To address the global challenges of VAWG, the European Union (EU) and the United Nations have partnered on a new multi-year programme, the EU-UN Spotlight Initiative to Eliminate Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG). The Spotlight Initiative aims to support transformative change on the ground to end violence against women and girls. The overall vision of the Spotlight Initiative in Timor-Leste is that women and girls enjoy their right to a life free of violence, within an inclusive and gender equitable Timor-Leste. The programme is aligned to the Timor-Leste “National Action Plan on Gender-based violence (2017-2021) and National SDG Roadmap, particularly on SDGs 5 and 16.  It will contribute to the National Strategic Development Plan and reinforce Timor-Leste’s Development Plan and reinforce Timor-Leste’s implementation of commitments under the Beijing Platform for Action, the Concluding Observations of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) Committee, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, among other international obligations. 

The program was globally launched in 2017 and began implementation in Timor-Leste in 2020. There are five UN agencies participating in the Timor-Leste Spotlight Initiative. There are the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women (UN Women), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nation Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the International Labour Organization (ILO). The Resident Coordinator’s Office (RCO) provides overall strategic oversight and coordination for the Spotlight Initiative within the UN, with UN Women acting as the Technical Lead.

Despite progress which has been made, violence against women and girls, and particularly intimate partner violence, remains widespread, with 38% to 59% of women in Timor-Leste between the ages of 15 to 19 experience violence in their lifetime.1 As stated at Timor-Leste’s Voluntary National Review on the SDGs in 2019 and the report for the Beijing Platform of Action +25, there is a need for a comprehensive approach to ending violence against women and girls (VAWG).

The Spotlight Initiative will contribute to the elimination of domestic violence/intimate partner violence (DV/IPV) by responding to the needs of women and girls and addressing the underlying causes of violence against women and girls, using a multi-sectoral and intersectional approach across the ecological model. This will involve strengthening and widening partnerships and solidarity across civil society, government, media, private sector and development partners. The Initiative will empower individuals, equip institutions at national, sub-national and community levels with the policies, systems and mechanisms to prevent and respond to VAWG, and encourage the public to challenge harmful gender norms. Using innovative approaches, the SI will build a social movement of diverse advocates and agents of change for gender equality and social inclusion.

It is important to advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) principle of national ownership and the commitment to leave no one behind. These are both key goals of the Spotlight Initiative. Civil society networks and organizations have been accorded a unique role in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the Spotlight Initiative at country level and as such, are important partners in supporting the implementation of key strategies to prevent and respond to VAWG. Groups of focus for the Spotlight Initiative in Timor-Leste are women and girls with disabilities, living in rural areas, in vulnerable employment, girls out of school or pregnant, girls married before the age of 18 and women and girls who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI).

Timor-Leste has a strong VAWG national framework, having ratified most of the core international human rights treaties/conventions and development frameworks, with clear articles in its Constitution dedicated to gender equality (Article 16, 17, 18 and 26). The SDP 2011-2030 also addresses gender equality and women’s empowerment. In 2016, Timor-Leste ratified ILO Core Conventions No. 111 and No. 100 on gender equality and contributed to the adoption of a new International Labour Standard concerning the elimination of violence and harassment in the world of work (Convention No. 190) in June 2019.

Violence is criminalized in the Penal Code (2009) and the Law Against Domestic Violence (LADV) was enacted in 2010, less than ten years after the country regained independence. Policy frameworks are also in place, particularly with the National Action Plan on Gender-Based Violence (NAPGBV) 2012-2016 and NAP GBV 2017-2021, NAP on Children, NAP on Women, Peace and Security (2016-2020), the Maubisse Declaration (focused on upholding rural women’s rights and promoting their economic empowerment). Sexual Harassment Guidelines for Civil Servants were adopted in 2017, recognizing the various forms of GBV that exists and the connections between different forms of violence. The UN Essential Services Package of supports for women and girls subject to violence has a dedicated module on Coordination: A cohesive multi-disciplinary cross-agency approach for responding to violence against women and girls is essential to protecting victims and survivors of intimate partner violence and non-partner sexual violence from further harm when responding to violence. Coordinated systems can have a greater impact in responding to violence, as well as greater efficiencies, than agencies working in isolation.[1]

[2]

[1] https://www.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications/2015/12/essential-services-package-for-women-and-girls-subject-to-violence

https://www.unwomen.org/-/media/headquarters/attachments/sections/library/publications/2015/essential-services-package-module-5-en.pdf?la=en&vs=3759

[2] Essential Services Package, Module 5:  Coordination https://www.unwomen.org/-/media/headquarters/attachments/sections/library/publications/2015/essential-services-package-module-5-en.pdf?la=en&vs=3759 p. 10.

