Fiji: Consultant for Gender Based Violence in Emergencies Specialist

1Background

Pacific Island countries are some of the most vulnerable in the world to the effects of climate change and natural disasters. According to the UN World Risk Index (2014) four of the world’s 10 most disaster-prone countries are located in the Pacific, with the region frequently hit by cyclones, floods, droughts and earthquakes. With the impacts of climate change already being felt across many Pacific Island Countries (PICs), building resilience across the region is a priority for UNFPA. Robust preparedness efforts can help mitigate the effects of climate change and reduce the impact of both slow and rapid-onset disasters.

Many countries in the Pacific region have high levels of gender based violence, and during times of natural disasters the risk of violence, exploitation and abuse increases, with women and girls particularly vulnerable. Globally, UNFPA works to implement the Minimum Standards for Prevention and Response to Gender-Based Violence in Emergencies, addressing gender based violence in humanitarian settings through a wide range of services and incorporating violence prevention in humanitarian response. Through UNFPA’s leadership role in the Gender-Based Violence Area of Responsibility (AoR) of the Global Protection Cluster, UNFPA works to strengthen services, information and referral systems for survivors and helps develop the capacity of partners across the humanitarian system to address gender-based violence in emergencies.

In the Pacific, UNFPA and UN Women co-chair the regional GBV in Emergencies Sub Cluster under the Regional Pacific Humanitarian Protection Cluster; however, the GBV sub cluster is currently inactive. The Gender Based Violence in Emergencies (GBViE) specialist will work closely with UN Women and other working group members to revamp and revitalize the sub cluster. The GBViE specialist will support overall efforts to coordinate GBV preparedness, response and recovery work in line with how GBV policy and programming is delivered in the Pacific during non-emergency times.

The GBViE specialist will provide support across two main areas: 1) supporting UNFPA’s internal strategy and preparedness for strengthening response to GBV, along the continuum of emergency and development contexts and 2) working in partnership with UN Women and other sub-regional actors to develop a regional strategy for GBViE preparedness, response and recovery, in line with the priorities of the Pacific GBV working group. This will include developing SOPs for priority PICs, supporting the development of referral pathways in priority PICs, and supporting capacity building efforts for partners and UN agencies, including delivering technical trainings.

Under the guidance of the Programme Advisor, APRO, and the day to day supervision of the Deputy Director of PSRO, the GBViE specialist will be based in UNFPA’s Pacific Sub Regional Office in Suva, Fiji and support UNFPA’s emergency preparedness efforts across the Pacific in the area of GBV and overall coordination of GBViE in collaboration with UN Women, as co-leads of the GBV Sub Cluster. This includes advising UNFPA programme teams on how disaster preparedness can be better built into existing programme activities, and how to promote disaster resilience at the community level. It will also include strengthening partnership and supporting GBV coordination mechanisms across the Pacific through the revamping of the Regional GBV PHPC Sub Cluster and helping to develop a regional strategy with clear agency roles and responsibilities. Furthermore, it will include capacity development for UNFPA staff, government, national and international organisations and civil society partners in line with UNFPA’s Minimum Standards for prevention and response to GBV in Emergencies as well as the IASC GBV Guidelines; and implementation of humanitarian interventions as needed.

2 Purpose

The objective of the consultancy is to support strategy for gender based violence in emergencies preparedness, response and recovery in the Pacific region.

3 Scope of Work

The GBViE specialist will be responsible for overseeing the development of UNFPA’s GBV preparedness and response strategy and efforts. The GBViE specialist will also support overall regional coordination for strengthened GBV preparedness and response in collaboration with UN Women through the GBV Sub Cluster. Overall duties and responsibilities include:

Programme Development

• Support the implementation of UNFPA Minimum Preparedness Actions (MPAs), and provide support to incorporate GBV humanitarian preparedness and response into project proposals, concept notes, programmatic documents and strategies.
• Support the implementation of UNFPA’s GBV programming in humanitarian emergencies in the Pacific, in line with UNFPA’s Minimum Standards for Prevention and Response to Gender-Based Violence in Emergencies, as needed.
• Conduct assessments/situational analyses to determine needs and gaps for GBV preparedness and response across the region and develop guidance for strengthening GBV response.
• Support the development of SOPs for priority Pacific Island Countries, including assessment and planning templates, and other priorities identified by the Pacific GBV sub working group.
• Integrate the effective utilization of prepositioned supplies (supported by the DFAT initiative) such as post-rape treatment kits, dignity kits, tents (for women friendly spaces) into GBV preparedness and response, including through holding sensitization sessions.
• Establish programmatic links between existing Gender, SRHR and Humanitarian initiatives of UNFPA PSRO to ensure synergies between programmes, build knowledge and capacity of staff, and mainstream humanitarian preparedness.

