Country: Ethiopia
Closing date: 02 Nov 2018
1 Background
Womankind Worldwide (Womankind) is seeking a consultant or consultancy team / firm, to conduct a final evaluation review with our partner The Association of Women’s Sanctuary and Development (AWSAD) in Ethiopia following a 3-year project focused on Ending VAWG in Ethiopia: Strengthening services and responses for women and girls in Addis Ababa.
This Terms of Reference sets out the scope and details of the work to be undertaken.
Womankind
Womankind Worldwide is a global women’s rights organisation working in solidarity and equal partnership with women’s rights organisations and movements to transform the lives of women. We aim to end violence against women, promote women's economic rights and ensure women have a voice in decision-making. From our office in the UK we work with a diverse range of partners across our five focus countries to deliver programmatic and policy initiatives rooted in the key stakeholder communities of our partners.
The Association of Women’s Sanctuary and Development (AWSAD)
AWSAD was established in 2003 to advance women and girls’ social and economic development and support those who have experienced violence. It was the first organisation to open a women-only shelter for women and girls experiencing violence and currently runs shelters in Addis Ababa and Adama. AWSAD provides a range of holistic services to women includes counselling, health, legal referral, literacy, livelihoods and self-defence. Taken together, these services give women and girls the best chance to rehabilitate from their trauma and reintegrate into society as more confident and empowered individuals able to live free from violence.
In December 2015 Comic Relief agreed a three year grant to provide holistic shelter support in Addis Ababa and to engage with community leaders and service providers to strengthen prevention and support to survivors in Addis Ababa. AWSAD’s approach is based on a strong understanding that, to reduce violence against women and girls in Ethiopia, they need to work not only with women and girls to build their agency, but also to work within the enabling environment to change support and legal processes and with influential local leaders to change attitudes and behaviour towards women and girls.
The Project Context
The project has been implemented in Addis Ababa focused on AWSAD’s safe house and across three sub-cities (Yeka, Addis Ketema and Gullelle). In these locations, there has been a scaling up of AWSAD’s previous Comic Relief funded project 2011-2014. The independent evaluation of that project highlighted AWSAD’s impact but emphasised that VAWG was endemic and AWSAD’s interventions e.g. the Safe House, were still needed. The evaluation recommended AWSAD strengthen its Safe House and community approaches, work with public officials and partner with others to achieve lasting change. Consultations with Addis Ababa Police and Department of Public Prosecutors raised needs including support in developing and implementing measures to ensure survivors properly access and benefit from these public services.
Improving these services needed to be supported and complemented by AWSAD’s community interventions, where they worked more intensively with community members to develop localised mechanisms to prevent and respond to violence, e.g. creation of women-only spaces to deepen women’s understanding and responses to VAWG, and creation of community violence prevention committees (CVPCs) and related action plans.
Based on the evaluation learning, AWSAD consulted with former Safe House residents on challenges they face in becoming financially independent and discussed with stakeholders offering vocational training and self-help group services to strengthen the economic empowerment work. Recommendations included offering tailored courses in line with market demands and improved follow-on support and work placements.
2 Project Purpose and Objectives
In 2016, Comic Relief approved a 3-year investment grant to Womankind (UK), and AWSAD with the aims of: holistic service provision for 1,080 women affected by violence over three years through its shelter in Addis Ababa; building the capacity of community responses to prevention and support for survivors of violence within communities; and supporting enhanced service provision provided by Police and Prosecutors engaging with the shelter.
Underpinning this programme and advocacy work has been the aim of strengthening AWSAD’s organisational capacity with support from Womankind. The specific aim of this component has been to enable AWSAD to have a much more sustainable and manageable approach to its work with learning and adaptation at the heart of all processes. This has been done through a mixture of participatory capacity building activities, discussion, constructive challenge and encouragement in line with a partnership approach.
Over the 3-year grant period, AWSAD has worked to achieve the following outcomes with the funding from Comic Relief:
Outcome One *- Women and girl survivors have improved capacities to live safely, independently and to support their children financially by the end of year 3.*
Outcome Two- Improved standards of support provided to women and girls affected by violence by Police and Prosecutors by the end of Year 3.
Outcome Three-Increased protection and support for women and girls in communities through effective community violence prevention and support mechanisms.
Outcome Four- Increased capacity of AWSAD to provide and promote a safer and supportive environment for women and girls by the end of year 3.
The project also had four learning questions designed to help AWSAD understand key areas of wider change for the project as it is happening to amend their interventions as needed. There were:
What approaches are most effective when working with communities to prevent VAWG and support survivors?
What approaches are most effective when working with the Police and Public Prosecutors to improve support services to survivors of VAWG in a sustainable way?
How does the Safe House support ex-residents to live free from violence?
What can we learn from ex-residents about support mechanisms for survivors once they are back living in the community?
