National Consultant- EVAW response programme

Location : Dhaka, Bangladesh (Home based), BANGLADESH

Application Deadline : 20-Aug-23 (Midnight New York, USA)

Additional Category : Gender Equality

Type of Contract : Individual Contract

Post Level : National Consultant

Languages Required : English

Starting Date : (date when the selected candidate is expected to start)

01-Sep-2023

Duration of Initial Contract : Monthly deliverable based starting from 01 sep 2023 to 15 March 2024

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Background

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security. Placing women’s rights at the centre of all its efforts, UN Women leads and coordinates United Nations system efforts to ensure that commitments on gender equality and gender mainstreaming translate into action throughout the world. UN Women provides strong and coherent leadership in support of Member States’ priorities and efforts, building effective partnerships with civil society and other relevant actors.

UN Women in Bangladesh supports the government to implement commitments to international normative standards on gender equality and women’s human rights. In line with the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (2022-2026), UN Women Bangladesh’s Strategy Note (2022-2026), focuses on strengthening national structures and mechanisms for gender mainstreaming in policies, plans and budgets; supporting efforts to prevent and eliminate violence against women; promoting women’s access to decent and safe work; promoting policies and government investment in women’s empowerment and resilience building in the context of climate change, humanitarian crisis as well as other threats to peace and security. UN Women works with a range of stakeholders in Bangladesh including the government, civil society and women’s organisations, youth, UN agencies, and donors, to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment.

Justification

The Ending Violence Against Women (EVAW) portfolio contributes to UN Women Bangladesh Strategic Note 2022 – 2026 Outcome 1.4: By 2026, more women, girls and sexual minorities benefit from an environment in which they are empowered to exercise their rights, agency, and decision-making power over all aspects of their lives and towards a life free from all forms of discrimination, violence and harmful norms and practices. The Government of Bangladesh reiterated its commitment to gender equality in the 8th Five Year Plan (2020- 2025). The Plan recognizes the need as well to address discriminatory social norms to prevent VAW and strengthen social research to identify the root causes of violence.

Over the last 3 years UN Women has supported Bangladesh Police and Bangladesh Police Women’s Network (BPWN) to build their capacity and to develop the strategic oversight of the network. This has resulted in a clear vision, mission, guiding values and a strategic plan, all approved and formally launched by the Inspector General of Police in 2021. BPWN has set forth a vision ‘to achieve a gender-balanced and a women-friendly environment in all units of Bangladesh Police, and gender-responsive service delivery to all citizens, especially women and girls in Bangladesh’ and a mission to ‘to achieve national and global women’s development objectives through policewomen’s capacity building and professional skill development.’

As part of its ongoing capacity development initiatives, UN Women launched a Handbook on Gender-Responsive Police (GRP) Services for Women and Girls Subject to Violence in 2021, a UN system-wide handbook for law enforcement on the investigation of violence against women and girls and broader gender-responsive policing. The Handbook is designed to ‘operationalize’ the Essential Service Package for Women and Girls subject to Violence (ESP) Framework. The Handbook provides a comprehensive ‘road map’ to combat GBV by providing guidance on delivering a policing service which is gender-responsive to support the survivors of violence. A global implementation process was initiated with piloting of the handbook in over 20 countries. This was aimed at generating ownership of key stakeholder especially the police for the sustained implementation of the Handbook. Bangladesh is one of the 20 pilot countries. The global handbook has been translated into Bangla. Moving forward, the booklet will be further contextualised.

Further, within the context of the Regional Framework Towards Peaceful, Inclusive Societies: Advancing the Women, Peace and Security Agenda and Inclusive Governance in the Asia-Pacific Region (2023-2027), UN Women Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific is implementing an initiative on ‘Women’s Leadership in Community Oriented Policing (COP) in South and South-East Asia”. The objective is to promote women’s leadership and voices in COP policies, to increase access to gender expertise and to promote peace and security, in line with UN Security Council resolution (UNSCR) 1325 on Women, Peace and Security (WPS) and subsequent resolutions. As part of the preparatory work, UN Women Bangladesh has commissioned a gender responsive COP assessment in collaboration with the Standing Police Capacity of UN Police to identify good practices related to gender responsive COP and key element of success, the barriers to gender responsive COP among relevant actors (government, police, communities) as well as gaps in terms of capacities and skills; the main supporters and potential partners for future joint initiative. Key recommendations for Government, police institutions, CSOs, community leaders to advance gender responsive COP in their context will also be developed through this assessment.

In this context, UN Women Bangladesh Country Office (BCO) is seeking a national consultant to support initiatives under response components especially with Bangladesh Police and BPWN and also contribute to the development of the community oriented policing project.

Duties and Responsibilities

Duties and responsibilities

The national consultant will be responsible for the following tasks:

•  Coordination and Communication:
•  Coordinate and support technical advisor from HQ to roll out gender responsive police handbook
•  Maintain coordination between technical advisor from HQ and BPWN team to review its strategic plan and strategic actions for implementation.
•  Maintain communication and liaison with Bangladesh Police to ensure strategic engagement to achieve the objective of promoting women leadership in Bangladesh police
•  Provide logistic support to organize events, meeting, training, workshop, strategic consultation and dialogue in collaboration with BPWN and Bangladesh police as required

2. Support capacity development initiatives

•  Provide support to international and national experts in designing and roll out capacity building initiatives for senior, mid-level officers and first responders from Bangladesh Police
•  Provide technical support for the development of the training modules, adaptation of existing contents including online training, and in reviewing curriculum of the existing training for strengthening institutional capacity of different wings of Bangladesh Police.
•  Provide capacity building support to civil society and women rights organizations to roll out training with front and mid-level officers in Bangladesh Police
•  Provide support to translate the training module, contents in Bangla from original English texts in keeping with UN Women’s quality assurance guidelines.

3. Research and knowledge product development and management

•  Provide technical inputs to international or national research conducted by UN Women BCO, Asia and the Pacific Regional Office and Headquarter including assessment, desk review, field data collection to assess or evaluate gender responsive policing services, women leadership status in police
•  Provide technical support to develop different knowledge products; stories of change, project and advocacy briefs and assessment report on work with Bangladesh Police and other response interventions to showcase results.
•  Organize online and off-line knowledge sharing event for in-country, regional and global practitioners
•  Provide regular updates and support development of UN Women social media post, website contents on VAW response initiatives.

4. Documentation and reporting

Prepare result-based reports following UN Women internal and donor reporting compliances.

Expected deliverables and payment schedule

Tasks and Deliverables

Specific deliverables

Target Dates

Payment Schedule

•  Coordination and Communication:
•  Coordinate and support technical advisor from HQ to roll out gender responsive police handbook
•  Maintain coordination between technical advisor from HQ and BPWN to review its strategic plan and strategic actions for implementation.
•  Maintain communication and liaison with Bangladesh Police to ensure strategic engagement to achieve the objective of promoting women leadership in Bangladesh police
•  Provide logistic support to organize events, meeting, training, workshop, strategic consultation and dialogue in collaboration with BPWN and Bangladesh police as required
•  Evidence of coordination meeting organized and events conducted (including but not limited to meeting minutes, reports)

Intermittent over the consultancy period. A monthly workplan will be discussed with the supervisor

Payment will be processed at the end of each month for the number of days worked based on submission of progress report on tasks completed during the month with deliverables produced.

•  Support capacity building initiatives
•  Provide support to international and national experts in designing and roll out capacity building initiatives for senior, mid-level officers and first responders from Bangladesh Police
•  Provide technical support for the development of the training modules, adaptation of existing contents including online training, and in reviewing curriculum of the existing training for strengthening institutional capacity of different wings of Bangladesh Police.
•  Provide capacity building support to civil society and women rights organizations to roll out training with front and mid-level officers in Bangladesh Police
•  Provide support to translate the training module, contents in Bangla from original English texts in keeping with UN Women’s quality assurance guidelines.
•  Evidence of support to organizing capacity development initiatives
•  At least one-chapter wise booklet (based on the global handbook) developed /month
•  Training/event report submitted after completion of the training/events.
•  Bengali translated and proof read version of modules based on Global Handbook
•  Research and knowledge product development and management
•  Provide technical inputs to international or national research conducted by UN Women BCO, Asia and the Pacific Regional Office and Headquarter including assessment, desk review, field data collection to assess or evaluate gender responsive policing services, women leadership status in police
•  Provide technical support to develop different knowledge products; stories of change, project and advocacy briefs and assessment report on work with Bangladesh Police and other response interventions to showcase results.
•  Organize online and off-line knowledge sharing event for in-country, regional and global practitioners
•  Provide regular updates and support development of UN Women social media post, website contents on VAW response initiatives.
•  At least 2 knowledge products developed during contract period
•  Evidence of technical inputs to RO/HQ research studies/knowledge products
•  At least one knowledge sharing event organised (session plan, audio-recording as evidence)
•  Evidence of inputs to develop communication/social media posts.
•  Documentation and reporting
•  Prepare result-based reports following UN Women internal and donor reporting compliances.
•  Evidence of substantive inputs provided to internal and donor reports.
•  2 pager reflections note for UN Women’s future engagement with law enforcement agencies as part of a broader EVAW response framework.

Duration of Assignment and Duty Station

The consultant is expected to be based in Dhaka to work for 112 days over a period of 01 Sep 2023 to 15 March 2024. The consultant may be required to travel on mission as assigned by hiring unit. In this regard UN Women travel policy will be followed.

Travel and DSA

No DSA will be paid at the duty station. If unforeseen travel outside the duty station is required for this assignment, upon prior agreement/approval from UN Women such travel expenses shall be borne by UN Women following UN Women travel policy and the individual contractor/SSA shall receive a per-diem not to exceed the United Nations daily subsistence allowance (DSA) rate in such other location(s) and actual travel cost.

INPUTS: This position will be home based and needs to come to office as required and for coordination meeting. UN Women will provide logistics support (laptop and internet) to accomplish day to day administrative works and perform the deliverables.

Supervision

The consultant will be supervised by Programme Coordinator, EVAW program of UN Women BCO.

Competencies

Competencies

Core Values:

•  Respect for Diversity
•  Integrity
•  Professionalism

Core Competencies:

•  Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues
•  Accountability
•  Creative Problem Solving
•  Effective Communication
•  Inclusive Collaboration
•  Stakeholder Engagement
•  Leading by Example

Required Skills and Experience

Education: Master’s degree in Gender and Development, Development Studies, International Relations, Political Science, Peace and conflict studies, Human Rights, Law or any other related disciplines or related field.

Experience:

•  Minimum 05 years of relevant work experience in implementation VAW response and protection projects and initiatives with duty bearers and service providers especially law enforcement departments
•  02 years of experience to work with high officials of government departments especially Bangladesh Police and relevant government ministries.
•  02 years of experience in working on gender responsive services, GBV case management and referral services, especially coordination and access to justice following Essential Services Package
•  02 Experience in developing, designing in person and online training curricula and facilitating the training preferable to law enforcement department on gender responsive services and institutional strengthening.
•  02 years of experience in developing knowledge products on policy agendas/policy brief
•  Experience in networking with government and CSOs.
•  Experience of working nationally and/or with the UN system, on issues related to gender equality, women rights, violence against women and girls and gender-responsive policing is desirable;
•  Experience in report writing with analytical skills.

Language requirement:

•  Excellent command of both Bangla and English (oral and written), other UN languages is an asset.

Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments

Consultant must send a financial proposal based on Lump Sum Amount. The total amount quoted shall be all-inclusive and include all costs components required to perform the deliverables identified in the TOR, including professional fee, only and any other applicable cost to be incurred by the SSA in completing the assignment.

The contract price will be fixed output-based price regardless of extension of the herein specified duration. Payments will be done upon completion of the deliverables/outputs and as per below percentages

Evaluation Method and Criteria: Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodology.

Cumulative analysis-

The award of the contract will be made to the individual consultant up on Cumulative Analysis/evaluation and determined as: 1. Responsive/compliant/acceptable; and 2. Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation;

Only candidates obtaining a 70 mark in technical evaluation will be considered eligible for financial evaluation. Technical Criteria for Evaluation (Maximum 49 points out of 70)

Criteria-01; Academic Qualification – Max Point 10

Criteria-02; Number of years of relevant work experience in implementation VAW response and protection projects and initiatives with duty bearers and service providers especially law enforcement departments and – Max Point 20

Criteria-03; Years of experience in working on gender responsive services, GBV case management and referral services, especially coordination and access to justice following Essential Services Package and Experience in developing, designing in person and online training curricula and facilitating the training preferable to law enforcement department on gender responsive services and institutional strengthening.- Max Point 20

Criteria-04; Years of experience in developing knowledge products on policy agendas/policy brief. Max Point 10

Criteria-05; Experience of working nationally and/or with the UN system, on issues related to gender equality, women rights, violence against women and girls and gender-responsive policing is desirable. Max Point 10

The total number of points allocated for the weighted qualification component is 70. The technical qualification of the individual is evaluated based on following technical qualification evaluation criteria: Only the candidates who have attained a minimum of 70% of total points (49) will be considered as technically-qualified candidate.

Interested candidates will submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications.

To be included as part of the proposal: Only applications including all items mentioned above will be considered.

Submission of package

The following documents should be submitted as part of the application:

•  Cover letter outlining relevant work experience and updated CV
•  UN Women Personal History Form(P11);
•  Financial proposal which shall specify the daily professional fee, proposed number of 112 working days. No other charges will be quoted. If there is any nominal logistical cost, taxes, commission etc. may occur from Candidate’s side, will be included in daily rate
•  Example of related previous work, such as developing training contents and knowledge product

NOTE: Documents required before contract signing: UN Personal History Form; Full medical examination and Statement of Fitness to work and travel for consultants with travel involved. (This is not a requirement for RLA contracts);

Security Certificate BSAFE: EN: https://agora.unicef.org/course/info.php?id=17891 Individual subscribers over 65 years of age are required to undergo a full medical examination including x-rays at their own cost and obtaining medical clearance from the UN Medical Director prior to taking up their assignment; Release letter in case the selected consultant is government official.

Only applications will all items mentioned above will be considered

Note: The individual consultant who does not meet the above eligibility criteria shall not be considered for further evaluation. Necessary documentation must be submitted to substantiate the above eligibility criteria

At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided based on qualifications, competence, integrity, and organizational need. If you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in your application.

UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to UN Women’s policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UN Women personnel and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. (Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check).