Term of Reference (ToR) Independent Transition Assessment for SOS Children’s Villages Ethiopia

Background of IRC:

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) helps people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and gain control of their future. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC works with people forced to flee from war, conflict and disaster and the host communities that support them, as well as with those who remain within their homes and communities. At-work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. IRC leads the way from harm to home. Began work in Ethiopia, 1999 in response to severe drought that happened in Ethiopia’s Somali region. Currently, providing assistance in ten different regions implementing emergency and development programs in health, water and sanitation, economic recovery and development (ERD), women’s protection and empowerment, education, child protection, and multi-sectoral emergency response.

The IRC has a focus on narrowing the gender gap in humanitarian aid and ensuring that we contribute to gender equality, diversity, and inclusion in both our programs and operations by working to establish a context where our clients (including those from minority groups) enjoy the same rights and opportunities as well as an equal access to services. The IRC also has a strong commitment to creating an equitable and inclusive culture, where safeguarding is upheld in our workplace and programs. We are determined to protect our clients and staff from safeguarding violations through prevention and, where misconduct is alleged, to address it without fear or favor.

 Job Overview/Summary: 

Scope of the Position: The Project Manager will be accountable for ensuring that the project delivers integrated and sustainable results across resilient livelihoods and food security, climate adaptation, natural resource management, economic empowerment, financial inclusion, market systems, anticipatory action, peacebuilding, conflict prevention, social cohesion and community empowerment. The position requires the ability to manage a complex operating environment and effectively connect humanitarian, development, climate resilience and peacebuilding approaches while maintaining strong accountability to affected communities and project stakeholders

1. Job Purpose

• IRC is planning to implement Irish Aid funded BRIDGE Project-to Building Resilience, Inclusion, and Durable Growth for Empowerment of Women, Youth, and Other Shock-Affected Communities in East Hararghe (Chinaksen and Gursum) and Gambella (Itang and Lare) woreda, Ethiopia. The primary Goal of the project is to Improve food security and resilience of vulnerable population against shocks and stress (Resilient Livelihoods and Food Security) in the intervention areas.
• The Project Manager will provide overall strategic, technical, operational and managerial leadership for the implementation of a multi-sectoral resilience, livelihoods, food security, climate adaptation, peacebuilding and social cohesion project in East Hararghe and Gambella.
• The position will be responsible for ensuring that project interventions are delivered on time, within budget and in accordance with approved plans, donor requirements, organizational policies and relevant government standards. The Project Manager will coordinate technical teams, implementing partners, government stakeholders, community structures and other relevant actors to achieve project outcomes and sustainable results.
• The Project Manager will provide leadership in strengthening climate-resilient livelihoods and food systems, sustainable land and water management, market and financial inclusion, anticipatory action and crisis response, community-based peacebuilding, conflict prevention, participatory learning and action, and equitable access to productive assets and livelihood opportunities.
• The role will also ensure that gender equality, women's and youth empowerment, conflict sensitivity, social inclusion, environmental sustainability, climate resilience and accountability to affected populations are integrated throughout project implementation.

1.  Key Responsibilities

Overall Project Management and Leadership

• Provide overall leadership and strategic direction for project implementation across East Hararghe and Gambella.
• Develop and regularly update detailed project implementation plans, work plans, activity schedules and delivery milestones.
• Coordinate implementation of activities across all project components and ensure effective linkages between livelihoods, resilience, climate adaptation, peacebuilding and social cohesion interventions.
• Ensure project activities are implemented in accordance with approved project design, logical framework, budget, donor requirements and organizational procedures.
• Establish clear roles, responsibilities and coordination mechanisms among project staff, partners and stakeholders.
• Monitor progress against project outputs, outcomes, indicators, targets, timelines and budgets and take corrective action where required.
• Lead regular project review meetings and ensure timely follow-up of agreed actions.
• Identify implementation bottlenecks and develop practical solutions to maintain project performance.
• Ensure effective coordination between field offices, technical teams, support departments and project partners.
• Promote adaptive management and ensure project implementation responds to changing climatic, conflict, market and socio-economic conditions.

