Protection and Woman Empowerment Consultant – Iraq and Syria (international)

[Erbil,Iraq ]

Background to NPA in Iraq and Syria

 

NPA implements several initiatives related to protection and women empowerment. In Dohuk and Ninewa, NPA works with local partners to provide targeted GBV and protection services, coupled with women empowerment initiatives. The project is funded by the NE MFA and is in the second of its four years.

In partnership with six organisations NPA works across Iraq on Widening the space for women, youth and civil society, while one partner in Sinjar works on child protection.

 

Critical second phase of the GBV and woment NPA’s concern for increased Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) was echoed by the 2018 UN Syria Commission Inquiry Report on SGBV in Syria. The report systematically documents how especially sexual violence has been used to instil fear, humiliate, punish or enforce social order, while highlighting that women and girls are disproportionately affected.

 

Responding to the gap in protection and empowerment programming for women and girls surviving SGBV in North East Syria (NES) NPA, we began community-based interventions in NES, aiming to support the rehabilitation and reintegration of survivors and those at risk of SGBV with the following objectives:

 

• Women and girls facing SGBV risks and threats have access to and are provided with timely and quality specialized response services (case management, PSS and referral pathways)

 

• Women, men and girls and boys are empowered and community groups sensitized of SGBV and its harmful impact and supported to act upon this by reporting cases and preventing such practices.

 

In addition, NPA works on deradicalization and prevention of radicalization which also includes strong compoments of PSS and empowerment of women.

General description of Scope of Service:

We are seeking the services of a consultant with experience in humanitarian and development programmes in conflict-affected contexts to provide strategic and hands on guidance, including capacity building (training, coaching and mentoring) to the staff and volunteers of NPA and local partner organisations. The level of effort for each of these key aspects will be determined based on the gaps and needs analysis and an in-depth assessment of staff and partner capacity and respective programme needs.

 

The overall aim of the consultancy is to enhance and strengthen the institutional technical and operational capacity of NPA and its local partners in women empowerment and SGBV rehabilitation and reintegration services while sharing lessons from Iraq portfolio with NPA team and partners in Syria.

 

This will enable delivery of comprehensive, well thought through interventions that will refine NPA’s approach in GBV, protection, women empowerment, civil society development and elements of the work complementing countering violent extremism work.

 

The following are the consultancy’s objectives:

• Support the NPA management, staff and local partners staff with developing best approaches to and implementing activities aimed at responding to and the prevention of SGBV in all its forms,women empowerment and other protection related activities, as well as with women and civil society empowerment.
• Improving the capacity and competency of the NPA’s staff on how to manage related technical components and on how to guide the local partners implementing women’s protection and empowerment interventions (quality case management and PSS services, giving due attention to protocol, social norms, attitude change and advocacy work) as well as capacitating them to carry out gender and do-no-harm assessments, relevant political, social and economic empowerment activities.
• Support the team with developing the local implementation plans for the Gender Equality Policy.

Deliverables:

 

Capacity development

The consultant will make an initial assessment to find out the capacity gaps and needs in NPA’s SGBV protection and women’s empowerment programming in Iraq and Syria. Consultant will include programme and partner staff in this effort (design of the assessment tools, impementation of the assessment) so that their capacity is enhanced and the competence retained. The plan shall include:

• With the programme team, develop tailor made and measurable capacity development plans for each relevant partner.
• Advise and support managers to develop individual technical development plans for protection and women empowerment staff.
• Onging follow up, mentoring and support to relevant NPA staff on technical aspects of the programmes/project. If/when needed shadow programme staff to help them gain confidence and improve the capacity for work with partners.

 

Programme development and protection mainstreaming

In cooperation with NPA programme team and management, the consultant will develop a specific and targeted work plan, based on the identified and arising needs of each project and in line with the capacity level of NPA and partner staff. The work plan will be based on the assessed needs, using SMART methodology, and appropriate for the context. The work plan will detail how the consultant can:

• Guide and support the team with mapping of SGBV protection and women’s empowerment services in NES at the onset of the consultancy.
• Advice NPA management on best approaches for mainstreaming protection in NPA programmes and with partners.
• Support relevant programme/project development inititives and provide technical review and guidance on the proposal and concept notes development.
• Support the team with developing the local implementation plans for the Gender Equality Policy.

 

The content of the work and support by the consultant will meet the specific needs of the projects and each local partners staff and is culturally adapted to the Iraqi and Syrian context. The consultant will be required to spend at minimum three weeks in Iraq and Syria.

 

Total number of days for the consultancy will be up to 50 days over the period of four months.

 

NPA has robust measures in place for COVID 19. NPA facilities and vehicles are sanitized regularly, and offices are equipped with PPEs for the staff. For any training sessions, NPA has large meeting rooms and can rent a large hall where only limited participants can be invited for in-person training respecting social distancing. NPA has strong working relations with the NES authorities, NES forum, and OCHA Iraq, responsible for a medivac from NES to Iraq.

Essential

• University degree in social work, gender/development studies or in other relevant fields.
• Experience in humanitarian and development work from Iraq and Syria with INGOs.
• At least 5 years of proven international
• Good understanding and experience working directly to support civil society organisations in Iraq and Syria.
• Thorough understanding of the Iraq and Syria context, current state of affairs and the civil society actors and organisation, as well as challenges they are faced with.
• Thorough understanding of best practice and strategies in SGBV response (case management, psychosocial support, etc.) and SGBV primary prevention and risk reduction as well in women empowerment in Iraq ansd Syria and current trends and developments;
• Thorough understanding of approaches for engaging men and boys and past experience in capacity building on such approaches;
• Relevant past experience in developing materials and activities for women’s empowerment and civil society development.
• Experience in conducting training needs analysis/assessments and providing capacity development support for a broad range of audiences from a diversity of backgrounds;
• Experience in conducting gender assessment and analysis;
• Good knowledge and experience of working on SGBV issues and needs of women displaced by war and conflict;
• Experience in SGBV response and prevention and in building capacities of local partners and providing direct technical support to local organizations in the Middle East context;
• Self-discipline and organized in approach, able to work on own initiative with little supervision;
• Written and verbal proficiency in English,
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.

 

 

Interested and qualified consultants can submit their CV and Letter of Interest.

Applications should be sent via email to [email protected] with “PWE Consultant” in the subject line no later than July 15th 2021. Successful applicants will be invited to a meeting with NPA to discuss the proposed consultancy process and budget.