Juriste _Consultant National

Background:

Tunisia has made major strides in women’s rights, notably with the adoption of Organic Law No. 2017-58 on the elimination of violence against women. This law represents a decisive turning point, laying the foundations for a comprehensive system of prevention, protection, care, and prosecution of perpetrators. It also enshrines a participatory approach, placing collaboration between public institutions and civil society organizations at the heart of the system.

However, despite this progressive legal framework, violence against women remains an alarming phenomenon: According to national statistics, approximately 47% of Tunisian women have experienced at least one form of violence during their lifetime, and less than a third have been able to benefit from adequate support (CREDIF). These figures reflect the current limitations of the care system, marked by persistent obstacles, insufficient coordination between actors, and disparities in access to services.

In its fight against violence against women, Tunisia, through Law 58, recognizes the shared responsibility of all stakeholders, whether public institutions or components of civil society, and works towards a fight based on a participatory approach based on respect for human rights, aimed at preventing violence against women, protecting and caring for victims, prosecuting perpetrators and preventing impunity.

After more than five years of implementation, it is crucial to assess the real impact of this law on the care pathway for women victims of violence.

This assessment is justified by several factors:

• Need to measure effectiveness: It is important to determine whether the mechanisms put in place are working as intended and whether they are achieving the objectives set by law.
• Identifying barriers: Despite legislative progress, challenges persist in effectively implementing the law. An assessment will identify practical, cultural, or institutional barriers that hinder its application.
• Changing needs: The needs of women experiencing violence may have evolved since the law was passed. An evaluation will ensure that the care system remains adapted to these changing needs.
• Resource allocation: A thorough analysis will help determine whether the resources (human, financial, material) allocated to the implementation of the law are sufficient and efficiently used.

Accountability and transparency: Regular evaluation demonstrates the government’s commitment to being accountable for the effectiveness of its policies and to continually improving them,

In this context, the National Observatory for the Fight against Violence against Women, in partnership with the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (“UN Women”), intends to launch two complementary studies which are necessary.

The first aims to assess the care provided to women victims of violence since the implementation of Law 58, which is not only relevant but essential to ensure the effective protection of women’s rights in Tunisia and to strengthen the effectiveness of mechanisms to combat gender-based violence.

The second is a prospective intersectoral study on strengthening the partnership between the State and associations, the objective of which is to better structure operational collaboration between the different actors involved, to strengthen the complementarity of interventions and to ensure a more coherent, coordinated and sustainable multisectoral response.

These two approaches are part of a shared desire to strengthen the impact of Law 58, improve support for victims, and consolidate inclusive and effective governance in the fight against violence against women in Tunisia.

Both studies will be carried out in collaboration with:

• Ministries concerned  : MFFEPA, Health, Interior, Justice, Social Affairs, ONFP, national observatory for the fight against violence against women, regional coordination.
• Civil society associations  : Organizations responsible for shelter, assistance and listening centers for women victims of violence.

Description of Responsibilities/ Scope of Work

Under the direction and supervision of the UN Women program coordinator and the team of the National Observatory for the Fight against Violence against Women, the consultant will carry out:

STUDY 1: Care pathway for women victims of violence (FVV)

Legal analysis of the support framework:

• Review of national legislation (in particular organic law no. 2017-58) and relevant implementing texts relating to the management of FVV;
• Review of existing sectoral protocols on the management of VVFs
• Identification of legal obligations of sectoral ministries involved in support and gaps in their implementation.

Assessment of access to rights and remedies:

• Analyze the different stages of the VVF care pathway, from reporting to post-care support.
• Identify the legal and procedural obstacles that FVVs face in their journey…
• Evaluate the effectiveness of existing legal protection mechanisms (protection orders, legal aid, etc.).
• To assess the effectiveness of current interventions on the rehabilitation and empowerment of FVV.

Support for data collection and interviews:

• Interviews with key stakeholders involved in the care of women victims of violence.
• Data collection on FVVs’ experiences with care services.

Recommendations:

• Comprehensive analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the current system for the management of VVFs.
• Formulate concrete proposals to improve synergies between sectoral ministries, the care pathway and access to justice for FVV.