Climate-Resilient Livelihoods and Food Security

• Provide oversight to assessments of gender-sensitive barriers and opportunities in crop and livestock production using a climate-smart approach.
• Ensure effective selection, training and follow-up of food-insecure households on climate-smart agriculture through lead farmer approaches.
• Oversee strengthening of farmer training centres and community-based agricultural extension mechanisms.
• Support promotion of keyhole gardening and other household-level food production approaches, with particular attention to women, displaced populations and host communities.
• Coordinate interventions aimed at improving access to climate-smart agricultural inputs, quality seeds and sustainable seed supply systems.
• Oversee support to women smallholder farmers, pastoralists and agro-pastoralists to engage in sustainable livestock production and management businesses.
• Ensure agricultural and livelihood interventions are environmentally sustainable, gender-responsive and adapted to local climate and livelihood conditions.

Land, Water Management and Climate Risk Reduction

• Lead implementation of sustainable land and water management interventions, including tree planting and community-based natural resource management.
• Oversee training of lead farmers and community members on sustainable land and water management practices.
• Ensure target households have access to appropriate and affordable climate-resilient micro-irrigation technologies, after-sales services and spare parts.
• Support establishment and strengthening of Irrigation Water Users Organisations (IWUOs).
• Ensure interventions address location-specific climate risks, including drought in East Hararghe and flooding in Gambella.
• Coordinate flood-adaptive production and productive asset protection measures in Lare and Itang.
• Promote integration of disaster risk reduction, climate adaptation and resilience measures across project activities.

Women and Youth Economic Empowerment and Off-Farm Livelihoods

• Lead implementation of climate-aware and gender-transformative microenterprise opportunity assessments.
• Oversee selection and training of women and youth in life skills, green business skills and vocational skills.
• Support capacity strengthening of employment service providers.
• Facilitate development and implementation of circular, green and gender-transformative enterprise models.
• Ensure appropriate provision of productive assets, capital and business development services to selected beneficiaries.
• Promote decent work, entrepreneurship, income diversification and sustainable employment opportunities for women and youth.

Financial Inclusion and Savings

• Oversee establishment and strengthening of Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs).
• Support interventions that expand access to appropriate, affordable and inclusive financial services and products.
• Strengthen linkages between informal savings mechanisms and formal financial institutions.
• Promote financial literacy and responsible financial practices among women, youth, SMEs and other target groups.
• Ensure financial inclusion activities contribute to diversified and resilient household livelihoods.

Market Systems and Private Sector Engagement

• Provide strategic oversight to interventions supporting smallholder farmers, agro-pastoralists, SMEs and fisher communities to participate in better-functioning markets.
• Lead efforts to strengthen cooperatives and producer organisations.
• Facilitate market linkages, value-chain relationships and private-sector engagement.
• Identify opportunities for sustainable market-based solutions that improve income security and livelihood resilience.
• Promote commercially viable and environmentally sustainable livelihood models.

Anticipatory Action and Crisis Response

• Oversee establishment or strengthening of woreda-level forecast-based financing mechanisms.
• Support revitalisation of local early warning and early action systems.
• Ensure climate and conflict risk information informs project planning and timely anticipatory action.
• Coordinate with government, humanitarian, development and community actors to strengthen preparedness and response mechanisms.
• Ensure recurrently shock-affected households are linked to appropriate livelihood recovery and social protection pathways.

Peacebuilding, Conflict Prevention and Social Cohesion

• Provide overall management oversight for peacebuilding interventions in target kebeles of Chinaksen, Itang and Lare.
• Support establishment and strengthening of inclusive community peace committees.
• Oversee community dialogue forums involving host, refugee, IDP and returnee populations.
• Promote meaningful participation of women and youth in peacebuilding and decision-making processes.
• Support community peace messaging and social cohesion campaigns.
• Strengthen traditional and community-based conflict resolution mechanisms.
• Oversee establishment and strengthening of community-based conflict early warning and response systems.
• Facilitate joint reconciliation, trust-building and social cohesion activities.
• Promote joint natural resource management initiatives as mechanisms for conflict prevention and climate resilience.
• Strengthen the capacity of local peace actors, institutions and community structures.
• Establish and facilitate peacebuilding coordination platforms among relevant stakeholders.
• Support communities to develop and implement peace and development action plans.
• Promote and document community-led peacebuilding and social cohesion initiatives.

