International Consultant to jointly conduct a Final Independent Evaluation of the project “Implementation of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda in Sri Lanka” (Non-Sri Lankan Citizens)

Consultant

Overview

Conduct an independent final evaluation of a peace and security project in Sri Lanka.

You have:

• Master's degree in relevant disciplines (gender, conflict studies, peacebuilding, international development, social sciences, or related fields)
• At least 5 years of experience in designing and conducting program evaluation in a peacebuilding context
• Experience leading an evaluation team
• Proven knowledge and understanding of M&E methodologies, including qualitative and quantitative data analysis skills
• Proficiency in English
• Experience in conducting and managing gender-responsive evaluations in Sri Lanka and/or South Asia
• Ability to produce high-quality reports and manage diverse perspectives in communications and consultations

Contract

This is a International Consultant contract. More about International Consultant contracts.

Background

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security.

In post-conflict Sri Lanka, women were and are often excluded from decision-making processes that determine power distribution, wealth-sharing patterns, socio-economic development priorities and approaches to justice. There is a compelling body of research noting the intersectional forms of exploitation and vulnerabilities experienced by women based on the factors of gender-based discrimination, poverty, conflict and violence-related trauma and limited support structures to overcome multiple burdens. Security remains a primary concern for all women and girls due to the high levels of violence and lack of access to justice. According to the Women’s Wellbeing Survey (2019), conducted by the Department of Census and Statistics, 20.4% of women in Sri Lanka were reportedly subject to domestic violence by their intimate partner. However, statistically only 1% of survivors of violence use the legal mechanisms to report cases (Women in Need, 2019).

Since the end of the armed conflict in 2009, Sri Lanka has made several commitments to peacebuilding, reconciliation, and good governance, which represent a historic opportunity to advance accountability and reconciliation as necessary steps towards sustainable peace. The Sri Lanka Peacebuilding Priority Plan (PPP) 2016, jointly developed by the Government of Sri Lanka and the UN, places special emphasis on women’s meaningful and effective participation and contribution to peacebuilding. It aims to ensure that peacebuilding initiatives in Sri Lanka leverage women’s capacities and contributions and develop strategies for inclusion which recognize their roles and diverse experiences of conflict. However, in order to effectively engage with the gendered dynamics of peace, security and rising intolerance, it is critical that prevention and response efforts prioritize women’s rights, empowerment, participation and leadership at all levels, including local and community levels.

It is within this context that the Government of Japan has extended support to the Government of Sri Lanka through UN Women to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1325 and subsequent resolutions, including Resolution 2242 (2015) which calls for governments to ensure the participation and leadership of women’s organizations in devising strategies to counter intolerance and violence in conflict related and post conflict contexts. Accordingly, UN Women, in partnership with Ministry of Women, Child Affairs and Social Empowerment, has begun implementation of the project “Implementation of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda in Sri Lanka (G7 Women, Peace and Security Partnerships Initiative)” in January 2020.

UN Women Sri Lanka is recruiting an international consultant, as part of a two-member team composed of an international and a national consultant, to jointly conduct an independent final evaluation coinciding with the project’s expected closure on 31 December 2022. The international consultant must lead the evaluation process and shall be responsible for conducting the evaluation of the abovementioned project with the input and support of the national consultant. For this purpose, the international consultant will be required to provide technical guidance and lead fieldwork, meetings and interviews if necessary, analyse data collected and compiled by the national consultant, lead the report drafting and related presentations, and ensure overall quality assurance.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Initiated in January 2020, with a total budget of $ 1,995,058, the “Implementation of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda in Sri Lanka (G7 Women, Peace and Security Partnerships Initiative)” project aims to empower women including those in vulnerable situations, to strengthen the peacebuilding process and social cohesion in Sri Lanka including through implementation of the National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security (NAP WPS). This is the main outcome of the project and its associated outputs, which has adopted a three-pronged approach to achieve the said outcome. The project is funded by the Government of Japan and is implemented by UN Women (convening and lead recipient agency) and Chrysalis (responsible partner).

