Term of reference (TOR) for External Evaluation

Term of reference (TOR) for External Evaluation

Introduction/Background

Adyan, Foundation for diversity, solidarity and human dignity, works locally, regionally and internationally for pluralism, inclusive citizenship, community resilience, and spiritual solidarity, through homegrown solutions in education, media, policymaking, and intercultural and interreligious relations. Adyan is registered in Lebanon as a non-profit and nongovernmental organization (NGO), under registration number 1103 by a ministerial decree dated 18 September 2008.

About the “WRL” Project:

Adyan implemented the first phase of the project WRL between 2019-2022 and is currently implementing the second phase. WRL II is concerned with enhancing gender equality and human rights in Lebanon. Therefore, the project is contextualized within a human rights framework; by mobilizing the primary target groups, the project aims to promote gender equality by addressing the challenges and barriers PSLs in the MENA region and Lebanon have to women and men's equal access to their rights and push the agenda on necessary amendments on the current 15 PSL's in Lebanon. Furthermore, the project will enhance gender equality and human rights in Lebanon through awareness-raising campaigns, involvement of Bar associations to provide legal aid, and by ensuring that law students, through the university curriculum, learn human rights, gender equality, and issues with PSLs.  

Project Impact

Impact: The project aims to enhance Gender Equality and reform of PSL to comply with Human Rights.

• Outcome 1: Interpretations of religious texts about women are revisited, and new interpretations are offered.
• Outcome 2: The polarized dynamic between religious leaders and Civil/ Secular actors is reduced to push for a collaborative methodology to promote Gender equality.
• Outcome 3: Process for implementation of reforming Lebanon’s 15 PSLs to promote gender equality and compliance with human rights is in place.
• Outcome 4: Women, girls, men and boys in Lebanon have access to justice.

The project runs from November 2023 until November 2025.

The direct beneficiaries:

(Additional details are available in the table included in the attached PDF.)

Adyan is seeking a consultant to conduct a final project evaluation at the national level to assess the project design and the effectiveness of its implementation in achieving the intended outcomes. The evaluation will identify successes, challenges, and areas for improvement for future projects.

Purpose of the Evaluation

The evaluation will provide Adyan with a valuable learning opportunity to enhance existing practices by assessing the extent to which project outcomes have been achieved. It will also evaluate how effectively Adyan is coordinating with relevant project stakeholders. Additionally, the evaluation aims to assess the project’s impact and sustainability. This analysis will generate new knowledge, spark new lines of inquiry, and provide actionable insights to enable necessary adjustments during the next phases of the project. Furthermore, the evaluation will offer specific assessments regarding the progress and results of the Agreement.

The evaluation seeks to obtain relevant information by analyzing the following key processes:

Objective 1: Measure the short- and long-term impacts of the project, including changes in knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and practices among target groups, including cleaning, analyzing, and triangulating data collected from focus group discussions and Stories of Change.

Objective 2: Assess how the project, has contributed to advancing Adyan’s organizational goals, enhancing community engagement, and shaping the regional discourse on Women’s Rights and advancing personal Status Laws, with a particular focus on measuring results against the logframe indicators.

Objective 3: Develop a recommendation report outlining the proposed structure, priorities, and strategic direction for the next phase of the project, building on lessons learned and ensuring its continued relevance, impact, and sustainability

Evaluation Objectives and Key Questions

Clearly outline the specific questions the evaluation seeks to answer. Typical evaluation questions focus on:

• Relevance: Was the intervention aligned with the needs of the target population?
• Effectiveness: Were the objectives achieved, and what contributed to or hindered the results?
• Efficiency: Were resources used effectively to achieve the outcomes?
• Impact: What long-term changes have been observed as a result of the project?
• Sustainability: Are the project outcomes likely to be sustained after its completion?
• Framework to be used: OECD/DAC, REAIM or another framework (We highly advise the inclusion of a section about Outcome Harvesting results in addition to the chosen framework)

(Additional details are available in the table included in the attached PDF.)

