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Assignment Description
Domestic Violence Counselling Service Adviser
Employer
WUTMI – Women United Together Marshall Islands
Location
Majuro, Republic of the Marshall Islands
Background
This assignment is aligned with the Government of Australia’s agreed engagement with
the Government of RMI.
The Marshall Islands Pacific Women Shaping Pacific Development Country Plan is based
on the Delivery Strategy: Pacific Women Shaping Pacific Development (PWSPD) that
came out of Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s announcement at the Pacific Islands Forum,
Cook Islands in August, 2012. The Team responsible for developing the Design; visited
the Marshall Islands in April 2012 and worked alongside in-country cultural advisor. The
plan supports WUTMI’s goal to establish a Domestic Violence Counselling Services
Centre for the people of the Marshall Islands affected by and who have fallen victim to
domestic violence.
Currently, there are very limited resources to support victims of violence and their families
and friends.
The Marshall Islands, a small country with approximately 53,000 people, has a young,
overburdened government that has given little planning focus to gender. The traditional
role of women in the Marshall Islands is complex. Being a matrilineal culture, women are
respected both because the land is passed down through their line and for their central
family leadership role. However, publically women are marginalised, playing a role
subservient to their husbands. Since the Second World War there has been rapid social
change with this traditional role slowly changing.
WUTMI (Women United Together Marshall Islands) is the driving force for women in the
RMI. Serving as the voice of women, the primary goal of WUTMI is to support and
strengthen Marshallese women, and in so doing, to strengthen Marshallese families.
WUTMI seeks to encourage and ensure activities that preserve and strengthen the values
of traditional Marshallese culture as well as addressing the realities of modern life in the
islands1. It began in the mid 1980’s and like most women’s NGO’s has had periods of
great energy and times when it has been less active. Using a range of strategies including
community development, capacity building and advocacy it has focused on a broad range
of areas including domestic violence and legislation change, developing networks of
economic entrepreneurs and leadership development.
In the last decade WUTMI has been particularly active and driven work around domestic
violence, auspicing three studies: the first study in 2003 considering violence against
women and girls, the 2007 SPC DHS study and now the 2013 UNPFP study surveying
inner and outer islands to assess the prevalence of domestic violence. They have more
Ref: Document1 / page 1
Assignment objective(s)
recently driven CEDAW issues and action around poverty
 To provide technical assistance to WUTMI in the development of a domestic violence
counselling centre.
 Strengthen the capacity of WUTMI staff in Domestic Violence Counselling through
various training methods, which would include; Training modules for use in training of
WUTMI staff
 Establish a monitoring and evaluation framework for the counselling service to assist
with ongoing Quality controls of the service.
Length of assignment
The assignment will commence from July/August for an 8-12 month initial period. There is
a possibility of extension for a further period depending on assessments and requirements
Reports to
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Duties and
responsibilities
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Selection Criteria
Executive Director, WUTMI & Executive Committee
Undertake a detailed situation analysis of violence against women in RMI, including a
stocktake of previous/existing support services, training, public awareness
campaigns/activities, media activity etc
 Conduct community workshops and stakeholder consultations to feed into the
planning and establishment of the counselling service
 Prepare a detailed design, including operational processes, resource requirements
and costing, of the proposed counselling service for victims of violence, taking into
consideration a phased approach to the roll-out of additional counselling services
which builds on lessons learned from the first pilot phase
 Seek stakeholder feedback on and input into the design, and amend the design as
necessary based on this feedback
 Once the design has been agreed and approved, facilitate the establishment of a first
pilot counselling service with support from FWCC and all relevant stakeholders
 Develop a monitoring and evaluation framework to guide ongoing monitoring and
review of the counselling services and measurement of achievements and impact at
specified points
 Undertake a capacity and training needs assessment of WUTMI and provide training
in core areas as required
 Facilitate the recruitment of a local Domestic Violence Officer to plan and manage the
design and operations of the domestic violence counselling service
 Support the establishment of a “twinning” arrangement with the Fiji Women’s Crisis
Centre and facilitate training, mentoring and ongoing support of WUTMI staff by staff
from the FWCC
 Coordinate support to WUTMI with two current AVID volunteer positions with WUTMI,
Organisational Development & Grants Mentor and Finance Management
Mentor/Trainer.
 Complete required reports on a quarterly basis to the Executive Director and
Executive Committee of WUTMI. Deadline for submission of these reports will be 10
days after the end of the quarter.
