The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) seeks to engage a Consultant to work as a gender researcher who will be required to analyse the results and bring together a report, policy brief and journal article on the role women play in social networks including food aid sharing.

The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) works to improve food and nutritional security and reduce poverty in developing countries through research for efficient, safe and sustainable use of livestock. It is the only one of 15 CGIAR research centers dedicated entirely to animal agriculture research for the developing world. Co-hosted by Kenya and Ethiopia, it has regional or country offices and projects in East, South and Southeast Asia as well as Central, East, Southern and West Africa. www.ilri.org.

General Background:

Droughts are a common phenomenon in the lowlands of Ethiopia. In 2016, over one-third of Ethiopia’s woredas (districts) were officially classified as facing a dire food security and nutrition crisis. At the peak of the crisis in April, over 10.2 million people were targeted with food assistance, while an additional 7.9 million people were targeted through the Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP). The most affected regions were Afar, Amhara, Dire Dawa, Harari, Oromia, Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples’, Somali and Tigray, including most of the pastoral areas in the lowlands. Following this drought in 2018-19 a study was undertaken by ILRI on the sharing of aid including food aid distributed during the drought. https://cgspace.cgiar.org/handle/10568/106541

Through an extensive household survey in three kebele (one in each of Afar, Somali and Oromia regions) with data analysed through social network analysis the study showed highly connected and functioning pastoral collectives that provided for the sharing of aid such as labour, money and household items as well as food aid. In particular women played a central role. Intricate social network analysis maps showed who shared food with who: the sharing was often reciprocal and no one single person dominated this aid redistribution. The study concluded that the sharing of aid including food aid still took place, highlighting the existence of strong customary reciprocal social safety-nets and a strong collective. Later analysis showed that those household members that shared aid and were well connected were better able to cope with the drought.

A repeat of the household survey and social network analysis study on the 2016-2017 drought and supporting key informant interviews (KIIs), focus group discussions and HHH case studies will be undertaken in 2024 to understand to what degree pastoral societies in times of drought have changed, and what are the implications for humanitarian aid delivery and for development and resilience-building support. Focus group discussions will be analysed through a thematic analysis using NVivo. The study is supported by SPARC.

Scope of work:

The consultant will be responsible for:

• Undertake a literature review on women (including pastoral women) and collectivity and social networking.
• Reviewing the research data and results collected from three case study areas.
• Develop an outline of a report in agreement with research leads.
• Write report and policy brief.
• Present report at a national meeting for dissemination of research results.

With other researchers produce a journal article on the role on the role women play in social networks including food aid sharing.

Final products:

• Research report
• Policy brief
• Journal article

Required qualifications:

Education:

• Masters degree in gender, development, agriculture, natural resource management or similar
• At least five years’ experience in gender research.
• Proven writing ability including reports, journal articles and policy briefs

Experience:

• At least 5 years in gender research.

Language requirement:

• English (fluent).

Duty Station: Ethiopia with expected places of travel: possibly travel within Ethiopia

Terms of appointment: The consultant appointment is for a maximum of 50 working days.

Applications: Applicants should provide a cover letter and curriculum vitae; names and addresses (including telephone and email) of three referees who are knowledgeable about the candidate’s professional qualifications and work experience to be included in the curriculum vitae.

The position and reference number: REF: C/G/33/24 should be clearly indicated in the subject line of the cover letter. All applications to be submitted online on our recruitment portal: http://ilri.simplicant.com/ before 13 December 2024.

ILRI does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing or training).

Suitably qualified women are particularly encouraged to apply.

To find out more about ILRI visit our website at http://www.ilri.org

To find out more about working at ILRI visit our website at http://www.ilri.org/

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