Capacity building

• Sensitize humanitarian actors, implementing partners, UN agencies and national authorities on the existence and implementation of the Minimum Standards for Prevention and Response to Gender-Based Violence in Emergencies and the Guidelines for Integrating GBV Interventions in Humanitarian Action.
• Increase the capacity of UNFPA and partners to prevent and respond to GBV in Emergencies
• Develop a regional strategy for building the capacity of the health sector to respond to sexual violence and intimate partner violence survivors in emergencies, based on the existing SOPs and Protocols that exist at a National Level
• Implement a training program in select countries that trains doctors, nurses and health staff on the clinical management of rape and intimate partner violence.
• Deliver technical trainings and capacity support on psycho-social care services, GBV case management and referral.
• Support the development of referral pathways and strengthen psycho-social services networks at the country and regional level, including by delivering technical trainings on GBV case management and the clinical management of rape for survivors of violence.

Coordination

• Support PSRO to build partnerships and strengthen coordination mechanisms to effectively respond to GBV needs in humanitarian situation across the Pacific, in line with the needs of the GBV sub cluster and in support of the priorities of the Pacific GBV sub-working group.
• In partnership with UN Women, develop a strategy to re-launch the Regional GBV sub cluster.

Reporting

• Provide monthly reports to PSRO and APRO against a work plan developed and approved at the start of the consultancy.

Any Other Duties

• Perform any other duties as required by the Programme Advisor, APRO.

4 Delivery dates and how work will be delivered

A work plan, with deliverables, will be developed by the consultant in the first month of the consultancy, and agreed upon by PSRO and APRO. Monthly progress reports will be delivered against this work plan and sent electronically to PSRO and APRO.

5Monitoring and progress control

Monthly progress reports will be sent to PSRO and APRO delivered against this work plan.

This position is funded through the Regional Prepositioning Initiative, managed by APRO, and thus reporting to the regional office will help to ensure that donor reporting requirements are met.

6 Supervisory arrangements

The consultant will work under the overall guidance of the Programme Advisor, APRO, with day to day supervision from the Deputy Director of PSRO.

7 Duration, Working Schedule and Work Setting

The duration of the consultancy is six months, full time, and the consultant is required to work at UNFPA, Pacific Sub Regional Office, Suva, Fiji. Some travel within the Pacific is expected and this will be managed by UNFPA PSRO

8 Consultant profile

Education: Advanced degree in public health, social sciences, humanitarian response, gender, international relations or related field.

Experience:

· At least 5 years of experience working in humanitarian coordination and/or preparedness activities, with recent practical experience in GBViE.

· Experience and knowledge working with UNFPA would be an advantage.

· Knowledge of the humanitarian reform process and roles/responsibilities of humanitarian actors.

· Experience in building capacity and delivering trainings.

· Strong analytical, coordination and organizational skills, and an enthusiastic team player who seeks to empower others.

· An understanding of the Pacific cultural contexts in relation to gender issues and other UNFPA related issues would be an advantage.

Language: Fluency in English is required (oral and written)

UNFPA APRO will pay a consultancy fee commensurate with the assignment and level of experience of the consultant. UNFPA APRO will provide the travel related costs such as air fare, and the applicable DSA at United Nations established rates and terminal expenses as per UN Official Travel Rules and Regulations when the consultant is required to travel by UNFPA

Candidates should submit the following documents:

1. An application letter which states the candidate’s motivation to apply for this post

2. A curriculum vitae, and

3. A completed United Nations Personal History (P 11)

All the above documents must be sent by e-mail to vac-robangkok@unfpa.org.

The P11 is available on the UNFPA websites at http://www.unfpa.org/resources/p11-un-personal-history-form

Please quote the Vacancy number JID 1706 UNFPA APRO. The deadline for application is

Monday, 25 September 2017 at 15:00 hours Bangkok time.

UNFPA will only be able to respond to those applications in whom UNFPA has a further interest.