Jobs at the Coalition on Violence Against Women – Kenya

Jobs at the Coalition on Violence Against Women – Kenya

Call for Applications
Program Officer, 2 positions

Context and overview of COVAW (K):

COVAW-K is a registered, non-partisan and non-profit making national women's human rights non-governmental organization. COVAW (K) works to promote and advance women human rights through working towards a society free from all forms of violence against women. Since inception, COVAW (K) has fought and continues to fight valiantly to influence the public opinion on violence against women so that it would be regarded as a crime and a human rights violation instead of a commonplace domestic habit. Towards that end, COVAW-K has successfully spearheaded campaigns and advocacy against this violation that continues to threaten the personhood of women. COVAW is part of the women’s movement in Kenya and our work is fundamental to the advancement of women rights.

COVAW’s vision is a society that is free from all forms of violence against women (VAW) within the domestic, private, public and political institutions. The National Advocacy Officer will be involved with dealing with response mechanisms at different national levels whereas the Community Advocacy Officer will be in charge of collective action and organizing at the community level.

Program Officer, National Advocacy

Program Officer / National Advocacy/ Location: Nairobi, with travel to project sites and international travel / Closing date: October 31, 2011

Purpose:
This is an opportunity to be a part of a national organisation that works to ensure that women live lives free of violence by ensuring legislative and policy responses to addressing VAW. The purpose of the position is to manage the day to day implementation and management of the activities of the National Advocacy Programme which includes designing, reviewing and monitoring of advocacy strategies in line with COVAW’s mission and mandate.

Key outputs

• In collaboration with the Executive Director and programmes team, design and review regularly a comprehensive advocacy strategy.
• Identifying, researching, preparing documents, litigating and preparing monthly reports on Public Interest Litigation cases (PIL).
• Develop curriculum and calendar and ensure training of judicial officers and other service providers.
• Effectively lobbying for amendment of Bills that are of interest to COVAW’s mission
• Monitoring proposed amendments of relevant bills and effectively participating in processes for the same.
• Ensuring policy reform issues on violence against women are taken on board by relevant government ministries and departments.
• Lobby for ratification of select international and regional instruments that promote women’s rights.
• Facilitating the intersection between law and health in the promotion of women’s access to justice in addressing VAW.
• Participating in the production of COVAW-K’s training materials.
• Preparing periodic analytical reports on projects activities, collecting relevant legal articles, annual status reports on violence against women at all levels among others
• Identifying and promoting networking activities with similar organisations and government bodies.
• Timely implementation of project activities and budget tracking to ensure that all activities are implemented within the available budgets.
• Monitoring and evaluation to ensure that the activities and plans directly contribute to COVAW’s strategic outcomes.

Program Officer, Community Advocacy

Program Officer / Community Advocacy/ Location: Nairobi, with travel to project sites in Kajiado and Laikipia, International travel/ Closing date: October 31, 2011

Purpose: This position provides an opportunity to be involved in building social movements and defenders of women’s rights purposefully for the eradication of violence against women at the community level. The job holder is expected to undertake the day-to-day implementation and management of the activities of the local community capacity advocacy with strong community mobilization, movement building and capacity building components.

Key outputs

• Mobilizing communities of various target groups identified for purposes of implementation of plans to address VAW including CBO’s, law enforcement agencies, opinion leaders, and school administrators, among others.
• Marketing COVAW-K’s products to the community and key messages on VAW.
• Initiating and facilitating processes that lead to collective action and organizing to intervene and/ or stop various forms of VAW.
• Conducting and facilitating training sessions for the various identified target groups, such as paralegals, CBO’s, teachers, and other service providers.
• Making follow up on activities being implemented by various resource persons trained in the community.
• Ensuring that paralegals document and keep their records properly.
• Facilitating the trained CBO’s / teachers, paralegals/ law enforcement Agents (LEA) establish community based referral networks jointly with other resource persons in the community.
• Identifying schools to collaborate with and facilitate processes for creation of awareness on VAW and women’s rights among young people in schools.
• Building capacity of teachers to enable them facilitate student activities on women’s rights.
• Facilitating and guiding communities in organizing campaigns on VAW.
• Maintaining accurate and up to date records of all programme activities.
• Participating in the development of resource materials.
• Ensuring implementation of project plans and that the budgets are adhered to.
• Monitoring and evaluation to ensure that the activities and plans directly contribute to COVAW’s strategic outcomes.

Academic Qualifications:
- University degree in related field; law or social sciences

Expertise & Skills
• Creative thinker and analytical skills
• Demonstrated excellent writing and editing skills, ability to analyze information across a range of disciplines and able to extract relevant analyses
• Strong organizational skills and an attention to detail
• Ability to work independently and to set and meet goals in fast-paced environment and to prioritize accordingly
• Team spirit and respectful working style
• Strong project management experience; ability to develop, coordinate implementation, monitor and evaluate a project plan with multiple deliverables, stakeholders and deadlines
• Ability to multi-task and willing to perform diverse tasks as needed in a timely manner
• Able to work independently with minimal supervision and as part of a team
• Demonstrated capacity in complex problem-solving, displays good judgment
• Able to absorb new skills and information quickly
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in fast-paced, high-stress contexts
• Excellent negotiation skills; presents ideas clearly, negotiates confidently and persuasively
• Excellent communication skills
• Fluency speaking and writing in English and Kiswahili

Knowledge & Other Requirements:

• Familiarity with international and regional women’s rights organizations and networks
• Demonstrated commitment to advancing women's rights and gender equality
• Committed to the principles and values of feminism, anti-discrimination and anti-oppression
• Relevant experience working on women’s rights issues or with similar NGOs preferable.
• Good knowledge on the provisions of women’s rights in the constitution specifically applicability in addressing VAW.
• A good understanding of the Sexual Offences Act and other gender based violence (GBV)- related laws including pending Bills in Parliament.
• Good knowledge of the global women’s movement and trends affecting women at the local and regional levels.
• Excellent understanding of the changing social, economic and political context in Kenya and how it influences new trends and various forms of VAW.

Experiences

At least 3 years experience:
• With national/ community advocacy project planning and management
• Proven interest and experience in legal rights and social justice specially VAW issues. Experience with survivors of VAW and service providers on the same considered an asset.
• Proven interest in addressing the socio-cultural and economic obstacles to enjoyment of women’s rights/ addressing VAW.
• Contributing substantively and administratively to program work in the area of women’s rights.
• Working in a multi-cultural team.
• Working with non-governmental organizations (NGO) or similar not for profit organisations.

We are looking for individuals who are committed to the principles and values of feminism, anti-discrimination, and anti-oppression. The ideal candidates will have excellent writing and editing skills, ability to analyze information across a range of disciplines and able to extract relevant analyses, demonstrated capacity to think strategically and analytically, and have strong project management skills. If you are able to work independently with minimal supervision and enjoy working on women’s rights and with a diverse staff, we would love to hear from you!

How to Apply:
Please send:
1) Current CV and cover letter (addressing how you meet the necessary qualifications and outlines why you want to work for COVAW-K)
2) A personal statement, of not more than 500 words expressing why you think you are best suited for this position.

E-mail: [email][email protected] (please include “National Advocacy or Community Advocacy” in the subject line of the email)

No phone calls please. Only email and faxed applications will be accepted. The application closing date is Monday, October 31, 2011. We thank all who apply, but only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. COVAW encourages, promotes and supports diversity in all aspects of its work.

To learn more about COVAW and our programs, please visit our website at www.covaw.or.ke .