Role: Women Political Empowerment & Gender Expert
Form of employment: Long-term consultancy
Location: Beirut and 3 Lebanese regions
Reporting lines: Country Representative Lebanon
Contract period: November 2020 – December 2021
Background
Democracy Reporting International (DRI) is a non-partisan, independent, not-for-profit organisation registered in Berlin. DRI promotes political participation of citizens, accountability of state bodies and the development of democratic institutions world-wide.
Since 2016, DRI has been working with Lebanese civil society organisations and public officials to promote local governance in line with good governance principles.
DRI is currently recruiting a Women Political Empowerment & Gender expert for its country office in Lebanon to advise and design DRI’s work on supporting the engagement of women in local government. The start of this assignment and the level of input are contingent on political developments.
Objectives of the Assignment
The assignment aims at engaging women in leadership and decision-making positions at the local level and improving their understanding of decentralisation reform and municipal elections. In partnership with local CSOs, DRI will organise (1) one focus group to determine capacity needs of participants (2020, online or offline) three (3) full-day capacity-building workshops (three in 2021) to support women’s participation in local decision-making in three regions and facilitate one (1) peer-to-peer networking session bringing together participants from the three regions. The training is part of a larger curriculum that includes topics such as: municipal laws, municipal elections, campaigning, community outreach, leadership skills and policy advocacy (in-house and external experts will deliver trainings on some of these topics).
Attendees will include prospective and current political and community leaders. The training series aims to support women as agents of inclusive and accountable governance and will provide skills for women candidates in the run-up to the May 2022 municipal elections.
At the end of the programme, all attendees will participate in a peer-to-peer exchange and discussion session to advocate gender-responsive, women-empowering policymaking at the local level and discuss ways to advance women’s participation in municipal politics. Outcomes and recommendations from the capacity-building workshops and the peer-to-peer event will be presented in a Policy Brief on strengthening the role of women as decision-makers in Lebanese local government.
The total duration of this assignment is 15 expert days: see table here
Your Deliverables
Under the overall supervision of the Country Representative and in close coordination with the Project Coordinator, you will:
- Advise DRI on the criteria for selecting women participants in the regions;
- Design a needs assessment questionnaire for women participants, including designing a focus group that can be delivered online or offline;
- Together with DRI, building on the findings of the needs assessment, develop the training curriculum that will support women’s participation in local decision-making and design the peer-to peer exchange event;
- Deliver the three capacity-building workshops to women participants, covering topics such as leadership skills, election preparation, policy and advocacy and outreach;
- Deliver sessions during the peer-to-peer exchange event, including a dialogue on enhancing women’s participation in municipal politics;
- Design SMART results and baseline indicators in line with DRI’s objectives;
- Produce a highly readable Policy Brief (no more than 2,000 words, including an Executive Summary and actionable recommendations) on strengthening the role of women in local and national government based on the training and exchange series.
Your Qualifications
- University degree in social sciences, political science, gender studies or relevant fields;
- At least 5 years of relevant work experience in women’s political participation, women empowerment and gender equality;
- Experience designing and delivering training workshops on women’s political participation, leadership, advocacy;
- Experience working on gender in various cultural and political contexts; experience working women’s participation in elections is a strong advantage;
- Advanced practitioner’s knowledge of gender issues and women’s political participation issues in Lebanon;
- Experience writing policy briefs in a concise and accessible manner, using gender sensitive language;
- Experience and understanding of Lebanon, including its democratic processes and institutional, political, and electoral context, as well as of key stakeholders is highly desirable;
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to liaise with a variety of stakeholders;
- Fluency in oral and written Arabic & English
Due to possible covid-19 travel restrictions, experts based in Lebanon are desirable. Travel expenses and accommodation in Lebanon will be covered by DRI.
How to apply:
If you are interested in this position, please send your application to recruiting_lebanon@democracy-reporting.org cc’ing e.haddad@democracy-reporting.org , consisting of:
- A cover letter
- Your CV
- A maximum of 3 pages technical proposal (proposed methodology for consultation with DRI, needs assessment, preliminary ideas for the training curriculum, tentative agenda of the training workshops and the peer-to-peer event, and preliminary work plan)
- A financial proposal for the completion of the assignment
- At least two relevant writing examples or publications
- Contact details of two professional references
Please include “Women Political Empowerment Expert – Lebanon” in the subject line and refer to the source you have found this opportunity. Applying for this position by post mail is possible, please find our address details below. All incomplete application will be disregarded.
DRI is committed to diversity and does not discriminate in employment based upon gender (including pregnancy), race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, age, ability, socio-economic status, or any other status protected by the laws in the locations where we operate.
Closing date for applications is 16 October 2020, 12:00 PM local time (Beirut). The position may be filled before the end of the deadline so early applications are encouraged.
Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview. If you are one of those shortlisted, we will contact you within one week after expiration of the deadline at the latest.
Organisation responsible for this vacancy:
Democracy Reporting International gGmbH
Prinzessinnenstraße 30
10969 Berlin, Germany
Tel +49 30 27877300
Fax +49 30 27877300-10
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