Ongoing Job Recruitment at ActionAid Zambia: Baseline Survey

TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR CONDUCTING BASELINE SURVEY FOR THE ‘STRENGTHENING CIVIL SOCIETY EFFECTIVENESS IN PROMOTING GOOD GOVERNANCE AND INCREASING CITIZENS’ AWARENESS AND DEMAND FOR HUMAN RIGHTS IN ZAMBIA PROJECT AND AAZ COUNTRY STRATEGY PAPER.

1.0 Introduction/ Background

Background of AAZ & SIDA Project:

ActionAid Zambia (AAZ) is part of the ActionAid Global (AAG) Federation, sharing common values and aims to drive social change towards a just, equitable and sustainable world. AAZ’s vision is a just, equitable and sustainable Zambia in which every person enjoys the right to a life of dignity.

AAZ works with the people living in poverty and exclusion, their communities, organizations, activists, social movements and supporters, to address the structural causes of social injustice, gender inequality, and poverty.

AAZ has been working in Zambia since 1996 with a focus on advocating women’s rights; promoting climate resilient sustainable agricultural practices and sustainable natural resource management for food security and sustainable livelihoods; inclusive governance and advancement of education and youth engagement.

a) AAZ COUNTRY STRATEGY

In 2018, AAZ has embarked on the implementation of the new Country strategy after successfully implementing the previous CSP which ended in 2017. The new CSP focuses on advancing Social Justice, Gender Equity and Poverty Eradication. This is a five-year strategy which will run up to 2022 and is part of the ActionAid Global federation 10-year CSP, Action for Global Justice. The new strategy has five priority areas namely: –

• Women and girls’ social economic empowerment;
• Civic participation and state accountability;
• Resilient Livelihoods and Secure Climate Justice;
• Transformative Women-led disaster preparedness, response and prevention; and
• Youth Engagement and Empowerment.

b) SIDA PROJECT

Aligned to priority two (2) of the new CSP, AAZ has signed a 3-year cooperation agreement with the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) to provide intermediary support and strengthen the capacity of CSOs and other defenders of human rights in Zambia. The project, whose overall goal is to increase citizens awareness and demand for human rights in Zambia will be implemented in Eastern, Southern, Muchinga, Luapula, North-Western and Western Provinces. Lusaka and the Copperbelt provinces will be targeted to compliment ActionAid Zambia already existing interventions.

Overall Project Objective:

Strengthening Civil Society Effectiveness in Promoting Good Governance and Increasing Citizen’s Awareness and Demand for Human Rights in Zambia.

Specific Project Thematic Priorities

• Enhance citizens’ civic participation and state accountability for improved governance and public service delivery in Zambia.
• Support CSOs interventions which promote transparency and prudent public resource management through citizens awareness and demand for accountability.
• Strengthen the capacities of citizens in their role in protecting the environment as well as holding government accountable for the enforcement of policies and regulations for sustainable Natural Resource (NR) management and climate justice.
• Strengthen the capacity of citizens to demand the implementation of policies and programmes to promote inclusiveness, accessibility, accountability, and quality of health services.

c) AAZ Implementation approach

AAZ’s overall approach is to implement through partnerships. AAZ wi, therefore, are identifying CSOs in Southern, Eastern, Western, North Western, Northern and Muchinga provinces, Copperbelt, Luapula and Lusaka provinces to support the implementation of both the country strategy and the SIDA project. AAZ will sub grant to the selected CSOs based on their expertise in relation to the CSP priorities and the thematic areas for the SIDA funded project.  The role of AAZ will be to build the capacity of implementing CSOs; provide technical support and facilitate for knowledge sharing and learning and provide coordination to ensure effective CSOs engagement with citizens and duty bearers.

2. Survey Overview

AAZ is seeking the services of a qualified person(s) or firm to support the undertaking of a Baseline Survey to establish the status quo of program parameters in areas where the CSP and the SIDA funded project will be implemented; and basically, develop a benchmark against which program performance and effectiveness will be assessed.

a) Rationale

The purpose of this baseline survey is to develop a knowledge base and a basis for Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) from AAZ interventions for the continuous strengthening of demand driven programming and contribution to shifting power relations and greater access to public services, rights and resilience. Specifically, the baseline will provide reliable and useful information on the status quo of the areas in which AAZ works; geographic and thematic. The findings of this baseline will help the organisation to assess the extent to which project and program activities, outputs and outcomes under the CSP and SIDA project contribute to envisioned social change.

