Voice Project Meal Consultant

1. Introduction and context Voice is an innovative 2-year project funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency and the Norwegian Embassy, which aims to empower people affected by the Syria crisis in Jordan and Lebanon, by upholding their rights, ensuring their real concerns reach decision makers, and encouraging decision makers to be more responsive to these needs. Since the Syrian civil war started in March 2011, millions of Syrians have been displaced and are facing an uncertain future. These refugees seek basic rights like living a life with dignity, free from fear and want. Voice goes beyond immediate humanitarian relief. It responds to the pressing issues faced by Syrian refugees and their host communities in Lebanon and Jordan. It not only seeks to improve these groups’ access to information, resources and services, but supports them to articulate their real needs and the issues which affect them. It enhances the ability of all those affected by the crisis to make their voices heard and participate in local, national and international decision-making processes. Project goal: Syrian refugee women and men become active agents in humanitarian, development and political processes. Specific objective: Enhanced preparedness of affected Syrian men and women to constructively engage in humanitarian and political processes. Intended results: 1. Improved and equal access of Syrians to resources, quality information and services. 2. Improved ability of communities to voice and address the needs and entitlements of Syrians. 3. Improved level of responsiveness of national, regional and international duty bearers to the needs of Syrian refugees 4. Improved leadership capacity of Syrian women to constructively engage in development and political processes. [For more project information please see Annex 1 below or request a copy of the full project proposal from Mariam Balhas (mbalhas@oxfam.org.uk)] 1.1 Community mobilisation and need for consultancy Community mobilization is at the core of this project’s model of change. The project envisages working through groups of community facilitators who are the prime focus of project interventions, and who will act as the key interface between the project and refugee and host communities. We are currently working closely with two pilot groups in each country to test and develop our approach to community mobilization, 21/01/13, v3 and plan to spend the next two months working in both Jordan and Lebanon to rapid prototype a number of models to find the best structure. During this phase, we would like to work closely with a MEAL consultant to develop, pilot and finalize related MEAL tools and methods, and begin to formulate our overall approach to MEAL. At the same time, the project also incorporates various studies in order to ensure that it is informed by a strong knowledge and understanding of the context and of refugees’ needs and concerns. The work of our community facilitators’ groups (CFGs) will be informed by a mapping and assessment of available services in project implementation areas (due to be completed end of January before start of consultancy) and a survey on refugee needs, aspirations and concerns (due to be completed before end of consultancy). This phase of rapid prototyping will rely on a dynamic learning and feedback loop. The MEAL consultant will play a critical role in supporting this process and providing strong evidence to identify the strongest model of community mobilization that can then be scaled up. 2. Consultancy purpose and objectives Oxfam, in partnership with project partners ARDD-Legal Aid and ABAAD, are seeking a consultant to support this period of testing and development by being an active part of the team and providing participatory, flexible and dynamic MEAL advice. The specific objectives of the consultancy are to: 1. Provide MEAL support and advice to the project team during this period of experimentation. 2. Define the methodology to be rolled out through developing, testing and refining relevant tools on a small scale (this will include testing and refining the specific MEAL tools proposed by the project, including the participation and transparency tool). 3. Provide recommendations for later baseline and MEAL strategy development and roll out in all implementing areas. 4. Build the capacity of implementing partners through supported on-the-job learning, so that the team have strong ownership and understanding of relevant MEAL. 3. Expected outputs: The expected outputs of the consultancy are: 1. Tested and finalised monitoring tools (including for analysis and reporting), methods, and guidance (English and Arabic). 2. Updated terms of reference for development of MEAL system and baseline (English) 3. Oxfam, partners and CFG training manual and reports as implemented during the pilot phase (related to tools developed for output 1) (English) 4. Recommendations for adapting intervention methodology and MEAL system (English) 5. Draft and final consultancy report (English). The exact details of the report will be agreed with the consultant upon contracting. 4. Indicative approach The MEAL tools and methods to be developed and finalised through this consultancy will be designed based on the logframe, indicators and some tools pre-identified that will be adapted for this programme. 