Awareness Raising Consultant

1. BACKGROUND: The Women’s Access to Justice in the MENA region project Phase 2 is a 3 year project implemented by Justice without Frontiers in partnership with Oxfam GB and five other NGO partners in Lebanon, Jordan, Yemen and Egypt. It is designed to build upon the successes of Phase 1 (April 2011 – March 2014).  Women’s rights in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) have been linked to the broader changes in the region that started with the Arab uprisings of 2011. The unstable political environment and unsteady transition however have toned down the optimism among women’s rights advocates. Among many today there is a realization that fostering women’s rights in a region of weak institutions, male-dominated social and cultural sphere, and limited space for women’s participation, is a long-term process requiring action at multiple levels. Particularly in Lebanon, a country which ratified CEDAW, women continue to suffer from discrimination enshrined by several laws, most notably the nationality law that does not allow Lebanese women to pass on their nationality to their children and spouses. Discriminatory provisions in the labor and social security laws remain despite some earlier amendments. Personal status issues are under the jurisdiction of Lebanon’s 18 religious laws and courts, and a civil personal status law does not exist despite the efforts of women’s rights organizations. The Syrian crisis has put additional pressure on women, primarily Syrian and Palestinian displaced by the conflict to neighboring countries. The majority of refugee women face harsh living conditions often paired with discrimination from the host communities. Gender-based violence; forced marriages and prostitution are on the rise among the refugees.[1] CSO activists from Jordan and Lebanon also observe a negative impact of the refugee crisis on Jordanian and Lebanese women from underprivileged communities, who see the Syrian women as competitors both for scarce jobs and local suitors. In Lebanon, as a reflection of the unfolding crisis in Syria, a designated Prime Minister has been unable to form a Cabinet for over 11 months, and general elections postponed. All these developments point to the lack of legitimacy of political institutions and the complex challenges on the way to justice sector reform. The key problem this project will address is the limited and inequitable access of poor and vulnerable women to justice. The underlying factors are described in more detail below. 1)     Limited capacities of women to claim their rights due to limited ability to make well informed decisions related to one’s rights and limited affordability of legal services and litigation for women. 2)     Women are socially deterred from accessing the judicial system. 3)     Formal and informal justice systems are perceived as gender biased/ discriminating against women. 4)     Limited impact of CSO advocacy on women’s rights and access to justice.   Designed by Oxfam GB and partners, the proposed project seeks to work at the personal, community and systemic levels while fostering stakeholders’ engagement and influencing decision makers at all levels. According to the theory of change the Project seeks change at different levels that will cumulatively create an environment in which women are able to claim their rights through the judicial institutions.   2. PURPOSE OF CONSULTANCY: The consultancy aims at designing a public awareness raising strategy for the project which aims at increasing awareness about women’s rights, legal rights and the justice system.   The specific objectives are: Setting an awareness raising strategy targeting only women involved in the project and aiming to educate them about their rights and how these rights can be protected and upheld. Setting an awareness raising strategy targeting the community as a whole and aiming to develop a broader understanding on women’s rights and what they mean in the Lebanese cultural context.   3. KEY TASKS: ·       To set an awareness raising strategy targeting women who fit within specific criteria and who are beneficiaries of the WAJ project. ·       To set an awareness raising strategy targeting youth, women and men in the community as a whole emphasizing on how to reach out to university & school students, scouts, youth clubs and so on. ·       Further elaborating and developing the target groups already set by JWF as well as adapt the strategy to the sensitivities that these groups would possess. ·       To map and set a plan for media coverage on both the national and international levels. ·       To develop press releases, reactive lines, conferences guidelines. ·       To set an overall creative and innovative plan for the media campaign including possible collaboration with other NGOs, TVs, and Radio Stations and so on. ·       To design a strategy in accordance with the target population’s access to traditional and new media (Events, poster campaigns, documentation, newspapers, articles, radio, TV or theatre programmes) . ·       Setting guidelines with the media officer on how to further develop the media plan. 4. EXPECTED OUTPUTS: A strategy written in English for both women only and community level campaigns. Guidelines for press releases, reactive lines and conferences. A draft report which will include the mapped key stakeholders for the “media campaign” as well as any recommendations.   5. TIMELINE: JWF expects the fulfilment of the mentioned tasks within a period of 20 days starting from the day the contract is signed.   6. GOVERNANCE & MANGAGEMENT OF THE BASELINE SURVEY: The Consultant will directly report to the WAJ project officer and JWF director. The Consultant will work closely and in consultation with the JWF team in Lebanon.   7. BUDGET: The budget for this task is 3,000USD. Payment will be done in two instalments: 25% upon contract signature and 75% upon approval of the final report and requirements by JWF.    8. CONSULTANT PROFILE: Upon the conclusion of an open and competitive bidding process, JWF will select and commission a technically qualified independent consultant with the required competencies.  The ideal consultant will have 5 years of relevant experience. The consultant should have the following skills and competencies: Experience with media , journalism and social media as tools for social change. Good understanding of gender justice work and method for assessing changes related to the active participation and women leadership. Experience of integrating gender dynamics within media. Ability to communicate fluently in English and Arabic (preferably) and write reports in English. Excellent verbal/written communication skills and strong report writing skills in English. Ability to work with a diverse team and under pressure to produce agreed deliverables in a timely manner. The consultant must be collaborative, willing to share thoughts, ideas, and make constructive criticism.