Central African Republic: Gender-Based Violence Coordinator

UNFPA is seeking a GBV Coordinator to be based in Bangui, CAR for two months.

The humanitarian situation has resulted in increased vulnerabilities of women and girls to abduction, rape, forced/early marriage, sexual exploitation and abuse, and Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). GBV, particularly sexual violence, is widespread and is perpetrated by armed militias as a tactic of war, as well as by the state security operatives and members of the communities. From September 2017 to June 2018, 6,168 cases of GBV were reported by the GBVIMS, including 17% sexual violence. Women and children remain the most vulnerable with 92% of cases involving women and girls and 15%t of minors. GBV is widespread and affects displaced, host and returned communities.

The crisis has also deeply affected the health sector destroying infrastructure and affecting the services with devastating consequences on the reproductive health of women and adolescent girls. According to the United Nations Humanitarian Needs Overview for 2019, health facilities have been systematically targeted by armed groups, leading to destruction and in some places rendering impossible proper service provision. In October 2016, according to estimated, of the 1010 health-care structures in the country, 236 (23%) partially or totally destroyed. While some of these damaged health facilities were rehabilitated, others were destroyed in 2017 and 2018.

To respond to the reproductive health needs of the affected people and in preventing and responding to gender based violence, UNFPA CAR launched a response programme in 2018 that aims to provide assistance to about 2.8 million people in the most affected areas. This will include the provision of services to an estimated 14,456 women and girls who are at risk of sexual violence. UNFPA is working with government authorities, UN sister agencies and non-governmental organizations on the prevention and response to GBV as well as delivery of a comprehensive sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services to the affected population. UNFPA is delivering a response package that includes assisted delivery, obstetric care, family planning, GBV coordination, clinical management of rape, psychosocial support (PSS), case management, establishment of safe spaces for women and girls, and GBV prevention.

The country is also facing the Sexual Exploitation Abuse (SEA by uniformed and non-uniformed staff) and UNFPA is a focal agency to provide assistance to victims and contribute to the reporting. UNFPA is a member of the HCT and has the lead role for the coordination of the sub cluster on GBV.

Role Description

Based in Bangui, under the direct supervision of the UNFPA Representative for GBV coordination, the GBV Coordinator provides technical support to ensure strong UNFPA leadership, partnership and collaboration with UN Peace Keeping mission, UN agencies, and national/international counterparts, in a comprehensive multi-sectorial survivor-centered response to Gender-Based Violence (GBV). This response includes a close cooperation with health, psycho-social, protection, early recovery and legal sectors to ensure that survivor's holistic needs are met. UNFPA is the lead of the GBV Sub Cluster including the Task Force for the Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuses, which the incumbent will coordinate. Key duties include: assessment and planning; partnership development; training and sensitization; and monitoring and evaluation. Planning, coordination, monitoring and evaluation of GBV initiatives will be conducted through the use of available global guidelines and standards, and will be in line with UNFPA’s Minimum Standards for Addressing GBV in Emergencies and the GBV AOR’s Handbook for Coordinating Gender Based Violence in Emergencies.

UNFPA is also the co-lead of the Conflict-related Sexual Violence {CRSV) Working Group, which the GBV Coordinator will support jointly with MINUSCA Senior Women Protection Advisor.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Inter-Agency Coordination and Partnerships

