CALL FOR CONSULTANCY APPLICATIONS - Consultancy for UN SR VAW -Intersectional & Multiple Gender
Published: Tuesday, July 27, 2010
CALL FOR CONSULTANCY APPLICATIONS - UN SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
TERMS OF REFERENCE
The Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, its causes and consequences, Ms. Rashida Manjoo, wishes to carry out comprehensive research on the topic of intersectional and multiple forms of discrimination in the context of violence against women. The findings of the research will inform her annual report, which will be presented at the 17th session of the Human Rights Council in June 2011.
Conceptual framework
Historically, the prohibition of discrimination in international human rights law identified people within a single category along characteristics such as race, sex, religion or ethnicity[1], and failed to take into account the reality that people have multiple, interlocking and sometimes contested identities that shape their lives.
In recent years, interlinked and mutually reinforcing trends, including recommendations of United Nations human rights treaty bodies, have increased the demand for a more comprehensive analysis of the dynamics of discrimination against women, including the intersection of the various different forms of such discrimination. The Fourth World Conference on Women provided the context for increased perception that various types of discrimination may affect women and men differently. The Beijing Platform for Action, adopted at that Conference, drew attention to the fact that factors such as age, disability, socio economic position or belonging to a particular ethnic or racial group could compound discrimination on the basis of sex and create multiple barriers for women's empowerment and advancement. It also made clear that gender discrimination may be intensified and facilitated by these and other factors, and that without explicit recognition and focused monitoring of the different life experiences of women and men in private and public life, other forms of discrimination could escape detection and, therefore, appropriate remedy[2]. The Durban Declaration and Programme of Action also recognized that racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance reveal themselves in a differentiated manner for women and girls, and can be among the factors leading to a deterioration in their living conditions, poverty, violence, multiple forms of discrimination, and the limitation or denial of their human rights[3].
The mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, its causes and consequences, has consistently drawn attention to the imperative of applying an intersectional approach to identify and address the effects of multiple forms of discrimination operating simultaneously and perpetuating the continuum of violence, rather than addressing each form in isolation. In 2001 the Special Rapporteur noted that "Intersectional discrimination which results in subordination creates consequences for those affected in ways which are different from consequences suffered by those who are subject to one form of discrimination only, be it based on race, gender or some other form of discrimination, such as sexual orientation, age or class". While noting that the consequences of intersectional discrimination may remain unaddressed by prevailing human rights approaches because the specific problems or conditions created by intersectional discrimination are often subsumed within one category of discrimination, such as race or gender discrimination, she stressed that "urgent action needs to be taken at both the national and international levels to raise awareness of the multiple nature of discrimination experienced by marginalized women and to mainstream an intersectional approach"[4].
This framework has drawn attention to the experiences of women on the margins, the violations and structural barriers they face, as well as the contexts that heighten their risks and vulnerabilities to violence. It has also highlighted the need to take into account that gender-based discrimination intersects with discrimination based on other forms of "otherness", such as race, ethnicity, religion and economic status, thus forcing the majority of the world's women into situations of double or triple marginalization[5].
The intersectional framework adopted by the mandate has also helped to demonstrate how "multiple systems of discrimination and hegemony" result in three categories of discrimination: "targeted", such as in armed conflict against women of the "other" community; "compounded", in which the combination of belonging to a minority or a marginalized group bars women from opportunities that would otherwise be available to them; and "structural", whereby State policies intersect with structural discrimination to increase the degree of marginalization of women based on gender, race, poverty or migrant status[6].
However, despite this focus by the mandate and widespread discussions on intersectional discrimination, the nexus between intersectional, multiple forms of discrimination and violence against women remains a less developed and visible area of concern in international human rights documents and fora.
Scope of the Consultant's Duties
The consultant is expected to undertake research that addresses in a comprehensive and coherent manner the main issues raised above and identify the challenges posed by the interaction of multiple pervasive and systemic forms of discrimination in the context of violence against women, the gaps that exist at the international level as well as opportunities and lessons learnt.
This entails the following activities, inter alia:
a) Review and analyze existing studies, surveys and reports which focus on intersectional and multiple forms of discrimination and subordination in the context of violence against women, its causes and consequences. The review must include academic literature, relevant reports from United Nations agencies, UN special procedures and treaty bodies, regional organizations, governments, non-governmental organizations, and literature stemming out of the MDGs Review summit, in particular MDG 3 on the promotion of gender equality and women's empowerment.
b) Carry out consultations with individuals, institutions and agencies working on issues related to intersectional and multiple forms of discrimination in the context of violence against women. Consultations should include, among others, United Nations agencies and other intergovernmental bodies, human rights and women's non-governmental organizations and academic institutions. They could take various forms, such as an online discussions and targeted email and phone contact.
c) Based on a preliminary research and in consultation with the Special Rapporteur and relevant OHCHR staff, develop an outline and define concretely the parameters and key issues to be addressed in the research report. If possible, depending on time and resources, seek feedback on the proposal elaborated by a peer group or other mechanism, including through the possible participation in an expert meeting convened by the Special Rapporteur on the subject.
e) Prepare a first draft, which identifies how pervasive and systemic forms of discrimination intersect with each other in the context of violence against women, the challenges in addressing those forms of discrimination, and its impact on violence against women, its causes and consequences.
f) Prepare a final draft report, incorporating final comments provided by the Special Rapporteur and OHCHR staff. The report should include a set of conclusions and recommendations and suggest areas for future research.
Duration of the consultancy: approximately four months (starting as soon as possible in September 2010).
Location: Any location would be acceptable, as long as the consultant maintains close email and phone contact with the Special Rapporteur and relevant staff at OHCHR.
Fee: A lump sum will be paid depending on the experience of the selected candidate in accordance with consultancy rates of UN Secretariat.
Consultant's qualifications
- Advanced university degree or equivalent knowledge in the areas of international human rights law and social sciences.
- At least seven years of experience / research working on the subject of multiple forms of discrimination and its nexus with violence against women.
- Experience working with human rights, preferably in the field of gender issues, and with a particular focus on violence against women.
- Demonstrated ability to conduct research, synthesize inputs and analyze extensive research material.
- Ability to work in a team and independently.
- Fluency in English and excellent drafting skills. Ability to read French / Spanish would be an asset.
Application: Candidates fulfilling the indicated requirements are requested to send a completed P11 form (hereto attached) and a letter of motivation to vawconsultancy@ohchr.org by 15 August 2010.
by fax to: +41 22 917 9006
or by post to:
VAW Consultancy
Special Procedures Branch
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
United Nations Office at Geneva
1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
Applications by email are strongly encouraged
On all correspondence, please include the following subject line:
VAW Consultancy Application- Candidate's name
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[1] See article 2 of ICCPR and Article 2 of ICESCR, for instance, prohibiting discrimination on any ground such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.
[2] See Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, Fourth World Conference on Women.
[3] See par. 69 of the Durban Declaration, World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance.
[4] See Race, gender and violence against women (A/CONF.189/PC.3/5).
[5] See in particular the following reports from the SRVAW: Intersections between culture and violence against women (A/HRC/4/34), Intersections of violence against women and HIV /AIDS (E/CN.4/2005/72), Trafficking in women, women's migration and violence against women (E/CN.4/2000/68).
[6] 15 years of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, its causes and consequences (1994-2009) - A critical Review (A/HRC/11/ Add.5).