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Hiring Office:
UNFPA Bosnia and Herzegovina

Purpose of consultancy:
In September 2018, in view of an emerging mixed migration crisis, UNFPA Bosnia and Herzegovina initiated emergency response that enabled local institutions to work on the development of SOPs for GBV and provide safe spaces for women and girls refugees/migrants.
In order to improve the situation in the field, provide protection services to affected population and achieve sustainability through building local capacities for work on GBV protection and provision of SRH services, continuation of previously started activities is necessary in Una-Sana Canton where most vulnerable population of refugees/migrants (families and unaccompanied girls and boys) are located. One of the crucial support services are two Women and Girls Centres in migrants/refugees settlements established by UNFPA Bosnia and Herzegovina, where following women empowerment services are regularly provided:

  • socializing and re-building of women’s and girls’ social networks;
  • receive social support;
  • acquire contextually relevant skills;
  • access to safe and non-stigmatizing multi-sectorial GBV response services (psychosocial support and referral to legal and medical services);
  • Receive information on issues relating to women’s rights, health, and services.

Under its global mandate to address GBV in humanitarian settings, and as the lead agency for multi sectoral coordination of GBV, UNFPA is committed to ensuring that women and girls affected by the different emergencies are protected and that the needs of GBV survivors are met through adequate health responses, psychosocial support and case management in line with international guidelines and best practices. It is vital that frontline local organizations and first responders have the capacity and competency to provide quality response services and care for women and girls to ensure their right to safety from violence and safety in emergencies.

Under the overall supervision of GBVIE and DRR Project Manager and in coordination with the WGC/Case Management Coordinator, the Women Empowerment Officers will provide Farsi/Pashtu/Urdu/Arabic/Kurdish-English/BHS and vice versa translation and support psycho social and all other life skills activities for migrant women and gills. Empowerment Officers will prepare, organize and implement various empowerment activities for women and adolescent girls and will support MHPSS Experts in follow up on the most vulnerable cases. In addition, Empowerment Officers play a crucial role in bringing different cultures together, raising awareness of cultural specificities and embracing diversity.

Scope of work:
(Description of services, activities, or outputs)

Women Empowerment Officers are expected to provide the following services:

Translation services from Farsi/Pashtu/Urdu/Arabic/Kurdish-English/BHS and vice versa of all required activities organized in two Women and Girls Centres in USC:

  1. Women Empowerment Officers will prepare and provide translation to all psychosocial support services/SRH info sessions offered to migrant/refugee women through group and individual sessions.
  2. Provide support to all team members in organizing relevant activities with focus on specialized help to vulnerable women and girls.

Interaction with women migrants - engaging appropriately and respectfully, upholding the principles of confidentiality, dignity and diversity.

Organization and facilitation of the women empowerment programs/activities:

  1. Women Empowerment Officers will in cooperation with other team members prepare plan for women empowerment programs/activities and implement it in the two Women and Girls Centres in USC as per agreed schedule;
  2. Organize interactive women empowerment group discussions with the aim of raising consciousness on their nature and capacities to inspire them;
  3. Provide educational activities (groups discussions/meaningful activities for different age groups with the aim to empower them on individual level and to build their capacity to actively contribute to their communities, as well as IT, language and literacy lessons and other courses as identified with affected population);
  4. Support recreational activities such as: sports, painting, drawing, theatre, music, hair and make-up sessions, etc.;
  5. Support women safety sessions such as: risk identification and reduction strategies; sexual and reproductive health; women’s rights; positive coping strategies; life skills; and hygiene promotion, etc.;
  6. Organize activities outside Women and Girls Centre in order to identify the most vulnerable women and girls
  7. Implement and support the implementation of focus group discussions, Women and Girls Committee meetings, participatory activities, etc.
  8. Prepare and submit weekly work plans and daily/weekly reports. Also, provide inputs for regular UNFPA reporting mechanisms in a timely manner.

Provide support to Sexual and Reproductive Health services:

  1. Provide translation support to the successful implementation of the SRH component, including hygiene promotion;
  2. Follow up on beneficiaries in need for SRH services.
  3. Any other duties as agreed with supervisor and team members.

Duration and working schedule:
15 December 2020— 28 February 2021, possible extension in line with available budget. One month of probation period is required.

Place where services are to be delivered:
Una Sana Canton

Delivery dates and how work will be delivered (e.g. electronic, hard copy etc.):
The work will be done daily (8 hours per day, 40 hours per week) in line with developed and approved weekly/monthly work plans.
Reports to be submitted on a daily/weekly basis with all relevant information.

Monitoring and progress control, including reporting requirements, periodicity format and deadline:
Monitoring will be provided on a daily basis by Women and Girls Centre/Case Management Coordinator and GBVIE and DRR Project Manager

Supervisory arrangements:
The consultant will work under the overall supervision of the GBVIE and DRR Project Manager.

Expected travel:
The consultant is expected to travel locally within Bihac region.

Required expertise, qualifications and competencies, including language requirements:
University degree in social work, psychology, human rights law, educational, humanitarian or development work, or other relevant field related to work with children, gender, humanitarian and development issues, and GBV prevention and response.
MA Degree would be consider an asset.

At least 1 year of experience in humanitarian work and with vulnerable population.
At least 2 years of previous experience in providing services related to matter of this ToR.
Written and spoken proficiency in English.
Written and spoken proficiency in one of the following languages is required: Arabic, Farsi, Pashtu, Urdu, Kurdish, etc.
Understanding and experience in working with people from diverse cultural setting would be consider as an asset.
Ability to adapt to new environments and to establish and maintain good working relations with individuals of different cultural backgrounds;
Flexibility and harmonization of work with constant and frequent changes is necessary and required!

Other relevant information or special conditions, if any:
UNFPA reserves the right to offer to the selected candidate the rate in accordance with UNFPA consultant rates and UNFPA available budget. Payment for contractor will not exceed average UNFPA rates for national consultants.
Where the contractor fails to deliver the required quality of products, the rate payable will be reduced. UNFPA reserves the right to assess the quality of products. Contractor has the obligation to finalize products/documents to the full UNFPA satisfaction.

To apply, please send your Curriculum Vitae and Motivational letter to bosnia-herzegovina.office@unfpa.org with Women Empowerment Officer Vacancy in the subject line by December 1, 2020.