Duration: The consultancy will be carried out for 65 days over the period from the contract date in October to 31 December 2020
Purpose of consultancy:
The purpose of this consultancy is to develop a national referral guideline, including all relevant tools and technical checklists necessary for the establishment and management of a comprehensive referral mechanism to support women, adolescent girls and boys’ survivors of gender-based violence (GBV). The national GBV referral pathways guideline will support effective and smooth collaboration among the multiple GBV and Child Protection (CP) actors, at various levels from Unions to Districts to the divisional service facilities and in urban settings from ward to zone and city levels. The International consultant will collaborate with a national consultant to coordinate national level consultations, consultations with GBV and CP cluster members, field interviews, and collate local resources on existing GBV referral practices either in person and/or remotely which are more convenient. Both consultants will work closely with the UNFPA Gender Unit to formulate the GBV referral pathways guideline package in consultation with GoB, UNICEF, CP & GBV cluster, and CSO stakeholders. The national referral pathways guideline is one of the major components of the proposed National Comprehensive GBV Service Delivery Model, the other two components are National GBV Case Management Guideline, and GBVIMS (Gender-based Violence Information Management System) which will be developed concurrently.
GBV is considered as one of the most prevalent forms of human rights violation against women and girls, a global pandemic that affects 1 in 3 women in their lifetime. A 2015 survey on Violence Against Women (VAW) indicates that almost two thirds (72.6%) of ever married women experienced one or more such forms of violence by their husband at least once in their lifetime, and 54.7% experienced violence during last 12 months. However, only 2.6% women took any legal actions, while only 2.4 % women know about the government help line (109). According to the survey report, despite some knowledge on where to report VAW incidences, women generally show minimum care seeking behaviour. A survey by UNW says that 76% women students of university level experienced sexual harassment by their male counterparts’/campus male staff. Sexual harassment in other public places and institutions and transport has increased significantly. Factors related to fear of husband, financial crisis and lack of trust on available services sometimes deter survivors from disclosing sensitive information to seek support. In many remote districts, women, adolescent girls and boys are not aware of GBV services at the local level.
The need of GBV case management mechanism in development and humanitarian settings in Bangladesh is not yet well recognised. Moreover, service providers are not capacitated to provide survivors centric services. Professional social work service is lacking in the country and the social service workforce under Department of Social Services are mainly engaged in delivery of social safety net services. Social Case Work and referral services by social workers are not well understood and available. Access to protection services for survivors of SGBV and GBV survivors is limited. Frontline service providers such as social workers, village police, police and health workers need to be more sensitized to identify violence and report. At tertiary level health and legal aid service providers need more orientation on providing services to GBV and SGBV survivors. Capacity of national helpline such as 1098 and 109 should be more enhanced to provide psychosocial support and linkage and referral to services. Some other challenges, such as lack of understanding and knowledge on appropriate case specific referral pathways among the front line GBV actors as well as referral focal persons, delivery of prompt service for sensitive GBV cases, lack of guidance on careful handling of GBV survivors including children and adolescents, localised resources and guidelines on referral and case management standards are hampering quality GBV care services in the country. Several stakeholder consultation including the GBV Virtual Solution Lab highlights the need for strengthening the multi-sectoral referral system nationally. Therefore, establishment of a consolidated national guideline on comprehensive GBV referral pathways will help programme partners to effectively collaborate and coordinate among the GO-NGO service providers in facilitating standard services to the women, adolescent and child survivors of GBV across the country.
UNFPA and UNICEF’s have pioneered GBV case management in humanitarian settings and henceforth continued vision of ensuring that the rights of girls and women affected by emergencies to live free from GBV are fulfilled during pandemic and natural disaster emergencies in Bangladesh. However, the services are only available in Women Friendly Spaces (WFS) and/or Child Friendly Spaces (CFS). On the other hand, in the development settings, it is challenging to provide GBV case management and referral in absence of WFS or any safe space for women and girls especially during short-term natural disasters. Due to the limitations, UNFPA has started GBV case management in developing settings based in health facilities and referral services under two dedicated projects.
