Consultancy for a Baseline study on transformative change for women and adolescent girls project.

Terms of Reference (ToR)

A Baseline study on Transformative change for women and adolescent girls project.

Context and background

Purnima is a five-year programme funded by UK Department for International Development (DFID) and managed by Mott MacDonald, which will run until September 2022. The objective is long-term positive change in the lives of people in earthquake-affected regions of Nepal. To achieve this goal, Purnima has ambitious targets for transformative change of women and adolescent girls (TCWAG). Transformative change is an approach to promote women as change agents, empower them to raise their voice and address gender inequality. It is a process of challenging and changing unequal power relationships, tackling discriminatory social norms, and engaging with political structures, actors and ways of working to transform the lives of women and girls. Being ‘gender transformative’ means addressing the underlying causes of gender inequality, to set the scene for the sustained achievement of positive development outcomes. It takes on the task of fostering family-led and community-led changes in unequal gender relations. It relates to women’s and girls’ power within and their dignity; it promotes their power over resources, income, and their own body; it strengthens their power to learn and their power in family, community and in public decision-making and politics.

To achieve gender equality, it is equally important to target boys and men, to sensitise them on women’s rights and gender equality, and to challenge their often conservative, discriminatory mind-set and attitudes and behaviour towards girls and women. Men’s reluctance to change themselves and the existing gender roles and norms within the family and in the public sphere may be the biggest constraint to gender equality and women’s empowerment and independence. This is deeply rooted in cultural, religious, socio-economic and political perceptions of masculinity and femininity as well as, simply, the ‘convenience’ and benefits to men of existing gender inequality, and their fear of competition from women and loss of power.

1.   Rationale and purpose of the study

Studies have shown that women are overburdened with multiple responsibilities; productive, reproductive /unpaid care works (household chores), and social community work. Because of their traditional and given roles and responsibilities they are unlikely to be able to benefit from opportunities to enhance their political and otherwise leadership skills, and their economic independence. Likewise, they are also often deprived of opportunities of employment, which puts them in a vulnerable situation and make them dependent on men, or social welfare payments. Importantly, imposed traditional gender roles and norms and illegal social practices are putting women and girls in vulnerable situations and violating their rights, as they are often not aware of their rights and knowing how and where to claim them and where and how-to launce complains and grievances. As a starting point for the intervention, our assumption behind the WASH related intervention for TCWAG is that household water supply will save women’s time and reduce their workload on water collection, for increased leisure, political work or income generation, potentially. Furthermore, advocating for a more equal share of household level works between male and female family members; wife and husband, sons and daughters, in particular, is important to change the traditional stereotypical gender roles and to bring women into different committees for social and political empowerment; and/or into economic activities of their choice.  We see women’s participation in the Water User Committees (WUC) as a stepping-stone for their leadership and skill development. Thus, the TCWAG component under OA2 proposes to utilize women’s and girls’ saved time to empower them socially and legally, as a first step towards economic and political empowerment

To verify these assumptions and to know the real situation, we are planning to do Baseline survey in our proposed workings districts; Dhading, Nuwakot and Gorkha. The overall objective of this baseline study, which will be more of qualitative in nature, will be to provide multisectoral data as the basis to provide baseline information for tracking of progress and measurement of impact and to understand women and girl's situation in the perspectives of social, economic and political empowerment.  

Specific objective of baseline study could be

    Gather quantitative demographic and socio-economic data in order to assess vulnerabilities and support design of programming, targeting approaches, refining indicators and set realistic targets

   Establish the current knowledge, attitude, practices, capacities, resources and needs in terms of social, economic and political empowerment of girls and women; Gender and Gender norms etc

         Establish the capacities and need of girls and women in terms of their access to resource and assets.

         Gather base line data in order to report measurement of progress and achievements against project log frame indicators

3. Scope of the study

The scoping study will be conducted in view of:

         Level of awareness and understanding among community people focusing on women and girls of their rights, leadership potentials and roles in community level.

         Women and girl's empowerment on legal perspectives. Such as available policies and legal provisions

         Men and boys' perception on gender equality.

