Background
Al-Haq is an independent Palestinian non-governmental human rights organization based in Ramallah, West Bank. Established in 1979 to protect and promote human rights and the rule of law in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT). The organization has a special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council. In July 2019, Al-Haq celebrated its fortieth anniversary. The organization marked this occasion with two seminars and a ceremony.
Al-Haq documents violations of the individual and collective rights of Palestinians in the OPT, irrespective of the identity of the perpetrator, and seeks to end such breaches by way of advocacy before national and international mechanisms and by holding the violators accountable. The organization conducts research; prepares, reports, studies and interventions on breaches of international human rights and humanitarian law in the OPT; and undertakes advocacy before local, regional and international bodies. Al-Haq also cooperates with Palestinian civil society organizations and governmental institutions in order to ensure that international human rights standards are reflected in Palestinian law and policies. The organization has a specialized international law library for the use of its staff and the local community.
The year of 2021 marks 54 years of occupation of Palestinian territory and 73 years since the beginning of the Nakba. The past few years have brought the political situation to a crisis point, further threatening the realization of the right to self-determination for the Palestinian people. As in the past, the primary challenge to the realization of this right continues to be a lack of political will on the part of states and international institutions to ensure compliance with international law in the OPT and to hold violators of international law accountable. Further, the actions of Israel and the United States have threatened the legitimacy and credibility of international law and international organizations.
Since its last organizational evaluation in 2020, Al-Haq is still undergoing a significant shift in funding from predominantly institutional to mostly project-based funding. Along with this shift, Al-Haq has invested in human resource capacities in Programs, Development, and Finance. The organization’s Legal Research and Advocacy Department has grown on the national and international levels. LRAD International has expanded the depth and breadth of work at the ICC level, on Business and Human Rights, and UN mechanisms, including with the human rights treaty bodies and special procedures. Al-Haq’s lead role in ICC accountability work continues, as the ICC progresses the situation of Palestine to the Pre-Trial Chamber (PTC). At the same time, the organization has developed capacities for strategic litigation, partnering with national legal organizations in third States to ensure accountability for human rights violations committed by corporations in those countries. The LRAD National team has undertaken the lead role in accountability work for Palestinian duty bearers with the UN Treaty Bodies, acting in consultation of State reports, preparing parallel reports, and providing training to Palestinian civil society organizations on the treaties and conventions to which the State of Palestine acceded in 2014. Al-Haq’s Center for Applied International Law has more than doubled its civil society and community training programs. The Library has undertaken an historical archiving project, archiving documents at a rate of over 1000 per month. The Monitoring and Documentation Unit has employed new staff and implemented a new databank system. All departments have developed new reporting mechanisms and organizational outputs. Al-Haq’s increased capacities and new programming support new project funding in some ways, while in other ways are at odds with the increase in administrative and bureaucratic demands. Meanwhile, the need for Palestinian human rights organizations (HROs) to take engage at all levels remains.
As Al-Haq continues to grow, the organization remains committed to learning and improving its programs and activities. As such, Al-Haq is seeking to institutionalize gender equality and is also working towards integrating gender perspectives in Al-Haq’s actions to strengthen the impact and inclusivity of its work.
Purpose of the Participatory Gender Audit (PGA)
In line with its commitment to promote organizational learning on how to implement gender mainstreaming effectively, and the recommendations of the External Evaluation of Al-Haq for the Period (2016 – 2020), as well as the recommendations of the strategy document for the years (2021-2026); Al-Haq is looking to conduct a participatory gender audit for the organization in 2021. The Gender Audit will feed into the development of a comprehensive Gender Policy, which will contribute to improving relevance and responsiveness to gender at an organizational level.
The Gender Audit will be an imperative step towards realizing the organization’s vision, mission and goals by adopting best practices for human rights organizations, and will be used as a management tool to institutionalize gender within the organization. Al-Haq strongly believes that the results of this Gender Audit shall contribute to more informed decision-making, promote an environment of learning, and advance greater accountability for organizational performance on gender issues.
A Participatory Gender Audit (PGA) is a tool and a process based on a participatory methodology. It promotes organizational learning on mainstreaming gender practically and effectively.
Moreover, The PGA will:[1]
- 1. Consider whether internal practices and related support systems for gender mainstreaming are effective and reinforce each other;
- Monitor and assess the relative progress made in gender mainstreaming;
- Establish a baseline for the organization;
- Identify critical gaps and challenges;
- Recommend ways of addressing them and suggest new and more effective strategies;
- Document good practices towards the achievement of gender equality.
Terms of Reference (ToR) | Scope and Focus of the Gender Audit
Five key areas of analysis
The following five Key Areas represent the focus of analysis during a participatory gender audit:
Gender issues in the context of Al-Haq, and existing gender expertise, competence and capacity-building.
Context of Al-Haq and its relationship to gender issues relevant to the technical area, current discourse, and related gender-initiatives.
Existing gender expertise, competence and efforts at capacity building.
Gender in Al-Haq’s objectives, programming and implementation cycles, and choice of partner organizations.
Mainstreaming of gender equality in the Al-Haq’s strategic objectives, policies, programs and budget.
Mainstreaming of gender equality in implementation of programs and technical activities.
Systems and instruments in use for accountability, evaluating and monitoring on gender equality.
Selection of working partners.
Information and knowledge management within Al-Haq, and gender equality policy as reflected in its products and public image.
Information and knowledge management on gender issues.
