Technical Specialist – Women’s Right of Access to Information in Sierra Leone

Background

The Carter Center’s Rule of Law Program works to advance good governance and trust through accountability, transparency, and inclusive access to information and justice. With funds from Irish AID, the Carter Center will conduct a study on Women and Access to Information in Sierra Leone. The proposed study will use the Carter Center’s methodology and questionnaire to examine the hypothesis that women are unable to exercise the fundamental right of access to information with the same facility (frequency, ease, and rate of success) as men. The Carter Center and local civil society partners have completed similar studies in Liberia (2014), Guatemala (2015), and Bangladesh (2016), which revealed significant obstacles that women face when exercising their right to information. The research design utilizes multiple methods, relying on both existing secondary data and the collection of primary data through interviews with heads of key women’s and thematic organizations, expert opinion interviews, and nonparticipant observation of access to information practices in relevant government ministries and agencies and accompanying interviews of the public servants and “customers” who enter the public offices.

The project seeks a Sierra Leone based experienced professional to serve as a part-time technical specialist for the duration of the study, which is estimated at six months. As the technical specialist, the incumbent will be required to help determine the research sites, work with an identified research organization and provide oversight of the researchers to assure proper data collection, supervise timely submission of data, support analysis, and guide the validation exercises. The researchers will be collecting (4) types of data: Interviews with Community Leaders and Community Women, Expert Opinion Interviews, and Non-Participant Observations. The technical expert will be responsible for the appropriate application of research tools in each region in accordance with the research methodology.

Primary Responsibilities

1. Support all in-country and IRB approval processes, including developing a cultural context letter for Emory University IRB approval.
2. Provide bi-weekly reports, including updates on gender dynamics, political context, updates on coordination with partners and key stakeholders.
3. Provide country-level oversight of the Women and Access to Information Study, including:
   • Provide support to county researchers in data collection
   • Work with The Carter Center to provide training to researchers
   • Serve as a resource for questions about methodology
   • Work with researchers to establish interview and observation site lists
   • Ensure uniform application of research tools
   • Effectively communicate expectations to researchers
   • Travel to research sites as needed
4. Conduct follow-up with the team leader of the research organization to maintain the research schedule.
5. Facilitate communication between the Ministry of Gender, Information Commission, Ministry of information, and The Carter Center on a regular basis, reporting on benchmarks, processes, and issues.
6. Ensure that all data received from the researchers are electronically inputted and tracked using the platform provided and submitted to The Carter Center for preliminary analysis.
7. Support for the release of the final report, including leading and organizing study multistakeholder event, facilitating discussion, and capturing recommendations.
8. Provide advice to Carter Center Atlanta staff on risks identified, assessment, controls, and means for mitigation.

Reporting: The specialist will report to the Atlanta-based Senior Program Associate and will be expected to work closely with the wider Project Management team at the Carter Center.

Qualifications

The successful applicant will:

• Hold a bachelor’s degree or equivalent in gender studies, law, social science, applied anthropology, or other related fields (graduate degree preferred)
• Have at least 5 years combined professional experience working on issues related to gender, economic empowerment and development, access to information, and/or other related matters
• Demonstrate a deep level of understanding of how social, economic, and political forces contribute to discrepancies in gender equality
• Strong analytical, conceptual, and writing skills
• Be fluent in English and Krio/Creole, both spoken and written