International Consultant / Evaluator for the final evaluation of the “Promoting Resilience, Self-Reliance And Social Cohesion Among Displaced Populations And Host Communities With Focus On Women And Girls In South Sudan and Mali”

home based with travel to south sudan

Organization: UNWOMEN - United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women
Location: home based with travel to south sudan
Grade: Consultancy - International Consultant - Internationally recruited Contractors Agreement
Occupational Groups:
- Development Cooperation and Sustainable Development Goals
- Environment
- Women's Empowerment and Gender Mainstreaming
- Monitoring and Evaluation
- Disaster Management (Preparedness, Resilience, Response and Recovery)
- Children's rights (health and protection)
- Refugee rights and well-being
- Civil Society and Local governance
- Population matters (trends and census)
Closing Date: Closed

Background

In January 2016, UN Women – the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women – with the generous support from the Government of Germany, has been implementing a project titled “Promoting Resilience, Self-Reliance And Social Cohesion Among Displaced Populations And Host Communities With Focus On Women And Girls In South Sudan and Mali” with the budget of EUR 3,000,000. The project has been implemented in South Sudan and Mali, and in South Sudan it has been implemented in Rumbek, Mundri, Nimule, Awerial-Mingkaman, Juba and Yambio through UN Women South Sudan partners, Community Integrated Rural Development Initiative (CIRDI), Change Agent Association/Organization (CAO), Initiative for Peace Association (IPCA), Support for Peace and Education Development Program (SPEDP), Grand Debaters and South Sudan Women Network (SSWEN). The project was expected to be implemented for 3 years from 2016 to 2019. However, with the conflict that broke in Mid-2016, which interrupted project implementation for a better part of that year, implementation was extended to June 2020.

The overall objective of the project was to promote self-reliance and social cohesion for internal displaced persons (IDPs) and their host communities, with a focus on areas of South Sudan and Mali affected by the ongoing conflicts. The project had two strategic outcomes, namely, to:

Improve access to sustainable livelihood/income generation opportunities for vulnerable women and girls among the IDP population and host community in the targeted geographic locations;
Alleviate the risk of sexual and gender based violence (SGBV) among IDP population and host communities.

The project was implemented using four key strategies, namely;

Provision of marketable vocational/income generational skills along with literacy and numeracy skills through informal trainings and skills building sessions to IDP and their host communities;
Provision of access to productive resources including finance and start-up kits to allow the women to establish viable livelihood/income generation activities;
Raise awareness and provide community education about the rights of women and girls against GBV; and allowing GBV survivors to access to multi-sectoral services via referral pathways;
Identification of community activists to be engaged in a community-based protection mechanism to assist survivors to access critical response services available to them;

Evaluation purpose, objectives and use

The main purpose of this final evaluation is to assess the achievement of project results and performance of the above-described intervention. The specific evaluation objectives are as follows:

Analyze the relevance of the implementation strategy and approaches of the project;
Assess organizational efficiency in progressing towards the achievement of the project’s results as defined in the intervention;
Validate the project results in terms of achievements and/or weaknesses toward the outcome and outputs;
Assess the potential for sustainability of the results achieved by the project;
Document lessons learned, best practices, success stories and challenges to inform future work of UN Women and the German Government in addressing resilience, self-reliance and social cohesion especially focus on women’s economic empowerment (WEE) and violence against women in humanitarian and fragile contexts;
Identify strategies for replication and up-scaling of the project’s best practices;
Provide actionable recommendations for future programmatic developments and maximize ownership by partners;
To assess how the project and its results relate and contribute to commitments and achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Findings of the evaluation will inform UN Women South Sudan’s future work in the area of humanitarian and resilience response especially on WEE, ending violence against women and girls (EVAW). The external evaluation will further identify lessons learned, best practices and challenges of the project and will greatly inform the development of the follow-up programmatic interventions. The information generated by the evaluation will be used by different stakeholders to contribute to building of the evidence base on effective strategies for humanitarian and resilience response especially on WEE, ending violence against women and girls (EVAW) in South Sudan, and to facilitate UN Women’s strategic reflection and learning for programming in the area.

Evaluation Scope, Methodology, criteria and Key Evaluation Questions:

Scope and methodology:

The final evaluation of the project is to be conducted externally by an international external consultant/evaluator in a team with national consultant/assistant evaluator. It is planned to be completed in 27 working day in the period of 25 November 2019 – 04 January 2020. The evaluation will cover the full project implementation period from January 2016 to December 2019. The evaluation will be conducted in South Sudan, where the project has been implemented, in the capital Juba with a travel to selected project target states and communities to collect data as defined by the evaluation plan.