Lockdowns, physical gathering and travel restrictions imposed to contain the COVID-19 pandemic during most of the project period severely affected and delayed the delivery of results and required re-strategizing plans for alternative methods of implementation. In August 2021, the project was approved for a one-year no-cost extension until 31 December 2022.

Geographic Coverage: Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa (North Central Province), Badulla, Moneragala (Uva Province), Ratnapura, Kegalle, Ratnapura (Sabaragamuwa Province), Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara (Western Province), Ampara, Batticaloa (Eastern Province), Jaffna, Vavuniya (Northern Province), Mannar (North Western Province)

It is a focused initiative (with quantifiable indicators) set to ensure that the project targets national policy, community, knowledge sharing on women, peace and security agenda, with 3 mutually reinforcing outputs.

OUTCOME: Women, including those in vulnerable situations, will be empowered to strengthen the peacebuilding process and social cohesion in Sri Lanka including through implementation of the NAP WPS

OUTPUTS:

1. The project aims to facilitate the creation of an enabling environment for validating and implementing policies on women, peace and security is promoted, including through support to the government and CSOs.
2. Women and women’s groups, including grassroots women and the most marginalized, have capacity, resources and skills to promote peace and social cohesion at the community level. This output promotes social cohesion and women’s economic empowerment including through the transfer of assets and refurbishment of government buildings such as economic centers etc.
3. Coordination and knowledge exchange at local, national and regional level is fostered including by acting as the national secretariat for the G7 WPS initiative.

Stakeholders: Ministries and national-level officers, Local Government Authorities and its councillors, particularly women councillors, Local administrative structures and its officers, Women Community Leaders and Women CBOs, Religious Leaders, marginalised groups of women, youth and men, development partners including the G7 representatives and 665 expected direct beneficiaries of the project.

PURPOSE, OBJECTIVES & SCOPE

The UN Women Sri Lanka Country office will engage two evaluation consultants (one international and one national) to conduct the final independent evaluation of the Project. The purpose of this evaluation is to provide useful learning to support evidence-based decision making, demonstrate accountability to donors and stakeholders, and inform and guide future peacebuilding programming at UN Women Sri Lanka and the UN Women Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific. It will also inform programming of other UN agencies such as UNDP, and government institutions like the Ministry of Women, Child Affairs and Social Empowerment focused on women's engagement in the context of peacebuilding.

The objectives of the final evaluation are:

• to assess the project’s progress towards the expected outputs and outcomes set forth in the project results framework along the OECD-DAC criteria: relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability, and gender equality and human rights;
• to assess to what extent the project has engaged with women, men, decision makers at the national and local authority level on matters related to women, peace and security;
• to assess the level of cooperation/networking and coordination amongst key stakeholders of the project: implementing partner, Ministry in charge of women and child affairs, Sri Lanka Womens’ Bureau, District Secretariats (Moneragala, Ampara, Batticaloa, Vavuniya and Jaffna), project direct beneficiaries, consultants involved in the project, and contractors involved in the project;
• to assess the benefits of engaging women in peacebuilding as a means to promote gender equality, women’s empowerment, diffusing triggers of violence, as proposed by the project;
• to identify and validate lessons learnt, good practices, and examples of interventions that support the implementation of the WPS agenda; and
• to provide a set of clear, forward-looking, actionable recommendations for UN Women interventions, and generate knowledge to inform replicable, scaled-up interventions and guide future peacebuilding programming;

Scope of the Evaluation

Geographical coverage: The project is implemented at national and sub-national levels including the districts of Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa (North Central Province), Badulla, Moneragala (Uva Province), Ratnapura, Kegalle, Ratnapura (Sabaragamuwa Province), Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara (Western Province), Ampara, Batticaloa (Eastern Province), Jaffna, Vavuniya (Northern Province), Mannar (North Western Province).

Timeline: this evaluation will cover the project implementation from 01 January 2020 – 30 December 2022.