Under the global mandate to address GBV in both development and humanitarian settings, UNFPA and UNICEF are committed to ensuring that the needs of GBV survivors are met through adequate health responses, psychosocial support, and comprehensive case management including referral systems in line with international guidelines. It is vital that responders/GBV service providers have the capacity to provide quality response services to the GBV survivors in Bangladesh irrespective of any situation. This must include competent and appropriate comprehensive case management and referral for and to Mental Health and psychosocial care (MHPSS), medical management of Sexual violence which includes medico-legal support, safety and security which includes and starts with temporary safe accommodation/shelters, and other social services, including linkages to welfare, social and economic empowerment and ethical and safe data management system.
UNFPA and UNICEF hold unique positions because of their mandate and area of responsibility to prevent and respond to GBV against women and children including adolescents. In Bangladesh, UNFPA and UNICEF are present at district, sub-district and community level and has already started GBV case management and referral with the partnership with GOB-NGO implementing partners. However, the national capacity on comprehensive case management and referral yet to be strengthened in a systematic and more holistic way and should be mainstreamed in the government system for making this survivor centric comprehensive system sustainable in both development and humanitarian settings in Bangladesh. In doing this UNFPA and UNICEF GBV unit will coordinate with national level GBV and CP clusters and relevant government ministries and departments.
Considering the sheer needs of a comprehensive model of GBV response services (GBV case management, GBVIMS and CPIMS and referral), UNFPA and UNICEF Bangladesh Country Office (CO) embarked on the development of a comprehensive guideline for all GO-NGO GBV and CP actors in Bangladesh. UNFPA will hire an international expert with technical supervision form UNFPA and UNICEF for the purpose of developing the National Referral Pathway Guidelines, including all relevant tools and technical checklists necessary for the establishment and management of a comprehensive GBV response service to support survivors of the GBV. The international expert will be supported by a national expert.
Scope of work:
The consultant is expected to develop a comprehensive referral guideline which meets the following objectives to harness the establishment and management of a uniform Referral System in Bangladesh:
● To review the existing referrals system if any
● To ensure that Survivors of GBV receive prompt and coordinated survivor centred response from service providers.
● To ensure that holistic and comprehensive support and services are being provided for survivors of GBV. This will include health, psychosocial support, safety and security, safe accommodation, legal and justice services.
● To ensure adherence to standards of professional practices including survivor centred approach, with regards to confidentiality, information sharing and recording of sensitive information.
● To raise awareness among all key stakeholders about GBV and the Referral Protocol
In light with the objectives mentioned above the consultant’s scope of work will include the followings;
● Undertake review of international standards, principals and IASC guidelines as well as national protocols and practices to find existing case management and referral system/model on GBV/VAW (women, adolescent, children) in different level;
● Review of the existing coordination mechanism for the comprehensive services to GBV/VAW/VAC survivors- including mapping and an analysis of available services (who does what) on delivery of GBV care services and capacities among the GBV services and providers;( An annex would be added on service mapping to ascertain services available)
● Mapping of existing referral pathways in at least two model districts to understand the challenges and limitations of existing referral pathways and barriers to access GBV services. The result of analysis should inform the proposed referral guideline and include a clear step by step directions including tools/checklists for both GO-NGO frontline GBV workers/officials on how to overcome those challenges and support the both CP and GBV survivors. The referral package will be proposed based on the context of two model districts (at least one GBV and one CP district) and the referral guideline package should be replicable to all the other districts across Bangladesh;
● Guide UNFPA and UNICEF on scope for in person and remote Gender-based Violence (GBV) Service Delivery entry points in absence of WFS or any dedicated space for women, girls and children survivors in the development settings and short term natural disaster; and determine appropriate referral pathways in contexts with protracted crisis and short-term displacement;
● Define and elaborate the protocols of establishment and management of a referral system to ensure survivor center approach applicable both vertically and horizontally within the continuum in Bangladesh. The protocols, tools and referral checklist will guide the practitioner on who to refer, how to refer, how to function the system and management, how to work a referral network at various level, how to coordinate and who to lead the coordination along with a M & E system including a sustainability plan;
● Undertake e- consultation with GO-NGO stakeholders at national/subnational level to the establishment and management of a comprehensive referral mechanism from one agency to another and identify the role of each agency/department at different levels including making a list of key agencies/actors associated with an effective referral system.