The evaluation methodology will be mixed (quantitative and qualitative research methods and analytical approaches) to account for complexity of gender relations and to ensure participatory and inclusive processes that are culturally appropriate. The consultant is expected to reconstruct, validate and identify the gaps in the project’s results framework.

Assumptions should be tested and explain both the connections between early, intermediate and long term project outcomes and the expectations about how and why the project has brought them about. The evaluation team is also expected to identify challenges and gaps in the implementation of the project for future improvement. Hence, an eventual next phase of the project will benefit from the findings. The evaluation team should develop a sampling frame (area and population represented, rationale for selection, mechanism of selection, limitations of the sample) and specify how it will address the diversity of stakeholders in the intervention. The evaluation team should take measures to ensure data quality, reliability and validity of data collection tools and methods and their responsiveness to gender equality and human rights; for example, the limitations of the sample (representativeness) should be stated clearly and the data should be triangulated (cross-checked against other sources) to help ensure robust results.

Criteria and key questions:

The evaluation will address the criteria of Design and implementation of the Project, Project Relevance, Effectiveness, Efficiency, and Sustainability. More specifically, the evaluation will address the key evaluation questions:

Design and implementation of the Project: A) Does the project have a clear theory of change/logic model? B) Overall, is the results framework SMART, clear and logical? C) Are the formulated outputs and outcomes clear and realistic? D) Are they measurable and do they respond to the needs identified? E) Do all results have sufficient, clearly defined and measurable indicators? F) Does baseline information exist, or what are the provisions to generate baseline information? G) Does the project have an M&E Framework with tools?

Relevance: A) How does the project design match with the complexity of national structures, systems and decision-making processes? B) How does the project reflect and align with national strategic plans and normative frameworks as well as South Sudan’s international obligations and commitments in the field of WEE, EVAW and humanitarian action? C) Is the project design based on quality analysis, including gender and human rights-based analysis, risk assessments, socio-cultural and political analysis? D) Were the programmatic strategies appropriate to address the identified needs of beneficiaries? E) To what extent is the project results consistent with beneficiary requirements that is promoting resilience, self-reliance, peaceful co-existence, empowering women and promoting gender equality F) Has the project addressed the relevant needs in the target areas? G) Have new, more relevant needs emerged that the project should address? F) Have the stakeholders taken ownership of the project concept?

Effectiveness: A) What has been the progress made towards achievement of the expected outcomes and expected results? What are the results achieved? B) What are the reasons for the achievement or non-achievement of the project results? C) Does the project have effective monitoring mechanisms in place to measure progress towards results? D) What is the influence of the specific country context and circumstances on the achievement of results and operational effectiveness? F) How adaptable and rapidly does the project react to changing situations? G) Has the project achieved any unforeseen results, either positive or negative? For whom? H) What are the good practices and the obstacles or shortcomings encountered? How were they overcome? I) to what extent have capacities of relevant duty-bearers and rights-holders been strengthened? J) What -if any- types of innovative good practices have been introduced in the project for the achievement of WEE, EVAW and humanitarian action results? K) Has the project led to complementary and synergistic effects on broader UN Women efforts to promote WEE and EVAW in South Sudan?

Efficiency: A) Have resources (financial, human, technical support, etc.) been allocated strategically to achieve the project outcomes? B) Have the outputs been delivered in a timely manner? C) To what extend were relevant stakeholders and actors included in the project planning and implementation?

Sustainability: A) How effectively has the project been able to contribute to the generation of national ownership of the project outputs? B) What is the likelihood that the benefits from the project will be maintained for a reasonably long period of time after the project phase out? C) To what extend has the project identified strategic partners that could pick up on supporting continued government and non-governmental action when the project comes to an end? D) Do national/local institutions demonstrate leadership commitment and technical capacity to continue to replicate some project activities? E) To what extend have the project’s exit strategy been well planned and successful? F) To what extend has the UN Women been able to promote replication of project successes?

The questions outlined above are preliminary and are expected to be revised and refined by the evaluation team during the inception phase of the evaluation.

Phases of the evaluation process:

The evaluation process is divided in five phases: 1) Preparation, mainly devoted to structuring the evaluation approach, preparing the TOR, compiling project documentation, and hiring the evaluation team; 2) Inception, which will involve evaluability assessment, inception meetings, inception report and finalization of evaluation methodology; 3) Data collection and analysis, including desk research and preparation of field missions, visits to project sites 4) Data analysis and synthesis stage, focusing on data analyzed, interpretation of findings and drafting of an Evaluation Report; and 5) Dissemination and follow-up, which will entail the development of Management Response, uploading it into UN Women GATE system.