The final evaluation will primarily answer the following questions outlined in the Evaluation Criteria provided below. These questions are only indicative, and the consultants are expected to jointly review and propose revisions at the inception stage. It will be finalized in consultation with UN Women during the inception stage.

Evaluation Criteria:

Relevance: the extent to which the project has contributed to addressing the needs identified in its design

• To what extent were the project’s strategies relevant to local and national contexts and aligned with national priorities?

• How has the project adapted to contextual changes, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic crisis, in order to remain relevant?

• To what extent did the project align with and address the needs and priorities of the intended beneficiaries and the principle of “leaving no one behind”?

Coherence: the extent to which the project addresses synergies and interlinkages with UN Women’s overall programming on WPS (internal coherence) and complements other actors’ interventions on WPS in Sri Lanka (external coherence).

• To what extent is the project coherent internally? Is the project aligned with UN Women’s strategic planning?

• To what extent is the project coherent with the overall WPS Agenda?

• What is the comparative advantage of UN Women in the implementation of the WPS Agenda, compared with other UN entities and key partners in Sri Lanka? To what extent has the project capitalized on its comparative advantage?

• To what extent is the project coherent externally with the interventions of other development actors in Sri Lanka (particularly within the UN system)?

Effectiveness: the extent to which the project has contributed towards its delivering outputs to achieve the outcomes targeting the beneficiaries to reach output and outcome-level results

• To what extent did the project deliver planned outputs?

• To what extent did the output level interventions translate into progress towards outcomes?

• To what extent has the project contributed to promoting women’s meaningful engagement in conflict prevention and social cohesion at the community level?

• To what extent have capacities of duty-bearers and rights-holders been strengthened as a result of the project?

• Were there any unexpected results (either positive or negative)?

• How did the project minimize the unintended negative consequences (dividers) and built on the positive consequences (connectors)?

• What were the reasons for the achievement or non-achievement of planned results?

• To what extent did the project make timely adjustments to its strategy to maintain its relevance and effectiveness?

• How have stakeholders’ engagement on WPS changed as a result of this project? Which stakeholders have been newly engaged as a result of the project?

• What measurable changes in gender equality and women’s empowerment have occurred as a result of the project?

Efficiency: the extent to which the project was efficiently managed, implemented and has delivered quality outputs, against what was planned (including official amendments)

• Have financial and human resources been allocated sufficiently and strategically to achieve project outcomes?

• Have the outputs been delivered in a timely manner?

• Have UN Women’s organizational structures, systems and mechanisms effectively supported delivery of the project?

• Are the changes/results observed worth the resources spent?

• How efficient was the project coordination between UN Women and Implementing Partner, including clarity of roles and accountabilities, monitoring and reporting, and potential added value?

Sustainability: the extent to which the project has potential for sustainability

• To what extent has the project developed the capacity of government stakeholders, community leaders and other beneficiaries to ensure sustainability of efforts and benefits beyond the project?

• Are national partners committed to continuing the project or elements of the project?

• Are there any mechanisms developed and/or interventions linked with existing mechanisms at local and national levels to ensure continuation?

Gender Equality and Human Rights: the extent to which the project has integrated gender, human rights and disability inclusion into the program design and implementation

• To what extent have gender equality, disability inclusion and human rights considerations been integrated into the project design and implementation? How to better incorporate them?

• To what extent did the project address and respond to existing power dynamics and gender relations?

Apart from the criteria, gender is cross-cutting and, gender aspects should be considered in all areas of analysis. In addition to answering the above questions, the evaluation should be accompanied by an update of the higher-level indicators in the project’s Results Framework (RF) based on its findings.

EVALUATION DESIGN (PROCESS AND METHODS)

The final evaluation will be an impartial, transparent and participatory process involving relevant stakeholders and partners. The overall evaluation design will be non-experimental and rely primarily on mixed-methods data collection and analysis aligned with the principles of gender equality and human rights. The rationale behind key methodological decisions, including sample selection and data collection tool development and administration, and their limitations should be systematically elaborated in the evaluation outputs. To ensure accuracy and credibility of the findings, data should be triangulated with the use of multiple primary and secondary data collection methods and sources, including but not limited to desk reviews, document analysis, survey, key informant interviews with identified key stakeholders and case studies, and reviewed and validated through consultations with the evaluation management and reference groups.

