23/12/2023
VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT @ HYPOSTASIS INSTITUTE FOR EDUCATION (HIE)
POSITION: RESEARCH ASSISTANT (5 POSITIONS)
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Since the post-colonial era, Malawi has gone through several changes, politically, morally and socially. There have been developments due to globalization that made people shift from indigenous traditional methods and techniques to modernity. For instance, there have been changes in cultural values, traditions, norms, customs, and ethos. Most people slowly undervalue community and collective responsibility over individualism, respect for elders is slowly diminishing, breaking promises and telling lies is a mode of the day, there is a preference for nuclear family over extended family, marriage is no longer for procreation and love but for sexual pleasure, retribution is now prohibited as it violates human rights and freedom, people no longer value in consensus decision making and agreement. It has been noted that the rise of killings of people with albinism for wealth transfer, abortion cases, the rise of child marriages, attempts to legalize homosexual acts, rise of child labour and trafficking, defilement, in**st, r**e, and many forms of injustice and inhumane acts. The most dangerous and traumatizing thing is that most of these inhumane acts involve close relations or blood relations. For instance, a father or stepfather defiling his child, a grandmother being r**ed by a grandson, killing a relative or family member, family members being perpetrators of child marriages, human trafficking and children being forced to work. Some of the consequences of these cases include psychological trauma, miscarriages, sexually transmitted infections or diseases, mistrust, death, and many more. Most Africans and Malawians in particular prefer to solve moral issues using Western (non-African) theories and philosophies such as utilitarianism, Kantianism and Teleology. There are several attempts through the judiciary and legislation or stiff policies to address such challenges. Despite several attempts from the private and public sector or local or international scene, still the above inhumane acts prevail. Most researches on evil or inhumane acts in Malawi have focused on the key drivers and consequences leaving a gap on the ultimate cost of such evil acts. There are many losses incurred by both perpetrators and the victims.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
HIE therefore is looking for five people to help the institution in investigating, researching and interrogating on the above matters. The research aims at making recommendations to the Ministry of Gender and the parliament on how these malpractices would be minimized or abolished. Later, HIE shall introduce an academic program that would help many abused or victimized Malawians for a better living. The program will also sensitize Malawians to be aware and recognize ways of dealing with such malpractices. The following are other objectives:
1. Discuss factors that promote inhumane acts in Malawi (What is the extent of immorality in Malawi and its impacts? What is the social and human costs of immorality in Malawi?)
2. Measures to help victims of inhumane acts.
3. What justification is there that, immorality is a hindrance to development in Malawi?
4. Practical measures to deal with such challenges (What strategies should policymakers and other stakeholders use to end or minimize immorality in Malawi?)
5. Ways in which African ethics may contribute to the development of a moral society in Malawi.
QUALIFICATIONS/ REQUIREMENTS
1. The research assistant before embarking on the research should present the following:
i. Methodology, action plan, interview tools, develop tools for gathering information, and identify literature to be reviewed.
ii. Outline the approach to the desk review and field research.
iii. State the stakeholders and key informants to be reviewed or interviewed.
iv. Develop a sample questionnaire to be used in the field
v. Draft a structure of research and recommendation for policy
2. After the research, compile a report or a review and recommendations of the research.
3. Researcher must be a degree holder in any discipline preferably, social work, development, law, journalism, and education.
4. The researcher must have first-hand information of the research (be an eyewitness, indigenous, or related in any way to the above research factors) and a Malawian.
APPLICATION METHOD
1. Send your application letter and related photocopied documents with three traceable references to:
Email: [email protected].
Or
Director of Quality Assurance, Research, Innovation and Publication
Hypostasis Institute for Education (HIE)
P/Bag 69
Soche, Blantyre 4.
2. After that, the shortlisted candidates will undergo an interview. The interview aims at demonstrating and presenting the requirement number 1.
3. Lastly, the successful candidates will go into the field to embark on the actual research.
HIE is committed to safeguarding the personal dignity and rights of beneficiaries. Any candidate offered a job with HIE will be expected to adhere to HIE’s Safeguarding Policy and conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of this policy.
DEADLINE FOR APPLICATION
26th December, 2023
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted to embark on the research.
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