Consultant - PSS Women Empowerment

BACKGROUND TO THE ASSIGNMENT: International Medical Corps is implementing integrated protection activities in the Northern and Eastern regions of Afghanistan. Our protection teams include protection of women and girls, MHPSS and CP staff, which operate in integrated centres in six provinces. The interventions have been adapted to the current context, but there is a need for more structure to the group’s psychosocial support activities. Current awareness raising is focused on general protection issues, health information and the services available to address them, linked with quotes from Muslim texts. We would like to formalize this messaging further. International Medical Corps will facilitate necessary contacts and focal points, and key technical program leads including Protection, MHPSS and CP Coordinators as well Deputy Country Director and other key staff and stakeholders such as Protection Cluster and relevant AoR Sub-Cluster, UNFPA. International Medical Corps will also help collect any feedback as possible and deemed necessary from women who attend group activities.

PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:

The Consultant will bring their expertise and knowledge of protection of women and girls concerns, prevention and response programming to develop guidance to be used in messaging and develop a PSS curriculum for closed group activities for women. Incorporating group psychosocial support in women and girls’ safe spaces (WGSS) and basic awareness raising. The consultant will advise as to where guidelines such as Rethinking Domestic Violence (Raising Voices), Women Rise (IRC), Arab Women Speak Out (IRC), EMPOWER (IRC), can be included given the Afghan context. The Consultant will work closely with the Protection on women and girls concerns Coordinator in Afghanistan and the Protection women and girls concerns Advisor to develop a PSS curriculum for closed group activities for women. The final products should be:

1. one guidance for closed group activities (at least 9-12 weeks).
2. one set of guidance for awareness raising information sheet on protection  of women and girls concerns   which is linked to Islam/health related topics for open group activities

SCOPE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:

• Review International Medical Corps’ former guidance and resources related to group PSS in Afghanistan for protection of women and girls’ concerns Identify if any of the materials can still be used.
• Desk review of other material from national and global levels such as Rethink Domestic Violence (Raising Voices), Women Rise (IRC), Arab Women Speak (IRC), PSS Curriculum (UNFPA Afghanistan), and various other materials from Raising Voices, CARE, IMC etc.
• Interview select staff, including the Protection Coordinator, Protection National Manager, Deputy CD, MHPSS Coordinator, Child Protection Coordinator, and AoR sub-cluster coordinator, to mention a few and as necessary, to understand practical needs and local challenges.
• Develop tools to get feedback from women participants on topics as necessary/feasible.
• Draft plans for developing guidance.
• Draft a Group PSS Guidance, including relevant tools/annexes, for review by IMC Afghanistan, and HQ (expecting 2 drafts).
• Draft set of guidance for awareness raising linking Islam/health messages with Protection of women and girls (2 drafts)
• Finalize Protection of women and girls concerns    PSS Guidance and Awareness Raising Sheets, and all necessary tools/annex.
• All documents will be in English. Translation to relevant Afghan languages will be done by IMC Afghanistan

Duration - From January 2, 2025 to April 30, 2025 with LOE of 320 hours

Place of Assignment - The consultant will work remotely from their home base.

Qualifications

• Bachelor in relevant field required. Master’s degree in a related field preferred.

Experience

• Specialist-level experience with women in emergency programming, and particularly Women and Girls Safe Spaces activities.
• Familiarity with global guidance on group PSS
• Experience developing group PSS guidance and tools.
• The consultant has a minute understanding of Islam and women’s rights/empowerment.
• Experience with human cantered approaches to design.
• Knowledge of Afghan culture, and time spent in the country.
• Experience implementing group PSS activities
• Experience delivering protection of women and girls   programs and/or survivor support services in Afghanistan.
• Excellent writing skills
• Ability to synthesize technical information and standards into succinct and practical guidance and tools
• Committed to humanitarian principles and principles and approaches of protection of women and girls programming
• Ability to work independently
• Strong organizational and time management skills
• Excellent English writing skills are required.
• Ability to communicate in Pashto and/or Dari beneficial