The process of evaluation shall include the following 4 phases:

• Preparation: Stakeholder analysis and establishment of the reference group, development of the ToR, and recruitment of the evaluation team

• Conduct the evaluation rapid evaluability assessment (REA), inception report, stakeholder workshop, data collection and analysis

• Reporting: Presentation of preliminary findings, draft and final reports

•Use and follow up: Management response, dissemination of the report, and follow up to the implementation of the management response

Covering the entire project life cycle from January 2020 to December 2022, the evaluation will produce a stand-alone Final Evaluation Report. Subsequently the findings will be incorporated in the final project report to the Government of Japan highlighting overall achievements, lessons learned and best practices. The evaluation methodology would enable achievement of the evaluation purpose, be aligned with the evaluation approach, and be designed to address the evaluation criteria and answer the key questions through credible techniques for data collection and analysis.

Therefore, methodology for the evaluation shall include:

Evaluation design and approaches: the evaluation will adopt a theory-based approach and the evaluators are expected to reconstruct a theory of change. The evaluation should adopt a gender-responsive methodological approach, use disaggregated data and qualitative analysis where necessary. In view of the ongoing crisis, the evaluation will be guided first and foremost by the ‘Do No Harm’ principle and will adjust its methodology as required in the process to adhere to ethics and safety guidelines. Accordingly, a flexible approach will be adopted, and the methodology will be finalized at the inception stage. The inception report will be reviewed and approved by UN Women, before moving onto the data collection phase.

Data collection methods and sources: Mixed data collection methods should be used as well as on-line and/or off-line data/information collection from the key project stakeholders (beneficiaries, the associated government and non-government agencies, the project responsible partner, etc.). The evaluators will finalize the list of key stakeholders/informants and the appropriate data collection methods for each informant category (such as semi-structured or in-depth interviews, expert interviews, focus groups), which will be chosen in close coordination with the project team.

A sampling methodology for data collection should be developed. The analysis will be built on triangulating information collected from different stakeholders (project staff, project implementing partners, stakeholders, and beneficiaries) through different methods including secondary data and documentation review and primary data.

Data collection will encompass national and district levels within the districts in which project activities were carried out. The district level data collection shall include Ampara, Monaragala, Batticaloa, Vavuniya and Jaffna districts (and any other sites as proposed by the consultants).

Regular meetings will be organized with the evaluation reference committee and the project team as the main entity for project implementation, informing on and verifying the stage of evaluation, seeking relevant data and coordinating organizational issues. It should critically examine the information gathered from the various sources and synthesize the information in an objective manner. If contradictory information is obtained from different stakeholders, an effort should be made to understand the reasons for such information, including any gender-based factors and differences. The evaluation must provide evidence-based information that is credible, reliable and useful.

The Evaluators/consultants shall review the following documents before conducting any interviews: Project documentation, progress reports (baseline, end-line and annual report), work plans, monitoring data, workshop reports, country data, policies, legal documents, etc. The preliminary suggestions for data collection methods to be envisaged include Documentation review (Desk review), Key informant Interviews; Surveys; Focus group discussions and presentation of findings to the UN Women and the wider stakeholders for validation prior to the preparation of the final report.

The evaluators are expected to use existing data and collect both quantitative and qualitative data for the evaluation. In this regard they are expected to conduct in-person or virtual meetings with the stakeholders of the project including government partners, implementing partner of the project, contractors and consultants and project beneficiaries. The analysis will be built on triangulating information collected from different stakeholders (project staff, project implementing partners, stakeholders, and beneficiaries) through different methods identified above.

