MAPPING OF CAPACITY AND NEEDS FOR VOTER EDUCATION IN TANZANIA (TANZANIAN NATIONALS ARE MOST ENCOURAGED TO APPLY)
Location : Dar es Salaam, with occasional travel outside Dar es Salaam, TANZANIA
Application Deadline : 30-Jun-14
Additional Category Democratic Governance
Type of Contract : Individual Contract
Post Level : National Consultant
Languages Required : English
Starting Date : (date when the selected candidate is expected to start) 07-Jul-2014
Duration of Initial Contract : 25 working days
Expected Duration of Assignment : 25 working days
Background
Tanzania has held four credible general elections since the reintroduction of multi-party politics in 1992. Citizens and the government are eager to maintain this track record and to further strengthen democratic practice in Tanzania.
Looking to the 2015 general elections, government has undertaken early and comprehensive preparations for the electoral processes. Tanzania will likely conduct a first national referendum on a new constitution in 2014 before conducting the next general elections a year later. In preparing for these important events, the National Electoral Commission of Tanzania (NEC), the Zanzibar Electoral Commission (ZEC) and other electoral stakeholders have requested the support of UNDP to provide technical and material support to these national efforts.
Following official requests from the two EMBs in Tanzania for UN assistance to the election cycle leading to the 2015 general elections, a UN Needs Assessment Mission recommended the development of an electoral support project under the auspices of UNDP and supported by international development partners through a Basket Fund modality. The project under the name Democratic Empowerment Project (DEP) will be implemented over four year (2013-2016) with the overall aim of contributing to Tanzania's UNDAP's Outcome 7: i.e. 'key institutions of democracy, (i.e. EMBs, etc.) effectively implement their election and political functions'. UN Women and UNESCO are the other project implementing partners in a One UN Country Team context.
UNDP wishes to recruit a consultant to assess the capacity of various actors to undertake public awareness including voter education on the 2015 referendum and the general elections. The consultant will map out the roles, plans, methodologies and strategies of various actors, existing collaborative relationships and also existing capacity gaps with regard to public awareness and voter education for the referendum and the general elections. The consultant will be required to draft a plan and strategy to promote effective public awareness and voter education campaigns during 2015 through synergy and collaboration among key actors and stakeholders.
Based on a broad approach that covers historical, contextual, and stakeholder analysis, the assessment will aim at addressing key questions such as:
- What is the general experience of Tanzania in the conduct of voter education;
- What is the capacity of the Electoral Management bodies, i.e. NEC and ZEC, and Civil Society to public awareness including voter education on the 2015 referendum and the general elections;
- How could DEP foster better cooperation and synergy with EMBs, civil society organizations and the media to promote voter education as provided for in the Project Document;
- What capacity, strategies, plans, methodologies, activities, partnerships and funding opportunities exist outside DEP to plan, implement and coordinate public awareness on the referendum and the general elections;
- What are the ongoing efforts to conduct civic education in the country, and how could complementarity be fostered between voter education and civic education;
- How could DEP work with national stakeholders to mainstream inclusive participation issues in voter education targeting mainly women, youth and people with disabilities?
Duties and Responsibilities
Reporting to the Chief Technical Adviser and working under daily supervision of the Project Manager, the incumbents will perform the following duties:
- Review current experiences of Tanzania in the conduct of voter education;
- Assess roles and contributions of previous and current actors in public awareness and voter education in Tanzania;
- Map out how DEP could foster cooperation and synergy with EMBs, civil society and media to promote voter education as provided for in the Project Document;
- Assess existing capacity, strategies, plans, methodologies, activities and partnerships and funding opportunities outside DEP to plan, implement and coordinate public awareness on the 2015 referendum and the general elections;
- Develop a strategy and plans to support public awareness and voter education for the 2015 referendum and general elections, taking into consideration each actor's comparative advantage;
- Recommend ways promote complementarity of efforts between voter education and future civic education, the latter being a responsibility of NEC (under the Referendum Act of 2014) for the purposes of the Union Constitution referendum (2015).
Competencies
Core Competencies:
- Displays cultural gender, religion, race, nationality, and age sensitivity and adaptability;
- Demonstrates diplomacy and tact in dealing with sensitive and complex situations;
- Demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter;
- Demonstrated ability to negotiate and apply good judgment;
- Shows pride in work and in achievements.
Functional Competencies:
- Is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results;
- Organises and accurately completes multiple tasks by establishing priorities while taking into consideration special assignments, frequent interruptions, deadlines, available resources and multiple reporting relationships;
- Plans, coordinates and organises workload while remaining aware of changing priorities and competing deadlines;
- Establishes, builds and maintains effective working relationships with staff and clients to achieve the planned results'
- Demonstrated understanding of the gender aspects of civic and voter education through programming, research and advocacy;
- Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to operate and deliver in a complex and multicultural environment;
- Good knowledge and understanding of the UN, its values, priority goals and systems and procedures;
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
- Master's degree in a relevant field, such as international relations, sociology, education, law, development studies, political sciences.
Experience:
- At least 7 years of progressively responsible experience in international development including experience with elections, voter education and civic education especially related to the electoral cycle;
- Thorough knowledge and demonstrated extensive experience in curriculum development, programming and advocacy related to the electoral cycle;
- Demonstrated substantive experience in electoral governance and collaboration among/between electoral management bodies, civil society, media and donor agencies;
- Nuanced knowledge of civic and voter education tools and methodologies;
- Demonstrated experience in mainstreaming gender and human rights in civic and voter education.
Language:
- A high level of written and spoken English is essential;
- Working knowledge of Kiswahili will be an added advantage.