Background

Millions of women and girls worldwide suffer from some form of violence, be it domestic violence, rape, female genital mutilation/cutting, dowry-related killing, trafficking, sexual violence in conflict-related situations, sexual harassment in public spaces, or other manifestations of abuse. Evidence has shown that it affects the health and well-being not only of the women who experience violence but also of their families and communities (World Health Organization, Department of Reproductive Health and Research, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, South African Medical Research Council, Global and regional estimates of violence against women: prevalence and health effects of intimate partner violence and non-partner sexual violence, 2013). It is estimated that 35 per cent of women worldwide have experienced either physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or sexual violence by a non-partner at some point in their lives.1 However, some national studies show that up to 70 per cent of women experience physical and/or sexual violence from an intimate partner in their lifetime.  Violence against women persists in every country in the world as a pervasive violation of human rights and a major impediment to achieving gender equality (UN, Violence Against Women: The Situation, available online at: http://www.un.org/en/women/endviolence/pdf/pressmaterials/unite_the_situation_en.pdf).

Domestic violence against women along with the discriminatory practice of child, early and forced marriages remain among the prevalent forms of violence against women (VAW) in Georgia. According to the 2009 UNFPA supported National Survey on Domestic Violence, 6.9 percent of women reported to have experienced physical violence from her husband or a partner and 3.9% sexual violence (UNFPA, National Survey of Domestic Violence against Women in Georgia, Tbilisi, 2009, available online at: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/docs/AdvanceVersions/GeorgiaAnnexX.pdf). The 2014 UN Women study on the perceptions and attitudes towards domestic violence concluded that 77.8 percent of the respondents consider that domestic violence occurs very often or quite often, 66.8 percent admitted that they know victims/survivors of domestic violence and 56.3 percent admitted that they know perpetrators personally. The findings of these two studies have greatly informed policymaking and programming of the government and development partners aimed at ending violence against women and domestic violence; as a result, there have been established state-supported shelters (altogether four), nation-wide hotline and number of awareness raising interventions have been carried out by state as well as civil society actors to promote one the one hand zero tolerance towards VAW and on the other existing services and protection mechanisms.    

The above-mentioned UNFPA study from 2009, using the WHO methodology, is the first and the only nation-wide survey on VAW, which has been conducted in Georgia. The UN Women study from 2014 looked at the attitudes and perceptions towards VAW, but did not look at the prevalence. Thus, it has been over seven years since the prevalence rate was researched.

Within the framework of the project Unite to Fight Violence against Women, generously funded by the European Union, UN Women together with the National Statistics Office GEOSTAT is planning to implement a nation-wide survey on VAW. The study will look at the prevalence of physical and sexual violence but also at the consequences of such violence, as well as psychological violence, stalking, sexual harassment, experience of violence in childhood, fear of victimization and its impact and very importantly also at the attitudes and awareness about violence.

The survey should be planned and implemented in accordance with globally agreed methodological and ethical standards and guidelines (UN, Guidelines for producing statistics on violence against women - Statistical Surveys, 2014 available online at: http://unstats.un.org/unsd/gender/docs/Guidelines_Statistics_VAW.pdf) and be informed by methodologies such as the one used in the WHO Multi-Country Study on Women’s Health and Domestic Violence that has been replicated in various countries and the most recent Violence Against Women: an EU Wide Survey which was implemented in alignment with the recommendations of the Council of Europe Istanbul Convention. It is advisable to also reflect in the methodology design and novelties of a gender-based violence survey for EU member states under preparation by EUROSTAT. It is also important that relevant SDG indicators (Please find the final list of SDG indicators with suggested list of disaggregation variables at this link: http://unstats.un.org/sdgs/indicators/Official%20List%20of%20Proposed%20SDG%20Indicators.pdf) and definition/frameworks put forward by the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) 57th session, the Declaration on Elimination of Violence Against Women (DEVAW) and the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) General Recommendation #19 are incorporated. 

The conceptual framework for the study is as follows: 1) a quantitative survey conducted through face-to-face interviews in households and 2) a qualitative component which may include, but not be restricted to, desk research, key informant interviews and focus groups. The study will reflect the situation at the national level, but also allow for comparisons between the regions of Georgia. To this end, the study will include a representative sample of respondents from each of the 9 regions and the capital Tbilisi. Men will be included as respondents as a minimum in the qualitative component (and possibly also quantitate component), to allow for a reflection of men’s attitudes and perceptions on violence against women. 

