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 womenโs rights at the centre of all its efforts, the 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. It provides strong and coherent leadership in support of Member Statesโ priorities and efforts, building effective partnerships with civil society and other relevant actors.ย
Womenโs leadership and political participation is one of UN Womenโs primary areas of work as mandated in its inception, recognizing the integral role of women in strong and stable democratic processes.ย To promote the leadership and participation of women in all levels of decision-making processes, UN Women works with a range of stakeholders including women leaders and aspiring candidates,ย women holding a particular elected office bound at local and national levels, national parliaments and parliamentarians, political parties, media, civil society organizations, and electoral management bodies, in coordination with UN partner Entities, through a wide range of interventions which include: i) support gender responsive legal reforms, and institutional processes to advance womenโs participation and representation (including initiatives to address violence against women in politics); ii) build capacities of women leaders, office holders and aspiring candidates; iii) promote change of gender norms through advocacy and outreach initiatives targeting communities, political leaders and the media; iv) and support women leaders in gender responsive political institutions.
Violence Against Women in Politics (VAWP) undermines the integrity of electoral processes and the quality of democratic governance. It is a violation of political and human rights that seeks to exclude, silence, or discourage women from fully participating in public life.ย ย VAWP affects voters, candidates, office holders, election officials, activists and security and political professionals worldwide, occurring both online and offline. This phenomenonย seeks to โsilence womenโs voices in decision-making bodies by preventing them from exercising their political mandates, preventing them from seeking leadership positions in the legislature, forcing them to resign before the end of a full term of office, discouraging attendance in parliamentary sessions, enforcing exclusion and marginalization within parliament and committee and compelling them to not seek re-election.โ Thus, VAWP not only affects women in politicsย but also negatively impacts the work of politicalย institutions (e.g. political parties, parliaments, local government) and impedes gender-responsive inclusive governance.
Despite its wide-reaching consequences, data on the prevalence and forms of VAWP remain limited, hindering the development of effective institutional responses.ย ย In Liberia, VAWP manifests in various forms, including psychological intimidation, physical and sexual violence, and online harassment.ย Ahead of the 2023 elections, women candidates participating in UN Women-led events reported incidents of harassment and threats. In some rural areas, traditional leaders reportedly invoked the โPoro devil,โ threatened forced initiation, or accused women of witchcraft to deter them from seeking leadership roles. Online abuse is also rising, with women targeted by harassment, defamation, and digital threats, an emerging form of Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV). There have also been instances where violence against female candidates occurred in public settings, drawing national attention and underscoring the risks women face when engaging in electoral processes.ย A 2024ย Public Perceptions of Elections and Women Political Participation in Liberia (2024,ย revealed that 48% of respondents were aware of such violence. Among them, 22% had heard of incidents, 12% had witnessed them, 8% knew someone affected, and 6% had experienced it themselves. The most reported forms included physical violence (50%), psychological violence (37%), and sexual violence (9%).
Ahead of 2023 election, UN Women Liberia, in collaboration with its partners, including National Elections Commission (NEC) - Liberia implemented various targeted interventions to address violence against women in politics and in elections. These efforts included supporting the institutionalization of Violence Against Women in Elections and Politics Protocol, organizing awareness-raising events, informational materials and media campaigns, and engaging relevant stakeholders to promote zero tolerance for VAWP.ย These efforts aimed to improve understanding of VAWP and enhance the protection of women in political life.
In this context, under the Liberia Electoral Support Project (LESP), funded by European Union, Government of Sweden and Ireland, UN Women, is conducting an assessment on Violence Against Women in Politics (VAWP), to document and assess the experiences of women in politics and public life. The assessment will focus on elected women leaders, former candidates, women in executive roles, and members of political parties at both national and local levels. The assessmentโs findings will fill critical data gaps, providing an evidence base to inform institutional responses, policies, and programming in the next electoral cycle (2029). It aligns with the lessons learned from the 2023 elections and the mid-term evaluation of LESP, and will contribute to stronger prevention, monitoring, and accountability mechanisms. The results will support the work of UN agencies, electoral institutions, policymakers, and civil society in creating a safer and more inclusive political environment for women in Liberia.
The Assessment aims to address the following objectives:
- Map and assess interventions addressing VAWP implemented ahead of the 2023 elections to identify best practices and areas for improvement.
- Assess the adequacy of legal and policy frameworks, as well as institutional mechanisms, in addressing the prevention and response to VAWP.
- Collect qualitative data on the forms, contexts and impact of VAWP in Liberia before, during, and after the election.
