Main Responsibilities
• Implementation of organizational gender policies and strategies that aligns with the organizational gender equality vision, donors and partners.
• Prepare educational material, policies and strategies on feminist movement building for the board members.• Knowledge sharing and capacity building on how to implement a feminist movement building mandate to achieve gender equality common goals and strategies.
• Create advocacy campaigns on gender justice and human rights issues.
• Contribute to the planning and implementation of the feminist movement building strategy about gender equality initiatives at a national level.
• Implementation of a feminist movement framework that involves key stakeholders.
• Build capacities to implement more inclusive and innovative initiatives on gender justice and women’s human rights in Eswatini.
Qualifications
- Master’s University Degree (or equivalent) in Gender Studies
- Innovative, organized, flexible, determined
- Gender Equality Studies
- Policy Making Skills
- Knowledge on legislation or law making
Project description and context:
Crossroads International will engage Canadians, Canadian stakeholders, Crossroads staff and volunteers, local partner organizations and women and men in sub-Saharan Africa to become Gender Equality Champions both in Canada and overseas.
The Volunteer Cooperation Program (VCP) aims to reduce gender inequalities and alleviate poverty by addressing gender-based violence, inequalities in access to resources and economic opportunities, and barriers in exercising strategic forms of choice, voice, and influence.
Description of the partner
Fair and Square addresses issues of women in the economic environment through capacitation and mentorship, however we are not entirely equipped to fully tackle the social and political challenges women and girls face in Eswatini. We are looking to create a national feminist movement to bring focus to the social, political and economic challenges women and girls in Eswatini face. This movement would create national campaigns so that all who work to make change for women, do so with one strong, loud voice
The issues faced by women and girls in Eswatini include in all spheres i.e. education, health care, body autonomy, economic independence and gender-based violence. Fair and Square wants to address the issue of lack of knowledge on how to seek justice for women at community level. In order to achieve this mandate, we would require assistance from a Gender Equality specialist to guide us in strategizing ways to address issues faced by women and girls in Eswatini, to assist in policy making and how to engage with legislation on how to improve the lives of women and girls.
In Eswatini we have a high number of GBV cases, specifically against women which have many causes but the most significant is that women were regarded as “minor children” under national laws and only received equality under the Constitution in 2006. Women face economic inequalities and injustices including no rights to their own bodies which makes them less equal than men in Eswatini. Currently many NGO’s and women’s right groups work towards the same aim, the full emancipation of women however they work independently of each other. The women of Eswatini need to align in a strong network, a network that is not afraid to make the patriarchy uncomfortable, to rise above religious philosophies and take on the law makers to make women fully equal.
Description the volunteer mandate
The Gender Equality Advisor volunteer will be working with the Operations Manager Jeanine Bello and Julie Nixon the program Director to create strategies and policies to use in the feminist movement, to bring forth to law makers and other entities that deal with the issues faced by women and girls in Eswatini. Jeanine and Julie will both learn immensely from this volunteer, especially in regard to fighting inequality and injustice faced by women and girls in all spheres.
Eligibility criteria
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- Be a Canadian Citizen or permanent resident of Canada.
- Willing to conduct fundraising and public engagement activities before, during and after the placement
- Share the commitment of preventing and addressing sexual misconduct
- In good physical and mental health (medical examination required)
- The volunteer needs to bring their own computer.
- The volunteer must be available to attend an online pre-departure training.
Personalized support before, during and after the mandate provided by an experienced and welcoming team. The Crossroads’ experience includes the following:
- Daily living allowance (depending of the country of assignment)
- Plane ticket and local transport
- Pre-assignment online training.
Crossroads International is committed to addressing gender-based violence by supporting the innovative work our partner organizations in ending violence against women and girls.
APPLICATION
To apply for this position, we kindly ask that you fill out Crossroads’ online application form.
Please contact our volunteer mobilization team if you have any question: volunteer@cintl.org
We thank all applicants but only those selected for interviews will be contacted.