Under the EU-UN Spotlight Initiative, UN Women in Timor-Leste is seeking a national consultant to support UN Women and Secretary of State for Equality and Inclusion (SEII) in provision of technical assistance on implementation of the NAP-GBV. This will include support to SEII in reviewing the capacities and functionality of the Inter-Ministerial Commission for the National Action Plan on Gender based Violence Commission and raising the visibility of the NAP-GBV Commission with the Council of Ministers. As well, the consultant will conduct a mapping of municipal and sub-municipal coordination mechanisms to increase inter-ministerial coordination, planning and resources needed for NAP-GBV Implementation.

This will contribute to Spotlight Outcome 2: National and sub-national systems and institutions plan, fund and deliver evidence-based programmes that prevent and respond to violence against women and girls and harmful practices, including in other sectors.

And more directly will implement two Activities:

Spotlight Activity 2.2.3: Strengthen Inter-Ministerial NAP GBV Coordination at National and Municipal levels: Support SEII to conduct capacity assessment of Inter-Ministerial NAP GBV Commission and raise visibility of NAP GBV Commission with Council of Ministers. This will also include mapping of municipal and sub-municipal coordination mechanisms to increase inter-ministerial coordination and resources needed for NAP implementation.

Spotlight Activity 2.3.2: Municipal Gender Working Groups in 3 Target Municipalities Support NAP GBV Understanding and Implementation- Strengthen understanding of GBV and GRB into GWG capacity development and annual planning and budgeting processes. This also includes municipal contribution to annual NAP monitoring reports, and strengthen formal relationships between government civil servants, service providers, Municipal Women's Association and CSOs working on NAP GBV.

Scope of work/Duties and Responsibilities

Under the overall guidance of the UN Women Head of Office in Timor-Leste, and supervision of the Spotlight Initiative EVAW Programme Officer, in collaboration with the Spotlight Initiative Programme Specialist, the National Consultant will provide support and technical assistance to SEII, including strengthening partner coordination/mechanisms to implement the National Action Plan on Gender Based Violence at the national level and municipal level. This will specifically include the following tasks:

1. Support to SEII to conduct a capacity assessment of the Inter-Ministerial NAP GBV Commission

• Confirm Terms of Reference and membership of Commission
• Review documentation from the Commission during the period of the current NAP-GBV
• Meet with SEII to identify key staff for assessment and the strategy for assessment
• Undertake assessment and document results
• Observe meetings if possible
• Prepare a brief analysing results and proposing actions which should be taken and present to SEII and UN Women.
• Present findings the Commission if requested by SEII and UN Women

1. Conduct a mapping of municipal and sub-municipal coordination mechanisms

• Confirm Terms of Reference and membership of mechanisms
• Review documentation from the mechanisms during the period of the current NAP-GBV
• Meet with relevant staff and consultants engaged in related activities in Spotlight, in particular UNDP
• Meet with SEII to identify key issues for mapping and the strategy for mapping. Collaborate with SEII’s Municipal Focal Points and Advisor to SEII (funded by the Spotlight Initiative) to undertake the mapping
• Confirm the current operations of mechanisms in the 3 municipalities of focus, the entities and individuals involved and review relevant documentation for the period of the current NAP-GBV
• Conduct consultations with relevant actors at the municipal level to explore their understanding of NAP-GBV implementation. This should include government representatives, service providers, Municipal Women's Associations and relevant civil society organizations who are working in areas related to the NAP-GBV
• Observe meetings if possible
• Prepare a brief synthesizing information gathered through mapping in particular:
  • Where coordination is working well
  • Where there are challenges to coordination and why
  • Where there are gaps in participation and why
  • If the coordination mechanisms are overlapping with other mechanisms
  • How coordination mechanisms interact with others (for example Rede Referral)
  • Familiarity with the NAP-GBV and the objectives of this
  • Where formal relationships between government, Municipal Women's Associations and relevant civil society organizations could be strengthened
  • How processes could become more Survivor-centred[1] and accountable for results in the lives of women and girls
• Present the report to municipal mechanisms, as requested by SEII

