Background
The Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini recognizes the need to eradicate violence, especially gender-based violence (GBV) at all levels for a better quality of life for Emaswati. Addressing GBV has been prioritized in the Kingdom through the enactment of the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Act 2018, Children’s Protection and Welfare Act 2012 and People with Disability Policy 2018.
The country developed the National Strategy to End Violence in Swaziland 2017 -2022. It is an overarching, multi-sectoral framework to guide the different actors in identifying key priorities to be addressed in the fight to reduce the overwhelmingly high prevalence of Violence Against Women (VAW) in the Swazi population. Eswatini subsequently developed and costed a Plan of Action on the National Strategy to End Violence in Eswatini 2017-2022. To facilitate the implementation of the National Strategy to End Violence and its Costed Action Plan (2017-2022), Eswatini has developed national reporting guidelines on violence that will guide multisectoral response to violence. Further, Eswatini developed the Essential Services Package aimed at improving the quality of service delivery across all sectors.
These frameworks strengthen the implementation of the SODV Act 2018, People with Disabilities Act 2018, Children’s Protection and Welfare Act 2012, The People Trafficking and Smuggling Prohibition Act, the National Strategy to End Violence in Eswatini and its Costed Plan of Action to End Violence in Eswatini 2017-2022 identify and outline key strategic areas of intervention to end violence and strategically direct different actors towards a more systematic, coordinated, coherent and integrated response. In order to enhance effective coordination, management and partnerships on violence issues, the Government has established the High Level Task Force on Violence and the Multisectoral – Task Team on Violence. The High Level mechanism comprises of government Controlling Officers from ministries dealing with violence and multi-sectoral Task Team comprises of directors from government and faith based organizations, Gender Consortium, Chief Representatives, private sector organizations and development partners. As a means of living no one behind in terms of access to services to address violence, a decentralised structure was created in 2016, at the district level, called Regional Referral Networks on Violence. The structure comprises of all change agents in the district that address issues of violence (government, none governmental organisations, private sector and other civil society organisations). Despite progress made on legal frameworks, prevalence of sexual and domestic violence is still high and, in some cases, resulted in Pre-teenage, Teenage and Post Teenage Pregnancy which are also alarming developments in the country.
Objective of the Technical Assistance
The main objective of the technical assistance that is sought is to provide a coordination role on the implementation of the National Campaign on SODV Act 2018, Ending Pre-teenage, Teenage and Post Teenage Pregnancy guided by the Costed National Action Plan to End Violence (2017- 2022) and its addendum.
Duties and Responsibilities
The office of the UN Resident Coordinator will be supporting the office of the DPMO with a National Consultant to carry out the assignment. The National Consultant will report to the Deputy Prime Minister & High Level Task Force and will be expected to perform the following responsibilities:
- Strengthen the DPMO Coordination mechanism on GBV and VAC for the implementation of the SODV Act 2018, Pre-teenage, Teenage and Post Teenage Pregnancy Campaign;
- Provide political and strategic leadership on the campaign guided by the Costed Plan of Action to End Violence (2017-2022) and its Addendum, the Log Framework on the implementation of the Pre-teenage, Teenage and Post Teenage Pregnancy Campaign and its Plan of Action;
- Engage traditional leaders, familiesy and communities on the reduction of teenage pregnancies, sexual offences and domestic violence;
- Assist in the coordination of fund-raising, management and reporting on the fund-raising to the DPMO and respective funders;
- Work closely with the University of Eswatini,the UN, civil society and other partners in conducting research studies, including on the root causes of violence in the country;
- Organize community outreach programs on reducing pre –teen, teenage and post teenage pregnancy and carrying out advocacy against Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence and while promoting the proper understanding and enforcement of the SODV Act, analyse questions and comments and make recommendations for policy development, programing and law reform;
- Work closely with the High Level Task Force through the Principal Secretary in the DPMO;
- Represent DPMO in National Forums when required.
Deliverables of this consultancy:
- Consultant’s inception report;
- Defined National coordination mechanism on SODV Act and Teenage pregnacy with a focus on GBV and VAC;
- Report on the implementation of the National Plan of Action on the campaign (2019 -2023) in both soft and hard copy;
- Proposed Data management system.
Competencies
- Leadership
- Communication.
- Teamwork.
- Planning and Organizing.
- Accountability.
- Commitment to Continuous Learning.
- People management.
Required Skills and Experience
Qualification:
- A Master's degree in Development Studies, Master in Policy, Strategic Mangement and Leadership; or equivalent;
Experience:
- 10 years working experience in facilitation skills or equivalent.
- Proven experience in policy and strategic formulation; Organizational Management;, Partnership Building; Gender; Gender-based violence; Diplomacy & Networking; and Resource Mobilization.
- Proven experience in behaviour Change would be an asset.
- Proven experience in analysis of social issues would be an asset
- Experience in community engagement would be an asset.
Language Requirement:
- Proficiency in written and spoken English and Siswati