Background

In the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the risk of violence against women migrant workers is increasing – as tensions rise, freedom is restricted, economic tensions are felt, and women are isolated from support systems.  Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Filipino women migrant workers were already experiencing abuse from their employers. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) data from 2013-2016 notes that 75% of the 4,830 OFWs who seek assistance from the embassy per year are women who have experienced physical, verbal and psychological abuse, sexual harassment and rape. Further, women comprise 82% of trafficking victim survivors. Despite having been subjected to violence, the National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS, 2017) found that only 30 per cent of women who experienced physical or sexual violence sought help to stop violence.  The pandemic has only intensified the already existing abusive treatment, exploitation and gender-based violence experienced by women migrant workers due to the disruption or limitation of the channels to file reports.

The Programme, “Safe and Fair: Realizing women migrant workers’ rights and opportunities in the ASEAN region (2018-2022)” is part of the multi-year EU-UN Spotlight Initiative to Eliminate Violence against Women and Girls. Safe and Fair is implemented by the ILO and UN Women. Safe and Fair delivers technical assistance and support with the overall objective of making labour migration Safe and Fair for all women in the ASEAN region. Safe and Fair engages with ASEAN Member States’ government authorities; ASEAN institutions; workers’ organizations; employers and recruitment agencies; civil society organizations; community-based organizations; families and communities; research institutions and academia, media networks, youth, and the general public and supports programming in ten countries (Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam).

Safe and Fair works in close cooperation with governments and social partners to achieve three inter-linking specific objectives:

Specific objective 1: Women migrant workers are better protected by gender-sensitive labour migration governance frameworks;

Specific objective 2: Women migrant workers are less vulnerable to violence and trafficking and benefit from coordinated responsive quality services; and

Specific objective 3: Data, knowledge and attitudes on the rights and contributions of women migrant workers are improved

The strategy of Safe and Fair mainstreams three cross-cutting topics: women’s voice and agency; rights-based approaches; and broad engagement of stakeholders. Safe and Fair ensures visibility, awareness-raising and dialogue promotion on changing norms around violence against women throughout migration and strengthening rights-based approaches to Safe and Fair labour migration governance for women in the ASEAN region.

Purpose of the consultancy

This consultancy contributes to “Output 02.01. Rights-based and survivor-centred approaches are integrated into laws, policies and practice on prevention and response to VAW, with a focus on women migrant workers; and Output 02.02. Capacity of regional, national and local government, social partners and civil society to implement policy for coordinated multi-sectoral services provision that respond to the needs of migrant women workers is strengthened. It corresponds to Activities 2.1.2 Multi-stakeholder national consultations and regional cross-sectoral consultations on legal and policy interventions that prevent and respond to violence against women migrant workers, and 2.2.3 Strengthening coordination of and access to quality services, informed by services data, for women migrant workers. It aims to contribute to Indicator 2.1.2: Number of countries with dedicated national strategies/action plans on eliminating VAW, which include women migrants.

This Consultancy uses as main reference the Guidance Note to Develop Migrant-Sensitive National Action Plans on Violence building on the Handbook for National Action Plans on Violence against Women in view of the Policy Brief: COVID-19 and Women Migrant Workers in ASEAN, Coordinated Quality Services for Ending Violence against Women Migrant Workers, and other framework documents developed by the Safe and Fair Programme.

Duties and Responsibilities

Develop Safe and Fair submission i.e., proposed chapter or section on prevention and response to violence against women migrant workers in the formulation of the Strategic Plans of the Interagency Council on Violence against Women and their Children (IACVAWC) and Interagency Council against Trafficking (IACAT); and the Philippine Development Plan (PDP).

1. Review and submit content analysis of the 2017-2022 IACVAWC and IACAT Strategic Plans, and the Philippine Development Plan in relation to integrating and responding to violence against women migrant workers, strengthening multi-sectoral coordination mechanisms on VAW, migration, and trafficking at international, national, and local levels; institutionalization of meaningful participation of CSOs including grassroots organizations of women migrant workers; aligned with the Guidance Note to Develop Migrant-Sensitive National Action Plans on Violence
2. Consolidate important findings and recommendations from Safe and Fair Philippines’ policy papers, technical briefs and activity reports and proceedings from major activities such as training-series, roundtable discussions, dialogues and consultations, among others
3. Organize 2 validation workshops with the members of the 1) Safe and Fair National Project Advisory Committee, and 2) Safe and Fair Partners and Networks, with their additional inputs integrated into the final submission
4. Prepare three (3) submissions for Safe and Fair inputs on prevention of and response to violence against women migrant workers for the a) IACVAWC and b) IACAT Strategic Plan and the c) Philippine Development Plan
5. Conduct 3 bilateral meeting-presentation of the inputs to IACVAWC, IACAT, and the National Economic Development Authority for the PDP

Expected deliverables and timelines

Supervision

The consultant will be supervised by Safe and Fair National Project Officer.

Contract period and work location

The consultancy is expected to be completed within a period of eight (8) months from the date of the contract signing. Duty station for this consultancy is Manila, Philippines

Competencies

Core Values:

• Respect for Diversity
• Integrity
• Professionalism

Core Competencies:

• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues
• Accountability
• Creative Problem Solving
• Effective Communication
• Inclusive Collaboration
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Leading by Example

Functional Competencies: (below are examples to be adjusted to each assignment)

• Excellent analytical skills
• Strong knowledge of UN Women processes and systems
• Strong networking skills
• Strong inter-personal skills, communicate effectively with staff at all levels of the organization;
• Ability to work in a highly pressured environment

Required Skills and Experience

Education

• Master’s degree or equivalent in social science, gender studies, labour migration or other related fields
• Applicants with a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in social science, gender studies, labour migration or other related fields with two additional years of relevant work experience would be considered as well.

Experience:

• Has at least 7 years of experience working on gender and labour migration, gender equality, violence against women or other issues related to women migrant workers
• Demonstrated experience in conducting research in areas of violence against women, labour migration and trafficking, gender and development, preferably in the Philippines;
• Strong understanding of issues related to gender equality in the context of labour migration, violence against women, preferably in the Philippines;
• Previous working experience with Philippine women’s rights and/or migrant rights’ organizations is required
• Strong written and communication skills in English and in Filipino;

Language requirement:

• Strong written and communication skills in English and in Filipino based on sample written work

Submission of application

Interested candidates are encouraged to submit electronic application to hr.bangkok@unwomen.org, with cc to royelynne.colobong@unwomen.org, not later than 26 October 2021.

Submission package includes: 

• Cover letter outlining relevant work experience
• UN Women Personal History Form(P11);
• Writing sample work such as Gender Audit, Narrative Strategic Plan, Research, Evaluation Report, etc.
• Financial proposal in PHP which shall specify a total lump sum amount, breaking down the daily professional fee, proposed number of working days. Please see the financial proposal template as below:

At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided?on the basis of?qualifications, competence, integrity and organizational need.

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

UN Women?has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination.? All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to UN Women’s policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UN Women personnel and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. (Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.)