3 Scope of work
Overall purpose
In this end of grant evaluation, we wish to identify the changes that have been made by the project, understand their significance and sustainability, and identify the factors that facilitated, or limited, their achievement and impact. Through this, we seek to identify what lessons can be drawn from the project, as well as recommendations for future programming and learning by Womankind, AWSAD, Comic Relief and wider project stakeholders.
Key questions
In the final evaluation, we want to know:
1.What differences has the project led to?
We wish to know about the different types of changes that may have occurred: those that are directly attributable to the project and those to which it contributed; those that were expected and those which were unexpected; those that have been beneficial for women and girls, and any which had negative consequences.
Specific dimensions of change that are sought through the project include:
AWSAD’s holistic shelter model
AWSAD’s ability to support clients to access employment and through it reintegration in mainstream society
Support to survivors of violence at an institutional level
Awareness in target communities of women and girls’ issues, and how to provide them with adequate protection from harm
Understanding of women’s and girls’ issues including VAWG – with practical application of that understanding – by police, prosecutors, community leaders and other service providers
Women and girls confidence in, and through, access to services provided by AWSAD and project implementing partners (including formal and informal legal support, medical support, psychosocial counselling, skills training and access to income generating activities)
AWSAD’s ability to form partnerships to collaborate with others to fill the gaps in service provision for physically and psychologically harmed women & girls and their children who are survivors of violence
Organisational capacity and sustainability on the part of AWSAD (in terms of organisational structure, human resource make up and fundraising) to deliver its essential services in Addis Ababa
Evaluators should ask themselves: to what extent have these dimensions of change been achieved?
We also want to identify the likely longer-term impact of these changes. Are there indications that these changes will lead to long term change in behaviour by women and girls, service providers and the wider community?
2.What is the significance of these changes for the target population and more widely?
Why are the changes that have come about important?
How do they relate to, and impact upon, the concerns and felt needs of women and girls, the problems identified by the project stakeholders, and the underlying causes of VAWG?
If there have been negative changes, how are these likely to affect women and girls in the target areas, and the ability of the AWSAD and/or other actors to support them?
3.How have these changes been accomplished?
What were the main methodologies and approaches used by the AWSAD and wider stakeholders to deliver the project, and did they lead to change in an efficient and effective way?
What are the key success factors?
Which were the most effective methodologies and approaches used by AWSAD, and which were the least effective?
Have other methodologies and approaches been identified that could be more effective in delivering the types of change sought and achieved?
Did the project’s management, monitoring, learning and financial systems help or hinder the delivery of lasting change? Did they enable on-going learning and adaptation to facilitate success?
How have relationships between the partners and Womankind helped or hindered the achievement of change?
Has the project been efficient, effective, economical and equitable in its use of financial, human and other resources? Could the same changes have been achieved with fewer resources? Could the same resources have been used to achieve better results and positive changes for more people?
4.Are the changes sustainable beyond the end of the project?
Have changes in attitudes and behaviour of the target population and key stakeholders impacted on social norms?
Are key actors willing and able to persist in their new attitudes and behaviour?
Will the long-term effect of the positive changes achieved outweigh the impact of any negative changes?
Will the end of the project lead to the absence of key factors underpinning sustainability?
Will the partners continue to provide support to the target population / act to influence key stakeholders?
What are the risks that could undermine sustainability?
What recommendations can be provided to the partners on how they can maximise the gains from the project and maintain sustainability? Are there significant actions that Womankind can take that do not require renewed funding?
5.Approaches used by the Comic Relief:
How have Comic Relief’s grant making policies and processes (e.g. how they define programme strategies and outcomes, and we assess applications) helped or hindered the delivery of lasting change?
How has Comic Relief’s approach to grant management (e.g. individual work with grant holders, and learning activities with other funded organisations) helped or hindered the delivery of lasting change?
How has the way Comic Relief used its organisational assets helped or hindered the delivery of change (e.g. use of the media, access to decision makers)?
Are there any other ways in which Comic Relief has helped or hindered the delivery of change?
6.Approaches used by Womankind:
How has Womankind’s approach to grant management (e.g. partnership approach, work with partner organisations individually and jointly, learning activities and processes) helped or hindered the delivery of lasting change?
How have relationships between Womankind and AWSAD throughout the grant helped or hindered the delivery of change /outcomes?
How effective has Womankind’s support been to AWSAD to strengthen organisational capacity and effectiveness?
To what extent have Womankind and AWSAD made progress towards achieving the step change identified by each partner at the start of the grant?
Are there any other ways in which Womankind has helped or hindered the delivery of change?
7.What learning and recommendations can be drawn from this project for AWSAD, Womankind and the wider VAWG sector?
What are the key lessons from the project? What does the evaluation tell us about the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainability of the interventions, approaches and ways of working?
What recommendations can be drawn from the evaluation findings to inform the future programming and learning of the partners, Womankind and others? Which are particular to the context and themes of the project, and which are more generalizable?
4 Tasks and Outputs
Methodology
The consultant (or team of consultants) will manage and undertake the review process and produce the final report. This will involve reviewing reporting tools, documentation and grant documents; reviewing strategic grant activities and travelling to Ethiopia to conduct local review activities and discussions with partners and beneficiaries.
