JOB DESCRIPTION

The Position:

In Bangladesh, gender-based violence (GBV) remains a critical and pervasive issue. Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) remains widespread for women in Bangladesh, with 70 percent women having experienced at least one form of it – physical, sexual, emotional, and economic violence as well as controlling behaviors – in their lifetime.^[1] For 4 in 10 women, violence had occurred in the past 12 months.

Bangladesh recently completed the third round of the VAW Survey in 2024, which provides a comprehensive picture of the prevalence of violence against women and girls, including estimates on help-seeking rates, to guide policymaking. According to the survey, only 15% of survivors seek medical treatment, and legal action is pursued in less than 8% of cases. These rates are consistent with the complex and multifaceted nature of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) and the real or perceived consequences of reporting. This reality underscores why using prevalence data and administrative data together is critical for improving both response and prevention interventions.

To support monitoring the effectiveness of policies and the coverage and quality of services available for those survivors seeking help, a safe, ethical and robust system is needed for collecting, storing, analyzing, and using administrative data. Critical gaps in the existing  systems, used by various government sectors, result in fragmented data, inconsistent reporting and limited opportunities for improving services. Thus establishing a robust data management system is essential—both a practical necessity and an ethical obligation to ensure improved GBV services and respect for survivors.

When systematically collected, managed, and analyzed, administrative data can provide valuable insights into trends in reporting cases and the effectiveness of systems to respond. Currently, fragmented data collection, inconsistent reporting mechanisms, and limited capacity for data analysis and overall management hinder the ability to effectively manage GBV cases, allocate resources, and measure the impact of interventions.

In Bangladesh, government sectors that come into contact with GBV survivors and play a role in the national response to addressing GBV, including health, police, justice, and social welfare, currently manage the data they collect in service delivery using different data systems and inconsistent standards. This fragmentation hampers a survivor-centred approach and creates barriers to interoperability, which could improve service delivery and outcomes.

The inter-ministerial coordination committee led by MoWCA will lead the harmonization process and support operationalization of standards and protocols by government agencies involved in GBV data collection, management, reporting, and utilization.

With the support of the World Bank-funded Inclusive Services and Opportunities (ISO) project, a digital platform aligned with UNFPA guidance on safe and ethical use of technology to address GBV will be developed. The development of related guidance and protocols are a prerequisite for this. Consequently, MoWCA has requested UNFPA, through its regular project, to assist with the development of such guidance, protocols, and tools that will form the architecture of the digital platform.

In response to the critical need for a systematic approach to address GBV in Bangladesh, UNFPA Bangladesh is seeking an national consultant to support an international consultant and UNFPA Gender team to develop and implement a tailored GBV Administrative data management solutions for the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs (MoWCA) and a digital platform for Bangladesh Police (BP) that support safe and ethical data practices within each organization, and maximise the potential for interoperability.

The national consultant will collaborate with the international consultant, government counterparts (MoWCA and Bangladesh Police) and UNFPA”s technical team in stakeholder coordination, providing technical support during implementation, and monitor system performance.
How you can make a difference:

UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person”s potential is fulfilled.  UNFPA’s strategic plan (2022-2025), reaffirms the relevance of the current strategic direction of UNFPA and focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. These results capture our strategic commitments on accelerating progress towards realizing the ICPD and SDGs in the Decade of Action leading up to 2030. Our strategic plan calls upon UN Member States, organizations and individuals to “build forward better”, while addressing the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on women’s and girls’ access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, recover lost gains and realize our goals.

In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards, and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction.

UNFPA is seeking candidates that transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results; we need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results.

 

You would be responsible for:

The national consultant will collaborate with and support the international consultant, providing contextualization, local coordination and assistance to implement the conceptual framework and survivor centered data management strategies. Key responsibilities include:

1. Inception, assessments and strategy 

• Review relevant existing national tools, materials, and guidelines (e.g., NAPVAW, GBV cluster SoP, existing database of MOWCA and review existing DHIS-2 platform of Ministry of Health and Crime Data Management System (CDMS) of Police to add context and recommendation to the common minimum data sets and pathways to interoperability developed by the international consultant.
• In consultation with the international consultant, conduct assessments including data collection and facilitating in country stakeholder consultations, utilizing methodology developed by international consultant. Support preparation  of background documents, presentations, and relevant questionnaires for the stakeholders’ consultation/in-country meetings/workshops/assessment. Prepare and finalize the  assessment reports of the Bangladesh Police and review the already conducted assessment report of  MoWCA.
• Provide inputs to development of methods, documents, presentations, and relevant questionnaires for the stakeholders’ consultation/in-country meetings/workshops/assessment materials.
• Based on the assessment findings, reports of stakeholders consultations and guidance from the UNFPA team, contribute to development of the inception report/ work plan that details a system architecture, a capacity-building plan, and a clear division of tasks and deliverables between national and international consultants.
• Support the international consultant for developing conceptual framework and an accompanying strategic plan to harmonize common data sets, standardize definitions, streamline intake forms, and establish survivor centred data-sharing protocols across various sectors like social service, police, health and justice by providing legal explanation, local practice and needs.

