Type of Contract: Individual Contract
Post Level: National Consultant
Duration of Initial Contract: 6 months

Background
UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security.

About the Spotlight Initiative
The Spotlight Initiative in Nigeria aims to support a Nigeria where all women and girls, particularly the most vulnerable, live a life free from violence and harmful practices. The vision will be realized by addressing the linkages between sexual and gender-based violence and harmful practices with related aspects of sexual and reproductive health and rights as a cross-cutting theme.

Focus is on prevention efforts, particularly addressing the root causes of gender-based violence and harmful practices (child marriage and FGM) against women and girls; and ensuring access to inclusive, timely, and quality services for victims and survivors with a vibrant CSOs and women movement. The geographical scope is vertical, supporting interventions at federal, state and community levels and horizontally across 5+1 focus states of Lagos, Sokoto, FCT, Ebonyi, Adamawa and Cross River and the FCT.

The Initiative visualizes to deliver on the following results:

• Existence and enforcement of non-discriminatory legislative and policy frameworks favorable to protect and empower women and girls where impact is assessed and monitored;
• Strengthened national and sub-national systems institutions with trained and capacitated staff who coordinate and deliver a multi-sectoral response;
• Communities, including  community gatekeepers such as traditional and religious leaders, men and boys, community structures and champions, are mobilized and engaged as agents of change to help transform social norms and attitudes towards prevention of violence and harmful practices against women and girls;
• Women and girls’ capacity with regards their rights to wellbeing is strengthened by  addressing barriers to facilitate timely access to acceptable and quality essential services;
• National and sub-level institutions have capacities and resources to collectively, analyze and use quality age and gender disaggregated data for decision-making;
• Empowered women’s rights groups and civil society organizations are better able to advocate, influence and advance programming on EVAWG and HP.

Male members of communities constitute a higher percentage of perpetrators of VAWG/SGBV/HP against women and girls. It is therefore imperative that platforms are established and strengthened to engage male champions, opinion leaders, celebrities, religious/traditional/political leaders, young boys across all sectors in realising the goal of the Spotlight initiative. Getting to a world where women and men are equal is not just a matter of bringing men to the cause. The goals are much bigger: systematic, structural change that will equalize the economic, social and political realities for women and men.

Under the direction of the Spotlight Technical Coherence Specialist and with support from the focal person HeForShe (UN Women) the Male Engagement Consultant is responsible for the engagement of strategic individuals and organizations that will support male engagement for ending violence against women, fostering synergy among multi-stakeholders and CSOs on garnering male support for ending violence against women as well as the development and implementation of an effective advocacy strategy taking into account the following key strategic partners: UN Agencies, HeForShe Supporters, Public and Private Institutions including Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and Student Supporters. The ideal candidate will provide an implementation and engagement road map for advancing male engagement in ending violence against women which will advance the goals of the Spotlight Initiative.

UN Women is seeking someone who is organized to work effectively and thrive in a fast-paced environment, work well in team settings and have strong prioritization skills.

Duties and Responsibilities
Key Actions:
Liaise with UN Women Spotlight IPs in SI states to:

• Launch HeForShe initiative in Cross River, Sokoto, Lagos and Ebonyi and support the launch of the HeForShe campaign in other UN Women programme states.
• Support CSOs to leverage on existing HeforShe initiatives in Adamawa and FCT as well as all target states with key influencers and leaders.
• Support UN Women partners in Adamawa to strengthen HeForShe initiative
• Support Spotlight Initiative CSOs working on male engagement to EVAWG
• Conduct a desk-review of existing platforms for male engagement against SGBV/VAWG/HP
• Develop an implementation roadmap to guide Spotlight CSOs working on male engagment
• Design content for visibility/advocacy materials for the Spotlight Initiative (Male engagement/HeforShe)
• Support CSOs to mobilize men and set up platforms of men against GBV at the community level, that can be used as advocacy platforms for messaging and engagement in the promotion of gender equitable norms, and prevention of EVAW/SGBV/HP/SRHR
• Support CSOs to identify and train male advocates and champions at different levels (community, state and national) to continuously speak up against VAWG/SGBV/HP and advocate for gender equality and the empowerment of women
• Support CSOs to engage male opinion leaders to secure support for VAWG, gender equality and the empowerment of women (Class A chiefs, private sector leaders, progressive legislators, politicians at national and state levels)
• Generally monitor activities of Spotlight partners working on male engagement across the 5+1 states and provide technical guidance
• Share lessons learned and best practices with colleagues, ensure dissemination of information within the team and in the organization.

Key Deliverables:

• HeforShe campaign, launched in Lagos, Ebonyi, Cross River and Sokoto States
• Report of desk review finalised and submitted
• Implementation roadmap developed and utilized
• Advocacy platforms (one per SI state) for messaging and engagement in promotion of gender equitable norms set up
• At least 30 male advocates including PLWD identified and trained to continually speak up against VAWG/SGBV/HP in each SI State
• Two convenings for engagement of male opinion leaders (Class A chiefs, private sector leaders, progressive legislators, politicians at national and state levels) conducted (reports, attendance sheets, photographs etc)
• Lessons, stories form the field, information and best practices shared with colleagues within the team and the organisation.
• Report of activities completed and submitted.

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.

Functional Competencies:

• Strong knowledge in thematic area
• Strong programme formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation skills
• Strong knowledge of Results Based Management
• Ability to lead formulation of strategies and their implementation
• Strong networking skills.

Required Skills and Experience
Education:

• A Master’s Degree in Politics, International Relations, Communications, Marketing, Public or Business Administration, Social Sciences or other relevant field is required;
• A combination of a Bachelor’s Degree with an additional 2 years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of the Master’s Degree.

Experience:

• Minimum 7 years working in conceptualizing, building and playing a leadership role in transformative organizing campaigns/movements or Programme / Project Management experience, when combined with a master’s degree is required;
• Previous experience working in national politics presidential / political party election campaigns and / or international advocacy campaigns;
• Experience in the UN is highly desired;
• Experience in a consultancy / advisory role is an asset;
• Familiarity with the Sustainable Development Goals is an asset.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English is required
• Knowledge of the other UN official working language is an asset;
• Knowledge of a Nigeria Language is an asset.

Interested and qualified candidates should: Click here to apply online

Programme Consultant, VAPP: Abuja