Conflict Analysis, Technical Quality and Partner Capacity

• Coordinate initial and periodic conflict, social cohesion and institutional capacity assessments.
• Ensure conflict sensitivity and Do-No-Harm principles are integrated into project design and implementation.
• Lead development and application of common technical packages, guidelines, tools and approaches for partner-led peacebuilding activities.
• Provide technical oversight and quality assurance to implementing partners.
• Strengthen partner capacity in project planning, implementation, monitoring, reporting and technical delivery.
• Facilitate learning, reflection and documentation of effective community-led peacebuilding approaches.
• Ensure lessons learned are incorporated into adaptive project management and future programming.

Participatory Learning, Advocacy and Community Empowerment

• Oversee establishment and facilitation of community-led Participatory Learning and Action (PLA) groups.
• Ensure PLA approaches are used to promote power analysis, collective action, inclusion and community ownership.
• Oversee adaptation of PLA manuals and capacity building of PLA facilitators.
• Promote meaningful participation of women, youth, displaced persons, refugees and other marginalised groups.
• Support advocacy initiatives aimed at improving equitable access to productive assets, livelihood opportunities and rights.
• Facilitate community engagement in decision-making processes at local level.
• Ensure community-led approaches remain inclusive, accountable and responsive to local priorities.

Human Resource Management

• Making sure that IRC staff personnel policy, the IRC WAY (professional code of conduct) and all other organizational policies are respected and practiced properly by project team and make sure that sound decision is made on breaches and appropriate measures are taken in timely manner.
• In coordination with Addis Ababa sector lead, manage the project staff and ensure that staff performance management process/PMP (objectives setting, midterm evaluation and final evaluation) are done timely following the right PMP guideline procedures.
• Make sure that staff and clients are responsive and reporting mechanisms for any concerns and complaints are established and are addressed in proper manner.
• Conduct a regular one-to-one meeting with project officers and discuss priorities, challenges and share the discussion minutes with the ERD and technical supervisors based in Addis and make sure the one-to-one discussion is conducted between the supervisor and direct report in the department.

Programme Quality, MEAL and Learning

• Work closely with Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) teams to establish effective monitoring systems.
• Ensure project indicators, baselines, targets and milestones are clearly defined and regularly monitored.
• Review project performance data and use evidence to inform management decisions.
• Ensure beneficiary feedback and community accountability mechanisms are functional and acted upon.
• Lead periodic project performance reviews and support outcome-level learning.
• Document best practices, lessons learned, success stories and evidence of change.
• Promote knowledge sharing among project teams, partners, government institutions and other stakeholders.

Financial and Resource Management

• Ensure effective management of the project budget in accordance with approved budgets and organisational financial procedures.
• Monitor expenditure against budgets and forecasts and take timely corrective action.
• Work closely with finance and procurement teams to ensure timely procurement and utilisation of project resources.
• Ensure project assets, supplies and equipment are properly managed and accounted for.
• Review and approve project expenditures within delegated authority.
• Ensure value for money, cost-effectiveness and financial accountability across project implementation.

Reporting and Donor Compliance

• Prepare and/or oversee preparation of high-quality donor and internal project reports.
• Ensure timely submission of narrative, financial and technical reports in accordance with donor requirements.
• Track donor commitments, project milestones, deliverables and reporting deadlines.
• Maintain accurate project documentation and evidence of implementation.
• Coordinate donor and stakeholder visits, reviews, assessments and meetings.
• Ensure compliance with donor agreements, organisational policies and relevant government regulations.

Coordination and Stakeholder Engagement

• Maintain effective working relationships with relevant government offices at regional, zonal and woreda levels.
• Coordinate with humanitarian, development, peacebuilding, private-sector and civil-society actors.
• Represent the project in relevant coordination forums, technical working groups and stakeholder meetings.
• Strengthen collaboration with local authorities, community leaders, cooperatives, financial institutions, service providers and private-sector actors.
• Facilitate coordination between implementing partners to maximise complementarity and avoid duplication.
• Maintain strong relationships with community representatives and ensure their participation in project decision-making.

