National Consultant to support the public authorities in reviewing the draft law on the performance of the psychological activity in the Republic of Moldova

Vacancy Number: Pr20/01951

Location:Chisinau, Moldova
Application Deadline: 20 Jan 2020, 23:59 (GMT+2:00)
Type of Contract:Individual Contract
Starting date: 03 Feb 2020
Reference to the project: UN Women
Expected Duration of Assignment:35 working days, from February 2020 until end of December 2020
Submission Instructions:

Interested candidates are invited to submit their online applications by January 20, 2020 with the following documents.

  • Duly filled Personal History Form PHF11/CV (downloadable from http://www.unwomen.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/P_11_form_UNwomen.doc);
  • Letter of Intent to include a brief overview about which of your previous experiences makes you the most suitable candidate for the advertised position.
  • Financial proposal – specifying a total lump sum amount for the task specified in Terms of References. The Financial proposal shall include a breakdown of this lump sum amount (daily rate). Please see ANNEX I and ANNEX II.

Supporting Documents:
Terms of Reference
Annex I&II
Personal History Form (P11) UN Women
UN Women Conditions of Service Consultants

Contacts:

Ms. Viorica Culeac.




Background

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security. Placing women's rights at the centre of all its efforts, UN Women leads and coordinates the United Nations system efforts to ensure that commitments on gender equality and gender mainstreaming translate into action throughout the world. 

Through its programmes and projects, UN Women is providing technical assistance to national partners (governmental and non-governmental), including private sector, in the implementation of existing international and national commitments to women’s rights and gender equality, it facilitates networking and exchange of good practices and advocates for women’s rights and gender equality in all areas of life.

UN Women’s presence in the Republic of Moldova has evolved from being a project-based office in 2007 to a Country Office with fully delegated authority as of 2015. The work of UN Women in Moldova is guided by its  Country Strategic Note for 2018-2022, aligned with the Republic of Moldova–United Nations Partnership Framework for Sustainable Development 2018–2022, the Global Strategic Plan of UN Women for 2018-2021, the National Strategy on Gender Equality for 2017-2021 (NSGE), and aims to contribute to the gender-responsive implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

UN Women Strategy for Moldova 2018-2022 focuses on three main areas: 1) strengthening women’s participation in politics and decision making, 2) economic empowerment of women and 3) ending violence against women and girls. To achieve progress under these areas, UN Women works with a variety of national and international partners and as part of different national and regional initiatives.

Violence against women as a form of gender-based violence represents a global endemic problem threatening the right to life and dignity of millions of women around the world. Gender-based violence entails several social and health consequences for survivors, ranging from negative health outcomes to the fatal phenomenon of femicide or suicide. In our contemporary world, women who are subject to violence continue to be prevented from a full participation in both public and private life, which seriously affects their human dignity and equality. Gender-based violence not only jeopardies women’s physical and mental health, but also leads to serious violations of all their human rights, be they economic, social, cultural, civil or political. 

With regard to the local context, the latest statistics and survey data available show that violence against women is alarmingly widespread in Moldova. According to the first national study on the prevalence of the phenomenon (“Violence against Women in the Family”) carried out by the National Bureau of Statistics and commissioned by UN Moldova in 2011, 6 out of 10 women from urban areas and 7 out of 10 women form rural areas have experienced at least one form of violence (psychological, economic, physical and/or sexual) at the hands of their current or former partner during their lifetime, and 1 out of 10 has been exposed to all forms of violence.

There is evidence that due to widespread gender roles and stereotypes, violence against women in Moldova is not only widespread but, in some cases, also accepted and justified in the name of socio-cultural norms. As a consequence, women facing violence are not fully protected and many of them would report violence only in most serious cases. Therefore, as confirmed by the above mentioned national study, a significant number of women remain unassisted and continue to be subject to violence.          