Deliverables:
1. Submission of an inception report containing the methodologies considering the covid-19 context along with a detailed work plan.
2. Develop a ‘National Guidelines in the Establishment and Management of a Referral System on Gender Based Violence (GBV)’ in Bangladesh through a participatory approach that will engage relevant stakeholders including women and girls/adolescents. The guideline is expected to guide what the referral system will replicate the interagency GBV guidelines and, how to establish and operationalize the system at different level and how to monitor the performance of the system including coordination (who to led and how) of the referral system.
3.The national guideline will entail the customization of global GBV guidelines to a Bangladesh standardized package containing the essential elements of the establishment of a referral system technical tools, standard templates and checklists with defined entry points for safe and confidential GBV case management, coordination mechanism of the referral network, roles and responsibilities of the multi-sectoral referral service providers including its focal persons from DWA/MoWCA, Health, DSS/Social welfare and law enforcement).
4. In addition to the national referral guideline, there will be a set of recommendations for service improvement to fulfil minimum global standards based on the gaps identified during the service mapping and the developed referral protocol.
5. Develop a monitoring and evaluation framework to evaluate the performance of a referral system for its sustainability.
Monitoring and progress control, including reporting requirements, periodicity format and deadline:
All the reports and documents prepared during the assignment are the property of UNFPA Bangladesh. The reports/documents or any part cannot be sold, used and/or reproduced in any manner without prior written approval of UNFPA. During the consultancy, if additional time is required to complete the assignment beyond the time previously agreed, UNFPA’s written approval will be required.
The consultant will have access to all relevant available written/web based background information necessary for this assignment. The consultant will also have the possibility to organize regular virtual meetings with the UNFPA project management and if necessary, with other relevant stakeholders.
Supervisory arrangements:
The consultant will be supervised by the Deputy Representative, UNFPA with day to day technical supervision undertaken by Programme Specialist – Gender and A & Y of UNFPA and CP Specialist of UNICEF. Technical guidance from Technical Specialist - GBV/GBV in Emergencies, GBV and CP Cluster Coordinators, APRO and Regional Emergency Gender-based Violence Coordination Specialist for Asia and the Pacific to carry out the activities mentioned above. S/he will be supported by the Programme Specialist SRHR and A & Y as necessary.
Expected travel:Remote Consultancy
Requirements:
Education:
Master’s degree in Gender/GBV, Law, Gender Studies, Development Studies, Public Policy, Social Sciences, Clinical Psychology, Social Work, or Health/Development economics or equivalent.
Experience:
● At least 7-10 years of professional expertise in one or more field of gender, gender based violence, human rights, reproductive health and rights
● Experience in designing coordination system, referral system, rights based programmes, multi sectoral /integrated programme approach will be an asset
● Proven relevant experience in developing GBV case management tools and guidelines.
● Proven relevant experience in establishing referral pathway/system
● Proven relevant experience in developing training curriculums, modules and materials on GBV case management and referral pathway
● Experience in M & E framework/tools
● Proven experience in GBV/CPMIS
● Experience in mental-health/healthcare services, with special focus on behavioural and bio-psychosocial problems and disorders is preferable.
● Good understanding of the issues of GBV and the system of case management and psychosocial support and referral system relevant to the local context
● Experience of working at a global or regional level especially in the South Asia region.
Competencies:
● Knowledge and ability to deliver quality work output in high stress or short deadline situations.
● Strong interpersonal skills, ability to coordinate and synchronize work with people of diverse cultural backgrounds, consensus building, team working and consortium dynamics.
● Excellent written and spoken English communication skills.
● Demonstrated ability to assess and analyse complex situations in order to determine conclusions and recommendations.
● Excellent facilitation and diplomatic skills with the ability to facilitate mutual understanding and cooperation from senior national stakeholders in a highly political environment.
● Flexible and responsive to changes as part of the review and feedback process.
● Knowledge of Bangladeshi culture is an asset.
How to apply:
Applicants with the required qualifications and experience stated above (Required expertise, qualifications and competencies, including language requirements) should submit a copy of curriculum vitae (CV) with a cover letter.
Please Send your application electronically to dedicated email addresses of: sarder@unfpa.org
Note: Only those candidates in who meet all qualifications and experience will be contacted for further consideration. Kindly note that incomplete