21/01/13, v3 Oxfam is expecting the consultant to work very closely with the project team, made up of partner staff as well as community groups across two countries (Jordan and Lebanon), to design, test and revise our MEAL tools and methods. It is likely that this consultancy will involve interaction with a wide range of stakeholders, including target beneficiaries, partner and Oxfam staff, as well as other relevant individuals. This consultancy is likely to include, but not be limited to, the following tasks (for discussion and agreement upon appointment): Survey of target beneficiaries based on questionnaire Focus Group Discussion with target beneficiaries Capacity assessment of community facilitators groups Key Informant Interviews with various stakeholders [For an outline of expected key tasks, please see Annex 2 below.] 5. Timeline Oxfam is expecting the completion of the consultancy tasks as described in this ToR over a maximum period of 2 month, ideally starting the week commencing 10th February 2014. The consultancy is expected to take approximately 25-30 days distributed over the 2 months. Applicants are kindly requested to indicate in their offers the estimated required number of days, and financial rates. 6. Consultancy management The Consultant will directly report to the Voice Project Manager The Consultant will work closely and in consultation with the project team in Lebanon and Jordan, and with Oxfam’s Regional Programme Quality Coordinator as relevant 7. Budget The budget for this task is between $12,000 - $15,000 USD. The costs of flights between Lebanon and Jordan, and accommodation in these countries when necessary will be directly covered by Oxfam budget separately from the consultancy budget. All other costs should be included in the financial offer Payment will be in two instalments: 25% upon contract signature and 75% upon approval of the final report by Oxfam. Annex 1: Further project information (Please contact Ms. Mariam Balhas for more details mbalhas@oxfam.org.uk) 1. BACKGROUND: 15th of March 2013 marked two years anniversary of the Syrian crisis – the crisis that has national, regional and international dimensions affecting millions of people inside Syria and in neighbouring countries. Escalation of violence has resulted in displacement of over 3.5 million people with over 1.5 million people1 fleeing their homes to Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Egypt. This conflict is having a devastating impact on the lives of millions Syrians whose lives are currently put on hold as they wait for reinstatement of peace and rule of law in their homeland – they lack basic rights to live a life with dignity free from fear and want. That said, nevertheless, the needs and aspiration of Syrian people go beyond meeting their immediate needs – they strive to be independent through acquiring skills and knowledge that would allow them to support their families and most importantly, meaningfully contribute to reconstruction of their country following the cessation of hostilities and reinstatement of peace and security in Syria. The following key problems have been identified by the 24 months Syrian Voice and Accountability Project: Poor access to information on available services and entitlements to Syrian refugee population. Women in particular do not have sufficient information on issues of registration, access to aid and other services, as well as access to self-employment opportunities; Syrian refugee population have no say in decision making concerning their rights. One of the root causes of inability of the Syrian refugee population to live a life with dignity given the current circumstances is related to powerlessness of affected Syrian population to have a say in resolution of issues that are affecting them – they are being perceived as passive recipients of whatever is given to them; Lack of responsiveness and consideration of women’s rights and gender equality by duty bearers (including humanitarian actors); Limited capacity of Syrian women’s right CSOs to engage with women refugee population on issues pertaining to basic rights and entitlements both inside and outside Syria. Moreover, Syrian CSOs may not have the necessary capacity (in terms of knowledge, attitudes and practices) for mainstreaming gender into humanitarian or longer term rehabilitation work. In responding to the needs mentioned above, Oxfam and its partners are planning to implement the 2 year “Syrian Voice and Accountability Project. The project aims to enhance preparedness of approximately 33,000 Syrian men and women to constructively engage in humanitarian, development and political processes through the following strands of work in Jordan and Lebanon: 1. Improving refugee access to resources, information and services; 2. Engaging women and men in activities which enable them to voice their needs/aspirations and the issues which affect them; 3. Capacity and resilience building to enhance the ability of refugees to engage with duty bearers and participate in decision-making processes; 4. Linking voices of ordinary Syrian men and women affected by the conflict to national, regional and international decision makers and fora; and 5. Capacity building of Syrian women’s rights CSOs and link the latter to their constituencies outside Syria. The proposed action will build on Oxfam’s humanitarian work, in particular through focusing on improved equal access to information and services and evidence