Economic Justice & Financing for Women’s
Rights

Job
description

AWID

The Association for
Women’s Rights in Development (AWID) is an international, feminist, membership
organization committed to achieving gender equality, sustainable development
and women’s human rights. A dynamic network of women and men around the
world,
AWID members are researchers, academics, students, educators, activists,
business people, policy-makers, development practitioners, funders, and more.

Terms of
Reference:

Mapping of
relevant advocacy spaces and processes to advance economic justice and women’s
rights

Introduction

Mainstream notions
of economic growth and development have failed to address a context of multiple
crises contributing to the persistence and reproduction of impoverishment,
exploitation and injustice, including gendered inequalities and violations of
women’s rights. Equipped with our new strategy, the Economic Justice &
Financing for Women’s Rights (EJ&FfWR) team within AWID is embarking on a
re-assessment of the relevant spaces to influence with a vision of
transformation, based on our priorities and intended impact. Beyond seeking
equality for women within the existing global economy, we focus our efforts on
bringing about just and healthy economies, which would contribute to form the
basis for the realization of the fulfillment of women’s rights.

We aim to assess,
from a feminist perspective, the potential and opportunities for impact of
economic justice and financing for women’s rights related spaces, processes and
events within which AWID and other feminist groups, organizations and movements
may conduct advocacy, alliance building and engagement. In order to make this
mapping and analysis useful more broadly we intend for the exercise to be two
prong: one which focuses on AWID’s those that are more relevant for us
institutionally within the framework of our strategy; history, achievements and
partnerships; value added; and approach and the second that provides an broader
overview of these for our partners, allies and constituents. In doing so, we
will seek to critically assess the challenges and opportunities of these spaces
and provide a tentative roadmap to the processes that might be provide
opportunity for transformative change.

Focus of the
mapping analysis

Based on the lessons
learnt so far by AWID and our partners’ advocacy, alliance building and
engagement work, mainly at the UN and within philanthropy spaces, the mapping
should look at alternative, innovative or overlooked spaces and their potential
for transformative change. Our suggestion is that the mapping analysis has
three key parts:

The first part
should help to set the scene of the current context of global governance and
the evolving of key spaces for decision-making around development, human rights
and women’s rights. It should look at the historical underpinnings of the
involvement of feminist movements in spaces ranging from (i) the UN related
conferences (including ILO, ICPD, CSW, CEDAW, Rio+20, OHCHR, UN DCF, post-2015
process, UN HRC, WB, IMF etc); (ii) powerful blocs like the OECD, BRICS, G20,
G8, OIC or the World Economic Forum; (iii) alter-globalization spaces like the
World Social Forum (WSF), spaces like Solidarity Economy networks gatherings,
trade unions confederation meetings, occupy movements mobilizations, etc.

Following this
context setting of historical processes, a second chapter should focus on an
in-depth analysis and mapping of the current spaces gaining relevance and
others losing ground. This exercise should include, but is not restricted to,
putting these spaces to the test with questions like:

i) How far are these
spaces more or less receptive to women’s rights and gender equality issues into
their agendas?

ii) What is the
level and terms of participation of civil society organizations and of women’s
rights organizations in particular?

iii) What examples
of social and economic transformation worth noting have these spaces promoted,
if any?

iv) What impact have
the decisions or agreements had at multiple levels?

v) Who are the
influential actors in this space or process? How democratic is decision making
and how participatory is this space or process?

Analysis will be
based on desktop research, interviews with feminists, women’s rights, human
rights and other advocates as well as with, where relevant, policy makers.

The third and final
part should focus on drawing main conclusions and giving recommendations to
AWID as well as to women’s rights organizations and advocates working for
economic justice and human rights, on the lessons learned from other advocates
engaging in these spaces, the potential impact and opportunities.

Tasks and
Key Deliverables

A consultant will be
engaged to conduct the mapping and analytical study, with accompanying
recommendations for AWID as well as a popular tool in a short and accessible
format for use by wider feminist and women’s rights movements. The consultant
will work with the EJ&FWR team of AWID. The mapping study should be no more
than 10,000 words approximately and all outputs should be completed by December
2014.

Under the
supervision of the EJ&FWR team, the consultant will be expected to:

1. Conduct
   extensive desktop research
2. Conduct
   at least 10 interviews with relevant actors
3. Produce
   an annotated outline as background for the mapping of around 1,000 words
   for review
4. Produce
   a first draft of the mapping and analysis report of approximately 10,000
   words for review
5. A
   final draft of the mapping and analysis report of approximately 10,000
   words
6. Create
   a popular tool in a short and accessible format for use by wider feminist
   and women’s rights movements detailing specific spaces, their challenges
   and opportunities as well as the groups who are already engaged in these
   spaces and the impact that they have had.

How
to apply

Expected
timeline and fee:

Start date: To be
determined, but preference would be November 10, 2014

Expected number of
work days: 15 days

Fee: US$7500

How to
apply:

Please submit in
English, your CV and cover letter to jobs@awid.org by Sunday, November 2, 2014
including an outline of the methodology you would use and an outline of the
mapping to be conducted (limit of one page).

We thank all those
who apply, but only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. No calls please.
AWID encourages, promotes and support diversity in all aspects of its work. To
learn more about AWID and our programs, please visit our website at www.awid.org.