Introduction
Sonke Gender Justice (Sonke) is looking for a consultant to develop a feminist leadership curriculum and provide training to women and young women leaders under the Inkanyezi Project. The curriculum is designed to capacitate women and young women leaders on feminist principles and leadership, to enhance their leadership capacities.
About Sonke
Sonke Gender Justice, established in 2006, is an organisation that strives to prevent domestic and sexual violence, reduce the spread and impact of HIV and AIDS, and promote gender equality and human rights. Sonke ’s work is in all of South Africa’s nine provinces and also in 22 countries across Southern, Eastern, Central and Western Africa, and globally in partnership with United Nations agencies, members of the MenEngage Alliance and other international networks and affiliates.
Programme Background
Gender inequality is one of the most pressing global barriers to social and economic progress and the fulfilment of human rights, and South Africa is no exception, with the country ranking 113th out of 189 countries in the UNDP Gender Inequality Index. Global evidence shows that promoting gender equality is not merely ‘the right thing to do’, but also brings tangible and intangible benefits for individuals, social groups, society, and the economy. Tangible results relate to better education outcomes, equal division of labor, access to land and housing, and secure income. Intangible benefits revolve around choice, voice, influence, recognition, and negotiating power (including in personal relations). There is evidence that investing in women’s empowerment and economic status towards gender equality also has positive effects on households and other social groups who may be considered vulnerable, such as children or the elderly. Enhancing the productive potential of women, can contribute to equitable, inclusive economic growth as a larger proportion of the population contributes to the economy under more just circumstances. As previously excluded women gain better access to dignified work and business opportunities, with progressive government provision of public services, income, and gender inequality can be reduced. Similarly, by investing in women’s empowerment and enabling their participation and representation in development, politics, and governance, different ways of governing and decision-making may emerge that could further promote gender equality, reduce poverty and be beneficial to society at large.
Programme Overview
The Inkanyezi (Zulu term for “bright shining star) Project is a targeted gender equality project that aims to transform gender and power relations and seek institutional and societal change in support of gender equality and women’s leadership in decision-making. This four-year project (2021 to 2026) will build on existing interventions and partnerships in the Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga will promote the confidence and capacities of women in leadership roles and will foster supportive networks for women. Hence one of the project’s aims is to increase the number of women in positions of leadership. Using a feminist and human rights-based approach to achieving gender equality, the project will strengthen the ability of women leaders from political, traditional, and religious structures to influence local decision-making processes, especially with respect to laws, policies, and customs relevant to gender equality and GBV. Moreover, this project operates from the belief that empowering women (with increased rights literacy, strengthened critical consciousness, enhanced senses of individual and community self-efficacy and agency, and successful community activism) are all likely to produce activism on other social justice and community issues. Communities, and especially young women, with women leaders as their role models, will have an important role to play in becoming active citizens and holding local duty bearers accountable for the effective implementation of relevant laws and policies. At the same time, the project will work to shift the harmful social norms that drive gender inequality and Gender Based Violence (GBV) at an individual, community, and institutional level.
Project Outcomes
The ultimate goal of the project is to create Improved levels of gender equality and enjoyment of human rights and freedoms for women in South Africa. The project aims to achieve this ultimate outcome through the realization of:
- Increased visibility, number and influence of elected, traditional and religious women leaders in the Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga (Individual)
- Enhanced gender equitable roles and solidarity for women’s leadership in communities, local government and traditional structures in the Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga (Societal)
- Improved policies and practice from government and traditional institutions in addressing gender equality in the Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga (Institutional)
Project Target
The project will target women and girls (in their diversity), community action team members, traditional, religious, and elected women, male allies and influencers, family structures, media makers and government (local, provincial, national).
Consultancy Purpose and Objectives
Overall Goal of Curriculum development
The goal of the consultancy is to develop a feminist leadership curriculum whose aim is to enhance women and young women’s capacities in leadership that is embedded on feminist principles and values as well as provide training on it. It is envisaged that this curriculum will help strengthen women’s representation and participation in decision-making spaces as well as their ability to advocate for an end to GBV and for more gender equitable laws and policies.
Overall objectives of the Training
- Enhancing women and young women’s understanding of feminist leadership and principles
- Enhancing women’s meaningful participation and abilities to utilise feminist based principles in decision-making and leadership spaces be it traditional, religious or political to address gender inequality and gender-based violence
- Enhancing the capacity of families and local communities to support women’s representation and participation in decision making spaces.
Deliverables
- The consultant is expected to deliver on the following:
- An Inception Report detailing the approach and methodology to be used in developing the curriculum and training tools.
- A feminist curriculum that is aligned to project goals and good practice.
- Design the overall structure and content of the training sessions compiled into a training guide.
- Training tools and resources including an agenda, pre and post training evaluation forms.
- Conduct a Training of Trainers workshop with the Sonke Team, so the curriculum and activities are well understood by the implementing team.
- Conduct training with identified women and young women leaders in Mpumalanga and Eastern Cape provinces
- Support women and young women leaders to develop their implementation plan/strategies to advocate for better implementation of laws and policies addressing GBV and gender inequality which will be implemented post the training.
- Training report including evaluation, follow up and recommendations that are identified.
Location and timing
For the curriculum development, the consultant will work from where they are based. The trainings will be conducted in Gauteng, Mpumalanga, and Eastern Cape Province.
Duration
Curriculum development within 15-20 days. This will be followed by a two-day training of trainers’ workshops and two 5-day trainings with women and young women leaders in Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga provinces.
Required Expertise
- Strong conceptual and research/analytical skills with the ability to quickly analyse data and information from different sources and produce coherent reports.
- Exceptional written and oral communication skills, with strong demonstrated ability to convey complex ideas in a clear, direct, and lively style.
- Strong understanding of feminist principles, leadership, GBV and gender inequality issues.
- Expertise in developing feminist based curriculum and training tools.
- Proven experience in planning, developing, and facilitating participatory trainings.
- Expertise in conducting feminist leadership trainings, GBV and gender equality related issues.
How to apply
Should you wish to apply, please send a detailed proposal, quote, and CV no later than 30 August 2023 to:
Mpiwa Mangwiro
Policy Development and Advocacy Manager
Email: mpiwa@genderjustice.org.za
And
Vuyokazi Gonyela
Project Manager
Email: vuyokazi@genderjustice.org.za