The consultant will be responsible for inception, data collection and data analysis and synthesis phases.

Inception phase: At the beginning of the consultancy, the consultant will be provided with key sources of information for an initial desk review. At the end of this phase an inception report that will include the refined evaluation methodology will be delivered. The inception report will be validated and approved by UN Women.
Data collection phase: Based on the inception phase, the consultant will carry out further in-depth desk review, and field missions will be conducted to complete data collection and triangulation of information. Interviews and focus group discussions with key stakeholders, as relevant, will take place.
Data analysis and synthesis phase: The collected information will be analyzed, and final evaluation report will be delivered. A validation meeting will be organized where the consultant will validate the final report with UN Women and the evaluation reference group (ERG) and approved by UN Women.

UNW follows a systematic process to assess the quality of all completed evaluations on a yearly basis. This external quality assessment is based on the ‘Global Evaluation Report Assessment and Analysis System’ (GERAAS) and closely aligned with UN Evaluation Group quality standards. All evaluations in UN Women are annually assessed against the framework adopted in GERAAS and hence the consultant should be familiar with GERAAS quality standards. Evaluation in UN Women is guided by normative agreements to be gender-responsive and utilizes the entity’s Strategic Plan as a starting point for identifying the expected outcomes and impacts of its work and for measuring progress towards the achievement of results. The UN Women Evaluation Policy and the Evaluation Strategy to Transform Women’s and Girls’ Lives 2018-2021 are the main guiding documents that set forth the principles and organizational framework for evaluation planning, conduct and follow-up in UN Women. These principles are aligned with the United Nations Evaluation Group (UNEG) Norms and Standards for Evaluation in the UN System and the UNEG Ethical Guidelines. In addition, UN Women is an UN-SWAP reporting entity and the consultant will take into consideration that all the evaluation in UN Women are annually assessed against the UN-SWAP Evaluation Performance Indicator and its related scorecard.

Stakeholders Participation and Evaluation Management Structure:

The evaluation will be a consultative, inclusive and participatory process and will ensure the participation of stakeholders engaged in the implementation of the project. The evaluation will be Human Rights and Gender responsible and an ERG will be established.

The Evaluation Reference Group (ERG) is an integral part of the evaluation management structure and is constituted to facilitate the participation of relevant stakeholders in the design and scope of the evaluation, raising awareness of the different information needs, quality assurance throughout the process and in disseminating the evaluation results. The ERG will be engaged throughout the process and will be composed of relevant representatives of state and non-state stakeholders. The ERG group will review the draft evaluation report and provide substantive feedback to ensure quality and completeness of the report and will participate in the inception and validation meeting of the final evaluation report.

The UN Women South Sudan Monitoring and Evaluation Focal Point will serve as the Evaluation task manager, who will be responsible for day-to-day management of the evaluation. UN Women East and Southern Africa will support the evaluation process.

Coordination in the field including logistical support will be the responsibility of UN Women. Within six weeks upon completion of the evaluation, UN Women has the responsibility to prepare a management response that addresses the findings and recommendations to ensure future learning and inform implementation of relevant projects. This is a consultative/participatory final project evaluation with a strong learning component. The management of the evaluation will ensure that key stakeholders are consulted.

Duties and Responsibilities

Duties and responsibilities of the International Consultant are:

To elaborate and submit the detailed inception report which contains evaluation objectives and scope, desk review, description of evaluation methodology/ methodological approach, data collection tools, data analysis methods, key informants/agencies, evaluation questions, performance criteria, issues to be studied, work plan and reporting requirements. It should include a clear evaluation matrix linking all these aspects;
To elaborate and finalize the data collection methodology such as guides, questioners/tools to be used with the key informants/interviewees;
To conduct field visit combined with individual interviews and focus groups discussions with the relevant stakeholders;
To prepare a Power Point Presentation and an outline on preliminary findings and present to ERG and reflect the feedback shared at this presentation in the final report;
To produce and submit the draft and final evaluation reports in English. Format of the final evaluation report shall include the following chapters: Executive Summary (maximum five pages), Project description, Evaluation purpose, Evaluation methodology, Findings, Lessons learnt, Recommendations and Annexes (including interview list- without identifying names for confidentiality, data collection instruments, key documents consulted, Terms of Reference).