• Facilitate inter-agency, multi-sectoral GBV coordination groups (“sub-clusters/sub-sectors”) at national and sub-national levels. Promote, respect and ensure that the Principles of Partnership are reflected in the day-to-day work of the GBV sub-cluster.
• Ensure the overall coordination of the GBV Sub-Cluster, and oversees the GBV coordination mechanisms that consist of a national working group, four regional working groups (Bangui, Bambari, Kaga-Bandoro and Bossangoa), a medical task force and the GBV IMS working group who all report to the sub-cluster
• Proactively engage with all relevant stakeholders to ensure coordination bodies reflect the range of actors addressing GBV, including across multiple sectors (health, psychosocial, legal, security, etc.) and categories of actors (UN, NGO, civil society, government, etc.). As feasible, engage UN missions who may be active in addressing GBV, including but not limited to ensuring inter-agency inputs to the annual SecretaryGeneral’s report on conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV).
• Coordinate the PSEA Task Force and oversee its mechanisms and report to the Office of the Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator
• Coordinate jointly with MINUSCA Senior Women Protection Advisor the correspondent technical working group and ensure the functioning of the CRSV joint-consultation forum
• Represent the GBV Sub-Cluster in the Protection Cluster, Inter-Cluster, MINUSCA Protection of Civilian Tasks Force and MRM task Force; and at the Humanitarian Country Team and CIMCORD when required
• Work in close collaboration with the UNFPA Humanitarian Coordinator and the UNHCR Protection Cluster Coordinator, UNICEF Child Protection Coordinator in CAR to mainstream GBV issues across sectors.
• Liaise with the main GBV actors particularly UNWOMEN to strengthen inter-agency, multi- sectoral GBV coordination groups at national and sub-regional levels.
• Liaise with different governmental agencies to enhance an inter-agency GBV capacity development programme in line with the Global GBV AoR guidelines and reinforce national ownership for GBV
• Provide technical support for the development of communication products on the GBV situation, needs and gaps, including in OCHA sit-reps and stories, in the GBV page in humanitarian response website, in front of the GBV AoR and other inter-agency communication products
• Identify key areas of UNFPA strategic positioning on GBV and support the development of proposals and engage in resource mobilization efforts
• Support the One UN approach, through joint the Development of Joint Program formulation
• Coordinate and support training, capacity building, and technical support with regards to
• prevention and response to GBV.
• Facilitate the vulgarization of GBV Standard Operating Procedures, new GBV guidelines, GBV in Emergencies Minimum Standards and other related policies and practices and ensure their periodic revision (twice a year if needed).
• Lead/conduct rapid needs assessments of the protection needs of women and girls vis-a-vis GBV in displaced settings and areas identified at risk of violence with relevant agencies. Where appropriate, ensure GBV issues are integrated in other key assessments.
• Strengthen referral pathways for treatment of GBV survivors through various service provision levels including clinical management of rape (CMR), GBV case management (CM) psychosocial support and counseling, and formation of community protection networks which can support civil society initiatives to address prevention and response; this includes regular updating of CMR capacity mapping and tracking of PEP kit distribution to health facilities and health partners and addressing possible gaps;
• Ensure and facilitate the inclusion of GBV into the CAR Strategic Humanitarian Documents and other appeal processes and documents
• Work with partners to develop and/or revise training materials according to local context, identify capacity gaps, review national training materials and guidelines according to international guidelines and standards
• In collaboration with national and international GBV actors, map current institutional response capacities, including facilitating mapping of GBV-specific 3/4/5Ws.
• Lead a process to develop a realistic, evidence-based multi-sectoral and inter-agency prevention and response plan. Promote engagement of a range of sectors and ensure realistic benchmarks and timelines for achieving set objectives. Regularly monitor progress against plan during coordination meetings. Allow space for new actors to engage with plan over the course of the crisis response.
• Establish result-oriented, two-way communication channels between national and sub-national GBV coordination groups (Comités Prefectorales de Lutte Contre les VBG) to ensure a standardized response to GBV
• Provide support to the implementation of the GBV Information Management System or other GBV documentation as agreed at country level
• Promote the Institutional Capacity Development for both Government and Non-State actors on GBV and provide technical support to the development of relevant policy and advocacy documents to address GBV and broader gender issues
• Ensure the roll out of new IASC Guidelines on GBV, and in particular the mainstreaming of GBV across other areas of humanitarian intervention in particular Child Protection, CCM/Shelter/NFI, Education, WASH and Health sectors.
• Regularly represent the GBV sub-sector in Protection sector meetings, OCHA-led meetings (e.g. around development of the Strategic Response Plan or for Inter-Cluster Coordination), and other relevant meetings, including those called by the Humanitarian Coordinator
• Ensure GBV response is part of the ongoing discussions on durable solutions, peace building etc.
• Advise UNFPA Senior Management on any urgent matter on the GBV situation that required its attention, in particular to support the role of the Representative as co-chair of CRSV working group