At the inception phase, the first task of the evaluation consultants to finalize key evaluation criteria and corresponding questions and to inform the design, theory of change and methodological choices in the context of the COVID-19 and the ongoing economic crisis and its impacts in Sri Lanka. Remote data collection methods, i.e. telephone and online/virtual interviews to capture primary data, may be applicable under these ever-changing, volatile circumstances to ensure the safety of all involved and to strictly abide by government regulations. In addition, the inception phase will include a rapid evaluability assessment (REA) to assess the availability and quality of existing data, and identify specific, feasible objectives and areas of assessment for the evaluation from the full set of criteria listed in Section III. An Evaluation Matrix should be developed as part of the Inception Report based on findings of the RA and insights from relevant stakeholders, including UN Women and Chrysalis, and the evaluation of available project-related information. The following information will be supplied by UN Women and Chrysalis (Responsible Partner of the project) to support the inception process:

• Full project document, results-based monitoring framework used to measure performance;
• Available monitoring data and relevant information collected at output level and beyond;
• Key project outputs such as knowledge products, reports and agendas from meetings and workshops;
• Relevant documents as requested by the consultant such as policies and knowledge products completed as outputs of the project;
• A comprehensive list of beneficiaries and stakeholders and contacts for data collection.

The consultants will jointly facilitate the review and finalization of all evaluation outputs. For this purpose they shall be required to organize and participate in relevant in-person or virtual workshops and meetings in order to ensure that all relevant information is collected through key informant interviews, surveys, focus group discussion and presentation of findings to UN Women and the wider stakeholders for validation prior to the preparation of the final report. Evaluation processes and methods should be culturally sensitive and ethically valid to protect the privacy and confidentiality of the participants and should not cause physical or emotional distress.

Limitations:

Subject to data collection method proposed and approved there may be issues in travel and coordination due to the prevailing economic crisis, fuel, and transport facility shortage and due to the covid-19 pandemic. UN Women will monitor the situation and will determine the way forward during the inception phase. The evaluation team will rely on the accuracy and completeness of the provided documents by the offices, with independent verification of the information provided, where possible. To avoid biases raised, the information will be triangulated and validated with the offices and the Evaluation Management and Reference Groups.

EVALUATION MANAGEMENT

An Evaluation Reference Group (ERG) will be established comprising the key stakeholders and representing the different types of stakeholders (e.g. govt. UN, CSO’s, donors, etc.). The ERG will be consulted throughout the evaluation process to ensure it is participatory and gains the ownership of the key programme stakeholders. They will participate in the inception meeting providing feedback, preliminary findings presentation to validate, and have an opportunity to review all products of the evaluation.

The Evaluation Management Group (EMG) will be comprised of the UN Women programme focal points (project officer and programme implementation consultant) and the UN Women Regional Evaluation Specialist. The EMG will provide quality assurance to the entire evaluation process and approve all deliverables.

EMG and ERG will provide preliminary support to coordinate meetings and consultations with some project stakeholders

The UN Women Regional Evaluation Specialist will be included in the Evaluation Management/Reference Groups and will quality assure all products of the evaluation in line with UN Women GERAAS criteria.

The EMG will be under the supervision of the UN Women Sri Lanka Country Focal Point.

EVALUATION ETHICS

The consultant should have both personal and professional integrity and abide by the UNEG Ethical Guidelines for evaluation and the UNEG Code of Conduct for Evaluation in the UN system to ensure that the rights of individuals involved in the evaluation are respected. The consultant must act with cultural sensitivity and pay attention to protocols, codes and recommendations that may be relevant to their interactions with women. As part of the Inception Report, the consultant will develop a specific protocol for the conduct of the evaluation and data collection in line with WHO Guidelines on conducting research on violence against women.[1]All data collected through the evaluation is property of UN Women, and must be provided to the organization, if requested, in a word format. In addition, UN Women information security policy on protecting the integrity and confidentiality of data must be adhered to.[2] The consultants must explicitly declare their independence from any organizations that have been involved in designing, executing or advising any aspect of the UN Women Sri Lanka project that is the subject of evaluation. The selection process will ensure that the consultants do not have any relationship with the project in the past, present or foreseen in the near future. If any wrongdoing is uncovered, the UN Women Legal Framework for addressing non-compliance with UN conduct must be followed.[3]

[1] World Health Organization, Researching Violence Against Women, 2005;

[2] UN Women, Information security policy;

[3] UN Women, Legal framework for addressing on-compliance with UN standards of conduct;

DURATION OF ASSIGNMENT AND THE ROLE OF THE CONSULTANT

The International Consultant’s contract will be supervised by the UN WOMEN Country Focal Point. The tentative duration of assignment is 6 months between 1 November 2022 and 30 April 2023. Due to the COVID-19 crisis and local security situation, the contract duration and requirements may change based on the measures imposed by the government and by the UN. The consultant must demonstrate flexibility given such shifting conditions.

The International and National Consultants will be jointly responsible for the completion and submission of the deliverables outlined below. The International Consultant’s responsibilities include the provision of technical expertise and overall direction in support of the data collection and field efforts led by the National Consultant and the management of all communication and coordination with UN Women. The international consultant will be the leading consultant in terms of finalising methodology, data collection and analysis and draftign and finalization of reports. The national consultant will be primarily responsible for the implementation of the evaluation plan, data collection including conducting field interviews with beneficiaries and liaising directly with district/local level implementing partners and stakeholders, organising meetings with the ERG and EMG, and supporting the international consultant on the analysis of key findings and recommendations and inputs across all deliverables.

Duties and Responsibilities

Expected key deliverables will include:

Key deliverables

Details of expected deliverables

Percentage of total contract

Indicative

Timeframe

1. Inception Report + presentation to ERG (clean and track-change version) which should mention inclusion of a comprehensive stakeholder analysis, an evaluation matrix, data collection tools, ethical protocol, proposed schedule of tasks, activities and deliverables, a refined evaluation methodology and a reconstructed Theory of change. )

1. Conduct an analysis of the project documents, with the support of the national consultant.

2. Conduct working meetings with the UNW-SL focal points to plan the evaluation.

3. Draft the Inception Report with necessary input and feedback from the National Consultant and submit to ERG and EMG for review and approval. The Inception Report should include the methodology, evaluation matrix, data collection tools, sampling, stakeholder mapping for the evaluation and the workplan.

4. Present the methodology and approach for the evaluation to the ERG for input and finalisation.

5. Incorporate feedback and/or additional findings provided by the ERG and EMG and submit a revised Inception Report.

30%

No later than 15 November2022

2. Finalised PowerPoint Presentation on the Preliminary Findings

Data Collection and PowerPoint Presentation with the Preliminary Findings:

1. Develop a draft PowerPoint Presentation including information gathered through the data collection, with the support and inputs of the National Consultant. The presentation is intended for a virtual debriefing session (for project stakeholders) held after completion of data collection to identify gaps and address issues.

2. Present the preliminary findings to the ERG and EMG in the virtual debriefing sessions in collaboration with the National Consultant.

3. Incorporate feedback and/or additional findings provided by ERG and EMG with the support of the National Consultant to the presentation on Preliminary Findings.

40%

No later than 28 February 2023

3. Draft + Final Evaluation Report, Two-Page Evaluation Findings Brief and Programme Learning document.

(Minimum 3 rounds of revisions)

Final Evaluation Report:

1. Lead the drafting and submit the draft Evaluation Report (40 pages max excluding annexes) including an updated Results Framework, the Two-Page Evaluation Findings Brief, and the draft Programme Learning document (for external stakeholders’ use) to the EMG and ERG for review.

2. Incorporate all feedback received from the ERG and EMG and submit the following finalized documents.

• Final Evaluation Report
• Final Two-Page Evaluation Findings Brief.
• Final knowledge sharing Innovative Programme Learning document

All documents highlighted in this section must follow relevant UN guidelines and processes outlined and formatted in accordance with UN Women branding guidelines for technical publication.

30%

No later than 15 April 2023

*All data collected by the consultants may be requested by UN Women as it is property of UN Women. Data should be stored properly and anonymized.

