Background:

Mobilization against gender-equality and gender equality backsliding are a serious threat to further gender equality advancements, and demand coordinated responses from international organizations, national authorities and civil society organizations and movements.

Under the CHANGE project, ODIHR aims to strengthen the collective and institutional impact on democratic institutions, policies and social norms to advance gender equality, women’s human rights and women’s safety. ODIHR will work on developing a guide for democratic institutions and civil society on how to counter gender-equality backsliding and coordinated mobilization against gender equality.

The guide will be informed by emerging efforts and practices by the CHANGE transnational network on gender equality, which aims to prevent, address and reverse gender equality backsliding in Georgia, North Macedonia and Poland through primary data collection and desk review of other available responses and emerging good practice in addressing and reversing gender equality backsliding.

Gender equality backsliding is understood in this context as adversity, hostility and resentful reactions to gender-sensitive language and gender equality policies and practices. This covers a range of deliberate and aggressive behaviours, discourses, practices and structures that seek to and ultimately destabilize and undermine the foundation of the human rights framework, stop the implementation of gender equality laws, erode gender equality mechanisms and institutions, and challenge the OSCE and other international commitments on gender equality, as well as reverse gender equality gains in society.

Objective of Assignment:

The objective of this consultancy is to conduct research and prepare a draft guide on how democratic institutions and civil society organizations can respond to 1) mobilization against gender equality and 2) gender equality backsliding, in order to support the implementation of OSCE commitments. Two international consultants are to be hired, to work as co-researcher and co-authors of this guide.

Duration of Assignment:

12 days

Tasks and responsibilities:

Under the overall supervision of the Chief of the Democratic Governance and Gender Unit, with support and assistance from CHANGE Project Officer, and Adviser on Gender Issues the successful candidate will be tasked with providing the following deliverables:

1. Starting from the draft publication outline and description of individual chapters, prepared by ODIHR staff, the international consultants will work together in preparing a final publication outline, aiming at preparing a guide of 20-30 pages for a) democratic institutions and b) civil society on how they can counter gender-equality backsliding and mobilization against gender equality, focusing on mobilization against women’s rights. The guide will provide 1) an introduction to the phenomenon, explaining what forms it takes, who the actors are, and what outcomes it has achieved. The guide will also present 2) good practices of responses to such backsliding and mobilization, including multiple case studies from OSCE countries. Finally, the guide’s main focus should be 3) practical guidance, in the form of tools, strategies and measures, that democratic institutions and civil society can deploy to counter gender equality backsliding and mobilization against gender equality.
2. Based on the approved publication outline, see point 1, conduct desk research (academic literature, practical publications of civil society or international organizations, materials received from ongoing work as part of the CHANGE project, existing ODIHR publications), looking into cases and experiences from countries from across the OSCE region, and preparing a draft publication. If needed, consultants shall, in coordination with the Adviser on Gender Issues, conduct interviews and focus groups, aiming at expanding their understanding and increasing the quality of the research and drafting process. ODIHR will also provide input collected as part of our existing work and part of existing publications.

Deliverables:

1.1: Update publication outline, with description of individual chapters, ca 2-5 pages, in English and gender-sensitive language, not later than 25 November 2024;

1.2: Based on feedback provided by a broad group of ODIHR staff from different departments, as appropriate, and channelled through the Adviser on Gender Issues or CHANGE Project Officer, final updated publication outline, with description of individual chapters, ca 2-5 pages, in English and gender-sensitive language, not later than 1 December 2024;

2.1: Draft publication, in line with approved outline, ca. 20-30 pages, in English and gender-sensitive language, not later than 20 December 2024;

2.2: Based on feedback provided by a broad group of ODIHR staff from different departments, as appropriate, and channelled through the Adviser on Gender Issues or CHANGE Project Officer, final draft of the publication, ca. 20-30 pages, in English and gender-sensitive language, not later than 27 December 2024;

Necessary Qualifications:

• Advanced university degree in social sciences or humanities, or equivalent professional experience;
• PhD and gender studies-related research and teaching experience is an advantage;
• Excellent knowledge of human rights, democratic governance, civil society and gender equality developments in the OSCE region, including related to gender equality backsliding;
• Minimum ten years of relevant research and publishing experience in the area of gender equality, including research on gender equality backsliding and mobilization against gender equality in one or multiple OSCE participating States;
• Evidence of experience in publishing on gender equality backsliding and mobilization against gender equality;
• Professional fluency in English language, both oral and written;
• Strong organizational and communication skills;
• Flexibility, ability to work under minimal supervision and deliver against tight deadlines.

Remuneration Package:

Remuneration will be based on the selected consultant’s/expert’s qualifications, experience, the tasks and deliverables for this position and in accordance with the OSCE established rates.

If you wish to apply for this position, please use the OSCE’s online application link found under https://vacancies.osce.org/.

The OSCE retains the discretion to re-advertise/re-post the vacancy, to cancel the recruitment or to offer an appointment with a modified job description or for a different duration.

Only those candidates who are selected to participate in the subsequent stages of recruitment will be contacted.

The OSCE is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all religious, ethnic and social backgrounds to apply to become a part of the Organization.

Candidates should be aware that OSCE officials shall conduct themselves at all times in a manner befitting the status of an international civil servant. This includes avoiding any action which may adversely reflect on the integrity, independence and impartiality of their position and function as officials of the OSCE. The OSCE is committed to applying the highest ethical standards in carrying out its mandate. For more information on the values set out in OSCE Competency Model, please see https://jobs.osce.org/resources/document/our-competency-model.

Please be aware that the OSCE does not request payment at any stage of the application and review process.