Guinea-Bissau: International Consultancy, Baseline Study for the Project “Creating Safe and Empowering Public Spaces with Women to Mitigate Climate-Security Risks and Sustain Peace”

Nov 13, 2022 | United Nations Development Program
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The United Nations Development Programme is a United Nations agency tasked with helping countries eliminate poverty and achieve sustainable economic growth and human development. 48 years of political instability have deeply constrained socioeconomic and human development in Guinea-Bissau, a small island developing State, hampering the establishment of stable governance and strong democratic institutions at national and local levels. Ranked 175 out of 189 countries in UNDP’s 2020 Human Development Index, two thirds of its population live below the poverty line, 33% in extreme poverty. According to the World Bank, Guinea-Bissau figures among the “Countries in Fragile Situations” due to its political instability, its poor performance on economic and social policies and public-sector management and limited institutional transparency and accountability. Local governance mechanisms and policies are largely inadequate, especially in rural areas. Citizens – women and youth in particular – are excluded from already limited civic spaces and do not actively participate in defining policies that affect them.

Rural women, notably rural young women, are particularly disadvantaged, suffering from strong multidimensional inequalities. 84% of young women in rural areas are illiterate, and they face reduced incomes, higher rates of unemployment and limited access to factors of production compared to young men. While 80% of women work in agriculture, many of them have no access to land to cultivate due to traditional and customary laws. Women’s access to bank loans and property is heavily restricted, as men hold sole authority over most family decisions, budgets, and assets. While living an agricultural lifestyle without education or services, ethnic group traditions have an especially strong hold, and all ethnic groups have traditional beliefs and practices that restrict women’s rights and their role in community lives. Women are subject to the continuous risks of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), traditional harmful practices and high maternal mortality rates. Women feel disempowered to participate in public affairs, lacking the opportunity and the confidence to express their views in decision-making processes, hampering their political participation.

In this context, the project seeks mitigate conflicts over land and water aggravated by climate change in Guinea-Bissau, ensuring that those most affected by them, namely women, can contribute and shape the response. It promotes peace through the creation of sustainable safe dialogue spaces for communities to discuss climate-related issues and collectively identify adaptation solutions, which can be conveyed in a more organized, participatory, and inclusive manner to authorities at all governance levels. To this end, the project will strengthen existing policy mechanisms to ensure that the decisions made at the local level feed into local and national decision-making processes and national policies for climate security and land management. The intervention targets women, including young women, which are the most affected by climate-related security risks and whose adaptive capacity is hindered by economic, political, cultural, and social barriers. Women will be equipped with tools and capacities to participate in civic spaces by sharing their know-how and making their voice heard, going beyond gender dynamics that usually marginalize them. The project also aims to strengthen climate resilience through training and income-generating activities aimed at increasing land productivity, thus tackling additional causes for communal conflicts. Women’s knowledge of natural resources is additionally harnessed to support their agency and leadership in resources’ governance, mediation and dispute resolution, and land rehabilitation.

To achieve this goal, the two outcomes of the project are described below:

  • Outcome 1: Women’s participation in inclusive civic spaces is enhanced and protected to address climate-security risks and to reduce conflicts in São Domingos, Cufada and Piche.
  • Outcome 2: The resilience of rural communities is strengthened through land rehabilitation activities and by raising awareness on climate-sensitive agriculture.

Within this setting, UNDP calls for a consultancy to collect necessary baseline information with reference to women’s participation in civic spaces, mechanisms to deliberate about climate-security issues respecting freedom of expression and the right to participation, and rights-holders knowledge on climate change and adaptation measures. Additionally, it is expected the baseline study to gather information on how women generate income and the situation of women in rural areas in relation to their capacity to be part of decision-making processes.

The project scope, budget, implementation timeframe, as well as further specific details are available at: https://mptf.undp.org/factsheet/project/00130107

Objective of the assignment

The purposes of this consultancy are to:

  • Analyze the project’s Theory of Change in a participatory manner with the project team, results framework and M&E plan, improving where possible the project’s M&E system.
  • Conduct a baseline study to collect information for indicators that do not have baseline yet.
  • The baseline study will focus on providing baseline data for a set of indicators outlined below and additional indicators proposed by the consultant. The baseline study report will be used as a measurement to monitor the project progress against the set indicators over the course of the project implementation.
  • The selected consultant will work closely with the project team along with other key stakeholders to ensure that data collection will provide the basic background relating to women’s participation in decision-making processes connected to climate change, climate-security, and adaptation measures.
  • The baseline study will cover key groups which the project is engaging with, including civil society organizations, women’s groups in rural areas, and the Ministry of Territorial Administration.
  • The study design and methodology will be discussed and agreed with the project team and with the implementing partners at the beginning of the consultancy. The consultant may use different data collecting methods: desk review, qualitative and quantitative surveys, interviews and focus group discussions, to establish a baseline for the project’s key indicators.
  • The table of indicators below presents an initial list indicators for which baseline information needs to be collected under the present study. The list might be reviewed and expanded by the consultant in  close collaboration with the UNDP and WFP project teams when reviewing the project’s result framework and the M&E plan.

