Consultant: Advocacy and Coordination Specialist

In its Phase III, the UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme on the Elimination of Female Genital Mutilation will strongly pursue an approach that will capitalize on ongoing continental, regional and sub-regional opportunities and initiatives to be able to ensure efforts are well articulated and coordinated across all levels. Linking the evidence base being generated at community and national level with political advocacy for sustainable change and commitment to eliminating Female Genital Mutilation at continental level will be given due attention and focus.

The African Union Commission (AUC) has an important role to play in intensifying and galvanizing the ongoing initiatives to eliminate the practice of Female Genital Mutilation at continental, regional and country levels. By the very fact that most of the Female Genital Mutilation high prevalence countries are within the region, AUC is a strategic political space and opportunity to positively influence the process at different levels.

Hence UNFPA is recruiting a consultant to be stationed within the Liaison Office and seconded to the African Union Commission to provide all the required support and technical assistance in effectively and timely delivering the African Union’s Saleema Initiative on Eliminating Female Genital Mutilation, with funding from the UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme on the Elimination of Female Genital Mutilation: Accelerating Change.

Scope of Work

• Provide technical support to coordinate the implementation of the African Union’s Saleema Initiative on Eliminating Female Genital Mutilation
• Support the development and implementation of the Strategic Plan for the African Union’s Saleema Initiative on Eliminating Female Genital Mutilation, which will involve the AUC Department of Social Affairs as well as other Departments.
• Support the development of an Atlas on Female Genital Mutilation, including data analysis, projections of girls at risk, reduction rates of Female Genital Mutilation in collaboration with the Technical Division, UNFPA, NY;
• Provide technical support in the establishment of an AUC inter-department/ inter-division technical working group on Female Genital Mutilation;
• Support the popularization of the African Union’s Saleema Initiative on Eliminating Female Genital Mutilation Strategic Plan to mobilise support, partners, implementation and accountability at regional and Member States level;
• Engage with the Africa Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC) on the review of its Reporting Guidelines, and the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights (ACHPR) development of General Comment on Female Genital Mutilation:
  
  • March 2020 – process to develop General Comment initiated (following approval of decision to develop the GC in December 2019)
  • November 2020 – draft General Comment reviewed and adopted
  • Support the ACERWC, ACHPR and Pan African Parliament with briefing and reference notes on countries under review by the respective Human Rights and parliamentary organs of the Union on Female Genital Mutilation
  • Promote the AU Summit Decision on “Galvanising Political Action on Eliminating Female Genital Mutilation”
• Support the implementation of the 2020/ 2021 AU Saleema Initiative Action Plan, which will include:
  
  • Building an operational baseline for the initiative, involving validation of the 5 Year Strategic Plan, a Female Genital Mutilation Data Dashboard on the initiative’s website, and drawing a continental report on Female Genital Mutilation through the Special Mechanism of the Special Rapporteur on Harmful Practices;
  • Operationalising the AU Harmful Practices Accountability Mechanism, which will involve finalising the general comment on Female Genital Mutilation, conducting validation of the accountability mechanism, and engage the Pan African Parliament (PAP) to advance action on the agenda to eliminate Female Genital Mutilation.
• Support the process of installing an AUC databank on Female Genital Mutilation and engaging Member States to institutionalize an information, data and evidence sharing process with the Commission;
• Strengthen the linkages and facilitate collaboration between the Female Genital Mutilation and Child Marriage initiative.

Required Knowledge and Experience

• Advance University degree in gender, public health, or other related social science field;
• Minimum of 10 years of relevant professional experience in programmes focusing on social sciences, particularly gender issues.  A focus on Female Genital Mutilation is an asset;
• Strong experience in programme and/or technical assistance with the UN System and the AUC;
• Field experience in programmes on Female Genital Mutilation and other related areas is an asset;  
• Experience in coordination and organizing advocacy initiatives at different levels;
• Strong interpersonal, communications and negotiation skills
• Fluency in English is a requirement. Fluency in one (1) or more UN languages is an asset.

Location and Duration

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, anticipated duration March 2020 -  February 2021

How to apply:

Interested applicants should send a letter of motivation and a detailed Curriculum Vitae/Resume, with "Consultant: Advocacy and Coordination Specialist" in the subject, to JPEndFGM@unfpa.org, by  5 March 2020.  

Disclaimer:

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Fraudulent notices, letters or offers may be submitted to the UNFPA fraud hotline http://www.unfpa.org/help/hotline.cfm

UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, teamwork, Embracing diversity in all its forms, integrity and a healthy balance of work and life. We are committed to maintaining our balanced gender distribution and therefore encourage women to apply. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities for all including persons with disabilities.