Deliverables:

Detailed Inception Report, which contains evaluation objectives and scope, findings from inception meetings with all relevant stakeholders, initial desk review, description of evaluation methodology/methodological approach, data collection tools, data analysis methods, key informants/agencies, evaluation questions, performance criteria, issues to be studied, work plan and reporting requirements. It should include a clear evaluation matrix linking all these aspects - by 12 December 2019 (7 working days, home-based);
Data collected through completed field visit and key informant interviews and focus group discussions - by 21 December 2019 (15 working days, in South Sudan);
Data analyzed and Power Point Presentation on preliminary findings conducted to highlight key evaluation findings and conclusions, lessons learnt and recommendations- by - 25 December 2019 (2 working days, in South Sudan);
Draft and Final Evaluation report & Evaluation brief that reflects key findings, conclusions and recommendations and deployed methodology (indicative samples will be provided by UN Women) in English taking into consideration comments and feedback collected from the presentation of preliminary findings. The report shall include the following chapters: Executive Summary (maximum five pages), Introduction and Background, Evaluation approach and methodology, Findings, Conclusions, Lessons learnt, Recommendations and relevant Annexes - by 04 January 2020 (9 working days, home based). The evaluation team has to submit the initial draft of the evaluation report to Evaluation Reference Group after 7 working days and use the additional 2 days to address ERG comments/feedback and resubmit the final version to the Evaluation task manager);

Competencies

Core Values:

Respect for Diversity;
Integrity;
Professionalism.

Core Competencies:

Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues
Accountability
Creative Problem Solving
Effective Communication
Inclusive Collaboration
Stakeholder Engagement
Leading by Example

Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Core Values and Competencies: http://www.unwomen.org//media/headquarters/attachments/sections/about%20us/employment/un-women-employment-values-and-competencies-definitions-en.pdf

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

At least a master’s degree in Agriculture, sociology, international development, gender/women studies or related areas.

Experience:

At least 7 years practical experience in conducting evaluations of strategies, policies and programmes;
Experience and knowledge on gender equality and women’s empowerment, violence against women and domestic violence;
Experience/knowledge of gender equality and violence against women issues in South Sudan;
Excellent analytical, facilitation and communications skills and ability to negotiate amongst a wide range of stakeholders;
Knowledge of human rights issues, the human rights based approach to programming, human rights analysis and related mandates within the UN system will be considered an asset;

Language:

Proficiency in English, and French.

Evaluation procedure:

The candidates will be evaluated against the following technical and financial criteria:

At least a master’s degree in sociology, international development, gender/women studies or related areas (max 40 ponts);
At least 7 years practical experience in conducting evaluations of strategies, policies and programmes (max 70 points);
Knowledge on gender equality and women’s empowerment, violence against women and domestic violence (max 70 points);
Experience/knowledge of gender equality and violence against women issues in South Sudan (max 70 points);
Excellent analytical, facilitation and communications skills and ability to negotiate amongst a wide range of stakeholders (max 70 points);
Proficiency in English (max 30 points).

Knowledge of human rights issues, the human rights based approach to programming, human rights analysis and related mandates within the UN system will be considered an asset.

Maximum total technical score amounts to 350 points. Only candidates who have passed over the minimum qualification criteria and have accumulated at least 245 points out of maximum 350 under technical evaluation will qualify for the next stage i.e. evaluation of their financial proposals.

Evaluation of submitted financial offers will be done based on the following formula:

S = Fmin / F * 150

S – score received on financial evaluation;

Fmin – the lowest financial offer out of all the submitted offers qualified over the technical evaluation round;

F – financial offer under consideration.

The winning candidate will be the candidate, who has accumulated the highest aggregated score (technical score + financial score).

Management arrangements:

The UN Women M&E Focal Point in South Sudan will serve as the evaluation task manager. The evaluation task manager will be responsible for day-to-day management of the review. Coordination in the field including logistical support will be the responsibility of the Project Team.

Financial arrangements:

Payment will be disbursed upon submission and approval of deliverables and certification by UN Women Component Manager that the services have been satisfactorily performed as specified below:

Deliverable 1 (7 working days) – 20%
Deliverables 2,3,4,5 (20 working days) – 80%

Application submission package:

CV; or Duly filled Personal History Form PHF11 that can be downloaded from http://www.unwomen.org/en/about-us/employment
A sample of previously conducted / most relevant evaluation report
Financial Proposal - lump sum proposal/offer* in USD (including breakdown of this lump sum amount, indicating all necessary costs to complete this assignment).

Please note, the system will only allow one attachment and hence combine the multiples files while uploading the attachment.

Qualified women candidates are highly encouraged to apply.

Note:In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. The creation of UN Women came about as part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact. It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system (DAW, OSAGI, INSTRAW and UNIFEM), which focused exclusively on gender equality and women's empowerment.