- Identify entry points and provide recommendations for strengthening the monitoring, prevention and response to VAWP in Liberia
Under this TOR,ย based on the context above, UN Women Liberia Country Office is looking to recruit a lead International Consultantย knowledgeable of VAWP issues, context, including research background, to lead the assessment working closely with a national consultant.ย
Description of Responsibilities/ Scope of Work
The International Consultant is expected to have strong expertise in gender equality, with a specific focus on Violence Against Women in Politics (VAWP), and a solid background in research. Serving as the lead technical expert, the consultant will oversee the overall coordination, methodology design, data analysis, and reporting.
The international consultant will also lead fieldwork in Montserrado County, while the national consultant will lead qualitative data collection in five additional counties (Nimba, Lofa, Gbarpolu, Bong, and Sinoe), and provide contextual insights to support the broader analysis. The consultant will work under the supervision of the Programme Specialist for Womenโs Political Participation and in close collaboration with the UN Women HQ technical team.
Task 1:ย Overall coordination and delivery of the Assessment on Violence Against Women in Politics in Liberiaย
- Develop a detailed workplan and timeline for the implementation of the assessment in close coordination with UN Women Liberia Country Office and UN Women HQ.
- Lead and coordinate the implementation of the workplan of the assessment in close coordination with UN Women Liberia Country Office, UN Women HQ, and National Consultantย
- Liaise with the National Consultant to ensure the timely implementation of the different components of the assessment.
- Review and provide quality assurance for all deliverables
- Provide regular updates and coordinate meetings of the Technical Team[1]ย which comprises of UN Women Liberia Country Office and UN Women HQ, to track progress and support decision-making.
Task 2: The design and execution of theย qualitative components of the National Assessment on Violence Against Women in Politics in Liberiaย
Background research and review of legislative and policy framework on VAWP in Liberiaย
- Develop a review template to be used for consistency in the desk review and analysis.
- Lead the review of existing research, election observation mission reports, perception surveys, and other relevant sources on elections and womenโs political participation in Liberia, with the aim of identifying trends, challenges, and gaps in data related to VAWP.ย
- Review Liberiaโs legislative and policy framework related to womenโs political participation and VAWP benchmarking against international normative frameworks and global best practices to identify gaps in legal protections, institutional responses, and areas for improvement.
- Assess voluntary frameworks and initiatives, such as the VAWE/P-P Protocol adopted by political parties and NEC and identify the roles of key actors and stakeholders in monitoring, preventing, and response to VAWP.
- Analyse online platforms, media reporting, and public discourse to track incidents, trends, and narratives related to technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV) to inform the broader analysis.
- Analyze and summarize key trends emerging from the reviewed sources to inform the overall assessment.
Preliminary qualitative research and scope validationย
- Map key national stakeholders involved in preventing or responding to VAWP including the NEC, political parties, justice and security actors, civil society, womenโs rights groups, and election observers.
- Conduct one focus group discussion with NEC, including the Commissioner for Gender and the Gender and Political Party Affairs Units, to gather insights on institutional mechanisms and challenges related to VAWP.
- Carry out up to a maximum of 5 interviews with elected and appointed women, former candidates, and members of political parties to inform the content, language, and sensitivity of data collection tools.
- Conduct up to 2 interviews with key electoral stakeholders, womenโs rights organizations, and election observation groups to validate priorities, identify gaps, and contextualize findings.
Qualitative data collectionย
- Develop a qualitative data collection plan and methodology,ย including sampling strategy, interview targets, and a timeline for fieldwork.
- A minimum of 40โ50 in-depth interviews will be conducted with women in leadership, including former candidates, elected legislators, appointed women in executive roles, and women active in political parties. Fieldwork will take place across Montserrado, Nimba, Lofa, Gbarpolu, Bong, and Sinoe counties, selected for their geographic diversity and history or risk of VAWP. ย
- Conduct at least 8โ10 focus group discussions or key informant interviews with political, electoral, security, and civil society actors to contextualize findings and identify gaps in institutional responses.
- Fieldwork outside Montserrado County will be conducted by the national consultant.
Task 3: Preparation of a comprehensive report and advocacy materials
- Conduct qualitative data analysis,ย drawing on transcripts, notes, and recordings from interviews and focus group discussions.ย
- Consolidate and analyze transcripts from all counties, including those collected by the national consultant, to ensure comprehensive and contextually grounded analysis.
- Develop a comprehensive final report[2]ย integrating evidence from qualitative and the review of legislative and policy framework, and highlighting short- and long-term entry points, opportunities, and priority actions for key state and non-state actors (legislature, ย electoral management bodies, political parties, local administrations, traditional and religious leaders, elected women representatives, civil society and the womenโs movement, and UN Women and other UN agencies), to better monitor, prevent and respond to VAWP.
