Background

RFSU adopted in 2021 for the first time a strategy guiding the whole organisation and all its work. One of the priority goals in the strategy is “The sexual and reproductive health and rights of women, children and lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, inter-sex and queer (LGBTIQ+) people are not limited by gender-based violence, such as harmful practices, including honour-related violence and oppression.” The International Unit (IU) at RFSU has therefore started to explore how to work with sexual and gender based violence (SGBV). A first step, already completed, was to identify how RFSU:s IU defines SGBV and how it relates to our work. Next step is to do a mapping, looking into how RFSU partners define the area around violence and the problem as well as what kind of work they do and what methods they use to address these problems. The mapping will provide input to RFSU’s future international work related to SGBV and potential opportunities identified in the mapping will be explored further..

RFSU use a broad definition of SGBV: “SGBV is any act perpetrated against a person’s will based on gender norms and unequal power relationships. Violence includes threats of violence and coercion.” (UNHCR) In this mapping however, specific interest should be given to SGBV with a clear connection to SRHR, such as:

• Homophobic and transphobic violence which refers to oppression, discrimination and/or violence against people because of their perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. This type of violence can be driven by a desire to ‘cure.’
• Harmful practices, including honour-related violence and oppression, are forms of violence accepted in a specific community, culture and society that have taken place over time predominantly - but not exclusively - against women, girls and LGBTQI+ people and have been carried out in the name of tradition and/or religion. Such acts include forced marriage, child marriage, honour oppression, violence and killing and female genital mutilation.

Aim and guiding questions

The aim is to identify which, why and how RFSU PO work with SGBV, including how they formulate and address the problem. Questions to be addressed are:

• What kind of violence is identified and addressed by RFSU PO?
• What structures are identified as driving forces of violence?
• What actors are identified as perpetrators by RFSU PO?
• Is the work of RFSU PO focused on supporting survivors of violence or rather violence prevention?
• What kind of strategies and methods are used by RFSU PO when preventing and combating violence as well as in work to support survivors of violence?
• What allies do they have in their work?
• Who are the prioritised groups of people benefiting from their work or who are targeted?
• What specific SRHR issues related to SGBV are addressed?
• Are there unmet needs identified by PO in the area of SRHR and SGBV? What kind of problems are left out of their work? What is the rationale for not addressing these issues?

Suggested methods

As this is a smaller mapping and we have time constraints and also not to burden our partners too much, we have identified suggested methods for collecting material to be analysed. These are:

• Review of relevant partner organisations written material, such as  applications and reports to RFSU, PO’s webpages and other relevant and available material.
• One focus group with RFSU staff members working with partner organisations.
• 2 focus groups discussion(s) with partner organisations working on SGBV 

RFSU will provide consultants with relevant written information as well as contacts to partner organisations.

Requirements

The consultant/team doing the mapping need the following qualifications: 

• Knowledge and experience of SRHR.
• Knowledge of and experience from Civil society.
• Experience from research or doing similar consultancy work.
• English is needed and Spanish an asset. 

Time frame & deliverables

Deadline to hand in your tender is September 27th. The report needs to be finalised on the 15th of December 2024. 

The consultant/team will have regular contact with RFSU staff, the details are to be agreed before signing of contract. The mapping is to be delivered as a word document and a PDF file.

Budget

The total budget for the assignment is 112 500 SEK including VAT.

The tender

Deadline for for tenders is September 27th. The tender should include suggested approach, budget, CV for suggested consultant(s) and relevant references.

For questions please get in touch with Mie Radeka Romée mie.radeka.romee@rfsu.se