Background
The UN Report of the Secretary General “Special measures for protection from sexual exploitation and abuse: a new approach” from February 2017 presents a new strategy to improve the system-wide approach to preventing and responding to sexual exploitation and abuse. The strategy focuses on four main areas of action: (1) putting victims first, (2) ending impunity, (3) engaging civil society and implementing partners; and (4) improving strategic communications. In this regard, one of the requests of the UN Secretary General is that “heads of all entities with operations and programmes (…) follow through (...) on the requirement to conduct and issue the results of risk assessments of each operational deployment in respect of sexual exploitation and abuse, making full use of existing risk management tools” to “propose measures to reduce the risk of sexual exploitation and abuse” (p.8).
In response to this as well as the decision of the UN Country Team (UNCT) and Ethiopia Humanitarian Country Team’s (EHCT) in 2016 to have a dedicated coordination structure in place in Ethiopia focusing specifically on SEA preparedness and response through the establishment of the inter-agency Ethiopia PSEA Network. This decision by the senior management in-country recognised the urgent need to develop joint accountability mechanisms to advance the support available for at-risk communities; thus, also recognising the common root of these abuses: power differentials and gender inequality.
Since its establishment in 2018, the inter-agency Ethiopia PSEA Network has made significant progress in tackling SEA within the humanitarian and development sector in Ethiopia. These achievements are seen through the establishment of both national and eight regional networks in Somali, SNNP, Oromia, Gambella, Amhara, Afar, as well as Mekelle and Shire in Tigray, endorsement of Inter-Agency Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for Community-Based Complaint Mechanisms (CBCMs), development of information campaigns with linked information, education, and communication (IEC) materials and GBV pocket guides in local languages, design of in-person and virtual contextualized training packages for PSEA focal points, cluster and implementing partners, as well as the facilitation of PSEA ToT trainings for over 250 national and regional PSEA focal points. These achievements are further complemented by ongoing network initiatives and inter-agency projects throughout the country.
Ensuring risk assessments is therefore a key part of the 2021-22 workplan of the Ethiopia PSEA Network. This will support the United Nations Country Team (UNCT) and the Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) to collectively address sexual exploitation and abuse in three ways. Firstly, a SEA risk assessment will enable proactiveness for the country teams in addressing sexual exploitation and abuse. Indeed, by anticipating future threats and risks, the Ethiopia PSEA Network will be better prepared to take action to reduce and/or avoid those threats. Secondly, a SEA risk assessment will support decision-making to better inform priorities and resource needs. And thirdly, a SEA risk assessment provides a direct way to hold leadership and managers accountable. At the same time, however, a SEA risk assessment is not only about managing threats and risks. It is also a great way for the Network to identify opportunities and to improve a collective collaboration, especially regarding identifying opportunities to better engage with civil society to respond and to support.
As such, the results of the joint SEA risk assessment will be a very useful baseline for the Ethiopia PSEA Network and its members in the development of a new one-year PSEA strategy with linked national-level workplan and subnational-level action plans. It will also provide a comprehensive analysis for the UNCT, HCT, PSEA network members, humanitarian clusters, and implementing partners to adjust their programmes and projects to mitigate SEA risks through internal procedures, community engagement, as well as reporting and referral mechanisms. Thus, the implementations of the recommendations from the SEA risk assessment will be a collective responsibility in Ethiopia. As such, the focus going forward will be on coordinated, transparent, and consistent PSEA, ensuring full accountability of individual entities in respect to survivor-support and administrative action.
Methodology
The joint SEA risk assessment by the Ethiopia PSEA Network and UN Women will aim to engage a wide range of stakeholders, such as humanitarian staff from all levels, clusters, UN agencies, national and international organizations, women led civil society organistions, and affected communities, using an age, gender and diversity sensitive approach. The SEA risk assessment will therefore employ a range of qualitative and quantitative tools in order to fully capture the various dimensions of internal as well as external SEA risks in the country. The following tools will be applied in the SEA risk assessment analysis:
Desk review: As a first step, an analysis of available PSEA related information will be conducted in order to gauge already reported risks as well as identify resources, needs and gaps in available data.
Self-assessment: The already existing organisational PSEA self-assessment and mapping tool, which has been implemented in Ethiopia in 2020 and 2021, will be adapted and completed by network members at the national level. The mapping tool assesses how far organizations meet the IASC PSEA Minimum Operating Standards by assessing available resources, identified needs, and on-going gaps.
Key informant interviews (KII): Semi-structured interviews will be conducted with senior management and Cluster coordinators at national and sub-national levels to assess perceived SEA risks, views on internal and system-wide capacities and gaps to address SEA, as well as general attitudes towards PSEA. Key government counterparts at the sub-national levels will also be interviewed to assess their view on the main SEA risks related to stakeholders and their own involvement in the humanitarian response.