         Critical analyses of women economic conditions.

         Critical analyses of social norms and community's attitudes on women and girls.

In addition to this, this study will also focus on fixing base line value of following log-frame indicators;

·         % Increase in registered/reported cases of VAWAG / GBV, against boys, girls, adult women, LGBTIQ+ persons in school, community, homes; 

·         % Decrease in number of cases of family-based GBV, domestic violence against women, adolescent girls, children, elderly women;

·         % Increased on awareness of women and girls menstrual hygiene and its proper management.

·         % increased among community people's understanding on menstruation as a natural process which contributes to reduce social stigma on menstruation.

·         % Increased job attendance of trained women, during menstruation (employed, self-employed, female day agricultural labourers –paid or paid in kind etc.);

·         % Decrease in number of households practicing exclusion of women and adolescent girls, during their menstruation (women forced to stay in cow shed, ‘Goth’/ barn, exclusion from house, - during menstruation);

·         % Decrease in number of (reported and/or unreported) child /early marriages in targeted HHs / Water Supply Scheme (WSS) communities;

·          number of (registered or non-registered) cases of early/teen-age pregnancies .

·         Number of reported (or not-reported) witchcraft practices,

·         % Increased inclusion and meaningful participation in decision making processes by women LWD, single women, Dalit women and other women in vulnerable situations / households;

·         Number of  (registered / filed (or non-registered cases) cases of female suicide;

·         Number of reported non reported cases of polygamy.

·         number of community people having citizenship, vital registration and social security cards.

·         number of men and women reflects positive gender roles and behaviours within and outside the households (sharing household works, no discrimination between son and daughters in education etc)

         Number of women and adolescent girls’ aware on social illegal practices and related laws through CDC session, mobile legal helpdesk/legal camps and OXFAM Thaha Chha? App services;

          Number of women/families achieving birth registrations, marriage registrations, and women’s citizenship, formal divorce, death registration, and social security cards etc.

         number of land and property registrations in women’s name or jointly in husband’s and wife’s name; - among help desk users;

         number of violence against women and adolescent girls' cases being reported and filed with police - by women, girls themselves or their family members, or with support from school or local leaders; -

         Number of targeted women and adolescent girls and boys benefitting from CDC/ REFLECT Circles and ACs, - volunteering to be trained – by local emergency response offices, and Purnima - as leaders for protection of women and children and persons in vulnerable situations during emergency situations,

           On economic empowerment of women and adolescent girls

·         Women's mobility.

·         Number of women who involved in paid works.  

·         Number of women's access to financial institutions (Bank, cooperatives)

·         Number of women friendly small and medium enterprises (SMEs) will be led by women.

·         Number of people who have joint land ownership registration in working areas.

·         % HH income being spent by men on desired good (alcohol, gambling, cigarettes), luxury and external services, - sample HHs;

On political empowerment of women and adolescent Girls;

Number of women and adolescent girls in community-based organizations/groups/committees, -

·         Number of women and adolescent girls claiming they are performing their leadership roles efficiently and effectively

·         Number of women and graduating adolescent girls, claiming they are interested in- and able to - joining political parties youth branches, and/or being nominated and campaigning for the next local elections 2023, and willing to be campaigning for women and girls’ rights and empowerment.

·         Status of Ward annual budgets allocated to women’s activities and needs.

      On Water supply / WASH;

·         Average amount of women’s / girls’ time saved on water collection per household – with new private water taps, or new community water taps;

·         Average amount of time saved on laundry – per households; - with new private water taps, or new community water taps; 

·         % of women feels safe during personal hygiene / showers and bathing children, – per women / households with new private water tap or new community water tap and maintain improved hygiene practices

·         % of  household water consumption for e.g.; food preparation, irrigation of vegetable gardens, animal and human consumption; - in the households with payable private water supply / water meters;

·         % households with new private water taps, which experience a decrease / change in water-borne diseases,

·         % of expenses on menstruation hygiene / sanitary napkins (adult women and adolescent girls – except in cases, where schools distribute pads free of cost);

·         Number of  hours and number of unpaid family / household tasks, - including WASH related work – equally shared by male family members. 