In this context, UN Women has continuously provided technical support to government authorities and civil society partners to successfully implement the provisions of the Law No 45-XVI on Preventing and Combating Domestic Violence (DV) (2008) and recent amendments, and to strengthen the legislative and policy framework by further aligning it to the international norms and standards. In this regard, in 2016, UN Women supported the Government in the development of the first National Strategy for Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence for the Period 2018-2023.

Comprehensive social services are essential for survivors of gender-based violence. It is well-known that specialised psychological counselling can significantly improve the health outlook for women and girls survivors of violence, thus further contributing to women’s recovery from violence, their empowerment and prevention the reoccurrence of violence in the future (Essential services package for women and girls subject to violence). As set out in the Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, women and girls should have access to an array of general and specialized services, including psychological support. However, according to the Report on costing of domestic violence and violence against women in Moldova,  over 30% of the services that are listed as essential in the international standards do not exist in Moldova or are not efficient. Aware of the existing challenges, UN Women Moldova is committed to contributing to the improvement of psychological services available to those in need, including women and girls survivors of gender-based violence, by providing support to the national relevant authorities in finalising the law on the performance of the psychological activity.

Given the current situation in the Republic of Moldova, when there is no specific legislative framework regulating and harmonizing the psychological activity, the parliamentary standing Committee for Social Protection, Health and Family has started the elaboration of a draft law on the performance of the psychological activity. In this sense, the parliamentary standing committee for social protection, health and family is now working to develop a comprehensive and aligned to the international standards legal framework which will, on one hand, consolidate the efforts made by the psychologists and, on the other hand, will ensure that the specialised psychological services available to those in need, including women and girls survivors of gender-based violence, are efficient and systemic.

In this context, UN Women intends to engage a national consultant to provide his/her expertise to the parliamentary standing Committee for Social Protection, Health and Family to evaluate and finalise the draft law on the psychological activity in the Republic of Moldova.

Scope of work

The main objective of this consultancy is to provide technical support to the parliamentary standing Committee for Social Protection, Health and Family in reviewing, completing and finalizing the existing draft law. The activity of the national consultant will consist of providing technical assistance, guidance, facilitation, coordination and regular exchange of knowledge and expertise with the parliamentary standing committee for social protection, health and family responsible for the elaboration of the law.

More specifically, the national consultant will be responsible for the following tasks:

  •  Undertake the preparations of the work-plan and methodology for the work sessions, in collaboration with the parliamentary standing committee for social protection, health and family responsible for the elaboration of the law;
  • Undertake desk review of the relevant national and international legislation and familiarise with the activities of the Psychologists’ Union and the Chamber responsible for the regulation of the psychologists’ activities;
  • Contribute with expertise to the harmonisation of the draft law in line with the provisions concerning the activities of the Psychologists’ Union and the Chamber responsible for the regulation of the psychologists’ activities;
  • Provide support to the review, completion and finalization of the draft law, aligning it to the European and international standards and provisions;
  • Provide support to the organisation of public consultations regarding the elaborated draft law, moderate and facilitate thematic meetings and consultations;
  • Organise any additional meetings and consultations with other stakeholders if necessary (to be decided in consultation with UN Women and parliamentary standing committee for social protection, health and family);
  • Draft reports of the meetings and consultations. The report should contain the main proposals, challenges and recommendations per each actor involved;
  • Keep track of the work and lessons learnt.

Requirements for experience

Education:

  1. Master degree in psychology and/or other related areas relevant for this assignment;

Experience:

  • At least five (5) years of proven experience in the field of psychology;
  • At least (3) three years of proven collaboration with public authorities in the elaboration and/or review of relevant legal, policy initiatives and coordinating initiatives and implementing strategies in the field of psychology;
  • At least one (1) year of proven experience in the field of preventing gender-based violence and promoting gender equality;
  • Experience with development organisations, including donors and stakeholders would be an asset.

Language Requirements:

  • Fluency in written and oral Romanian. Working language of English is required.

Other Skills

  • Computer literacy and ability to effectively use office technology equipment, IT tools, ability to use Internet and email.


 

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