based advocacy and lobbying work in order to contribute to improved responsiveness of international community to the plight of Syrian men and women, as a vehicle to empower Syrian women’s rights CSOs and women refugees, so when they go back home they would be in a better position to participate effectively in rebuilding their communities and country. This initiative is led by Oxfam GB in partnership with ARDD-LA (Jordan) and ABAAD (Lebanon), who will lead on the first four strands of the project, while Oxfam GB’s Gender hub in Lebanon will build on the ground work to ensure that Syrian refugee population engage on issues affecting their lives with key stakeholders. Moreover, the proposed action will conduct a mapping exercise to identify Syrian women’s rights organizations to not only benefit from capacity development interventions proposed under the action, but most importantly act as a partner in working with Syrian men and women in Jordan and Lebanon and lead and support on evidence based lobbying and advocacy work aimed at improving responsiveness of national, regional and international duty bearers. 1 According to UNHCR as of 8th of July, 2013 21/01/13, v3 Targeted Beneficiaries and targeted groups The project will target both Syrian men and women, with women constituting 70% of the direct project beneficiaries. The project will also target groups of community facilitators (which creation and capacity building is supported by the project) and duty bearers. Below is a breakdown of targeted beneficiaries per location: Country Locality Direct Beneficiaries Indirect Beneficiaries Male Female Male Female Jordan Zarqa 1,400 5,600 7,000 30,000 Mafraq/ Irbid 1,400 5,600 10,000 35,000 Amman 1,400 5,600 8,000 30,000 Sub-total targeted beneficiaries 4,200 16,800 25,000 95,000 Community facilitators 10 groups of 15 people each 5 groups of men and 5 groups of women Duty bearers Duty bearers. Includes UNHCR, UN OCHA, UNDP, UNRWA, The European Union and relevant dnor governments Lebanon Zahle/ Bekaa 500 1,800 5,000 20,000 Tyre 1,500 3,000 15,000 30,000 Tripoli 1,000 4,000 10,000 30,000 Sub-total targeted beneficiaries 3,000 8,800 30,000 80,000 Community facilitators 10 groups of 15 people each 5 groups of men and 5 groups of women Duty bearers Includes UNHCR, UN OCHA, UNDP, UNRWA, The European Union and relevant dnor governments GRAND TOTAL targeted beneficiaries 7,200 25,615 55,000 175,000 21/01/13, v3 Annex 2: Expected key tasks The expected key tasks of the consultancy are likely to include, but not be limited to, the following (for agreement upon appointment): 1. Desk review of the project’s key documents including but not limited to: a. Project proposal and logframe b. Pre identified data collection tools to be adapted c. Other relevant project M&E systems d. Report from mapping and assessment of services available (activity 1.1) e. Draft ToR of reference developed for the survey on needs, aspirations, concerns (activity 3.1) of Syrian refuges f. Existing protection surveys g. Relevant reports: Oxfam Live, Assessment report, and Shifting Sands. 2. Discussion with the experimentation team to ensure: a. Gathering expectations from for the MEAL processes and in particular during the pilot phase b. .Agree on detailed work plan c. Reviewing available resources for carrying out the MEAL during pilot phase and full project implementation 3. Review the logframe and when relevant suggest recommendations for improvement and output indicators for key project activities related to the pilot phase 4. Pilot the project’s approach to MEAL through testing and refining qualitative and quantitative tools and methods: Develop / adapt relevant qualitative and qualitative tools and methods to monitor project indicators (including including review and adaptation of pre-identified means of verification), agreed outputs and specific elements informing the pilot phase Field test of the MoV targeting final beneficiaries developed, collect feed back from Oxfam, partners and CFG and review of MoV Train Oxfam, partners and CFG to implement reviewed MoV with final beneficiaries and targeted services and groups Iterative implementation, review and adaptation of monitoring system on a micro-scale including quantitative and qualitative data collection, entry, analysis and quality control and on going learning, review and adaptation of monitoring system based on learning 5. Ongoing support the team in using data and feedback to rapidly design and adapt initial interventions (e.g. setting up effective community information dissemination mechanisms) and to learn from MEAL pilot and adapt 6. Ongoing capacity building and support to the experimentation team and community facilitators groups through a combination of formal training and supported on-the-job learning by doing. 7. Review and suggest revisions to the project’s existing logframe through an iterative process of testing and development in collaboration with the project team. 8. Review baseline and MEAL terms of reference and update according to learning and achievements from the pilot phase. 9. Render first draft consultancy report to Oxfam and partners for comments. The feedback will be provided within one (1) week after the submission of the draft report 10. Finalize the consultancy report within a week of receiving comments. The final report will be produced in one week (7 days) following date of submission of comments.