Consultancy: Gender Analysis

Terms of Reference

Gender Analysis – Oxfam in Lebanon

1. Background

Nine years into the Syrian Crisis, Lebanon hosts approximately 1.5m Syrian refugees including 924,161 registered with UNHCR as of August 2019[1]. Protection space for Syrian refugees continues to shrink, particularly in light of increasing barriers to legal status and of recent policies limiting access to work and adding pressures on refugees in the country. Moreover, high levels of WaSH vulnerabilities persist amongst refugees in the Bekaa, and tensions with host communities increasingly revolve around competition for water resources and the environmental and public health impacts of poor sanitation practices.

Syrian refugee women are disproportionately affected by this reality, as gendered inequalities and power imbalances are exacerbated in conflict and displacement, and patriarchal social norms are sustained. As per Oxfam in Lebanon’s most recent protection research[2], refuge has imposed new responsibilities on women, adding to the burden of unpaid care and domestic work that they already bear the brunt of. However, this has not translated into increased decision-making power over their lives and futures, or within their households and communities. Lack of or restricted access to WaSH adds implications on refugee women’s lives as they pay the heaviest price for poor sanitation and their needs are often deprioritized in household spending. Lack of legal status constrains Syrian men’s mobility, as they are more likely to be stopped or arrested, but as a result, women are the main commuters and families deprioritize their residency renewal, exposing them to increased risks of exploitation, violence and harassment. Syrian refugee women report high levels of isolation and lack of support networks, stemming from patriarchal communal dynamics which, to varying degrees, separate them from each other and confine them to private spheres, but also from displacement-related pressures and high levels of normalized SGBV and abuse[3]. 

Oxfam has been at the forefront of the humanitarian response in Lebanon, implementing life-saving interventions and conducting constant needs assessments and context analyses. Oxfam aims for all of its interventions to be gender-responsive and guided by its Minimum Standards for Gender in Emergencies[4].

Accordingly, Oxfam in Lebanon is looking to hire a consultant(s) to undertake a detailed gender analysis and provide recommendations to inform the design and implementation of future activities and programmes.

2. Objectives

The gender analysis will capture the gendered experiences and needs of Syrian refugee women and men in two of Oxfam’s areas of operations in North Bekaa; namely, Saide and Bouday. It will provide concrete and solid recommendations to inform the design and implementation of future interventions, ensuring that any assistance delivered responds to the distinct gendered needs of women and men. Accordingly, the gender analysis will have the following overall objectives:

1. Provide a deep understanding of gender dynamics and inequalities faced by Syrian refugee women and men in defined areas, including an analysis of power imbalances and relationships; norms, beliefs, and perceptions; access to and control over resources; practices, roles and gendered division of labour; and decision-making power, leadership and participation. 

2. Provide an assessment of the gendered implications of Oxfam’s WASH and Protection interventions, including recommendations for activity and programme design and implementation.

3. Methodology

The consultant(s) is expected to design and agree on the methodology and data collection tools, together with Oxfam’s Gender Advisor. The gender analysis should rely on qualitative approaches to ensure that the nuanced gendered experiences of women and men are properly captured.

The methodology should include a review of the available literature on the gendered realities of displacement, and particularly focusing on the experiences of Syrian refugee communities in Lebanon. It will also include a review of existing research and Monitoring and Evaluation reports produced by Oxfam in Lebanon, including Oxfam’s 2019 protection research on Syrian refugee women’s decision-making power and a research report on drivers and barriers to women’s economic participation and entrepreneurial activity.

4. Timeline and Deliverables

The gender analysis will be conducted between September and October 2019 by an external consultant(s). Below is the list of deliverables expected from the consultant(s) and to be included in the workplan:

Deliverable                                     Approximate number of days    Deadline

Submit technical proposal             N/A                     September 17th

Inception meeting                          0.5                       September 18th

Develop and agree on methodology and data collection tools with the Gender Advisor and Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Coordinator        0.5        September 18th

Conduct desk review of existing literature and Oxfam reports         2          September 20th

Conduct data collection exercises                           10        October 4th  

Conduct data analysis and submit first draft (in English)      5          October 11th

(Oxfam reviews first draft and provides feedback)   -           October 15th

Receive and incorporate feedback into report through first round of revision        1          October 16th

(Oxfam reviews second draft and provides feedback)        -           October 18th

Receive and incorporate feedback into report through second round of revision 0.5        October 21st

Facilitate a half day workshop (in English and Arabic) with Oxfam to present and discuss recommendations                                                        1                          October 22nd

Incorporate any adjustment from workshop and submit final report           1.5        October 23rd

Total number of working days        21 days

5. Reporting Line

The consultant(s) will report to the Gender Advisor.

6. Budget

The maximum budget for this assignment is 11,000 USD.

7. Payment schedule

Deliverable                                           Deadline                            Payment (%)

Upon contract signature                     September 18                   30%

Upon Oxfam’s approval of the final report  October 23               70%

8. Profile and requirements

The consultant(s) will have:

• Required availability for September and October 2019
• Demonstrated experience in conducting research, assessments and analyses related to gender justice in Lebanon or the MENA region;
• Proven qualitative research skills, in terms of design, analysis, and report-writing;
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills in English and Arabic;
• Previous involvement in gender justice programming and/or in humanitarian programming in Lebanon (preferred);

9. Working Conditions
   • The consultant(s) is expected to carry out the duties within the agreed timeframe.
   • The consultant(s) is expected to conduct fieldwork in two of Oxfam’s areas of operations in North Bekaa and is recommended to stay on the field during the data collection phase to ensure that deadlines are met.
   • Oxfam will support the consultant(s) in identifying potential research participants.
   • Oxfam will provide the consultant(s) with assessments and research reports produced by Oxfam in Lebanon.
   • The consultant will work closely with the Gender Advisor and MEAL Coordinator to design the methodology and tools as well as the final report.
   • The consultant(s) will follow data protection guidelines shared by Oxfam in Lebanon and is expected to deliver all raw data collected.

Interested individuals or teams must submit their technical proposals by the deadline, September 17th, 2019.

The technical proposal should include:

• A methodology for achieving the above objectives and deliverables;
• A detailed work plan, in-line with the timeline and deliverables section above, including number of days;
• A budget for achieving the above assignment;
• The Curriculum Vitae for all consultants on the team;
• List of previous experiences that are similar and/or relevant to this consultancy;
• At least two samples of similar work.

[1] UNHCR (2019). Syria Regional Refugee Response. UNHCR: https://data2.unhcr.org/en/situations/syria/location/71

[2] El Asmar, F., Shawaf, N. & Mikdashi, D. (Forthcoming, September 2019). "No one asked..." Amplifying the voices of Syrian refugee women in Lebanon on their power to decide. Oxfam.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Minimum Standards for Gender in Emergencies (2013), Oxfam International: https://www.gdnonline.org/resources/ml-oxfam-gender-emergencies-minimum-standards-291113-en_0.pdf