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Mapping Legislative Reform Opportunities to Advance Gender Justice in  the MENA Region 

Background and Objectives: 

The MENA region ranks among lowest performing regions in global indexes for gender equality.  The high rates of gender-based violence (GBV) in its various forms, including domestic violence,  sexual harassment in public spaces and workplaces, and cyber violence, is an ongoing challenge  to women’s safety and ability to exercise their rights. Women’s rights are also undermined by  prevalent discriminatory citizenship/nationality laws, family/personal status laws and relevant  policies. Decades of advocacy by women’s rights groups and movements, as well assome political  openings, have paved the way for notable achievements. However, substantial policy  shortcomings continue to exist, especially in light of the region’s volatile context, including  political instability, severe economic and humanitarian crises, and protracted conflicts and  occupation. The COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated the implications of discriminatory  laws, policies and practices, and augmented the struggles of women and marginalized  populations. Nonetheless, addressing discriminatory policies does not seem to be a priority on  current policy and legislative agendas.  

Open Society Foundations (OSF) Middle East and North Africa Program is developing a four-year  strategy for its portfolio on advancing gender equality in the MENA region. OSF’s MENA Program  is committed to supporting feminist movements’ efforts to promote gender justice, particularly  for marginalized populations. This includes identifying and supporting advocacy efforts to  introduce policy and legislative reforms towards reducing gender inequalities. We will focus on  strengthening collective advocacy campaigns and amplifying the voice of gender justice advocates from the MENA region in regional and international platforms to promote reforms  around a set of issues identified in our recent strategy consultations with women’s rights  organizations and activists, as well as peer donors. This includes strengthening or introducing  policies to eliminate gender-based violence (GBV), and achieving equality in personal status and  nationality laws.  

OSF seeks to hire a consultant or a team of up to three consultants to help in identifying current  or potential political and legislative openings and advocacy opportunities for reform around the identified issues (personal status, nationality, and GBV-related policies and legislations) in the  current regional context. This consultancy will help OSF achieve the following objectives:  

– Mapping of reform priorities for feminist/women’s rights groups around policies related to  GBV, personal status and nationality rights.  

– Identifying existing advocacy campaigns, leading and emerging organizations and coalitions,  established and new forms of organizing to push for reform around these issues,  opportunities for influencing policies, and challenges and limitations for advocacy around  these issues. 

– Assessing accomplishments, opportunities and challenges related to traditional forms of  advocacy around these issues in the region’s current context. 

– Identifying relevant donors and international organizations and their existing and potential  roles in supporting feminist/women’s rights groups’ efforts.  

– Recommending approaches and tools through which OSF and other funders can support women’s rights groups in advancing reform agendas.  

As part of this process, the consultant(s) would organize, moderate and document a number of  closed consultations and public events around the identified issues to engage different  stakeholders in the discussion and explore future collaborations.  

Countries of Focus: 

The mapping will focus on Tunisia, Morocco, Iraq, Palestine, and Iran. The mapping would also  identify opportunities for broader regional/multi-country advocacy initiatives within the MENA region.  

Responsibilities:  

The consultant(s) will:  

– Lead and conduct a mapping of existing country-level and regional campaigns and advocacy  efforts around policies related to GBV, personal status laws, and nationality laws in the MENA  region. This mapping would include various sources of data including desk research and  interviews with different stakeholders (for example, feminist organizations, relevant CSOs,  policymakers, legal experts, international organizations and donors) to provide an overview  of major issues and players, specific openings in light of political and legislative contexts  across the region, opportunities to strengthen relevant feminist coalitions and initiatives, and  possible international advocacy opportunities.  

– As part of the mapping, organize 4-6 closed consultations/focus groups to look deeper into  specific issues/countries/themes within the broader scope of the mapping.  – Organize, moderate and document two public webinars to discuss advocacy opportunities  around the identified issues.  

– Present findings and recommendations to OSF staff and other stakeholders, including  designing and leading a session to present mapping findings and recommendations in a  donor-activist convening (to be organized by OSF in 2022) 

Deliverables: 

By the end of the consultancy, the consultant(s) will have delivered the following items:  

– A proposed methodology and workplan at the beginning of the consultancy – 4-6 closed consultations/focus groups with different actors including women’s rights groups,  policy makers, international organizations, legal experts and other relevant actors  – Two webinars around selected themes within the scope of the mapping  – One session to present and discuss the mapping outcomes at a donor convening organized  by OSF 

– Monthly brief updates to OSF on relevant trends and developments in the field throughout  the consultancy period 

– A comprehensive written report that includes the mapping methodology, sources of data,  context analysis, findings on key policy issues, reflections on existing and emerging forms of  advocacy and organizing to advance reform, challenges to advocacy, political and legislative  openings, identified actors (relevant organizations, campaigns, and donors), recommendations on OSF’s support through funding and other tools, and opportunities for  collaboration with other donors.  

Requirements Qualifications and Competencies:  

• – Commitment to gender justice and supporting feminist movements in the MENA region 
• A minimum of five years of experience in programs and research related to human rights,  gender equality and women’s rights organizing and advocacy in the MENA region 
• Previous experience in conducting relevant mapping projects in the region is desired 
• Ability to work and communicate in both English and Arabic. French/Farsi is a plus 
• Preferably based in the MENA region