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. 

Since 2017, UN Women has maintained a Project Office in Sukhum/i, playing a central role in the prevention of, and response to, violence against women and girls, including domestic violence, across Abkhazia, Georgia. UN Women’s interventions aim to strengthen survivor-centred and rights-based support systems through the provision of psychological and legal assistance, the establishment and operation of crisis centres, and the management of helpline services for victims and survivors of gender-based violence, in close collaboration with civil society organizations and other relevant stakeholders. 

This consultancy is implemented under the project “Addressing Violence against Women and Girls in Abkhazia”, a 24-month intervention supported by the Government of Switzerland through the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs and the Government of Sweden through the UN Multi Partner Trust Fund, within the framework of the UN Joint Programme for Gender Equality. The project contributes to the overarching development objective that all women and girls in the target regions are able to live free from violence. At the outcome level, the project seeks to reduce the risks of violence against women and girls by improving the quality, accessibility, coordination, and sustainability of survivor support services, while also addressing harmful gender norms, stereotypes, and social attitudes that perpetuate and normalize violence. This outcome is pursued through two mutually reinforcing outputs, namely strengthened capacities and services to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls and domestic violence, and increased awareness, engagement, and mobilization of communities around gender equality, women’s rights, and zero tolerance for violence. The project targets women and girls across Abkhazia, with particular attention to returnee populations in the eastern districts of Gal/i, Tkvarchel/i, and Ochamchira, as well as residents of the western districts of Sukhum/i, Gagra, Gudauta, and Gulripsh/i. 

Despite sustained engagement and the progress achieved to date, the current response to violence against women and girls, as well as domestic violence remains significantly constrained by limited human resources and expertise in this area. In the absence of a comprehensive regulatory framework, standardized service delivery mechanisms, and dedicated state supported programmes for women affected by violence, available assistance remains limited in scope, coverage, and consistency. Service provision is largely concentrated within two crisis centres and specialized civil society organizations whose interventions, while critical, cannot fully respond to the growing and increasingly complex needs of survivors. Within this context, sectoral responses delivered through crisis centres, helplines, healthcare services, legal aid, and psychosocial support remain essential, yet fragmented and under resourced. Strengthening the technical, and professional capacities of service providers, and improving coordination across sectors, is therefore a critical priority to ensure timely, safe, survivor centred, and quality support, and to enhance the overall effectiveness, coherence, and sustainability of the violence prevention and response system.

In this context, strengthening the technical and professional capacities of psychologists and psychosocial support providers working with survivors of violence is a priority. The VAWG Psychological Support Capacity Building Specialist will contribute to improving the quality, safety, and survivor centred nature of psychological support services through the development of standards, tools, and practical guidance, as well as through targeted training, mentoring, and capacity building of service providers. This assignment is essential to enhancing the effectiveness, coherence, and sustainability of psychological support services within the broader violence prevention and response system. 

The consultant will be reporting to UN Women staff - VAWG Programme Specialist, Programme Analyst, and will be supported by Project Analyst, who will be the point of contact on the contract and payment issues.

Description of Responsibilities/ Scope of Work

• Conduct online consultations with the UN Women project team and partner CSOs’ staff to review existing psychological support practices to survivors of domestic and intimate partner violence, identify priority areas for capacity building, and refine the training methodology, schedule, and proposed tools for online delivery.
• Psychological support capacity-building package developed, including an online-adapted training curriculum, session plans, facilitation materials, practical tools, and guidance notes aligned with international standards on survivor-centred, trauma-informed, gender-responsive, and ethical psychological support for VAWG survivors. The package will be tailored for all staff working directly with survivors, including psychologists, case managers, and other frontline personnel, and will include modules on burnout prevention and reflective practice for staff.
• Conduct at least one multi-session online capacity-building workshop for all staff working in crisis centers who interact with survivors of VAWG, covering survivor-centred care, case management, trauma-informed psychological support, and burnout prevention/reflective practice. Sessions will include role-specific guidance to ensure practical application for different staff responsibilities.
• Submit the final consultancy report summarizing activities implemented, results achieved, challenges encountered, lessons learned, and actionable recommendations to strengthen psychological support services across all staff roles within the VAWG response system.

Deliverables:

Consultant’s Workplace and Official Travel

This is home-based consultancy

Competencies:

Core Values:

• Integrity;
• Professionalism;
• Respect for Diversity.

Core Competencies:

• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues;
• Accountability;
• Creative Problem Solving;
• Effective Communication;
• Inclusive Collaboration;
• Stakeholder Engagement;
• Leading by Example.

Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Values and Competencies Framework: 

Functional Competencies:

• Analytical and research skills in VAWG service delivery and gap analysis.
• Knowledge of gender equality, women’s empowerment, and survivor-centred approaches.
• Strong writing and communication skills for reports, guidelines, and trainings.
• Organizational and time management skills to coordinate multiple tasks and workshops.
• Partnership-building and stakeholder engagement with government, UN, and civil society. 
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in multicultural, multi-stakeholder settings

Required Qualifications:

Education and Certification:

• Master’s degree in Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Counselling, Social Work, or other related mental health fields is required.
• A first-level university degree in a relevant field, in combination with seven (7) additional years of practical experience in psychological support, counselling, or trauma-informed services for VAWG survivors, may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.

Experience:

• At least 5 years (Master’s degree) or 7 years (Bachelor’s degree) of practical experience in providing or coordinating psychological support, counselling, or trauma-informed services for VAWG survivors.
• At least 5 years (Master’s degree) or 7 years (Bachelor’s degree) of experience in developing and delivering capacity building activities for psychologists, counsellors, or frontline service providers.
• At least 5 years (Master’s degree) or 7 years (Bachelor’s degree) of experience in gender equality, gender analysis, and women’s empowerment, with knowledge of survivor-centred and trauma-informed approaches.
• Excellent verbal communication, facilitation, and moderation skills for training, workshops, and stakeholder consultations.
• Proven experience in preparing training materials, practical tools, and guidance notes for psychological support services.
• Prior experience implementing similar assignments with UN, EU, or other international agencies, especially in Georgia or the region, will be considered an advantage.

Languages:

• Fluency in English and Russian is required.

Statements :

In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. The creation of UN Women came about as part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact. It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system (DAW, OSAGI, INSTRAW and UNIFEM), which focused exclusively on gender equality and women's empowerment.

Diversity and inclusion:

At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity and organizational need.

If you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in your application.

UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and 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 expected to adhere to UN Women’s policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UN Women personnel and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. (Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.)

Note: Applicants must ensure that all sections of the application form, including the sections on education and employment history, are completed. If all sections are not completed the application may be disqualified from the recruitment and selection process.