Terms of Reference to conduct a Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) Assessment

Terms of Reference to conduct a Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) Assessment for World Vision Timor-Leste’s Better Food Better Health (BFBH) and Towards a Future Free from Violence (TFFV) projects.

1. Background

World Vision is a Christian relief, development, and advocacy organization dedicated to working with children, families, and communities to overcome poverty and injustice. Inspired by our Christian values, we work with the world’s most vulnerable people. Our mission is ‘Healthy children for strong communities. We recognize that children’s health is holistic in nature and includes their physical, mental, intellectual, and social well-being. We aim to empower Timorese children to transform their lives, in partnership with their families and communities. We have four Area Programs implementing projects in four municipalities: Aileu, Baucau, Bobonaro, and Covalima.

World Vision Timor-Leste is currently implementing two projects funded by the Australian Government through ANCP and World Vision Australia (WVA) that require a combined GEDSI assessment: Better Food Better Health (BFBH) and Towards a Future Free from Violence (TFFV). Both projects are entering Phase 2 (2022-27) after the successful implementation of Phase

1. Toward a Future Free from Violence (TFFV) Phase 2

TFFV Phase 2 project is to be implemented in two WVTL Area Programs, Baucau and Aileu, and aims to ensure that women, men, boys, and girls are equal, safe, and respect each other. Phase 2 of the project will build on learnings and achievements from TFFV Phase 1 and seeks to prevent violence against women and children by supporting targeted groups to gain skills to resolve conflict, manage behavior and interact without violence. TFFV also seeks to strengthen and improve the quality of community responses to violence by supporting people and service providers who are responsible for acting when violence against women and children occurs. The project will also work closely with the local organization of people with disabilities (OPD), Ra’es Hadomi Timor Oan (RHTO), to help identify households with persons with disability and to ensure project activities are inclusive and build community understanding of disability inclusion.

1. 1. Better Food Better Health (BFBH) Phase 2

BFBH Phase 2 aims to improve access, utilization, and demand for diverse, nutritious foods for people in Aileu, Baucau, Bobonaro, and Covalima municipalities. Building on the success of Phase 1, the project aims to reduce undernutrition and anemia through improved production, utilization, and demand for nutritionally-diverse foods. This nutrition-sensitive agriculture approach enhances year-round availability and access to nutritious ‘superfoods’ high in protein and iron. Towards sustainability of results, the project will support savings groups, farmers’ groups, and food processing producer groups, including support to improve market access. The private sector will be engaged to help remove barriers to the scale-up of superfood products for the local and national markets. The project will also educate communities on their rights to key services and advocate for improved health services.

1. Purpose & Scope of GEDSI Assessment

The primary purpose of the assessment is to collect and analyze information and data relating to gender equality, disability, and social inclusion (GEDSI) in the contexts the two projects operate. The GEDSI assessment aims to improve project staff and community partners’ understanding of the current situation and relevant GEDSI issues in the project areas. This includes identifying GEDSI barriers, opportunities, vulnerabilities, capacities, and resources.

The findings of the assessment will inform the design, planned interventions and the monitoring and evaluation framework, and identification of operational and/or design changes to strengthen GEDSI inclusion and empowerment opportunities. The primary audience for this assessment is the World Vision Timor-Leste Field Office and WVA project design team; with findings from this analysis providing the basis for the design stage. However, key findings will also be shared with stakeholders.

The objectives of conducting the GEDSI Assessment are to:

1. Identify the GEDSI barriers of targeted groups, particularly women and people with disability, in participation in the Project activities, and produce recommendations for 1) addressing GEDSI issues; and 2) increasing participation in targeted project areas.

2. Compile relevant gender and disability-related prevalence data at the country and project levels (depending on available data).

3. Examine underlying formal and informal systems and structures of power (legal, economic, political, environmental, social) and how they affect and influence access for women, men, boys, and girls with and without disability in the project areas.

4. Map gender and disability-related structures and services and identify opportunities to engage with them.

5. Assess how socio-cultural norms and practices affect women, men, girls, and boys with and without disability in the target sectors – nutrition, agriculture, and violence against women and children; and identify opportunities for shifting harmful norms and promoting GEDSI in the context of the project’s outcomes and interventions.

