Researcher: CSW Civic Engagement Mapping (freelance)

Location: Online 

Period: 1 September– 15 December 2025 (start is flexible, engagement is part-time) 

Reports to: Program Manager International Processes at WO=MEN Dutch Gender Platform 

Respond by: 24 August 2025

 

1. Background 
The Netherlands has had a relatively well-established practice of engaging with civil society in the annual UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) process. This has for years included, for example, having several interactive meetings and an NGO-representative, selected and supported by civil society (WO=MEN Dutch Gender Platform) in its formal delegation to the CSW. More recently, an additional civil society delegate, namely a Youth Representative (selected and supported by the national youth network in the Netherlands, NJR), has been added.

 

In some other countries there have historically and recently been other processes and methods of informing, consulting and otherwise engaging civil society in CSW processes. But none of these processes are widely known or well- documented.

 

WO=MEN Dutch Gender Platform is a membership-based platform (non-profit) of organisations and individuals in the Netherlands who jointly work towards achieving gender equality and women’s rights worldwide. WO=MEN has actively engaged in the CSW since its inception almost twenty years ago. WO=MEN is part of the Our Voices Our Futures (OVOF) consortium, jointly with CREA, Association for Progressive Communications (APC), UHAI-EASHRI and IM-Defensoras, which works with structurally silenced communities, amplifies their messages, and supports them to increase their access to, among others, political space.

 

In order to properly document experience and good practice and learn lessons about strengthening civil society engagement in these UN processes, WO=MEN seeks the support of a researcher to map diverse practices worldwide and highlight several good or promising practices from different countries, including from the Netherlands, in more detail. The results of this research assignment are intended to support WO=MEN, OVOF partners and other feminist movement actors to hold the line for civic space at the CSW (as well as other international processes) and to push the line forward to improve and expand civil society participation in CSW and other UN processes.

 

2. Purpose of the role 
The Researcher CSW Civic Engagement Mapping will conduct a global mapping of ways in which civil society is engaged/ engaging in CSW processes with their government (delegation), document five good or promising practices in detail, and present the findings, analysis and good practice cases in a well-written, accessible report.

 

The Researcher will liaise directly with the Program Manager International Processes at the WO=MEN secretariat based in The Hague to ensure relevance of the research process, (selection of) findings and presentation of the written report. 

 

3. Methodologies and Results 
The Researcher is expected to present a research plan that includes key methodologies and timelines at the beginning of the project. The Researcher will maintain regular communication with the Program Manager International Processes at WO=MEN to discuss progress, results and changes in relation to the original research plan. The research must be conducted in an ethical and respectful manner in whichprivacy and anonymity, where desired, are ensured.

The following table provides suggested methodologies to include: 

Methodology	Purpose	Output
Literature review (academic, NGO reports)	To gain general insights into ways in which civil society may be engaged.  To gain insights into potential good or promising practices to explore in more detail.	Literature list
Survey among CSW related networks (among Women’s Rights Caucus, LGBT Caucus, Young Feminist Caucus, Women Major Group, etc)	To explore different levels and ways of engagement (or obstacles to engagement) in different countries and/ or for different groups or people To gain insights into potential good or promising practices to explore in more detail.	Survey (in various languages)    Survey data, of which an analysis is to be presented in the report.
Interviews with key individuals and organisations (and/ or focus group conversations)     And additional literature/ reports review as relevant	To fill in gaps or explain data from the survey mapping exercise. To provide more detail and experience/ lessons learned for each of the five selected good or promising practices, one of which being the Netherlands (for which WO=MEN can help identify relevant respondents and materials). For the selection of these five cases, consider geographic diversity and diversity of engagement (when in the process, at what level, how, with/ by whom, etc)	Interview guide/ key interview questions    Five good and promising practices written out as cases (approximately 1-2 pages each depending on level of information available).

The final product should be a report, written in English in an accessible (not academic) manner of no more than 20 pages, that presents the main findings from the mapping research, the five good and promising practices, and key recommendations based on the research to strengthen civil society engagement in CSW processes.

 

4.Qualifications and Experience 

• Strong research andwriting skills, including in international, online environments. 
• Excellent communication (including writing) skills in English. Additional langugages are a bonus (like Dutch, French or Spanish). 
• Experience (engaging) with CSW processes is a must. 
• Strong planning skills.  
• Ability to work independently and meet deadlines. 
• Experience with digital tools including online translation apps and meeting apps (like Zoom).