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Background
Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG) is one of the most systematic, widespread human rights violations faced globally. About 1 in 3 women worldwide have experienced either physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence in their lifetime. It occurs on a systematic basis and it may occur against any woman or girl, regardless of her country of origin, age, or socioeconomic status. Women and girls face physical, emotional, and sexual abuses that undermine their health and ability to earn livelihoods; disrupt their social systems and relationships; and particularly for girls, it robs them of their childhood and education.
According to EDHS 2016, at least 1 out of every 3 women in Ethiopia has been beaten, coerced into sex, or otherwise abused in her lifetime, by an intimate partner. Sexual harassment in private and public spaces is also widespread in the country. However, except for small-scale varying prevalence rates in different occupations, there are no national prevalence studies conducted either in the workplace or public space settings in Ethiopia. One study showed that the pooled prevalence of workplace sexual harassment is estimated up to 33.2%. The pooled prevalence was the highest among female university staff reaching 49% and 28% among commercial sex workers.
Although the national policy and legal frameworks for the protection of women and girls’ rights, in general, are by and large good, there are gaps that ought to be addressed. The major gaps are seen in relation to violence against women including sexual harassment. Even though the Criminal Code (Article 625) prescribes penalties of 18 to 24 months of imprisonment for sexual harassment, authorities generally have not enforced harassment laws. The Ethiopian parliament on July 5, 2019, approved a new Labour Proclamation (Proclamation No. 1156/2019) to replace the labor law that has been in existence for 16 years also known as the Labour Proclamation No. 377/2003. The revised law of 2019 has introduced a rule to regulate workplace sexual harassment and sexual violence. The Federal Civil Servants Proclamation No. 1064 /2017 has already indicated the prohibition of sexual harassment in the workplace. Some government institutions have also developed institutional anti-sexual harassment policies.
However, sexual harassment can take place anywhere – at work, at university, on the street, in a shop, at a club or restaurant, on public transport, at an airport, even in the home. Basically, it is unwelcome sexual behavior that can take place in any public place, and in private spaces. Hence, there is a need for a comprehensive anti-sexual harassment policy that covers all forms of sexual harassment committed anywhere and at any time.
The Government of Ethiopia led by the Ministry of Women, Children and Youth (MOWCY) in collaboration with UN Women have thus intended to support the undertaking of an assessment of sexual harassment-related initiatives and their implementation status, identify existing gaps and based on the findings, develop a draft national Anti-sexual harassment policy that will be presented to the council of Ministers for approval. The policy will serve as an overarching normative framework based on which various guidelines and specific policy documents could be derived from.
UN Women is thus seeking to recruit two qualified national consultants to undertake the above-mentioned assignment.
OBJECTIVE OF THE CONSULTANCY
The objective of the assignment is to develop a seminar paper to advocate for the need for an anti-sexual harassment policy and draft the national policy for further consultations and approval by the council of ministers. The draft comprehensive national anti-sexual harassment policy should be in line with international standards and based on strategic inputs from various stakeholders. Consultations with women’s organizations, feminist movements, academia, labor unions, justice sector, key government institutions like MOLSA and Civil Service Commission, UN agencies such as ILO, UN Women, etc. should seek to gain insight into the scope, content, and relevance of the intended policy.
The specific objectives include the following:
Core competencies
Functional Competencies:
Required Skills and Experience
Education
Experience and Skills
Language Requirements: Amharic and English
UNWOMEN is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence