UN Women, National Consultant - Mapping and development of Women’s movement building strategy

Background:

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.

Sierra Leone, despite achieving relative peace and stability following its civil war, continues to grapple with unacceptably high levels of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG), including deeply entrenched harmful practices such as Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and child marriage. This pervasive crisis is rooted in a complex interplay of factors, primarily the subordinate status of women and girls within society, compounded by deeply ingrained patriarchal social norms and cultural practices that normalize Gender-Based Violence (GBV). Women have played critical role in harnessing peace during the 11 years war. They contributed to bringing democratic rule in the country and to the restoration of peace. In 1995, the Sierra Leone Women Movement for in collaboration with other women’s groups galvanized support for democracy through the Bintumani one and two, they mobilize women and strategies and respond to development issues including working with law enforcement agencies to showcase their ability to promote preventive measures to ensure that their voices are heard in every aspect of nations building. 

Despite the challenges, there is emerging evidence of gradual progress in reducing rates of child marriage, intimate partner violence, and FGM in Sierra Leone. This positive trend is, in part, attributable to the tireless efforts of civil society organizations that have orchestrated numerous impactful campaigns across West Africa. These campaigns have played a crucial role in holding governments accountable, amplifying the voices of women and girls, and providing a platform to address their concerns and lived experiences related to harmful norms and customs.

Furthermore, there is growing political momentum and government commitment to address GBV. This is evidenced by the establishment of key policies and systems, as well as important legal reforms and policy developments aimed at strengthening women's rights and addressing GBV. These advancements, while still nascent, offer a glimmer of hope in the ongoing fight against GBV and harmful practices in Sierra Leone, 

signaling a potential turning point in the country's journey toward gender equality and the protection of women and girls

The Spotlight Initiative Program in Sierra Leone

To address the perennial issue of violence against women and girls in Sierra Leone, the European Union, the government of Sierra Leone, civil society and women’s movements, and the United Nations are currently implementing the Spotlight Initiative, a global, multi-year initiative focused on eliminating all forms of violence against women and girls (VAWG). VAWG is defined here as any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual, psychological, or economic harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life. 

This initiative highlights the importance of gender equality and women’s empowerment, aligning with the Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Spotlight Initiative 2.0 enhances the rights and opportunities for women and girls globally, focusing on prevention and response to VAWG with comprehensive and inclusive approaches that enable women and girls to live free from harmful practices and various forms of violence. A key principle of the Spotlight Initiative is the recognition of the pivotal role of women’s rights groups and relevant human rights-based civil society organizations, including those representing young women and girls and groups facing intersecting forms of discrimination (e.g., women and girls living in rural communities, women and girls who are survivors of violence, women and girls living with HIV/AIDS, women and girls living with disabilities, etc.) 

The consultant will contribute to strengthening the capacity of women’s rights groups, autonomous social movements, and relevant CSOs including those representing youth and groups facing multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination and marginalization to more effectively influence and advance progress on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE) and the elimination of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG).

Consultant’s Workplace and Official Travel

This is a home-based consultancy. As part of this assignment, there will be frequent visit to the spotlight implementing districts as the assignment demand  

Competencies :

Core Values:

• Integrity;
• Professionalism;
• Respect for Diversity.

Core Competencies:

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

Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Values and Competencies Framework: 

Functional Competencies:

• Strong knowledge of gender equality and women's rights issues, political science, law, and development.
• Demonstrated ability to interact effectively with government representatives of Member States as well as CSO representative.
• Proven networking skills, and ability.
• Strong writing and communication skills.
• Knowledge and understanding of UN system and familiarity with inter-governmental processes.
• Strong IT skills, including databases, extranet and office software packages.
• Strong analytical and interpersonal skills

Education and Certification:

• Master’s degree or equivalent in Law, Human Rights   Political Science, Gender and Development or a related field is required.

• A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

• A project/programme management] certification would be an added advantage

Experience:

• At least 5 years of experience of relevant work in the field of gender equality and women’s rights including proven experience in women’s CSOs or gender-based violence  
• Extensive Substantive experience in women’s movement. 
• Experience in programme design and results-based management.  
• Experience in working in a multicultural environment. 
• Sound knowledge of international standards on human rights, women’s rights and related instruments. 
• Experience working with multi-stakeholder organizations is essential: governments, CSOs, and the UN/ multilateral/bilateral institutions.
•  Experience in implementing, monitoring, and evaluating development programmes and projects

The candidates shall provide relevant reports to evidence their experience related to the key activities of this consultancy.

Languages:

Fluency in English is required.

Statements :

In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. The creation of UN Women came about as part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact. It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system (DAW, OSAGI, INSTRAW and UNIFEM), which focused exclusively on gender equality and women's empowerment.

Diversity and inclusion:

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.)

Note: Applicants must ensure that all sections of the application form, including the sections on education and employment history, are completed. If all sections are not completed the application may be disqualified from the recruitment and selection process.