Background
BACKGROUND
Violence against women and girls continues to be a widespread social problem in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), and a serious violation of fundamental human rights. This type of violence is still tolerated and considered socially acceptable behaviour and is justified by traditional and patriarchal conceptions of the role and status of women in BiH society.
The entry into force of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention) in August 2014 has marked an important milestone in the BiH efforts to curb violence against women and girls, in addition to new legislation on protection from family violence that was adopted in 2012 in both of BiH’s entities. However, there is still a need to harmonize these laws at all levels and implement their necessary provisions to ensure legal protection, equal treatment and respecting the rights of women and children, who are recognized as the most frequent victims of gender-based violence.
“Standards and Engagement for Ending Violence against Women and Domestic Violence in Bosnia and Herzegovina”, is a three-year programme (2016-2019) developed by the UN Women Country Office in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and financially supported by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA). The programme aims to strengthen the institutional and social response mechanisms to violence against women (VAW) and domestic violence (DV) in BiH by contributing to the implementation of the Istanbul Convention. Furthermore, the proposed activities of the programme build upon the initiatives identified in the entity strategies on combating violence against women and domestic violence. The programme presents a comprehensive, transformative approach towards gender equality and women’s empowerment.
The programme has two main components that are focusing on protection of survivors and prevention of violence against women and domestic violence. Under the first component, the program aims to enhance availability, access and quality of services utilizing a multi-sectorial approach to address violence against women and domestic violence in BiH. This is realised by providing support to service providers in line with the requirements of the Istanbul Convention, with a strong focus on capacity development of relevant service providers in selected communities.
Multi-sectoral approach to domestic violence represents a crucial element in enabling access to better quality multi-sectoral services for survivors. It represents a holistic and coordinated approach aimed at harmonizing and correlating programmes and actions developed and implemented by a variety of institutions (government and non-governmental) in social, justice and security, health and other relevant sectors. It is based on inter-institutional partnership and cooperation, comprised of several elements such as services, reporting and referral system, training programs, documentation, reporting, transmitting and data analysis systems, prevention and awareness raising activities and coordination that is established on defined standards. In previous years, BiH has significantly advanced in terms of adoption of standard-setting documents, such as Istanbul Convention and enhancing the access, availability and quality of multi-sectoral services. However, funding remains to be one of the largest challenges. In order to provide an answer to question what the cost of multi-sectoral response to violence against women is, UN Women has develop the “Study on costing of the multi-sectoral approach to domestic violence at the local level in Bosnia and Herzegovina”, and now seeks to engage an international consultant to provide expert peer review of the study.
Duties and Responsibilities
OBJECTIVE OF THE CONSULTANCY
The overall objective of this consultancy is to review, analyse and provide expert comments on the “Study on costing of the multi-sectoral approach to domestic violence at the local level in Bosnia and Herzegovina”. In addition to making direct interventions in the text, consultant is expected to provide a minimum of 1 and maximum of 2 pages expert peer review overview of the Study that will be integrated to final document.
OUTPUTS
The selected consultant shall be responsible for the following deliverables:
- Review of the “Study on costing of the multi-sectoral approach to domestic violence at the local level in Bosnia and Herzegovina”. Consultant will provide direct interventions in the text where s/he finds necessary;
- Overview of the expert peer review. Consultant is expected to provide a minimum of 1 and maximum of 2 pages expert peer review overview of the Study that will be integrated to final document.
ACTIVITIES AND TIMEFRAME
The Consultant will be expected to complete the tasks within the indicative timeframe:
Tasks / Days / Delivery date
- Introductory meeting with UN Women EVAW team / 0.5 / April 9th;
- Draft review of the analysis including expert peer review overview / 9 / April 22nd;
- Final review of the analysis including expert peer review overview / 0.5 / May 9th.
REPORTING
Under the overall supervision of the UN Women Program Specialist and the direct supervision of the EVAW Project Manager, the consultant will develop and deliver the above listed outputs in accordance with the above outlined timeframe. All the outputs should be provided in English. If the consultant has knowledge of BHS, the outputs should be provided in BHS as well.
Competencies
Core Competencies:
- Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues;
- Accountability;
- Creative Problem Solving;
- Effective Communication;
- Inclusive Collaboration;
- Stakeholder Engagement;
- Leading by Example.
Core Values:
- Respect for Diversity;
- Integrity;
- Professionalism.
Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Core Values and Competencies: http://www.unwomen.org/-/media/headquarters/attachments/sections/about%20us/employment/un-women-employment-values-and-competencies-definitions-en.pdf
Required Skills and Experience
Academic Qualifications:
- Advanced university degree in gender studies, political sciences, social sciences, economics, international relations, human rights or related field.
Experience:
- Minimum 8 years of relevant experience as a researcher, analyst in field of gender equality with special focus on VAWG and DV;
- Previous experience and knowledge in technical expertise of studies related to VAW and DV, particularly study on costing of violence;
- Previous experience in working on violence against women and domestic violence issues in Bosnia and Herzegovina;
- Previous experience working /consulting for UN agencies will be considered an asset.
Knowledge and skills:
- Excellent substantive knowledge on violence against women and domestic violence;
- Excellent substantive knowledge on VAWG and DV in the situation in Republika Srpska and Federation BiH;
- Demonstrated knowledge in undertaking reviews, analysis, assessments and other similar exercises related to DV and VAW;
- Very good understanding of BIH administrative structure and functioning;
- Display a high level of knowledge of human rights and gender issues;
- Delivers written information in a timely, effective and easily understood manner.
Language requirements:
- Fluency in English;
- Writing and speaking of the official languages of Bosnia and Herzegovina will be considered an asset;
DOCUMENTS TO BE INCLUDED WHEN SUBMITTING THE PROPOSALS
Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications:
- Expression of interest letter;
- Detailed financial proposal - specifying a total lump sum amount for the tasks specified in this announcement. The financial proposal shall include a breakdown of this lump sum amount (number of anticipated working days, travel, per diems and any other possible costs);
- UN P11 form.
Please note: All documents have to be uploaded as one file.
EVALUATION OF OFFERS
UN Women applies a fair and transparent selection process that takes into account both the technical qualification of potential consultants as well as the financial proposals submitted in support of consultant applications. Candidate applications will be evaluated using a cumulative analysis method taking into consideration the combination of applicant qualifications and a financial proposal. The contract will be awarded, based on the desk review, to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:
- responsive/compliant/acceptable, and
- having received the highest score out of below defined technical, interview and financial criteria.
Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 50 points in the technical evaluation will be considered as qualified and evaluated further. Only top 3 candidates (with highest number of points in the technical evaluation- documents based) will be interviewed. The maximum number of points assigned to the financial proposal will be allocated to the lowest price proposal among those top 3 qualified candidates. All other price proposals will receive points in reverse order.
Criteria:
- Technical Evaluation – documents and interviewed based (80%);
- Financial Evaluation- based on submitted offer (20%);
Evaluation of submitted financial offers will be done based on the following formula: S = Fmin / F * 20
- 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 the consideration.
Please note that travel costs and accommodation cost should be covered by the consultant and included in the financial offer.
Qualified women and members of minorities are encouraged to apply. UN Women applies fair and transparent selection process that would take into account the competencies/skills of the applicants as well as their financial proposals.
Due to the large number of applications we receive, we are able to inform only the successful candidates about the outcome or status of the selection process.
For any additional information, please contact unwomen.bih@unwomen.org.