1. Background/Introduction
Alianza por la Solidaridad (ALIANZA) is an international non-governmental organization (INGO) combining more than 30 years of experience in development cooperation and humanitarian assistance, communication and advocacy campaigns and with presence in more than 14 countries in Latin America, the Middle East and Africa. ALIANZA has been present in the oPt since 1993 actively working within a gender-focus strategy: political advocacy to guarantee women´s rights under local, national and international legislative frameworks, campaigns and media activities to ensure that public opinion and active citizenship are working in favour of women´s rights, strengthening the capacity of public and private institutions in gender mainstreaming and gender knowledge, knowledge generation and management to provide innovative and reliable information and open spaces for advocacy, debate and learning through empowered women leadership. Culture and Free Though Association (CFTA) is a pioneering Palestinian non-profit organization based in Gaza since 1992, which always seeks to concentrate on and further the values of civil society, playing an innovative and catalytic role in empowering women, advocating women’s human rights and gender equality in the Palestinian sustainable development process in the last 21 years through capacity development, information and research, and advocacy and outreach programs. Established 44 years ago, ActionAid (AA) is an independent global federation without religious or political affiliations, present in 48 countries, with an international secretariat in South Africa. ActionAid Palestine has been working in oPt since 2005, with its headquarters in Hebron and offices in Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Gaza City. ActionAid is experienced in implementing a range of interventions aimed at safeguarding women’s protection, strengthening their leadership and promoting gender equality. Specific initiatives include: supporting women’s economic empowerment through the provision of vocational/skills training and small grants; women’s legal protection and prevention of GBV; training on women’s rights, gender equality and GBV; strengthening community-based protection mechanisms; and conducting research on gender-based violence and other women’s rights issues to inform programming, advocacy and campaigning.
Israel’s occupation and its enforcement of discriminatory policies has a tremendous and long-lasting negative impact on the whole Palestinian community a and has specific impacts on women´s lives and rights. The military occupation employs a series of measures intended to restrict the population’s movement and development, including the severe blockade in Gaza and recurrent outbreaks of hostilities, internal and external checkpoint systems, construction of the “Apartheid” Wall, home demolitions, settlement expansion, forcible transfer of communities, excessive use of military force, arbitrary arrests, revocation of residency rights, economic strangulation, denial to
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access to basic services, etc. In Palestine, women’s rights are negatively affected by the interlocking forces of occupation-related political, social and economic oppression. These forces are inseparable, and they work together to reinforce and exacerbate one another. Any discussion of the challenges facing women in Palestine must be set in the context of the on-going occupation of Palestine and the blockade imposed in the Gaza Strip, as the policies and measures inflicted as a result of the occupation have negative gender differentiated impacts on the lives of Palestinian women and their families.
AA, ALIANZA and CFTA believe there is insufficient information to provide a deep understanding of the specific gendered impacts of the Israeli occupation in the oPt. We believe that it is imperative that the movement to end occupation goes hand in hand with the movement for women´s equality. In doing so, evidence-based materials that include directly women’s voices and experiences and that provide thorough gendered analysis of the occupation are still needed, in order to call for policy-changes that recognize and address gender specific impacts.
2. Purpose of this consultancy
The three organizations have come together to jointly commission a study on the gender-specific impacts that the Israeli occupation has on women in the Palestinian territory. The purpose of this piece of research is to highlight the barriers, limitations, violations of rights and severe daily constraints women suffer. The objective of the research, through in-depth and rigorous study, is to provide a solid evidence base to challenge the mainstream narrative and the misrepresentation of Palestinians. It remains crucial to document, from a gender perspective, the injustices and oppressions suffered by women and their families, and to highlight the profound failure of international governments to live up to their obligations in relation to the Israeli occupation, that is, to protect the occupied population. The study is intended to be a powerful knowledge, campaigning and advocacy tool.
The research does not purport to be comprehensive or statistically representative but rather to offer an insight into the experience of women and to highlight common trends across Gaza and the West Bank including East Jerusalem. It does not attempt to compare the experiences of men and women as it primarily a study of women´s experiences, aiming at showing the gender human dimension of the consequences of the prolonged occupation. It seeks to present women’s narrative, explore their experiences and form a whole and wider picture of their specific challenges based on and differentiated because of their gender.
The concrete scope of the research will focus on the following two interlinked components to be analyzed1:
1) Safety and security risks and threats, including the violence perpetrated against women (GBV), the restrictions imposed on their freedom of movement, and the family forced displacement2, as direct consequences of the Israeli
1 Please note that the research focuses only on the occupation-related impacts on Palestinian women, without including analysis of the Palestinian social dynamics affecting women as this has been extensively researched.
2 Please note that this list is non-exhaustive and should include other impacts related with the lack of safety and security.
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occupation/blockade-related policies and measures, as perpetrated by the Israeli military, settlers and systematic discrimination
2) Extent and consequences of the occupation-related imposed discriminatory socio-economic policies to women accessing basic services (health, education, water, etc.) and deterrents to earning a living and accessing market/professional/economic life opportunities/participation.
