Historique

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security.

Violence Against Women (VAW) is one of the most widespread violation of human rights worldwide, globally affecting around one in three women in her lifetime. VAW is widespread in Afghanistan, where reports estimate that up to 87% of Afghan women experience violence, mostly at the hands of family members and husbands. The violence experienced by Afghanistan women at the hands of their husbands and partners is frequent, severe, and of multiple forms: physical, sexual, economic and psychological. Most women who experience violence in intimate relationships often experience multiple forms and endure repeated acts of violence at the hands of their current and/or former partners and family. Other manifestations of VAW includes early and forced marriages – including baad (the exchange of girls for dispute resolution) and baadal (exchange marriages), so-called honour crimes, rape and killings of women, sexual harassment in the workplace and in public spaces, and self-immolation and self-harm linked to experiences of violence. In Afghanistan, 35 % of girls are married by age 18. 

The Spotlight Initiative (SI) in Afghanistan main goal is to reduce the prevalence of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and harmful practices (HP) against women and girls in Afghanistan. The Afghanistan SI initiative aims at targeting the most at risk groups, to accelerate efforts towards the elimination sexual gender-based violence and harmful practices. The initiative is tailored to promote Agenda 2030’s guiding principle of “leaving no one behind”. Across the six Pillars, the SI in Afghanistan will bring women and girls, including those with intersecting forms of discrimination and marginalization, to the centre of the interventions, recognizing that the empowerment of women and girls, and their unique experiences and solutions they bring based on their intersectional identities, is the key to design and implement a programme that responds to the needs and priorities of women and girls of Afghanistan in all their diversity. The SI in Afghanistan will work across the socio-ecological model, using a multi-sectoral and intersectional approach, to prevent and respond to SGBV/HP and impact lasting change at the national, sub-national, community and individual levels. The initiative will be informed by a comprehensive prevention strategy to addresses structural issues through this socio ecological model. The SI in Afghanistan has an important focus on the prevention of SGBV/HP (pillar 3) and the provision of comprehensive services (pillar 4).

Under Pillar 3, SGBV/HP Prevention, the Spotlight Initiative will work across the socio-ecological model, to address the negative social-cultural norms, religious and traditional beliefs and practices that drive SGBV/HP at the society, institutional, community, inter-personal and individual levels. The prevention approach involves multi-level mutually reinforcing interventions to facilitate transformative change in society by addressing the root and structural causes of violence. The SI Afghanistan will focus on the development of a National Prevention Framework, advocacy, engaging young people, the media, men and boys, and implementing whole-of school and whole-of community approaches to promote gender-equitable norms and respectful relationships. As social norms, attitudes and practices towards women and girls differ between provinces, community-based interventions will be developed through a participatory process, based on local contexts and informed by international standards, women’s experiences and expressed needs. A knowledge, attitudes, practice and behaviour (KAPB) study will be conducted in the three provinces.

In order to support its VAWG prevention work, UN Women Afghanistan is seeking the services of an International Consultant to develop an overarching strategy to guide UN Women’s work on prevention (1), develop a short concept note on preventing violence against women and girls (VAWG) through social norms change (2), provide technical support to support the quality implementation of the pillar 3 of the Spotlight Initiative in Afghanistan on Prevention (3), and provide technical support for the development of a National Prevention Framework (4).

Devoirs et responsabilités

1) Develop an overarching strategy to guide UN Women’s work on prevention in Afghanistan  

• Based on best practices, global evidence and global frameworks (including the RESPECT and UN Prevention Framework), develop a 10-15-pages overarching strategy to guide UN Women Afghanistan’s work on prevention, with a focus on social norms change, including in terms of priorities and opportunities, as well as ensuring linkages to the Spotlight Initiative in Afghanistan.

2) Develop a short concept note on preventing violence against women and girls (VAWG) through social norms change

• Informed by the strategy, develop a concept note of 15-20 pages, tailored for donors, on preventing VAWG through social norms change.
• The concept note should build on data, evidence, best practices, and be culturally relevant to the context of Afghanistan. It will ensure complementarity with the Spotlight programme.

3) Provide technical support to UN Women Afghanistan to support the quality implementation of the pillar 3 of the Spotlight Initiative in Afghanistan on Prevention

• Provide technical advisory services and inputs for the implementation of the pillar 3 on prevention of the Spotlight Initiative, including but not limited to:
  • Technical advisory services to for the programme implementation
  • Technical inputs into Terms of References, including for a Knowledge, attitude, practice and belief (KAPB) survey and media study on gender and VAWG
  • Technical support for the development of a community action plan to ensure effectiveness and coordination of all activities conducted under pillar 3
  • Technical support for the development and roll out of community mobilisation tools
  • Technical support and advisory services for the faith mobilisation activities
  • Technical support for the development of communications materials for VAWG prevention
  • Technical support for the engagement and capacity building of media for VAWG prevention
• Support the development of training materials for prevention workshops in Afghanistan. A minimum of 4 workshops for a range of stakeholders is foreseen.

4) Technical support for the development of a National Prevention Framework under Spotlight  

• Technical support and advisory services to develop the National Prevention Framework, and support national and local ownership as well as contextual relevance

The assignment will be home-based. Missions to Afghanistan can be organised, depending on the availability of the selected applicant and possibilities to travel, in relation to the COVID-19 and security situation. The contract will be from March 2021 to December 2021. Support will be particularly requested for the months of March-May 2021. The contract will be day-based, with monthly payments based on the number of days worked.

The consultant will be supervised by the EVAW Programme Manager and work closely with the EVAW team.

Compétences

• Proven knowledge about gender issues in Afghanistan and legislative mechanisms.
• Proven coordination and management skills, including the ability to set priorities, manage time effectively, and contribute to a team environment of respect, tolerance, diversity and mutual accountability;
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills;
• Must be a self-starter with excellent demonstrated teamwork skills;
• Strong and proven integrity and analytical skills;
• Excellent writing skills in English;
• Understanding of reporting requirements, expectations and working procedures;
• Commitment to upholding the organizational values and principles of UN Women Afghanistan;
• A proven ability to liaise with a myriad of stakeholders and partners, including government, civil society, international organizations and grassroots organizations;
• Essential computer skills – familiarity with Microsoft Word programs, internet, e-mail

Qualifications et expériences requises

• Master’s degree in the field of international development, gender studies, social science, social work or other related area.
• A minimum of 10 years of relevant experience in ending violence against women and girls programme development and implementation with strong technical expertise in prevention.
• Demonstrated experience and expertise in the field of violence against women and girls prevention and social norms change.
• Experience working with UN Women is an advantage.
• Excellent command of English.

The Submission package includes:

• Updated CV
• Cover Letter
• Personal History Form (P11 which can be downloaded from http://asiapacific.unwomen.org/en/about-us/jobs)
• Financial proposal: daily fee should be indicated. All the travels costs will be covered by UN Women according to UN Women’s rules and regulation and should not be included in the financial proposal.

All requested documents of the submission package (CV, Cover Letter, P11 and financial proposal) should be combined in one document and uploaded when asked to upload the CV/resume. Incomplete submission may not be considered.