Consultant - Training Manual and Learning Tools Addressing SGBV at the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA Nigeria)

FIDA Nigeria is a non-profit, non-political, voluntary association of women called to the practice of law in Nigeria. FIDA Nigeria’s primary role is to protect, promote and preserve the rights of women and children in Nigeria. Its core values are transparency, accountability, teamwork, integrity, mutual respect, commitment, service and we are non-partisan. Its main objectives are to: promote the principles and aims of the United Nations in its legal and social aspects; establish friendly international relations on a basis of equality and mutual respect for all peoples; promote the study of comparative law; proffer advice to Government in cases relating to women and children.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Consultant to Develop a Training Manual and Learning Tools Addressing SGBV

Location: Nigeria
Employment Type: Contract

Introduction

• The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Nigeria is a non-profit, non-political, voluntary association of women called to the practice of law in Nigeria. Established in 1964, FIDA Nigeria’s primary role is to protect, promote and preserve the rights of women and children in Nigeria.
• Its main objectives are to establish friendly international relations on a basis of equality and mutual respect for all peoples; promote the study of comparative law; promote the principles and aims of the United Nations in its legal and social aspects; enhance, promote, protect and preserve the rights and welfare of women and children, realising that the happiness of the home and the strength of the society is dependent on their wellbeing; proffer advice to Government in all cases of disregard relating to women and children.
• FIDA Nigeria actualises its objectives through free legal representation for indigent women, advocacy and policy campaigns, education and training, mediation and counselling services, publishing and information resources.
• FIDA Nigeria was selected as a resource partner for the Strengthening Civil Advocacy and Local Engagement (SCALE) project supported by USAID through the Palladium Group.
• The SCALE Project presents an opportunity for FIDA to work and scale up its operations particularly in advocating for gender and child-centric protection legislations against Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV); Child, Early and Forced Marriage (CEFM); Trafficking in Persons (TIP), as well as building the capacity of community based civil society organisations, and carrying out policy campaigns and sensitization activities across communities on issues affecting women, children and persons with disabilities at the state and federal levels.
• In particular, the project will focus on strengthening capacity and working with stakeholders to address social norms that encourage Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) and Child, Early and Forced Marriage (CEFM) in the community; and empowering (through capacity building) community paralegals to respond to incidences of SGBV, CEFM and trafficking in persons (TIP).
• In the course of implementation, FIDA will engage relevant stakeholders across the target states to secure their buy-in into programme implementation and sustainable outcomes.
• FIDA will prioritize the identification of local civil society organisations and community based organisations for the purpose of strengthening their capacity to respond to victims/survivors psychosocial, legal aid drive key prevention interventions aimed at curbing SGBV, CEFM, TIP and related abuses that affect vulnerable groups as well as focus on examining and addressing their attitudes toward gender and GBV that may influence their ability or willingness to provide quality and unbiased services to survivors of GBV.