The objectives of the study are:

• To obtain reliable estimates of the prevalence of different forms of violence against women and girls at the national and regional levels in Georgia, committed by intimate partners as well as other perpetrators (including for example family members,employers, colleagues and strangers) in the private as well as public spheres in the lifetime as well as in the last 12 months. This will include sexual harassment in public spaces;
• To disaggregate and analyse women’s experiences of violence according to variables such as geographic location/region, age, income, ethnicity and/or others as agreed during stakeholder consultations and inception phase;
• To assess the extent to which violence against women is associated with a range of health and other outcomes;
• To identify factors that may either protect or put women at risk of violence;
• To assess the extent to which women are aware of and use services for survivors of violence;
• To examine men’s and women’s awareness of and attitudes towards issues of violence against women, including its causes, consequences and how it can best be prevented;
• To establish a research methodology, based on existing best practices, methodologies and ethical considerations for the production of reliable data on VAW, which can be replicated and to build the capacities of the National Statistics’ Office and other relevant stakeholders to sustainably produce and use such data regularly;
• To update and broaden the knowledge base on the prevalence of and attitudes to violence against women nationally as well regionally in Georgia, and to use the results to inform policy and legislative formulation/revision, preventative interventions as well as to develop existing and/or new services for survivors of violence;

UN Women is seeking to contract an international consultant who will work closely with GEOSTAT, the national statistics agency which will be implementing the study. The international consultant will be leading the development of the survey and study methodology, provide technical guidance in the implementation of the study, analytical guidance in the data analysis process and take a lead in the report preparation and writing process. It is important to note that, although the study implementation will be led by GEOSTAT, a stakeholders’ group will be set up from the onset of the survey, which will include all relevant partners working on VAW in the country (i.e. government, UN and other international organizations, CSOs, academia). This group will be involved/consulted in the definition of the objectives and scope of the survey, as well as along other phases. This will contribute to the survey being owned by all those stakeholders working on VAW in the country, so that the results can be used for policy and programming.

The work of the consultancy is expected to start in January 2017 and end in October 2017, when the results and final report will be finalized and presented. 

Duties and Responsibilities

Description of Responsibilities

The duties and responsibilities of the international consultant are:

• To be the technical and methodological lead expert in the preparation, implementation and finalization of the Nation-Wide VAW Study in Georgia;
• To take the lead in establishing a replicable study methodology, building on international best practices and established methodologies, and through close consultations with UN Women, GEOSTAT and other relevant stakeholders;
• To take the lead in finalizing survey questionnaires as well as qualitative data collection tools, in close collaboration with GEOSTAT, and UN Women and other relevant stakeholders;
• To take the lead in developing the tools and the methodology for the training of field workers, building on existing trainings, ensuring that all methodological and ethical considerations are reflected in the data collection process, and to guide and support GEOSTAT in the implementation of the training;
• To provide technical support to GEOSTAT in the cleaning of survey data;
• To provide technical support to GEOSTAT in the analysis of results and to take a lead in the preparation of the Draft Report;
• To trouble shoot and advice on how to overcome any challenges and difficulties in the implementation of the survey methodology and data analysis;
• To take a lead in the finalization of the Final Report and to quality assure the results.

Deliverables

1. Inception Report: Containing detailed work-plan specifying activities and timelines agreed with GEOSTAT; detailed description of the study methodology including sampling, ethical considerations and data collection tools to be developed, developed in close consultation with GEOSTAT and UN Women and relevant stakeholders – (15 days) by February 3, 2017;
2. Survey Questionnaire, Focus Group Interview Guide and other qualitative data collection tools: Developed in close consultations with GEOSTAT and UN Women and relevant stakeholders – (10 days) by February 17, 2017;
3. Training of Fieldworkers: Preparation of training methodology and tools, implementation of 2-3 weeks training in close collaboration with GEOSTAT (requires travel to Georgia) for survey analysts, field workers and data processors – (20 days) by March 31, 2017;
4. Guidance in the Data Collection and Data Cleaning Process: Survey and qualitative data collection implemented and data cleaned by GEOSTAT with technical support and guidance from the International Consultant– (10 days) by August 11, 2017;
5. Data Analysis and Draft Report: Quantitative and qualitative data analysed and triangulated in close collaboration with GEOSTAT, Draft Report prepared – (15 days) by September 15, 2017;
6. Final Report Developed and Presented: Finalization of the report in close collaboration with GEOSTAT and UN Women and relevant stakeholders in English, with relevant annexes in same language as the report and presented to relevant stakeholders in Tbilisi – (10 days) by October 13, 2017.