Scope of Work

• The geographic area covered by the evaluation: Lebanon
• The stakeholders who should be consulted (beneficiaries/right holders, implementing partners, government bodies).
• Adyan Foundation Relevant Staff: The project implementer is responsible for coordinating activities, fostering dialogue, and facilitating the consultative process. (Project Manager, MEAL Coordinator, and any other relevant staff).
• Experts and Consultants: Subject matter experts who facilitate discussions, provide research and analysis.
• Lebanese actors advocating for Women's rights and PSL reform
• CSOs involved in service delivery, legal aid, and grassroots mobilization
• Judges (civil and religious) and lawyers engaged in matters related to PSL.
• Advisors and legal consultants involved in legislative reform efforts.
• Students reached through the project’s training sessions.
• Danmission representatives overseeing or supporting the project (Donor)
• Media Agencies – Partners responsible for public visibility efforts, helping to raise awareness of the project and its outcomes.

(Additional details are available in the table included in the attached PDF.)

Methodology

Include in the proposal the below:

• Types of data collection methods (surveys, focus group discussions, interviews, desk review).
• Expectations regarding qualitative and quantitative data.
• Sampling methods, including sample size and representation. Around 50 beneficiaries. A representative sample should be taken. Adyan team will provide the consultant with the detailed list of beneficiaries disaggregated by age, gender, location, and participant category (e.g., conference attendees, researchers, donors) to support the selection of a representative sample. The role of beneficiaries and stakeholders in the evaluation process (participatory approaches).

We highly encourage evaluators to propose innovative or contextually appropriate methodologies.

(Additional details are available in the table included in the attached PDF.)

Deliverables and Timeframe

• Inception report: Detailing the evaluator's methodology, timeline, and work plan.
• Support in Data Collection (when needed): from FGDs, KIIs, Surveys, or any other tool used.
• Draft evaluation report: To be reviewed before finalizing.
• Final evaluation report: Should include an executive summary, findings, conclusions, recommendations, and lessons learned.
• Presentation of findings: A workshop or meeting with stakeholders to discuss the evaluation results.

It is expected that the evaluation process will take around 4 months from the period 1st of August until the 30th of November- 2025.  The expected timeline of deliverables:

(Additional details are available in the table included in the attached PDF.)

Evaluation Team Composition and Qualifications

The candidates - whether individuals working alone or within firms -should meet the following criteria:

• Demonstrated experience in conducting similar evaluations and research, with a strong capacity to analyze qualitative findings
• In-depth understanding of the SWANA context, including Human Rights and Women Rights in Religious Texts.
• Significant field experience in evaluating advocacy or Human Rights projects
• Proven and documented record or portfolio of similar evaluations
• Extensive experience in the coordination, design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of projects
• Strong analytical and research skills
• Proficiency in both Arabic and English

Budget

Provide an outline of the budget and expectations regarding costs, such as:

• Consultant fees.
• Travel and logistics.
• Data collection costs.
• Presentation and dissemination of findings.

The budget should be between 3000 and 5000 USD.

(Additional details are available in the table included in the attached PDF.)

Reporting and Communication

Communication lines include:

• Bi-weekly check-ins with MEAL focal point and Project Manager/Coordinator.

(Additional details are available in the table included in the attached PDF.)

Ethical Considerations

• Informed consent for data collection.
• Confidentiality of sensitive data.
• Do-no-harm principles and safeguarding measures.
• Compliance with donor or organizational ethical guidelines.

(Additional details are available in the table included in the attached PDF.)

Submission of Proposals

• Deadline for submission of proposal: 20 August 2025
• Required documents (CVs, previous evaluation sample, brief methodology, and financial proposal).

All the requested documents must be submitted in a PDF format via the provided email only.

(Additional details are available in the table included in the attached PDF.)

ARCI Key:

• A (Accountable): The person who ultimately owns the task and ensures it’s completed successfully.
• R (Responsible): The person who does the work.
• C (Consulted): The person who is consulted for input before decisions are made.
• I (Informed): The person who is kept informed of progress or decisions.