Research Consultant: Protection strategies implemented by grassroots WHRDs 276 views0 applications

TERMS OF REFERENCE; STUDY ON SELF-PROTECTION STRATEGIES IMPLEMENTED BY GRASSROOTS WOMEN HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS ORGANISATIONS

1. About Protection International (PI) Kenya

Protection International Kenya (PIK) is registered as a non-governmental organization in Kenya. PIK operates in Kenya with support from its headquarters in Belgium. PI has been in Kenya since 2010 when it started its operations as Protection Desk Kenya.

Our Vision

PI aspires to a world in which fundamental human rights (HRs) and freedoms are respected, protected and fulfilled. PI´s contribution to the world is to ensure that everyone who defends HRs can do so without fear of threats or attacks. PI supports Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) to protect themselves through a comprehensive approach. This approach is founded on three pillars: 1/ empowering HRDs to manage their protection themselves; 2/encouraging authorities to comply with their legal duty to respect, protect and fulfil HRs and 3/ making other individuals and institutions with a positive stake in the protection of HRDs to do more or better, and those with a negative stake to respect the rights of HRDs.

Our mission

Our contribution to that world is to support human rights defenders through comprehensive protection programmes. Our programmes empower defenders to build their capacities in order to manage their protection effectively, to allow those that protect them fulfill their obligations, and to convince other individuals and institutions with a stake in the protection of human rights defenders to maximize their positive contribution.

Our goals

1. Empower Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) to protect themselves: We contribute towards empowering HRDs to manage their own protection and security management by increasing their risk analysis skills and understanding on protection issues. We work in developing preventive security systems jointly with the HRDs and organizations involved as well as in emergency situations, according to their needs and context. The main source of inspiration is the knowledge generated by the exchange of experiences and lessons learnt by HRDs themselves.
2. Create and strengthen strategic alliances that allow for more effective engagement of HRDs with duty-bearers and stakeholders: Understanding alliances as a way of collective protection, we contribute to overcome the isolation of HRDs or strengthen their networks through strategic alliances with duty-bearers and stakeholders that ensure their active and effective involvement to attend protection needs of HRDs.
3. Contribute to improved policy-making for the protection of the right to defend human rights: We support the adoption and effective implementation of national public policies to protect HRDs, providing technical advice and training to key actors. We provide accurate information (ad hoc studies or well recognized publications and presentations) on best practices and developments on public policies, ensuring the qualified participation of HRDs in the process of design, creation and implementation of those policies.

2. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRDs) are women active in human rights defence who are targeted for who they are—because they are women as well as for what they do—because of their work defending human rights. In addition to gender, there are many economic, social, cultural and geographical factors that affect how WHRDs experience a violation. These factors include class, religion, age, language, sexual orientation, location, race and ethnicity.

In spite of international and regional Declarations adopted over the last decade in favor of WHRDs, it is still necessary to translate these words into effective policies and concrete actions. Legislation and mechanisms addressing rights violations against HRDs have not stopped perpetrators from acting with impunity. Despite the UN Declaration on HRDs and other human rights standards enshrined in legally-binding international instruments that African States have ratified, HRDs on the continent continue to face challenges that threaten their lives and those of their collectives. In Kenya, HRDs face daily attacks and threats. A number of killings and other grave rights violations against HRDs have been documented by civil society organisations but perpetrators continue to commit these acts with impunity.This has forced WHRDs and HRDs in general to devise traditional self-protection mechanisms based on their perception of risks.

WHRDS in Kenya have done a remarkable job in promoting human rights, documentation on the role played by WHRDs in Kenya dates back to the colonial period although this has always been met with retaliation mostly from uniformed personnel. The number of WHRDs has significantly increased over time and this calls for documentation on shared practices and used by WHRDs to protect themselves and the challenges they face.

3. PURPOSE OF THE CONSULTANCY

In order to gain a holistic understanding on how WHRDs and HRDs in general perceive risks and the formal and informal ways they use to manage and mitigate those risks, PI Kenya will carry out a research on protection strategies implemented by grassroots women human rights defenders organisations. The findings will be used to support WHRDs/HRDs to plan for their safety and security; this will go beyond the usual approaches to WHRDs protection and security. The research is therefore commissioned to strengthen the understanding on the perception of risk by WHRDs (and HRDs at large, including youth) and the formal and informal ways they use to manage and mitigate those risks, evaluate drivers and barriers that the WHRDs’ organisations and networks face in managing their security, mapping out of stakeholders and analyzing the role they play in promotion and protection of WHRDS/HRDs rights’ in the community.

The research findings will then be used for future capacity building of WHRDs, advocacy on the promotion and protection of WHRDs/HRDs at national, regional and global level and for dissemination purposes. PIK, with the support of Protection International Africa and Protection International Global, will publish the findings and disseminate among its partners, donors, government officials and all other stakeholders.

That the Consultant will carry out the following Specific Duties:

i) Assessment of protection strategies implemented by grassroots women human rights defenders organisations

● Review existing traditional self-protection methodologies implemented by grassroots women human rights defenders organisations and their effectiveness.

