Object of the Contract

The Mundubat Foundation wishes to hire an individual to provide technical assistance aimed at enhancing the existing Participation and Accountability (A&P) system and strengthening the referral protocol for cases of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) within the operational scope of Mundubat's counterparts. The objectives of this contract are twofold:

1. Review and Strengthening the Participation and Accountability System with a Focus on Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA):

The Consultant shall conduct a comprehensive review of the Mundubat’s current A&P system and propose enhancements to incorporate a dedicated component for the Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA). This component aims to:

• Raise awareness among staff and stakeholders regarding the issue of sexual exploitation and abuse.
• Integrate measures and protocols to prevent, identify, and respond to instances of sexual exploitation and abuse.
• Provide training and capacity-building sessions to staff to ensure a thorough understanding of the impact of PSEA on victims and the repercussions for perpetrators.

2. Review and Enhancement of Referral Protocol for Gender-Based Violence Cases:

The Consultant will assess the existing referral protocol utilized by Mundubat's counterparts for addressing cases of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in legal and psychosocial contexts. This involves:

• Updating the referral protocol to include relevant organizations specializing in GBV cases, particularly those operating in East Jerusalem but not currently part of the Mundubat consortium.
• Developing training materials and conducting training sessions for counterpart personnel, including Community-Based Organizations (CBOs), on the revised referral protocol and best practices for handling GBV cases effectively.

The Consultant shall deliver detailed reports outlining the findings, recommendations, and any proposed amendments to the A&P system and referral protocol, along with facilitating training sessions as specified above.

Background       

The activity is part of the project "Reducing the vulnerability and strengthening the resilience of the Palestinian population in East Jerusalem", which aims to provide free legal assistance and representation services to the Palestinian population of East Jerusalem on both sides of the separation wall.

Since 2014, the Mundubat Foundation has been actively engaged in collaborative initiatives within a consortium comprising four strategic partners in East Jerusalem. These initiatives have been dedicated to implementing diverse strategies aimed at safeguarding and strengthening the resilience of the Palestinian population amidst the persistent challenges they face.

Previous actions undertaken by the consortium included the development of referral protocol systems for both legal and Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) services, specifically tailored to address cases of Gender-Based Violence (GBV). Additionally, a Participation and Accountability (P&A) system was established among the four counterparts of the consortium, laying the groundwork for enhanced collaboration and coordination.

The overarching goal of these endeavors is to contribute to the prevention and mitigation of the humanitarian crisis in East Jerusalem, exacerbated by factors such as occupation and widespread violence. Central to this objective is the provision of access to essential protection services, including legal assistance and MHPSS, with a gender and age-specific approach to address the needs of vulnerable populations affected by the systematic violation of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and International Human Rights Law (IHRL) on both sides of the separation wall.

To achieve this goal, a series of interrelated actions have been framed within short-term strategies, encompassing:

• Protection, promotion, and advocacy for the rights of vulnerable Palestinian populations in East Jerusalem, facilitated through access to legal protection mechanisms.
• Provision of essential Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) services to vulnerable minors and women from East Jerusalem.
• Strengthening the capacities of the Palestinian population in East Jerusalem to assert their rights and enhance coping mechanisms, with a tailored approach considering gender and age differentials.

Service definition

The Technical Assistance service aims to enhance the existing Participation and Accountability (A&P) systems and strengthen referral protocols for cases of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) within the operational scope of the Mundubat Foundation and its counterparts. The service is designed to address the specific needs of vulnerable populations affected by the humanitarian crisis in East Jerusalem, with a focus on preventing sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) and ensuring effective responses to GBV cases.

Key Components:

1. Review and Enhancement of Participation and Accountability Systems:

• Conduct a comprehensive review of the current A&P system to identify strengths, weaknesses, and gaps.
• Propose enhancements to incorporate a dedicated component for the Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA).
• Develop and implement training sessions to raise awareness among staff and stakeholders regarding PSEA and measures to combat it.
• Coordinating with the PSEA network to carry out the session.
• Provide guidance and support for integrating PSEA prevention measures into existing A&P frameworks.

2. Strengthening Referral Protocols for Gender-Based Violence Cases:

• Review the existing referral protocol for GBV cases attended to by Mundubat counterparts in legal and psychosocial fields.
• Identify opportunities to enhance the protocol by incorporating additional organizations speializing in GBV cases, particularly those operating in East Jerusalem.
• Update the referral protocol to ensure seamless coordination and collaboration among relevant stakeholders.
• Develop training materials and conduct capacity-building sessions for counterpart personnel, including Community-Based Organizations (CBOs), on the revised referral protocol.

Products

The expected products of this technical assistance will be the following:

• Detailed report on the findings and recommendations from the review of the A&P system, including proposed enhancements for PSEA.
• Updated A&P system documentation incorporating the PSEA component.
• Training materials, sources of verification and documentation for 3 awareness-raising sessions on PSEA one for the staff of the counter parts and two for the CBO’s staff.
• Revised referral protocol for GBV cases, including added organizations and updated procedures.
• 3 Training sessions one for counterpart personnel and two for CBO’s staff on the revised referral protocol and best practices for handling GBV cases.
• Training materials, sources of verification and documentation for 3 awareness-raising sessions
• A meeting with Mundubat to define the service, meeting with Mundubat to present the workshops and a final meeting to present the conclusions.

The estimated time to carry out these sessions will not exceed 2 months from the signing of the contract until the delivery of the final products.

Requirements and profile

We are looking for technical assistance to an organization or a team of experts with the following requirements:

• Demonstrable previous experience of at least 3 years working in consultancies of PSEA and GbV.
• Specialized training in gender and prevention of sexual exploitation.
• Contact with Palestinian organizations in East Jerusalem that works to face GBV.

In the case of a team, it must be made up of at least 50% women.

It will be positively valued that they have:

• Experience working in the field of training

Evaluation cost

The maximum budget available for the service is 5.095 euros (the invoice will be with VAT exemption but includes transfer costs). This amount will include all expenses that may be incurred in the development of technical assistance (travel costs, staff, materials, etc.)

The payment method will be 40% of the total upon signing the contract and 60% upon delivery of products.

Interested candidates are invited to submit their Curriculum Vitae (CV) and proposal via email to [email protected], and [email protected]. Please ensure to set the email subject as "PSEA & GBV Consultancy" to facilitate proper routing and consideration of your application.