Consultancy For Final Evaluation - Women's Access To Justice In The Mena Region

1. Background: In partnership with leading civil society organisations and with funding from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), Oxfam GB is implementing a three-year project aiming at enhancing women’s access to justice in the Middle East and North Africa region (May 2011 - April 2014). The project is currently implemented in Lebanon, Jordan, and Iraq. Oxfam GB proposed a model of change based on building social movements for positive changes at individual, community, institutional and policy levels. In line with Oxfam GB’s corporate ‘one programme’ approach, apart from direct action and capacity building the national level advocacy will take place in all targeted countries together with direct implementation of community-level work. Programmatic approaches are focused on (1) direct work with women on the ground to develop innovative legal service provision models (2) community based work to gain support among different sectors of the society (religious scholars, Islamic NGOs, legislators, families and communities) through dialogue and awareness raising and (3) awareness raising and engagement with legal and judiciary institutions to influence attitudes, practices and polices (4) advocacy, learning, and linking at national and regional levels to influence the reform agenda in favour for women’s access to justice. The Overall objective of the programme is: To contribute to just outcomes/verdicts for poor women which lead to reduced vulnerability and suffering in the Middle East and North Africa. Specifically, the project purpose is: Improvement in quality of legal services for poor and vulnerable women in the Middle East and North Africa. The following outcomes are expected to be achieved by the end of the three-year programme: Outcome 1: More women in target countries able to access legal services  Outcome 2: Community leaders advocate for women’s access to justice in public Outcome 3: Lawyers syndicates and bar associations increase provision of free legal services for vulnerable women Outcome 4: Improved attitudes and practices of police and judicial officials towards women’s access to justice in each target country Outcome 5: CSOs influence policy reforms on women’s access to justice in the Middle East and North Africa 2. Purpose of the Final Evaluation (FE) The FE’s purpose is to enable Oxfam and implementing partners to review project process, evaluate its results, and document lessons learnt in order to guide the development of phase 2. The evaluation shall specifically seek to achieve the following: -          Assess project impact by identifying changes in people’s lives, as compared to beginning of the project (end-line compared with baseline) and set objectives, outcomes and outputs, and inform project final reporting; -          Highlight project successes and shortcomings (both at theory of change and implementation levels) and identify significant factors that facilitated or impeded the delivery of outputs, outcomes, purpose and overall objective; -          Identify key lessons learnt from the present project, and incorporate them in recommendations for design of Phase 2, including review of the suggested theory of change. 3. Methodology: The selected evaluator/consultant is anticipated to be as independent as possible and will work with Oxfam team to refine and agree on the final methodology, but it is expected that the latter will include the below components: -          Desk review (of programme design documents i.e. proposal, log-frame, theory of change, baseline study, monitoring data, as well as reports and produced documents/publications); -          Field visits to Lebanon (Mount Lebanon), Jordan (Zarqa), and North Iraq - Kurdistan (Shamshamal) including: Meeting with OGB programme staff and partner organisations Survey with a representative sample of project target groups and final beneficiaries Focus group discussions with different groups of project beneficiaries using participatory techniques; Interview with key stakeholders; It is important to note that Oxfam seeks to have a participatory evaluation approach. The task will be very much aiming at participatory review and learning exercise for the project team (Oxfam and partners) and when possible key stakeholders. The evaluation will be based on evidence as per logframe indicators as well as other relevant data and source of information. 4. Suggested Evaluation Questions The evaluation will cover at least the 3 main areas outlined in Oxfam evaluation policy: -          Progress towards a program’s or projects outcomes and impact; -          Oxfam’s contribution and value-added to the programme ; -          The programme cost effectiveness The evaluation is also expected to cover several additional areas in line with the DAC criteria (Relevance, Effectiveness, Efficiency, Impact, and Sustainability)   Suggested evaluation questions will be refined in conjunction with the successful consultant(s). 1.       What significant changes have occurred in women’s lives and to what extent are these likely to be sustained? (impact) What has been the impact of interventions on targeted women’s lives in the three countries in particular in relation to access to justice? Are there differences between different groups and locations? How has the project positively contributed to improving their lives and reducing their vulnerabilities? How far did the project result in an improvement of quality of legal services for poor and vulnerable women? Are there any unexpected outcomes? What are the project’s shortcomings and their internal/external factors? How far has working with community leaders and institutions had a positive effect on advancing women’s access to justice? What indications do we have that the changes that the project has contributed to for enhanced women’s access to justice will last?   How far has greater equity been achieved between women and men and other groups? What was the contribution of WAJ to women’s overall empowerment and gender equality in the three countries? Was OGB and partners’ approach in addressing gender effective? Has the approach of involving community leaders positively impacted gender equality? Did the overall project intervention create or contribute to any adverse effect related to gender equality?   