Advanced Training on SGBV Prevention and Response Programming Naseej Project Partners in Iraq

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1. Background

This capacity-building activity in Iraq is planned as part of the project entitled Naseej – Connecting Voices and Action to End Violence Against Women and Girls in the MENA Region funded by the EU and implemented by Oxfam in Iraq, in OpT and in Yemen. Since 2020, the Naseej project has been providing grants to Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), Women-led (WLOs) and Women’s Rights Organisations (WROs) to realise actions against Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) and for gender equality, through programming and advocacy. The project has also included capacity-strengthening actions with the grantees and partners to support their technical and organizational development as civil society actors working on gender equality and women’s rights. This activity is planned to be delivered in the final stages of the project implementation and contributes to the project’s exit strategy. More generally, it is part of Oxfam’s strategy to continuously support the development, sustainability and strategic positioning of CSOs, WLOs/WROs in view of empowering the feminist and women’s movements for gender justice in Iraq. In this perspective, the activity is meant to provide insights and recommendations to continue our support to our partners beyond the scope of the Naseej project.

1. Purpose and Objectives

The capacity-building activity seeks to provide technical guidance to consolidate and expand the capacity of Naseej partner WROs and CSOs on key dimensions of SGBV programming. These key dimensions of SGBV programming refer to the work these WROs and partners have been undertaking under the project and which they might need, expect or simply want to further improve for sustaining/increasing the scope of their activities and advocacy efforts to end SGBV. It is meant to provide both a concluding technical overview of standards, evidence and/or good practices in these key dimensions of SGBV programming relevant to the partners’ work, building on the capacity strengthening efforts they have made in the project, and provide key insights on areas for further consolidation as recommendations for future development and strategic advice

1. Scope and Methodology

The activity will consists in a training workshop with Naseej partners in Iraq. It will build upon the conclusion of capacity assessments, and observations and self-assessments of Naseej partners. Such elements of assessments will have taken place at project start and all along project implementation, and can be complemented at the start of the consultancy upon need. Findings relate to key dimensions SGBV programming, from analysis of issues and needs to eradicate SGBV and tolerance of it to a comprehensive programmatic and advocacy approach. In particular the training will cover: (i) needs-based project development, or how to research and analyse issues and needs in relation to SGBV, (ii) strategic planning on elimination of SGBV, including gender, power and conflict analysis and gaining an overview of possible interventions in a comprehensive model, (iv) public education/campaigning and awareness raising contributing to elimination of SGBV (seeking transformative change). The training will not cover case management, safe spaces and standards in service provision as such, which are to be included in a separate training for the same partners. Not all Naseej partners have undertaken the same kind of interventions or done interventions on SGBV in a comprehensive approach under the project, so that the conclusion on capacity levels and needs for further strengthening will differ depending partners, and so will their expectations under the training. For instance, for some partners with sensitive and direct intervention with survivors and communities, consolidation of capacity and training on safe and ethical management of evidence as well as awareness raising and campaigning for prevention might be critical, while partners who have been focusing on advocacy will find specific benefit in training on strategic planning and gender, power and conflict analysis. In this perspective, the exact scope of the training will therefore be informed by the conclusion to be made by Oxfam and with the consultant at the beginning of the consultancy, based on the mentioned elements of assessment and possible, complimentary update. Aligned with the key dimensions of Naseej partners’ work the training will tentatively address the topics outlined hereafter, albeit with varying degrees / exact scope and extent of details depending on the conclusion of capacity strengthening requirements:

• Needs-based project development: understanding sources, issues of missing data and ethical guidelines in SGBV-related research and evidence data sharing, identification of evolving needs of the survivors of SGBV across Iraq and prioritisation of problems and response strategies.
• Strategic planning on eliminating SGBV: from service provision to transformative programming, and key elements of gender, power and conflict analysis impacting programming on elimination of SGBV.
• Public education/campaigning, transformative awareness raising contributing to elimination of SGBV: examples of methods and tools for public and community engagement, including involvement of men in strategies eliminating SGBV. The participants will include: the partners themselves, the Naseej project team and possibly other Oxfam Gender Justice and Protection staff. The selected consultant is expected to deliver in-person training for about 2 days (location TBC). The training group will include up to 18 individuals with varied skills, from partners and staff from Anbar and Diyala governorates. The training plan should include a combination of presentations and practical exercises (with emphasis on practice). The consultant will also assess participants’ skills and knowledge through a pre-training and post-training surveys. The training plan will be developed in English and training materials in Arabic. The workshop will be delivered in person in Arabic and English, where relevant.