6. Methodology

   1. Secondary and Primary Data Analysis

A review of relevant documents from secondary sources will be conducted to identify the information already available. Desk-based research to analyze the relevant World Vision and broader Timor-Leste GEDSI context will include:

1. BFBH and TFFV project documents – baseline report, annual report, midterm review report, quarter reflection report, and end line report
2. Other WVTL Projects – GEDSI assessments and GEDSI Action Plan evaluations.
3. External documents, including government and non-government organizations’ assessments related to gender, disability, and social inclusion.

World Vision expects the consultant to rely on existing secondary data to relieve further consultation pressures with communities. Where there is no secondary data available, key informant interviews (KIIs) will be conducted at the National and Municipality levels. The selection of key informants will be based on the objectives and gaps identified in the secondary data review.

1. Reporting

The final report will compile the findings of the primary and secondary data analysis. The report must include the following:

• Assessment of research findings from the perspective of the assessment objectives and project aims and activities
• Recommendations for project implementation, specific to BFBH and TFFV.
• Recommendations for monitoring GEDSI progress across the life of the program.
• The consultant is requested to use the WVI GESI Theory of Change for the recommendation section.

1. Responsibilities
   1. Responsibilities for the consultant
2. Conduct an in-depth GEDSI assessment to uncover the social norms, beliefs, practices, and attitudes underlying the differences in needs, constraints, and opportunities;
3. Develop data collection tools and provide an orientation to WVTL staff to utilize these effectively.
4. Provide World Vision with all draft deliverables for review and approval.
5. Conduct a detailed and comprehensive desk review using varied reports and data. The consultant is expected to be creative and exploratory in sourcing appropriate external documents (including assessments and evaluations).
6. Conduct qualitative and quantitative (from secondary data) analysis using an intersectional lens and including comparisons with age band, gender (girls and boys, women and men), disability dimensions, location, and other applicable social groups.
7. Present the preliminary findings internally to World Vision project teams.
8. Develop a comprehensive GEDSI Assessment report.
9. Conduct workshops to discuss findings and recommendations with World Vision project teams, partners, and other select stakeholders.

Scope Responsibilities for World Vision

1. Conduct a review of and provide timely feedback and approval of all draft deliverables.
2. Provide an illustrative list of secondary data, made available to the consultant before the start of data collection activities.
3. Provide basic translation services, such as translation of KII documents.
4. Provide WVTL staff to conduct KIIs.
5. Identify necessary people to be involved with reviews and presentations.
6. Provide a list of recommended key informants.
7. Consultant Deliverables
8. Approved GEDSI Inception report with detailed methodology on how the GESI Assessment will be conducted, together with GEDSI data collection tools.
9. Orientation session for WVTL data collection team.
10. Approved GEDSI Assessment report including executive summary report (3-5 pages) and PowerPoint (10-15 slides)
11. Submission of working files, raw data, and final data.
12. Presentation of findings and recommendations.

Instructions to Applicants

The interested Consulting firm/Consultant should submit their technical and financial proposals to World Vision Timor-Leste and should include:

1. understanding of the terms of reference, proposed methodology, and a time schedule for the assignment (should not exceed 10 pages);
2. the profile/ CV of the consultant which clearly demonstrates experience and qualification to carry out the assignment. If the consultant plans to engage any team members, their profiles/CVs should be submitted as well;
3. a detailed breakdown of indicative professional fees and costs;
4. contact details for three (3) professional referees who we can contact for quality assurance of the consultant’s work.
5. The start date for this work will be on the contract signature date.

Qualifications:

1. Minimum of 5 years experience in analysis or implementation of gender equality and disability inclusion in humanitarian and/or development context (ideally in intersection with violence prevention, agriculture, or nutrition)
2. Post-graduate degree in social sciences, gender studies, disability studies, human rights, or another relevant field;
3. Proven knowledge and verifiable experience (with sample reports and referees) in conducting GEDSI, gender, and/or disability analysis/ assessments;
4. Understanding of the practical challenges pertaining to the development and use of gender analysis and disability inclusion assessment tools.
5. A solid grounding in mixed method approaches that combine qualitative and quantitative methods.
6. Excellent communication and presentation skills, particularly English Report Writing Skills
7. Fluency in Tetum will be an advantage
8. Previous experience in Timor-Leste or South East Asia would be an advantage
9. Familiarity with World Vision models and approaches to programming would be an advantage