A consortium of civil society organisations led by the West African Drug Policy Network (WADPN) and funded by ISDAO and Love Alliance to advocate for the recognition and inclusion of LGBTQI, Sex Workers (SW), and People Who Use Drugs (PWUD) in decision-making processes and the protection of their rights at the subregional level, with a focus on Burkina Faso, Ghana, and Nigeria, is seeking a team leader with a strong background in strategic communication and policy analysis.
The team lead will be required to lead a team of policy analysts in an assessment of how practices, national laws, regional treaties and international conventions impact the recognition and inclusion of LGBTQ, SW and PWUD in sub-regional policies and programmes with a focus on Burkina Faso, Ghana, and Nigeria.
In addition, a communiqué outlining alternative policy recommendations for the best way to recognise and include LGBTQI, SW, and PWUD in sub-regional policies and programmes and ensure the protection of their rights needs to be drafted and presented to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Background:
Most countries in West Africa, including Burkina Faso, Ghana, and Nigeria, do not recognise SW, PWUD, and LGBTQI. As a result, these groups are typically left out of the process of formulating policies and making decisions. Furthermore, the law prohibits and criminalises their acts, making penalties for violators more severe. In addition to the bleak regulatory climate, the public has a deeply held and unflinchingly negative view of SW, PWUD, and LGBTQI anchored in religion, tradition, and culture. People who live in these areas are looked down upon and vilified. They face prejudice and exclusion from social services because of their identities.
Most nations still don't live up to their obligations under regional and international conventions and treaties, let alone their constitutions, which promote and guarantee the recognition, inclusion, and non-discrimination of all minority and vulnerable groups as a fundamental human right obligation. For instance, in addition to the already existing drug laws that criminalise drug use, a bill is being proposed in Ghana that may further criminalise the conduct of those who identify as LGBTQ.
As a result of the continuing moral and legal hostility, people who identify as SW, PWUD, or LGBTQI are sometimes driven to hide their identities or engage in other forms of self-destructive activity to protect themselves from being marginalised further. They are especially vulnerable to human rights abuses at the hands of law enforcement when they are incarcerated.
The goal:
The overarching objective, therefore, of this exercise is to provide adequate, accurate, and compelling legal evidence from an analysis of current practises, national laws, regional treaties, and international treaties in support of alternative policy recommendations for the recognition, inclusion, and protection of the human rights of people who identify as LGBTQ, sex workers, and people who use drugs.
Objectives:
To identify and examine relevant practises, laws, treaties, and conventions that have a substantial impact on the acknowledgement and inclusion of people who identify as LGBTQ, SW, or PWUD.
To facilitate the analysis of practices, legislation, and treaties deemed to have a substantial impact on recognising and inclusion of LGBTQ, SW, and PWUD people at the regional level, with a focus on Burkina Faso, Ghana, and Nigeria.
To ensure that team members’ input and feedback from the assessment are compiled and collated into a draft communiqué to the attention of the Economic Community of West Africa States.
To ensure that the layout and text of the communiqué meets international standard.
Key deliverables:
Liaise with WADPN to set up a suitable working group.
Ensure that hard or soft copies of laws and treaties are available and accessible to the working group for assessment.
Make follow-ups and regularly obtain feedback from team members on assessments.
Compile the final version of the draft communiqué to ECOWAS with recommendations on the best ways to recognise and include persons identified as LGBTQ, sex workers and people who use drugs.
Essential requirements:
At least five years’ experience in strategic communication development and policy review and analysis.
Highly knowledgeable of practices, laws, and regional and international treaties/conventions that significantly impact human rights, recognition, and inclusivity, particularly of minority groups like people who identify as LGBTQ, sex workers and people who use drugs.
Must be familiar with the legal, social, and politically changing landscape and its implications on the recognition and inclusion of response to persons who identify as LGBTQ, SW and PWUD in the sub-region, especially in Burkina Faso, Ghana, and Nigeria.
Must have a strong passion and dedication to the acknowledgement and inclusion of LGBTQ, SW, and PWUD people in national and sub-regional policy decisions.
Must be able to collaborate with people of various sexual orientations, cultures, political affiliations, religious groups, and traditional values.
Considerable experience in drafting and translating documents to different formats that capture media attention and meet regional and international standards.
Excellent computer literacy and knowledge of Microsoft Office applications – especially Word, PowerPoint, and other online communication tools.
Possess excellent oral and writing skills.
Personal and professional integrity, flexibility, initiative and a “can-do” attitude, and meticulous attention to detail.
Experience in facilitating strategic advocacy engagements and dialogue with stakeholders from various sectors and orientations on LGBTQ, sex workers, and people who use drugs.
Media, advocacy, and policy analysis, communiqué.
Education and experience requirements:
At least five years of work experience in the development sector as a communication expert and policy analyst.
Degree in communication or public policy or related field.
Proven engagements with international or regional agencies/bodies.
Team fee:
USD 3,000
Duration:
90 days
Location:
The candidate can be based anywhere in the world and work remotely.
How to apply:
Interested candidate must submit the following documents to consultancy@wadpn.org:
CV/Resume
One-page cover letter
250 words abstract on the political, social, and legal environment on LGBTQ, commercial sex, and drug use in West Africa.
Deadline:
Friday 14 July 2023
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