Capacity Building and Coaching

• Provide capacity building training and coaching services to cash programming officers and MEAL officers on establishing targeting and compliant committees, clients targeting and verification processes.
• Provide capacity building training to community- based targeting committee, compliance response mechanisms committee members and government stakeholders on project implementation guidelines and procedures.
• Capacitate project staff, government stakeholders and financial service providers on humanitarian and development based implementation principles and modalities to ensure effective and efficient implementation of cash intervention.
• Capacity build project team on IRC cash toolkits application and use for client’s registration and verification. 

Safeguarding, Gender, Inclusion and Accountability

• Ensure gender equality and women's empowerment are systematically integrated across all project components.
• Promote meaningful participation and leadership of women and youth.
• Ensure interventions are inclusive of displaced persons, refugees, returnees, host communities and other vulnerable groups.
• Ensure safeguarding, protection, Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) and accountability principles are incorporated into project implementation.
• Promote conflict-sensitive and Do-No-Harm programming.
• Ensure environmental sustainability and climate resilience are incorporated into project decisions.
• Maintain zero tolerance for fraud, exploitation, discrimination, harassment and abuse.

Safeguarding Responsibilities:

• Promote and actively participate in initiatives and efforts to build team engagement, inclusion and cohesion in IRC [team/office]
• Foster ongoing learning, honest dialogue and reflection to strengthen safeguarding and to promote IRC values and adherence to IRC policies

Terms of Reference (ToR): Consultancy Service for Conducting an Intersectional Gender Analysis of the Ethiopia Local Governance Project (ELGP) in Sidama Region

1.     Background

The Ethiopia Local Governance Project (ELGP) is a three-year governance and accountability initiative to be implemented by HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation in partnership with Sidama Development Association (SDA), Amhara Women Association (AWA), Wag Development Association (WDA), and Women Empowerment Action (WE-Action). The Austrian Development Agency (ADA) is funding the action ELGP as part of International Partnerships Austria, and ADA’s Ethiopia Country Strategy 2025-2028 (Outcome 2). ELGP aims to improve local governance, people’s participation, accountability, and responsive service delivery. The project will be implemented across the Amhara and Sidama Regions.

A core principle of ELGP is the promotion of inclusive governance and meaningful participation of women, men, youth, persons with disabilities, and other underserved or marginalised groups in local decision-making processes. The project recognises that inequalities in power, participation, representation, and access to resources, and services continue to limit women's and men’s (including young people and from and marginalised groups’)  engagement in governance structures and public affairs. Despite policy commitments to gender equality in Ethiopia, preliminary assessments for the ELGP in the Amhara and Sidama regions indicate that socio-cultural norms, gender roles, and power relations continue to restrict women’s and underserved or marginalised groups’ (including men and young people) meaningful participation and leadership in local governance. Specifically, unequal access to resources, disproportionate household and care responsibilities, and institutional, economic, environmental, and political barriers limit their influence over community planning, budgeting, oversight, and service delivery. A deeper analysis of these context-specific dynamics is therefore required to inform evidence-based, gender-responsive, and socially inclusive project interventions. ELGP integrates ADA’s Gender Equality Policy three-pronged strategic approach, namely political/policy dialogue, gender mainstreaming, and gender equality in alignment with the EU Gender Action Plan (GAP) III Objectives 1 and 3[1].

According to the OECD/DAC Gender Policy Marker, ELGP has been classified as a Gender Marker 1 (Gender Significant) project. ELGP includes specific interventions designed to address gender and inclusion barriers and inequalities, with affirmative actions that strengthen women's and marginalised groups’ participation (including men and young people), leadership, representation, alongside Gender-Responsive Budgeting (GRB), enhanced accountability mechanisms, and social norm transformation. To ensure these interventions are grounded in evidence and tailored to the Sidama context, the project is commissioning a comprehensive Intersectional Gender Analysis. Findings will directly inform implementation strategies, targeting approaches, indicator refinement, learning priorities, and adaptive management throughout the project period.