Gender equality initiatives as reflected in the Al-Haq’s products and public image.
Decision-making, staffing and human resources, and organizational culture.
Decision-making processes including on gender mainstreaming.
Staffing and human resources concerning balance of women and men, and gender-sensitive policies.
Organizational culture and its effects on gender equality.
Al-Haq’s perception of achievement on gender equality
Perception of achievements on gender equality
PGA Process and Methods
The PGA process will be carried out in conformity with internationally accepted principles, standards and practices of gender audit, more specifically, “The ILO Participatory Gender Audit Methodology”.[2]
Before the start of the PGA
- Two weeks prior to the audit, the facilitation team/facilitator begins initial review of documents;
- Audit facilitation team/facilitator meets to discuss practicalities. For example, facilitators who are reviewing a particular document should be assigned to interview relevant managers and staff who are linked to or responsible for it;
- Desk review carried out and outcomes discussed within the team (continuous throughout the PGA).
At the beginning of the PGA
- Audit facilitation team/facilitator meets the Al-Haq General Director and PGA Focal Point;
- Audit facilitation team/facilitator meets the entire staff.
During the PGA
- Semi-structured interviews carried out with Al-Haq’s director, executive committee, programs committee, management/ technical staff, and support services staff;
- All staff workshop conducted, and/or Management staff workshop conducted and Support services staff workshop conducted separately;
- Consultations/interviews are carried out with partner organizations and implementing partners (both internal and external to the organization).
At the end of the PGA
- Preparation of executive summary of audit’s findings;
- Debriefing of work unit director;
- Feedback session for all staff.
After the PGA
- Draft PGA report;
- Follow-up on audit recommendations by the PGA Focal Point and gender planning committee, including the development of action plans.
Existing Information Sources (see annexes)
- Al-Haq Background Paper.
- The 2005 External Evaluation of the Al-Haq’s capacity.
- The (2011-2015) External Evaluation of Al-Haq.
- The (2016-2020) Al-Haq Strategic Plan.
- External Evaluation of Al-Haq for the Period (2016 – 2020).
- Al-Haq’s Strategic document for the years (2021 – 2026).
- Al-Haq Narrative Reports for the years (2016—2020).
- Al-Haq’s Gender Audit Draft Report (2015).
- Results of Al-Haq internal and external evaluations for the years (2016-2020).
- Any other relevant documents that may be of importance for the PGA.
Gender Audit Process and Methods
The facilitation team/facilitator will be asked to develop an inception report that will include the finalized scope of work, methodology, key stakeholders to be interviewed, final PGA questions, work plan, and deliverables. The inception report should be submitted to the Gender Audit Focal Point no more than five working days following the signing of the consultancy agreement. The inception report will be discussed and agreed upon between Al-Haq and the facilitation team/facilitator. The following points are expected to be included in the PGA methodology:
Review Al-Haq’s latest two Evaluation Reports and Strategic Plans, narrative reports and any program assessments done during the years (2016—2021);
Conduct a number of key interviews during facilitation team/facilitator’s field visit to Ramallah and conduct interviews with Al-Haq’s Executive Committee, other members of staff, and any other entity and/or individual as deemed necessary by the Team;
Assess key issues raised in interviews, which should guide the workshop discussions with the Senior Staff and Board of Directors;
Prepare a Draft Evaluation Report for review by the Gender Planning committee. The Committee will provide written feedback within 10 working days of receipt of the draft report
Prepare the Final Gender Audit Report, which should include the following sections:
- Executive Summary
- Introduction
- Description of Programs
- Scope of Gender Audit
- Methodology
- Findings
- Key Findings and Lessons Learned
- Conclusions and Recommendations
- Annexes
Accountabilities
Al-Haq’s Development Officer, will represent the organization as the Focal Point throughout the PGA. The Focal Point will coordinate the audit process and the work of the Gender Planning Committee. The Committee is responsible for guidance, accountability, and approval of all deliverables.
The facilitation team/facilitator are responsible for conducting the PGA, including daily implementation, development of deliverables, and reporting and feedback to the Focal Point.
Deliverables
The Facilitation team/facilitator will prepare:
- An Inception Report;
- A Draft Audit Report;
- A Final Draft Report accordance with internationally accepted standards.
- A Draft gender policy
These deliverables are to be:
- Prepared in English and Arabic;
- All reports are to be submitted to Al-Haq’s Focal Point.
Draft Gender Audit Report
The Facilitation team/facilitator will submit a draft PGA Report for review by Al-Haq within four (4) weeks of returning from mission.
Final Gender Audit Report
Within two (2) weeks of receiving Al-Haq's comments on the draft report, Facilitation team/facilitator will submit a final audit report, including an abstract/executive summary.
[1] https://www.ilo.org/gender/Informationresources/WCMS_187411/lang--en/index.htm
[2] The FOR GENDER AUDIT FACILITATORS (THE ILO PARTICIPATORY GENDER AUDIT METHODOLOGY – Second Edition) will be adopted to respond to the wide range of issues mentioned above.
How to apply:
Interest and Availability
Candidates for the assignment should provide their CV, including relevant experience in gender audit, and a budget proposal to lillian@alhaq.org by 31 August 2021.
- The Prices should be in USD and included VAT (5%);
- Al-Haq is not bound to select the lowest prices. Selection is determined on the basis of compliance with the technical offer specifications;
- Submitted to Al-Haq electronically via e-mail in MS-Word format.