·         Number of women - trained by Purnima - taking up WUC leadership positions –

·         % amount of annual Ward budget is allocated to women’s activities of their own demand (gender-responsive budgeting at ward level);

4. Methodology

The methodology for the study will include but not be limited to the following. Consultant/s may suggest other practical methodologies to collect and analyze information to meet the objectives of the study. Consultant/s should come up with specific methods and tools to collect and analyze the base line information of log-frame indicators. we are proposing following methods to consider.

4.1  Meetings and consultations

Regular meeting and consultations with scoping study manager at Oxfam and other concerned persons in Oxfam/Mott MacDonald to set clarity on rationality of the work. The consultant/s will work closely with Oxfam’s team to finalize methodology, tools and designing process, sampling and sample size, among others. This meeting will help the external consultant/s to have better understanding of the nature of the work.

4.2 Document review 

Analyze available secondary information including project proposal, reports of district and any other available documents.

4.3 Field visits/observation/meeting with local partners.

4.4 Key Informants Interviews and focus group discussions.

4.5 Analysis and draft report.

4.6 Feedback sharing

4.7 Final report.

5. Management

The work will be managed by Oxfam in Nepal. The study will be led by Technical Coordinator-Gender and social justice and Programme quality advisor. Team leader- Gender and social justice will provide continuous support and and guidance in the entire process. The team will also support the study technically.

6. Key deliverables

The Key deliverables should include:

·         Inception report/ presentation detailing methodology and plan for the proposed study that explicitly follows ethical research methods including different tools/methods that will be used for the study

·         Final methodology and work plan based on suggestions/feedback of Oxfam team..

·         First cut of analysis with power point presentation of key findings in a small workshop with Oxfam.

·         Draft study report with power point presentation of key findings and workshop to elicit feedback. The report should explicitly consider all the questions reflected in the scope of the study and balance between content, data, graphs and images.

·         Final report that contains executive summary, explanation and justification of methodologies, used including perceived limitations, analysis of data, key findings and conclusion.

·         The report should be accompanied by a separate list of participants, interviews and location while ensuring privacy of respondents as required. Any case studies need to have explicit consent.  

·         A 2-pager communique with infographics that depicts the summary of the final report.

·         Time sheet of each member of the team involved in the study.

·         The study team is expected to be available to share the finding of the study to various external audiences both at federal and local level as required.

7. Terms of payment 

The estimated duration of this work is 1 month. We expect it to start on 25^th April 2020 and completed no later May end(29^th May 2020)

10. Consultant selection criteria

 Consultancy form should meet the following criteria and qualifications to be eligible for the call. 

·         Organizations’ experience and capacity - 25% 

·         Technical skills and experiences of the study team i.e. strong research back ground, research and publication of similar work mainly on gender and social inclusion sector - 55% 

·         Value for money - 20% 

11. Total budget

12. Documents for submission

·         Technical proposal with Organization Profile and CV of consultants (during proposal submission)

·         Financial proposal in above mentioned format

·         Company Registration Certificate (during proposal submission)

·         VAT registration certificate (during proposal submission)

·         Tax clearance certificate 2075/76 (during proposal submission)

·         References detail of previous 2 clients (during proposal submission)

13. Response

The Consulting VAT Registered Firm should submit the proposal to Oxfam by 15^th April 2020 via mail to consultancy_nepal@oxfam.org.uk, clearly mentioning the title of assignment in the email subject line and not exceeding 15 MB.

14. Our commitment to safeguarding

Oxfam is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults and expects all staff, consultants, volunteers to share this commitment. We will do everything possible to ensure that only those who are suitable to work within our values are selected to work for us. 

15. Confidentiality/ non-disclosure 

All material issued in connection with this ToRs 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. 

16. Intellectual property, copyright and ownership of the manual

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

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.

Oxfam is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults and expects all staff, consultants, volunteers to share this commitment. We will do everything possible to ensure that only those who are suitable to work within our values are recruited to work for us. This job is subject to a range of screening checks

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