Community Mobiliser- Social Behavior Change
Maseru, Lesotho
Fixed term appointment (two years)
About Sonke Gender Justice: Founded in 2006, Sonke is a women’s rights that is committed to feminist principles, using a rights-based and gender-transformative approach to achieve human rights and gender justice. Our vision is a poverty-free world in which women, children, men, and gender non-conforming individuals enjoy equitable, caring, healthy, and happy relationships that contribute to the development of gender-just and democratic societies. Sonke strengthens governments, civil society, and citizens’ capacity to advance gender justice and women’s rights, prevent gender-based violence, and reduce the spread of HIV and the impact of AIDS, and in this way contribute to social justice and the elimination of poverty. (http://www.genderjustice.org.za/)
About CSM STAND Consortium: In September 2021, Pact was awarded the five-year Civil Society and Media – Strengthened Together and Advancing in New Directions (CSM-STAND) for Africa and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) program by USAID. The Regional Leader with Associates Award (LWA) aims to foster independent civic forces; enhance civic engagement; and build vibrant, resilient, and self-reliant civil society and media sectors that cultivate more pluralistic, democratic societies. To reach this goal, CSM-STAND designs and implements innovative and adaptive civil society and media programs, advances trans-regional learning, and develops next-generation, sustainable technical resources that positively influence wider practice within the civil society and media sectors. The CSM-STAND consortium is comprised of leading global, regional, and technical partners with extensive practical experience and knowledge of fundamental principles, key issues, current practices, and emerging trends in the DRG community.
About the position: In partnership with Pact under the CSM – STAND, Sonke Gender Justice is seeking to employ a Community Mobiliser-Social Behaviour Change to be based in Maseru/Lesotho on a two-year USAID Khutlo Activity. Khutlo aims to contribute to reducing stigma, discrimination, and violence against LGBTQI+ communities, as well as cishet women and girls, and strengthening the capacity of civil society to advocate for LGBTQI+ rights and provide inclusive quality gender-based violence (GBV) prevention, mitigation, and response services. This goal is underpinned by two mutually reinforcing objectives, namely,
- To increase civil society coordination and capacities to apply behavioural science principles that engage and empower communities to reduce GBV against LGBTQI+ people and cishet women and girls and
- To strengthen the Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS) to provide inclusive, high-quality GBV response services.
Key duties and responsibilities
Community Mapping and Mobilisation
- Mobilize the communities to participate in the program implementation.
- Mobilize the communities to participate in trainings and other related activities that seek to provide knowledge, skills, and motivation to promote gender equality and prevention of GBV.
- Assist with the identification of potential project partners within those communities, such as CBOs, and religious institutions through a community mapping exercise.
Support Engagement of Traditional and Religious Leaders and Government Stakeholders to build Program Trust
- Conduct mapping of local partners, traditional and religious leaders.
- Convene bi-monthly dialogues and engagements with traditional and religious leaders.
- Develop a job aid on how to work with and engage traditional and religious leaders.
Community Events, Action Teams & CBO’s
- Work with one Community Action Team (CAT) and other Community Based Organizations to carry out messages of the project.
- Support Community action team activities, working with the Senior Trainer.
- Attend all stakeholder meetings with or on behalf of the Senior Trainer.
- Assist with the facilitation of community events such as door-to-door campaigns, mass mobilisation, community gatherings etc.
- Develop local language edutainment content for educational awareness raising.
- Conduct community engagements and dialogues.
- Develop & distribute social media strategy and GBV and SBC messaging.
- Develop IEC material in a form of Pocket Leaflets, Infographis and Key Point Leaflets.
Facilitation of workshops
- Assist with the facilitation of select Community Education and Mobilisation sessions and other Sonke workshops for social norms change.
- Assist with preparations for trainings logistics.
IEC talks
- Co-facilitate IEC talks within the different places in the community and on radio programs.
- Distributing IEC materials on gender-based violence prevention i.e. pamphlets, infographics, and other related materials.
Reporting
- Develop and compile reports for all activities undertaken.
- Adhere to strict reporting requirements and timelines.
Qualifications and experience
- A diploma or any other tertiary qualification in social sciences would be advantageous.
- Significant experience with community mobilisation, facilitation, writing field reports, liaison with the M&E office, and people management.
- Experience working in the areas of gender equality, gender-based violence, LGBTQI Communities, human rights, including working with girls.
- Must be willing to travel at least 20-30% of the time.
Desired Interpersonal Skills
- Ability to write compelling field reports.
- Fluent in English (written and spoken) and Sesotho languages.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- Skills and experience in feminism and the supervision of volunteers.
- Demonstrated experience working with LGBTQI+, women/girls and other community members.
Application Process
- Interested applicants should submit their CV, a motivational letter that details your experience, the contact details of three referees, to Sonke’s Human Resource Unit at [email protected] closing date 25th June 2023.
- For non-Lesotho citizens, it is the responsibility of the applicant to attain a work permit from the relevant authorities, and employment will depend on a valid work permit being in place.
- Sonke is committed to racial and gender transformation and encourages previously disadvantaged individuals to apply.
- Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. If you do not hear from us by 31 July 2023, please consider your application unsuccessful.
The organisation reserves the right not to make an appointment.