Procurement Notices

I.Project Background

 Combating Gender Based Violence in Bangladesh (CGBV) project recognizes that prevention of violence requires sustained and comprehensive action at individual, family, organizational and societal levels. The project will focus on primary prevention, stopping violence before it occurs, as it is a strategic approach to ending violence against women and girls. The project aims to generate knowledge and evidence to create evidence-based prevention interventions. The project details are given herewith.

CGBV initiative will create a holistic framework of integrated and mutually reinforcing interventions to address the underlying causes of violence against women and girls; improve their access to educational and economic opportunities; and promote their equal status in the society. Simultaneously, CGBV will enhance the capacity of civil society to design, implement and sustain primary prevention of gendered violence.

The project also builds on the knowledge, lessons learnt, experience and partnerships that UN Women in Bangladesh has gained by supporting small scale violence prevention projects since 2011. As part of its P4P programme, a project titled, Safe School and Safe Community (SSSC) was implemented in 80 Higher Secondary schools of 4 districts on sexual harassment prevention from 2014-16. SSSC built the capacity of the schools to comply with the High Court Directive to prevent sexual harassment. UN Women is also working with 4 universities to prevent sexual harassment through student campaigns, building institutional capacities of universities & the University Grants Commission and advocacy, through its Building Capacity to Prevent Violence Against Women (BCPVAW) project. Career, Capital, Confidence (3C) is another UN Women project that supports improvement of workers’ safety inside the factory and in community spaces.

During the last three years, UN Women’s work with universities, schools, young people and workplaces has helped develop models for prevention of VAW on campus, universities and at community level. All the learning was used to develop the CGBV project. Accordingly, CGVB will engage and capacitate local stakeholders and high-level leadership of key institutions such as local government, civil society organizations, women’s organizations, educational institutions and workplaces. This will foster ownership and buy-in of key local stakeholders, as well as sustainability.

II.Initiative Background

One of the key strategies of the project is engaging men and boys to inform, create awareness and transform traditional patriarchy. Social structures in Bangladesh are still primarily led by men, and men are at the forefront of decision making about the lives of girls and women including their marriage, work choices and access to resources. Since violence against women is driven by power and gender inequalities, it is essential to work with power holders to gain support for shifting power structures. 

The Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics’ (BBS) second national survey of violence against women found that 73 percent of ever-married women have experienced some form of violence from spouses in their lifetime. A 2011 survey carried out by the Bangladesh National Human Rights Commission (BNHRC) found that 63 percent of married women agreed that women can be beaten by their husbands, or family members, for disobedience or when their behavior is considered to bring dishonor to the husband or the family.A UN study of 2400 man in urban and rural communities in Bangladesh found that the most common motivation expressed by men for sexual violence was the belief that sex is men’s entitlement (77 percent of urban and 81 percent of rural men).

“A good marriage means a loving, caring, devoted and dedicated wife who can always put the husband’s family interest on top of anything else … If I am angry, I prefer to teach her an instant lesson. Although I sometimes feel bad about my conduct, it’s not a big deal. If she disobeys, she must be punished. That is not wrong at all.” Man, from Bangladesh

About half of the men who said they had used violence against women said they did not have any concerns about their behavior. Only about 15 percent (urban) and 25 percent (rural) reported any fear of repercussion. Another study in Bangladesh shows that controlling behavior of men is considered a sign of masculinity and is associated with higher life satisfaction, but inter personal violence is associated with lower life satisfaction.The study highlights the need for including men to transform the widely-held views of masculinity and to create gender equitable relations.

The active engagement of men and boys is thus integral in redefining gender roles and interpersonal relationships based upon equality and respect. Men also need to be involved as community leaders, employers and managers, or education faculty with accountability to ensure that services and facilities are effective and safe for women as well as men. Masculinity, currently understood as an immutable superior position of men in society, needs to be recast and CGBV will support dialogues at family, community and societal levels to stimulate the change process.

As part of this strategy and mobilization, CGVB aims to create mass awareness among Bangladeshi men of what sexual harassment is, the impact it has on women, and why this behavior must stop. Young men are identified as the key target, with social media as the core media channel.  Because young men listen to other young men, the development of highly shareable user-generated content is the key. Also, Facebook has a very high penetration in Bangladesh. As of June 2017, there were 73 million internet users in Bangladesh. 29 million of these users are registered Facebook users in Bangladesh, according to the latest findings of Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC). Bangladesh Open Source Network (BDOSN) General Secretary Munir Hasan says at least 25% of these 600,000 regular Facebook users are “highly active”.

UN Women wants to arrange a short film making competition for young men across Bangladesh, based on it past success with short film competition for 16 days activism in 2017.

1. Objective:

CGVB wants to engage young men aged 15-29 to talk with their female friends and family about sexual harassment and other forms of VAW, then make a short film to explain to their peers why it must stop. The competition outreach will take 3 main forms: 

• A robust social media strategy via Facebook and YouTube
• A touring Roadshow, visiting schools, universities and youth groups in project areas and major metros to discuss men and boys’ engagement to prevent VAW
• The Short Film Competition and Awards, with subsequent mass media coverage.

1. Scope of Work:

Under the overall guidance and supervision of the Programme Analyst -EVAW, the service provider will undertake the following tasks: 

1. Set methodology and workplan for the entire assignment
2. Create necessary information platforms (public announcements, social media platforms creation, outreach & management, ATL & BTL activation)
3. Identify network/association/platforms of young film makers (relevant film clubs, university departments, networks)
4. Identify media partners and manage media for announcement of the final film making competition and other activities
5. Organize initial story development competition and select film makers for grooming
6. Arrange capacity building camps for selected film makers with technical experts
7. Provide technical support to individual teams as per need
8. Form a panel of juries
9. Organize final competition and award ceremony
10.  Development of pertinent merchandising and giveaways
11. Duration of Work:

The assignment will commence upon signing the contract and accomplished by 10 December2018.  

1. Supervision and performance evaluation:

The consultant firm will be directly supervised by UN Women Programme Analyst, Ending Violence Against Women (EVAW).

VII.Expected deliverablesFund transfer modality:

Respective deliverables and documents will be reviewed by UN Women before processing any payment. Payment schedule is as following:

• 30% of contract amount after receiving reports on story making competition
• 30% after receiving Report on camps
• 40% after receiving final report

1. Reporting Obligations:

• Submission of reports mentioned under expected deliverables
• Submission of final programmatic and financial report

National Human Rights Commission 2011: Perceptions, Attitudes and Understanding of Violence against Women

 Men's Attitudes and Practices Regarding Gender and Violence Against Women in Bangladesh: Partners for Prevention, 2013

 Men's Attitudes and Practices Regarding Gender and Violence Against Women in Bangladesh: Partners for Prevention, 2013

Kathryn M. Yount , Stephanie S. Miedema Chris C. Martin , AliceAnn Crandall, Ruchira T. Naved, “Men’s Coercive Control, Partner Violence Perpetration, and Life Satisfaction in Bangladesh”;Springer Science+Business Media New York 2011

Extended the date upto 14th October by 12:00 noon