The information will also be used to assess gaps in rights awareness and policy frameworks that hinder advocacy and state accountability among citizens and CSOs.

The results of this baseline will not only aid project implementation, but it will also be disseminated to all stakeholders and inform discussions on the existing gaps in CSOs advocacy and how best CSOs can adapt to the prevailing dynamics to become more effective.

b) Scope

This assessment should establish the governance situation in the country focusing on key principles of transparency, accountability, participation, fairness and equality, respect for human rights and an enabling civic and political environment. Further, the assessment will determine the extent of CSOs and citizens’ awareness and capacity to demand for human rights.

As part of AAZ new CSP, the assessment will seek to establish the status quo in the targeted areas with respect to women and girls’ socio and economic empowerment, civic participation and state accountability for resilient livelihoods, citizens’ civic participation and state accountability, resilient livelihoods and climate justice, emergencies and climate justice and youth engagement and empowerment.

The key markers for AAZ CSP and the SIDA project will be measured and particularly the factors contributing but not limited to:

• CSOs challenges in advocating for human rights and holding the state accountable
• Citizens’ awareness of rights and the ability to hold duty bearers accountable (especially women and youth).
• Policy frameworks in relation to human rights, public finance management, natural resources management and health rights
• Challenges inhibiting women and young people socio & economic development
• Civic spaces and participation of citizens especially women and young people
• Human rights protection mechanisms and how accessible they are.
• Presence of CSO coalitions, alliances & networks
• Media space & Social movements in Zambia
• Human rights violations
• Public Finance Management, anti-corruption & State accountability mechanisms
• CSO donor funding land scape
• Natural resource management policies and frameworks

c) Goal of the baseline study:

To provide an information base against which to monitor, evaluate and learn from the progress of programme implementation of AAZ Country Strategic Plan and the SIDA Project.

d) Objectives of the baseline study:

1. To establish age and gender sensitive quantitative and qualitative baseline data that will be used to effectively measure progress and impact against objectives in AAZ strategy 2022 and the SIDA Project;
2. Create a knowledge base on the demographic, social, economic, political, cultural and geographical context of Zambia in line with the CSP and project implementation deliverables;
3. To develop a database of partners, social actors and other stakeholders in our implementation areas;
4. To review the AAZ and SIDA project MEL frameworks and advise on set targets, indicators and other deliverables based on baseline findings;
5. To identify key opportunities, constraints and other needs relevant to the successful implementation of the thematic based objectives and make recommendations for improvement.

e) Geographical Coverage

The survey will target all stakeholders in geographical areas in which AAZ work. This includes Eastern, Southern, Muchinga, Luapula, North-Western, Western, Northern, Copperbelt and Lusaka Provinces,

3. Methodology and Approach

The exact study design will be agreed with the technical advice of the consultant. The Review team will design and employ a participatory and consultative process of data collection; ensuring women and young people especially are at the centre of the study. The study should be undertaken considering and incorporating the principles of the ActionAid International research signature. The key stakeholder groups should be involved in the design, implementation and reporting of the study to ensure the findings are credible, sustainable and likely to be used. The methodology should draw on the AAZ programme’s theory of change to understand if and how the change will happen, as well as assess the relevance and suitability of the theory of change towards achieving the goal.

The Review Team should consider applying the Kirkpatrick model to this Review in order to gain a deep understanding of the extent of effectiveness the project’s approach across the target groups and their organisations in terms of new skills, knowledge and positive experiences. Additionally, the Review Team should also consider assessing the contribution of the project to the “three domains of change” (individuals, organisations and communities); with the focus on shifts in power relations assessing the effectiveness of the project’s capacity initiatives.

This study will include a review of current and existing data or studies and collect other relevant information through questionnaires and/or focus group discussions. The baseline will use survey standard questionnaires and FGDs guidelines administered to respondents who will include government departments, CSOs, civic and traditional leaders, political parties, human rights defenders, activists, media and individual citizens. The questionnaire will be agreed upon between AAZ and the Consultant and will include the following areas-

The Consultant will lead in the development of the design, methodology, research tools and reporting in close collaboration with AAZ MEL team and partners involved in the implementation of the AAZ programs and projects. The consultant will, as part of pre-survey planning, review the organizational and project deliverables and indicators, identify and agreeing on specific parameters (indicators) to be covered by the survey, develop and finalize survey guides and questionnaires, develop and/or confirm data analysis plans and tools and prepping data collection assistants and other key personnel on the survey approach.