2.     Purpose of the Intersectional Gender Analysis

The overall purpose of the Intersectional Gender Analysis is to establish an evidence base on the gender and inclusion dynamics, power relations, and exclusion mechanisms affecting women’s and men’s (including young people and from marginalised groups’) hereinafter women’s and men’s, meaningful participation, representation, and leadership in local governance and public service delivery within the ELGP intervention areas of the Sidama Region.

The findings and actionable recommendations will be used directly during the ELGP inception phase to refine implementation strategies, inform annual work planning, guide indicator target-setting, and support adaptive management. Specifically, the analysis will operationalise and strengthen ELGP’s core gender-focused interventions, including inclusive leadership and mentoring initiatives, pre-planning and council women's caucuses, GRB, inclusive community platforms, survivor-centered grievance redress mechanisms, and social norms transformation approaches

3.     Objectives of the Intersectional Gender Analysis

The Intersectional Gender Analysis will pursue the following specific objectives:

• Contextual & Multi-Level Analysis: Examine the social, cultural, economic, environmental, institutional, and political factors—including household decision-making, unpaid care burdens, resource access, and formal/informal power structures (such as Luwa and Songo)—that shape women’s and men’s participation and leadership across household, community, and institutional levels.
• Intersectionality: Analyse how gender intersects with age, disability status, economic status, marital status, health status (including PLHIV), education, environment, and geographic location to identify which subgroups of women and men face the most exclusion.
• Demand-Side Participation & Voice: Identify specific barriers and enabling factors affecting women’s and men’s engagement in Integrated Community-Based Participatory Planning (ICBPP), community/constituent platforms, consultation forums, Community Score Cards (CSCs), and community-based advocacy.
• Supply-Side Responsiveness & Institutional Capacity: Assess the extent to which local councils, executive bodies, the five pro-poor service sectors, and local CSO/CBO partners promote or constrain gender equality, inclusive leadership, social inclusion, and GRB.
• Safeguarding, Do-No-Harm & Risk Mitigation: Identify risks of gender-based discrimination, harassment, violence (GBV), or social backlash against women’s and men’s civic participation, and assess the accessibility, confidentiality, and survivor-centered referral capacity of local grievance redress mechanisms.
• Social Norms & Male Engagement: Identify actionable entry points for positive social norms change, focusing on engaging spouses, religious leaders, and traditional elders to champion shared household responsibilities and more inclusive participation and leadership.
• Operational Recommendations: Formulate a practical, time-bound GAP with concrete recommendations to guide gender-responsive implementation and monitoring across all ELGP outcomes, considering short-, mid- and long-term timeframes.

4.     Scope of the Assignment

• Geographic Coverage: The Intersectional Gender Analysis will be conducted only in the Sidama Region across the North and South Sidama Zones. Primary data collection will cover a representative sample of woredas and kebeles drawn from the project’s six target woredas (Malga, Gorche, Hawassa Zuria, Bursa, Teticha, and Hula) and 60 target kebeles.
• Complementarity and Triangulation with Existing Studies: This study will complement the pre-existing Intersectional Gender Analysis from the Amhara region (ALGP+ previous project) alongside the concurrent Sidama Baseline Assessment and the Political Economy and Conflict Analysis (PEA). To avoid duplication and stakeholder fatigue, the consultant(s) will review, leverage, and triangulate secondary data and emerging findings from these assessments, focusing primary fieldwork strictly on filling analytical gaps related to gender norms, intersectional barriers, and institutional gender capacities in Sidama.
• Thematic and Institutional Ecosystem: The assessment will cover both the demand and supply sides of the local governance ecosystem relevant to ELGP, encompassing: (i) community-level planning and priority-setting structures (ICBPP and community/constituent platforms); (ii) legislative and oversight bodies (Woreda and Kebele Councils and their Standing Committees); (iii) public service delivery and budgeting institutions (Woreda Finance/Plan Bureaus and the five pro-poor sectors: health, education, water, agriculture, and roads); (iv) formal and informal grievance redress mechanisms; and (v) civil society partners (SDA, the Sidama Action CSO Network, and local CBOs) etc.
• Stakeholder Engagement: The study will engage a diverse, representative cross-section of stakeholders, including diverse women, men, young people, Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), women and men councillors, Woreda executives and sector service providers, traditional and religious leaders (Luwa and Songo representatives), and CSO/CBO leaders.

