Call For an End of Project Evaluation Consultant in South Sudan

Terms of Reference: To undertake an end of project evaluation on the project “Women, Peace and Security: Building Sustainable Peace” in South Sudan

1.0 BACKGROUND OF THE PROGRAMME

Women’s International Peace Centre (The Peace Centre) works in conflict and post conflict countries, providing ground breaking approaches to the issue of conflict and post conflict reconstruction and what it means to be at peace with oneself, one’s community and country. Over the years, The Peace Centre has emerged as a leader in the feminist discourse for peace and security, using national and international frameworks such as the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 (UNSCR1325), National Action Plans on 1325 (NAP), the Sustainable Development Goals 5 and 16 and other women, peace and security frameworks.

Women and young women’s participation in decision-making in peace building and post-conflict recovery processes in South Sudan is markedly low. Signatories to the peace agreement (2018) are violating a provision that calls for 35% of government positions at all levels to be allocated to women in the transitional government. President Salva Kiir’s decree reconstituting Western Equatoria state’s government read on state television February 25, 2021. Out of 17 ministers appointed to the state Cabinet, only four were women. Out of 10 county commissioners, only two were women. All five state advisers were men. Although seven women were appointed commissioners on independent commissions, all five chairpersons of the commissions were men.

To strengthen the influence of women in peace building processes in South Sudan, the project has ensured commitment to build a vanguard of young women whose capacity has been strengthened to participate in and influence peace processes and their outcomes from a gender perspective in South Sudan on gendered analysis of conflict trends, dynamics and their significance for ongoing peace processes as well as advancing the women, peace and security agenda. At the end of the training the young women mapped advocacy targets and defined group work plans focused on ensuring the inclusion of young women’s priority issues (related to SGBV, advocacy on 35% gender quota, enactment of the family law, trauma and psychological support for young women and women in the refugee camp, teenage pregnancy, child labour and sexual reproductive health for adolescents).

The project has worked in partnership with national organisations Centre for Inclusive Governance Peace and Justice (CIGPJ), Community Empowerment Organisation (CEPO), University of Juba’s National Transformational Leadership Institute (NTLI) and Ministry of Gender Child and Social Welfare (MoGCSW) to strengthen capacities of young women to understand women, peace and security issues in South Sudan.

The Peace Centre designed a project, “Women, Peace and Security: Building Sustainable Peace,” running from 2019 to 2022 aimed at strengthening the influence of women in peace building processes in South Sudan to achieve increased agency and voice of women for gender-responsive peace building in South Sudan.

 Project objectives

• To increase knowledge and understanding of women, peace and security issues in South Sudan
• To strengthen the skills of young women to participate in and influence peace-building processes.

2.0 THE END OF PROGRAMME EVALUATION

The evaluation is intended to; assess the effectiveness of the programme; track the changes that have emerged as a result of the programme implementation; and generate new lessons to inform The Peace Centre’s programming in the area of work being evaluated.

On the overall, the evaluation is expected to look at coherence between the project design, delivery mechanisms and its performance.

Objectives of the Evaluation

This evaluation seeks to:

1. Assess the effectiveness, appropriateness and relevancy of the project interventions in the given context of the project.
2. Assess the project implementation approach for efficiency (How efficient was the project? Was the method of delivery the most appropriate and efficient?).
3. Assess the extent to which the anticipated overall objectives and project results were achieved in quantitative and qualitative terms.
4. Identify and document lessons learned and good practices; areas of improvement and recommendations to mitigate identified challenges for future programming (Identify key lessons, stories of change and examples of good practice).
5. Assess the adequacy of the programme’s monitoring system, including results framework, reporting, and review mechanisms.
6. Propose future areas of intervention for continuation of the project (with practical recommendations for follow-up action).
7. Assess sustainability of the project (assess the probability of continued long-term benefits. How successful has the project been at linking rights holders to longer term development programmes and if not, how can this be successfully achieved).

2.2 Scope of Evaluation

The evaluation will focus on the results and indicators as stipulated in the project documents between The Peace Centre and FOKUS.

2.3 Approach and Methodology

The Consultant(s) is expected to employ mainly qualitative methods of inquiry but is also free to suggest specific methods for undertaking the assignment to achieve the above said objectives. The methodology is expected to cover, but not be limited, to the following aspects:

• Establishing the basis for substantiating outputs and outcomes by, among others, carrying out a systematic desk review of all relevant documents, (proposals, agreements, work plans, budgets and reports)
• Determining a strategy to ascertain results achieved by the peace-building programme through its work with the young women.
• Determining a strategy to ascertain results achieved by the programme (document review, interviews and observation among others.)
• Specifying the stakeholders to be consulted and the data collection methods to be used to respond to the different evaluation questions (document reviews, in-depth interviews, questionnaires, etc).

The evaluation will be conducted in Juba and Wau County in South Sudan. There will be a few interfaces with some staff of The Peace Centre who have been directly involved in the project implementation.

3.0 KEY DELIVERABLES

1.  An Inception Report detailing the agreed methodology, work plan, interview questionnaires and the proposed Table of Content (TOC) of the evaluation report to be presented to the Programme Management Team not later than 4 working days after signing the contract.
2. A draft evaluation report, of not more than 25 pages, including an Executive Summary (2 – 3 pages), but excluding annexes. The report should adequately respond to the objectives of the assignment, providing evidence-based conclusions and prioritized recommendations.
3. A meeting with the Peace Centre team to discuss preliminary findings, observations and recommendations.
4. A power-point presentation of preliminary observations, conclusions and recommendations to be discussed with the Peace Centre team to be held at least three working days before the final report is due.
5. A final analytical evaluation report on the performance, achievements, challenges and lessons learnt from the project and insights for future programming.

4.0 EVALUATION TEAM QUALIFICATIONS

1. The evaluation will be conducted by consultant(s) who will have substantive knowledge of peace building, gender analysis and governance programing.
2. Familiarity with the existing and on-going peace processes in South Sudan.
3. Evaluation team members will be part of a Consulting Firm (‘the Consultant’) with clearly demonstrated expertise and experience in conducting evaluations and impact assessments using a variety of quantitative and qualitative methods in the field of peace building, leadership, democratic governance and adult education. The firm/individual consultant should have legal registration according to the national consultancy firm registration requirements.
4. Evidence of ability to produce high-quality analysis reports in English, and work within tight timeframes.
5. Six to ten (6 to 10) years of experience in designing, supervising or carrying out end line Surveys or End of Project Evaluations on peace and security projects.
6. Ability to reliably access the internet, as well as relevant national policy and planning documents and surveys.
7. Critical thinking and analysis.
8. An added advantage of knowledge in Arabic.
9. Time Management.

5.0 GUIDING PRINCIPLES AND VALUES FOR THE EVALUATION

It’s important that Bidders highlight measurements to which the evaluation will meet ethical standards, feasibility, relevancy and accuracy, as well as propose other quality performance measures that will be refined during the inception phase if found to be necessary.

6.0 TIME SCHEDULE

 The duration of the assignment is 20 working days including all the preparation and field related work, as well as writing of the inception report, presentation of preliminary findings and submission of the final report. The assignment is estimated to be undertaken between November and December 2022.

7.0 APPLICATION AND SELECTION PROCESS

 The Consultant to carry out the evaluation will be selected according to the “Open Tendering” method, following the procedures, templates and instructions of The Peace Centre’s “Standard Request for Proposals for Consultancy Services”.

Applicants will be required to submit a Technical and Financial proposal. Proposals will be evaluated using the principle of Quality and Cost Based Selection, with a weight of 80% given to the Technical Proposal and a weight of 20% given to the Financial Proposal.

Applications should be submitted via email to nlatifah@wipc.org with the Subject: Building Sustainable Peace or delivered to Women’s International Peace Centre, Plot 1 Martyr’s Garden B, Minister’s Village, Ntinda, Kampala.  The closing date for receiving both the Technical and Financial proposals is Friday 4^th November 2022 at 5:00pm Central African Time (CAT). Only shortlisted candidates shall be contacted.