1. Deliverables

The completion of the assignment includes the following deliverables: – Detailed training plan (English) – Training materials (Arabic) – In-person training (Arabic, English) (estimated: 2-day workshop for 1 group) – Pre-test (Arabic, English) – Post-test (Arabic, English) – Final brief report (5 pages maximum excluding annexes) with a summary of the technical overview provided to participants through the training, lessons learned from the training, including the outcomes of discussions or exercises on the various tools that can serve as the basis for future analysis and strategic planning on eliminating SGBV in Iraq, and/or recommendations for further capacity strengthening, tentative list of indicators to measure partners’ progress in SGBV prevention and Response-related skills to be used during the final evaluation (English).

1. Dissemination

The audience of the training and possible dissemination of training materials and report will include: the partners themselves, the Naseej project team, the Gender Justice Programme Manager and team and other Oxfam teams (e.g. Protection, MEAL, Partnership, Influencing…) who will benefit from the recommendations for further support to CSOs and WROs. Disclosure: Although free to discuss with the authorities on anything relevant to the assignment, under the terms of reference, the consultant is not authorized to make any commitments on behalf of Oxfam. All data collected as part of this consultancy belongs to Oxfam and public dissemination of the data and evaluation products can only be done with the written consent of

1. Supervision and Management

The assignment will be supervised by the Naseej Project Manager and Gender Justice Programme Manager in close coordination with Partners Focal Points in Diyala and Anbar. The final payment will be released upon written approval of all deliverables by the Naseej Project Manager and Gender Justice Programme Manager.

1. Ethical Requirements

There are risks in conducting interviews, particularly during a global pandemic. Participants may have difficulties taking the time to be interviewed amidst care and other responsibilities or face technical difficulties. We will work closely to continuously identify, assess, and monitor potential risks and unintended negative consequences, and decide if and how we should move forward with the data collection and expect the consultant to participate in that effort. Care will be taken to maintain safe programming and safeguarding, and follow responsible and ethical data policies1 including informed and voluntary consent in information sharing, and confidentiality. In particular, all partners involved in the Naseej project undertake action, one way or another, on issues of women’s rights, gender equality and SGBV. In this view, it is expected that the Consultant abide by ethical standards – in particular on SGBV-related research/programming – when discussing their technical strengths and areas for improvement with participants, and guide participants to follow those same standards. Safe protocols should be put in place for any event of disclosure and/or requests or consented need for referrals.

1. Time Frame

The assignment is expected to be tentatively carried out between October/November and the end of December 2022. The consultancy is estimated to require around 10 working days. The timeline will be refined based on the work plan submitted by the consultant.

What we are looking for

Required experience and expertise:

Overall experience: Strong knowledge and practice in delivering training for non-profit,national and international organisations, preferably working on SGBV programming, gender inequality and/or protection issues;

Specific experience: Strong knowledge and practice of SGBV and ending VAWG interventions and Gender in conflict and fragile contexts. Excellent knowledge of international guidance, technical standards and approaches in SGBV and ending VAWG programming, from research, prevention to response and advocacy; robust understanding of issues of safety, confidentiality and ethical requirements in the work around SGBV.

Practical experience: Proven experience in delivering trainings to increase organisations’ capacity in SGBV programming, with details list of topics/scope of trainings; Practical experience of project/programme cycle management; Fluency in English and Arabic (or ability to prepare training material and providing the training in Arabic with a local translator/expert if needed, to be included in the offer); Ability to travel to Federal Iraq; Familiary with Oxfam’s mission; adherence to the organizational code of conduct and safe programming principles.

Our values and commitment to safeguarding

Oxfam is committed to preventing any type of unwanted behaviour at work including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, lack of integrity and financial misconduct; and committed to promoting the welfare of children, young people, adults and beneficiaries with whom Oxfam GB engages. Oxfam expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through our code of conduct. We place a high priority on ensuring that only those who share and demonstrate our values are recruited to work for us.

The post holder will undertake the appropriate level of training and is responsible for ensuring that they understand and work within the safeguarding policies of the organisation.

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks, which can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks. Oxfam GB also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this Scheme, we will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms his/her understanding of these recruitment procedures.

We are committed to ensuring diversity and gender equality within our organisation and encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply.