Afghanistan: 62726 - Consultant to Develop Briefing Paper for CSW60- EVAW in Afghanistan-progress, Challenges and Way Forward for SDGs-SSA

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.

UN Women is dedicated to advance gender equality and women’s human rights in Afghanistan. Staff and consultants of UN Women Afghanistan are expected to contribute to a professional working environment in which the strengthening of national capacities and human potential is prioritized. Respect for diversity and human dignity is required, as is the active pursuit of a collaborative and inclusive approach to both internal and external stakeholders, including colleagues and partners.

UN Women has three programmatic pillars: EVAW, Economic and Political Empowerment, and Coordination and Advocacy. Focus areas within the EVAW Pillar, in which this position is placed, are: protection from and prevention of VAW, including access to justice; EVAW advocacy and support to Women Protection Centers and Family Guidance Centers; legal reform, and; support to the Ministry of Women’s Affairs (MoWA) on VAW initiatives. Significant work is also done in partnership with civil society, both as implementing partners and as advocates.

The EVAW Pillar supports national counterparts – including MoWA, key line ministries, Parliamentary bodies, and civil society- in implementation of the National Action Plan for the Women of Afghanistan (NAPWA) and Afghanistan National Development Strategy (ANDS) in the areas of legal protection rule of law and women’s human rights. The Pillar builds on partnerships developed with MoWA, other line ministries, local government entities in the justice, interior, social protection and health sectors, NGOs and community based groups to strengthen legal protection mechanisms that are socially and culturally sensitive to Afghanistan’s context.

As part of the every year process led by UN Women, the 60th Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) will be organized during 14-24 March 2015, at UN Headquarters in New York. This year’s theme for CSW60 is, ‘women’s empowerment and its links with Sustainable Development Goals’, and the review theme for this year will be ‘Elimination and Prevention of Violence Against women’, based on the outcomes of the CSW57. Afghanistan has been a regular participant in the CSW events on regular basis in recent past. With the CSW60, Ministry of Women Affairs, and the other line ministries would like to undertake an active role, thereby, lead a side event, ‘Women rights achievements and fear to lose them: women participation in the peace process; State and International Community responsibility’, and also share about the current discourse around gender equality and women’s rights in Afghanistan.

For this purpose, an external expert is sought through this call to prepare a 4 to 5 page briefing paper based on the current situation of women’s rights and violence against women in Afghanistan and an analysis of the progress made, challenges ahead and the opportunities for Afghanistan in view of the agreed conclusions of CSW 57. The paper shall cover the realistic scenario of the VAW in Afghanistan, and the progress, and challenges based on the agreed conclusions.Description of Responsibilities :

Scope of Work

In light of the above, the Consultant will undertake the following tasks:

• Draft a briefing paper on the assigned issue, incorporating a socio-legal perspective. The brief should also include where appropriate, examples of how and where the legislative reforms are needed for further action by the MoJ, MoWA, and other relevant line ministries;


• The briefing paper should base the paper on the CSW 57 agreed conclusions, and analyse the Afghanistan scenario from the socio-legal, as well as broad socio-cultural perspective. A special attention needs to be paid to the CEDAW and July 2013 concluding observations of the CEDAW Committee, and the government’s commitment to SMAF, and ANDS;


• The brief should be developed in close consultation with the UN Women team in Afghanistan.

Deliverables:

• Submission of an outline of briefing paper for approval by UN Women;


• Submission of first draft with inputs from UN Women team;


• Submission of final version, incorporating previous recommendations/amendments/additional feedback from UN Women.

Timeframes and Institutional Arrangements

The consultant will be engaged for a maximum of 5 working days within 15 days. The contract is based on fees per day tied to satisfactory achievement of deliverables as per the scope of assignment and deliverables table. Payments will be made upon receipt of deliverable reports, certified by supervisor and approved by the Country Representative.

Application process:

All interested candidates should apply online through the given link

He/she must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate the qualifications:

• Cover letter: (not more than 450 words) explaining their suitability for the work and a brief description of approach to work/methodology;


• Financial proposal: indicate fee per day;


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  Personal CV including past experience in similar projects and at least 3 references and signed UN Women P11 form.Competencies :

  
  


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  Ability to work under pressure and follow deadlines;

  
  


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  Strong and proven integrity;

  
  


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  Demonstrated sensitivity, discretion, tact and courtesy in relation to gender equality and women’s rights, development principles and projects;

  
  


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  Commitment to upholding the organizational values and principles of UN Women Afghanistan.Qualifications :

  
  

Education:

• Master’s Degree or Doctorate in Gender and Human Rights, Law with a minimum of 4 years of experience in legal research, academia and/or legal practice.

Experience:

• Minimum 4 years experience in the field of Islamic/shari’a law and gender justice;


• Sound knowledge of national, regional and international standards on women’s rights and related instruments;


• Proven evidence (i.e. publications) in relevant issues a strong asset;


• Familiarity with current debates and research on Gender in Islam, and on EVAW in Afghanistan.

Language.

• Professional fluency in written and spoken English.