International Consultant – Violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism (VERLT) and Gender - Needs assessment for a network

Background:

Please note that this is a consultancy assignment of a temporary nature, with an expected duration of approximately 15 working days.

The OSCE has a comprehensive approach to security that encompasses politico-military, economic and environmental, and human aspects. It therefore addresses a wide range of security-related concerns, including arms control, confidence- and security-building measures, human rights, combating human trafficking, national minorities, democratization, policing strategies, counter-terrorism and economic and environmental activities. All 57 participating States enjoy equal status, and decisions are taken by consensus on a politically, but not legally binding basis.

The Office of the Secretary General (OSG) plays a key role in supporting the Secretary General in the effective implementation of his/her mandate and specific tasks given to him/her by the OSCE participating States. The Gender Issues Programme of the OSG supports the efforts of the OSCE Secretary General to promote a continuous and sustainable gender mainstreaming process across the Organization and the full implementation of the 2004 Action Plan for the Promotion of Gender Equality, as well as other gender-related commitments undertaken by the OSCE participating States. It assists and advises the OSCE structures in the implementation of the Action Plan by providing technical assistance for the mainstreaming of gender in all activities, policies, programmes and projects.

Violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism (VERLT) is a highly gendered issue that requires in-depth gender analyses and awareness in order to formulate long-term meaningful strategies for prevention and response. Practitioners in preventing and countering VERLT (P/CVERLT), regardless of their gender and their professional background, must be able to recognize the different experiences and challenges that VERLT presents to all parts of society, women and men, girls and boys. 

Networks are crucial to influence policymaking. A professional network supported by the OSCE can help building the capacity of women to access decision- and policy-making processes. This again will help to ensure that gender dimensions, in particular experiences and perspectives of female P/CVERLT practitioners, filter into decision making processes, including policy development and relevant legislation. 

Such a network could serve as a platform for female P/CVERLT practitioners to exchange experiences and good practices, learn from one another, get new ideas and perspectives, build long-lasting professional and personal relationships with peers, become further empowered, including by sharing information on career advancement and job opportunities and jointly find a stronger voice to inform and shape gender-sensitive P/CVERLT policies. 

Furthermore, a network could also serve as a trust building mechanism between authorities and non-government actors, and as such can strengthen a whole-of-society and human rights-based approach to P/CVERLT.

For more detailed information on the structure and work of the Secretariat, please see: http://www.osce.org/secretariat
 

Tasks and Responsibilities:

The OSCE Gender Issues Programme is looking to recruit a Consultant on gender and P/CVERLT to carry out an in-depth needs assessment that will map needs and opportunities for creating a dedicated network for women professionals in the field of P/CVERLT. The Consultant shall also produce a report on the implications of gender on P/CVERLT, including lessons learned, recommendations and examples of good practice and success-stories: 

1)    The needs assessment will discuss and explore relevant examples of existing networks and in particular networks for women, analysing their respective strengths and challenges. The OSCE LIVE initiative’s network of women civil society leaders will be part of this assessment. 
2)    The needs assessment will also seek to further define concrete objectives for the network (e.g. information exchange, level of professionals to be included, influence on policy processes, empowering participants, etc.), because this will in turn directly affect the network’s setup. 
3)    The needs assessment will discuss the advantages and disadvantages, practical implications of engaging women P/CVERLT practitioners beyond those working in the security sector and make a recommendation as to what scope of participants seems the most useful and effective. 
4)    As part of the analysis, the expert conducting the needs assessment will further engage in a series of in-depth consultations with relevant key stakeholders, both within the OSCE Secretariat and in consultation with OSCE field operations, as well as with potential beneficiaries and members of the network. 

The Consultant will complete this assignment in close co-operation and coordination, with the responsible Gender Advisor on the politico-military dimension and focal points within the Transnational Threats Department/Action against Terrorism Unit (TNTD/ATU). Substantive technical guidance will come from the WIN Project Manager and the Senior Gender Adviser, as well as relevant staff in the OSCE Secretariat and Field Offices. OSCE Field Offices will have a key role in advising on the initial cross-regional meeting and any potential future activity. 
 

Deliverables:

1)    Final Report on the needs assessment results on how to best build a network of female professionals in the field of P/CVERLT to strengthen their participation in P/CVERLT, including lessons learned, good practice examples and recommendations. 
2)    Organizing a cross-regional meeting between female P/CVERLT practitioners that will inform and strengthen the needs assessment in that it provides a unique opportunity to gather first-hand input from meeting participants. 

Necessary Qualifications:

•    Second-level  university degree in gender studies, social or political sciences or related field;
•    Minimum 6 years of professional experience in the area of gender in the politico-security field, trust-building between government and civil society or community policing;
•    Proven experience in conducting needs assessments;
•    In-depth knowledge of existing policies and the integration of the United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2242 and P/CVERLT principles, as well as knowledge on UNSCR 1325;
•    Proven experience in working with government and civil society counterparts;
•    Familiarity with OSCE Executive Structures is desirable;
•    Professional fluency in English; working knowledge of Russian would be an asset; 
•    Excellent communication and drafting skills;
•    Initiative and problem solving skills;
•    Computer literacy with knowledge of the Microsoft Office package;
•    Ability to establish and maintain effective and constructive working relationships with people of different national and cultural backgrounds while maintaining impartiality and objectivity.
•    Demonstrated gender awareness and sensitivity, and an ability to integrate a gender perspective into tasks and activities.

Remuneration Package:

Remuneration will be based on the applicable fee scale that applies to the delivery of consultancy services by individual
contractors, and shall depend on the complexity of the tasks and deliverables

If you wish to apply for this position, please use the OSCE's online application link found under https://jobs.osce.org/vacancies.

If you are not a national of a participating State, you must apply by submitting an offline application form which can be found under https://jobs.osce.org/resources/document/offline-application-form.

The OSCE retains the discretion to re-advertise/re-post the vacancy, to cancel the recruitment or to offer an appointment with a modified job description or for a different duration.

Only those candidates who are selected to participate in the subsequent stages of recruitment will be contacted.

The OSCE is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all religious, ethnic and social backgrounds to apply to become a part of the Organization. 

Candidates should be aware that OSCE officials shall conduct themselves at all times in a manner befitting the status of an international civil servant. This includes avoiding any action which may adversely reflect on the integrity, independence and impartiality of their position and function as officials of the OSCE. The OSCE is committed to applying the highest ethical standards in carrying out its mandate. For more information on the values set out in OSCE Competency Model, please see https://jobs.osce.org/resources/document/our-competency-model.

Please be aware that the OSCE does not request payment at any stage of the application and review process.