Disability Inclusion Expert

नेपाल अपाङ्ग महिला संघ 

Nepal Disabled Women Association (NDWA)

Kalopul, Kathmandu |www.ndwa.org

Terms of Reference (TOR)

1. Background

Nepal Disabled Women Association (NDWA) is a leading organization of women with disabilities in Nepal working to promote disability rights, inclusion, gender equality, accessibility, dignity, and social justice. NDWA has extensive experience in inclusive education, economic empowerment, advocacy, research, humanitarian response, and disability-inclusive programming across Nepal. 

Through the project "Strengthening Disability-Inclusive Digital Financial Services for Women with Disabilities in Humanitarian and Development Contexts in Nepal," funded by UN World Food Programme (WFP), NDWA aims to improve the accessibility, inclusion, and usability of digital financial systems for persons with disabilities, especially women and girls with disabilities. In its Digital Financial Inclusion (DFI) initiative, NDWA seeks to leverage digital payment systems and financial tools to expand access to economic resources for vulnerable populations, including those receiving Cash-Based Transfers (CBT).

Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) and their caregivers face compounding barriers to accessing humanitarian assistance including physical, informational, communicative, and attitudinal barriers. Ensuring meaningful inclusion of PwDs in digital financial systems requires dedicated technical expertise, intentional program design, and continuous engagement with Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs), government counterparts, and financial service providers (FSPs).

NDWA is therefore seeking a Disability Inclusion Expert to lead the disability inclusion workstream within the Digital Financial Inclusion (DFI) initiative and ensure all related activities are accessible, ethical, locally contextualized, and of the highest technical quality.

2. Purpose 

The Disability Inclusion Expert will be responsible for leading the disability inclusion workstream under the DFI initiative analyzing Nepal’s DFI ecosystem, shaping inclusive solutions that works for Persons with Disabilities within Cash Based Transfer (CBT) and broader Digital Financial Service channels, and converting evidence into actional programme design, guidance and practical literacy materials ensuring that all analysis, design, engagement, content, and dissemination are of standard quality, accessible, ethical, inclusive, and locally contextualized for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) and their caregivers. The Expert will work closely with DFI Expert to be recruited for this project. The Expert will co-lead the project activities in overall leadership of the DFI expert and technically advise the DFI expert in the matters related to disability inclusion.  The major deliverables under the project will be the technical design and implementation of a disability-inclusive digital financial inclusion assessment, including survey tool development, data collection, and validation to generate reliable evidence for actionable program design, guidance, and practical literacy materials. The expert working closely with Digital Financial Inclusion Expert will analyze barriers, risks, opportunities, and enabling factors in digital financial services for persons with disabilities and translate findings into actionable programme design. The expert will also support the development of accessible and practical digital financial literacy tools and guidance materials aligned with national and international standards. Ultimately, the Expert will promote barriers free meaningful participation of persons with disabilities in digital financial systems and humanitarian cash-based programming in Nepal.

3. Key Responsibilities and Deliverables

3.1. Evidence Generation

• Lead the disability inclusion workstream within the DFI initiative, ensuring disability-responsive and rights-based approaches are embedded across all program components.
• Conduct and/or oversee disability-inclusive needs assessments, mapping exercises, and barrier analyses to identify challenges faced by PwDs and their caregivers in accessing digital financial services.
• Develop clear, accessible guidance for conducting Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) with persons with disabilities and OPDs, ensuring ethical, safe, and inclusive practices throughout.
• Co-produce a Contextual Analysis Report on the DFI landscape for PwDs in Nepal, covering policy/regulatory context, market actors (banks, MFIs, wallets, agents), delivery channels, KYC/documentation requirements, accessibility considerations, grievance mechanisms, etc.
• Advise synthesizing evidence into actionable recommendations to guide the design of targeted, contextually relevant interventions that address real-world challenges faced by persons with disabilities.
• Ensure producing high-quality analytical reports that clearly articulate findings, barriers, opportunities, and strategic entry points for advancing inclusive digital financial services in Nepal.
• Ensure all programme analysis, content, and materials are accessible (e.g., available in alternative formats), ethical, and locally contextualized for PwDs across different disability types.
• Provide technical guidance on the application of the Washington Group Short Set (WG-SS) or equivalent disability measurement tools in DFI program data collection.
• Advise on assistive technologies and accessible platforms relevant to digital financial inclusion for PwDs.

3.2. Development of Actionable Action Plan for Inclusive Digital Financial Programme

• Advise developing an Actionable Activities Matrix that outlines prioritized interventions, clear implementation pathways, roles and responsibilities, timelines, and measurable indicators to operationalize disability-inclusive DFI.
• Support in formulation of concrete, context-specific recommendations for designing and delivering inclusive digital financial services (DFS), including cash-based transfer (CBT) mechanisms, tailored to the diverse needs of persons with disabilities.
• Advise Identifying strategies to strengthen enabling environments, including policy, institutional, technological, and partnership dimensions that promote accessibility, usability, and equity in digital financial ecosystems.
• Facilitate structured engagement with Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) to ensure PwDs meaningfully participate in program design, feedback, and adaptation.
• Represent NDWA in relevant interagency disability inclusion forums, working groups, and coordination mechanisms at local, provincial, and national levels.