Suggest regulatory and institutional adjustments to strengthen the legal protection framework for women victims of violence in Tunisia

Deliverable

 Study 2: Analysis of the operational partnership between the State and associations for the care of FVV

Analysis of the legal framework of the public-associative partnership:

• Review the laws, decrees, circulars and conventions governing collaboration between the State and CSOs in the area of ​​GBV;
• Identify the legal levers and blockages in the establishment, implementation and monitoring of partnerships.

Comparative study:

• Research legal frameworks for cooperation between public institutions and civil society in other relevant countries;
• Propose models that can be adapted to Tunisia on a legal and institutional level.

Interviews and workshops:

• Conduct interviews with representatives of ministries, lawyers specializing in GBV, and heads of associations;
• Facilitate consultation sessions on the legal implications of strengthening the partnership.

Strategic recommendations:

• Propose a legal model for sustainable intersectoral partnership (standard agreement type, reference framework, accountability mechanisms);

Suggest measures to strengthen the legal capacities of partner associations

Deliverables

payment: 

Payment of fees will be made in installments based on deliverables (a daily rate) validated by UN Women and the national observatory for the fight against VFF as satisfactory performance (“Certification of Satisfactory Performance”).

Confidentiality : 

• The bidder is bound by an obligation of confidentiality; he/she must not publish or disclose any information brought to his/her attention in the context of the requested work, to any unauthorized person and without prior written consent. 
• The bidder may not under any circumstances use the results of the report, either during or after the consultation mission, without prior agreement. 

Competences:

Values ​​and ethics

• Respect for diversity;
• Integrity ;
• Professionalism

Basic skills

• Awareness and sensitivity to gender issues and the fight against violence in
• towards women;
• Responsibility ;
• Stakeholder engagement;
• Effective communication;
• Collaboration inclusive ;
• Creative problem solving;
• Set an example

Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s core values ​​and competencies: https://www.unwomen.org/-/media/headquarters/attachments/sections/about%20us/employment/un-women-values-and-competencies-framework-en.pdf?la=en&vs=637

Functional Competencies:

• Proven coordination and facilitation skills;
• The ability to coordinate between different organizations;
• Have qualities in terms of analysis and synthesis and very good writing and communication skills;
• Ability to work under pressure and deliver on time;
• Results-oriented, flexible and with problem-solving skills;
• Have good command of IT tools (Word, Excel, Power point, Outlook).

Necessary equipment 

The consultant must be equipped with a fully functional laptop, which must comfortably run Office 365 programs, using Microsoft Windows 10/11 or Mac OS X 10.11 or higher operating systems.

The consultant must be reasonably reachable by email and phone (preferably mobile). Reliable internet access (WhatsApp, Zoom, Teams, email) is required.

Education and Certification :

• University degree (Master or Doctorate) in law, preferably in public law, public policy or human rights is required.

• Or master’s degree supplemented by two years of additional experience, in one of the following fields: public law, public policy or human rights, or any other related field.

Experience:

•  At least 20 years of professional experience in legal analysis, advocacy or legal advice, particularly in the area of ​​women’s rights and/or GBV required;
• Proven experience in the analysis of legislative and regulatory frameworks in relation to the required institutional or associative cooperation;
• Very good knowledge of Law No. 2017-58, the Tunisian judicial system and the mechanisms for supporting FVVs required
• Experience in conducting interviews and writing legal analysis reports;
• Excellent writing and analytical skills in French, fluency in Arabic is essential;
• Ability to work in a multidisciplinary team and meet tight deadlines.
• Previous experience with United Nations agencies is an asset.

Languages:

• Fluency in French and Arabic is required.

Declaration

In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly established UN Women, the United Nations entity dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women. The creation of UN Women is part of UN reform, pooling resources and mandates for greater impact. This entity merges and strengthens the important work of four separate entities within the UN system (DAW, OSAGI, INSTRAW, and UNIFEM), which were previously dedicated exclusively to gender equality and the empowerment of women.

At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment based on mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes without regard to race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, national origin, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. All employment decisions are based on qualifications, competency, integrity, and organizational needs.

If you require reasonable accommodation to enable you to participate in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in your application.

UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy for any behavior incompatible with the objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority, and discrimination. All selected candidates will be required to comply with UN Women policies and procedures and expected staff standards of conduct, and will therefore be subject to rigorous reference and background checks. (These checks will include validation of educational qualifications and employment history. Selected candidates may be asked to provide additional information as part of this check.)

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