Maldives: National Consultant Support to the National Conference on Violence against Children

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Support to the National Conference on Violence against Children

TOR Reference Number: ToR /2017/17

While the Maldivian government has made efforts to set up services and mechanisms to address the high rates of violence against children key challenges still exist. The National Study on Violence against Children in the Maldives (2009, unpublished) indicates high levels of violence against children at home, in school and in the community. According to the study, 11% of Boys and 20% of girls reported experiencing some form of sexual violence. The same study revealed that 40% of children age 13-17 years have been a victim of corporal or emotional punishment.

According to the same study, the high level of violence may have its foundation in the harmful social norms and the cultural background of the Maldivian society. It also highlights that although there has been an increase in the awareness level and reporting, open discussions are hampered due to the belief that these are family problems that should be kept within the family. In some cases, the perpetrator may be the breadwinner of the family, hence, not be reported. Very often child victims and the perpetrator are not separated and may live in the same house during the investigation process, impacting on the quality of investigation, and continuing the exposure of the victim. Children and families are not encouraged to report cases of sexual abuse as they will experience stigma if they do so. The lack of a support mechanism for the victim and the victim’s family discourages reporting. Many parents do not believe in the efficiency of the system, and there have been situations where the system turned the victim of sexual abuse into the perpetrator. Social Workers at the Family and Children Service Centre (FCSC) are overtaxed and have only limited capacity for handling sexual abuse cases.

Although the Maldives has enacted strong legislation in 2014, conviction rates have been low. According to the Maldives Police service, of 305 cases investigated only 63 cases led to a prosecution with conviction, by 2015. Moreover, victims might be judged, labelled and subjected to penal proceedings if the perpetrator does not plead guilty or four witnesses for the prosecution cannot be found.

What emerged from the mapping and assessment of the national child protection system is that there are a number of systems, operating around their own mandates. However while these systems do not operate in complete isolation from each other, the interaction and connectedness between them are limited that they cannot be described as not yet such that they can be described as one system.

Hence, the proposed National Conference is proposed to bring all the actors together to discuss and find ways to prevent and respond to the violence against children.

The main objective of the consultancy is to, support the Ministry of Gender and Family in the preparation (consultation with stakeholders, and with guidance from the steering committee, drafting of the action plan, ensure that the thematic discussion papers are ready on time), execution (ensure that the logistics are worked out, invitation for the opening ceremony and the conference are sent out, have all the papers ready, ensure that the minutes, recommendation and conclusions are recorded, together with the steering committee have the final action plan ready for launching) of the National Conference on Violence against Children for strengthening the prevention and response to cases of VaC

Deliverables

Days

15 days

5 days

3 days

2 days

15 days

40 days

Soft and hard copies of (i) the “National Action Plan for Prevention and Responding to violence against Children”, (ii) Thematic Papers (iii) Final Conference Report (including the proceedings, main points of discussions, conclusions and recommendations) to be submitted to UNICEF and MoGF. Payments will be disbursed against acceptance of products, and deliverables and on acknowledgement of the receipt of the deliverables.

The total consultancy is estimated to be around 40 working days and will be based at Ministry of Gender and Family

Following qualifications and /or specializations are necessary to be selected to the consultancy.

Academic qualifications:

Knowledge, skills and experience:

Personal competencies:

Language competencies:

Deadline for application is 9th July 2017

Application with (i) updated CV, (ii) Updated P11 Form and separately (iii) a proposed (daily) fee in MVR should be submitted as attachments with the online application.

Application Link:https://goo.gl/R6EzyG

ONLY SHORT-LISTED APPLICANTS WILL BE CONTACTED

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organization. To apply, click on the following link http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/?job=505713