3.3. Capacity Strengthening

• Develop clear, accessible guidance for conducting FGDs and KIIs with persons with disabilities and OPDs ensuring all engagement processes adhere to ethical standards, safeguarding principles, and inclusive practices. 
• Ensure accessible communication methods and inclusive facilitation techniques in all data collection tools.
• Design tailored financial literacy content for persons with disabilities and their caregivers, addressing diverse needs and barriers that can be adapted to different disability groups, addressing barriers related to awareness, confidence, digital skills, and trust in financial systems.
• Ensure materials are accessible (e.g., simplified language, audio-visual formats, assistive technologies) and culturally appropriate. 
• Propose inclusive delivery mechanisms, including community-based and accessible digital platforms where feasible. 
• Ensure engagement of persons with disabilities and OPDs in co-creation, testing and refinement of materials to ensure relevant, usability and impact. 
• Ensure that programme design integrates universal design principles and accessibility standards, embedding inclusion across the full programme cycle—from outreach and enrolment to service delivery and grievance mechanisms.

3.4. Stakeholder Engagement and Dissemination

• Support design and conduct structured consultations with government agencies, financial service providers (FSPs), OPDs, and implementing partners to gather inputs, validate findings, and foster dialogue. 
• Integrate inclusive and accessible approaches in all engagement processes, ensuring persons with disabilities can participate effectively through appropriate accommodations and communication methods.
• Co-Lead the presentation of key findings and proposed recommendations, ensuring they are clearly communicated, contextually relevant, and refined through stakeholder feedback.
• Support planning and co-facilitate a dissemination event at federal level to share results, promote discussion, and build consensus on priorities for advancing disability-inclusive digital financial inclusion.

3.5. Documentation and Reporting

• Co-lead the planning, coordination, and implementation of all assigned activities in line with agreed workplans, timelines, and deliverables.
• Support development and maintain detailed implementation plans, activity schedules, and keep track of progress. 
• Regular coordination with NDWA focal point, as well as WFP focal point, to ensure integrated implementation.
• Produce Case Studies/ Testimonies, consisting of anonymized narratives illustrating lived experiences, opportunities, and barriers related to digital financial inclusion.
• Support the development and dissemination of accessible communications materials targeting diverse disability groups and caregivers.

4. Qualifications and Experience

4.1. Education

• Master's degree in Social Sciences, Development Studies, International Relations, Sociology, Anthropology, or other relevant fields.
• Specialized training or certification in disability studies, inclusive development, or protection programming is an asset.

4.2. Work Experience

• At least 6 years of progressively responsible work experience in disability inclusion within a humanitarian and/or development organization.
• Demonstrated knowledge and operational experience in implementing protection programming, disability-responsive programming, or equivalent.
• Experience working with UN Agencies and/or humanitarian/development programme is a strong added value.
• Experience engaging with Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) at local, national, and/or regional levels.
• Practical experience in Cash-Based Transfers (CBT) and/or digital financial inclusion programming is highly desirable.
• Familiarity with financial service provider landscapes, digital payment systems, or fintech ecosystems in humanitarian/development contexts is an advantage.

4.3. Technical Competencies

• Strong knowledge of international disability frameworks, including the CRPD, Sphere Handbook disability inclusion standards, IASC Guidelines on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities, and the Charter on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action.
• Proficiency in disability data collection methodologies, including the Washington Group Short Set (WG-SS) and related tools.
• Knowledge of accessible communication, universal design principles, and assistive technology relevant to digital and financial access.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct needs assessments, barrier analyses, and producing quality report 

4.4. Core Competencies and Skills

• Strong analytical and report-writing skills with the ability to produce high-quality outputs for technical and non-technical audiences.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement, facilitation, and negotiation skills across diverse actors (UN, government, civil society, private sector).
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced, complex humanitarian environment.
• Strong planning, coordination, and time-management skills with the ability to manage multiple workstreams simultaneously.
• Commitment to the rights-based approach and humanitarian principles, with sensitivity to the needs of marginalized groups.

4.5. Languages

• Fluency in both Nepali and English (written and spoken) is required.
• Proficiency in the local language(s) of the duty station is a strong advantage.

5. Working Conditions and Ethical Standards

• The Expert is expected to adhere to NDWA's Code of Conduct, humanitarian principles, and the UN system-wide standards on disability inclusion.
• All activities shall be conducted in a manner that respects the dignity, autonomy, and rights of Persons with Disabilities and their caregivers.
• Do No Harm principles must be embedded in all engagement with PwDs, OPDs, and other vulnerable groups.
• Data collected on and from PwDs must comply with NDWA data protection and privacy policies and applicable national legislation of Nepal.

6. Application Requirements

Interested candidates should submit the following:

• Updated curriculum vitae (CV) detailing relevant experience.
• Cover letter (maximum two pages) demonstrating suitability for the role, highlighting disability inclusion expertise and DFI/CBT experience.
• Submission of at least two relevant writing samples (previously completed or published as analytical/research reports, policy and operational documents, guidelines, or assessments reports etc) demonstrating similar work, particularly in the area of disability inclusion, will be considered an added advantage.  
• Contact details for at least three professional references.

NDWA is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We strongly encourage applications from women with disabilities, persons with disabilities, and individuals from underrepresented communities. NDWA has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment.