Several of the challenges and lessons learned noted in UN Action’s report on the implementation of the Comprehensive Strategy to Combat Sexual Violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo are also applicable to the context of Cote d’Ivoire, notably:

• The need for sustained programmatic coordination to ensure the right services are reaching those who need them and that referrals are working well;
• The need for quality control and standard setting in the services, capacities and human resources for working on GBV;
• The need for continued advocacy on sexual violence as a security and political matter as much as a health and humanitarian one;
• The challenge of addressing actions to combat sexual violence such as military reform and legal and judicial processes; and
• The challenge to obtain agreement among UN agencies, government and non-government entities on a single data and information system to collect and analyse information in an ethical and sensitive manner.

In an effort to address these needs and challenges and to support the implementation of UN Security Council Resolutions 1820, 1888 and 1960,  UNFPA requests the UN Action Against Sexual Violence in Conflict funds a full-time Gender-Based Violence Adviser for 12 months hosted by UNFPA Cote d’Ivoire. Please note that the Gender-Based Violence Adviser will provide stop-gap support to the UN system in Cote d’Ivoire while the Women Protection Adviser (WPA) posts are being filled. This will include:

• Coordinating actions of relevant UN and non-UN entities to more comprehensively address sexual violence related to the post-election crisis and on-going insecurity;
• Continuing to develop capacity of security actors; and
• Catalysing the use of a standard GBV data management system that could support MARA implementation.

Once these key ONUCI positions are filled, the Gender-Based Violence Adviser will hand over those aspects of her ToR that fall under the purview of the WPA’s, including coordination of MARA inputs and engagement with relevant security actors on CRSV. The Gender-Based Violence Adviser will continue to work closely with ONUCI to ensure a smooth transition and maintain linkages with the broader humanitarian community.

Additionally, the Gender-Based Violence Adviser will support UN Action in facilitating the finalization of the Comprehensive Strategy to Combat Sexual Violence in Cote d’Ivoire and the implementation of its action plan. S/he will accompany the Ministere de la Famille, de la femmine et de l’enfant (MFFE) in order to complete the tasks outlined in the three-month roadmap aimed at finalizing the Comprehensive  Strategy that was agreed to during the UN Action mission in early February 2012. Between the 13^th February and he 18^th March (in the absence of the UN Action Adviser in Cote d’Ivoire) the Gender-Based Violence Adviser will continue to coordinate the process to further refine the Comprehensive Strategy, including:

• Co-facilitating meetings of the Comite technique pour la revision de la Strategie, with the MFFE;
• Coordinating field consultations; and
• Holding sectoral Working Group meetings, coordinated by the relevant technical ministries and UN entities according to their specific mandate.

All the documents produced will be transmitted to UN Action Adviser for final compilation. Once the strategy has been adopted, the Gender-Based Violence Adviser will fully support the first steps of the Comprehensive Strategy’s implementation, handing over those elements of the Strategy that are most relevant to ONUCI’s mandate once the Women Protection Advisers are on board.