Information Management, Monitoring and Evaluation

• In line with WHO’s Ethical and Safety Recommendations for Researching, Documenting and Monitoring Sexual Violence in Emergencies:
  • Engage in robust analyses of available secondary data to ensure readily-available information on known trends and patterns on GBV for inclusion at relevant points along the Humanitarian Programme Cycle, including the MIRA.
  • Consolidate existing assessments on the GBV situation and/or work with relevant agencies, the displaced and host populations to conduct relevant participatory analyses of GBV.
  • Undertake and participate in new assessment missions as necessary/appropriate to determine the magnitude and scope of GBV and identify strategic inter-sectoral approaches for addressing it.
  • Work with the GBV coordination groups to adopt a standardized GBV incident report/intake form and other relevant forms as necessary. Train partner organizations and other sectors in the use of this form with particular emphasis to the Guiding Principles for Working with GBV Survivors and in line with the GBV Information Management System (GBVIMS).
  • If necessary, develop monthly report formats that capture relevant information and that support the analysis and evaluation of program progress and outcomes.
  • Document best practices and approaches for responding to issues of GBV in order to deepen the knowledge base among relevant partners.
  • Prepare regular analytical reports on emerging issues.
• Work with the GBV Sub-Cluster members, the technical level of the CRSV working group, the medical task force and the GBVIMS working group to regularly review GBV Incident Report and other relevant forms as needed in line with WHO's Ethical and Safety Recommendations for Researching, Documenting and Monitoring Sexual Violence in Emergencies
• As member of the MRM task-force ensure the integration of GBV monitoring and reporting into MRM on grave rights violations against children in armed conflict under SCR 1612 & 1882
• Strategically supports the functioning of GBV Information Management System, the rollout of the interagency GBV case management capacity building initiative (CM-CDI) and oversees the development of monthly and quarterly GBV incident reports according to UNFPA role as consolidating agency ensuring the monthly dissemination of GBV trends and patterns and its interaction with the MARA under SCR 1325,1820,1888, 1960,2106
• Analyze and report on progress results of GBV sub-cluster annual action plan and strategy, on GBV programme and project progress in terms of achieving results, using existing monitoring and evaluation tools and introducing new mechanisms and systems; identifies constraints and resource deficiencies and recommends corrective action
• Undertake regular monitoring missions and meetings with relevant actors including project partners in assessing the GBV trends and advises on the prevention and response strategies.

Any other duties

• Other duties as required.

Qualifications and Skills Required

• Advanced university degree in public health, law, social sciences, or gender and development or related field;
• 7 years of increasingly responsible relevant professional experience, including experience in programme management, including large multi-sectoral projects, designing and appraising proposals and actively liaising with relevant and potential project partners;
• Experience in drafting and implementing advocacy notes, in particular, related to GBV issues;
• Knowledge of gender issues in humanitarian, particularly GBV and CRSV, including relevant international human rights standards;
• Prior training in gender and GBV issues and their application in humanitarian, recovery and development settings is an asset;
• Experience in using the following internationals tools: GBV Standard Operating Procedures; GBV Information Management System; IASC GBV Guidelines; TASC Gender Handbook; GBV Coordination Handbook; WHO Ethical and Safety Recommendations; UN Action 1960 Guidelines; analytical conceptual framework of CRSW;
• Field experience in complex emergencies, including humanitarian emergency response is an asset;
• Awareness and demonstrable knowledge of gender issues and their relevance in humanitarian as well as knowledge of reproductive health issues and protection issues emergency settings and early recovery stages;
• Knowledge, skill, and experience in participatory methods for community development and mobilization;
• Knowledge and experience in monitoring and data collection/research on GBV;
• Group facilitation skills, training skills, counseling skills and experience;
• Experience in leading effective meetings;
• Diplomacy and assertiveness; the ability to respectfully and carefully confront and discuss sensitive issues with a wide range of actors, groups, and individuals;
• Excellent command of French and English.

All interested and available candidates must send their CV along with a brief motivational statement to hfcb.office@unfpa.org and be sure to title the subject line - Relief Web GBV Consultancy / CAR.