Technology-Facilitated Violence Against Women Data and Research Consultant

Background

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security.

UN Women adopts a comprehensive approach to end violence against women and girls (EVAWG) through (1) creating an enabling legal and policy environment, (2) generating evidence, data and knowledge; (3) strengthening survivor-centered responses and access to multi-sectoral, coordinated essential services; (4) preventing VAWG by addressing the causes and drivers of violence against women and girls; (5) partnering with and supporting women’s rights organizations and civil society groups to play a lead role in addressing VAWG. UN Women is now deepening its work on technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TF GBV) to strengthen the global frameworks and standards as well as generating evidence of what works in preventing and eliminating violence against women and girls across the online-offline continuum.

Although online and technology-facilitated GBV share the same causes and many of the drivers of offline forms of violence against women and girls – including structural gender inequality and discrimination, unequal power relations, deeply entrenched cultural and social norms and patterns of harmful masculinities – there are specific features of digital spaces that require dedicated focus and solutions for instance, the scale, speed and ease of internet communication, combined with anonymity, pseudonymity and impunity. Presently, there are significant gaps in knowledge and evidence of what works in preventing TF GBV, which is crucial to inform evidence-based prevention and response frameworks and interventions.

To address these gaps, in 2024 UN Women has strengthened its efforts to address TF GBV, with a focus on strengthening the global frameworks and standards as well as generating evidence of what works in preventing and eliminating violence against women and girls across the online-offline continuum. Through the project: ‘UN Women’s Catalytic Programming to address Technology Facilitated Violence against Women & Girls’, UN Women focuses on addressing existing gaps on TFGBV through a focus on developing global tools and standards as well as on implementing pilot interventions in two countries in the Latin America region: Bolivia and Mexico. UN Women’s work on TFGBV also contributes to the achievement of the targets of the blueprint of the Generation Equality Action Coalition on Gender-Based Violence and the Action Coalition on Technology and Innovation.

In this context, UN Women seeks to hire an international consultant that will support research efforts on TF GBV, to contribute towards enhanced knowledge, data and evidence on what works to prevent and respond to TF GBV. The consultant will be reporting to the Programme Specialist, Violence against Women Data and Research and s/he will be working closely with and supported by other colleagues in the EVAW Section, including the Policy Specialists of the EVAW Section managing different thematic portfolios relevant for this consultancy assignment.

Duties and Responsibilities

Tasks will include:

1. Conduct research and analysis to update and finalize the internal repository of TF GBV questions within surveys  

• Identify existing surveys that include specific questions on TF VAW;
• Compile information in the existing internal database;
• Based on collected data and information, produce an analysis that summarizes and illustrates how TFGBV has been addressed in research and surveys over the years, as well as existing gaps.

1. Develop a series of materials on TF GBV for UN Women’s Website and external audiences

• Develop a dedicated section on TF GBV to showcase the issue, challenges, and promising practices on UN Women’s Knowledge Portal;
• Develop a section on TF GBV for UN Women’s corporate Website;
• Develop a corporate brief on UN Women’s work on TF GBV.

1. Conduct an analysis of TFGBV measures adopted by Governments, through the Global Database on Violence against Women

• Through the Global Database, compile and analyze measures adopted by Governments to address TF GBV;
• Produce a paper that summarizes key findings and recommendations;
• Draft short articles/blog pieces (3) for publication on the UN Women and Women Count websites.

Deliverables

Consultant’s Workplace and Official Travel

This is a home-based consultancy with no official travel envisaged.

Competencies

Required Skills and Experience