Consultancy: Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) Review of Humanitarian Program

Consultant Assignment for Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) Review of Humanitarian Program

Proposal Submission Deadline: 30 January, 2018   

Send Proposal to: consultancy_nepal@oxfam.org.uk

Terms of Reference (ToR)

Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) Review of Humanitarian Program

Background

Oxfam Humanitarian Department is currently working in the 7 districts (14 municipalities, 54rural municipality and Metropolitan city) most affected by the earthquake. Our interventions target the most vulnerable specifically women and those with unequal access to resources such as Dalits and other caste/ethnic minorities. As mandated by the government of Nepal, Oxfam is dedicated to building the capacity of and working through partners. The Department is working currently through total 22 national and local partners (10 in KTM valley and 3 per four districts).

Given the OXFAM humanitarian response programme’s broad scope, the country team is committed to learn from the successes and limitations of gender and protection programming and to strengthen appropriate interventions for the recovery and reconstruction and the sustainable development programme interventions of the affected targeted women, girls, boys, men and excluded and marginalized groups (dalits, muslims, madhesis, persons with disabilities).  

For that reason, a Gender Review was conducted in Jan-Mar 2017 through an independent consultant. Based on the major recommendations from the review, following achievements have been made: 

• Gender analysis training focusing on institutional, policy, strategy, M&E and planning and budgeting delivered to management staff from all sectors including MEAL, MAC, Finance. 
• Gender responsive outcome/output/indicators have been ensured in the log frame of each sector (WASH, Shelter and EFSVL). 
• Gender responsive budget (GRB) has been carried out in all sectors and budget has been ensured in all sectors to support a enabling environment for women, men, boys and the excluded groups.
• Gender responsive monitoring tools have been developed.
• Gender components like; unpaid care work, women transformative leadership (for eg; women’s representation in VWaSHCC, vulnerability analysis prior to selection of schemes women economic empowerment activities (skill training to women groups, market linkages, working women cooperatives) and men and boys engagement for women empowerment, (mason training has a component on why women in forefront of reconstruction and why men role is important. Women friendly toilets, venues for training and time ensured) has been budgeted and being implemented by each sector with technical support as and when needed by Gender and Protection team.
• Specific gender expert has been hired to carry-out impact evaluation of DFID WaSH project to evaluate gender mainstreaming in WaSH.
• EFSVL specific gender mainstreaming monitoring tool is being developed.
• Initiation are being taken to institutionalize Gender Responsive Budgeting (GRB) as a monitoring tool. 
• Gender analysis is being initiated by the partners for all sectors.
• Gender analysis has been planned for new WaSH project (PER) based on the findings and recommendations. Based on the gender analysis the project design and development will be done.
• EFSVL and WaSH are ensuring 33% women involvement in leadership roles in the committees and groups at community level.
• Under reconstruction, housing team has planned for gender analysis from initial stage based on which detail implementation plan would be developed. 
• Gender policy has been developed for all the partner organizations. 
• Partner organization after receiving GRB training conducted GRB workshop for community stakeholders in the technical support from government's GRB expert.
• Under Gender and Protection standalone programme 617 (231 women & 102 men received citizenship card and 145 women/girls & 139 men/boys received vital registration) men, boys and girls received legal certificates. 

Objectives of the Assignment

Purpose

The lessons learned and the good practices identified from this review will enable Oxfam Nepal to design gender-responsive Humanitarian and Sustainable Development Programmes.

Specific Objectives

Through a process of interactive dialogues with different key stakeholders, the review envisages to:

• Identify the good practices and the gaps in Oxfam’s interventions in responding to the need and issues of the women, men, boys and the excluded groups. 
• Identify strengths and areas for improvement in GESI mainstreaming. 
• Explore working modality within newly set government’s local structure and recommendations to improve working in harmonized approach on GESI related programmes.
• Identify focus areas to strengthen Oxfam country strategy in relation to GESI. 

Scope of Services and Tasks and Activities to be completed

The overall scope of this consulting assignment is to:

Activities will include, but may not be limited to, the following: 

The review is to assess the extent of embedding a GESI lens in the different stages of project cycle management and will mainly look at the qualitative study and take place in two phases:

1. Desk review of key documents: Country Annual Report, Oxfam Country Strategy (2018-2020), Gender Analysis 2016 report of Oxfam thematic programmes, partner capacity assessment reports, evaluation and study reports of thematic programmes (WASH, EFSVL, Shelter, DRR), reviews and related documents to assess the extent of embedding a GESI lens in the humanitarian project cycle management in the earthquake response.
2. Participatory discussions and analysis with different women, men, boys and excluded group stakeholders from the communities, partners, relevant government agencies, other INGOs and Oxfam staff in the field and centre. This will be negotiated based on the priorities and workloads of staff and other stakeholders.
3. Focus areas for discussion will include – WASH, Shelter, EFSVL, DRR and CCA; Land rights; issues around single women, citizen and legal rights, Economic opportunities; women’s rights and violence against women. 