The research should:
Provide a thorough analysis of the impacts of the occupation on women and young women in Palestine.
Compile women´s testimonies and life stories.
Provide an in-depth, gendered analysis of the findings of the research and together with women’s testimonies/stories present a powerful challenge to the mainstream narrative which consistently misrepresents or ignores the human suffering of Palestinian women living under occupation.
The end product should be innovative, more engaging/journalistic than academic in style, including creative formats to present the findings and information gathered3. The product should establish links with the international human rights and humanitarian frameworks in a way that national and international advocacy messages are aligned with them, including recommendations on the most effective, relevant and needed advocacy actions to be implemented.
3. Methodology
The research location sample size will cover women, both rural and urban, from different governorates of the Gaza Strip, Jordan Valley, Hebron (H2 and Area C) and East-Jerusalem. The sample size should include age-specific groups: young women (18-25), women (25-50), from both educated and vulnerable backgrounds4. The research should be conducted in line with accepted ethical norms of research with a clear section in the report outlining operationalization of these ethical concerns/standards.
As part of this research, the researcher/research team is expected to use qualitative techniques, which could include (please note that this is not an exhaustive list):
FDGs with women and young women on their experiences
Interviews (collection of personal testimonies) and with women and young women affected by occupation-related violence
Interviews with key community informants from the research areas
Interviews with key feminist/women leader informants
Interviews with key women´s rights national organizations
Interviews with key media national and international agencies in Palestine (Maan News Agency, BCC Jerusalem, etc.)
The research should have the following phases:
3 Infographics, visual material/audio web links, etc. This list in non-exhaustive. We expect the research team to include potential options and alternatives in the methodology.
4 AA, ALIANZA and CFTA will support with the selection of the women and young women´s groups.
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Phase I: Research design, tools development, sample selection, ethical considerations, and desk research/literature review focused on the impact of the occupation on women
Phase II: Training (if necessary) and Pre-testing
Phase III: Data collection (interviews, FGDs, meetings), entry and verification
Phase IV: Data analysis providing details to ensure rigorous and dependable findings/results, reporting and presentation to commissioning agencies
Phase V: Feedback loops, verification, changes
Phase VI: Presentation of the research to wider audience
4. Time frame
The expected duration for this research should be 3 months from the signature of the agreement until the approval of the final research report by AA, ALIANZA and CFTA. The study must be fully finished by the end of April 2017.
5. Deliverables
Work Plan and Methodology, adjusted with recommendations
Progressive presentations to AA, ALIANZA and CFTA on the different phases of the research (see Point 3 of the ToR)5.
1st Draft of the research (maximum 25 pages with annexes6 additional)
Final Research Report Document*
Executive Summary*
Raw data files (transcription of the focus groups and interviews, questionnaires, etc.)
* Final Research Report and Executive Summary should be translated into Arabic, once the English version is fully approved.
6. Required skills and expertise
Advanced degree in research oriented political and social studies/gender/women’s studies.
Extensive knowledge of and experience in leading (designing and undertaking) political and social research using qualitative methodologies.
Proven sound experience with research methodology with focus on gender issues in the Palestinian context.
Advanced knowledge and skills on gender analysis in humanitarian settings.
In depth-knowledge and experience on the Palestine specific-context.
Excellent written and speaking skills in English and Arabic (at least part of the team).
Able to produce a persuasively written, high-quality research report.
Acquainted with the national legislation, international conventions and policy documents related to the Israeli occupation of Palestine and women’s rights.
Availability to move within Gaza Strip (at least part of the team), West Bank and Jerusalem.
5 Close communication between the research team and AA, CFTA and ALIANZA focal points for the purposes of the Study will be highly important to guide the process and assess direction.
6 Annexes would include, among others, the testimonies collected.
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7. Budget
Total available budget for the research is 19.000 Euro. All expenses of the researcher/research team must be covered by this amount.
8. Application process: submission of proposals
Interested researchers should submit: letter of interest, technical proposal, financial offer and CV of the researcher/members of the research team no later than 8 January 2017. The proposal should have detailed methodology including the following:
1. Objectives and main content/scope plan of the research
2. Tools that researcher/research team will use in English
3. Plan of data/information collection and analysis
4. Timeframe
5. Detailed budget on a separate sheet, including the Tax required to be paid
If officially registered with the Palestinian Authority (PA) the consultant will need to provide a valid deduct from source letter. If not registered, tax will be deducted (5% of the total if national and 10% if international).
Interested applicants should submit their proposals to: study@cfta-ps.org
Important to note:
– We will contact only short list candidates. Applications after deadline will be excluded. Applications not conforming to the conditions will not be considered.
– Interviews will be conducted during the period 15-18 January 2017.
– As a requirement and after the signature of the contract, the selected researcher or the research team must be able to provide an official invoice, payment receipt and deduct from source letter if relevant for payment of tax to the PA.
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