Evaluation For Human Rights And Advocacy Program

Norwegian People's Aid is looking for an experienced evaluator to carry out the evaluation of the Human Rights program. This Terms of Reference (TOR) defines the work that must be carried out by the external evaluator. It provides a brief outline of the program and the projects supported, specifies the scope of the evaluation, outlines the evaluation method and describe the evaluator’s role and competencies.   I.            Brief outline of the NGOs and their work: A.      Norwegian People’s Aid in Lebanon Norwegian People’s Aid started working in solidarity with the Palestinian refugees in Shatila refugee camp and the surrounding Sabra area, (populated with mainly poor Lebanese) after the civil war in 1982. Filling some of the gaps in UNRWA’s welfare program, NPA started to implement a variety of activities within relief, reconstruction, health services, and rehabilitation, mostly targeting Palestinian refugees. The program consisted of smaller project activities in addition to establishing, in 1984, a vocational training program implemented by NPA, in cooperation with UNRWA. The establishment of a second large activity, a rehabilitation center offering treatment and follow up of disabled Palestinians, was fully established in 1986. During the years that followed, local organizations working within the same fields, started to emerge. NPA established partnership cooperation with several local organizations. NPAs international strategy shifted, at the beginning of 2000, from implementing projects to partnership cooperation, followed up with a phase out process related to direct service delivery of health and educational services, in Lebanon. NPA phase out of direct implementation was finalized in 2012. Most of the project activities were however carried forward in close partnership with local Palestinian and Lebanese organizations. The mutual aim of NPA and its partners are related to the support to Palestinian refugees’ situation and their struggle for their rights. The program consists of human rights and advocacy projects, health projects, with special focus on disability and rehabilitation, and youth projects with special focus on vocational training and life skills. NPA was legalized in Lebanon in 1990 as a branch of an international NGO through the presidential decree number 829/1990. The majority of NPA’s projects in Lebanon are funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (NMFA).   Human Rights program in NPA-Lebanon: NPA has been promoting the rights of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon since its establishment in 1982. However, in 2004, NPA institutionalized the human rights issues by establishing the Human Rights program. This program aims at helping partners and other human rights organizations to promote, advocate and lobby for the rights of Palestinian refugees (a) and women (b).     a.      Projects related to the rights of Palestinian refugees The main objectives of the Palestinian Refugee Rights projects are to improve the human rights situation of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon (the rights to work and own a property), and to support the refugees’ right of return. This is done by: Increasing Palestinian refugees’ awareness regarding their rights. Lobbying and advocating for the rights of Palestinian refugees through long-term sustained campaigning. Monitoring violations of Human Rights. Producing information packages and media materials. Enhancing the capacities of partners.   b.      Projects related to women’s rights The main objectives of the women’s rights projects are to increase awareness on combating violence against women and to enhance mechanisms of protection for victims of violence mainly Palestinian community. In order to achieve these objectives, NPA, through its partners, conducts the following activities: Awareness workshops on women’s rights, violence against women and gender discrimination. Offers all types of counselling (legal and psycho-social) and assistances for abused women, and supports campaigns to end violence against women. Enhancing the capacities of NPA partners.   II.            Scope of the evaluation A.      Purpose of the evaluation The overall goal of the evaluation is to assess to what extent NPA has achieved the defined outcomes articulated in the proposal, the relevance of the Human Rights program for the target groups and to enhance the effectiveness of NPA Human Rights program. The aim is to engage in continuous improvement for NPA programs and NPA partners. Specifically, the evaluation aims to: Assess and evaluate whether the project performance, vision and results matched the proposal as well as NPA international and local strategies. Assess the efficiency, effectiveness and professionalism of NPA human rights partners. Asses the efficiency, relevance and professionalism of the partners activities and examine whether the applied activities fits within the targeted community and are relevant to the needs of the beneficiaries. Document the deficits, challenges, gaps, best practices, success and lessons learned of the programs’ activities. Provide a basis for decision making on the continuation of particular program components, with recommendations for any necessary amendments and improvements   The findings for this evaluation should include lessons learned and recommendations in order to plan for the strategy. B.      Evaluation criteria The evaluation will specifically focus on the following dimensions: Relevance: Has any changes in the political context significantly affected any of the premises for the program? To what extent is the Human Rights program relevant for the target groups and our goals? Are the applied activities relevant to the needs of the beneficiaries? Is the project design and activities relevant to meet the objectives of NPA Human Rights program? To what extent the supported organizations should depend on NPA in the upcoming years based on the new NPA strategy?   Effectiveness: How effective are the methods for strengthening the influence of the partners? Is the program capable to attain the expected goals? To what extent did the project contribute to enhance Palestinian human rights and women’s rights conditions? What are the strengths and shortages in the programs, activities and partners? Is there homogeneity between NPA program goals and the suggested activities?   Coherence and Coordination: How well was the program implementation process managed? How was the coordination between NPA and partners in implementing the program? How was the coordination between NPA Human Rights partners? To what extent did the different projects complement each other? Are the program activities coherent, despite having different partners? To what extent are NPA’s Human Right partner’s peers in implementing their activities? To what extent should the supported organizations depend on NPA in the upcoming years based on the new NPA strategy? Did the project foster cooperation between Palestinian and Lebanese human rights organizations, UNRWA, and Palestinian and Lebanese official institutions?   