TERMS OF REFERENCE : CONDUCTING A BASELINE SURVEY FOR COVAW AILEPU PROJECT IN SUSWA, NAROK Consultancy

About Coalition on Violence Against Women

COVAW is a national non-profit women’s rights organization that was established in 1995 to respond to the silence of the Kenyan society in addressing Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG). Currently, COVAW focuses on five strategic areas as informed by its Strategic Plan 2018-2023, namely Access to Comprehensive SRHR and SGBV services, Access to Justice, Women’s Economic Empowerment, Women’s Leadership Development and Institutional Development. COVAW Strategic Plan 2018-2023 https://covaw.or.ke/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/COVAW-Strategic-Plan-2018-2023-Full-Version.pdf

COVAW’s vision is a society where women and girls enjoy equal rights, freedoms and thrive in safe spaces. COVAW’s mission is to champion the rights of women and girls to be free from all forms of violence. COVAW is guided by its core values of respect, integrity, solidarity and commitment in improving the lives of its primary beneficiaries – women and girls.

About the project

COVAW with support from Girl Generation (African Led Movement Programme) is implementing a one-year project on ending FGM in Narok County titled Ailepu (Maa for Arise). The project aims at accelerating community-based efforts towards ending FGC through triggering an uprising of a diverse and inclusive youth-led anti-FGM movement in Narok who will influence and shape evidence-based anti-FGC campaigns that are geared towards sustainable solutions.

COVAW will implement the project within Suswa area in Narok County in the following 6 villages; Oloshaiki, Inkoiriento, Inkilonkosi, Oletepesi, Kipise and Enariboo.

Project intended outcomes

COVAW intends to achieve the following outcomes;

• Outcome 1: Reduction in prevalence of FGC within Narok County from the current prevalence rate of 78%.
• Outcome 2: Enhanced application of a gender transformative approach on addressing social norms related to knowledge, attitudes, and practices of FGC.
• Outcome 3: A strong visible youth-led movement emerges from Narok and is influencing other FGM movement initiatives in Kenya.
• Outcome 4: Increased number of health workers spearheading or supporting end of FGC campaigns in Narok County.
• Outcome 5: Stronger organizations in terms of personnel skills, systems, structures and policies which will ensure efficiency in financial management, operations, mobilisation of resources and accountability to all stakeholders.
• Outcome 6: Increased retention of girls in primary school as a result of reduction in FGC prevalence.

About the consultancy

COVAW is seeking a consultant/ a firm to undertake baseline survey to identify factors influencing the practice of Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) among the communities residing in six villages in Suswa area.

Objectives of the baseline survey:

1. Establish the prevalence of FGM/C among the communities residing in Suswa area within the 6 identified villages; Oloshaiki, Inkoiriento, Inkilonkosi, Oltepesi, Kipise and Enariboo.
2. Document the economic, social, cultural and religious reasons for the practice and the trends and prevalence in the communities residing in Suswa.
3. To identify qualitative and quantitative baseline data for outcome and output indicators in the COVAW Results Framework that will guide in establishing the subsequent targets for the project.
4. Identify the key decision influencers in the 6 project implementation areas who can be used to influence other community members to abandon FGM/C and document cultural practices that impede the attainment of rights for women and girls
5. Identify partners working in the identified project areas and recommend ways of partnering with them.
6. To assess and identify key knowledge gaps, challenges and document lessons learnt during the study and provide recommendations for adaptation in the project implementation.

Methodology

The consultant will work with community members, anti-FGM ambassadors, key influencers, local leaders in the project implementation areas and COVAW staff during the baseline survey.

The consultant will collect both qualitative and quantitative data. Lessons learnt/challenges and recommendations will be generated from the data analysis and feedback from project participants.

Validation meeting

There will be a validation meeting to validate the baseline survey findings. The validation meeting will involve 20 key stakeholders such as community leaders, local community based organizations and other stakeholders within Suswa area.

Complying with evaluation standards

COVAW expects the consultant to adhere to the following evaluation standards;

• Community voice and representation: It is essential that the evaluation reflects the voices of communities involved in the project. Participants should be consulted as part of the evaluation, and their voices included in the evaluation report as direct quotes and case studies.
• Feedback: Consultant should commit to sharing key findings and recommendations back to the COVAW.
• Transparency and ethical standards: The evaluators should explain clearly to communities engaged in the evaluation what the purpose of the exercise is, and how their information will be used putting into consideration the ‘Do No Harm’ principle.
• Women’s and Girls’ rights: Women’s and girls’ rights must be respected in all evaluations. All evaluations should seek to explore how women and girls have been affected by an intervention and the effect on gender relations.
• Transparency about methodology: The evaluation should include a detailed and transparent discussion of the methodology used and key decisions taken in designing and implementing the evaluation. This should include information about the sampling (approach to sampling, numbers of people/communities covered, representation), what tools were used and why, methodological limitations and gaps.
• Disaggregated data: data must be disaggregated in as much detail as possible such as age, sex and areas of residence. Where possible data should also be disaggregated by other relevant factors such as disability.
• ***Safeguarding:***It is expected that the consultant will adhere to the following ethical guidelines and principles:

1. Informed consent: All respondents are expected to provide informed and written consent to participate in the study. If project beneficiaries are minor’s parents/guardian’s consent should be sought.
2. Confidentiality: Consultant to assure the project beneficiaries of confidentiality on responses they provide during the baseline survey process.
3. Respect for people: The consultant to respect the security, dignity, and self-worth of respondents, programme participants and other stakeholders.The consultant should evaluate and consider the diversity of different stakeholders and project beneficiaries.

Key deliverables for the consultant

The consultant will be required to submit the following:

1. A workplan outlining key activities and timelines
2. An inception report
3. Draft data collection tools for review and approval by COVAW
4. A draft baseline survey for review and input by COVAW
5. A final baseline survey report, together with summary report and annextures such as data collection tools, schedule of field visits and meetings; list of people interviewed; bibliography of key documents consulted; TOR for the evaluation
6. COVAW results framework populated with the baseline data against each indicator at outcome and output level.
7. A PowerPoint presentation summarizing key findings and recommendations that can be used to disseminate findings.
8. The raw data (all transcripts, quantitative data, data collection tools) must be handed over to COVAW together with the evaluation report including photos in high resolution format. The evaluation team must ensure photos are obtained in line with COVAW’s guidelines on consent. All deliverables must be based on evidence collected during the process e.g., photos, case studies, qualitative and quantitative data.

Duration of the consultancy

The assignment is expected to be carried out within a period of 21working days**. The likely start date is 13th of December, 2022.

Budget

The consultant is expected to give a detailed breakdown of the budget outlining the professional fees and administration costs. The budget should align with the work plan and demonstrate value for money.

Qualifications:

• A degree in social sciences from a well-recognized University
• At least five years’ experience in FGM/C women’s and girl’s rights, GBV, gender equality, and rights based approach programming.
• At least 5 years of experience in developing and carrying out monitoring and evaluation (MEL) systems, baselines, and evaluation design
• Experience and knowledge in conducting baseline surveys and assessments
• Excellent written and oral communication and analytical skills
• Proficiency in Maa language will be an added advantage

Tagged as: Coalition on Violence Against Women, Kenya