Critical Questions 

1.Review-

1. a. WASH, Shelter and EFSVL Interventions

• To what extent GESI issues are included in the contingency planning, assessment and throughout the project cycle?
• Was the design and implementation of emergency programme culturally appropriate GESI sensitive, and how did it address the needs of women and the excluded, promote dignity, safety requirements and empowerment of women and the most excluded and redress gender and social specific injustices?
• What consideration was given to ensure that women’s, girls’ and excluded groups’ rights were being addressed in the response and ensure that men’s and boys’ support in the process? 
• What were the barriers to implementing a GESI sensitive approach?
• How did the emergency programming link with gender related sustainable development objectives?
• Was a MEAL framework in place from the start of the response? Was it followed through during implementation? How effective was it in capturing gender and socially disaggregated data and the different experiences of men and women and the excluded groups? Were lessons learned documented and shared with partners, staff and the communities?
• What protection and safe programming measures were planned and implemented? 
• Were there effective feedback mechanisms and appropriately responded for women, girls, boys and men and the excluded groups? 
• Were GESI based advocacy issues identified during the response and how were they raised with the communities and local authorities? 

1. b. Oxfam, Partners and their Capacity

• Were adequate financial and human resources for GESI allocated in the response?
• Does the staff have sufficient capacity GESI programming? How well have they internalised Oxfam’s gender policies and procedures (GIE minimum standards training, GESI analysis training)?
• What were the accountability mechanisms for ensuring the promotion of GESI in the response? 
• Do the partners have the capacity to independently implement all the programmes including gender and protection ensuring GESI mainstreaming and implementing standalone gender programme?  

2.Vulnerability, Capacity and Aspiration

• What are the differing vulnerabilities and capacities of women, girls, boys, men and the excluded groups in the current and future situation in working districts?
• What are the most challenging issues to be addressed for equitable access of women, men, boys, girls and excluded groups to earthquake related benefits? 
• How well do we understand the gender roles, gender relations in the household and community level given the GESI issues? 
• How can we address the mid-long term needs of women, girls, boys, men and the excluded groups for post-recovery?
• How can we promote GESI and women leadership in economic, cultural and political sphere?

Expected Deliverables

1. Brief report based on the recommendations made by gender review carried out in 2016 Vs achievement made.
2. A report of key findings (maximum 10-15 double sided pages) with a summary and recommendations for future humanitarian and sustainable development programme.
3. Self-contained Power Point presentation of up to 15 slides and accompanied presentation notes that reflect the final report.
4. Documented examples of good practices in WASH, Shelter and EFSVL particularly on GESI to be shared across OGB, OI and beyond Oxfam.
5. Specific recommendations for all thematic team, Humanitarian director, CMT and Country Director. 
6. Communication plan and action plan from the recommendations on embedding a GESI lens in a humanitarian programme and sustainable development programme.  

Timeframe

 Technical Lead. Depending on the agreement of the coverage of the area the learning review team should include: 

• One full time team leader for gender review = 1 team leader
• Two facilitator for qualitative interview in 5 districts = 2 facilitators 
• Two report taker in 5 district = 2 report takers
• One community mobiliser in each district = 5 community mobiliser

Reporting Line Manager

This work is to be delivered to Sandhya Shrestha, Acting Gender Technical Lead, Humanitarian Programme, Oxfam in Nepal and overseen by the Christopher Hodder, Humanitarian Director. 

Scope outputs will be signed off by Christopher Hodder, Humanitarian Director .in order to ensure full delivery and timeliness. 

Duration: Start date and completion date

The estimated input of the consultant is 35 days (5 days per week). The assignment is expected to start on 05 Feb 2018 and be finalised by no later than 30 Apr 2018 

Detail Budget breakdown

 Terms of Payment

The 20% as 1st instalment after signing the contract, 50% as 2nd instalment field visit completion and 30% as last instalment will be paid upon the submission of assignment as per this Terms of reference with full satisfaction evaluated by hiring manager.

Documents for submission

• VAT registration certificate 
• Tax clearance certificate
• Agreed time sheet of all involved consultants upon completion of project – signed by consultant and hiring manager
• Detailed work plan – agreed by consultant and hiring manager
• Detailed budget sheet with breakdown – agreed by consultant and hiring manager
• Actual invoices to claim for expenses as per mentioned in the contract 
• Cumulative or one time procurement of service of NPR 1 lakh or more – VAT required 

Confidentiality / Non disclosure

All material issued in connection with this ToR shall remain the property of Oxfam and shall be used only for the purpose of this procurement exercise. All information provided shall be either returned to Oxfam or securely destroyed by unsuccessful applicants at the conclusion of the procurement exercise.

During the performance of the assignment or at any time after expiry or termination of the Agreement, the Consultant shall not disclose to any person or otherwise make use of any confidential information which s/he has obtained or may in the course of this agreement relating to partner organization/Oxfam, the respondents or otherwise.

The consultant will be required to sign a non disclosure / confidentiality agreement as part of their undertaking of this work. 

Intellectual property, Copyright, and Ownership of all prepared information

The Consultant shall retain all rights to pre-existing (background) intellectual property or materials used by the Consultant in the delivery of this study. All arising intellectual property, ideas, materials, processes or processes formed in contemplation, course of, or as result of this study shall be passed to Oxfam without restriction.

The Consult shall warrant that all arising Intellectual Property, materials and/or products produced in pursuit of this study shall be original, and shall not infringe on any third party’s claim. All technical or business information, in whatever medium or format, originated, collated or prepared by or for the Consultant in contemplation, course of, or as result of this assignment shall be transferred to Oxfam without restriction on completion and shall not be used by the Consultant for any other purpose without express written permission of Oxfam’s Head of Programme Funding.

Copyright of all arising documents, data, information or reports produced by the Consultant under this agreement shall belong to Oxfam and will be passed to Oxfam without restriction. Such documents, data, information and reports shall not be used by the Consultant for any other purpose other than in conjunction with this assignment, without the express written permission of Oxfam’s Head of Programme Funding.