The Roma Education Fund (REF) is looking for Gender Mainstream Consultant to ensure gender sensitive project intervention in Western Balkans and Turkey. This is a short-term consultancy engagement in the frames of the REF’s project “Increased education opportunities for Roma students and Roma youth in Western Balkans and Turkey”, funded by European Union. The Consultant should identify opportunities and entry points for mainstreaming gender into the Project. Accordingly, it is expected from the Consultant to undertake a gender analysis in the inception phase of the project and provide recommendations for effective gender mainstreaming into the design of activities, their implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the project.
Background
The project “Increased education opportunities for Roma students and Roma youth in Western Balkans and Turkey” is aiming to contribute to improved social cohesion through increased education attainment and improved employability of marginalized Roma populations, as well to foster cross-country and regional dialogue and knowledge transfer. The actions of the project strive to:
- Promote equal participation in quality education for Roma children and youth at all educational levels (pre-school, primary, secondary, university and vocational), and to improve educational outcomes (including preventing school drop-out) with a special focus on reducing the wide gap between male and female education levels;
- Improve Roma youth employability, with a particular focus on gender-sensitive measures in employability, and smooth transition between end of studies and labor market;
- Promote desegregation and systemic durable change for Roma in the education sector by producing a change of attitude towards Roma and Roma communities; by strengthening the capacities of relevant central and local institutions through regional exchange of experiences; and by using Roma role models as actors of change.
The primary target group of the project will be up to 4,700 disadvantaged Roma children and their parents in the seven target countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey (project’s countries).
Project’s Activities are:
- Expanding access to quality Early Childhood Education/ECD services;
- Expanding access to quality primary school education;
- Increasing performance and employability of Roma secondary school students;
- Increasing access and participation of Roma students in tertiary education and transition to labor market;
- Contributing to policy development and regional knowledge exchange and communication.
Description of Responsibilities
The Gender Mainstreaming Consultant under direct supervision and guidance of the project manager and in close collaboration with the two project officers is expected to undertake the following tasks:
- Review relevant REF documents, including the project document on the requirements for gender mainstreaming;
- Conduct a detailed gender analysis of the project intervention, particularly emphasizing gender issues in reducing the wide gap between male and female education levels and introducing gender-sensitive measures in employability, having in mind the region of intervention (Western Balkan and Turkey).
- Review project’s logical framework with focus on indicators;
- Review relevant gender analysis and/or manuals in the fields of education and employment;
- Contribute to the development of the instruments (questionnaires for survey, focus group and interviews e.g. introducing gender-sensitive questions) for the community needs assessment to properly assess the specific needs and preferences of Roma boys and girls as well as opportunities for and constraints on women’s participation in project’s activities;
- Other duties as required.
Deliverable: Based on gender analysis, the Consultant shall prepare document with gender mainstreaming recommendations to ensure gender sensitive project intervention as well as monitoring and evaluation. The document should reflect the project’s log frame and include specific proposals for gender sensitive activities and gender responsive indicators.
Required Education and Experience
- Postgraduate university degree in social sciences or other relevant discipline, preferably with a specialization in gender and project cycle management.
- Previous experience in conducting gender analysis, preferably in working on mainstreaming gender into project design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
- Previous experience in working with Roma and/or Roma CSOs.
Skills required
- In-depth knowledge and understanding of the gender context in the project’s countries,
- Familiarity with gender analysis tools and methodologies in the specific area of intervention i.e. education and employment (of Roma);
- Ability to communicate ideas in a manner conducive to their practical application;
- Excellent organizational, analytical, communication and interpersonal skills;
- Fluency in written and spoken English (knowledge of Romanes will be an advantage);
Planned duration of the engagement: 10 consultancy days
Timeline: August (starting as soon as possible)
Application Process
A complete application includes:
- Curriculum vitae or resume;
- Statement of interest, that should include:
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- Your academic / education in the field of gender;
- Any previous experience in conducting gender analysis and/or work on gender mainstreaming into project interventions;
- Your previous experience working with Roma communities and civil society organizations (CSOs) or other relevant stakeholders;
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- Brief methodology clearly describing Consultant’s understanding of the assignment and challenges (max. 2 pages);
- Financial offer expressed as consultancy fee per number of anticipated working days in EUR. In case of traveling for the purposes of the assignment, REF will cover eligible travel and accommodation costs.
Application must be in English and must be submitted at the latest by 10 of August 2018 to the following address: recruitment@romaeducationfund.org . Please include in the subject line “Gender Mainstreaming Consultant”.
Individuals identifying themselves as Roma, Roma Education Fund scholarship recipients, and fulfilling the above-mentioned profile and requirements are particularly encouraged to apply. Qualified female candidates are particularly encouraged to apply.
This project is co-funded by
DIRECTORATE-GENERAL NEAR
European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations
*This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.
