UN Women Spotlight Initiative in Tajikistan

Deadline: 20-Oct-21

The UN Women Programme Office in Tajikistan is inviting CSOs to submit a Proposal for Community Norms Mapping through an Ethnographic overview of VAWG and Mobilization Communities for ending VAWG by localization of Gender Action Learning System (GALS) methodology, use of its tools and by supporting advocacy actions at a grassroot level.

The Spotlight Initiative (SI), funded by European Union, came at a key moment in Tajikistan, bringing the resources to leverage the increasing political will to strengthen institutions and to engage civil society to significantly increase and expand on the Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (EVAWG) efforts done to date.

Through Gender Action Learning System (GALS) mobilized community members will be supported to lead the process, including:

• self-reflection and understanding of inner beliefs and attitudes on VAWG,
• personal conscious decisions on that he/she is unwilling to continue bear with violence and seek/learn the ways of fighting and preventing violence,
• start personal change process,
• unite with community members to undertake joint advocacy actions to change norms at family/community levels, support and lead their implementation,
• reflection on the process and acknowledging victorious examples of changes and documenting lessons learned.

Objectives

• The assignment will be undertaken under the Pillar 3 of the SI, contributing to the fulfillment of the SI Outcome 3 “Gender equitable social norms, attitudes and behaviour change at community and individual levels to prevent VAWG and harmful practices”, and the SI Output 3.2. “Community advocacy platforms are established/ strengthened to develop strategies and interventions, including community dialogues, public information and advocacy campaigns, to promote gender-equitable norms, attitudes and behaviour, incl. in relation to women and girls’ self-confidence and self-esteem and transforming harmful masculinities”.
• Selected CSO will contribute to the Output and measure results by use of, along with others, the following indicators:
  • Indicator 3.1: Decreased percentage of people who think it is justifiable for a man to (subject) beat his wife/intimate partner (to violence), by sex and age
  • Indicator 3.2.2: Number of people reached by campaigns challenging harmful social norms and gender stereotyping.
    • Target: at least 2,000.
  • Output Indicator 3.2.5:  Number of campaigns challenging harmful social norms and gender stereotyping, including of women and girls facing intersecting and multiple forms of discrimination, developed and disseminated during the past year.
    • Target: at least 3.

Scope of work

• Under direct supervision of UN Women Programme Coordinator, the selected CSO – RP is expected to fulfill the assignment with the view of promoting favorable social norms, attitudes and behaviors at community and individual level to prevent VAWG and harmful practices.
• The key tasks of this Terms of Reference are focusing on the following key areas:
  • Conduct the Ethnographic review: of harmful social norms and identification of possible local CSOs and ‘new’ social norm holders (positive deviants and influencers of community Core Group) in order to create awareness of the community and individuals about the illegality of violence and harmful practices. Engaging grassroots activists will diminish the risk of community resistance to openly and honestly reflect on norms, attitudes and behaviors sustaining VAWG.
    • Roll-out of gender-transformative experiential Gender Action Learning Systems1 (i. e. GALS) in 6 selected localities.
    • Support financially and technically conducting of grassroot advocacy initiatives with engagement of ‘new’ social norm holders (community Core Group), at least 4 initiatives per district and 2 initiatives at national level.

Activities

• Ethnographic review on harmful social norms and attitudes to VAWG
• Adaptation of gender actions learning systems (GALS) methodology to the context of tajikistan and conduct gals for 120 new social norms champions.

Target audience

• for the Ethnographic overview of VAWG 3 target districts of DRS, Khatlon region and Sogd region (15 households and 180 active citizens);
• for Community mobilization – Communities of 6 target districts – 6 active groups by 20 community members, e.g. 120 participants in 6 groups; and those will engage, in turn, their peers, relatives, family members – appr. 1,000 community members, both as direct beneficiaries and rest HH members with who they share GALS tools are indirect beneficiaries

Competencies

• Company/organization:
  • Organization/ Public Association registered in Tajikistan.
  • Minimum 3 years of country-based professional experience.
  • Expert knowledge the field of addressing VAWG/VAWG, in various aspects of advocacy work and communications as well as social mobilization towards ending VAWG and social inclusion provision; and on building capacity of Communities, CSOs and institutions with a reference to at least 2 relevant projects, implemented recently.
  • Familiarization with GALS methodology
  • Track record of adult training with a reference to at least 2 projects, implemented recently.
  • Availability of skilled human capacities to implement the assignment.
  • Well-established client relations with the national partners and CSOs.
  • Financial system and Accountancy, Logistics and Procurement Policies in place.
  • Proven quality control system (M&E).
• Qualifications of the proposed team (minimum)
  • Team Leader/Manager
    • Education: Diploma on sociology, management, social or health and related areas relevant to the assignment.
    • Skills: Proven leadership qualities; Good interpersonal and team management skills; excellent skills in monitoring and reporting; Good planning & organizational skills and ability to pay close attention to details; Report writing skills.
    • Technical competencies:
      • Ability working under minimum supervision and tight deadlines.
      • Computer literate (being able to use MS Windows, office applications, Internet search).
    • Experience:
      • At least 5 years’ experience in project management in the field of addressing VAWG, various aspects of advocacy work and communications as well as social mobilization towards ending VAWG, social inclusion.
      • At least 3 years’ experience in grant management.
      • Awareness of GALS (past training or experience of GALS application) is an asset.
      • Basic awareness of gender research or studies.
      • Prior experience in cooperation with international agency, NGOs, UN, or international institutions is an asset.
    • Languages: command of Russian and Tajik.
      • Be a citizen of Tajikistan.
  • Gender Facilitators/ Mobilizers (4 persons), preferably citizens of the target areas, part-time (50%)
    • Education: Diploma in law, social sciences, health, gender studies, or relevant discipline.
    • Skills: Good interpersonal and team working skills; Ability to communicate effectively – well-developed verbal and written communication skills; Skills in monitoring and reporting; Good organizational skills and ability to pay close attention to details; Strong adult training/facilitation skills.
    • Experience:
      • Minimum 3 years of country-based work experience in the field of community mobilization towards ending VAWG, on gender equality issues and inclusiveness, incl. formation of and work with groups of community members.
      • Minimum 2 years of proven experience in application of participatory approaches and gender-transformative learning techniques and actions, including provision of trainings to adult audience of different social strata.
      • Awareness of GALS (past training or experience of GALS application) is a solid asset.
      • Experience in capacity building, delivery of trainings and communication (messaging).
      • Basic experience in monitoring and evaluation of gender projects
      • Basic experience in report writing.
    • Languages: excellent command of Tajik and Russian.
      • Be a citizen of Tajikistan.

For more information, visit https://www.unwomen.org/en/about-us/programme-implementation/2021/09/unw-eca-tjk-003-2021