Programmatic Cooperation Framework (PCF)
Thematic programme V.1: Electoral assistance: reforming electoral practice
Action 5: Reforming electoral legislation and practice, and developing regional co-operation in electoral matters

Terms of Reference

Within the framework of a service contract financed by the Council of Europe, Promo-LEX Association (Moldova) is looking for 6 National Consultants from Moldova, Ukraine, Belarus, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan to participate in a study on women’s participation in politics and decision making processes in the EaP countries

1. Background of the Study and Scope of Work

Within the framework of the above mentioned service contract Promo-LEX is planning to conduct a study on women’s participation in politics and decision-making processes in the Eastern Partnership countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine).

The aim of the study is to engage the civil society organisations in promoting women in the decision making process in the EaP region. In order to accomplish this goal, Promo-LEX Association plan to realise with the support of gender consultants from the EaP countries a study comprising two components:

• A complex research of the situation of women participation in politics and decision making process, containing six comprehensive studies of this issue in each EaP country and
• The Index of women participation in politics and decision making process in the EaP countries.

​2. Job description

a. Participate in the elaboration of the methodology of the Study and assist the International Experts in its conduct;

b. Participate in a two-day workshop (mid -end of July 2015) dedicated to the fine tuning of the methodology and familiarization       with the tools that would be used for the realization of the Study;

c. Elaborate a chapter (10-15 pages) of the Study on women participation in politics and decision making process based on the       experience of the country of origin by looking into the following issues but not exclusively ( component I of the Study):

• Legal barriers that hinder women participation in politics and/or decision making process (role of specific laws, electoral system etc.);
• Profile of the women involved in politics and/or decision making process (social profile of the politically active women – age, social status/roles, education, income etc.);
• Factors that motivates and/or discourage women engagement in politics (political parties) and/or decision making process (objective and subjective factors);
• Opportunities and challenges for women engagement in politics (political parties) and/or decision making process;
• Area of interventions for further enhancement of women participation in politics and decision making process (political parties’ mechanisms of attracting, selecting, training and promoting women as politicians, parties’ level of internal democracy, social stereotypes, social-economic problems etc.);

d. Collect relevant statistical data for the realization of the Index on women participation in politics and decision making process in the EaP countries (under guidance of the International Experts), ( component II of the Study);

e. Apply different data collection methods, including in-depth interviews with the relevant stakeholders for the identification of the challenges and opportunities for women engagement in politics and/or decision making process;

f. Assist the International Experts with the analysis and interpretation of the data collected for the Index.

3. Timeframe, workload and deliverables

The data will be collected during June 1 – November 30, 2015. During this period the National Consultants are expected to be engaged for about 16 working days. Nevertheless, the National Consultants will stay available to consult the Promo-LEX project management team and International Experts during the entire period of the project. Thus, Promo-LEX Association will apply a result based approach, meaning that the National Consultants will be paid in one or two tranches after the receipt of the project deliverables and accomplishment of thet tasks.

For each of the project/Study components the National Consultants will have to provide distinct deliverables:

• A chapter (10-15 pages) of the Study on women participation in politics and decision making process based on the experience of a specific EaP country;
• The data collected for the realization of the Index on women participation in politics and decision making process (completed questionnaires, transcription of the interviews etc.);
• A short activity report elaborated on the basis of the participation at the two-days workshop, organization of the meetings with relevant stakeholders and assistance offered to the International Experts in implementing the research methodology and their study visits in the EaP countries.

4. Criteria for selecting the expert(s)
The National Consultants must meet the following criteria:

• Be a national of EaP countries (Moldova, Ukraine, Belarus, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan)
• University degree in law, political science, public policy, management or other relevant fields;
• Very good knowledge of the gender problems and election realities in the EaP area, with focus on the expert’s country of residence;
• Minimum 5 years of relevant experience in planning and conducting initiatives for women empowerment and gender mainstreaming in politics and decision making process;
• Extensive experience in conducting researches, studies on gender and/or election related issues, specifically on women engagement in politics and decision making process;
• Proven experience in collecting and analysis of statistical data;
• Experience in delivering election related trainings, assistance to the civil society organizations and/or election authorities on different gender related issues;
• Previous working experience on similar assignments in the Eastern Partnership countries would be considered an advantage;
• Deep analytical and writing skills;
• Excellent self-organization skills;
• Ability to work in sensitive political environments;
• Good communication skills;
• Fluent in English and good command of Russian.

5. How to apply
The interested persons will send below listed documents to [email protected] by 29^th of May 2015:

• CV (max. 3 pages)
• A short letter of interest stating his/her interest for participation in the study development as well as the availability during June-November 2015 period.
• The expected net honoraria for the completion of the above mentioned tasks and delivered products.

DOC – TermsofReferenceforNationalConsultants