AAZ and its partners will play a supportive role including logistics and mobilization and the consultant(s) is/are expected to familiarize him/herself/themselves with all secondary data relevant to AAZ and the SIDA project, partners, communities and other stakeholders.  The Consultant(s) will also pay attention to consulting women, the youth and other marginalized groups, and traditional and local leaders, NGOs, CBOs, government and other partners.

Applying for this Opportunity

AAZ is seeking consultancy services of a qualified and highly self-motivated, enthusiastic and innovative Consulting firm/Consultant to conduct a baseline study for the CSP and SIDA project.

Eligibility Criteria

• The applicant must be a firm or institution working on similar assignments; or individual(s) with a viable team to conduct this assignment;
• The lead consultant must have at least a Master’s Degree in Project Management, Monitoring and Evaluation or the equivalents from a reputable institution;
• The firm or individual must have a detailed understanding of Human Rights Based Approaches (HRBA) of programming and experienced in like surveys;
• Have at least 5 years’ experience in conducting similar assignments for reputable institutions working on programming aligned to Governance and Women’s Rights.
• Extensive field experience in Zambia, and networks within government, local and international NGOs.
• Proven data analysis, report writing skills and communication skills.
• Good research skills for interviewing a wide range of stakeholders, at both district and community levels.
• Experience in participatory, quantitative and qualitative methodologies.
• Experience in community-based research will be an added advantage.

The Lead Consultant may also involve not more than three other persons in the study. In such a case, the other member(s) of the team should be holder(s) of at least a first degree in social sciences or related field with experience in conducting similar studies.

Submission of Technical and Financial Proposals

The bidding Consultant(s) is/are expected to submit a detailed proposal with the following components:

a) Technical proposal to include:

• A one-page Consultant’s understanding of the TOR;
• Two pages of the proposed methodology, study design, activities and expected outcomes;
• A detailed activities schedule/work plan with time frame;
• A profile of the Consulting Firm including the full names, physical addresses, telephone numbers, and contact person.
• Copy of CVs of all the Consultants who will undertake the baseline study.

b)  Financial proposal detailing

• Itemized consultant’s fees;
• Itemized field data collection expenses;
• Itemized administration expenses;
• Expected payment plan and method.

Expected deliverables

The key deliverables of the Consultants will include:

Inception report: After reviewing relevant AAZ documents and other literature relevant to the study.
Data collection tools and guidelines
First Draft Report: A dissemination and feedback meeting with relevant stakeholders will be held where the first draft report will be reviewed, discussed and then feedback given to the Consultant.
Second Draft Report: After incorporating comments from the stakeholders’ feedback meeting the report will be presented to the donors;
Final Report: Will be produced and submitted to the Head of Policy & Programmes in both electronic and 2 hard copies. The template for the report will be provided by AAZ.
Management and Supervision of the study.
The Study team will report to the AAZ Head of Policy & Programmes for the entire duration of the assignment. During the field work of the study, the study team will work under the guidance of the Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning Coordinator to ensure systematic quality assurance checks and validations. Operational support in the target locations will be provided by the Regional Hub teams with technical support from thematic managers and SIDA project staff.
Time Schedule

It is expected that the baseline study will take approximately 30 days.

Ownership of Information

The Consultant shall during and after the effective period of the assignment, treat as confidential and not divulge, unless authorized in writing by ActionAid Zambia, any information obtained during the performance of the assignment. AAZ and its partners will be the sole owners of all information collected in this study.

AAZ’s safeguarding policy

The Consultant must demonstrate a commitment to strictly adhering to AAZ’s safeguarding Policy. It is also the responsibility of the Consultant to ensure that all persons hired, used or otherwise consulted by him/her are made familiar with the policy and agree to also abide by it before their services are agreed to.

Interested Consultants should submit their proposals including three (3) traceable references addressed to:

The Procurement Committee

ActionAid Zambia
38G Ibex Hill, Kabulonga Road
P. O. Box 51407:
Lusaka

Or Email to: [email protected]; [email protected]

Closing Date:  All proposals must be submitted by 29th October 2018.