Competencies

Core Values:

• Respect for Diversity
• Integrity
• Professionalism

Core Competencies:

• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues
• Accountability
• Creative Problem Solving
• Effective Communication
• Inclusive Collaboration
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Leading by Example

Functional Competencies

• Adaptability to UN procurement guidelines
• Ability to monitor the work of vendors, deliver on best value for money

Required Skills and Experience

• Education:
  • Minimum education of master’s degree in relevant disciplines (gender, conflict studies, peacebuilding, international development, social sciences, or related fields);
  • Qualifications, including specialized trainings or certifications, in peacebuilding program evaluation and results-based management; (Required)
• Professional experience:
  • At least 5 years of experience in designing and conducting program evaluation in a peacebuilding context, including with programming in relation to the WPS agenda, gender equality, women’s economic and political empowerment and peacebuilding and reconciliation;
  • Experience leading an evaluation team is required;
  • Experience in conducting and managing gender-responsive evaluations in Sri Lanka and/or South Asia highly desirable;
  • Proven knowledge and understanding of M&E methodologies, including qualitative and quantitative data analysis skills and participatory data collection approaches;
  • Proven ability to produce high-quality reports and manage diverse perspectives in communications and consultations with relevant stakeholders and beneficiaries;
  • Previous experience engaging with UN agencies, donors and high-level government stakeholders is preferred;
  • Proficiency in English.

SUBMISSION OF APPLICATION AND DEADLINE

Interested candidates are requested to submit an electronic application with technical and financial proposals hr.bangkok@unwomen.org with copy to sarala.fernando@unwomen.org no later than 23 October 2022. The financial proposal should provide professional fees as a lump sum amount for each deliverable, as well as any miscellaneous related costs.

The submission package should include:

• Cover letter outlining relevant experience (s)
• Curriculum Vitae
• Personal History Form (P11) that can be downloaded from: http://asiapacific.unwomen.org/en/about-us/jobs
• Proposed preliminary evaluation methodology based on the criteria and context noted above.
• 2-3 writing samples in the form of past evaluation reports in which the applicant was the team leader or sole evaluator. (Web links to such reports are preferred.)
• Financial proposal specifying proposed fee based on each deliverable, as per the following template.

Items

Amount (USD)

Provide a Lump Sum fee (equivalent to daily fee x no. of days)

Number of days refers to actual days that an assisting consultant works in order to produce deliverables as required by the ToR, NOT the number of days covering the whole period of consultancy.

Inception report

1. Conduct an analysis of the project documents, with the support of the national consultant.

2. Conduct working meetings with the UNW-SL focal points to plan the evaluation.

3. Draft the Inception Report with necessary input and feedback from the National Consultant and submit to ERG and EMG for review and approval. The Inception Report should include the methodology, evaluation matrix, data collection tools, sampling, stakeholder mapping for the evaluation and the workplan.

4. Present the methodology and approach for the evaluation to the ERG for input and finalisation.

5. Incorporate feedback and/or additional findings provided by the ERG and EMG and submit a revised Inception Report.

.

Data Collection and PowerPoint Presentation with the Preliminary Findings Report:

1. Develop a draft PowerPoint Presentation including information gathered through the data collection, with the support and inputs of the National Consultant. The presentation is intended for a virtual debriefing session (for project stakeholders) held after completion of data collection to identify gaps and address issues.

2. Present the preliminary findings to the ERG and EMG in the virtual debriefing sessions in collaboration with the National Consultant.

3. Incorporate feedback and/or additional findings provided by ERG and EMG with the support of the National Consultant to the presentation on Preliminary Findings.

Final Evaluation Report:

1. Lead the drafting and submit the draft Evaluation Report (40 pages max excluding annexes) including an updated Results Framework, the Two-Page Evaluation Findings Brief, and the draft Programme Learning document (for external stakeholders’ use) to the EMG and ERG for review.

2. Incorporate all feedback received from the ERG and EMG and submit the following finalized documents.

• Final Evaluation Report
• Final Two-Page Evaluation Findings Brief.
• Final knowledge sharing Innovative Programme Learning document

All documents highlighted in this section must follow relevant UN guidelines and processes outlined and formatted in accordance with UN Women branding guidelines for technical publication.