- Prepare advocacy materials, including one main advocacy brief (3โ5 pages) and five short briefs derived from key findings of the assessment. Communications materials, including human interest stories and/or articles on good practices, may be considered to support knowledge management of the project.
- Document knowledge generated from the whole initiative, specifically on its progress, design, and management together with the UN Women team.ย
ย
Task 4: Liaise with national and local stakeholders and experts to ensure their buy-in and participation in the implementation of the assessment and dissemination of its findings
Coordinate the Reference Group composedย national stakeholders relevant to acting on violence against women in politics
- Provide substantive inputs to the TORs for a Reference Group, composedย ofย national stakeholders relevant to acting on violence against women in politics.ย
- Support the establishment of the Reference Group at the outset of the assessment to promote national ownership and ensure that the findings and recommendations are relevant and actionable.
- Coordinate and facilitate at least two meetings of the Reference Group, one during the inception phase and one following the completion of the report.
Dissemination andย Launching of the reportย
- Coordinate the organization of national workshop with relevant stakeholders and experts, including elected women representatives, former candidates, members of political parties and women in the executive at national and local level to launch the report and share its findings and recommendations.ย
- Develop a dissemination plan for the dissemination of the final report and advocacy materials.ย
Deliverables:ย
Deliverables of the International Consultant under Task 1, & 2
- Detailed workplan and timeline for the assessment.
- Inception report, including the proposed methodology and tools for preliminary qualitative research and a summary of the initial literature and legal and policy review, and a draft outline of the report.
- Mapping of existing qualitative approaches in collecting data VAWP in the context of Liberia. ย Review of Liberiaโs current legislative and policy framework, it relates to womenโs political participation and VAWP, and by comparison with standards set by international normative frameworks and global best practices.
- Transcript of information gathered in preliminary consultations, focus groups and interviews.
- An interview guide for the main qualitative data collection in the field.ย
- Qualitative data collection plan, including the timeline of activities, target number of interviews, and principles for selecting participantsโsuch as elected women leaders, former candidates, women in executive roles, members of political parties at both national and local levels, as well as representatives of local womenโs rights organizations, election observers, and other key stakeholders. (6 counties).
- Transcripts or detailed notes from in-depth interviews and focus group discussions including those conducted by the national consultant outside Monserrado County.ย
Deliverables of the International Consultant under Task 3
- Detailed outline for the final report, including preliminary findings, key messages, and recommendations.
- Comprehensive final report (50-70 pages) integrating evidence from qualitative data collection and the review of legislative and policy framework.
- Advocacy materials including one main advocacy brief andย short thematic, geographic, and/or demographic briefs.ย
- Communications materials including at least two human interest stories and/or articles on good practices.ย
- Substantive inputs to lessons learnedย generated during the assessment.
Deliverables of the International Consultant under Task 4:ย
- Substantive inputs to the TORs of the Reference Group.
- Meeting summaries of the Reference Group meetings.ย
- Meeting summaries of national workshop.
- Develop a dissemination plan for the final report and advocacy materials.
ย Duration of assignmentย
It is anticipated the assignment will take up 60 working days over a period of 5 months.ย
TaskยAnticipated
number of days Task 1: Support overall coordination and undertaking of the Assessment on Violence Against Women in Politics in Liberiaย 15 ย Task 2: Lead the design and implementation of the qualitative components of the National Assessment on Violence Against Women in Politics (VAWP) in Liberiaย 25 Task 3: Preparation of comprehensive report and advocacy materials 10 Task 4: Liaise with national and local stakeholders and experts to ensure their buy-in and participation in the implementation of the assessment and dissemination of its findings 10 Total number of days anticipated 60
Deliverableย
Payment for this consultancy will be based on the achievement of each deliverable and certification that each has been satisfactorily completed. Payment will be based on relevant annexes as supporting documents for the achievement of deliverables.
S. No Deliverables Target Date % of Payment 1 Detailed workplan and timeline; Inception report including proposed methodology and tools for preliminary qualitative data collection, initial literature and policy review, and draft outline of the final report End of Month 110%
Up on submission of Inception report.
