Background/Context

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 Georgia Country Office (Cprovides technical support to the state and nonstate partners towards the achievement of substantive gender equality in Georgia. In line with national and international commitments, UN Women works on the levels of policies and legislation, institutions and grassroots, in order to achieve transformative results for increased gender equality and greater protection of the rights of women and girls. UN Women puts special emphasis on the work towards gender mainstreaming in good governance reforms and enhancing women’s political participation, ending violence against women, promoting and supporting women’s economic empowerment, and Women, Peace and Security agenda. Along with these key priority areas that constitute UN Women’s mandate, UN Women interventions in Georgia are anchored in the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDC for the years 20212025 with the government of Georgia.

Alongside its work with the government, the General Assembly Resolution 64/289 establishing of UN Women[1] also requires it to work closely with civil society and women’s organizations as core constituencies.[2] Women’s organizations channel the demands for gender justice, provide services for marginalized communities and hold states accountable through monitoring, documentation, advocacy and activism. Women human rights defenders (WHRD, in particular, are at the forefront of social justice and feminist movements that advocate for the realization of gender equality, women’s empowerment and human rights for all. Their collective action is critical in driving the development agenda and ensuring that no one is left behind. Depending on the political and security contexts, this work has put them at risk of threats, arrest, detention, judicial harassment, forced disappearances, and killings.

The work of WHRDs can be contextually challenged and curtailed by a complex array of factors, including challenges to multilateralism; militarism; religious and cultural fundamentalisms; neoliberalism and the roll back of state responsibilities; lack of effective regulation of nonstate corporate actors; authoritarian populism, impunity and organized crime. This confluence of factors can lead to shrinking civil society space, harassment, criminalization of dissent, threats and violence, including disappearances and murder. While these violations affect defenders of all genders, the consequences for WHRDs and their movements are different because of deeply rooted discrimination that controls their gender identity and their sexuality, and determines the roles that women are supposed to play in society.[3] WHRDs are targets for femicide, rape, sexual violence, attacks against their sexual and familial reputations, violence within the home and the organizations where they work. Like other victims of genderbased violence, these violations largely often go unreported, undocumented and uninvestigated, which perpetuates impunity and further entrenches gender inequality.

As a result of women’s activism and a growing attention to the specific risks and violations arising from systemic and structural discrimination faced by the WHRDs, in 2013 UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on women’s human rights defenders[4].This affirms their contributions in the promotion and protection of human rights, democracy, the rule of law and development. It draws attention to the threats, harassment and insecurity perpetrated by “state actors, including law enforcement personnel and security forces, and nonstate actors, such as those related to family and community, in both public and private spheres.” The resolution reiterates the obligation of the state to respect and fulfil Promotion of the Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms: protecting women human rights defenders. The Resolution expresses particular concern about systemic and structural discrimination and violence faced by WHRDs and calls upon all States to take appropriate, robust and practical measures to protect women human rights defenders and to create a safe and enabling environment for the defense of human rights.

Within the framework of its Governance & Participation in Public Life (G&PP portfolio and under the second phase of the “Good Governance for Gender Equality in Georgia” (GG4GEG Iproject funded generously by the Government of Norway, UN Women UN Women intends to develop and implement a social media campaign with focus of the rights of WHRDs. The initiative aims to give focus to the work of WHRDs, build positive narratives about WHRDs and advocate with national actors for greater protection of WHRDs.

In line with these efforts, UN Women will hire a National Consultant. The National Consultant will be responsible for developing and implementing the social media campaign on WHRDs. National Consultant will be reporting to the G&PPL Project Analyst and G&PPL Programme Specialist and will be supported by Project Assistant from the G&PPL programme, who will be the point of contact on the contract and payment issues.

Description of Responsibilities/ Scope of Work

• Draft and submit a detailed work plan to UN Women Georgia outlining the activities to be undertaken, and specific timeframes for each activity in the campaign, ensuring a clear roadmap for campaign development and implementation.
• In consultations with UN Women, identify at least  ten (10) WHRDs , ensuring diversity in backgrounds, regions, age and areas of activism and conduct indepth interviews with them.
• Develop at least ten (10) individual stories capturing interviews with WHRDs highlighting challenges, contributions and personal insights of WHRDs.
• Publish WHRDs stories on relevant social media platform (to be agreed with UN Womeensuring the campaign reach of at least 100 000 social media users. 

Consultant’s Workplace and Official Travel

This is a homebased consultancy.