Consultancy: Trainer for Forum Theatre

Terms of Reference for

Trainer of Forum theatre

Women’s Leadership Programme in Nepal

1. RATIONALE

Oxfam in Nepal was one of the 17 countries covered by the global programme Raising Her Voice (RHV) implemented with the grant support of DFID from 2008 to 2011.  Nepal implemented the project for three years. After 2011 when the RHV funding for Nepal was over, Oxfam Nepal implemented a small scale project in the same RHV communities to give continuity to poor and marginalised women leaders' initiatives to improve gender relations and local governance in six VDCs of Surkhet and Dailekh districts. These interventions significantly contributed to equipping the poor and marginalised women with voice with power to claim their rights and hold duty bearers to account, empowering them to work for a shift in attitude and practice, and gender power relations in the homes and the communities take on leadership, exercise their citizenship and take on leadership role in improving local governance.

However, there were still several gaps that remained to be addressed. Therefore Oxfam has implemented the current Women’s Leadership Project (1 April 2014 to March 2017) focussing on the following key areas to address the gaps, and further deepen and consolidate the achievements in the area of women’s leadership:

1. Tailored support for  further increasing women’s  knowledge, awareness, confidence and self-esteem; 
2. Strengthening women’s leadership role and influence in decisions, and enable  them to claim and advance their rights, and exercise their citizenship;
3. Improving power relations in the homes and community by engaging spouses and in-laws  of the women’s group members and other men and women in the community;
4. Improving practice of working together with allies and networks at different levels and strengthening national level policy advocacy demanding  implementation of policy provisions  related to women’s right to influence governance;
5. Equipping community level monitoring committees of women with necessary skills to effectively negotiate the process of following-up and holding decision-makers to account using findings from their work.

Already into its second year, programme realise that Innovative media use will be a stronger component of the programme to inform and aware the target populations about their right, gender role, division of labour, male-female contribution in the households and the community, polygamy, alcoholism, gambling, excess and control, women participation and VDC budget etc.  This component will include production of skilled Forum Theatre artists from among community representative and performance of the Theatre on various issues.

2. PROJECT BRIEF

The primary focus of the project is on

1) empowerment of poor and marginalised women;

2) engaging men and in-laws in addressing gender issues, and

3) development of linkages of women’s groups and networks from local to national level advocacy forums to create a strong and broad base for shared learning, knowledge, solidarity and collective action.

4) creating space for collaboration between right holders and duty bearers to build an environment of collaboration and cooperation; and focus on evidence-based advocacy generating evidence and good models, and using them as lobby and advocacy tools.

The project covers 10 VDCs of Surkhet and Makawanpur districts, and Kathmandu, especially for national level policy advocacy. It is implemented in partnership with Women’s Association for Marginalized Women (WAM), Surkhet, Women Skill Creation Centre (WOSCC) and PRERANA: Support Group for Participatory Development, Lalitpur.

Overall Impact:

• Improved local governance and gender relations in 10 VDCs of Surkhet and Makawanpur districts of Nepal

Project Outcome:

• Increased influence of poor and marginalised women in decision-making in 40 community level governance structures including the VDC level planning process and
• Improved gender relation in 70 % of the families of women directly supported by this project in 10 VDCs of Nepal.

3. Objective(s) of the assignment

• Train 30 selected participant of the two project districts in Forum Theatre methods.
• Produce two teams –each comprising 15 persons in each districts—of Forum Theatre artists, who will be able to use this theatre method as a tool for innovative communication, engaging wider masses in discussion/interactions on GBV, gender role, division of labour, male-female contribution in the households and the community, polygamy, alcoholism, gambling, excess and control, women participation and VDC budget etc and facilitate them to discuss and find solutions to various rights to health issues affecting them.

4. Scope of work

The Consultant will conduct but not limit her/himself to the following activities in connection with assignment:

• Thoroughly study the WLP project document to fully understand the issues it aims to address, so that the issues can be referred to while delivering the training
• Develop a detailed training course with clear session plans and finalise it after incorporation of input from designated personnel at Oxfam
• The course will include, among other aspects of forum theatre and performance skills, brief introduction of the origin of this theatre method, the distinct features of this theatre method (how is it different from street drama), the risk factors etc.
• Develop presentations and handouts necessary for conducting the training
• Conduct  1 training of 10 days on technical aspects of Forum Theatre production, direction and performance.
• Train and enhance the skills of the participant on different aspects and tactics (such as attracting larger number of audience or spectators and inviting them to play certain roles during the performance) of Forum Theatre performance so that they become capable of performing effective Forum Theatres
• Provide adequate support to the artists for developing concepts and outline of Forum Theatre which they will be performing after the completion of the workshop
• Make the artists clear on how very important is the roles and responsibilities of each and everyone in the performance team
• Give special attention to strengthening the skills of potential narrator (joker) as s/he is anchors the performance
• Work closely with designated personnel at Oxfam for managing the training and possible follow-up actions.

5. Methodology

The Consultant may apply appropriate methodologies including the following:

• Lecturing
• Power-point presentations
• Discussions/interactions
• Practical exercise
• Group work
• Rehearsal & field testing
• Supplementary materials/information sharing

6. Outputs of the assignment

• Capable local artists in developing and performing effective Forum Theatres.
• Developed concept and outline of a Forum Theatre on Women Leadership and Men Engagement.
• Key individuals from the local artists identified and trained specifically in the areas of developing concept, directing, managing Forum Theatres and playing effective role as narrator (Joker)
• At the end of the training tow Forum theatre performance will be produced.

7. Experience required

• Experience in facilitating/providing training/workshops on production, and performing Forum Theatres
• Experience working with development agencies in this area

8. Timeline

• The duration of this assignment will be 10  working days between  15th July- 15th August 2016

9. Process

The following processes will be applied while executing the given task:

• Oxfam will select the Consultant on the basis of the received technical and financial proposal.
• The selected Consultant will be invited for discussion on the way forward including the exact timeline after it is finally short-listed and preparation of work plan ahead. Oxfam will participate in the discussion.
• Oxfam and the Consultant will sign a contract for carrying out the assignment.
• The Consultant will carry out the assignment as per the agreed work plan and contract.
• Implementing partners in the project districts will provide necessary support to successful completion of the assignment.

10. Basic documents required for the submission of proposal

In order to consider for this assignment by Oxfam, following basic documents need to be submitted by interested media house along with their letter of interest (LoI)

• Proposal including Letter of Interest (LoI) with detail costs for the assignment
• Bio-data of key persons involving in this initiative
• Copy of VAT registration certificate
• Latest tax clearance certificate
• Detailed contact address including telephone, mobile, fax, street and postal address, email etc.
• Copy of firm registration with updated renewal

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Interested firms are requested to send their proposal clearly mentioning the title of assignment in their email subject line by 29 June 2016 via mail to recruitment_nepal@oxfam.org.uk