2 Mapping of existing data collection approaches on VAWP in Liberia; Review of legislative and policy framework; Transcripts/notes from preliminary qualitative research; Interview guide; Qualitative data collection plan End of Month 3 ย 3 Cleaned transcripts/data from main qualitative data collection; summary of emerging findings and lessons learned note End of Month 5 50% 4 Comprehensive final report (50โ70 pages) integrating all findings; Advocacy materials including one main brief and five short briefs; Dissemination plan End of Month 6 40% 5 Meeting summaries from Reference Group and national workshop; Communications materials (e.g. human-interest stories); Inputs to lessons learned documentation End of Month 6 ยConsultantโs Workplace and Official Travel
This is a home-based consultancy with a field mission limited to Montserrado Country. Travel dates will be determined during the inception phase. Fieldwork outside Montserrado Countryย will be conducted by the national consultant.
UN Women inputs:ย
- UN Women Liberia will facilitate travel arrangements (international, national) and provide DSA as per actual cost, based on a mutually agreed travel plan.
- UN Women will provide the consultant with relevant background materials and programme documents for the project. Specifically, UN Women will provide project documents and access to relevant training materials, reports, research and data.
- UN Women will recruit a national consultant to support field-level qualitative data collection and contextual analysis.
- UN Women will provide formal letters to introduce the consultants to government and other key stakeholders as and when needed.ย
- It is mandatory for the consultant to participate in a UN security briefing and to follow UN security rules and guidance.ย
- It is the consultantโs responsibility to arrange private insurance.
- The consultant will be required to provide a Statement of Good Health, endorsed by a certified Medical Practitioner
ย[1]ย A Technical Team comprising ofย UN Women Liberia Country Office, UN Women HQ and the International and National Consultant will be formed at the beginning of the project to provide strategic oversight and quality assurance of the study.ย
[2]ย The final report must be rendered publication-ready, commensurate with what an experienced professional editor can offer. The term โpublication-readyโ shall mean that the final report respects the formatting conventions specified by UN Women and is devoid of typographical, spelling and grammatical mistakes. The final report must also be written in clear, correct and readable language.
Competencies :
Core Values:
- Integrity;
- Professionalism;
- Respect for Diversity.
Core Competencies:
- Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues;
- Accountability;
- Creative Problem Solving;
- Effective Communication;
- Inclusive Collaboration;
- Stakeholder Engagement;
- Leading by Example.
Please visitย this linkย for more information on UN Womenโs Values and Competencies Framework:ย
Functional Competencies::ย
- Sound practical knowledge on womenโs political participation and EVAW programming including on prevention and mitigation of violence against women in elections/politics;ย
- Previous experience in field-based womenโs political participation and/or EVAW programming in a variety of cultural and political contexts, particularly in developing countries;
- Ability to work effectively and harmoniously with people from varied cultures and professional backgrounds,ย demonstrating excellent interpersonal communication skills;
- Results based management skills;ย
- Ability to produce well-written reports and/or programme documents demonstrating analytical ability;ย
- Excellent communication skills
- Experience in working with UN Women or UN or international NGOs on womenโs political participation, electoral assistance, or EVAW.ย
Education and Certification:
- Advanced university degree (masterโs degree or Ph.D) Political Science, Sociology, International Relations, Law or relevant field.ย
- A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Experience:
- At least 12 years of experience providing technical assistance and coordinating and conducting research studies in the areas of womenโs political participation, VAWP, electoral assistance and integration of gender equality in elections, including legal and policy review;
- Demonstrable expertise on EVAW;ย
- Sound knowledge of international standards on human rights, womenโs rights, elections and related instruments;
- Demonstrated experience in managing a research team;
- Experience working with multi-stakeholder organizations including governments, electoral management bodies, CSOs particularly womenโs organizations and the UN/ multilateral/bilateral institutions, preferably in Africa,ย
- Experience in programme design and results-based management;ย
- Proven experience in designing and leading qualitative research
Languages: Fluency in English is required.
How to Apply (submit all in a single file)
- Personal CV or P11 (P11 can be downloaded from:ย https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/Headquarters/Attachments/Sections/About%20Us/Employment/UN-Women-P11-Personal-History-Form.docย )
- A cover letter (maximum length: 1 page)
- Sample of a published report authored or co-authored by the applicant.
Statements :
In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. The creation of UN Women came about as part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact. It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system (DAW, OSAGI, INSTRAW and UNIFEM), which focused exclusively on gender equality and women's empowerment.
Diversity and inclusion:
At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, trains, compensates,ย and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age,ย ability, national origin,ย or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity and organizational need.
If you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in your application.
UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere toย UN Womenโsย policiesย and proceduresย andย theย standardsย of conduct expected of UN Women personnelย and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. (Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.)
Note: Applicants must ensure that all sections of the application form, including the sections on education and employment history, are completed. If all sections are not completed the application may be disqualified from the recruitment and selection process.
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