The Position:

Gender-based violence (GBV) is one of the most pervasive human rights violations in Bangladesh. The 2024 Violence Against Women (VAW) Survey found that three in four women (76%) have experienced at least one form of intimate partner violence in their lifetime, while nearly half (49%) experienced such violence in the past 12 months. Violence is often chronic and recurring, rooted in harmful gender norms and unequal power relations. Yet most survivors do not disclose their experiences, with 64% remaining silent and only a small fraction seeking legal or medical services. Qualitative evidence accompanying the survey shows that GBV is widely normalized, reinforced by a culture of silence and social acceptance that justifies its persistence. Structural barriers, such as weak law enforcement, gaps in protective legislation and policies, and limited survivor-centred services, further intensify risks. Harmful practices such as dowry and child marriage remain widespread, fueling cycles of violence. These realities underscore the urgent need to strengthen prevention efforts, tackling the root causes and risk factors to effectively accelerate action toward ending GBV.

National evidence on what works to prevent GBV remains limited. Prevention efforts have traditionally centered on raising awareness and shifting individual attitudes, often implemented at small scale and without strong integration with GBV response services. Yet there is significant potential to expand prevention programming grounded in the social-ecological model, embedded within government systems, and strategically linked to response services. This aligns with global evidence demonstrating that GBV is preventable through well-designed, evidence-based strategies, including in low- and middle-income settings.

To address the need for an evidence-based, scalable, system-based and contextualized GBV prevention programme in Bangladesh, UNFPA is now expanding national prevention efforts. This work will draw on findings from the VAW Survey as well as global and regional evidence and best practices on GBV prevention. The National Consultant will play a key role in this effort by advancing national GBV prevention programming, whilst supporting the design of interventions across a prevention-response continuum. S/he will support UNFPA Bangladesh in delivering evidence-based, multi-component and multi-level GBV prevention programming by contributing to formative research, stakeholder consultations, evidence mapping on effective approaches, curricula development and piloting of tested tools and strategies.

Additionally, to strengthen the evidence base of interventions as an integral part of the GBV prevention programming, the Consultant will assist key follow-up activities related to the Violence Against Women Survey (2024), ensuring its findings directly inform national policy development, advocacy, programming and other engagement. S/he will be based in the UNFPA office in Dhaka, with necessary travel in UNFPA’s selected interventions districts. Under the overall guidance of the Deputy Representative, the incumbent will report directly to the Chief of Gender unit at the UNFPA Country Office

How you can make a difference:

UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person”s potential is fulfilled. UNFPA’s strategic plan (2022-2025), reaffirms the relevance of the current strategic direction of UNFPA and focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. These results capture our strategic commitments on accelerating progress towards realizing the ICPD and SDGs in the Decade of Action leading up to 2030. Our strategic plan calls upon UN Member States, organizations and individuals to “build forward better”, while addressing the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on women’s and girls’ access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, recover lost gains and realize our goals.

In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards, and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction.

UNFPA is seeking candidates that transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results; we need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results.

Job Purpose:

You would be responsible for:

