Background
Albania’s progress in recent years in respecting and promoting gender equality and particularly in addressing gender-based violence is highlighted in a series of international commitments as well as domestic legal and policy development and implementation. Since 2008, with UNDP and other organisations support, Albania passed the Gender Equality in Society Law, established the national gender machinery, improved its response to domestic violence, and approved the revised National Strategy on Gender Equality and against Gender-Based and Domestic Violence (2011-2015). To address unbalanced participation of women and men in decision-making, one of the four strategic priorities of this Strategy focuses on increasing women’s participation in decision-making. These developments influenced an inclusion of a minimum 30% quota of representation for both sexes into the Electoral Code. In the local elections of 2011, the number of elected councilwomen was 759 out of 6,600 mandates (or 11.5 percent). Gender equality and women’s empowerment are drivers of development progress. Specifically, shaping and building resilient, representative, responsive and democratic public institutions based on gender equality and respect for human rights are central to UNDP’s mandate to promote gender-responsive and equally inclusive governance institutions. This is adequately reflected in the Programme of Cooperation 2012-2016 that the Government of Albania and the United Nations signed, in 2011 to tackle some of developmental challenges of the country.
To support Albania’s efforts in increasing women’s participation in decision making, particularly as the country is developing a decentralization reform and is heading towards local elections next year, UNDP will support conducting a study over the real role and challenges that elected women as members of municipal and communal councils have in local decision-making.
Responsibilities
Even when women succeed entering politics, they face difficulties breaking the patriarchal grip. For instance, they are relegated to a secondary role and important decisions, especially those related to political and economic development, are made by men.
Thus, the issue of women’s involvement in local politics in Albania is not just an issue of small numbers but also of weak voices. Currently, there is a strong emphasis on promoting greater participation of women in decision making. However, little is known of what happens after women become part of decision-making structures, especially at the local level. How do women perceive their decision-making power? This study will allow us to understand if the initiatives that focus on increasing the number of councilwomen alone are sufficient, and if not, what areas of support are critical for the career advancement of councilwomen. The evidence will inform local, national, and international agencies committed to gender equality in Albania as well as the new multi-sectorial strategy of decentralization and local governance of the government of Albania. This research project will inform public debates on the role of councilwomen in decision-making and will provide scientific evidence to inform interventions that focus on strengthening women’s role in local decision-making.
UNDP will seek to create a research team with a lead researcher and an assistant researcher. The assistant researcher will be specifically tasked with the following:
- In consultation with the assistant researcher and UNDP, develop the survey methodology and the related survey tools
- Pretest the survey tools and make necessary adjustments for the actual research
- Advice and coach the assistant researcher in conducting interviews with local councilwomen and in entering and cleaning data.
- Determine the sample of interviewees with particular care to ensure a sample that is representative of the number of women in local
councils but also of their various characteristics: e.g. age group, type and size of local government unit, political party they represent,
number of mandates as council members etc.
- Analyse and interpret data collected through interviews.
- Develop a research report and a policy brief
- Present and discuss the main findings of the research with a group of stakeholders with interest in decentralization reform, women’s
participation in decision-making, local elections and gender equality.
Requirements
- Advanced university degree in related disciplines. A PhD or higher degree in the field of political sciences, social studies, statistics or
gender is highly preferred
- Minimum 10 years of practicing and/or academic experience in gender equality, participatory democracy, local governance, women in
decision-making, social statistics and research;
- Prior experience in developing survey methodology and indicators, in preparing questionnaires and analysing quantitative and qualitative
data
- Previous experience in professional publications.
- Strong commitment and contribution in advancement of women’s rights and achievement of gender equality.
- Good knowledge and understanding of the United Nations System and particularly the role and mandate of UNDP is desired
- Fluency in English and Albanian
Deadline: 01 December 2014
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