Afghanistan is affected by one of the most severe humanitarian crises in the world. It is the country with the highest level of risk in the Asia Pacific region, according to the Inform Risk Index for humanitarian disasters.  The current humanitarian challenges must be addressed through service adaptation as well as increased support and resources dedicated to humanitarian coordination of the response. Since 2012, the Afghanistan GBV Sub-Cluster has played a critical role as part of the humanitarian response. It is a core component of the Protection Cluster, ensuring there is a multi-sector prevention and response to GBV, while providing technical support to other sectors and the HCT for integrating GBV into all aspects of the humanitarian response in line with the HCT Protection Strategy. 

Due to the unique needs for rapid response, the GBV coordination structures need additional support to ensure a robust and effective coordination for collaborative and joint implementation response at Sub-National level.

Under the overall guidance of the UNFPA CO Representative and the direct supervision of the GBV Sub Cluster Coordinator based at national level, the incumbent facilitates and coordinates the rapid implementation of multi-sectoral, interagency GBV interventions in a humanitarian emergency at sub-national level. Comprehensive GBV prevention and response programming in humanitarian emergencies requires skilled coordination of a range of organizations and actors from the displaced and host communities, NGOs, government partners, UN agencies, and other national and international organizations. 

The GBV Sub National Coordinator’s duties include: ensuring implementation of the national cluster core coordination functions and key deliverables at sub-national level; building and sustaining partnerships, strategic planning, capacity development, advocacy, and ensuring there is safe and ethical information management. 

Under the direct guidance of the National GBV Sub Cluster Coordinator, the GBV Sub National Coordinator will use and contextualize (as needed) the IASC’s Guidelines for Integrating Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Action: Reducing Risk, Promoting Resilience, and  Aiding Recovery, the GBV Area of Responsibility’s Handbook for Coordination of GBV Interventions in Emergencies (2019), UNFPA’s Managing GBV Programmes in Emergencies Guide and The Inter-agency Minimum Standards for GBV in Emergencies Programming (2019) to facilitate planning, coordination, monitoring and evaluation of inter-agency GBV initiatives. 

Under the overall direction of the GBV Sub Cluster coordinator at national level, the consultant would be responsible for: 

Building and Sustaining Partnerships 

• Establish and facilitate inter-agency, multi-sectoral GBV Sub-Clusters (“sub-clusters”) at sub-national levels. Promote, respect and ensure that the Principles of Partnership are reflected in the day-to-day work of the GBV sub national sub-cluster. 
• Proactively engage with all relevant stakeholders to ensure coordination bodies reflect the range of actors addressing GBV, including across multiple sectors (health, psychosocial, legal, security, etc.) and categories of actors (UN, NGO, civil society, government, etc.). 
• Regularly represent the GBV sub national sub-cluster in sub national Protection Cluster meetings, OCHA-led meetings (e.g. around development of the Strategic Response Plan or for Inter-Cluster Coordination), and other relevant meetings and report to the National GBV Sub Cluster on the outcomes. 
• Suggest appropriate mechanisms for working with and collaborating with national authorities on GBV issues in emergencies, in line with humanitarian principles. 
• Plan and organize GBV trainings as needed for humanitarian actors

Support service delivery

• In collaboration with national and international GBV actors, map current institutional response capacities, including facilitating mapping of GBV-specific 3Ws at sub-national level.
• In close coordination with the GBV Sub Cluster at national level, support the establishment of referral pathways and Standard Operating Procedures, where needed and applicable. 
• Support in the update of the referral pathway at sub National level
• Work with other clusters and GBVSC members to undertake periodic GBV risk assessments, when and where applicable and support dissemination of findings to ensure recommendations are implemented by partners.

Strategic Planning 

• Work with partners to continually identify and prioritize response gaps at sub national level in line with proposed work plan (including geographic coverage and programmatic scope) and seek solutions to fill gaps. 
• Contribute sub national GBV-related inputs to National inter-agency contingency plans.
• Contribute to the selection of priority areas for AHF allocations

Capacity Development 

• Support sub-national efforts to strengthen the capacity of sub-cluster members on planning and responding to GBV in emergencies and on safe and ethical GBV information management. 
• Ensure all sub-national GBV sub-cluster partners are aware of relevant policy guidelines, technical standards, and other resource materials (go to www.gbvaor.net for the latest information). 
• Facilitate the establishment and capacity strengthening of sub-national GBV Sub-clusters where possible or integrate GBV focal points into existing humanitarian working groups.

Advocacy 

• Provide inputs to the development of relevant advocacy and policy documents, program prioritization exercises to address GBV in emergencies, in the context of broader gender inequality issues.

Information Management 

In line with WHO’s Ethical and Safety Recommendations for Researching, Documenting and Monitoring Sexual Violence in Emergencies and the GBV AoR Information Management tools and resources (including the Interagency Minimum Standards for GBViE): 

• Support the collection of data at sub national level in line with the requirements for the Humanitarian Response Plan and for evaluating the sub-cluster’s performance.
• Ensure partners regularly and accurately contribute to the 3/4/5Ws and FTS, and other required cluster data collection mechanisms.

• Support the analyses of available secondary data to ensure readily available information on known trends and patterns on GBV for inclusion at relevant points along the Humanitarian Programme Cycle, including the MIRA. 
• Under the guidance of the National GBV Sub Cluster, undertake new assessment missions as necessary/appropriate to identify strategic inter-sectoral approaches for addressing it. 
• Work with the national GBV Sub cluster to adopt a standardized GBV incident report/intake form and other relevant forms as necessary. Train partner organizations and other sectors in the use of this form with particular emphasis to the Guiding Principles for Working with GBV Survivors and in line with the GBV Information Management System (GBVIMS), where applicable. 
• If necessary, develop monthly report formats that capture relevant and safe information and that support the analysis and evaluation of program progress and outcomes. 
• Prepare regular analytical reports on emerging issues. 
• Set standards for inter-agency safe and ethical use of GBV data and monitor the implementation of these standards by sub-cluster members to ensure compliance.

Monitoring

• Facilitate and, where possible, participate in regular inter-agency joint field monitoring missions in support of GBVSC Coordination and provision of GBV services in emergencies (GBViE);
• Coordinate with OCHA for country-based pool funds (CBPF) funded projects monitoring, review and reporting and provide expert actions

Programme management [10%]

• Support UNFPA programming related to GBV, as per requested by the head of sub-offices.

Administrative and Miscellaneous Duties 

• Write monthly reports documenting progress against work plan outputs.