Suggestive miscellaneous expenses budget (with breakdown)

Total Financial Proposal

** Given the developing Covid-19 context, there could be a scenario where travel to the field is not required and/or permitted and as a result, data collection methods will need to unfold in a remote manner.

EVALUATION

Applications will be evaluated based on the cumulative analysis:

• Technical qualification (100 points); weight: (70%)
• Financial proposal (100 points): weight (30%)

A two-stage procedure is utilized in evaluating the applications, with evaluation of the technical application being completed prior to any price proposal being compared. Only the price proposal of the candidates who passed the minimum technical score of 70% of the obtainable score of 100 points in the technical qualification evaluation will be evaluated.

Technical qualification evaluation criteria:

The total number of points allocated for the technical qualification component is 100. The technical qualification of the individual is evaluated based on following technical qualification evaluation criteria: Technical Evaluation Criteria

Obtainable Score

A) Education

20

B) Experience and skills (including previous experience with the UN and government stakeholders)

40

C) Knowledge and understanding of M&E methodologies

30

D) Language proficiency and report writing skills

10

Total Obtainable Score

100 %

Only the candidates who have attained a minimum of 70% of total points will be considered as technically-qualified candidates who may be contacted for validation interview.

Financial/Price Proposal evaluation:

• Only the financial proposal of candidates who have attained a minimum of 70% score in the technical evaluation will be considered and evaluated.
• The total number of points allocated for the price component is 100.
• The maximum number of points will be allotted to the lowest price proposal that is opened/ evaluated and compared among those technical qualified candidates who have attained a minimum of 70% score in the technical evaluation. All other price proposals will receive points in inverse proportion to the lowest price.

PAYMENT

The draft deliverables shall be submitted within the deadlines indicated in duration of assignment and the role of the consultant and expected deliverables and timeframe. Payment will be released upon satisfactory completion and once the final and revised versions of the deliverables outlined, incorporating feedback of UN Women, are reviewed and approved. Payment shall be made within 30 days from receipt of corresponding invoices.

Miscellaneous costs (such as internet connectivity etc.) must be included in the financial proposal as a lumpsum amount. No travel cost will be reimbursed since the assignment is home-based.

Payment

Deliverables

Estimated date of payment

1st Installment, 30% of total fee

Deliverable 1 – Inception Report + Presentation

30 November 2022

2nd Installment, 40% of total fee

Deliverable 2 - Preliminary Findings PowerPoint Presentation

15 March 2023

3rd Installment, 30% of total fee

Deliverable 3 – Draft + Final Evaluation Report, Two-Page Evaluation Findings Brief and Innovative Programme Learning document

30 April 2023

Reimbursement of miscellaneous costs

Payment for miscellaneous expenses will be made upon submission of evidence of costs being incurred, based on UN Women’s guidelines

30 April 2023

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION STATEMENT

At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity and organizational need.

If you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in your application.

UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to UN Women’s policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UN Women personnel and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. (Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.)

Annexes

1. Guidance on the UN Women Global Evaluation Report Assessment and Analysis System (GERAAS) is available at: http://www.unwomen.org/en/about-us/evaluation/decentralized-evaluation

3. UN Women Independent Evaluation Office http://genderevaluation.unwomen.org/en/evaluationhandbook

4. UNEG Ethical Guidelines and Code of Conduct for Evaluation in the UN system

http://www.uneval.org/document/detail/100

5. UNEG Norms for Evaluations: http://unevaluation.org/document/detail/21

6. UNEG Standards for Evaluation: http://unevaluation.org/document/detail/22

7. UN Women Gender-Sensitive Evaluation Handbook: http://genderevaluation.unwomen.org/en/evaluation-handbook

8. A listing of UN report, databases and archives relating to gender equality and women’s human rights can be found at: http://www.un.org/womenwatch/directory/statistics_and_indicators_60.htm

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Added 3 years ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: jobs.undp.org