GBV Mainstreaming Consultant

Title: Gender Based Violence, Mainstreaming Consultant

Duration: 7 Months: 1 May to 30 November 2017

Background and context to the assignment:

The humanitarian situation in Iraq is one of the most severe and rapidly deteriorating crises in the world. According to the advanced summary of Humanitarian Response Plan for Iraq 2017, over 3 million Iraqis are currently displaced, living in 3,700 locations across the country; more than one million displaced and refugees are in the Kurdistan Region. In 2017, depending on the intensity and length of fighting in Mosul, Hawiga and Tel Afar, as many as 1.2 million additional civilians may be forced from their homes.

The GBV Sub-Cluster in Iraq is responsible for the overall coordination of GBV prevention and response within the humanitarian response. The cluster approach ensures clear leadership, predictability and accountability in international responses to humanitarian emergencies by clarifying the division of labor among organizations and better defining their roles and responsibilities within the different sectors of the response. It aims to make the international humanitarian community better organized and more accountable. National-level GBV Sub-Cluster is currently co-chaired by UNFPA and IMC, with a Strategic Advisory Group (SAG) consisting of GBV specialists from IRC, IMC, NRC, UNHCR, UNICEF, UNFPA and UNAMI. Local-level coordination occurs via GBV Working Groups (WGs) in 5 governorates: Baghdad (covering Salah al-Din, Anbar and southern Ninewa as well), Basrah, Kirkuk, Sulaymaniyah (covering northern Diyala), Erbil and Duhok (covering northern Ninewa). At all levels the GBV Sub-Cluster collaborates with the Government, the Protection Cluster and associated Sub-Clusters.

In 2015, a revision of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Guidelines for Integrating Gender-Based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Action: Reducing risk, promoting resilience and aiding recovery (“GBV Guidelines”) was launched following multi-year, consultative process to make the guidelines more effective. The implementation and rollout of the GBV Guidelines is part of the global and inter-agency effort to provide comprehensive guidance to humanitarian actors in the field who can make a difference in the lives of women and children around the world.

In 2016, Iraq hosted an initial roll out of the 2015 IASC GBV Guidelines in Erbil among 5 key clusters: Protection, Food Security, WASH, Shelter/NFI, CCCM and Health. This effort involved an orientation workshop for Erbil-based cluster partners on the GBV Guidelines and consultations for the creation of action plans among the concerned cluster coordinators.

In 2017, Iraq was selected as one of two pilot countries for the Real Time Accountability Partnership (RTAP). The RTAP convenes key humanitarian agencies and organizations to promote accountability for GBV prevention and response in humanitarian emergencies. It focuses on strategic actions falling within the responsibility/mandate of donors, humanitarian coordinators, humanitarian country teams, protection lead agencies, cluster lead agencies, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) during each phase of the Humanitarian Program Cycle to promote system-wide accountability. 

Purpose of Assignment and Scope of work:

The assignment is aims to support the roll out of 2015 IASC GBV Guidelines across targeted clusters (Health, Shelter/NFI, Protection, CCCM, WASH and Food Security) in Iraq, with a particular focus improving the protective environment for women and girls at risk, including GBV survivors, through mitigation and prevention of GBV. On behalf of UNFPA and in close collaboration with the Iraq GBV Sub-Cluster, the Iraq GBV SAG, and the global ISAC GBV Guidelines team, the consultant will work with selected clusters at the inter-agency level to:

• Contextualize the 2015 IASC GBV Guidelines for Iraq and create/design practical GBV mainstreaming tools to be used in trainings for the various sectors separately accordingly for targeted cluster coordinators and members, cluster GBV focal points, and GBV specialists within agencies who are cluster leads. .
• Equip a team of GBV specialists and technical specialists from the targeted clusters (GBV focal points) with practical checklists, and templates to be able to support GBV mainstreaming efforts, including facilitating a Training of Trainers (ToT), supporting trainings and on-site mentoring, across all governorates in addition to coaching and mentoring.
• Train targeted cluster coordinators on GBV mainstreaming and create actions plans for GBV mainstreaming.
• Facilitate and/or support site-level trainings for service providers within displacement sites in in selected sites alongside local GBV service providers, where present for coaching and mentoring methodologies.
• Equip local GBV service providers and selected clusters services providers on sites in selected governorates with skills and knowledge to continually identify GBV risks and advocate for site-level risk reduction within other cluster responses.

Deliverables:

By end of May 2017:

• Training plan, modules and methodology, tools, and missions plans.

By end of June 2017

• Training for targeted cluster coordinators (Erbil, in English)
• Training of Trainers for GBV focal points from targeted cluster and GBV specialists (Erbil and Baghdad, in English)
• Action plans with timelines and person(s) responsible with each targeted cluster
• Following the development of these action plans, follow up with discussions at each cluster, conduct meetings with key stakeholders in the cluster (eg equivalent of SAG), and support on any resource development
• Work with cluster coordinators to identify gaps in necessary resources (human, financial) to implement action plans and identify ways in which to address the gaps

By end of October 2017:

• Site-level trainings for targeted cluster partners and GBV service providers in selected locations (in Arabic)
• Support/mentor ToT roll outs in various governorates across Iraq
• Training for inter-cluster coordination group for center-south Iraq in Baghdad, including program managers from targeted clusters (in English)

By end of November 2017:

• Update/revise action plans with cluster coordinators
• Debrief GBV SC Coordinators, SAG members, targeted cluster coordinators and submit GBV Guidelines consultancy and recommendation report 

Reporting requirements:

Monthly: minutes of meetings, training reports with key findings, action plans.

All reports shall be submitted in soft copies to the UNFPA GBV Program Coordinator and GBV Sub-Cluster team within the stipulated time frame above.

Qualifications:

• Native or fluent Arabic speaker (written and oral) with ability to conduct trainings in Arabic preferred; fluency in English required
• Master in gender studies, public health, social work, political science, human rights and international law or other related degree, or equivalent programming experience.
• At least 8 years of GBV program management experience, preferably including at least 2 years implementing a GBV program in a humanitarian context and 5 years of experience on training and capacity building related to addressing GBViE.
• Experience in GBViE-related prevention, including on mainstreaming prevention across sectors of humanitarian response (e.g. CCCM, WASH, Health, Protection, Shelter/NFI, Food Security).
• Experience in building knowledge and commitment among technical and management staff in terms of addressing GBViE.
• Deep understanding of GBV guiding principles and what it means to provide a survivor-centered response.
• Experience developing and facilitating workshops.
• Good computer skills, including MS Word, Excel, etc.
• Demonstrated organizational skills, including the ability to work independently and productively, with multiple stakeholders in a fast-paced environment.
• Flexible work attitude: the ability to work productively in a team environment as well as independently, and the ability to handle requests or issues as they arise.
• Demonstrated understanding of issues related to confidentiality, data safety/security and other ethical concerns related to the sharing of sensitive data between humanitarian agencies.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills: the ability to successfully and effectively liaise with people in a wide range of functions in a multi-cultural environment.

How to apply:

Interested consultants should submit their curricula vita, and motivation statement through the email link: vacancy.iraq@unfpa.org

Application should be received by 14 April 2017 COB.