Consultant for the development of two Short Courses on GBV Risk Mitigation for GBV specialized actors

UNFPA has committed to accelerate the reduction in gender-based violence (GBV) and harmful practices by 2025, that is one of the three outcomes of UNFPA Strategic Plan 2022-2025. To achieve this vision, UNFPA aims to protect women and girls, especially those affected by crisis, empowering them to enjoy their rights free from violence. Everyday displacement, insecurity and conflicts exacerbate the many risk factors for exposure to multiple forms of GBV and create barriers to accessing GBV response services. Protecting populations affected by humanitarian emergencies, especially women and girls, from the risk of GBV stems from all actors’ essential duty to protect those affected by crisis.

GBV risk mitigation is a critical part of GBViE programming. The IASC Guidelines for Integrating GBV Interventions in Humanitarian Action invite all humanitarian actors to promote women’s and girls’ safety, and reducing the risk of GBV. It refers to actions that are taken in humanitarian sectors and areas of work to reduce risks and exposure to GBV and improve safety and dignity in the intervention. While all humanitarian actors, regardless of their mandate and area of work have a responsibility to mitigate GBV risk, applying the do no harm principle and upholding the Centrality of Protection principle, UNFPA has an advocacy and technical support role to ensure that humanitarian interventions across all sectors:

1. do not cause or increase the likelihood of GBV;
2. proactively seek to identify and take action to integrate GBV risks in the environment and in programme design and implementation;
3. proactively facilitate and monitor vulnerable groups’ access to services.

This role is in line with the Minimum Standards for GBV in Emergency Programming (Standard 9) which highlights that GBV specialists should play a supportive role in engaging actors from key sectors towards the common goals of mitigating GBV risk and includes advocating for and providing guidance, training and recommendations to facilitate the role of technical staff implementing risk mitigation measures.

To fulfil this role, GBV Specialists should maintain linkages with a broad set of stakeholders, including sector-working groups, governments counterparts as appropriate and community leaders, to help them be aware of existing and emerging risks. They have a role in supporting humanitarian actors and other stakeholders to integrate GBV in monitoring and assessment initiatives as well as to contextualize and apply the IASC GBV Guidelines in all stages of project management, from planning to implementation. GBV specialists should also contribute to reducing risk of GBV by providing accurate and accessible information on available GBV services and referral pathways. They finally must ensure that other actors know how to refer survivors to needed services and that disclosure of GBV incidents happen in a safe and ethical way. Furthermore, it is crucial that they receive inputs and feedback from communities and engage with women and girls as well as women-led organizations.

At the global level, UNFPA serves on the GBV Guidelines Implementation Support Team and the Reference Group and has supported the development of the inter-agency training on GBV risk mitigation for non-GBV actors. At the country level, UNFPA supports GBV Specialists and Coordinators to perform their role as defined in the GBV Minimum Standard 9. In this regard, a capacity gap has been identified both through the findings of a GBViE Capacity Assessment conducted in 2022 in occasion of the development of a Three-Year GBViE Capacity Development Plan and considering the “unsuccessful/non-received” applications from UNFPA employees and other GBV specialized actors to the inter-agency training on GBV risk mitigation for non-GBV specialists. Additionally, a need to strengthen the engagement of women and girls as key to better target risk mitigation strategies has been identified.

In addition to the need to develop stronger capacity in GBV risk mitigation of GBV specialists, UNFPA identified the need to further develop tools, guidance and learning materials on engaging with women and girls as well as WLOs to mitigate the risk of GBV in their communities. Minimum Standard 9 highlights that they are the best source of information about GBV and should be involved and supported to plan and implement GBV risk mitigation strategies. Operational approaches for participatory methods in relation to GBV risk mitigation can be strengthened and use of existing tools may be better integrated, and humanitarian actors from all sectors need to enhance their capacity to listen to women and girls and involve them and their organizations in decision making for risk reduction.

To respond to these needs, UNFPA is seeking the services of a consultant who will develop two short courses and other learning materials aimed at strengthening for GBV risk mitigation. The short courses will target both GBV Specialists and non-specialists and will be built in a complementary way with the Inter-agency GBV Risk Mitigation online training. The short courses will adopt blended modalities.

The Consultant for the development of the blended Short Courses on GBV Risk Mitigation will produce the following key deliverables:

1. Outline with topics and subtopics, learning objectives and suggested interactivity of two three-week modules on 1) GBV Risk Mitigation for GBV Specialists and other GBV Specialized Actors 2) and Engaging Women, Girls and WLOs to mitigate the risk of GBV in their communities
2. Full content of two modules– and facilitator guide following accepted best practice for adult learning, on the [Eduflow] platform. Each unit should consist of, at minimum, a combination of readings, videos, discussion fora, narrated presentations, webinars, assignments/exercises and additional resources. Specific multi-format content for the learning units will be determined based on the learning objectives detailed under output 1 above. Assignments/exercises should have clearly defined learning objectives (either knowledge or skills based or both) that align with the objectives of the overall learning unit and a review rubric for facilitators

.

In order to achieve the above, the consultant will:

• Participate in briefing with the UNFPA GBViE Specialist, GBV AoR Coordinator, other relevant members of the GBV Guidelines Team to understand the existing available content, extent of specific capacity gaps and the broader framework of needs related to the development of the GBV Risk Mitigation Courses.
• Based on the discussion above, clearly define the target audience for the online courses and the differential needs/learning objectives of the GBV specialized audience (as compared to the non-GBV specialized audience for the existing online course materials)
• Produce a work plan and timelines in collaboration with UNFPA GBViE Specialist for the development of the deliverables.
• Liaise with relevant counterparts in UNICEF, IOM and other selected UN Agencies to assess specific needs that the coordination of priority sectors such as Food Security, WASH and Child Protection have when it comes to the support provided by GBV specialists and to their capacity to engage with women, girls and WLOs.
• Participate in a GBV Risk Mitigation Course curriculum mapping exercise with selected members of UNFPA GBViE Team and the GBV Guidelines Team to ensure that all relevant aspects of modules development are taken into consideration.
• Review existing learning materials related to GBV risk mitigation, including external online courses, training materials, webinars, videos/podcasts, and other resources.
• Review content in the “Assessments & Consultations” topic of the existing online GBV risk mitigation course and develop any necessary additional online learning materials (following the methodologies noted above) on “engaging with women and girls and women led organizations (WLOs) to identify GBV risk in their communities.” These materials should also be able to be used as standalone content as well
• Draft an outline for the two three-weeks GBV risk mitigation courses, including topics and subtopics, learning objectives and suggested interactivity.
• After validation of the outline from UNFPA GBV Specialist (and members of the GBV Guidelines Reference Group), draft the full content of the two three week-courses, including assessment questions, homework or reflection topics to be discussed in occasion of the final live session with other participants.
• Wherever possible and appropriate, incorporate new and/or existing interactive learning materials and methodologies (videos, webinars, etc.), guidance and tools in the content of the reading modules.
• Draft a short facilitator guide.
• Develop the script of a short video (3-5 minutes) on “engaging with women, girls and WLOs to identify GBV risks in their community” for GBV risk mitigation
• Coordinate, give suggestions and review the storyboard with the vendor for the realization of the short video.
• Develop other learning and planning tools/materials on “engaging with women and girls and WLOs to identify GBV risk in their communities”, such as a short guidance note, a checklist, etc. Those tools will be embedded in the short Course and serve as stand alone materials for other learning events/opportunities.

Content developed under the outputs above should align with the existing inter-agency online GBV risk mitigation course and GBV Minimum Standard 9.

The consultancy contract will be offered for a duration of 3.5 months

Place where services are to be delivered: Humanitarian Response Division, remotely with ability to also work on Geneva time-zone.

Delivery dates and how work will be delivered (e.g. electronic, hard copy etc.):

• Summary report on outcomes/findings from consultations and review of existing online course and other GBV risk mitigation content
• Outline of the Course and consultations: Month One;
• Module development: Month Two;
• Module finalization and other learning tools: Month 3
• At minimum, fortnightly reporting regarding updates, progress made and challenges must be made either by email, face to face or virtual meeting.
• Inputs into quarterly donor reporting may be required.

Monitoring and progress control, including reporting requirements, periodicity format and deadline:

Along with relevant programme team members, organisation of weekly or as required programme team meetings

Supervisory arrangements:

The Consultant will be under the overall as well as day to day supervision of the GBV in Emergencies Specialist, Humanitarian Office.

Also, he/she will work in close collaboration with other staff members of the Humanitarian Office as well as key personnel from country and regional offices.

Humanitarian Office consultancies are under the overall guidance and supervisory of the HO Director. All final products and deliverables need to be approved by the Director.

Expected travel:

No travels are expected to implement this Consultancy

Required expertise, qualifications and competencies, including language requirements:

Education:

Master’s degree, preferably in one of the following areas: international relations, social and behavioral science, humanitarian response, gender studies, and political science or other related fields..

Knowledge and Experience:

• Minimum of seven years of relevant work experience in GBV in emergencies planning, programme management, coordination and training;
• Experience in conducting GBV risk mitigation and implementing the Inter-agency GBV Guidelines and GBV Minimum Standards are a must:
• Experience developing learning materials and delivering training modules on GBV also a must;
• Experience developing GBV risk mitigation-related learning contents and materials a distinct advantage;
• Demonstrated experience in using current adult learning methodologies (including online learning technologies and blended approaches) that drive improved humanitarian practice;
• Previous experience participating in assessments and mapping an assets;
• Familiarity with UNFPA’s GBV work in humanitarian contexts is desirable;
• Initiative, sound judgement and demonstrated ability to work harmoniously with staff members of different national and cultural backgrounds;
• Fluency in English and another UN language is desirable.

Required Competencies:

Values:

• Integrity,
• Commitment,
• Embracing cultural diversity,
• Embracing change.

Core Competencies:

• Achieving results,
• Accountability,
• Developing & applying professional expertise,
• Analytical & Strategic Thinking,
• Working in teams/managing ourselves and relationships,
• Communicating for impact.

Functional Skillset:

• Understanding of learning methodologies,
• Ability to compile and holistically analyse diverse data.

Other Desirable Skills:

• Providing strategic focus
• Knowledge of the UN

Languages:

Fluency in English is required, and another UN official language is highly desirable

Inputs / services to be provided by UNFPA or implementing partner (e.g support services, office space, equipment), if applicable:

The consultant is required to furnish their own laptop; a UNFPA email address will be provided