Research and Training Position

[Bandana Pattanaik]

Vacancy: Senior Programme Officer Research and Training

Location:  Bangkok, full-time

About us:

The Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women (GAATW) is a progressive think-tank, and cutting-edge Alliance committed to work for changes in the political, economic, social and legal systems and structures which contribute to the persistence of trafficking in persons and other human rights violations in the context of migratory movements for diverse purposes, including security of labour and livelihood.

We promote a human rights approach in working towards our mission to defend the rights and safety of all migrants and their families against the threats of an increasingly globalised and informal labour market.

We have member organisations based in different parts of the world. The International Secretariat (GAATW-IS) is based in Bangkok, Thailand, and has a small and very committed team of people. The GAATW-IS currently works on themes of Access to Justice, Accountability and Power in Migration and Work. We also publish a bi-annual peer reviewed journal, the Anti-Trafficking Review. While member organisations work with women, children and men, GAATW-IS has always focussed on the rights of adult women in the context of labour migration.

For more information, please see: www.gaatw.org

About the Research and Training Programme of GAATW-IS:

GAATW-IS has always had a vibrant Research and Training Programme. All staff carry out some desk research and as they gain experience they also facilitate different kinds of training workshops for members and partners. Additionally, the IS also takes help from external resource persons for some of its research and training work. While much of our work has research and training components, sometimes we also take up projects that focus exclusively on research and/or training. Most of our researches are carried out in conjunction with members and partners. GAATW primarily has employed Feminist Participatory Action Research (FPAR) methodologies, which prioritise women’s lived experiences and spark action for change through collective analysis. Our training workshops have focussed on conceptual clarity on trafficking and forced labour, linkages of trafficking with migration, smuggling, gender and globalisation, safe migration and FPAR methodologies.

Currently, we are nearing the completion of a multi-country research project on sex workers’ rights groups and anti-trafficking initiatives. There are other projects with strong research components. A new multi-country FPAR project will start in a couple of months that will require providing research methodology trainings and on-going support to the partners as well as writing up the research outputs.

The aim of the FPAR project is to create an opportunity for participating NGOs from South and Southeast Asia to understand the issues of gender, mobility, labour, violence and trafficking from the perspectives of migrant women themselves; build a collective analysis of the broader socio-economic and political context and how it affects women’s mobility and complex decision-making processes; and create an evidence base to promote a feminist agenda for safe and secure mobility on the national, regional and international level that works for women. 

The research will focus on the factors that shape women’s mobility and migration experiences and the strategies that women use to mitigate them. Based on the learnings from the research, we will prepare briefing papers and other advocacy materials that will be used at national, regional and international forums to advocate for the inclusion of women’s rights and interests in policies that affect their mobility. Partners will identify additional actions on the local level.

What we expect from you:

• Good knowledge and critical understanding of migration and human trafficking and their intersections with gender, class and race in South and Southeast Asia
• Experience with qualitative research, especially FPAR, and training of NGOs, particularly in Asia
• Excellent networking and mentoring skills and ability to communicate with different types of stakeholders
• Excellent command of the English language, both oral and written, and demonstrated ability to prepare advocacy materials 

Key Tasks:

• Plan the FPAR project in conjunction with a core team within GAATW, including the various workshops with the partners to plan the research, the methodology training and the data analysis workshop
• Develop and deliver a training in Feminist Participatory Action Research methodology for the partner NGOs;
• Maintain regular contact with the partner NGOs and provide guidance and supervision during the FPAR research phase as needed;
• Visit (some of) the countries of the national researches to liaise with local organisations as needed to provide on-location support;
• Coordinate the production of country reports and develop an executive summary and recommendations in consultation with project partners;
• Develop briefing papers and other materials, based on the research findings, to be used for advocacy at national and international levels;
• Based on the research outcomes, identify further actions that can be developed for the benefit of migrant women;
• Support other colleagues in planning their research and training work;
• Work with the core team within GAATW to develop new projects to address relevant issues.

Required Skills and Experience:

• Post-graduate degree in social sciences including women’s studies, political science, history sociology and law;
• In-depth knowledge and critical understanding of gender, migration, labour and human trafficking from a human rights perspective;
• At least three years of experience in conducting qualitative research, especially FPAR, and synthesising information from a variety of sources;
• Excellent written and oral communications skills and a high level of competence in English, with the ability to write papers and reports;
• Experience in building linkages with relevant civil society organisations and social movements;
• Good interpersonal skills, with ability to network in a multi-cultural environment and sensitivity to issues of gender, race and class.

Competencies:

• Ability to analyse, research and/or abridge diverse information from varied sources;
• Ability to work strategically and respectfully with diverse stakeholders towards a key objective, i.e. familiarity with working effectively with both government representatives as well as grassroots organisations;
• Accountability and the ability to deliver on agreed tasks to a high standard;
• Ability to work independently and to meet deadlines;
• Willingness to travel, as required.

 

Conditions: 
Contract: This is a full-time position with a two-year contract.

Remuneration: Commensurate with experience, tentatively 60 000 – 70 000 THB (1800-2000 USD) per month with additional benefits such as housing allowance, relocation allowance, social security, medical fund etc.

Note: Depending on the candidate’s experience, we can consider hiring a freelancer with some modification of the tasks.

Recruitment Process:
Deadline for receiving applications: 5 August 2017
Shortlisted Candidates will be notified by 15 August 2017 
Interviews and written exam will be conducted between 15 and 30 August 2017

Position to start: latest by 1 October 2017

How to apply:

Please send your application with the subject line Research and Training Officer by email to [e-mail] by 5 August 2017. In your application, please include a CV, a writing sample, names of two referees who can be contacted at a later stage and a cover letter detailing why you are interested in this position and how your experience makes you a suitable candidate. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.