Job Description
The Position:

Since the influx of Rohingya refugees into Cox's Bazar in 2017, the issue of gender-based violence (GBV) has remained a significant concern. Women and girls, in particular, are disproportionately affected by various forms of abuse within the refugee camps and in the surrounding host communities. The cramped living conditions and economic stress within the camps contribute to heightened tensions, leading to an increased risk of domestic violence.

Women and girls are at continued risk of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse within their own households, often with limited access to support services. These risks are exacerbated by the challenging environment within the refugee camps, where safety and privacy are compromised.

Under the leadership of the UNFPA-led GBV Sub-Sector, a total of 57 GBV actors are providing a range of essential services to prevent and respond to gender-based violence in 2024. These services include comprehensive case management and referral services, offered through various facilities and modalities, such as safe spaces and shelters, healthcare and medical treatment, and psychosocial support.

Additionally, these actors provide legal assistance, community awareness and education programs, and capacity-building initiatives for humanitarian workers. Other key activities focus on GBV prevention and risk mitigation through engagement with community members and relevant stakeholders. Through these comprehensive interventions, the aim is to address the immediate needs of survivors, support their recovery and empowerment, and contribute to preventing further violence within the Rohingya refugee community.

Job Purpose:

• Conduct a comprehensive assessment of the quality and standards of Gender-Based Violence Sub-Sector (GBVSS) members’ service facilities across 33 camps and 11 host community sites. This audit will focus on ensuring that GBVSS member facilities incorporate the 4 activities outlined in the 2024 Joint Response Plan (JRP) for GBVSS, thereby assessing their quality, standards, effectiveness, efficiency, and inclusivity in delivering services to crisis-affected populations.
• Establish systematic service quality assessment across a sampling of GBV service providers in the Rohingya response, in order to establish evidence-informed recommendations, promote transparency and adherence to established standards, fostering a culture of accountability to survivors and the affected populations within service delivery systems.
• Generate a systematic analysis of gaps and recommendations (regarding service quality and standards) for the GBVSS members to improve the GBV services in Cox’s Bazar as a Sub-Sector.
• Inform policy decisions and strategies at local, national, and international levels to develop evidence-based interventions and allocate resources effectively to address the complex challenges of gender-based violence.

You would be responsible for:

Under the overall guidance of the Head of the UNFPA Sub-Office in Cox’s Bazar, and the direct supervision of the GBVSS Coordinator, the national consultant will lead the service audit in the camps/ host communities.

Specifically, and in consultation with GBVSS partners and its targeted beneficiaries and along with relevant stakeholders as necessary, the consultant will undertake the following tasks and  fulfil the following purposes:

• The consultant will review the 2020 service assessment methodology, Inter-agency Minimum Standards for GBViE Programming and Essential Service Package (ESP) for Women and Girls Subject to Violence together with GBVSS Cox’s Bazar’s 2023 service audit findings (dashboard). 
• Consultant will turn the GBVSS Cox’s Bazar’s 2023 service audit findings into a brief background report with key infographics and a narrative for the key findings, to serve as a baseline for the 2024 service audit.
• The consultant will work to map out the diverse types of GBV-related service facilities that exist across GBV actors (e.g. Women and Girls Safe Spaces, Multi-Purpose Women Centers, Women Friendly Spaces, Community Centers, Women-Led Community Centers, Men and Boys Engagement Centers, Integrated Services like Nutrition Centre and Health facilities integrated with GBV Services) and design a plan to formalise the standardisation of service provision offered at each different space. This plan should involve instituting minimum standards and defined best practices across all GBV actors, as per facilities.
• The consultant will create a service audit plan for the 2024 service audit (including methodology, sampling, list of service audit thematic categories and questions, and field implementation logistics) based on a review of existing documents, and practices, and consult with the GBVSS coordinator, field coordinators and IMO (Information Management Officer) to acquire verification of field relevancy.
• Consultant will conduct the service assessment using the agreed methodology plan by visiting the service facilities including those of GBVSS members and government security actors to audit the services and solicit feedback from the GBVSS staff and GBV SS partners as well as beneficiaries. This will include conducting unannounced service site visits and visits at different times and days.
• Evaluate relevant policies, guidelines and strategies developed for GBV programming in emergency settings and provide GBVSS with suggestions for how to adapt to this changing context without jeopardising standards. Consult with the relevant stakeholders including GBVSS partners implementing activities directly in the field, other UN agencies and NGOs, the Relevant Working Groups, and relevant governments (both Cox’s Bazar and Camp level) and examine harmonisation, standardisation, needs and recommended ways forward.
• Consult with the GBVSS target groups/ actors and beneficiaries to understand their preferences, accessibility, and services received as per their needs as well as their preferences for providing feedback and complaints.

Please apply and find more information on the vacancy here.

The deadline for the application is 15 May 2024.

Note: Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for further consideration. Female candidates are encouraged to apply.