: The Asia Foundation
: Nonprofits / องค์กรไม่แสวงหาผลกำไร
: 2468
: 6 June 2024
20 June 2024
AMPLIFY: Amplifying Women’s Peace Actions in ASEAN
Researcher (Consultant), AMPLIFY_Myanmar
Location: To be based in Thailand
Type: Individual contract (open to both International and Myanmar national)
The Asia Foundation is a nonprofit international development organization committed to improving lives and expanding opportunities across Asia and the Pacific. Informed by 70 years of experience and deep local knowledge, our work is focused on governance, climate action, gender equity, education and leadership, inclusive growth, and international cooperation. We work in more than 20 countries through our 17 permanent country offices and programs across Asia and the Pacific, supported by a headquarters in San Francisco and an office in Washington, DC. Our funding comes from a diverse array of bilateral and multilateral development agencies, foundations, corporations, and individuals.
The Asia Foundation is conducting a scoping study to collect information and data that supports the start-up of a new regional program called AMPLIFY in the ASEAN region, focused on Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar/Thailand. The New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) is supporting a regional Activity titled AMPLIFY: Amplifying women’s peace actions in ASEAN in partnership with The Asia Foundation, beginning in May 2024. The purpose of AMPLIFY is to mitigate the disproportionate impacts of conflict and insecurity on women in ASEAN, and to strengthen peace actions through women’s participation and receipt of benefits. The program will support regional interventions in ASEAN, including Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines and Vietnam with scope for the engagement of Timor-Leste in light of its upcoming accession to ASEAN. Country-level program components will target Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar.
Background
This program responds to the problem that women living in ASEAN are disproportionately impacted by both armed conflicts related to historical and contemporary conflicts, and human security threats. Limitations on women’s participation and leadership exacerbate both insecurity for women, and for communities as a whole.
This problem is underpinned by key structural problems rooted in inequitable gender social norms and values across all ASEAN Member States. These norms and values limit political will and investments in gender-responsive governance and social support mechanisms that would facilitate women’s greater engagement in peace and security action.
As such, the regional ASEAN Activity design responds to these problems through a delivery approach that addresses structural issues - with particular attention to harmful gender norms - and simultaneously responds to conflict and human security threats.
Defining what WPS means from the community to national leadership levels in the only countries yet to engage in national policy initiatives to support WPS needs – Cambodia and Laos – is currently an unmet necessity. Additionally, actions undertaken to support women from Myanmar, including those living beyond its borders, so that they may engage in WPS processes have so far proven insufficient.
AMPLIFY’s Overarching Goal is to mitigate the disproportionate impacts of conflict and insecurity on women in ASEAN, and to strengthen peace actions through women’s participation and receipt of benefits.
AMPLIFY aims to integrate a strong focus on learning, knowledge and understanding on WPS while designing activities in new programming areas. This is key to developing activities that are contextually relevant, sustainable and ambitious while adhering to the principle of do no harm. A learning approach is especially important, given the significant information gaps that exist in relation to WPS in Laos and Cambodia, and the challenging and volatile situation for women from Myanmar.
The Asia Foundation Myanmar seeks qualified, talented applicants for a consultant/researcher position to conduct a scoping study under AMPLIFY project focusing specifically on Myanmar.
Purpose of scoping study:
The project aims to build on the existing knowledge base around women, peace and security so that experiences from women in various contexts contribute to national and regional level learning about the impacts of conflict and insecurity on women, and ways in which their engagement can lead to specific benefits to women living in conflict and insecurity. The purpose of this Initial Scoping study is to identify issues, policy landscape, mechanisms, behaviours and social norms that impact women and how they experience conflict and insecurity; and safety assessment for WPS platform.
Objectives of Scoping:
The scoping includes a needs assessment on the situation of women peace activists and women human rights defenders to inform development of safe and enabling methods of providing flexible and rapid funding and support, and mitigating the threat of reprisals. The needs assessment will inform how the program will provide seed funding for women peace activists and human rights defenders so that they’re able to sustain their work.
Method
Qualitative primary data collection, secondary data, and literature review. Depending on availability of secondary data, some primary quantitative data collection may be required for indicator measures.
Deliverables
Analysis and report writing: a DRAFT report providing an overview of baseline findings (demographics, descriptive statistics, significant findings, etc) will be developed. This report will follow the analysis plan developed earlier. Depending on stakeholder interest, timeline and availability, a workshop may be the best format to solicit simultaneous feedback from a range of audiences. Following feedback from country offices, experts, stakeholders, and donors, a second and final report will be submitted.
PowerPoint: a slide deck with key findings will be developed.
Qualifications and Experience Required:
Duration
The consultant will be engaged for 25 days, distributed from the date of contract signing until September 30, 2024.
Reporting
The Consultant will report directly to Country Representative, The Asia Foundation Myanmar, and will maintain close coordination with Program Manager (Myanmar), and other team members from country offices and AMPLIFY regional team as needed.
How to Apply:
You may apply for this position by sending a cover letter to express your interest, along with your latest resume and daily rate. Remuneration will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. Candidates should be legally eligible to work in Thailand without sponsorship from The Asia Foundation. Please direct all applications with the email tile (subject line) “Researcher – Myanmar – Your Name” to inquiry.country.thailand@asiafoundation.org by noon BKK time, June 20, 2024. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. No phone calls, please.
