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Consultant: Comparative analysis of the Role of Women in Peace Building

nairobi with planned missions

  • Organization: UNWOMEN - United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women
  • Location: nairobi with planned missions
  • Grade: Consultancy - International Consultant - Internationally recruited Contractors Agreement
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Political Affairs
    • Women's Empowerment and Gender Mainstreaming
    • Peace and Development
  • Closing Date: Closed

Background

The role of women in peacebuilding has received significant attention in recent years, particularly with the 17-year anniversary of UNSCR 1325 last year and the development of 1325 National Action Plans by member states.  However, while much attention has been focused at the national and international level, leading to a proliferation of research, policy and advocacy literature, and reports, less attention has been paid to the local level leadership and participation before, during and after conflict. Though women have led peace movements and driven community recovery after conflict, they are almost completely missing from peace negotiations. Exclusion from reconstruction limits access to opportunities to recover economically, to gain justice for human rights abuses, and to participate in shaping reformed laws. Exclusion of women in a society to participate in formal decision making further limits policy and decisions that favor gender equality.

There now exists a strong evidence base that women’s participation in peace and security processes is core to their operational effectiveness – by strengthening protection efforts, improving prevention and accelerating economic recovery. Women’s meaningful participation also helps ensure that agreements will be sustainable Yet, fifteen years after the adoption of resolution 1325, more than half of peace agreements continue to highlight minimal women participation.

This study is therefore aimed at filing the ‘gap’ in the current overcrowded literature and will focus on what women are doing at the local level in peacebuilding, conflict prevention and post-conflict reconstruction.

Over the past decades, the Great Lakes region of Africa, consisting of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Rwanda, and Burundi, and its neighbour South Sudan have been experiencing recurring violent conflicts. Despite the many peace agreements, humanitarian aid, and political support from the international community, violence erupts on regular basis. The peace process in South Sudan is ongoing, an upcoming election in Burundi and Uganda are potential triggers of further conflict in the Great Lakes.

Although disproportionately affected by conflict, women in the Great Lakes region have continued to participate in peace processes and bring their expertise to bear as peace makers and builders. Uganda, Burundi and South Sudan, boast strong women leaders whose voices united their communities and countries. However, these women are unsung heroines as there has been little detailed documentation of their overwhelming commitment to achieving sustainable peace. UN Women and partners therefore plan to profile these heroines as role models and highlight their contributions in the three countries of Uganda, Burundi and South Sudan

Aim of the Analysis:

The research will develop a theoretical and comparative analysis documenting the role of women in local peacebuilding, conflict prevention and post-conflict reconstruction, drawing on examples and experiences from the three countries (South Sudan, Burundi and Uganda), and will provide recommendations on how women’s role can be supported and strengthened. The analysis should draw on case studies of women’s collective involvement in peacebuilding at the local level and the impact it has had and draw donors’ attention to grassroots work that needs more support. 

The analysis will also profile women leaders in the three countries who have been and continue to be part of the country's history, particularly in issues of peace building and reconciliation processes. In the process, this will promote visibility for women and acknowledge their role in peace building.

Duties and Responsibilities

  • Explore how women are involved in peacebuilding at the local level, with a focus on:
    • What women’s involvement in local peacebuilding looks like: what motivates women, what support women peacebuilders currently have (e.g. from women’s local CSOs and/or decision makers), and what specific activities women are undertaking to build peace;
    • Why women’s involvement in local peacebuilding makes a difference to peace, including positive, concrete examples of what has worked and why women’s involvement in local level peacebuilding should be supported by donors/UN/others;
  • Make recommendations for what support the international community needs to provide in strengthening and promoting women’s participation in peacebuilding;
  • Draw on case studies and interviews with INGOs and ActionAid/Womankind partners (see ‘output’) for more details.

Key research questions:

These will be discussed in further detail during development of the comparative analysis, but broad questions will include:

  • What roles do women play (as individuals, groups and within networks) at the local level in peace building/ conflict prevention/ post-conflict reconstruction?  What does their involvement look like in the different country contexts? What is their experience at the local level in their own words? (This will aim to shed light on the aspects of peacebuilding that sometimes happen ‘behind the scenes’);
  • What is the impact of women’s role in local peacebuilding on national peacebuilding processes;
  • Apart from the impact on national peacebuilding processes, what other impact has women’s role and engagement in peace building had at the local level, if any? (I.e. its value regardless of whether it translates immediately and obviously into national-level peace, for example in terms of women’s participation and empowerment);
  • What are the barriers to women’s participation in local peacebuilding, both social (in family/community) and structural (service providers, legislation, formal and non-formal law)? How does violence against women act as a barrier? And how can those barriers be overcome;
  • Are there any examples of international support that has recognised and promoted women’s role in local peacebuilding in the three countries? What has been their impact;
  • Based on the above, why should the international community support women’s role in peacebuilding, and how should they do so?  What concrete steps can/should be taken.

Deliverables:

  • A research paper of approximately 30 pages with a short literature review;
  • At least 2 strong case studies from each country demonstrating the role of women in peacebuilding at the local level (with the detailed case studies appended);
  • Documented practical experiences of local women peacebuilders and activists highlighted throughout the report;
  • An elaborate clear case for why the international community should better support the role of women in local peacebuilding with key recommendations as to how this can be achieved;
  • A compendium profiling a maximum of 45 and a minimum of 30 female leaders with pictures.

Competencies

Core Values:

  • Respect for Diversity
  • Integrity
  • Professionalism

Core Competencies:

  • Interest in the UN system and general knowledge of development issues;
  • Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
  • Ability to work in a multicultural environment;
  • Accountability;
  • Stakeholder engagement;
  • Leading by example.

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

Functional Competencies:

  • Excellent grasp of gender equality issues;
  • Demonstrable programmatic experience on women’s participation in peace and security within the Great Lakes Region including substantive work with Women’s peace networks and CSO’s. Experience working in the study countries will be an advantage;
  • Excellent writing skills;
  • Ability and willingness to work as part of a team to meet tight deadlines and produce high quality work.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

  • Advanced studies master’s degree or equivalent in social sciences, human rights, gender/women's studies, international development, or a related field.

Experience:

  • Minimum of 8 Years of relevant work experience at the national or international level in design and research on Women Peace and Security programmes;
  • Progressively responsible experience in the field of women, peace and security with a background in peacebuilding and conflict resolution;
  • Demonstrated skills of writing research plans, reports and programme strategies;
  • Experience of working in the Great Lakes Region is an advantage;
  • Experience working with the UN system is an asset;
  • Experience working in large multicultural development agencies is a distinct advantage.

Language Requirements:

  • Fluency in English;
  • Knowledge of other UN languages (French) is an asset.
UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.
This vacancy is now closed.
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