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Purpose of Activity/Assignment:
The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) South Sudan is a seeking a qualified Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Risk Mitigation Consultant with strong background in GBV technical support and capacity building to partners to enhance GBV risk mitigation. UNICEF is committed to addressing gender-based violence in emergencies (GBViE) and preventing and responding to GBViE is recognised as a life-saving measure and an essential component of humanitarian action. As a lead agency in addressing GBViE, UNICEF has expanded its on-the-ground programming in recent years and made prevention and risk mitigation of, and response to GBViE one of its targeted priorities in its new Strategic and Gender Action Plans (GAP) 2022-2025, as well as in the new Child Protection Strategy. GBViE contributes to the results under Goal Area 3 and is also now a cross-cutting priority across the new Strategic Plan-, making GBV risk mitigation one of UNICEF’s change strategies and a key contributor across all Goal Areas. GBViE risk mitigation is now also across all sectors and areas of work in UNICEF’s updated Core Commitments for Children. Over the past four years, UNICEF has made significant progress on integration of GBV risk mitigation into Nutrition programming, including building the evidence base both at global level and through operational research in South Sudan.

UNICEF South Sudan is scaling up efforts to address GBV risk mitigation in programming and is providing ongoing technical support to partners to implement the GBV/Nutrition programmatic package – including safety audits, consultations with women and girls, strengthening two-way referrals and coordination between nutrition and GBV partners, and community engagement and awareness – tested during the multi-year operational research study in Warrap State (2021-2023) funded by Bureau of Population, Refugees and Mitigation (BPRM) with Ministry of Health, ACF and TOCH. Findings from an operational research study on GBV/Nutrition integration have shown increased disclosure of GBV, reporting and referrals from nutrition sites to GBV services as well as improving decision making power for women and mothers at the household level. UNICEF is working closely with GBV and Nutrition partners to build on promising practices to integrate GBV risk mitigation in nutrition programmes to make them safer and more accessible for women and girls and contribute to improved nutrition outcomes for children. Additionally, UNICEF is working with WASH partners operating in emergency contexts to address GBV risks in WASH programmes with a focus on locations impacts by the Sudan crisis. Increased displacement places an extra burden on existing WASH infrastructure in displacement sites and puts a strain on scarce resources for the operation and maintenance of WASH services. As the crisis continues to worsen, women and girls bear the brunt of the conflict, and there is an urgent need to scale up immediate, life-saving care and support to those who have experienced or are at risk of GBV.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:
The purpose of this consultancy (120 days) is to provide technical support, trainings and capacity building to UNICEF partners in WASH and Nutrition to improve GBV risk mitigation measures to improve women and girls’ safety and access to assistance. The GBV Risk Mitigation Consultant will be responsible for providing technical and strategic support to selected GBV and Nutrition partners to effectively implement the GBV/Nutrition Programmatic model and scale up GBV risk mitigation in Nutriton programming. The Consultant will be based in Juba with frequent travel to states where UNICEF partners are operating. The consultant will receive overall guidance and day-to-day supervision from the GBV Specialist. S/he will work closely with the UNICEF Nutrition, WASH and Child Protection section based in field offices and Nutrition, WASH and GBV partners. This will include conducting developing a capacity strengthening plan for key Nutriton and GBV partners to implement the GBV/Nutriton Programmatic Package in selected locations and provide technical support and training to partners. Additionally, the consultant will support GBV risk mitigation in WASH programming in Unity as part of Sudan Crisis responses.
Scope of Work:

Main tasks and deliverables related to the consultancy:
1. Conduct an assessment of UNICEF GBV and Nutrition partners previously trained on the GBV/Nutriton Programmatic Package in 2023 and identify needs and priorities for capacity building and other types of support required to implement the package. This should include a review of existing staff capabilities, technical knowledge and skills on GBV risk mitigation including safety audits, consultations with women and girls, community awareness and outreach as well as availability of GBV services and functionality of GBV referral systems between GBV and Nutrition partners. The consultant will be responsible conducting the assessment detailing findings and recommendations to improve GBV risk mitigation in Nutriton programming.
2. Plan and facilitate five field-level trainings for GBV and Nutrition partners on the GBV/Nutriton Programmatic Package in selected locations based on consultation with UNICEF GBV and Nutrition team and partners.
3. Based on outcome of trainings and action plans developed, provide at least four targeted trainings to UNICEF GBV and Nutrition partners to strengthen capacity to implement the package including how to conduct safety audits and how to deal with disclosures and make safe referrals using the GBV Pocket Guide.
4. Provide ongoing mentoring, supervision and technical guidance to UNICEF partners through remote and in-person support on GBV/Nutrition integration. As part of this, field visit will be made to selected partners during the consultancy.
5. Hold a participatory review workshop with UNICEF GBV and Nutriton partners to assess progress, lessons learned and good practices to inform programming priorities and approaches for 2025.
6. In Unity State, work with GBV and WASH partners to strengthen GBV risk mitigation measures in WASH programming to make WASH safer and more accessible to women and girls and reduce risks of GBV. This will include field level visit to support to carry out safety audits, facilitating workshop to discuss findings and develop risk mitigation measures and providing trainings and technical support to WASH partners.
7. Produce a final report to document GBV risk mitigation detailing follow-up plans including technical, financial and institutional support required to advance efforts in UNICEF South Sudan.

Work Assignment Overview
Tasks/Milestone: Deliverables/Outputs: Timeline/
Deadline Payment %
Conduct an assessment of UNICEF GBV and Nutrition partners previously trained on the GBV/Nutriton Programmatic Package in 2023 and identify needs and priorities for capacity building and other types of support required to implement the package. This should include a review of existing staff capabilities, technical knowledge and skills on GBV risk mitigation including safety audits, consultations with women and girls, community awareness and outreach as well as availability of GBV services and functionality of GBV referral systems between GBV and Nutrition partners. The consultant will be responsible conducting the assessment detailing findings and recommendations to improve GBV risk mitigation in Nutriton programming. Assessment completed Report produced with findings and recommendations for technical support and follow up required 30/06/2024 10%

Plan and facilitate five field-level trainings for GBV and Nutrition partners on the GBV/Nutriton Programmatic Package in selected locations based on consultation with UNICEF GBV and Nutrition team and partners. – Five field-level trainings facilitated – GBV/Nutrition action plan developed for five locations 31/08/2024 30%

Based on outcome of trainings and action plans developed, provide at least four targeted trainings to UNICEF GBV and Nutrition partners to strengthen capacity to implement the package including how to conduct safety audits and how to deal with disclosures and make safe referrals using the GBV Pocket Guide. – Four trainings conducted for UNICEF GBV partners (Juba and/or field level) 31/10/2024 20%

Provide ongoing mentoring, supervision and technical guidance to UNICEF partners through remote and in-person support on GBV/Nutrition integration. As part of this, field visit will be made to selected partners during the consultancy. – Two field visits conducted with programmatic review reports ready for uploading in e-tools 30/11/2024 10%

Hold a participatory review workshop with UNICEF GBV and Nutriton partners to assess progress, lessons learned and good practices to inform programming priorities and approaches for 2025. – Review workshop held with GBV partners 30/11/2024 10%

In Unity State, work with GBV and WASH partners to strengthen GBV risk mitigation measures in WASH programming to make WASH safer and more accessible to women and girls and reduce risks of GBV. This will include field level visit to support to carry out safety audits, facilitating workshop to discuss findings and develop risk mitigation measures and providing trainings and technical support to WASH partners. – Field visit to Unity State One workshop on GBV risk mitigation in WASH 31/10/2024 10%

Produce a final report to document GBV risk mitigation detailing follow-up plans including technical, financial and institutional support required to advance efforts in UNICEF South Sudan. – Final report with recommendation for follow-up training/support produced 31/12/2024 10%

Minimum Qualifications required: 

Bachelors: University degree in psychology, social work, gender studies or in other similar fields.

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English. Fluency in Arabic an asset.
•  A minimum of 5 years of GBV programming experience with either the UN and/or NGO with a focus on GBV risk mitigation.
• Strong understanding of GBV risk mitigation including GBV GBViE Minimum Standards and Interagency Guidelines for Integrating GBV in Humanitarian Action (the ‘GBV Guidelines’)
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to effectively liaise with people in a wide range of functions in a multi-cultural environment.
• Ability to collect, collate and analyse data in an effective manner and strong writing skills.
• Proven experience of planning and facilitating trainings, workshops and other capacity building modalities
• Ability to work independently and productively, with multiple stakeholders in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to work productively in a team and independently, and to handle requests or issues as they arise.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).

To view our competency framework, please visit  here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks: 

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.