The consultant will propose a methodology for the end of grant evaluation that will be approved by Womankind in consultation with AWSAD, before the commencement of the evaluation. The methodology needs to be participatory, engaging different stakeholders in meaningful and appropriate ways and needs to ensure inclusion, reflecting on and respecting stakeholder diversity (e.g. gender, age, disability, geography, income & HIV status). The methodology should also include first person accounts (stakeholder case studies) to assess how the grant has benefited targeted women and girls.
Expected Outcomes
The consultant(s) should prepare a report that is clear and simply written, free of jargon. The main body of the report should not exceed 30 pages and should include an executive summary and recommendations. Technical details should be confined to appendices, which should also include a list of informants and the evaluation team’s work schedule. Background information should only be included when it is directly relevant to the report’s analysis and conclusions. The report’s authors should support their analysis of the project’s achievements with relevant data, and state how this has been sourced. Recommendations should also include details as to how they might be implemented.
A preliminary version of the report should be submitted to Womankind and partners for review at the end of the evidence collection period, with consultation with key beneficiary stakeholders in the preparation of that preliminary draft and evidence collection. A final version of the report should be submitted to Womankind along a timeline agreed between ourselves and the consultant(s). The report is expected to include guidance on the process by which findings will be shared and discussed with all stakeholders including AWSAD and their beneficiaries, Womankind and Comic Relief and how any resulting changes in the report will be included.
The report should be accompanied by an analysis from AWSAD and Womankind of up to two pages in length giving their views on the quality/depth of the evaluation, the relevance and usefulness of the recommendations, and what actions they propose to take in response. This should also indicate how, and to whom, the evaluation report would be disseminated.
5 Timeframe and Budget
It is expected that the end of grant evaluation will be carried out over a maximum period of 25 days and that the local country review activities will take place in January-February 2019, but the specific time frames will be negotiated with Womankind and partners. An initial draft report will be available by 31 January 2019 for consideration by Womankind staff prior to a possible second and final project visit by consultants in February 2019.
The budget should include the consultant(s)’ daily rate and not exceed £16,000 in total, including travel, visa, accommodation, domestic transportation and materials costs, and costs to AWSAD for beneficiary time during the review process.
Key Participants and Informants:
Womankind:
Senior Management Team (Chief Executive Officer, Director of Policy, Programmes and Learning)
Staff (National Programme Development Manager – current project lead; Movement and Network Capacity Manager (previous Project lead); Policy and Advocacy Manager Violence Against Women and Girls
AWSAD:
· AWSAD – Executive Director and Board members
· Project Coordinator; MEL Officer; Capacity Building Manager; Employment Manager
· Safe House Coordinator / staff member(s) including counsellor
· Beneficiaries (Current and former safe house residents)
· Community Violence Prevention Committee members
· Representatives from Police and Prosecutors’ offices
· Employer Partners who have provided employment for ex-residents
· Ministry of Women and Children’s affairs
· UNFPA
· UN Women
· Other NGO partners
Comic Relief:
· Futures Lab Grant Manager/s
Key reference papers which will be provided:
· AWSAD Organisation Assessment
· AWSAD Current Organisation Strategy (ending December 2019)
· AWSAD Core policies (Child protection / Staff Safeguarding, Anti Bribery and Corruption)
· Conditions of Grant
· Outcomes documents for AWSAD
· Theory of change for AWSAD
· Annual and midterm reports and feedback from Comic Relief
· MEL Framework and data
· Market survey report
· AWSAD Livelihoods Transition Plan
· AWSAD Capacity Building Plan
· AWSAD Sustainability Plan
· Fundraising consultant report and strategy
· Ex-residents Collective Action Proposal
· Learning report from Comic Relief project of 2012-14
· Learning Report/s from current project 2016-18
· More than a Roof report (documenting holistic shelter models)
How to apply:
Application process for the consultant(s):
Womankind is inviting suitably qualified consultant(s) with the following skills:
· Experience of carrying out project and organisational evaluations
· Proven knowledge and analysis in relation to women’s empowerment, needs and perspectives.
· Experience working in VAWG programming desirable
· Experience and knowledge in working in partnership with organisations
· Experience of participatory research methodologies
· Ability to listen and communicate well
· Capacity to gather and critically analyse information
· Excellent written and spoken English,
Suitable applicants within the Horn of Africa are strongly encouraged to apply.
Applications should be submitted through e-mail to Piyumi@womankind.org.uk and should include the following information:
A CV of the applicant(s) and cover letter that details on how they meet the person specification and a detailed proposal including the following:
· The proposed methodology
· The proposed work plan
· The proposed budget
· Proven experience examples (x 2 per person)
· Contactable references (x 3) of past recent, credible INGO project and programme evaluations and reviews
Applications will not be considered without the full set of documents quoted above.
The closing date for applications is 10:00am UK time on Friday 2 November 2018