Situation Analysis

• Nigeria ranks 128 out of 153 countries on the Gender Equality Index. The inadequate inclusion of women’s and girls' perspectives in policy making decisions, resource allocation and implementation in economic and social sectors continues to challenge the advancement of gender equality.
• Over 70% of women live below the poverty line, with maternal mortality ratios at 576 per 100,000. Of the estimated 3.2 million Nigerians living with HIV, 55% are women. Enrollment of girls in school ranges from one third to one quarter of classroom participants and out of the 10.5 million out-of-school children, two-thirds are girls.
• Negative social norms which condone or support violence against women and girls and harmful practices remain pervasive. Gender-based violence is widespread and 30% of women aged 15-49 have reported experiences of sexual abuse, with a marked divide between girls and women in urban (33%) and rural (24%) areas.
• Nigeria has the largest number of child brides in Africa and one of the highest prevalence rates in the world: 23 million girls and women were married as children.
• Currently, 43% of girls are married before age 18, and 17% are married before they turn 15. Once girls in Nigeria are married, very few (1.2% of girls 15-19) use contraception or have their contraception needs met (13.1%). Nigeria accounts for the third highest number of women and girls who have undergone female genital mutilation (FGM), reported at 25% prevalence.
• Harmful practices occur in a context of limited knowledge and access to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) information and services, with complications of early childbearing and obstructed labour such as obstetric fistula. An estimated 20,000 new cases of obstetric fistula occur every year.
• The Nigerian Government’s response has included efforts to improve its institutional and policy framework, which include the Violence against Person Prohibition (VAPP) Act, enacted at the national level in 2015, the Child Rights Act 2003, the NAPTIP Act 2015the National Policy on the Elimination of FGM/Cutting, the National Strategy to End Child Marriage, a Road Map and National Priority Actions to End Violence Against Children which have been adopted and are being supported for implementation, the Child Rights Act, as well as several policies and frameworks for a conducive environment for women and girls’ access to quality sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) information and services.
• As a preventive measure, the Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Education in collaboration with civil societies is implementing Family Life HIV Education (FLHE) to empower adolescents and young people develop the skills, knowledge, attitudes, and competences required for making the right life choices to prevent sexual and gender-based violence.
• Ongoing efforts to increase access to quality accessible and affordable services include the National Health Act, as well as the One Primary Health Care per ward initiative of the Federal Government.
• For these initiatives to yield meaning outcomes, it is important to critically approach and understand the social drivers of SGBV, CEFM, and early adolescent pregnancy in the Nigerian context.
• These social drivers are religion; culture; economic hardship and poverty; war and conflict; limited opportunity for education; inability to access justice; and discriminatory or gender biased laws.

Terms of reference

• In line with the capacity strengthening objective of the project, the consultant will develop a training manual and learning tools addressing SGBV, CEFM, TIP and related issues affecting vulnerable groups to guide the delivery of trainings across board.
• In addition, the modules of the manual will be informed by findings from the baseline, technical needs assessment and design lab with stakeholders which shall be provided to the consultant.

The content of the training manuals should include the following:

• Capacity building on SGBV, CEFM and TIP for CSO’s (inclusive advocacy clusters) providing victim support services across target states (4 day training activity).
• Identification and training of community and faith leaders as SGBV, CEFM & TIP Advocates and paralegals (1 day training).
• Specialized CITP training of prosecutors, investigators and judges on countering TIP (5 day training activity).
• Training on effective monitoring, evaluation, documentation and learning approaches for CSO’s (inclusive advocacy clusters) (3 day activity).
• Conduct training on victim centered and trauma informed shelter and case management approaches for 30 CSO’s.

In addition the manual should also contain:

• An outline of key modules relevant to SGBV, CEFM and TIP.
• The objectives for each training session.
• Simple definitions of basic concepts; charts, diagrams, tables, and explanations.
• Some policy frameworks for relevant topics.
• Practical tools and checklists.
• Case studies, simulation and other types of exercises, and role-plays. Some of these contain “Notes for the Facilitator” which are intended to assist trainers in bringing out some of the relevant issues and questions in the exercise, and in stimulating group discussion.
• Facilitation methods and techniques.
• Reference documents which are to be used by participants when doing certain exercises amongst several others.

Qualifications
Education:

• Advanced Degree in any of the following: Law, Political Science, Development Studies, International Relations or any discipline in the Social Sciences.

Experience:

• 5 years’ work experience, especially in research, in any of the thematic areas of sexual and gender based violence; gender equality and social inclusion; democracy and governance; women and youth empowerment; and trafficking in persons and human rights.

Fees
FIDA Nigeria shall pay the consultant a total sum of seven hundred thousand naira (N700,000.00) only inclusive of 5% withholding tax, for this consultancy. 50% of the amount shall be paid upon commencement of the assignment and the remaining 50% upon the submission of approved deliverables.

Application Closing Date
1st February, 2022.

Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should send their CV and Cover Letter addressed to "The Country Vice-President / National President" via: [email protected]  using "Application for Consultant- SGBV, CEFM, TIP and related issues" as the subject of the email.