We are looking for a Regional Advocacy and Feminist Action Advisor (RAFAA) to support the second phase of the programme “Amplifying Voices of Women affected by war related SGBV in the Western Balkans – For a culture of Recognition and Reconciliation” (June 2024 – August 2027), funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany (BMZ). The goal of the programme (short “AV”) is to create a culture of recognition and reconciliation in the Western Balkans for women survivors of war related SGBV to live in dignity and free from violence. You can find more detailed information on Amplifying Voices Programme and the team below.
The RAFAA is expected to support the implementation of:
- Module 1: Feminist Action (creation of safer spaces for feminist reflection, connectedness, solidarity, and self- and collective care for activists and professionals, strengthening their wellbeing and resilience and thus the sustainability of their work and the programme as a whole)
- Module 5: Joint Learning, Networking and Advocacy Work (building on the jointly developed Regional Advocacy Strategy of AV-I, upscaling the POs regional advocacy work and continue joint learning and networking)
About the position
1. Role:
The Regional Advocacy and Feminist Action Advisor will be responsible for leading the process of design and implementation of the Module 1 on Feminist Action and the Module 5 on Regional Advocacy Work in close cooperation with medica mondiale and the AV partner organisations.
The Regional Advocacy and Feminist Action Advisor is expected to agree on our values and working principles as the foundation of communication and cooperation.
2. Objectives of the RAFAA Position:
Within the Module 1: Feminist action
‐ To enhance feminist action of the POs on country and regional level ‐ To co-create a safer space for all to share, learn and grow together ‐ To provide capacity development in feminist action and reflection, especially on dealing with the past topics
Within the Module 5: Regional advocacy work
‐ To coordinate/support the partners in implementing the country and regional advocacy strategies of the Amplifying Voices Programme on feminist dealing with the past
3. Tasks
Within Module 1: Feminist Action
‐ Communicate and engage with all Amplifying Voices partners
‐ Provide advice on feminist action on country and organisational level (according to the needs)
‐ Foster regular check-ins with the POs on their well-being
‐ Provide and/or organize capacity-strengthening measures for feminist action ‐ Regional level: co-facilitate regional Feminist Action meetings together with the trauma advisor of medica mondiale
‐ Country level: meetings in person, support in feminist action and reflection activities
‐ Explore the possibilities / opportunities at international level for synergies / cooperation (e.g. feminist actions of medica mondiale and its partner organisations in other regions, international actions of PO etc.)
Within Module 5: Regional Advocacy Work
‐ Jointly with POs identify strengths and gaps for the existing Regional Advocacy Strategy and suggest revisions and innovative approaches
‐ Develop an Action Plan for the revised Regional Advocacy Strategy ‐ Support the implementation of the Regional Advocacy Strategy: o Develop methodologies, products, policy papers, etc. based on inputs from POs
o Scale up different advocacy activities
‐ Promote networking and cooperation among POs and other identified stakeholders on country, regional and global level
4. Qualifications
Knowledge, expertise and experience:
– Knowledge of and experience in working with feminist approaches to dealing with the past and transitional justice within women’s/feminist NGOs and/or networks – Technical and methodological expertise for advocacy work
– Experience in participatory methods of group facilitation
– Knowledge about the region
– Relevant working experience – minimum 5 years
– Fluency in English is a must
– Knowledge of at least one of the official languages of the region
Education:
– University degree (preferably in Social Sciences, Political Sciences, Gender studies or similar)
Desired qualifications:
– Knowledge of theory and practice of social justice, power sensitivity, intersectionality and stress- and trauma-sensitivity
– Experience and expertise in meaningful presence, listening to different perspectives, and facilitating sensitive topics and processes, sensitively dealing with diversity and/or conflicting viewpoints
– Experience and knowledge in regional advocacy and advising on advocacy, particularly on women rights/SGBV/women survivors of war related sexualised violence/marginalised groups
– Knowledge in and access to existing international mechanisms such as Istanbul Convention, EU structures etc.
5. Additional information
– It is not a must for this position to already have citizenship / work permit / visa for one of the project countries, but we encourage you to check the conditions for getting a work permit or visa before applying. Further details will be discussed on the individual basis during the hiring process.
– The RAFAA will be formally employed by one of the partner organisations of the Amplifying Voices programmes, depending on the country of residence. This will be discussed on an individual basis during the hiring process.
‐ This position is expected to work remotely, with regular traveling to each of the POs in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Serbia.
– Driving licence is preferred.
What we offer
POs and medica mondiale believe in the transformative potential of feminist thinking, joint reflection practice and activism. We offer a position in an interdisciplinary team of organizations that have more than 30 years of hands-on experience. Within the project specific context, we aim to create feminist reflection spaces referring to solidarity encounters, enhancing critical discussions though different feminist lenses, sharing of experiences, insights, and knowledge, as well as activist tools for the joint struggle against sexual and gender-based violence.
We are seeking a person who is willing to grow together with us, be part of and support our connectedness. One of the guiding principles of our work is that we take into account the wellbeing, perspective and needs of each team member, which also applies to the Regional Advocacy and Feminist Action Advisor.
We offer a remote position on approx. 70% of a full-time position, with a salary range of up to 24.000€ gross per year. Please indicate your salary expectations in your application.
How to apply
We strongly encourage candidates of all different backgrounds and identities to apply.
Please send your application documents (CV, motivation letter and references, max. 2 MB, 1 pdf) by Sunday, 20.10.2024 to [email protected]. Subject: “Application RAFAA”. Please note that applications will be reviewed on a rolling base and that we may contact and invite prospective candidates to interviews before the application due date in order to facilitate an ongoing selection process.
Additional information about the AV programme
I.AV Team
medica mondiale and all project partners share common goals, values, and interests in the fight against sexualized and gender-based violence in war- and conflict zones. All partners apply a multi-level approach, addressing needs of survivors and advocating for changes at micro, meso and macro levels in their societies and political systems and are also strongly connected in the region and beyond.
The project partners are all well-established and experienced organisations (most of them possess 30+ years of experience) with a strong network in their respective country and across the region and complement each other with regards to sectoral and regional scope. They have worked directly with survivors of conflict-related sexual violence for many years and developed and field tested holistic and stress- and trauma sensitive methods for outreach to survivors, which have high relevance to be spread regionally. They are also experienced in advocacy work, shadow reporting, writing guides and manuals, organising training programmes for professionals in institutions and have gained recognition as qualified expert organisations by governmental institutions and societal initiatives in their countries.
II. Background and Design of the AV Programme
“Amplifying Voices of Women affected by war-related SGBV in the Western Balkan – For a culture of Recognition and Reconciliation” is a project jointly realized by POs mentioned above with the support of medica mondiale. Its first phase lasted from November 2020 to May 2024. The second phase of the Amplifying Voices Programme (AV-2) builds on the first phase. It started in June 2024 and is expected to last until August 2027. Both phases are funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany (BMZ).
The first phase of the AV Programme was in its structure and programmatic design based on the Dealing with the Past (DwP) Framework of swisspeace, a widely recognised model for the design of dealing with the past strategies, which organises interventions by the pillars The Right to Truth, The Right to Reparation, The Right to Justice and the Guarantee for Non-Recurrence (the latter has not been explicitly addressed within the programme).
The second phase of the AV Programme (AV-2) continues to be influenced by this framework but adds another dimension to it: the dimension of Feminist Action. Thus, the structure of the AV-2 Programme includes the following modules:
▪ Module 1: Feminist Action: Amplifying connectedness, resilience and solidarity
▪ Module 2: Realizing the rights to truth
▪ Module 3: Realizing the rights to reparation
▪ Module 4: Realizing the rights to justice
▪ Module 5: Joint Learning, Networking and Advocacy Work
III. Objectives of the AV Programme
Project goal: Creating a culture of recognition and reconciliation in the Western Balkans for women survivors of war related SGBV to live in dignity and free from violence.
Desired outcomes of the second phase of the project:
- Amplified connectedness, solidarity and resilience among professionals and activists for increased sustainability of relationships, the joint work, and the programme
- The topic war related SGBV is continually reflected in political debates and regional and local reconciliation initiatives
- Laws and procedures for compensation mechanisms include more elements of stress and trauma sensitivity
- Court Procedures include more elements of stress and trauma sensitivity, addressing both survivors and members of the witness support networks • Likeminded feminist women’s organisations are further recognised as experts for feminist approaches to Dealing with the Past in political national and regional reconciliation processes