1. Strengthen the capacity of the Inter-Ministerial NAP GBV Commission and related municipal and sub-municipal mechanisms

• Based on capacity assessment and mapping above, identify areas for further technical input and strengthened coordination and advise SEII and UN Women on how to implement these recommendations
• Implement recommendations as requested by SEII and UN Women, including how to measure changes from capacity development activities (for example pre and post tools, integration of Gender Markers). This will be informed by Spotlight’s Monitoring and Evaluation Strategy.

1. Strengthen understanding of violence against women and girls and the Gender Working Group’s role as part of capacity development and monitoring of the annual planning and budgeting process

• Based on the mapping conducted under actio 2 above, identify key staff to survey.
• Conduct a survey on knowledge with relevant actors within Gender Working Groups in the three municipalities of focus regarding: knowledge about violence against women and girls, the role of the Gender Working Group and Gender Responsive Budgeting. Collaborate with UN Women and consultant on Gender Responsive Budgeting to develop content of the survey. Collaborate with SEII’s Municipal Focal Points to distribute the survey.
• Prepare a brief analysing results and proposing actions which should be taken. This will be presented to SEII and UN Women
• Develop strategy and materials to strengthen understanding of VAWG and GRB in municipal GWG. This should include:
  • Monitoring and evaluation tools to measure change due to capacity building (for example pre and post tools, integration of Gender Markers). This will be informed by Spotlight’s Monitoring and Evaluation Strategy.
  • Orientation materials for new members of the Working Group
  • Plain language information regarding VAWG from a human rights and Survivor centred perspective, the objectives of the NAP-GBV and GRB
• Support the SEII Focal Point and GWG in three municipalities of focus to make contributions to the 2020 annual NAP monitoring report. This may include reviewing reporting formats and suggesting adjustments.

Duration of the assignment

The duration of the assignment is twelve months. The consultant is expected to commence work on or about 25 January 2021 – 24 December 2021.

Key Deliverables:

The assignment deliverables shall be:

All the documents, including reports, questionnaires, presentations and reports should be submitted in English language, or if in Tetum, include an English summary.

Upon receipt of the deliverables and prior to the payment of the instalment all submitted reports and documents will be reviewed and approved by UN Women.

 Inputs:

• The consultant is expected to use their own computer. 
• UN Women will provide the consultant reference materials printing facilities, and internet access as needed, will facilitate coordination with key stakeholders.  
• UN Women will facilitate in coordination the CSO partner logistics and transportation support when travelling out of Dili to municipalities if required in support of the assignment. 
• UN Women will provide Daily Subsistence Allowance (DSA) to cover expenses outside of the Duty Station when applicable, as per UN Women rules and regulations.  
• All arrangements will need to be adapted to current conditions, guidelines and requirements related to the COVID-19 pandemic.  

[1] Survivor-centred approach as defined in the UN Essential Services Package is an approach that places “the rights, needs and desires of women and girls as the centre of focus of service delivery. This requires consideration of the multiple needs of victims and survivor, the various risks and vulnerabilities, the impact of decisions and actions taken, and ensures services are tailored to the unique requirements of each individual women and girl. Services should respond to her wishes.”