5.     Key Analysis Questions

The analysis should address, but not be limited to, the following indicative questions (to be further elaborated and operationalised into detailed data collection tools by the consultant(s)) considering cultural and context sensitivity and adapting according to the type of interlocutor:

Individual Level

• How do women and men with different background and status currently participate in community planning and local governance decision-making processes, and how do women and men perceive their actual influence over community priorities?
• How do personal and practical factors—such as literacy, confidence, mobility, financial resources (wealth and livelihoods status) and daily time burdens/unpaid care work—facilitate or constrain women’s and men’s civic participation and leadership (including optimal scheduling for community meetings)?

Household and Community Level

• How do household decision-making dynamics, spousal relations, and unequal rights to economic resources (such as land and livestock inheritance) affect women’s and men’s civic engagement?
• What role do social norms and formal/informal community structures—including spouses, religious leaders, Luwa age-grade structures, Songo councils of elders, and Iddirs—play in either restricting or championing civic voice and inclusive leadership?
• What are the potential risks of household/ domestic or community backlash, harassment, or gender-based violence (GBV) against women or men who assume public or leadership roles, who speak up against local influential people, religious leaders and executives and how can spousal engagement and familial dialogues mitigate these risks, drawing on existing examples and good practices?
• How are the findings similar or different for women, men and their sub-groups?

Institutional Level

• Who are the key formal and non formal institutions and actors, at different levels with directly or indirectly relevant mandates to support gender equality, rights and social inclusion and empowerment in all its dimensions across sectors.
• To what extent are Woreda and Kebele Councils, executive bodies, and the five pro-poor service providers (health, education, water, agriculture, and roads) gender-responsive in their internal rules, procedures, budgeting, and service delivery standards?
• What institutional barriers prevent women or men councillors, in particular from marginalized groups, from assuming leadership positions (e.g., in Standing Committees), and what specific support mechanisms are exist or are needed for them to effectively influence decisions?
• What are the existing capacities and gaps of government and civil society actors—including Sidama Development Association (SDA), the Sidama Action CSO Network, and local/women-led CBOs—to advocate for gender equality and represent women’s and men’s real interests and priorities, independently, no matter the political affiliations of the women and men, and the institutions or actors working with them?
• How effective (trusted, accessible, inclusive, coordinated, and survivor-centred) are local GBV services including protection, grievance redress and accountability mechanisms for women and men, including linkages to formal GBV referral pathways?
• How are the findings similar or different for women, men and their sub-groups?

Structural Level

• What regional and local policies, legal frameworks (such as the ICBPP and Administrative Procedure Proclamation [APP]), tax and licensing, and customary practices support or hinder gender equality and social inclusion in Sidama?
• To what extent are woreda planning and budgeting processes responsive to women’s and men’s, practical and strategic priorities—including natural resource/climate resilience priorities—and what institutional mechanisms exist to track GRB allocations?
• What strategic opportunities and risks exist for advancing gender-responsive and more inclusive governance, particularly in light of anticipated local council elections and social norm transformation initiatives?
• How are the findings similar or different for women, men and their sub-groups?

