Call for nomination of Rwanda National Civil Society Advisory Group (CSAG)
Background
The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women) was established by General Assembly resolution 64/289 of 2 July 2010 on system-wide coherence with the mandate to assist Member States and the United Nations system to progress more effectively and efficiently toward the goal of achieving Gender Equality and Women Empowerment.
UN Women set up Civil Society Advisory Groups (CSAG) at the global, regional and national levels to build on existing partnerships and increase strategic dialogues with civil society partners. CSAG’s formally recognize civil society as one of UN Women’s most important constituencies and partners – providing a dynamic source for innovative initiatives, ideas and policy perspectives to assist UN Women in achieving its strategic goals. Closely linked is the vital political role played by civil society in advancing shared objectives in promoting women’s rights, gender equality and the empowerment of women.
Mandate of UN Women Rwanda Civil Society Advisory Group (CSAG)
In order to fulfill its mandate, UN Women considers the civil society as one of the most important constituents providing a dynamic source for ideas, policy perspectives, advocacy, partnerships and support for the organization. Closely linked is the vital political role played by civil society in advancing shared objectives in promoting women’s rights, gender equality and the empowerment of women.
In this regard, in 2019 UN Women Rwanda setup a National Civil Society Advisory Group (CSAG), a strategic and substantive network of eight (8) eminently qualified persons with diverse experience and expertise, perspectives and knowledge in UN Women’s priority areas to build on existing partnerships and increase strategic dialogues with civil society partners.
Roles and functions of the CSAG
The Rwanda National Civil Society Advisory Group will be tasked with the following roles and functions detailed below:
- Agree on key strategic areas for intervention that will address existing gender inequalities and develop agreed frameworks for engagement and support to inform the work of UN Women at a national level.
- Provide inputs to UN Women during the formulation of key strategic documents e.g. the national strategy, national programmes and in identification of priority thematic areas at a national level.
- Provide feedback on UN Women’s work including how to streamline gender e.g. through participation at annual retreats and having a dialogue Representative.
- Provide updates on political, social, economic and cultural developments and trends for consideration in UN Women’s programmatic activities on a national level.
- Provide perspectives on national scenarios and positions on key issues including for governmental processes.
- Provide strategic perspectives on advocacy to promote Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in the nation.
- Assist to strengthen UN Women’s engagement with civil society at national level.
- Support as necessary, UN Women Rwanda’s partnership with civil society, in relevant governmental processes and fora.
- Support UN Women Rwanda to leverage civil society’s networks and their partners nationally.
- Contribute to advocacy and outreach of the role and mandate of UN Women Rwanda. Provide civil society organizations with the right spaces that a United Nations entity provides and vice versa; joint partnership.
Serving in the advisory group is considered voluntary work and UN Women Rwanda will only cover travel expenses of the members for the group’s meetings.
Membership
The proposed members should fulfill the following essential criteria:
- Be from a gender equality, women rights and women’s empowerment networks/coalitions organizations, and movements;
- Represent grassroots/community based organizations and women traditional leaders;
- Be experts in the following thematic areas: (1) Women’s economic empowerment; (2) Leadership and (3) Violence against women;
- Faith based organizations Representative;
- Representing the youths;
- Represent organizations or networks of women and girls living with disabilities;
- Be from organisations or networks representing women and girls living with HIV/AIDS.
Tenure of membership
Members will serve for a period of two years. A third of the members will serve for a period of three years to ensure continuity. An opt-out clause is included. The criteria on deciding which members will serve for three years will be established by the advisory group itself.
Selection process
The selection process will be transparent and inclusive. UN Women Rwanda will hold a consultative meeting with CSOs to discuss the formation of the national CSAG. The meeting will establish a selection committee which will review the nominations and select the members of the Rwanda National CSAG.
Selection criteria
The following proposed criteria will be reviewed and used by the selection committee in selecting the members of the national Civil Society Advisory Group;
- At least 5 years of working experience in civil society, in gender equality, women’s rights and women’s empowerment;
- National experience in gender, development and or human rights;
- Thematic expertise in women’s economic empowerment, leadership or violence against women or any thematic priority for UN Women in Rwanda;
- Knowledge and understanding of gender issues in Rwanda;
- Experience in engendering policy and legislation frameworks;
- Strong analytical capacity;
- No active engagement in politics to safeguard neutrality of the UN.
How to apply
- The nominations should include the following: Name, organization and contact details of the person nominating; Name, organization and contact details of the nominee; a short description (less than one page) on why the nominee would be a suitable candidate for the CSAG and a detailed CV of the nominee.
- Interested organizations/individuals should send their applications to offers@unwomen.org.
- For more information please call: Nicholas Muneza +250785708897 Email: muneza@unwomen.org.
The deadline for receiving nominations is Monday, 20th March 2023.
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