National Consultant – Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Field Coordinator

Background

Grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, UN Women 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. Placing women’s rights at the centre of all its efforts, UN Women leads and coordinates the efforts of the United Nations system to ensure that commitments on gender equality and gender mainstreaming translate into action throughout the world. UN Women provides strong and coherent leadership in support of Member States’ priorities and efforts, building effective partnerships with civil society and other relevant actors.

UN Security Council resolution 1325 (UNSCR 1325), unanimously adopted in October 2000, stressed the importance of the equal participation and full involvement of women in all efforts to maintain and promote peace and security. In the years since, seven additional resolutions on women, peace and security (WPS) have been adopted. That created a robust framework for implementing the WPS agenda and reinforced global, commitments, treaties and conventions on women’s rights, including the 1979 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.

Since the re-emergence of conflict in 2004, women and other marginalized groups in the southern border provinces of Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat and some districts of Songkhla of Thailand have suffered the heaviest casualties. Women have been made widows and heads of households but are deprived of their opportunities to earn the necessary income and raise their young families in a secure environment. Those who became widows or have lost their sons in the violent incidents are struggling to gain access to justice in the judiciary process and to reintegrate themselves in the communities.

The violent conflict does not only bring threats to personal safety, but also affects economic survival and the overall quality of life in the deep southern region. The impact of COVID-19 has proved to further reverse the limited progress that has been made on gender equality and women’s rights in the southern border provinces with social and economic consequences for women and girls. These include unemployment, increased unpaid care work, limited access to services such as education and health and increased risks of violence against women and girls.

UN Women in Thailand has been working on Women, Peace and Security since 2012 and from November 2016 has collaborated with the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security (MSDHS) and local women’s organizations in implementing and localizing the Measures and Guidelines on Women, Peace and Security to ensure accountability and policy coherence at national and sub-national levels. The National Consultation on Women’s Leadership and Peace and Security in December 2018 organized by UN Women led to the institutionalization of the Coordination Centre for Children and Women in Southern Border Provinces (CCCW-SBP) in July 2019.

While supporting the Thai Government in moving forward and rolling out the National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security at the national level, UN Women in Thailand actively engages at least 30 local women’s groups in Songkhla, Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat to develop joint agendas and advocacy strategies to influence government organizations to apply gender-responsive peacebuilding approaches to public policies. This has widened advocacy space and included marginalized groups in the engagement of social dialogues as a means to resolve tensions, prevent violence within communities and contribute to a peaceful society. At least 750 women and young people in pilot communities in the Southern Border Provinces of Thailand have developed strategies for peacebuilding, mediation and business development based on community needs.

By establishing a common space where community dialogues, social mobilization and community development initiatives take place, women are able to contribute to fostering peaceful and resilient communities. With increased knowledge and skills, women have transformed their roles from vulnerable or soft targets to agents of change and peace communicators to connect communities with authorities and to promote social cohesion and take initiatives in communities at risk.

UN Women will continue to support the capacity building and platform of dialogue and knowledge sharing of women and women’s civil society in the southern border provinces to engage with other peacebuilding stakeholders to influence public decision-making and peace dialogues.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the supervision of the Country Programme Coordinator for Thailand, the primary role of the Women, Peace and Security Field Coordinator includes:

• Provide the situation analysis and technical input on women’s participation in the promotion of social cohesion in the elimination of hate speeches and enhancing women’s economic empowerment in supporting the Government in the initiatives by the Coordination Centre for Women and Children in Southern Border Provinces (CCWC-SBP);
• Update mapping of communities at risks and stakeholders on media and information literacy in promoting social cohesion;
• Coordinate and maintain regular contact with women’s groups, civil society organizations, community/religious leaders and local government counterparts including CCWC-SBP;
• Travel to communities at risk and prepare monthly field report;
• Assist in facilitating and monitoring UN Women Thailand work in the southern border provinces.

Competencies

Core Values:

• Respect for Diversity
• Integrity
• Professionalism

Core Competencies:

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

Required Skills and Experience

• Thai Nationality
• Master’s degree in the field of Political Science, international relations, international development, gender studies, conflict/humanitarian action or other related areas with at least three years of experience in coordinating a project/programme in the area of peacebuilding and deradicalization in the Southern Border Provinces of Thailand OR Bachelor’s degree in the above-mentioned area with five years of relevant experience.
• Familiarity with UN agencies, government agencies and/or non-profit organisations in the southern border provinces of Thailand is preferred.
• Knowledge about gender equality and peace and security in the Southern Border Provinces of Thailand.
• Skilled with research and communications support related to gender equality, violence against women and access to justice is an advantage.
• Strong research and writing skills, with strong coordinating skills.
• Fluency in Thai. Knowledge of Malayu is an asset.