GENDER AND CULTURAL DIVERSITY CONSULTANT ON THE STRENGTHENING JUSTICE TO WOMEN, GIRLS, AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLES PROJECT IN GUYANA

I. Justice Education Society

The Justice Education Society of British Columbia (JES) is a Canadian non-profit organization with over 30 years of experience advancing the rule of law by empowering people to access and deliver justice through increasing legal capability, strengthening justice systems and developing digital solutions. JES currently implements programs and has offices in Canada, Guyana, Guatemala, Honduras, and Panama, and also works in Costa Rica, Colombia, and El Salvador. In the near future, JES will establish an office in Castries, Saint Lucia to implement programs in Saint Lucia, Grenada, Dominica, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. JES has diverse sources of funding including donors and provincial, federal, and overseas governments. More information on JES is available at: www.JusticeEducation.ca.

II. Background Information

In Guyana, one of two (1 of 2) women experienced intimate partner violence in their lifetime ^[1] – a statistic which placed the country at the top of the list for domestic violence rates in a country not currently engaged in war or armed conflict. In a national 2014 survey, Guyana ranked third in the Latin America and the Caribbean region for acceptance of domestic violence with 35.6% poll respondents (both men and women) thinking that violence against an unfaithful wife is excusable.

National and United Nations (UN) data and reports, confirm substantial barriers for women and girls - and Indigenous women and girls in particular - to access justice in Guyana. While a legal framework exists to protect the rights of Guyanese women and girls, the processes within that system have limited provisions to ensure equal access to justice for all.

Since 2015, JES has worked with key actors in the Guyanese criminal justice system, including the police, prosecution, judiciary, gender experts and Indigenous groups to support changes in capacity and behaviours and develop sustainable programs aimed at strengthening the integrity and responsiveness of the criminal justice system.

In a desk review and diagnostic study conducted by JES in 2018, on access to justice for Indigenous women and Indigenous Peoples nearly 50% of participants stated that their knowledge of their rights or the law was “low” or “very low”, and less than 30% stating that police services and protection in their communities could be characterized as “fair” or better.

III. The Project

JES is expanding its successful work with justice operators in Guyana to improve technical skills and building the capacity of agencies for the strategic response, investigation, and prosecution of crimes. Through its new project, Strengthening Justice for Women, Girls and Indigenous Peoples, JES aims to deliver greater equality in access to justice for women and girls throughout Guyanese society, and to empower Indigenous women and girls to be less vulnerable to violence.

This four-year project aims to deliver greater equality in access to justice for women and girls in Guyana, especially in remote Indigenous communities, by:

1. building the technical capacity of justice actors to respond to Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) targeting women and girls, through training and assistance for the Guyana Police Force (GPF), the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), and the judiciary; and
2. by running a pilot project in Region 1 (Barima-Waini) to build capacity of Indigenous women and leaders, women's groups and civil society organizations (CSOs) to deliver gender-transformative and rights-based public legal education, and coordinate with strengthened remote police detachments, to respond to SGBV against women and girls.
3. Working with Indigenous women and leaders, women's groups and civil society organizations (CSOs)  in Region nine (9)  to build their capacity to deliver gender-transformative and rights-based public legal education, and coordinate with strengthened remote police detachments, to respond to SGBV against women and girls.

The focus of the project at the national level is to reduce impunity for violence against women and girls (sexual violence, homicides, gender-based assaults) while at the local level, to improve access to justice for Indigenous women, girls, and peoples. By improving both the access of women and girls to justice institutions as well as the actual capacity of the justice system to respond to SGBV, the project will empower women and girls to exercise their rights and support a more inclusive, gender-responsive and culturally aware access to justice.

To achieve these outcomes, JES  applies a Gender-Based Analysis plus (GBA+) perspective throughout the planning, implementation, and evaluation of the Project, integrating a combination of sensitivity and awareness training related to gender issues into all curricula and activities, including on:

• Gender bias and cultural sensitivity;
• Major case management and investigations;
• Interviewing skills for victims of sexual and gender-based violence;
• Preparation of victims for court appearances; and
• Developing and adopting checklists and quality assurance protocols.

IV. Purpose

Assist JES with the design and review of training materials and processes adopted in the management of SGBV cases, as well as the development of activities that integrate gender-responsive, human rights-based, victim-centred, trauma-informed and culturally-relevant approaches to build gender awareness and integrate gender in monitoring and evaluation and risk mitigation. The Gender and Cultural Diversity Expert will also work with the project team to develop strategies to increase the participation of women and ensure that activities are culturally appropriate and gender-responsive in their implementation.

• V. Scope of work

The Gender and Cultural Diversity Expert will report to the Project Director and work collaboratively with a Sexual and Gender-based Violence (SGBV) consultant, a Police Consultant and stakeholders in the field (if public health conditions allow), including intermediaries and beneficiaries, for which JES will provide the relevant contacts and the resources to carry out field visits.
 

The consultant will perform the following activities:

1. Act as an advisor to the project on culture, gender and human rights issues, including on planning, communications, monitoring and evaluation, and reporting for the duration of the consultancy.
2. Contribute to the drafting of training manuals and curricula for first responders, investigators, prosecutors, judges, and community advocates including Toshaos and village council members to ensure a gender-inclusive approach can be institutionalized in SGBV cases.
3. Review materials and curricula, integrate concepts, facilitate workshops, and make suggestions to improve the project from a culturally sensitive gender-responsive, trauma-informed and human rights perspective.
4. Collaborate in the development of checklists and quality assurance protocol in the areas of first response and investigation to improve SGBV case management and processing.
5. Provide timely work plans and activity reports.
6. Actively participate in internal and external meetings and conduct gender and cultural sensitivity trainings and workshops, as needed.

VI. Deliverables

JES will hire a consultant to deliver on the following elements:

1. Consult with local women-led human rights organizations and Indigenous leaders on strategies to improve victim-centred justice that protects the rights of women and girls;
2. Identify gaps and develop culturally sensitive gender-responsive and trauma-informed approaches and improvements in the process of building the capacity of the GPF and communities to build their capacity to provide high-quality services to victims/survivors of SGBV;
3. Review and revise SGBV training materials developed by JES Experts to integrate a gender and culture lens in consultation with experts and stakeholders.
4. Develop and or revise training materials for legal and law enforcement personnel, Toshaos and village council members, community advocates and other residents in Regions one and nine on their duties and responsibilities in cases of SGBV, in the context of the local culture and traditions of Indigenous peoples, especially for women and girls.
5. Conduct gender and cultural sensitivity training for select law enforcement personnel, and other service providers stationed in the pilot region,  Georgetown and region nine.
6. Conduct gender and cultural sensitivity training with community members and advocates in Regions one and nine.

VII. Qualifications

The selected consultant must have at minimum the following knowledge, skills, experience and competencies:

• Minimum Bachelor’s Degree (or equivalent) in relevant area (gender studies, social development, social and juridical sciences).
• Significant experience conducting Gender and Cultural sensitivity training and other tasks for social development / national institutional agencies or projects.
• Experience training professionals, preferably government or justice sector professionals, in how to minimize bias in their work, increase cultural sensitivity and gender awareness and the application of a trauma-informed approach that minimizes revictimization.
• Knowledge of analytical methods and tools for mainstreaming cultural sensitivity and gender in justice sector reform or related areas.
• Display intersectional sensibility and adaptability.
• Experience working with Indigenous communities and/or in hinterland regions.
• Ability to act with tact and diplomacy and display cultural sensitivity.
• Ability and willingness to travel domestically and work in remote hinterland communities.
• Applicants experienced with working with Indigenous communities are highly preferred.

VIII. Terms of Payment

A schedule of payments will be agreed upon with the consultant, based on the delivery and approval of her/his reports.

IX. Application

Applicants must submit the following documents to jobs@justiceeducation.ca, no later than Friday, May 10, 2024, at 23:59HRS EST:

• A letter of interest highlighting relevant experience and qualifications, and describing an understanding of the assignment and challenges.
• CV of the consultant.
• A financial proposal, restricted to their honorarium (any travel expenses outside of Georgetown will be reimbursed separately by the project).