Competencies

Functional Competencies:

• Excellent writing, presentation/public speaking skills;
• IT literacy.

Core Competencies:

• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Treats all people fairly without favouritism.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Advanced degree (PhD) in Social Sciences, Gender Studies, Development Studies, Human Rights, Sociology or related field, and/or senior academic experience.

Experience:

• A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible and relevant experience in the fields of human rights, social inclusion, and/or GBV/VAW;
• A minimum of five years of managerial and leadership skills, abilities to plan, coordinate and implement multiple tasks involving different stakeholders and parties;
• A minimum of five years’ experience of research and statistical processes in the area of GBV/VAW. Experience of conducting household surveys on GBV/VAW is a requirement;
• Direct experience of implementing the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights Violence Against Women: an EU Wide Survey methodology, the WHO Multi-Country Study on Women’s Health and Domestic Violence Against Women or other internationally recognized survey methodology focusing on prevalence of GBV/VAW will be considered a strong asset;
• Proven training/facilitation expertise in conducting household surveys on the topics of GBV/VAW or related issues;
• Proven experience in supporting or contributing to national statistical processes/offices;
• Proven experience in the use of statistical softwares (STATA, SPSS) for the analysis of VAW prevalence surveys.

Language:

• Excellent command of written and spoken English.

Evaluation procedure:

The candidates will be evaluated against the following technical and financial criteria:

• Advanced degree (PhD) in Social Sciences, Gender Studies, Development Studies, Human Rights, Sociology or related field, and/or senior academic experience (max 30 points);
• A minimum of five years of managerial and leadership skills, abilities to plan, coordinate and implement multiple tasks involving different stakeholders and parties (max 50 points);
• A minimum of five years’ experience of research and statistical processes in the area of GBV/VAW. Experience of conducting household surveys on GBV/VAW is a requirement. (max 100 points);
• Direct experience of implementing the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights Violence Against Women: an EU Wide Survey methodology, the WHO Multi-Country Study on Women’s Health and Domestic Violence Against Women or other internationally recognized survey methodology focusing on prevalence of GBV/VAW will be considered a strong asset (max 80 points);
• Proven training/facilitation expertise in conducting household surveys on the topics of GBV/VAW or related issues (max 30 points);
• Proven experience in supporting or contributing to national statistical processes/offices (max 30 points);
• Excellent command of written and spoken English. (max 30 points).

Maximum total technical score amounts to 350 points. Only candidates who have passed over the minimum qualification criteria and have accumulated at least 245 points out of maximum 350 under technical evaluation will qualify for the next stage i.e. evaluation of their financial proposals.

Evaluation of submitted financial offers will be done based on the following formula: S = Fmin / F * 150.

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 consideration.

The winning candidate will be the candidate, who has accumulated the highest aggregated score (technical scoring + financial scoring).

Management arrangements:

The contractor will report to and work under direct supervision of two UN Women Programme Analysts (Programme Analyst on EVAWG and Programme Analsyt/JPO) with overall guidance from UN Women Programme Specialist and UN Women HQ EVAW section.

Financial arrangements:

Payment will be disbursed upon submission and approval of deliverables and certification by UN Women National Programme Officer that the services have been satisfactorily performed as specified below:

• Deliverable 1, 2, 3 – (45 days) 55%
• Deliverables 4, 5, 6 – (35 days) 45%

Application procedure:

• CV and dully filled P11 form that can be downloaded from http://www.unwomen.org/en/about-us/employment;
• Financial Proposal  - lump sum proposal/offer* in USD (including breakdown of this lump sum amount indicating all necessary costs to complete this mission: total remuneration and breakdown by months ( travel expenses, per diems, tickets, lodging and terminal expenses, if applicable).

The applicants are required to submit an aggregated financial offer (“aggregated financial offer” is the total sum of all financial claims of the candidate for accomplishment of all tasks spelled out in this ToR).

Only short listed candidates will be contacted.

Please combine all your documents into one (1) single PDF document as the system only allows to upload maximum one document.