Qualitative Research Consultancy

Functional Title:        Qualitative Research Consultant Reports To:             Social and Behavioral Scientist, ICRW Location:                Northern Lebanon (Qobayat and Wadi Khaled, Akkar District) Time Period:              September – October, 2015 Amount of Time:     Full time for approximately 2- 3 weeks Compensation:       Daily rate to be negotiated based on prior experience The International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) is a non-profit research organization dedicated to the empowerment of women and girls and the promotion of gender equality.  ICRW works with partners to conduct empirical research, build capacity, and advocate for evidence-based, practical ways to change policies and programs.  ICRW has its headquarters in Washington, DC with a regional office New Delhi, India. ICRW seeks an experienced researcher to assist with an assessment of an international NGO’s program delivering gender-based violence (GBV) prevention and response services to Syrian women and girl refugees in the Akkar District of Northern Lebanon. The aims of the assessment are to understand: 1. the extent to which the services meet international standards to guarantee safety of GBV survivors and quality of services and; 2. the extent to which the program has met the needs of women and girls in this acute emergency setting. For this assessment, the Lebanese research consultant, supervised by an ICRW lead researcher based in Qobayat, will conduct approximately 35 in-depth interviews with Syrian women and girls who are either participants or non-participants in the GBV prevention and response services program in the Wadi Khaled area of Northern Lebanon. The research consultant will also conduct approximately 3 structured observations of program activities. The research consultant will be paired with a research assistant from the Syrian community in Wadi Khaled who will serve as note-taker/research assistant. ICRW seeks the services of an experienced Lebanese researcher to provide support to this process.  Specifically, the researcher will: Plan and coordinate closely with the ICRW lead researcher prior to the site visit. Review all project documentation, qualitative research strategy, and other preparatory materials, as required.   Review and provide feedback on in-depth interview guides and observation tools. Translate in-depth interview guides from English into Arabic, in collaboration with the study team. Conduct about 35 in-depth interviews in Arabic, and make 3 structured observations. Provide English/Arabic translation, as needed. Train Syrian research assistant(s). Participate in nightly debriefs of field work with the ICRW lead researcher. Preference will be given to candidates available to transcribe audio recordings of the interviews and translate the interview transcripts into English after the field work has been completed. Required skills and qualifications include: Lebanese citizenship. Master’s degree (either completed or in progress) in a related field (sociology, women’s studies, international development, public health or other social science). Experience conducting qualitative interviews. Familiarity with the local context, including issues related to gender-based violence and refugees. Fluency in English and Arabic. Experience working with non-governmental organizations. Ability to travel for up to 15 consecutive days in Northern Lebanon.