2. System architecture and implementation

• As per guidance from International consultant, work closely with the government to implement the conceptual framework and recommendations for designing administrative data management system architecture, ensuring alignment with international best practices and the assessment findings. Continuously work with ministerial data focal and IP focal to monitor implementation of system design, including safe and ethical data collection tools, storage, and analysis mechanisms.
• Facilitate discussion and day to day follow up with focal person from ministries for interoperability pathways between DHIS2 (currently used by DGHS and DGFP for health and HGBV indicators) and other relevant platforms, specifically MoWCA’s MSPVAW database and the Police’s CDMS in collaboration with national consultant and UNFPA team.
• Ensure day to day follow up and support to implement guidance note and/or Standard Operating Procedures for strengthening inter-ministerial collaboration and data governance mechanisms—involving the Ministry of Health (MoHFW), Ministry of Women and Children Affairs (MoWCA), Ministry of Home Affairs, and others—by forming a national task force or working group. This group will work together to ensure that survivor-centred data management and protection principles are robustly applied and GBV-related data is used effectively, in a coordinated way across all sectors.

3. Capacity building and institutionalization

• Provide in person guidance and oversight to software developers, ensuring systems align with the conceptual framework and tools developed for Bangladesh to finalize design, functionalities, safe data storage and promote safety by design principles of UNFPA. Monitor system changes, integration of tools within the new platform building upon principles, ethical consideration for the collection, processing, and use of GBV data. Regularly share progress to International Consultant for her validation.
• As per guidance from International consultant, work closely with software developers to integrate data protection protocol/guideline into MoWCA, Police and explore interoperability with DHIS-2 of MoHFW  considering  highest level of safety measure and implement the data minimization principles.
• Facilitate discussion and support to International Consultant to implement the data-sharing and interoperability pathways between DHIS-2 and the other relevant platforms.
• Contribute to development of the core training materials, presentations, and facilitators” notes, integrating international best practices in the management and use of administrative data for GBV.
• Work closely with focal persons from MoHFW (DGHS and DGFP) in the capacity-building plans at both national and sub-national levels, with a focus on data ethics and GBV-related indicators. Additionally, the national consultant facilitate orientation of MoHFW technical staff on cross-platform interoperability and survivor-centered data-sharing practices to ensure effective coordination across sectors.

Expected deliverables:

1. An inception report submitted in collaboration with international Consultant (IC), detailing a finalized work plan, system architecture outline, a capacity-building plan, and a clear division of tasks.
2. The finalized assessment for Bangladesh Police and review of the existing assessment report for Ministry MoWCA.
3. Recommendations for common minimum data sets and interoperability pathways based on a review of existing national tools and systems (e.g., DHIS-2, CDMS, MSPVAW etc).
4. A finalized document, developed in collaboration with the international consultant, presenting a conceptual framework and strategic plan to harmonize data sets, standardize definitions, and establish survivor-centred data-sharing protocols across the social service, police, health, and justice sectors.
5. Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to strengthen inter-ministerial collaboration and data governance mechanisms.
6. A data protection protocol to be integrated into MoWCA and Police systems, ensuring the highest level of safety and data minimization principles.
7. Training package including training materials, presentations, and facilitators” notes on the ethical management and use of administrative data for GBV, tailored for ministerial staff.
8. An end-of-contract report detailing all activities undertaken, progress against the work plan, challenges, and concrete recommendations for the institutionalization of GBV administrative data systems

Duration:

This consultancy will be for 9 months from September, with the possibility of an extension based on the performance and availability of funds.

Place where services are to be delivered:

The services will be delivered in a hybrid modality, requiring work both remotely and from designated office spaces. These include UNFPA’s dedicated workspace at the Department of Women Affairs (DWA) and Police Headquarters in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Delivery dates and how work will be delivered (e.g. electronic, hard copy etc.):

• All deliverables will be delivered within the contract period.
• The priority tasks and timeline will be discussed and planned with the supervisor on a bi-weekly/ monthly basis.
• All the work will be preserved in electronic format and handed over to the supervisor at the end of the contract upon approval.

Monitoring and progress control, including reporting requirements, periodicity format and deadline:

Progress will be monitored on a monthly basis, sharing electronic updates against the terms of reference and deliverables.

Supervisory arrangements: 

The GBV in Emergency Officer will be the overall supervisor. For day-to-day guidance and management, the NC will work with International Consultant and report to respective IP focal points for MoWCA and Police.

Expected travel:

The consultancy will be conducted through a combination of in-person and remote delivery of services. The consultant may be required to undertake a few trips to district locations as needed for the assignment. For such travel, the consultant will be eligible to receive UNFPA’s standard Daily Subsistence Allowance (DSA) following UNFPA’s travel policies.

Required expertise, qualifications, and competencies, including language requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in development studies, Public Health, Statistics, Anthropology, Data Management, and/or any subject under social science;
• Certification on research methodology and data management would be considered an asset.
• Five years of experience and at least two years of experience implementing GBV Information Management or GBV Programming in nexus settings.
• Proven first-hand experience on GBVIMS and administrative data management.
• Excellent analytical, written, and verbal communication skills in English.
• Demonstrated track record in the preparation and review of documents, reports, and in the implementation of GBV in emergency work etc;

Inputs / services to be provided by UNFPA or implementing partner (e.g, support services, office space, equipment), if applicable:

The National Consultant will be responsible for arranging his/her own computer and other working aid equipment. While working remotely, s/he should have access to the internet and communications.

Payment Instructions:

The consultant will be paid monthly, subject to submission of a monthly timesheet.

Note: All documents should be given in electronic version to the UNFPA Country Office, Dhaka.

 

Required Competencies: 

Values:

   Exemplifying integrity,

   Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system,

   Embracing cultural diversity,

   Embracing change

Core Competencies: 

   Achieving results,

   Being accountable,

   Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen,

   Thinking analytically and strategically,

   Working in teams/managing ourselves and our relationships,

 

Disclaimer:

Selection and appointment may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, visa issuance and other administrative requirements.

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants” bank accounts.

Applicants for positions in the international Professional and higher categories, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.