CALL FOR CONSULTANTS: CAPACITY BUILDING OF COVAW’s PRO BONO ADVOCATES ON TECHNOLOGICAL FACILITATED GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE CASES

1. About Coalition on Violence Against Women (COVAW)

The Coalition on Violence Against Women(COVAW) is an organization that is focused on influencing sustained engagement on violations conducted against women and girls in Kenya, with emphasis on Gender-Based Violence. COVAW’s envisions a society where women and girls enjoy equal rights, freedoms and thrive in safe spaces. In doing so, we focus on 5 Key areas of Access to Justice, Access to Comprehensive GBV and SRHR services, Women in Economic Empowerment, Women’s Leadership Development and Institutional Development.

COVAW’s interventions deliberately address norms, attitudes, laws, policies, and practices that affect women and girls’ safety and well-being in general. This is done through the implementation of gender progressive practices and supporting the development of regulatory and institutional frameworks. Additionally, COVAW fosters consistent engagement with different actors to prevent and respond to VAWG and to hold perpetrators of these violations accountable.

COVAW is guided by its core values of respect, integrity, solidarity, and commitment in improving the lives of its primary beneficiaries – women and girls. View COVAW strategic plan from here

1. Project Description

About Transform: Transform is a three-year USAID funded global pilot initiative, which seeks to support practical approaches to preventing, mitigating, and responding to Technology-Facilitated Gender Based Violence (TFGBV),with a focus on addressing violence impacting women in politics & public life.

COVAW is implementing the Transform project in Kenyaalongside other partners. Key activities to be implemented include developing an advocacy brief on legislative interventions for effective management of TFGBV cases, and supporting review of existing legislation to recognize TFGBV as a form of sexual violence, among other activities.

1. Background

TFGBV is an act of violence perpetrated by one or more individuals that is committed, assisted, aggravated, and amplified in part or fully by the use of information and communication technologies or digital media, against a person on the basis of their gender[1]

TFGBV undermines women’s rights to participate in key decision-making processes, exacerbating their underrepresentation in civic spaces. A foundational landscape assessment by Transform in 2023 reviewed global evidence of TFGBV against women in politics and public life, highlighting its impact on women’s public and political participation.[2] One key finding revealed that women in politics and public life face numerous intersectional individual-level risks, such as hate speech and gendered disinformation. According to Pollicy’s Byte Bullies Report (2023), 55.7% of women candidates in the 2022 Kenya general elections experienced online violence on Facebook. GBV report by the Media Council of Kenya for example, reveals that three-quarters of women in the media have been exposed to online violence.

Addressing these issues is significantly hindered by weak systemic responses and inadequate enforcement to hold perpetrators accountable. Currently, no law in Kenya explicitly criminalizes TFGBV. The Sexual Offences Act does not recognize online sexual violence as a form of sexual violence. A limited percentage of TFGBV, such as the spread of disinformation and hate speech, have been captured in the Computer Misuse and Cyber Crimes Act. However, other numerous TFGBV forms remain under-reported and unaddressed due to the inadequacy of laws that criminalize offences under TFGBV. Additionally, the normalization of these vices and the burden bone by survivors to prove the elements of TFGBV in their cases frustrates the reporting processes, case management and compromises the quality of evidence.

Law enforcement officers often struggle to admit reports and collect and preserve evidence. Furthermore, technology companies frequently fail to flag online violence perpetrated in local languages due to language barriers. The weak monitoring and reporting measures within these platforms has created an enabling environment for the perpetrators of TFGBV leading to a surge in online violence against women.

1. Purpose of The Consultancy

The purpose of the consultancy is to engage a consultant for a short term 4 days’ consultancy. This includes:

1. 1-day preparation of capacity building materials i.e proposed program, comprehensive training materials, including presentation, case studies, pre & post-session assessments, practical group exercises, and any other resources used during the training session, reviewed and approved by COVAW
2. 2 days’ capacity-building training on COVAW’s pro bono advocates in litigation of Technologically Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV) cases in Kenya, especially on Women in Public and Political Life. This consultancy aims to train pro bono advocates in evidence collection and litigation of TFGBV cases.
3. 1-day reporting on the training presentation.

Please note that the consultancy will be implemented in person in Mombasa County. The selected consultant will be required to travel to Mombasa.

1. Consultancy objectives
2. Develop Capacity Building Materials: Proposed program, comprehensive training materials, including presentation, case studies, pre & post-session assessments, practical group exercises, and any other resources used during the training session.
3. Equip COVAW’s Pro Bono advocates with the skills to provide holistic support to TFGBV survivors, including psychological, social, and legal assistance.
4. Educate COVAW’s pro bono advocates on the relevant national and international legal frameworks governing TFGBV, including key statutes, case law, and human rights principles.
5. Train COVAW’s pro bono advocates on the methods and tools for effective evidence collection in TFGBV cases, emphasizing digital evidence preservation and chain of custody.
6. Offer practical exercises on identifying, preserving, and presenting electronic evidence in court.
7. Develop strategic litigation skills specific to TFGBV cases, including pre-trial preparations, crafting compelling arguments, and addressing common defenses.
8. Training Methodology

The Facilitation methodology will include live presentations, group discussions and exercises, and case simulations/ mock trials and role-playing scenarios to simulate courtroom experiences.

1. Deliverables and Timelines.

The required consultancy deliverables are;

1. Capacity Building Materials: Proposed program, comprehensive training materials, including presentation, case studies, pre & post-session assessments, practical group exercises, and any other resources used during the training session.
2. Facilitate a 2-day capacity-building session on awareness of TFGBV, Litigation of TFGBV cases incorporating gender Consciousness, Survivor Centred & Trauma-Informed Approaches.
3. Training report and documentation of tools and resources for the pro bono advocates to improve their digital competency.

The consultant will also be responsible for,

1. Participate inn inception meeting (remotely if required) with COVAW Programme Officer and reviewing the training program to gather background information and understand the expected outcomes.
2. Facilitating training presentation as indicated in the program.
3. Drafting a comprehensive report on the training presentation incorporating the feedback of the training from the participants and submitting it to COVAW’s program Officer.

COVAW will be responsible for,

1. Reviewing proposed Capacity Building Materials.
2. Holding an inception meeting with the consultant to provide background information on the training and to manage expectations.
3. Providing oversight for the training and final report/paper of training.
4. Reviewing the draft report and providing the consultant with specific and timely feedback.
5. Managing and supporting the consultant throughout the training process
6. Approving the final report.

The consultancy is a short-term engagement and is anticipated to take a maximum of 4 days between 9th July 2024–12th July 2024 (working days inclusive of preparation and reporting)

The selected consultant will be required to facilitate an in-person capacity building in Mombasa. Specific dates will be communicated with the successful consultant.

1. Reporting

The consultant must submit a training report post the capacity building and documentation of tools and resources to the pro bono advocates to improve their digital competency.

1. Skills and Qualifications of Consultant

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Law and post-graduate Diploma in law

Required Experience and Skills

• Technical knowledge and expertise in the field of gender and social norms, litigation, human rights, sexual Gender Based Violence law and technology is required.
• Knowledge of gender equality and social inclusion would be an advantage.
• Demonstrated experience conducting training sessions, workshops, or capacity-building activities.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, active listening abilities, empathy, and cultural sensitivity.
• Excellent reporting skills are required
• Experience in upholding a high level of professionalism, ethical guidelines and standards in training and consultancy work.
• Preferably based in Mombasa.