costs and expenses that the International Consultant will have to fulfil all the tasks under this Terms of Reference. The International Consultant should also include the daily rate as lump sum in the submitted financial proposal. 

Only candidates who have passed the preliminary selection will be informed. There might be an online interview conducted by UN Women. 

Please note that the system will only allow one attachment, hence all supporting documents, e.g., P11 form, CV, technical and financial proposals must be scanned as one attachment. Applications without a completed UN Women P-11 form will be treated as incomplete and will not be considered for further evaluation. 

In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. The creation of UN Women came about as part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact. It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system (DAW, INSTRAW, OSAGI, and UNIFEM), which focused exclusively on gender equality and women's empowerment. 

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If you require any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information with your application.  

UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy for conduct that is inconsistent with the goals and objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of power and discrimination. All selected candidates will be required to adhere to UN-Women's policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UN-Women staff and will therefore be subject to a thorough background and background check. (A background check will include verification of academic credentials and employment history. Selected applicants may be required to provide additional information in order to conduct a background check.)