What changes in policies, practices, ideas, beliefs and attitudes have occurred in specific institutions, groups and individuals? Have women’s knowledge, understanding and perception of their legal right entitlement changed? How far have women engaged in claiming their rights? Have community leaders, lawyers and court official changed their knowledge, understanding, and attitudes towards women’s access to justice? How far are community leaders engaged in advocating for women’s access to justice? Have lawyers’ increased provision of pro-bono services for women? Have attitudes of court officials towards women in court changed positively? Has the number of court rulings in favour of women increased in the targeted courts as compared to baseline? Has the project contributed in bringing about any positive change in policies? What are the changes in beliefs, practices, and policies that women perceive in their communities and judicial institutions? How far has the project contributed to these changes? What was its added-value?   How effectively and appropriately have those the project seeks to benefit been involved at relevant stages through the process? Have far have women from target communities been involved in the design, implementation, and monitoring of the project? How far have community leaders, lawyers, and court officials been involved in the project? How was women’s and other beneficiaries’ feedback sought? Did the intervention suit priorities and policies of people and communities it is intended to benefit? Did the project define specific tools and approaches to enhance participation of beneficiaries and accountability?   How effectively and appropriately have we worked with others and involved them in relevant stages through the process? How far was the engagement of community leaders effective and enough to support women access to justice in targeted communities? What other actions the project could have implemented and/or could implement in phase 2 with communities to increase women’s access to justice? How and how far were local partners involved in programme management? What were the factors contributing to or impeding partners’ involvement (availability, interest, capacities...)? What have been the benefits of or difficulties with this involvement? What difference did the partnership make to the programme achievements? What has been Oxfam added value to the partnership? How far did the project enhance or contribute in enhancing networking and relations between partner organisations and their constituencies and other CBOs/NGOs/relevant stakeholders?   How effectively and efficiently have our resources been used? How well did partnership and management arrangements work and how did they develop over time? How well did financial systems work? Which strategies have proven to be more effective/influential to achieve the outcomes? What have we done to ensure sustainability of approaches and benefits? What are the prospects of sustainability of benefits, services, and some key activities after the funding stops? What are the recommendations for strengthening sustainability in future project stages? Could the project have allocated resources in a different ways with better outcomes? How cost effective was the project as a whole, and in some particular elements?   To what degree have we learnt from this experience and shared the learning with others and ourselves? What will we now do differently, or what will we do more of? How well were the activities, outputs, outcomes and impact monitored? Which part of the programme MEAL system worked well and what can be improved? Which systems and mechanisms give a clear link between activities, outputs, outcomes and the impact? What are the improvements that can be done? Did the project establish mechanisms for joint learning and experience-sharing? Were learning of the project communicated to partner organisations, beneficiaries, and stakeholders? Did learning contribute in enhancing capacities of staff? How far has the learning been used to improve the quality, outcome and impact of the programme? Was learning from this project used in other projects implemented by partner organisations? What are the main lessons learnt? What are conditions and choices for replication and/or scaling up of this project? 4. Evaluation Process and Timeline: The consultancy is expected to take place between 15 January 2014 and 3 March 2014. Please note that reviews will be made on a rolling basis and appointment may be done before deadline. Time-frame will be flexible based on availability and proposed methodology. Action By when Who Submission of applications to Oxfam 7 January 2014 Oxfam Review of applications; short-listing; appointment 15 January 2014 Oxfam Review of key documents and Interview with key informants for elaboration of methodology 21 January 2014 Consultant Agreement on evaluation plan and methodology 27 January 2014 Oxfam, partners, and consultant Conducting FE 28 January to 12 February 2014 Consultant One-day meeting for presentation of initial findings 14 February 2014 Consultant Submission of first draft of FE report 17 February 2014 Consultant Comments and feedback on draft 24 February 2014 Oxfam and Partners Submission of final report 3 March 2014 Consultant 5. Outputs: Expected outputs include: -          An agreed evaluation plan and methodology -          A presentation of initial evaluation findings/first draft for discussion with Oxfam and partners -          A draft report of the evaluation: The Consultant is responsible for submitting a draft report (electronic copy) within 10 days after completion of the evaluation. The feedback will be provided within one (1) week after the submission of the draft report -          Full final evaluation report, of approximately 30 pages, of publishable quality with a stand-alone executive summary of no more than 4 pages. The final report will be produced in one week (7 days) following date of submission of comments. It will include changes/modifications, agreed between Oxfam and the consultant. Main report sections are as follows (Details of the report outlines will be shared and discussed with the Supervisor upon contracting): Executive Summary Introduction Evaluation Findings/answered questions Conclusion and lessons Learned Recommendations The report shall systematically answer the key questions asked, fairly and clearly represent views of different actors/ stakeholders, and give the clear conclusions substantiated by the available evidence. In addition, the final report should contain the following annexes, as well as any other relevant material: Initial and final Terms of Reference for the evaluation Itinerary and final timetable List of events attended List of persons interviewed List of documents reviewed Summary of field visit Workshop presentation of findings 6. Governance and management of the evaluation: The Consultant will directly report to the Women’s Access to Justice in the MENA Region Programme Manager The Consultant will work closely and in consultation with Oxfam and partners project team in each country. 7. Budget: The budget for this task is approximately 30,000 USD including all type of expenses (travel, per-diem, transportation, calls, etc.). Payment will be done in two instalments: 25% upon contract signature and 75% upon approval of the final report by Oxfam.