Review of GBV Programme Practice

Introduction

Christian Aid is an international humanitarian and development agency with an increasing focus on peace working in 29 countries across Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. As a multi- mandate organisation, Christian Aid combines lifesaving relief assistance to those most in need in crises, with building the long-term resilience of vulnerable communities to cope with future threats and advocating with those in power to tackle the causes and consequences of crises. Our work explicitly aims at challenging power imbalances within societies by increasing the power of poor and marginalised women and men, strengthening their voice, and helping them to engage with those in positions of authority to participate in their own governance. We understand that people in poverty often face several, intersecting, inequalities based on their identities. We strive for a more inclusive world where identity – gender, ethnicity, caste, religion, class, sexual orientation, disability, age – is no longer a barrier to equal treatment. Violence is also a major cause of poverty around the world, with 80% of all humanitarian crises driven by armed conflict1. Our ‘From Violence to Peace’ strategy aims to contribute to peacebuilding efforts, ensuring access to justice and accountability, and protecting those most at risk of violence and supporting inclusive peacebuilding.

GBV Programming

Christian Aid recognised gender-based violence needs specific design approaches as an often hidden, normalised, or stigmatised form of violence. Christian Aid uses an ‘ecological model’ to help tackle GBV by showing how it is part of inter-related gender dynamics, to help deepen analysis and understand how interventions could change attitudes and behaviours, relationships, or structures and processes, and recognises interconnected levels (society, community, relationship and individual).

Christian Aid teams are engaged in tackling GBV in several countries, including Gender Based Violence Programming in Contexts Affected by Violence and Conflict. Our interventions include shifting social beliefs and norms that underpin gendered violence; working with institutions, faith and traditional leaders to tackle systematic abuse and violence against women and girls; supporting women leadership as well as their economic empowerment, advocating for legal recourse, policy change and state services, encouraging men and boys to adopt positive forms of masculinity, and providing adequate support to GBV survivors. Our experience has shown us that successful interventions are those that are tailored and based on rigorous analysis of the particular factors affecting violence against women and girls (VAWG) in a specific context, including setting, form of violence and population affected by the violence. Change is most often enacted when working across different levels. A survivor-led and human rights-based approach is central and non-negotiable. This means that our interventions aim to support solutions delivered under the leadership of women themselves, holding an absolute focus on their rights, needs and well-being, while empowering women to claim their rights and increasing their ability to hold institutions to account.

This approach is guided by the following principles

• Apply a human rights based approach (HRBA)

• Ensure harm is avoided

• Put survivors at the centre

• Inclusive participation and empowerment

• Wellbeing of staff must be accounted for by building support structures

Objective of Consultancy

The ‘From Violence to Peace’ team and the International Division of Christian Aid are commissioning a facilitated review of Christian Aid’s GBV programming, to capture, reflect on and analyse good policy and practices, as well as areas for development to capture and share learning, to acknowledge the change potential of some GBV programmes and mitigate any practices which could cause harm. This will provide an assessment of how CA is meeting all the Inter-agency Minimum Standards for Gender-Based Violence in Emergencies Programming[1] and to determine our strengths, highlighting where we should focus our energy and where we should let others lead. This facilitated review will ensure that any project that is implemented by Christian Aid or any of our partners meets the highest standards of quality and is firmly grounded in human rights standards and survivor centred approaches, whether they are development, humanitarian or peace projects.

The purpose of the facilitated review is to map out Christian Aid recent and current portfolio of GBV projects, assessing our practices against the Inter-agency minimum standards indicators and key actions, and to provide us with clear recommendations about future programming, considering Christian Aid as well as partners’ strengths and limitations. Ultimately, the review will inform programmatic interventions and learning to improve GBV response and prevention programming.

Scope of work and deliverables

More specifically, the facilitated review should provide clarity around:

• Are current projects implemented by Christian Aid using a survivor centred approach and to what extent, i.e. creating a supportive environment in which survivors’ rights and wishes have been respected, their safety ensured and where they have been treated with dignity and respect?
• Do Christian Aid country offices and partners involved in GBV programming have systems and expertise to guarantee survivors’ confidentiality and safety, including during data gathering exercises/monitoring?
• Do Christian Aid’s partners have a feminist/GBV/women’s rights and gender equality expertise? How has CA supported them in building capacity and the necessary human rights based perspective using the minimum standards? What else is needed?
• Identify potential gaps, as well as constructive developments and approaches in Christian Aid GBV response that should be highlighted.
• Provide constructive, actionable recommendations / pathways to enhance quality programming and monitor the effectiveness of interventions?
• Identify what should Christian Aid prioritise in contexts where GBV is widespread, cognisant resource constraints
• Provide recommendations to country teams engaged in GBV programming and senior Christian Aid leadership on what is going well, communicating constructive practices and case studies, while highlighting areas for development to continue tackling GBV, while ensuring we Do No Harm.

The deliverables will be determined in detail once the assignment has started, but are likely to include:

• Develop a review paper assessing programming on how Christian Aid tackles GBV. Mapping out Christian Aid recent and current portfolio of GBV projects, assessing our practices against the Inter-agency minimum standards indicators and key actions, and to provide us with clear recommendations about future programming, considering Christian Aid as well as partners’ strengths and limitations to inform programmatic interventions and learning to improve GBV response and prevention programming
• Country focus groups and consultations to understand needs and practices, informing learning;
• A learning paper at the conclusion of the assignment with a plan to action recommendations for continued support and development, including country specific recommendations;
• Deliver a workshop by the end of the consultancy highlighting some of the recommendations, areas for development and good practices.

The consultant will work closely with key stakeholders in Christian Aid including Country Programmes and partner organisations, in addition to the Peacebuilding and Conflict Prevention (From Violence to Peace) team, Humanitarian Division, Gender and Inclusion advisors, and Safeguarding advisors.

This assignment will cover approximately 45 working days. The assignment is most likely to be carried out remotely.

Candidate profile

The essential qualifications and experience for this assignment are:

• Extensive experience (10+ years) in feminist/women rights GBV programming, including humanitarian response and/or development cooperation and/or peacebuilding, in protracted conflict related crises with experience in field level operations.
• Prior experience of similar assignments, addressing in GBV prevention and response, with other INGOs or bilateral/multilateral organisations .
• Possess strong knowledge of monitoring and implementing the Inter-agency Minimum Standards for Gender-Based Violence in Emergencies Programming.
• Up to date knowledge on GBV debate and practice across the sector.
• Experience with gender sensitive humanitarian and development programmes.
• Experience in policy development and analysis for humanitarian organisations.
• Excellent listening and advisory skills.
• Fluent written and spoken English.

Desirable qualifications and experience:

• Previous experience working in any of the following countries (DRC, South Sudan, Burundi, Myanmar).
• Good written and spoken French.

Working arrangements

• The consultant will work from home but may be asked to be available to visit the London office (Humanitarian Division base) and/or the Dublin office (From Violence to Peace base).

[1] https://www.unfpa.org/sites/default/files/pub-pdf/19-200_Minimun_Standards_Report_ENGLISH-Nov.FINAL_.pdf