Central African Republic: Gender Based Violence Specialist

Title: GBV specialist

Location: DRC and CAR, with missions to Europe

Reporting to: The Executive Director

Period: Start date 1 May 2018 with a one year contract and possibility for extension

About us:

The Dr. Denis Mukwege Foundation is an international human rights organisation with offices in The Hague and Geneva, set up in 2016 with the objective to end the use of rape as a weapon of war. We develop strategies to fight sexual violence in conflicts worldwide and support projects for survivors. Dr. Mukwege is a distinguished international women’s rights activist and founder of Panzi Hospital and Foundation in DRC, which specializes in advanced care for survivors of sexual violence. Together with Dr. Mukwege, the organization tries to influence government decision-makers and others to adopt policies and practices to end rape as a weapon of war and to scale up support for its survivors.

Panzi Hospital and Foundation have developed a model of holistic care for survivors of sexual violence, integrating medical, legal, psychological, and socio-economic support in the existing health system. This one-stop centre is not a new model, but is rarely implemented in humanitarian settings, whereas the approach results in improved access to services, truly survivor-centred care, and sustainability. One of the objectives of the Dr. Denis Mukwege Foundation is to take good practices from DRC by supporting health systems in other conflict affected countries in adapting a similar approach.

These initiatives are developed and implemented together with survivors of sexual violence. The Mukwege Foundation supports a global survivor movement set up by survivors from different conflict settings in Africa, Asia, South-America, Middle East and Europe. They want to join forces and make their voices heard. Together they are able to draw attention to the use of rape as a weapon of war and demand the changes necessary to end the violence and achieve justice. The members of this global movement are all activists in their own countries and key actors in the work that the Mukwege Foundation undertakes to disseminate the Panzi model to other conflict settings.

The GBV specialist will lead a two year project to promote the one-stop centre model globally, and scale up its implementation in conflict-affected areas. The GBV specialist will also work closely with movement members to ensure that the introduction/strengthening of holistic care at country level meets the needs of the survivors of sexual violence.

Job overview:

The GBV specialist disseminates and coordinates the implementation of the Panzi model of holistic care to other humanitarian settings outside of DRC with an initial focus on the Central African Republic, Guinea and Iraq.

This involves the identification of existing health centres wanting to scale up support for sexual violence survivors by integrating non-medical pillars of care (legal, socio-economic, psychological); conducting a participatory needs assessment with all actors involved; coordinating a South to South capacity building process whereby Panzi team of experts transfer knowledge and skills to staff of the identified health systems; mobilization of resources to support this project; monitoring and documenting the process from start to end.

In order to support the dissemination of the Panzi model, the GBV specialist will also oversee an in-depth study about the effectiveness of holistic care at the one-stop centre of the Panzi General Referral Hospital in Bukavu. This study will be undertaken in close collaboration with an academic institution and a relevant research organisation.

The GBV specialist will also support the development and/or strengthening of national survivor networks. In many of the countries involved in the global survivor movement, survivors have already started activities to form their own national network. While the stages of activities vary per country, the GBV specialist will help to identify the needs of survivors and facilitate the implementation of activities and projects to meet those needs. This work will be survivor-led.

Responsibilities:

· Manage the design, implementation and monitoring of the holistic care projects. This includes the development of M&E tools for these projects

· Initiate and strengthen network with donors and prepare funding proposals in English and French

· Advise and capacitate local partners on holistic care for survivors of sexual violence

· Engage survivors of sexual violence in the design, implementation and monitoring of the holistic care projects

· Prepare advocacy statements in collaboration with the Communications Officer

· Oversee an in-depth study about the effectiveness of holistic care at Panzi

· Conduct survivor needs assessment related to activism, breaking the silence, and documenting abuses

· Work together with survivors to expand or build projects that will achieve greater expression and healing

· Organize capacity building trainings for survivors related to a number of topics such as communications, advocacy strategies, fundraising and project management

Required Qualifications, Skills and Competencies

· Master’s degree in Social Sciences, Public Health or related field

· At least 5 years of relevant work experience in developing and managing sexual and gender-based violence projects in multiple conflict affected settings

· Sound knowledge of policy and practice related to medical, legal, psychological, and socio-economic support for survivors of wartime sexual violence

· Demonstrated Monitoring and Evaluation skills as well as project management experience

· Possess a relevant and broad relevant network. International donor experience is desirable

· Excellent writing and oral skills in French and English

· High ethical standards of behaviour, good judgment, respect for others, diplomatic skills, confidentiality and attention to detail

· Strong ability to work independently and to organize work efficiently and effectively

· Strong commitment to women’s rights and the goals of the Mukwege Foundation

· Willingness to go on mission for longer periods of time

· Must have the right to work in Europe

Applications due by April 1 but will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Please send cover letter and CV to Malini Laxminarayan, Program Officer, at malini@mukwegefoundation.org.