Call of consultants: Women’s Political Participation Africa

Closing Date: 5 January 2021

SYNOPSIS
Gender Links is part of the International Idea-led consortium: Enhancing the Inclusion of Women in Political Participation in Africa. The five other organisations in the consortium are FAWE, FEMNET, IFAN, Gender Laboratory, PADARE, and WLSA. The consortium focuses on eight African countries including Botswana.  The three-year project is funded by the Embassy of Sweden in Ethiopia with the overall goal of increasing the political representation and participation of women in Africa in line with the Maputo Protocol of 2003, various sub-regional protocols and standards and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). GL is responsible for producing the flagship Africa WPP Barometer as well as implementing the programme in Botswana, and some elements of the programme in Eswatini and Zimbabwe. GL seeks a senior consultant with a strong background on Women’s Political Participation to oversee the Barometer; key conceptual and editorial products, especially in Botswana where GL is implementing the full suite of programming.

BACKGROUND
The overall objective of the WPP Consortium is to increasing the political participation and representation of women in Africa in line with the Maputo Protocol of 2003, various associated sub- regional protocols and standards, and the Sustainable Development Goas (SDGs). The consortium has five main areas of work:

a.  Knowledge Generation, Documentation and Dissemination
b. Training and Capacity Enhancement
c. Policy and Political Dialogues
d. Advocacy and Outreach
e.  Peer to Peer Exchanges and Mentorship

The Barometer forms part of the Knowledge Generation, Documentation and Dissemination:
“The barometer is a persuasive tool as evidenced by the success of the SADC Gender and Development Barometer. Not only will it be useful for informing the different countries on how well (or not) they are doing in WPP terms, it has the real potential of imbuing women politicians and WPP activists with change influence at various levels.”

The Barometer aims to imbue the African continent, including various actors, with a ready resource through which they are able to assess progress over time in WPP, the underlying reasons for the patterns observed, and evidence-based arguments to enhance advocacy campaigns.

The specific objectives of the Barometer are to:

• Gather and analyse baseline data on WPP in Africa at local and national level, by country and region, to identify gender gaps and cases of good practice that can be used for advocacy.
• Establish the relationship between women’s representation, electoral systems and temporary special measures (TSM), to provide concrete comparative examples and experience that can be used for advocacy.
• Gather case studies and interviews to illustrate what works in enhancing women’s political representation and participation.
• Track changes year on year affirming progress towards gender equality where warranted and shinning the spotlight on gaps.
• Energise fifty fifty campaigns through high profile launches in the wings to the African Union (AU) Heads of State summit, media and social media events.

REQUIREMENTS
Key components of Barometer oversight

• Reference group meeting
• Revised methodology
• Review Situation analyses
• Commission case studies
• Desk top research
• Draft at least two chapters; guide junior consultants in the drafting of two other chapters
• First draft
• Reference group meeting
• Layout and infographics
• Proofing and printing
• Launch
• Project completion
• Launches and visibility actions

Key components of conceptual work to guide programme development
1) Strategy and Programme for finalising and launching a situational analysis on WPP in the country
2) Guidelines for conducting cross-generational capacity sessions with women leaders and young women activists, using the GL COE “hubs” as anchors and popularizing the idea of junior councils.
3) Guidelines for Political party policy dialogues which will include cross SADC learning on the adoption and implementation of quotas.
4) Guidelines for thematic dialogues with parliament, to include a submission on the Constitutional review and EMB, to include the development of a gender policy and
5) Customising the Women Political Participation (WPP) Academy which will include 1) women in parliament 2) women in local government 3) young women aspirants, linked to the setting up of junior councils where this concept gains traction.

SKILLS

• Excellent research, presentation and communication and writing skills
• Strong grounding in work on Women’s Political Participation
• Strong strategic and conceptual skills
• Ability to translate research into advocacy and action plans
• Knowledge of inter- governmental agencies and processes; ability to influence how these work.

TIME FRAME

• The consultancy is expected to be a maximum of 60 days, during the period January to December 2021.

Please E Mail CVs and daily rates to:
execdirector@genderlinks.org.za  by 5 January 2021.

Only successful candidates will contacted.