Terms of Reference (ToR) for consultant

Terms of Reference (ToR) for consultant

Activity:  Carry out legal review on Local Level Education Plans (LLEPs).

Introduction of NDWA:

Nepal Disabled Women Association (NDWA), founded in 1998, is a non-profit organization dedicated to advocating for the rights of persons with disabilities, with a particular focus on women's issues. Affiliated with the Social Welfare Council (SWC) and the National Federation of the Disabled Nepal as well as various national and international women's and human rights network. NDWA actively addresses various challenges faced by women with disabilities, ranging from access to justice and education to livelihood and gender-based violence prevention. The organization plays a crucial role in leadership development and strives for the meaningful participation of women with disabilities in decision-making processes at different levels. With a strong presence in 34 districts and over 25,000 women directly associated with its initiatives

Project Background:

‘Civil Society Participation in Education (COPE)’ project funded by European Union with lead partner National Campaign for education Nepal (NCE Nepal) and co lead by Global Action Nepal (GAN) and Nepal Disabled Women Association (NDWA) is being implemented in Karnali’s 3 district- Surkhet (Simta Rural Municipality and Barahtal Rural Municipality) ,Dailekh (Narayan Municipality and Dungeshwor Rural Municipality and Kalikot ( Raskot Municipality and Sanni Tribeni Rural Municipality )and Madesh Province’ s 3 district -Siraha (Siraha Municipality and Kalyanpur Municipality), Dhanusha (Sahidnagar Municipality, Laxminiya Rural Municipality) and Rautahat (Chandrapur Municipality and Bauddhimai Municipality). 

Objective of the legal review:

The primary objective of this assignment is to evaluate the contextual relevance, structural gaps, and integration of climate resilience and youth’s skill development (TEVT/Vocational etc.) across 12 selected Local Level Education Plans (LLEPs) in Nepal by applying an intersectional lens.

• Assess to what extent does the LLEP is climate change and disaster resilient
• Assess to what extent does the LLEP is youth skill responsive
• Assess the intersectionality in both the components above
• Provide actionable and practical recommendations for government and CSOs

Scope of Work

• Analyze climate change and disaster resilience, and youth and skill component of 12 LLEPs
• Prepare a Climate and Youth Skills Analysis Tool/Rubrics/Indicators (as fitting) for analyzing the LLEP by reviewing the LG ESP Appraisal Scoring Tool, SESP indicators, Local level Education Planning Guidelines, National Climate Change Policy, DRR Policy, National Youth Policy/Vision, 16th periodic plan, Learning-Earning Programme Guideline, and other relevant national and international policies/plans/indicators, particularly Article 24 of UNCRPD and Section 21 of ARPD, related to climate resilience and youth skills.
• Score the LLEPs against the tool developed with clear justifications.
• Orient the project team regarding the tool use.
• Analyze whether the existing provisions in the LLEP are locally relevant and contextual.
• Identify good practices, common plans, and gaps among the LLEPs.
• Apply intersectional perspective, with particular focus on girls, Dalit, indigenous groups, LGBT+, and persons with disabilities, thoroughly in the analysis.

Key deliveries:

• Inception Report and Methodological framework which includes Climate and Youth Analysis Tool/Rubrics/Indicators
• Action plan of the whole legal review.
• Draft report submission
• Short presentation with summary of legal review
• Final report.

Required Expertise

• Advanced degree (Masters’ or Ph.D.) in Law, Social Sciences, Education, Gender Studies, Disability Studies, or a related field.
• Minimum of 5–7 years of experience in policy analysis, educational planning, or local governance research in Nepal.
• Knowledge of SESP and LEP localization process.
• Familiarity with national legislative frameworks, policies, and guidelines in the context of disability and education, particularly in Nepal along with strong understanding of CRPD 
• Strong analytical skills and ability to synthesize complex information into clear, actionable recommendations.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present findings to diverse audiences
• Having experience in legal background and disability field would be an added value.

Duration

The assignment is expected to be completed by one month from the date of signing the contract.

Application Process

Interested candidates are requested to submit the following:

• A detailed CV outlining relevant experience.
• A technical proposal, including a brief methodology and timeline for completing the assignment.
• A financial proposal indicating the proposed fee for the assignment.
• Samples of similar work completed previously.

Deadline for Application: July 29, 2026

Submission:

Applications should be sent to “vacancy@ndwa.org.np”, with the subject line: "Application for Legal Review".

Evaluation Criteria

Applications will be evaluated using the following criteria: