Background

United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) strives to promote gender equality and women’s human rights, strengthen the implementation of gender-sensitive policy and legislation, and eliminate all forms of violence against women. UN Women is strategically positioned at both the national and provincial levels in moving towards the realization of gender equality and women’s empowerment. UN Women provides support to innovative initiatives that promote women’s human rights, with a special focus on their economic security, governance/ political participation, freedom from violence, as well as access to justice.

Sudanese women have played a central role in all the key political events Sudan has gone through, from the 2018 uprising to this date, supporting peace and civilian rule. During the uprising and post-military coup in October 2021, women, particularly young women, were at the forefront of the demonstrations, demanding the fall of the regime and stepping down of the military. With the renewed political process between the military and civic forces in 2023, and with the support of the UN, IGAD, and African Union, women actively engaged in the process of reinstalling the civil government, contributed to the engendering of the Political Framework Agreement, drafted gender-sensitive provisions for the constitution and advocated for its integration in the forthcoming fundamental law. In response to the war of April 15th, between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, women have organized themselves in an unprecedented manner between groups calling for ending the war and accountability for conflict-related sexual violence while others took the lead in providing humanitarian assistance and ensuring a gender-responsive response of humanitarian action across the country.

Significant peace and peacebuilding efforts by women’s groups, however, face key challenges. In addition to questions about how to ensure a coordinated response and agree on an agenda to robustly contribute to regional peace processes, another challenge is inclusivity amidst the new situation of war and deteriorating economic situation, as well as the emergence of war economy. The destruction of the factories and other productive assets, the basic infrastructure (such as water facilities and electricity), and the looting of the banks have all had paramount effects on the economic and social domains. Women and girls bear the brunt of the conflict as many have fled their state to other safe states where they have been hosted in shelters by relatives and unknown individuals. The situation of women refugees in the neighbouring countries is yet to be documented. However, the reports of the human rights commissions have indicated that women refugees have been exposed to severe violations of their rights, specifically SGBV on the corridors and migrations routes to neighbouring countries.

Loss of livelihood is among the critical issues that emerge during the humanitarian crisis, and it is also key and central to peacebuilding. Normally, women constitute the majority of the informal workers, actively engaging in subsistence farming and petty trade. The war has had devastating effects on the main source of livelihood that women rely on. The displacement of women, girls, and children to safe states has added a burden on women on how to secure their family’s livelihood, an issue that has been reiterated by several women’s organizations and initiatives in their statements to the international community.

In addition, the hosting states are negatively impacted and suffer the economic consequences of the war. Women in the shelters lack access to basic needs and services. Further, the hosting families are overburdened with high expenditures levels, compounded by the rise of the cost of living, increased number of unemployed family members, and the high prices of goods and services. The suspension of trade activities impacted the prices of goods and services. New routes of trade have been opened from Ethiopia to Eastern and other safe states to replace the suspension of trade with other countries due to the war. Displaced male traders from the hosting communities have started to engage in border trade activities while displaced women and vulnerable women from hosting communities are confronted with cultural barriers, social norms, and a lack of access to funds to pursue and engage in trade, and other business domains. This in return is negatively impacting on the participation of a considerable number of women in determining the course of the direction of peace in Sudan and creating lasting peace.

UN Women is implementing a project In Gezira Blue Nile, Red Sea and Gedarif aimed at enhancing the role of women’s and young women-led peace organizations’ role in humanitarian settings and peace, amplifying women’s voices, and strengthening coordination for effective participation in the peace process. Furthermore, the project aims to support displaced women with livelihood and enhance the economic opportunities, and the autonomy of women in the hosting communities of displaced persons.

It is against this backdrop that UN Women seeks to recruit qualified 4 lead researchers to undertake a baseline survey in Gedarif, Red Sea, Blue Nile and Gezira states to support and generate baseline value for the project intervention and to facilitate the measurement of the achievement against the target. Further, a mapping of the women, and young-women-led peace organizations will be convened to generate data on the capacities of the organization, the challenges they face, and how they coordinate to enhance their role in humanitarian and peacebuilding. Additionally, the consultant will also the situations of displaced women, and women from the host communities, and the role of media in fostering women’s role in humanitarian and peacebuilding.

Duties and Responsibilities

The consultant will be reporting to the Specialist Women Peace and Security Specialist and will be supported by the Women’s Political Participation Consultant, who will serve as the primary contact for contractual and payment matters.

Description of Responsibilities/ Scope of Work

Overall objective:

Present a comprehensive analysis of the situation of displaced women, women from the host communities, and the involvement of women-led peace organizations in peace and humanitarian initiatives Present a comprehensive analysis of the situation faced by displaced women, women within host communities, and the participation of women-led peace organizations in peace and humanitarian initiatives.

Specific Objectives

• Provide contextual analysis on the socio-economic, political, and cultural environment surrounding displaced women, and from the host communities.
• Undertake mapping of the existing and potential women and young women-led peace organizations and initiatives, and reflect on their roles, engagement in coalition with other women’s groups and other civic-led initiatives against war such as but not limited to ( emergency room, trade unions movement, “Tgadom” etc), capacities, needs, the scope of their work, challenges they face, opportunities for empowerment and their coordination efforts to enhance the humanitarian delivery as well as WPS messages.
• Reflect on the socio-economic, political, and cultural situations of the displaced women, and women from host communities, and examine their economic empowerment status, including access to resources at the household level, improved livelihood and economic opportunities, priorities, and the challenges they face.
• Identify the media capacities and roles in fostering women’s engagement in the humanitarian and peace processes.
• Assess the current levels of women’s participation and leadership in peacebuilding and conflict resolution initiatives in Sudan.
• Identify vocational training capacities of IDP’s women and host communities.
• Undertake a quick market assessment to understand the vocational training needs of women, girls, and young men in IDPs and the host community.
• Understand the protection needs of women and girls, the resources available, and how to strengthen the capacity available at the community level.

Duties and responsibilities of the Lead Researcher

The lead Researchers are expected to perform the following tasks:

• Conduct interviews, focus group discussions (FGDs), and any other tools with targeted groups and stakeholders in close collaboration with the lead consultant, data collectors, and other lead researchers.
• Support the process of the identification of the target host communities, and shelters.
• Contribute to ideas regarding the data collection and the management of data entry.
• Manage the process of the data collection in close coordination with the data collectors, and the lead consultant.
• Manage the accuracy of the data collection and revise the collected questionnaires on a regular base to reduce the risk of having questionnaires not filled in as required.

Commit to the delivery of any other activities of relevance to the project as requested by the lead consultant.

Deliverables

Consultant’s Workplace and Official Travel

This consultancy is home-based. Any trips to other cities will be confirmed accordingly.

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

Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Core Values and Competencies:

https://www.unwomen.org/en/about-us/employment/application-process#_Values

FUNCTIONAL COMPETENCIES:

• Research and analytical skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Strong organizational and project management skills.
• Excellent management of the data collection process, including overseeing data entry and ensuring the accuracy of collected information.
• Knowledge of the socio-economic, political, and cultural situations of displaced women and women from host communities.

Required Skills and Experience

Education and Certification:

• Minimum M.SC degree in gender, social sciences, or any other related discipline.

Experience:

• Expertise in gender-related aspects
• At least five years’ experience in conducting research, mapping, assessments, and analyses.
• Knowledge, and skills in the use of qualitative and quantitative data collection tools
• Sound knowledge of women dynamics, and movement

Languages:

Fluency in Arabic and English is required.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English and Arabic are required.