● identify any existing gaps in the traditional self-protection methodologies and their implementation and provide the necessary recommendations.

● Establish the level of adoption of self-protection methodologies implemented by grassroots women human rights defenders organisations

● Map existing WHRDs networks and support groups in Nairobi County to establish the existence of a network.

● Provide key pointers and recommendations to PI Kenya on areas to be strengthened among WHRDs security management.

4. SCOPE OF WORK

● Develop relevant study/research questions/research guide and tools.

● Conduct desk review of existing information as per the objectives outlined above.

● Development of qualitative data collection tools and sampling methodology

● Conduct a pilot study/pre-test of the data collection tools for accuracy and reviewing for the study.

● Provide an inception report, which should espouse the consultant’s understanding of the TORs, methodology and with a financial proposal.

● Conduct field study and collecting data;

● Making necessary observations, compiling key information relevant to the study.

● Preparing a draft and final report on study findings, providing recommendations on emerging programming interventions and policy advocacy opportunities, as well as best practices on promotion and protection of WHRDs approaches and initiatives.

● Conduct a survey of 9 government institutions with human rights to assess interventions and strategies being applied to address and respond to the protection of WHRDs, analyze to establish the gaps and best practices of the identified interventions and strategies.

● Develop dialogue starters/elevator pitches for the KAMWE project for initiating discussions with government officials and other stakeholders on protection of WHRDs.

● Extract from the final study report key messages to be condensed into a short advocacy brief document written in a journalistic and accessible style, to be disseminated to a wider audience in Kenya.

● Final report must be formatted ready for publication (in a printable final version approx. 20-25 pages).

5. METHODOLOGY

The Consultant is expected to develop a viable methodology process and methodologies that infuse qualitative approaches and comprehensive desk review. The methodology should be interactive and have a rights based approach. The final outputs of the process should provide the key outcomes on the aforementioned objectives.

6. MANAGEMENT AND TIMEFRAME

The Consultant will be supervised and guided directly by PI Kenya. It is expected that the Consultant will present an initial layout (Inception phase) document, 1 reports and 1 policy brief. The Consultant will also organize pilot testing of qualitative tools and refine these as necessary.

PI Kenya will be responsible for the following duties:

1. Holding an entry meeting with the consultant.
2. Sharing relevant PI Kenya background organizational information and provide contacts for: WHRDs and HRDs who are PI Kenya’s partners.
3. Review, discuss and improve the drafts produced from the review
4. Providing the consultant with specific and feedback within the stipulated time frame.
5. Validate the final draft report and Advocacy/Policy Brief.

7. DURATION OF THE CONTRACT

The consultancy will be conducted within thirty (40) consultancy days. The assignment is expected to be finished completely (final report submitted) not later than 15^th July 2020.

8. DELIVERABLES

The consultant will report to and liaise with PI Kenya for support on a regular basis. Mobilization of various respondents will be supported by PI Kenya. This includes setting up interviews and meetings with project beneficiaries, and other stakeholders.

The selected consultant should deliver the following:

● Inception Report: The inception report should include a review of:

(i) Existing national, county and local companies’ policies, regulations, practices and their enforcement in relation to equitable employment opportunities

(ii) Existing laws and policies that govern the protection of WHRDs (iii) assessment of the existence of any local and/or national frameworks on protection of WHRDs and

(iii) Propose ethical and feasible evaluation methodologies to respond to the evaluation questions, propose data collection tools to be used; provide a schedule of evaluation activities and tasks.

Produce Draft Report

· Zero Draft Survey Report – The draft report will provide preliminary findings and recommendations and provide tangible evidence (information and data) as per the study objectives.

· Timely feedback on the zero draft will be provided by the programs team.

· Revised zero draft report- The revised report will synthesize all data, findings, conclusions and recommendations, taking into account all comments and additions from the PI/K team following the submission of the zero-draft report.

· Validation meeting/Oral Presentation: PI Kenya will organize a feedback meeting. The consultant will make a presentation to programs team on the preliminary findings of the study, conclusions and recommendations and lessons for programs improvement. The meeting will be an opportunity to clarify outstanding aspects of the study before finalization of the report.

· Produce a Final report: The consultant will be expected to produce a final report, including main issues discussed and all comments provided by the programs team during the validation meeting; while the consultant shall determine the substantive content of the findings, conclusions and recommendations of the report. (Final report must be formatted (edited, content layout and design) ready for publication (in a printable final version approx. 20-25 pages).

· The report is subject to final approval by PIK in terms of whether or not the report meets the conditions of the ToR and expected standards.

· Provide Dialogue Starters

· Dissemination Workshop: After the final report is finalized, PI Kenya will organize a dissemination workshop with key stakeholders. The consultant is expected to co-facilitate the workshop and present the results of the survey.

9. SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS OF CONSULTANT

1. Master’s degree in a relevant Social science or Law
2. Sound understanding of laws, treaties, declarations and country context on human rights defenders
3. Excellent presentation skills