• Facilitate the onboarding of a technical agency/firm to co-create the GBV prevention programme, ensuring close coordination with the agency and the UNFPA Bangladesh team.
• Support UNFPA Bangladesh in conducting and implementing formative research, gender-power analyses, and baseline surveys as needed, ensuring quality assurance and contextual relevance.
• Co-create tools and strategies for the GBV prevention programme and test them in selected districts.
• Support the development of structured curricula tailored to different target groups, aligned with globally tested models.
• Support the training of local implementers, facilitators, and key stakeholders in the GBV prevention programme.
• Assist in linking GBV prevention interventions with existing response mechanisms, including case management, referral systems, and psychosocial support services.
• Co-create a diffusion strategy and develop the required tools to ensure community engagement, activism, and mobilization.
• Design and integrate learning mechanisms into the programme, such as continuous risk monitoring and community feedback loops.
• Support UNFPA Bangladesh in integrating the prevention programme into government systems to strengthen sustainability and scalability.
• Facilitate the implementation of GBV prevention programming in development settings, ensuring coordination with government and key partners.
• Map donor priorities and opportunities for GBV prevention, including in emergency contexts, and support resource mobilization efforts.
• Prepare reports, summaries, briefs, and fact sheets on GBV prevention programming for visibility, donor briefings, and advocacy.
• Provide technical support for assessments of the GBV prevention programme as required.
• Support the integration of GBV prevention across cross-sectoral programme planning and proposals.
• Provide technical guidance to integrate tailored GBV prevention interventions into existing response services in development and humanitarian settings.
• Work closely with the GBViE Officer to ensure GBV prevention strategies are effectively applied in climate-affected settings.
• Strengthen linkages across Gender, SRHR, Adolescent and Youth, and humanitarian units, including the Cox’s Bazar Sub-Office, to maximize programmatic impact.
• Develop a publication on the lesson learned and good practices from the VAW Survey to inform future national surveys and serve as a reference for other countries
• Support development and dissemination of a policy brief on VAW survey findings to guide evidence-based programming
• Work closely with Demographic Data and Intelligence (DDI) Unit to develop and disseminate a monograph on technology-facilitated GBV to guide evidence-based programming, legislative and policy actions.
• Work with UNFPA’s communication team and DDI unit to design and disseminate the qualitative study on VAW.

Duration and working schedule: The consultancy will initially be for 11 months in between January – December 2026 and starting immediate after signing the contract.

Place where services are to be delivered: The services are to be delivered to the UNFPA Country Office.

Delivery dates and how work will be delivered (e.g. electronic, hard copy etc.): All of the tasks and activities outlined in the ToR are needed to be delivered within the contract period in 2026. The consultant will submit electronic copies of all the deliverables to the Chief of Gender unit.

Monitoring and progress control, including reporting requirements, periodicity format and deadline: Progress will be monitored on a monthly basis, sharing electronic updates against terms of reference and deliverables; The consultant will work closely with the SRHR, A&Y and M&E officer in Dhaka Office and Cox’s Bazar Office as necessary to carry out the duties, as detailed above.

The consultant will provide monthly progress updates to the Chief of Gender unit, UNFPA.

Supervisory arrangements: The consultant will work under the overall guidance of the Deputy Representative of UNFPA Bangladesh, and direct supervision of the Chief of the Gender unit to carry out the activities mentioned above.

Expected travel: The consultancy will involve both in-person and remote delivery of services. The consultant is expected to travel to the identified districts for formative research, stakeholder consultations, data collection, testing of tools and strategies, and pilot implementation of the GBV prevention programme.

Qualifications and Experience:

Education:

Master degree in Social sciences/International Relations/Women and Gender studies/Development studies or related subject.

Knowledge and Experience:

● Two years of professional experience in gender, GBV, development, and population activities is preferable.

● Experience in formative research, surveys, project assessments, GBV prevention, programme management, and policy advocacy.

● Familiarity with emerging forms of GBV, including technology-facilitated and climate change-induced GBV.

● Experience in generating or analysing data on violence against women and translating them into actionable recommendations.

● Experience in developing concept notes, project proposals, publications, human interest stories, technical briefs, and talking points and speech for the senior management

● Experience developing and implementing advocacy and communication strategies.

● Knowledge of survivor-centered approaches in GBV programming.

● Familiarity with the standards and requirements of the UN/UNFPA programming is an asset;

● Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English; and sound analytical skills.

● Ability to work independently.

Inputs / services to be provided by UNFPA or implementing partner (e.g. support services, office space, equipment), if applicable: The consultant will be responsible for arranging his/her own computer and other working aid equipment. S/he will be required to work both from the UNFPA offices and remotely, and therefore should have access to the internet and communications.

Level of Consultancy NOA

Required Competencies:

Values:

• Exemplifying integrity,
• Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system,
• Embracing cultural diversity,
• Embracing change

Core Competencies:

• Achieving results,
• Being accountable,
• Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen,
• Thinking analytically and strategically,
• Working in teams/managing ourselves and our relationships,

UNFPA Work Environment:

UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore encourage women to apply. Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of UNFPA”s workforce – click here to learn more.

Disclaimer:

Selection and appointment may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, visa issuance and other administrative requirements.

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants” bank accounts.

Applicants for positions in the international Professional and higher categories, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.