Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR) Consultancy

Center for Dalit Women Nepal

Sankhamul Marg, Baneshwor

Kathmandu

“People’s Participation in Social Harmony in Nepal”- Project

Terms of Reference

For

Community Based Participatory Research 

1.      Background and Context

Center for Dalit Women Nepal (CDWN) is a national Non-governmental organization, dedicated to empowering Dalit and marginalized community to claim their rights, develop economically and live in dignity. Dalit women activists and parliamentarians founded the organization in March 2016, governed by an independent Board of professional Dalit women activists and parliamentarians from different regions of Nepal and different political parties. CDWN is based in Kathmandu Nepal but works across Nepal. CDWNs projects are tailored to meet the needs of women and marginalized community. Every project has as its goal of elimination of all forms of discrimination.

Center for Dalit Women Nepal (CDWN) in collaboration with KURVE Wustrow is implementing a project titled “People’s Participation in Social Harmony in Nepal” in Golbazar and Dhangadimai municipalities of Siraha district, Madhesh Province. The project aims to promote social harmony and peace through non-violent conflict transformation. This project makes an attempt to give priority to develop women’s individual and collective capacity to address conflicts and to build stable, peaceful and democratic institutions. For this purpose, the project team is looking for a consultant/consultancy firm to conduct a community based participatory research (CBPR). The CBPR shall lay the foundation for a deeper understanding of the local conflict dynamics as well as potentials for their non-violent transformation. The methodology of CBPR was chosen deliberately to ensure that the perspective of the concerned communities form the basis for knowledge generation. Please note that CBPR can be used interchangeably for Action Research, participatory action research or similar methods which aim to treat community people not as objects to be analyzed but as active subjects and drivers of the research process.

Regarding the research approach here are some additional details that may be helpful:

1.   CBPR is an approach to research that involves active engagement with community members and stakeholders throughout the entire research process. This approach is based on the principle that community members and stakeholders have unique and valuable knowledge and insights that are essential for identifying and addressing social issues and challenges. One of the key advantages of CBPR is that it helps to build trust and collaborative relationships between researchers and community members, which can lead to more effective and sustainable solutions to social issues. This, however, also means that more time has to be spent in active interaction with the community.

2.   In order to conduct a successful CBPR study, it's important to prioritize community engagement and participation from the beginning of the research process. This involves identifying key community members and stakeholders who can provide valuable insights and guidance, and working collaboratively with them to design the study, collect and analyze data, and disseminate findings. In the case of this study, two women groups consisting of 61 women form the pool of people to be closely involved.

3.   One of the key benefits of CBPR is that it is focused on producing practical, real-world solutions to social issues, rather than just generating knowledge for knowledge's sake. In order to conduct a successful CBPR study, it's important to work collaboratively with community members and stakeholders throughout the entire research process, and to prioritize their input and feedback in the design and implementation of the study.

2.      Objective

The primary objective of this consultancy is to conduct a community-based participatory research with the goal of documenting the causes of social conflict and subsequently strengthening the identified practices to bring about social change. The questions for the research shall not be previously formulated; the consultant shall facilitate the process of surfacing the target group’s own analysis of the causes of discrimination, Violence Against Women and Girls (VAW/G) and poverty. Based on this participatory analysis, potentials for social harmony and required actions are to be jointly identified. Hence, the study allows the most marginalized population themselves to identify and formulate the root causes of conflicts and necessary changes. Secondarily, we strive to achieve mobilization and capacity building throughout the process, as the community itself will be an active agent. The findings of the research will be guiding future interventions and allow the CDWN project team to focus on exactly where the biggest problems are, but also on the potential the community has identified themselves.

3.      Scope of Work

·   Develop a research plan and protocol in consultation with community members and CDWN using creative and participatory methods which ensure that voices of the most marginalized are heard and documented.

·   Facilitate community engagement and participation in all aspects of the research process, including identifying the research questions, designing the study, collecting and analyzing data, and disseminating the findings. A minimum of 8 days are to be spent with the community (4 days in each municipality).

·      Conduct participatory analysis with the community using appropriate analytical methods for participants with low or no formal education.

Hence, the selected consultant, in close coordination and collaboration with the CDWN team, is expected to document the communities' situation analysis, prioritizing the most disadvantaged, and the joint social, political, cultural and legal interventions and actions they propose.

4.      Methodology

The consultant is expected to conduct fully participatory consultations with the concerned stakeholders of the project working areas with a focus on marginalized women and in close coordination with CDWN. Further details are to be agreed mutually before the onset of the fieldwork.

5.      Experience and Requirements

·    Knowledge on capacity building, gender issues, social inclusion, human rights, legal rights, VAW/G, peace building, non-violent communication and local governance.

·      Prior experience of working with action research/ community-based participatory research.

·      Sound knowledge of and enthusiasm for participatory methods.

·       Knowledge and understanding of the context of project working areas, human rights, peace and development issues.

·    As the main subjects to work with are women from marginalized communities and safe spaces for free expression are required for     CBPR/Action Research, the consultant should be female.

·       Fluency in Maithili language is an advantage.

6.      Duration of the assignment

The duration of the consultancy assignment will be 15 working days within the time frame of a month commencing from the date of contract signing.

7.       Deliverables

      i. Draft report: A preliminary and comprehensive report of the findings in English which includes a well-structured presentation of the societal analyses and the political, legal, social and cultural proposals for action by the communities, taking into account local  power asymmetries where appropriate.

        ii.  Final report: Finalized research report mutually agreed by the consultant and the CDWN.

      iii. A comprehensible summary of the most important images of the analyses and proposals for action prepared by the communities, with a concise presentation in easy-to-understand Nepali, which can be printed by CDWN in appropriate numbers to be distributed to the communities.

8.      Documents to be submitted

·         Technical proposal with the details of the understanding of the assignment

·         Financial proposal

·         CVs of the proposed person(s)

·         Examples of situation analyses and action proposals from marginalized groups with no or low formal education from previous participatory research projects (e.g., photographs of social or violence mapping on brown paper).

9.       Applying Procedure

Interested candidates are requested to send the Technical and Financial Proposal and a sample of their previous works at info@cdwn.org and cdwn2021@gmail.com by 29 March, 2023, 24:00 hrs.

CDWN reserves the right to shortlist or not to shortlist any or all applicants without assigning any reasons whatsoever.