National Consultant to Collate Data of Women and Girls with Disabilities in the Areas of SGBV and Harmful Practices at UN Women

Type of Contract: Individual Contract
Post Level: National Consultant
Starting Date : 01-Sep-2021 (date when the selected candidate is expected to start)
Duration of Initial Contract: 4 months

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.
• At the core of its mandate, UN women play a leading role in supporting governments in delivering on their gender equality and empowerment of women (GEEW) commitments in the SDGs.
• The Spotlight Initiative is a global, multi-year partnership between the European Union and the United Nations to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls. The Spotlight Initiative in Nigeria aims to support a Nigeria where all women and girls, particularly the most vulnerable, live a life free from violence and harmful practices.
• The vision will be realized by addressing the linkages between sexual and gender-based violence and harmful practices with related aspects of sexual and reproductive health and rights as a cross-cutting theme. The focus is on prevention efforts, particularly addressing the root causes of gender-based violence and harmful practices (child marriage and FGM) against women and girls; and ensuring access to inclusive, timely, and quality services for victims and survivors with vibrant CSOs and women movement. The geographical scope is vertical, supporting interventions at federal, state and community levels and horizontally across 5+1 focus states of Lagos, Sokoto, FCT, Ebonyi, Adamawa and Cross River and the FCT.
• In line with the Spotlight Initiative project, women and girls with disabilities are among the most vulnerable in society. They are not a homogenous group as they experience a range and variety of impairments, including physical, psychosocial, intellectual and sensory conditions, that may or may not come with functional limitations.
• The diversity of women and girls with disabilities, the systemic marginalization, attitudinal and environmental barriers they face lead to lower economic and social status; increased risk of violence and abuse including sexual violence; discrimination as well as harmful gender-based discriminatory practices; and barriers to access education, health care including sexual and reproductive health/rights, information and services, and justice as well as civic and political participation. All these hinder their participation on an equal basis with others.
• Systemic barriers coupled with the failure to prioritize the collection of data on the situation of women and girls with disabilities have perpetuated the invisibility and the situation of multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination that excludes them from various aspects of life as well as across the humanitarian-development continuum. These attitudes can manifest in or be caused by harmful gender-based prejudices, practices and cultural norms – such as ageist attitudes and intimate partner and familial violence.
• Data is the fifth pillar of the six mutually reinforcing pillars of the Spotlight Initiative. It states that measurement and methodologies for data collection, estimation, and reporting of VAWG/HP and SRHR are improved and strengthened and If (2) the capacity of national and sub-national institutions to collect, analyse and use disaggregated VAWG, including SGBV/HP, data in line with globally agreed standards are strengthened and If (3) disaggregated data (including, to the extent possible, by age, ethnicity, location, socio-economic status, disability) are made accessible and disseminated to be used by planners, policymakers, and civil society. THEN (4) laws, policies and programmes will be based on evidence and better respond to the specific contexts and realities of women and girls in Nigeria, including those most marginalized. BECAUSE (5) they will be based on quality, disaggregated and globally comparable data.
• Strengthening disability inclusion in Spotlight Initiative requires data collection in order to understand and respond to the experiences and situation of women and girls with disabilities in the areas of gender-based violence, harmful practices and all forms of violence generally.

Duties and Responsibilities
Purpose and Objectives of the Assignment:

• Challenges for women with disabilities on GBV is rife, however, there is a lack of information on how this group faces GBV, poor or no data collection mechanisms and there is a paucity of knowledge on institutions collecting this information.
• This research aims to see how the recommendations from this research can generate the support which women with disabilities require.
• Women with disabilities will be consulted on their experience with GBV, what services are available, what is preventing them from having services and what recommendations can be presented to support interventions around women with disabilities as regards preventing and responding to GBV. 
• Overall, the assignment will seek to understand and proffer recommendations that can address data collection and utilization gaps on Gender-Based Violence.
• So effectively, this research will analyze data collection gaps and perception of women with disabilities on their access to GBV services, their knowledge of available services and what factors may be responsible for the non-availability of services.
• It is perceived that this research will support the national response for preventing and responding to GBV in women with disabilities.

Main Tasks
The National Consultant will be required to:

• Conduct a desk review on available information on Gender-Based Violence and Harmful Practices among women with disabilities in terms of their experience and access to GBV services?
• Conduct primary data collection on available information on GBV and HP among women with disabilities in terms of their experience and access to GBV services?
• What information gaps are there for women with disabilities concerning GBV?
• Assess existing national and sub-national GBV and HP data collection mechanisms to ascertain if there are data collection gaps on women and girls with disabilities.
• What can be done to fill those gaps? How can the situation on data collection for women with disabilities be improved in terms of GBV and HP?
• The report should incorporate good/promising practices that can be upscaled/amplified.

Deliverables:

• Conduct primary and secondary data collection on available information on GBV and HP experiences with women with disabilities and their access to services.
• Generate a report on information and data collection mechanism gaps on GBV and HP in women with disabilities.
• Conduct a stakeholder meeting on the preliminary report to present data to stakeholders
• Finalize report based on stakeholder feedback and proffer recommendations on improving inclusivity in GBV and HP data collection and accessible service provision.

Hiring Agency and Specific Consultancy Requirement:

• UN Women is seeking the services of a National consultant with a history of supporting gender equality and other related initiatives in line with the United Nations’ values. 

Required Skills and Experience
Education:

• Minimum Bachelor’s Degree, Desirable Master's Degree in Disability or related areas.

Experience:

• At least five (5) years demonstratable experience working within disability and related areas.
• Demonstrate ability to work in a multicultural, multi-ethnic environment and to maintain effective working relations with people of different national and cultural backgrounds.
• Ability to work effectively and harmoniously with people with disability.
• Ability to produce well-written documents demonstrating excellent interpersonal communication skills.
• Strong IT Skills. Experience in the use of computers applications and software packages.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English is required.

Competencies
Core Values:

• Integrity: Demonstrates consistency in upholding and promoting the values of UN Women in actions and decisions, in line with the UN Code of Conduct.
• Professionalism: Demonstrates professional competence and expert knowledge of the pertinent substantive areas of work.
• Respect for Diversity: Demonstrates an appreciation of the multicultural nature of the organization and the diversity of its staff. Demonstrates an international outlook, appreciating difference in values and learning from cultural diversity.

Competencies:

• Ethics and Values: Demonstrate and safeguard ethics and integrity
• Organizational Awareness: Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment.
• Development and Innovation: Take charge of self-development and take initiative.
• Teamwork: Demonstrate ability to work in a multicultural, multi-ethnic environment and to maintain effective working relations with people of different national and cultural backgrounds.
• Communication and Information Sharing: Facilitate and encourage open communication and strive for effective communication.