Competencies

Core Values:

• Respect for Diversity
• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues
• Creative Problem Solving
• Effective Communication
• Inclusive Collaboration
• Stakeholder Engagement

Leading by Example Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Core Values and Competencies:

https://www.unwomen.org/-/media/headquarters/attachments/sections/about%20us/employment/un-women-values-and-competencies-framework-en.pdf?la=en&vs=637

Functional Competencies:

• Strong commitment to gender equality and the empowerment of women, with demonstrated experience of researching or working on gender issues;
• Strong research and writing skills, with strong analytical skills and creative thinking;
• Ability to think and work logically and work precisely with attention to detail;
• Initiative, sound judgment and demonstrated ability to work harmoniously with staff members of different national and cultural backgrounds;
• Previous experience (also volunteer experience) from the non-profit sector is an advantage.
• Ability to multi-task and address competing priorities
• Ability to produce quality deliverables in a timely manner
• Strong computer skills, including Word, Excel, and Power Point

Required skills and experience

Education:

Master/Bachelor’s degree in Economics, Political Science, Social Work, Gender and Development or other relevant field.

Experience 

• At least Master’s Degree with two years experience or Bachelor’s degree with four years of experience of work on gender equality, women’s rights and violence against women and girls. 
• Experience in capacity development of government organizations
• Experience with facilitation of high-level dialogues, trainings, consultations, including with Government counterparts preferably on gender equality, violence against women and girls and gender responsive budgeting.
• Experience in management of projects
• Familiarity with multi-stakeholder coordination networks
• Experience in three municipalities of focus would be an advantage

Language and other skills:  

• Knowledge of the NAP – GBV in Timor-Leste
• Proficiency in oral and written English and Tetum languages, knowledge of Portuguese is an advantage.
• Computer literacy and ability to effectively use IT, particularly Internet, email, Excel, Word and online meeting platforms.

Submission of application

Interested candidates are requested to submit electronic application to

UNDP Job site not later than 14 January, 2021 5:00 pm Timor-Leste time

Submission package

• CV and copy of the latest academic certificate 
• Letter of Interest containing the statement on candidate’s experience in the field of recruitment
• Sample of writing work relevant to the assignment
• The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount per each deliverable, including travel and administrative fees, based on the template in Annex 1. The lump sum costs must be accompanied by a detailed breakdown of costs calculation. The actual payment will be payable based on the stated lump sum for each satisfactorily achieved deliverable.  

All applications must include (as an attachment) the CV and the financial proposal. Applications without financial proposal will be treated as incomplete and will not be considered for further assessment.

Selected candidates will need to submit prior to commencement of work:

1. UN Women P-11 form, available from http://www.unwomen.org/en/about-us/employment
2. A statement from a medical doctor of ‘good health and fit for travel’

Evaluation

Applications will be evaluated based on the Cumulative analysis.

• Technical Qualification (100 points) weight; [70%]
• Financial Proposal (100 points) weight; [30%]

A three-stage procedure is utilised in evaluating the proposals. Candidates who are fulfilling all the required skills and expertise will go to the technical evaluation process. The evaluation of the technical proposal is being completed prior to any price proposal being compared.  Only the price proposal of the candidates who passed the minimum technical score of 70% of the obtainable score of 100 points in the technical qualification evaluation will be evaluated.

Technical qualification evaluation criteria:

The total number of points allocated for the technical qualification component is 100. The technical qualification of the individual is evaluated based on following technical qualification evaluation criteria:

Only the candidates who have attained a minimum of 70% of total points will be considered as technically-qualified candidate.

Financial/Price Proposal evaluation:

• Only the financial proposal of candidates who have all the required skills and expertise, and have attained a minimum of 70% score in the technical evaluation will be considered and evaluated.
• The total number of points allocated for the price component is 100.
• The maximum number of points will be allotted to the lowest price proposal that is opened/ evaluated and compared among those technical qualified candidates who have attained a minimum of 70% score in the technical evaluation. All other price proposals will receive points in inverse proportion to the lowest price.

Annex I: Financial Proposal  

 
BREAKDOWN OF COSTS SUPPORTING THE ALL-INCLUSIVE FINANCIAL PROPOSAL 

Breakdown of Cost by Components: 

The above lump sum costs include all administration costs and expenses related to the consultancy. All prices/rates quoted must be exclusive of all taxes. The lump sum costs must be accompanied by a detailed breakdown of costs calculation incl. travel related costs, and daily professional fee.