Research paper on gendered dimensions of environmental burde...

 Terms of Reference

Individual National or International Consulting Services

To develop a research paper on gendered dimensions of environmental burdens (air pollution, toxic chemicals, and floods) on rural women’s rights to food security in the context of the occupation

Project: Strengthening a Gender-Responsive Environment in Rural Development and Cooperative Sector

Project Duration: 2019 - 2022

About PWWSD

Established in 1981, The Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development (PWWSD) is a non-governmental women’s, mass, developmental, and learning human rights organization that contributes to developing feminist struggle within national, social, and developmental dimensions. The organization believes that liberating women is connected directly with ending the occupation and establishing a full Palestinian democratic sovereign civil state. PWWSD is active all over West Bank including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip and is an active member in several local, regional, and global networks and coalitions. 

The Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development (PWWSD) aims for a free and democratic Palestinian society based on gender equality, respect for human rights and social justice. The organization promotes women empowerment, women’s participation in the national struggle against the occupation, women’s contribution to the development processes, the entitlement of woman to political, economic and civic rights, women’s access to justice and their right to a life free of violence.

About the Project

In October 2019, the Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development (PWWSD) was selected by We Effect to serve as the Feminist Expert Organization to support strengthening gender mainstreaming approaches in policies, strategies and programs within its program titled “Equality First”. The latter aims to strengthen civil society actors in rural development and gender equality in Palestine.

The project “Strengthening a Gender-Responsive Environment in Rural Development and Cooperative Sector” is implemented in close partnership with the Economic and Social Development Centre of Palestine (ESDC), The Applied Research Institute – Jerusalem (ARIJ), the Union of Agricultural Work Committees (UAWC), the Land Research Centre (LRC), and the Palestinian Agricultural Cooperative Union (PACU).  The overall objective of the project is to contribute to strengthening a gender equal environment for women’s access to land and productive resources through improving their livelihood conditions and active opportunities in development processes. Our aim is to create an advanced gender mainstreaming system within partner organizations that reflect different models, mind-sets, values and purpose in rural and cooperatives development.  

General Description and Purpose of the Research Paper

PWWSD seeks to procure the services of an external national or international individual consultant to produce a research paper highlighting and analyzing the scope of the discussions on women’s rights to food security in the context of SDGs 1&2 (fighting hunger and reducing poverty), CEDAW General Recommendations, and Conventions on the rights of indigenous population, people with disabilities and refugees. PWWSD envisions a research advocacy paper that will shed the light on rural women’s right to nutritious food and food security in connection with health and COVID-19 crisis. 

Following the recent PWWSD report on women’s land access and right to land ownership and productive resources (i.e. farm) in Palestine, a consultant is sought to support the formulation of a trans disciplinary report on the gendered impacts of widespread deployment by the State of Israel against Palestinian people, of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) and other toxic substances including those associated with the use of military weapons systems. The paper would explore gendered dimensions of environmental burdens (air, pollution, toxic chemicals, floods, etc) in the context of the occupation, expanded settlements and annexation plan.  Iop1[The results of the paper will be used by PWWSD, We Effect and Partner Organizations, as well as key players, in advocating for women’s right to food security.

Duties and Responsibilities

The consultant will undertake the following tasks:

• Conduct a desk review.
• In close consultation with We Effect’s partners, define the research areas, main right-holders, problem statement, objectives, importance, reference framework, time frame and methodology (research paper plan).
• Collect data using qualitative methods (i.e. key informant interviews; focus group discussions, etc.).
• Perform analysis and conclude findings.
• Develop conclusions and recommendations.
• Present the draft report to PWWSD and project partners, and amend the draft, as needed.
• Write and submit the final report in Arabic incorporating feedback from PWWSD and project partners.
• Submit the report in high quality Arabic and English Languages. The final report will be designed with an eye to aesthetics, including graphics, images and materials that promote a lively reading experience.

Key Deliverables:

• The research paper draft (by 05 November). 
• The final research paper in high quality Arabic and English Languages with integrated comments and inputs provided by PWWSD and Project Partners providing graphics (by 10 November)

The Individual Consultant is required to:

• Maintain an open and frequent communication with PWWSD. 
• Submit the key deliverables including the research paper in a timely manner under the terms of the contract.
• Submit the research paper in high quality Arabic and English Languages
• The research paper is a minimum of 30 pages. 
• The maximum duration for the consultancy services is 27 working days from signing date of the consultancy contract.

Required Qualifications

• Graduate or post-graduate degree in gender and development, environmental studies, or any other related social sciences.
• At least 5 years of proven professional experience in women’s empowerment, gender equality and academic reports. 
• The consultant should be familiar with recent efforts by the CEDAW Committee to formulate new global human rights responses to intersections between gender-based and climate-related violence against indigenous people as these affect traditional approaches to farming, damage soils, water and air that belong to the commons; undermine local food security and access to nutritious food; compromise fetal and child development; increase the risk of cancers and other chronic illness, and compromise reproductive health.
• Proven experience in applying human rights-based-approach (HRBA) in researches (samples will be requested).
• Very strong understanding of national and international policy and legal frameworks on gender equality, women's rights, and women’s access to economic and productive resources, including understanding of social, cultural, economic and political context of Palestine.
• Very strong knowledge of the impacts of the occupation on the Palestinians, with a solid experience researching women and girls rights in rural areas, including area C.
• Fluency in written and spoken English is required. 

How to Apply

Interested consultants are required to prepare and submit the following:

• • CV/s of the consultant/s.  
  • Financial offer: budget breakdown of the proposed costs in ILS including VAT. 

Interested Individual Consultants are requested to send the above package in a sealed envelope to the office of the Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development in Ramallah – Alanbia St., Real Estate Company Building, Palestine. Tel: +972022986761 or +972022981977 with the subject line: Gendered dimensions of environmental burdens (air pollution, toxic chemicals, and floods) on rural women’s rights to food security in the context of the occupation

Deadline for Submission

Interested consulting firms are requested to submit their offers by 20 October 2020

Evaluation Criteria