International Researcher to conduct Study on Violence Against Women Human Rights Defenders and Journalists in Georgia

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. UN Women in Georgia supports state and non-state partners towards the achievement of substantive gender equality in Georgia. In line with national and international commitments, UN Women works on the levels of policy and legislation, institutions and grassroots, in order to achieve transformative results for increased gender equality and greater protection of the rights of women and girls. UN Women puts special emphasis on the work towards gender mainstreaming in good governance reforms and enhancing women’s political participation, ending violence against women, promoting and supporting women’s economic empowerment, and Women, Peace and Security agenda. Along with these key priority areas that constitute UN Women’s mandate, UN Women interventions in Georgia are anchored in the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) for the years 2026-2030 with the government of Georgia.

Within the framework of its Women’s Leadership and Decision-making portfolio, UN Women is implementing “Women’s Increased Leadership for Democracy in Georgia” (WILD) project. The project is generously supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and aims to promote women’s leadership and advance gender equality as key drivers for democracy and inclusive development in Georgia. Within the framework of the WILD project, UN Women, will undertake a study on violence against Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRD) and women journalists in Georgia. 

WHRDs and women journalists play an important role in advancing gender equality, promoting human rights, and contributing to informed public discourse and democratic processes. However, evidence globally shows that women in these roles are disproportionally exposed to various forms of violence, harassment, intimidation, and other security risks, both online and offline.[1] Such experiences can affect their safety, well-being, and ability to carry out their professional and advocacy work effectively.[2] The 2025 report Tipping point: The chilling escalation of violence against women in the public sphere[3], shows that 70 per cent of surveyed women have experienced online violence in the course of their work and that 41 per cent of respondents reported offline harm linked to online abuse. While these challenges have been increasingly documented globally, there is limited evidence on the prevalence, nature, and impact of violence experienced by WHRDs and women journalists in Georgia. Strengthening the evidence base is essential for informing policies, programmes and protection measures that support their work and well-being.  In this connection, UN Women will engage an international researcher to design and conduct a study on violence against WHRDs and women journalists in Georgia. The study will generate evidence on the forms, prevalence, drivers, and consequences of violence experienced by these groups and provide practical recommendations to inform future programming, advocacy and policy dialogue. 

The international consultant will report to the UN Women Programme Specialist and Research and Data Analyst and will be supported administratively by the UN Women Project Assistant, who will serve as the contract and payment focal point. In close coordination with, and under the overall guidance of, UN Women, the international consultant will carry out the tasks and responsibilities detailed below.

Description of Responsibilities/ Scope of Work

• Prepare an inception report describing the overall study design, methodological approach, sampling strategy, ethical considerations, data collection procedures, quality assurance measures, data analysis plan and including detailed workplan
• Develop methodology, including survey questionnaire for WHRDs and women journalists to measure experiences of online violence (including AI-assisted online violence) and offline violence, including physical, psychological, economic, and sexual forms of violence.
• Finalize the methodology and survey instrument incorporating UN Women feedback, prepare the online questionnaire, and conduct a small-scale pilot test.
• Establish and maintain secure, collection, storage, and protection of survey responses in line with applicable data protection and confidentiality standards. 
• Conduct data collection using the approved electronic questionnaire engaging at least 100 respondents.[4] 
• Implement a qualitative component consisting of: At least two focus group discussions with women journalists and WHRDs; and four to six in-depth interviews with selected survey respondents to further explore their experiences of violence and coping strategies.[5]
• Clean, process, and analyze quantitative and qualitative data. 
• Prepare output tables and analytical findings based on the survey and qualitative data. 
• Draft an analytical report presenting the methodology, key findings, conclusions, and recommendations. 
• Revise and finalize the analytical report in line with UN Women’s comments and feedback. 
• Present key findings and recommendations to UN Women and relevant stakeholders, as required.

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:

• Excellent analytical and research skills.
• Strong understanding of and commitment to gender equality and women's empowerment 
• Excellent writing skills.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Strong Partnership Building Skills.

Required Qualifications:

Education and Certification:

• Master's degree or equivalent in Gender Studies, Development Studies, Public Policy, Social Sciences, Journalism or related field.
• A first-level university degree, in combination with at least two additional years of qualifying experience, may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

• At least seven (7) years of professional experience (or nine (9) years with a bachelor's degree)  in conducting research on gender equality, violence against women, human rights, media freedom, freedom of expression, or related fields. 
• At least seven years (nine years in case of bachelor’s degree) of experience in designing and implementing quantitative and/or mixed-methods research projects on violence against women, including survey development, questionnaire design, pilot testing, data analysis, and report writing.
• Proven experience conducting research on violence, technology-facilitated gender-based violence, digital safety, online harms, disinformation, or related issues affecting women and girls, journalists, human rights defenders, or other groups in public life. A sample of a research report authored by the applicant must be submitted as part of the application.
• Demonstrated experience producing high-quality analytical reports, policy papers, research publications, and recommendations for policymakers, international organizations, and other stakeholders. A sample of a research report authored by the applicant must be submitted as part of the application.
• Experience working with women human rights defenders, journalists, civil society organizations, media organizations, or other groups exposed to gender-based violence, harassment, or freedom-of-expression-related risks is an asset.
• Experience working with UN agencies and/or international organizations is an asset.

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.