Background

Community Conversations, an approach (methodology) developed by UNDP for application in the management of the HIV and AIDS pandemic, has been developed to help strengthen District and Community Responses to HIV & AIDS, but is applicable also to other issues and topics, including Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE). Community Conversations entail a process that encourages dialogue, creates space for mutual learning, fosters new perspectives and helps local communities mobilize around agreed actions. The process helps transform relationships and enhances the capacity of all involved. Community Conversations build on UNDP’s Leadership Development Programme, and it is hoped that by introducing Community Conversations as a tool for behavior change, greater impact will be made in the efforts towards gender equality and women’s empowerment.

This methodology is not new to Somalia - with the support of UNDP’s HIV & AIDS Regional Programme for Arab States (HARPAS) an orientation and training in the Community Conversations methodology took place in October 2010 in Ethiopia, and approximately 40 people from Somalia participated in this training, 20 from Somaliland and 20 from Puntland. Over the last two years, UNDP Somalia’s HIV Unit has worked with three NGOs to roll out this initiative in four districts identified as HIV ‘Hot Spots’ in Somaliland (Berbera and Togwachale) and Puntland (Garowe and Bosaso).

UNDP Somalia would now like to apply this methodology to its GEWE programme, and is looking for two experienced consultants in the Community Capacity Enhancement methodology (CCE) to advise on how the programme can be further developed and adapted to gender (and related topics such as SGBV, FGM, women’s economic rights, and women’s participation in decision-making and public life), as well as provide Training of Trainer services.

UNDP Somalia’s Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment programme has the dual mandate of mainstreaming gender considerations into existing UNDP Somalia projects and programmes, and also implements its own programming. One way the Gender Unit does this is through grants to local Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Somaliland, Puntland and South Central Somalia, where they are carrying out advocacy and awareness raising on issues such as gender equality, women’s leadership, Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV), Female Genital Mutilation/Circumcision (FGM/C) and women’s political participation. Working with a range of organizations, activities are carried out at the community level through dialogues, inter-generational discussions, media campaigns and advocacy, working with religious leaders, clan and traditional elders, youth, IDP communities and the media. It is hoped that the methodology of Community Conversations can be shared with these CSOs, so that they may then engage in their communities more deeply and meaningfully, working to address gender inequality at the grassroots level.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Trainer will:

• Develop curriculum for Community Capacity Enhancement/Community Conversations on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment; and
• Provide 10 days Training of Trainers Training on the UNDP Community Capacity Enhancement (CCE)/Community Conversations initiative and methodology to partners from South Central, Somaliland and Puntland.

• Adapt CCE curriculum specifically to gender equality and women’s empowerment for Community Conversations and prepare workshop materials accordingly; and
• Provide 10 day Training of Trainers session on Community Conversations for approximately 40 Somali participants, including government, NGO partners and Community Facilitators.

Under the overall supervision of the UNDP Gender Unit’s Programme Specialist, the Consultant will develop curriculum materials specific to gender equality and women’s empowerment in Somalia, and facilitate a 10 day Training of Trainers programme on Community Conversations for a range of Somali participants.

• Curriculum adapted and workshop materials prepared;
• Training of Trainers on CCE conducted in May, 2013 for 40 participants from across Somalia;
• Technical delivery plan for implementation of community conversations developed with the training participants; and
• Training and Consultancy reports submitted to UNDP.

A total of 15 days will be required for each consultant to:          

• Adaptation of CCE Curriculum to GEWE and development of workshop materials (3 days)
• Deliver training on CCE and Community Conversations methodology to 40 participants (10 days)
• Preparation of training and consultancy report (2days)

Other Information

The expert will be required to have a personal lap top computer.

Terms of Service

This is a non-staff contract under the Individual Contractor (IC) modality of hiring of the UNDP. Individuals engaged under an IC serve in their individual capacity and not as representative of a government institutions, corporate body or other authority external to UNDP. The incumbent shall not be considered as staff of UNDP, the UN common system or the government and are therefore not entitled to any diplomatic privileges or any other special status or conditions.

Competencies

• Excellent training and facilitation skills;
• Excellent communication and relationship skills, including ability to work as a team;
• Evidence of ability to think strategically and solve problems;
• Leadership and management skills;
• Able to take initiative to deliver required outputs and planned results;
• Excellent information technology skills, including word-processing, database applications, presentation software and Internet

Required Skills and Experience

• A Master’s Degree or equivalent in Social Sciences, Anthropology, Education, Participatory Communication, Behavioural Sciences or International Development.

• At least 10 years work experience in conducting training using participatory approaches to address gender.
• Demonstrated experience in facilitating Training of Trainers work on CCE which uses Community Conversations to address gender equality and women’s empowerment as the main methodology for this work.
• Have experience of introducing and initiating CCE work in Muslim Countries.
• Experience working with communities in and from diverse cultures.
• The Consultant is expected to have a working knowledge and experience in UNDP processes.

Language requirements.

• Ability to communicate well in English.

FC: 30000