Partners’ Capacity: To what extent do the NPA partners in the human rights program possess good managerial and finance capacity? Do the NPA partners have the capacity to expand at organizational level?   C.      Audience The primary audience of this evaluation includes: The Development department in NPA-Head Office, NPA Country Director, the Program Manager in NPA-Lebanon and the Human Rights Program Coordinator. The secondary audiences include the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, other country programs, other partner organizations and stakeholders that may be interested in the results and lessons learned from this evaluation. Third audience NPA Human Rights partners and the beneficiaries.   D.      Evaluation Methodology The guiding principles for conducting the evaluations should include: participatory, culturally sensitive, transparency, committed to building capacity, affirmative and positive while honest and productively critical, and valuing knowledge and approaches from within the context. The evaluator should have clear methodological framework of work by using scientific methods and tools. Meetings will be mainly conducted in Beirut. The consultant evaluator will develop the methodology and tools of the evaluation in consultation with NPA team. The evaluation methodology and data collection tools will need approval from NPA Programs Manager. Information gathering interviews: Perform (and document – recorded and signed) interviews with partners’ directors, managers, employees, beneficiaries and any relevant other stakeholder. In addition, interviews should be done with NPA team in Beirut and if needed in Oslo. In case it is suitable, the evaluator may choose to contact any political party, officials and representatives of the popular committees through NPA only.  It is also important that these interviews respect the legal rights of the interviewee as well as the rights to inspection. The evaluator will meet the program’s partners, NPA development program team in Beirut, other partners working in the same field, and other relevant stakeholders The evaluator will sign a confidentiality agreement that protects NPA and the evaluated partners from sharing or disclosing any source of data and information.   III.            Scope of Work: A.      Location: This evaluation will take place in Lebanon.   B.      Deliverables: The consultant is expected to submit a final report of the evaluation in addition to 2 pages summary. The report should strictly be written in English language and should not exceed 10-15 pages (excluding annexes). It should be submitted hard copy and electronically in a MS-Word document. It may include: Executive Summary of key findings and recommendations; Evaluation findings, analysis and conclusions with associated evidence and data clearly illustrated. Use of tables, graphs, quotes, anecdotes and stories to illustrate findings and conclusions is encouraged; Make recommendations on how to sustain the efforts towards increasing the rights situation of Palestinian refugees and women.  Provide constructive recommendation on how Human Rights organizations, working in the field of Palestinian refugees and women, should be empowered. Make recommendations on how future NPA support to the partners should be provided to match NPA’s goals. Suggest whether NPA needs to increase or decrease the number of human rights program partners. Make recommendation on how NPA can increase both the awareness and the number of beneficiaries using the same budget.  Recommendations for the next actions, which should be practical and linked directly to conclusions; and Appendices, including methodology and evaluation tools, list of interviewees, questionnaire, and brief biography of evaluator. The evaluator will incorporate the comments furnished by NPA and will submit an edited final report at the end. The report will be credited to the evaluator and potentially placed in the public domain at the decision of NPA. A final presentation on the evaluation results should be made to NPA team and the partners. Also the evaluator should submit all the essential material they used in conducting the evaluation such as filled forms, tapes, pictures etc. and any other relevant documents.   C.      Duration & Deadlines: The duration of contract will be a total of two months, starting from the 20 July 2015 to 20 September 2015. The evaluation plan should be submitted by the 1st of August 2015. The field evaluation should take place between 1st and 30 of August 2015. The first draft of the report along with all the financial receipts should be submitted by 10 September 2015. The final report should be submitted by 20 September 2015. All information generated during the evaluation will be the sole property of NPA and are subject to submission to NPA along with the final report. The evaluator should respect the above mentioned deadlines.     D.      Logistical Support: NPA will provide preparatory and logistical assistance to the evaluator(s), including: Background materials (project proposal, periodic reports, existing evaluations, etc.) Meetings, phone/e-mail communication with program administrators Identify interviewees and provide contact information All logistical support for the field visit, including the travel cost Arranging meetings and appointments with the partners, stakeholders and beneficiaries in the field (if necessary).   IV.            Evaluator's Role and Competencies: A.      Evaluator’s Role: The evaluation will be carried out by an external evaluator, who will report to and work under the guidance of NPA Program Manager and team, who is also the Evaluation Manager of this evaluation. The external evaluator will: Identify and define evaluation priority areas, methodology and indicators; Design and implement data collection; Analyze data and findings and prepare a report; Write and submit a final report; Make a brief presentation of findings and recommendations to NPA Lebanon.   B.      Evaluator’s competencies: Evaluator competencies should: Have a sound knowledge about development projects in the MENA region, particularly on Human Rights program;   Have a sound knowledge and understanding of the development program; Be familiar with the political and human right situation of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon and the situation of Women’s rights in Lebanon; Have an academic degree in social sciences or other related fields; Have demonstrated technical skills in development project evaluations; Have proficiency in written English; Have prior experiences of evaluating development programs will be an added advantage; Have good knowledge of organization partnership system.