[1] WFP would provide support on methodology to collect data to develop these indicators;

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the technical supervision of the Head of the Governance Cluster, the consultant will:

  • Preparation of inception report that includes a detailed baseline research design and methodology, data collection tools (online tools/platforms may be utilized), and data analysis plan;
  • Analyze the project’s theory of change and M&E plan, strengthening existing documents and enhancing the coherence of the project’s result framework.
  • Lead on the process of the baseline study design, methodology, planning and quality control procedures.
  • Elaborate questionnaires for surveys (one for each target group), interviews or focus groups discussions, which incorporate the different indicators of the Project’s results framework.
  • Provide a baseline study validated by the project team which informs baseline information for the key indicators of the project described in the table above.
  • Provide additional indicators into the project’s results framework, if necessary, based on the Project Documents and in accordance with the project team and review the Project’s Results Framework and respective M&E Plan and provide inputs and amendments if necessary.

Deliverables

  • Inception report clearly stating the methodology for the baseline study (including but not limited to the identification and definition of the samples and the development of the questionnaires for surveys). Revised Theory of Change (if applicable) and M&E plan, including the proposition of new indicators, if necessary.
  • Consolidated ToC scheme and baseline data for all of the project’s M&E indicators.
  • Draft report containing presentation and analysis of results.
  • Validation workshop, incorporate feedback from the stakeholders and refine the report (Organize the workshop, facilitate, and document feedback)
  • Final report validated by the project team and accompanying presentation material.

Duration of the assignment

The assignment must be conducted within 60 calendar days, from the day the contract is signed. The Consultant is expected to deliver the following deliverables/outputs, with the corresponding due dates and review/approving authority:

Competencies

Functional

  • Professional experience;
  • Able to manage conflicting deadlines and priorities;
  • Able to coordinate activities such as missions, special events, etc;
  • Able to assume full responsibility for activities, ensuring that mission objectives are met in a transparent and inclusive manner;
  • Set clear goals and performance standards;
  • Timely perform responsibilities as outlined in the ToRs;
  • Self-analysis of performance problems; seeking appropriate guidance and support.

Resource management

  • Strong organizational skills;
  • Ability to work independently, produce high quality outputs;
  • Solid opinion, strategic thinking and ability to manage competing priorities;
  • Able to find creative solutions to daily problems, working in an ever-changing work environment.

Communication and advocacy

  • Strong ability to write clearly and convincingly, adapting style and content to different audiences and speaking clearly and convincingly;
  • Ability to produce high quality professional documents and products under pressure and to defend and negotiate difficult issues and positions for senior and official employees;
  • Strong ability to present at meetings with the ability to adapt to different audiences;
  • Strong analytical, research and writing skills with demonstrated ability to think strategically;
  • Strong, clear, and fast communication skills;
  • Strong interpersonal skills in negotiation and liaison.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

  • Academic training, Bachelor or Master’s in social science, economics, data management or related area.

Experience:

  • Minimum 5 years of relevant professional experience in project management, monitoring and evaluation at the national or international level.
  • Experience in research methods, monitoring and evaluation tools, development of reports, development and analysis and elaboration of indicators and data collection, analysis and reporting is required.
  • Work experience with Theory of Change
  • Experience collecting data for baselines studies is required.
  • Experience in the use of computers and office software package, including management of databases.
  • Knowledge of issues connected to climate change, climate-security, and adaptation measures is an advantage.
  • Knowledge of Bissau-Guinean context is an added advantage.

Languages:

  • Fluency in Portuguese is necessary.
  • Intermediary knowledge in English is required.
  • Good knowledge of Crioulo is desirable.

Guidelines for application:

Required documents:

  • A cover letter explaining why you are the most suitable candidate for this assignment.
  • A brief methodology on how you will approach and conduct the tasks, describing the tools and workplan proposed for this assignment. The methodology should be relevant to the Project objectives and aligned with the current Project Results Framework (attached to the Tor).
  • A financial proposal.
  • A personal CV including past experiences in similar projects and at least 3 professional references.

Lump sum contracts: The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount, and payment terms around specific and measurable (qualitative and quantitative) deliverables (i.e. whether payments fall in installments or upon completion of the entire contract). Payments are based upon output, i.e. upon delivery of the services specified in the TOR.  To assist the requesting unit in the comparison of financial proposals, the financial proposal will include a breakdown of this lump sum amount (including travel, per diems, and number of anticipated working days).

Travel: All envisaged travel costs must be included in the financial proposal. This includes all travel to join duty station/repatriation travel.  In general, UNDP should not accept travel costs exceeding those of an economy class ticket. Should the Individual Consultant wish to travel on a higher class he/she should do so using their own resources.

In the case of unforeseeable travel, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between the respective business unit and Individual Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed.

Evaluation: Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodologies:

Cumulative analysis

When using this weighted scoring method, the award of the contract should be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

  • Responsive/compliant/acceptable; and
  • Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.
  • Technical Criteria weight – 70 points;
  • Financial Criteria weight – 30 points.

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 70 points would be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

Evaluation criteria:

  • Education background - 10 points
  • Experience as defined in the ToR - 15 points
  • Competences as defined in the ToR - 10 points
  • Understating of the ToR - 15 points
  • Methodology and overall approach - 30 points

Overall quality of the proposal (comprehensiveness, structure, language and clarity) - 20 points.