 Provide a report to DFAT through Australian Volunteers International detailing the
work plan approximately 8 weeks after commencing in the position;
 Provide progress and completion reports to DFAT through Australian Volunteers
International on implementation of the above;
 Carry out other duties as requested.
Qualifications
 Tertiary Qualifications in Social Work, Psychology or related Disciplines
Skills and Experience
 Establishment or key responsibility for counselling service and its operation
Ref: Document1 / page 2
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Allowances
Accommodation and
utilities
Demonstrated skills in counselling in domestic violence
Demonstrated understanding of domestic violence, gender and child protection issues
in a range of contexts.
 Demonstrated organisational, managerial and leadership skills
 Experience in developing clinical practice standards
 Experience in delivering services in the community services sector
 Previous experience living and working in a developing country (particularly in the
Pacific or small island states) is desirable but not essential.
Personal attributes
 High level interpersonal, leadership, representation and communication skills;
 Commitment to team work, coaching and mentoring other people;
 Ability to cope with cultural isolation and a standard of living that may be different;
 Patience, tolerance and flexibility;
 The ability to live and work in a new cultural setting;
 A preparedness to work with limited resources within a challenging environment;
 A supplementary allowance of AUD$120,000 per annum will be provided to the
deployee by DFAT via Australian Volunteers International
 The deployee and accompanying dependants, where applicable, will be provided with
airfares at the commencement and completion of the placement, plus basic travel
insurance and emergency evacuation insurance
 A dependent child allowance to a maximum of AUD$15,600 ($7,800 per child) per
annum in total for a maximum of two accompanying dependent children (less than 21
years of age) ~.
 An establishment allowance of at least AUD$7,200* will be provided to assist with predeparture medical, vaccinations, relocation costs, passport fees and costs of setting
up in-country
 A return allowance of at least AUD$2,400* to assist with the return transportation of
goods to home and return medical/s will also be provided
~Allowance is set dependent upon the number of accompanying children
*Allowance will vary depending on whether deployees are single or accompanied
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The deployee will receive an Accommodation Allowance of AUD$1,000 per month,
provided to the deployee by DFAT via Australian Volunteers International
Utilities (gas, electricity, water and telephone) are at the expense of the deployee
Work hours/days
 Official work hours are 8am to 5 pm
 Sick leave provision for RMI employees is 12 days per annum
 Annual leave provision for RMI employees is 20 days per annum
 In addition RMI observes a number of public holidays
Additional information
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Deployees and accompanying partners will take part in a pre-departure briefing run by
Australian Volunteers International in Melbourne (participation of dependent children
at briefing will be discussed)
Additional support will be given to the deployee by Australian Volunteers
International’s Melbourne based PACTAM Project coordinator for RMI. Apart from
communications via letter, email, telephone and fax, the PACTAM Project coordinator
will meet at least once with the deployee in country
Confirmation of appointment is subject to:
Formal approval from DFAT and the employer
Procurement of visa and work permits
A satisfactory medical examination for the applicant and accompanying dependants
Satisfactory criminal record and working with children checks for the applicant and
accompanying adults by the Australian Federal Police
Ref: Document1 / page 3
AVI has a strong commitment to the safety, wellbeing and protection of children and youth. We
therefore have robust screening procedures for personnel who are expected to have contact with
children in their roles. This will include criminal record check and referee checks.
Background
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Applications
Australian Volunteers International is an Australian based non-government aid agency
primarily involved with the provision of technical assistance to developing countries
The Government of RMI has asked for assistance in recruiting and supporting the
above position through the Pacific Technical Assistance Mechanism (PACTAM)
PACTAM is funded by the Government of Australia through its official Aid Agency,
DFAT, and is managed by Australian Volunteers International
PACTAM places skilled personnel to work with Host Organisations within the Pacific
Region to assist in meeting their human resources needs, and to respond to emerging
development needs
This assignment description contains information AVI has obtained from the employer at this point
of time and is subject to change.
Applications are preferred via our on-line application form. If you are applying by email, please
type the position name in the subject line of your message and address to Ann Ray,
aray@australianvolunteers.com
In your cover letter, please address the selection criteria outlined in the assignment
description. A current curriculum vitae, including the names and contact details of one personal
and two professional referees should also be included. Referees will not be contacted without prior
consent.
Ref: Document1 / page 4