International Consultant to coordinate consultation between African Union Commission, faith-based organizations and traditional leaders for ending violence against girls and women

Background

The EU – UN-AUC Spotlight Initiative Africa Regional Program (SIARP) is guided by the 2030 Agenda, the AU Agenda 2063, AU Gender Strategy, the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (the Maputo Protocol), and other Africa regional instruments. SIARP has a continental scope and will work towards the elimination of all forms of violence against women and girls, including harmful practices.

The SIARP is implemented in two streams whereby UN Women leads the overall coordination of Stream I that aims to promote regional responses to addressing Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), Harmful Practices (HP) and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Reproductive Rights (SRH &RR) in Africa.

AU Member States have made tremendous strides in developing and implementing comprehensive legal, policy and institutional responses to VAWG. Specific laws addressing rape, sexual violence in conflict, domestic violence, harmful traditional practices (HTPs) have been enacted; national gender policies and national action plans on VAWG and on Women Peace and Security have been adopted; and the issue remains on the priority list of national, regional, and continental agendas.  

Alongside these commitments, there is a wealth of knowledge and experiences of CSOs, traditional leaders and faith-based organizations (FBOs) working on violence against women and girls (VAWG)/SGBV/HP and SRH &RR in Africa. Studies reveal that regional faith-based organizations, and communities of traditional leaders, play a central role in addressing harmful gendered norms and practice, and could act as the gatekeepers to enact meaningful social shifts. Despite their key role in society, especially at the grassroots level, traditional leaders are not always fully engaged in the legislation, policy, and program development on key issues, including EVAWG, HP and SRH &RR. Specifically, there are few platforms to encourage in-depth engagement and consultations between the AUC and regional FBOs and CTLs.

In line with this, UN Women under SIARP Stream I aims to support and enhance partnerships, knowledge and skills of regional faith-based organizations (FBOs) and communities of traditional leaders (CTLs) around AUC decision-making processes and high-level forums in preventing and responding to SGBV, harmful practices and promotion of SRH &RR in Africa. The program will also establish linkages between RECs (including the EAC, COMESA, ECOWAS, and SADC) with traditional leaders and CSOs, including FBOs toward strengthened collaboration and coordination of efforts on EVAWG, HP and SRH &RR.

It is against this background that UN Women held the first round of consultations to support partnerships between the African Union (AU), regional faith-based organizations, and communities of traditional leaders in September 2021: to strengthen their engagement in prevention and response to VAW/G, SGBV, harmful practices and promotion of SRH &RR in Africa. The key outputs from the consultations were the meeting report and guidelines which are expected to support partnerships between the African Union (AU), regional faith-based organizations, and communities of traditional leaders to strengthen their engagement in prevention and response to VAW/G, SGBV, harmful practices and promotion of SRH &RR in Africa.

A second, in person round of consultations is planned to be held, to build on the first round of consultations and current guidelines. The 2nd round of consultations is also expected to fill gaps identified during the initial consultations, including a focus on mapping regional FBOs and CTLs, and providing a more comprehensive overview on how the AUC can strengthen partnerships with regional FBOs and CTLs, with a particular focus on making the partnerships more systemic; and building on the AUC’s work within the Positive Masculinities Initiative

Duties and Responsibilities

The duties and responsibilities of the International Consultant will be to provide overall coordination for the activity, including:

• Undertake a mapping of key regional FBOs and CTLs in Africa with programming on violence against women and girls (VAWG), harmful practices (HP) as well as sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights (SRH&RR) and identify the strengths and gaps in their partnership with the AUC. This was identified as a gap in the first round of consultations which had a stronger focus on the AUC.
• Design and coordinate the  2nd round of consultations, including an in-person meeting that will involve faith leaders, traditional leaders, taking into account age and geographical balance, as well as leaders from  marginalized groups as defined in the SIARP Prodoc, the AUC and UN agencies, with the aim of
  • Strengthening linkages with RECs, in addition to the AUC physically launching the Guidelines developed from the first round of consultations
  • Advancing discussions on operationalizing the guidelines from the first round and facilitate links with existing and upcoming initiatives, including AUC Ending VAWG Campaign, engagement in AU Convention on GBV and implementation of the GBV Action Coalition Commitment made by COTLA
• Facilitate the in-person meeting, providing technical and coordination support, including the development of the concept note, agenda and participants list, as well as supporting the planning of procurement and logistics aspects of the activity, in close collaboration with UN Women
• Oversee the timely development of a meeting report summarizing key discussions and recommended actions for the AUC, FBOs, and CTLs to strengthen their collaboration,
• Support the development of a joint roadmap to help strengthen partnerships amongst the AUC, Regional FBOs and CTLs 

Consultant Deliverables

1. An inception report and workplan on the assignment
2. Mapping study of key regional FBOs and CTLs in Africa with programming on violence against women and girls (VAWG), harmful practices (HP), sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights (SRH&RR) identify the strengths and gaps in their partnership with the AUC
3. Design and coordinate the 2nd round of consultations
4. Finalization of the Activity Report
5. Joint roadmap to help strengthen partnerships amongst the AUC, Regional FBOs and CTLs
6. Consultation Outcome  report

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

Functional Competencies

• Strong understanding of and commitment to gender equality and women's empowerment, including violence against women and girls  and its policy implications
• Experience in leading regional convenings with high level stakeholders
• Excellent facilitation and capacity strengthening skills, including interactive approaches to strengthening knowledge and expertise
• Ability to work with and engage faith and traditional leaders, as well as representatives from the AUC and UN agencies
• Ability to work in a multicultural environment and in a team.
• Personal commitment, ability to work without constant supervision, and capacity to work effectively and harmoniously with diverse groups of people from across the African continent
• Excellent interpersonal, communication and organizational skills.
• Outgoing individual who is comfortable working in a team-oriented setting and possesses the ability to work with a diverse group of people.
• Excellent writing, analytical, research and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent in coordinating events, developing reports and assessing project performance.
• Extensive experience of managing in a multidisciplinary team and sustaining various aspects of project activities.

Required Skills and Experience

Education and certification

• M.A./M.Sc. or Post graduate degree in gender, development studies, social science or related fields

Experience         

• Experience of at least 7 years working on ending violence against women and girls or the promotion of gender equality with diverse partners, including engagement with UN Agencies, the AUC, and civil society, particularly faith and traditional leaders
• Experience facilitating consultations and partnership-building processes with diverse groups of people, including high level partners
• Proven ability to coordinate multi-stakeholder workshops or consultations, managing both substantive and administrative aspects of planning.
• Full command of Microsoft applications, particularly Word, and other relevant software.

Language requirements

• Fluency in English is required
• Working knowledge of the French language is an asset.

Application:

All applications must include (as an attachment) a completed UN Women Personal History form (P-11) which can be downloaded from http://www.unwomen.org/about-us/employment.