Focus-group discussions (FGDs) focal points and staff: FGDs will be conducted with national and international UN and NGO staff (including local implementing partners) to gain an understanding on their attitudes, understanding and perceptions of PSEA and gender equality regarding acceptable and unacceptable behaviour, reporting SEA, and referral pathways for survivors. Separate FDGs will be held for male and female staff. The FGDs will be facilitated by the Network Co-chairs (both national and sub-national levels) and Coordinator. One FGD will also be conducted with PSEA focal points.
Focus-group discussions (FGDs) with affected communities (completed): IOM DTM included a prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse risk assessment and mapping in the Site Assessment (SA) Round 27 and the Village Assessment Survey (VAS) Round 10 (August – September 2021), as well as the SA Round 28 and the VAS Round 11 (December 2021- January 2022). The data was collected in both rounds through focus group discussion with affected communities on SEA awareness and on reporting.
Duties and Responsibilities
Overall purpose and scope of the assignment
Deliverables/ Outputs | Estimated Duration to Complete | Review and Approvals Required |
1. Provide Work Plan for the consultation, including the working methodology | 5 days | UN Women |
2. Review risk assessment tools, incl. staff FGD guidelines | 5 days | PSEA Network co-chairs |
3. Develop the situation analysis and identify SEA risks based on desk review | 10 days | UN Women |
4. Conduct data analysis based on results of FGDs, KIIs | 10 days | UN Women |
5. Develop a SEA Risk Profile report for Ethiopia, which describes potential risks related to humanitarian staff conduct, community awareness, organizational capacity, underlying risk factors and potential impact | 10 days | UN Women |
6. Create the SEA risk treatment logframe | 10 days | UN Women |
7. Presentation and indicative validation at PSEA Network meeting (online) | 2 days | PSEA Network co-chairs |
8. Follow-up, finalisation, and sharing of final report document and report presentations | 3 days | PSEA Network co-chairs, RC/HC |
Competencies
Core Values:
- Respect for Diversity;
- Integrity;
- Professionalism.
Core Competencies:
- Awareness and Sensitivity;
- Accountability;
- Creative Problem Solving;
- Effective Communication;
- Inclusive Collaboration;
- Stakeholder Engagement;
- Leading by Example.
Functional Competencies
- Proven ability in conducting programmatic assessments, evaluations, research, data analysis, and reporting for humanitarian agencies.
- Strong understanding of PSEA systems, standards, and effective approaches towards mainstreaming PSEA across humanitarian structures.
- Strong understanding of the humanitarian architecture and context in Ethiopia;
- Experience in and knowledge of UN and IASC policies and guidance related but not limited to PSEA, AAP, GBV and Centrality of Protection.
- Excellent English writing and presentation skills;
- Ability to work precisely with attention to detail;
- Initiative, sound judgment and demonstrated ability to work harmoniously with staff members of different national and cultural backgrounds;
- Ability to work independently and meet sudden and tight deadlines in a high-pressure environment.
Required Skills and Experience
Education
- Advanced degree in humanitarian affairs, international studies, social science or other related field.
Experience
- Minimum 7 years of relevant (international) job experience with graduate degree (equivalent of a Master's), 8 years with undergraduate degree (equivalent of a BA/BS).
- Minimum of 5 years’ experience in conducting programmatic assessments, evaluations, research, data analysis and reporting for humanitarian agencies in a staff or consultant capacity.
- Knowledge of PSEA systems, standards and effective approaches towards mainstreaming PSEA across humanitarian structures.
- Knowledge of monitoring, evaluation and assessment technical methodology for data collection (KIIs, FGD, secondary data analysis, etc) and data analysis.
- Experience conducting SEA risk assessments in an asset.
- Familiar with UN and humanitarian coordination and response architecture.
- Proven ability to communicate results effectively and meet deadlines.
Language
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
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.
| 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.) |
Deliverables/ Outputs
Estimated Duration to Complete
Review and Approvals Required
1. Provide Work Plan for the consultation, including the working methodology
5 days
UN Women
2. Review risk assessment tools, incl. staff FGD guidelines
5 days
PSEA Network co-chairs
3. Develop the situation analysis and identify SEA risks based on desk review
10 days
UN Women
4. Conduct data analysis based on results of FGDs, KIIs
10 days
UN Women
5. Develop a SEA Risk Profile report for Ethiopia, which describes potential risks related to humanitarian staff conduct, community awareness, organizational capacity, underlying risk factors and potential impact
10 days
UN Women
6. Create the SEA risk treatment logframe
10 days
UN Women
7. Presentation and indicative validation at PSEA Network meeting (online)
2 days
PSEA Network co-chairs
8. Follow-up, finalisation, and sharing of final report document and report presentations
3 days
PSEA Network co-chairs, RC/HC