The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) is seeking a marketing & communications agency to provide a range of services to assist UN Women Communications Unit in raising awareness on 16 Days of Activism to end Gender-based Violence by providing communication services, including an innovative approach to the campaign by using new technologies, arts and media.
Violence against women and girls continues to be a widespread social problem in BiH, and a serious violation of fundamental human rights. This type of violence is still tolerated and considered socially acceptable behaviour, and is justified by traditional and patriarchal conceptions of the role and status of women in BiH society.
The entry into force of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention) in August 2014 has marked an important milestone in the BiH efforts to curb violence against women and girls, in addition to new legislation on protection from family violence that was adopted in 2012 in both of BiH’s entities. However, there is still a need to harmonize these laws at all levels and implement their necessary provisions to ensure legal protection, equal treatment and respecting the rights of women and children, who are recognized as the most frequent victims of gender-based violence.
UN Women Country Office in Bosnia and Herzegovina is currently implementing a three-year programme “Standards and Engagement for Ending Violence against Women and Domestic Violence in Bosnia and Herzegovina” (EVAW project), which aims to strengthen the institutional and social response mechanisms to violence against women and domestic violence in BiH by contributing to the implementation of the Istanbul Convention.
The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence is an international campaign which takes place each year, and runs from 25 November, (International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women), to 10 December (Human Rights Day), also encompassing other important key dates. The ‘16 Days Campaign’ is used as an organizing strategy by individuals and organizations around the world to call for the elimination of violence against women and girls.
The United Nations Secretary-General’s Campaign to End Violence against Women has proclaimed the 25th of each month as ‘Orange Day’, a day to raise awareness and take action against violence against women and girls. As a bright and optimistic colour, orange represents a future free from violence against women and girls, for the Campaign. Orange Day calls upon activists, governments and UN partners to mobilize people and highlight issues relevant to preventing and ending violence against women and girls.
The campaign should promote the idea that each of us has a role to play to end violence and create a better and equitable society for all. The core message must be clearly communicated by identifying different forms of violence to the intended audience(s) in a manner that is easily understood, Campaign should not be limited to cases of visible physical violence as women experience different forms of violence such as psychological, sexual and economic. Overall goal of the campaign is to raise awareness on gender based violence and increase outreach to key stakeholders and general public.
The overall objective is to develop and implement creative concept of 16 Days against Gender Based Violence campaign based on the UN Women background briefing, and to provide other communication services the campaign.
The selected company is expected to propose a number of activities based on the desk review and to provide support in planning, developing and implementing the creative concept for the public awareness campaign. In addition to this, the selected company is expected to advise on most appropriate modalities of PR support for the proposed activities and events, and to enforce quality control over any promotional materials, including infographics, produced within the campaign.
The communication support will focus on providing services related to the organization of several public events (ensuring media attendance and publishing of articles and news on events), coordination of media appearances and interviews, design and production of promotional materials, provision of general PR support targeting domestic and regional media outlets, electronic, print and online, and other communication related activities in the agreement with UN Women.
LIST OF TASKS:
1. Desk review
The selected company is expected to conduct a desk review of documents on gender based violence and involvement of men in changing harmful practices. The research should entail but not be limited to:
· 16 Days campaign website (www.16dana.ba<http://www.16dana.ba>)
· Men and Gender Relations in Bosnia and Herzegovina – Results of IMAGES Research (http://promundoglobal.org/programs/international-men-and-gender-equality-survey-images/)
· Prevalence and characteristics of violence against women in BiH (http://eca.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications/2011/01/prevalence-and-characteristics- of-violence-against-women-in-bih)
2. Proposal of the campaign concept
· The selected company is expected to provide the outline of the campaign including key messages, draft design of campaign and proposition of activities and events in the period from November 25 to December 10. UN Women team will be actively included in the discussion about the campaign outline once the company is selected.
· The proposed outline should include engagement of journalists and use of the new technologies in order to raise awareness on violence against women and girls.
3. Design and production of promotional materials
· Selected company is expected to propose the design of promotional materials that will be used in the campaign.
4. Event coordination and PR support
· Selected company will provide event coordination and PR support for maximum 6 events that will take place countrywide.
· Event coordination and PR support will entail, but not be limited to:
o Coordination of the event site, ensuring all relevant logistical details
o Drafting and distribution of media advisories, press releases and social media posts (in coordination with UN Women Communication and Campaign Officer)
o Coordination of media at the site, ensuring no less than 8 media attend each event coordinated by the selected company
o Providing media clipping after each event
5. Engagement of journalists
· The selected company is expected to work on engaging journalists to take into account gender equality while portraying important politicians, parties, laws, and practices in relation to gender based violence, as well as engage media to raise their voices against violence. UN Women will provide guidance for the selection of journalists. The company is expected to establish cooperation with media associations in the country, such as BH novinari and Vijeće za štampu.
6. Coordinating media appearances
· Selected company will negotiate media appearances of designated UN Women senior staff, aiming to promote UN Women messages, results and potentials of the campaign and EVAW project and publishing of thematic articles.
Proposal due by October 8, 2016 to:
UN Women
405 East 42nd Street
New York, NY 10017
Some candidates for this assignment we think could be APCO Worldwide, Burson-Marsteller or Edelman PR.