6.     Methodology

1. Overall Approach & Analytical Frameworks: The Intersectional Gender Analysis will adopt a participatory, mixed-methods, and intersectional approach to generate both analytical insights and actionable recommendations for ELGP implementation in the Sidama Region. The consultant is expected to propose a contextually grounded analytical framework that examines power relations, gender roles, and institutional rules across the household, community, institutional, and structural levels. Specifically, the analysis will apply the 5Cs Framework—examining Confidence, Care/childcare responsibilities, Constituency/candidate support, Cash/access to economic resources, and Culture/social norms—complemented by participatory time-use tools (such as 24-hour daily activity clocks to inform meeting schedules under Activity 1.1.4) and institutional gender analysis. Throughout, an intersectional lens will be applied to assess how gender interacts with age, disability status, economic status, marital status, health status (including PLHIV), education, exposure to violence, conflict, and/or environmental hazards, and rural/urban location to shape exclusion and leadership opportunities.
2. Desk Review & Synergy with Concurrent Inception Studies: The assignment will begin with a comprehensive desk review of relevant project, policy, and contextual documents. This includes the ELGP Project Document and Logframe. This includes noting gaps in contextual, institutional, actor, and harmonization analysis, to be included in the inception and final reports. Furthermore, the consultant(s) will review ADA’s Environmental, Gender, and Social Standards (EGSS) Checklist; national and Sidama regional legal/policy frameworks (including the ICBPP manual and APP); and lessons learned from the predecessor ALGP+ project (including the Amhara Intersectional Gender Analysis and Endline Evaluation) and the Sidama Preliminary Assessment. To avoid duplication and respondent fatigue during the inception phase, the consultant(s) will cross-reference with the Sidama Baseline Assessment and PEA, leveraging and triangulating available and emerging data rather than repeating baseline household surveys.
3. Primary Data Collection (Qualitative & Quantitative): Primary data collection across the sampled woredas and kebeles will combine qualitative and targeted quantitative methods:

• Qualitative Methods: Key Informant Interviews (KIIs), Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), community consultations, direct observation of local governance processes, and short case studies. To ensure safe and open dialogue free from patriarchal or institutional intimidation, FGDs and consultations must include sex- and age-segregated sessions (e.g., women-only, female youth, and women councillors), keeping in mind that women are not a homogenous group and that there can also be power and influence dynamics between them. Additionally, mixed dialogues will be facilitated in Sidaamu Afoo by experienced female researchers.
• Quantitative & Institutional Data: Rather than conducting a standalone household survey, quantitative analysis will draw on: (i) institutional and administrative data collected from Woreda/Kebele Councils, Standing Committees, Woreda Plan Offices, and the five pro-poor sector offices (tracking sex-, age-, and disability-disaggregated representation, leadership positions, and GRB allocations); and (ii) gender-specific indicator data generated in coordination with the ELGP Sidama Baseline Survey. At the same time, the consultant(s) will note relevant gaps in availability of relevant gender and inclusion statistics and data.

1. Ethical Standards, Safeguarding & Quality Assurance The methodology must systematically integrate Human Rights-Based Approaches (HRBA), gender-equality principles, disability inclusion (ensuring physical and communication accessibility for PWDs), conflict sensitivity, and Do-No-Harm principles across tool design, fieldwork, validation, and reporting. The consultant(s) must adhere to ethical research standards, HELVETAS’ Code of Conduct, Regulations on Prevention of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment (PSEAH), mobbing and abuse of authority, Child Protection, and the ADA Data Protection/Privacy Notice—ensuring informed consent, strict confidentiality, data anonymisation, and safe referral preparedness (linking with the Bureau of WCSA should any GBV disclosures arise, without directly probing for personal trauma). Findings from secondary sources, institutional records, and primary qualitative and quantitative methods will be systematically triangulated to ensure analytical accuracy, validity, and operational utility.

7.     Expected Deliverables and Timeline

The assignment comprises a total Level of Effort (LoE) of 30 working days spread across 40 calendar days from contract signing (including two 5-day review windows for HELVETAS and ADA). The consultancy will be implemented in four sequential phases:

Phase 1: Inception and Tool Design (7 Working Days) The consultant(s) will conduct a comprehensive desk review of relevant project, policy, and contextual documents (including the ELGP Project Document, Logframe, ADA EGSS Checklist, ALGP+ Amhara Intersectional Gender Analysis, and emerging Sidama Baseline/PEA documents). Based on this review, the consultant will submit a draft Inception Report not more than 15 pages (excluding the annexes) outlining the methodology, analytical framework, sampling strategy, gender analysis matrix, detailed workplan, quality assurance/safeguarding protocols, and draft data collection tools and consent forms in English. HELVETAS and ADA will provide consolidated feedback within 5 days. The consultant(s) will then incorporate the feedback, finalise the Inception Report, and translate the approved tools and consent forms into Amharic and Sidaamu Afoo prior to field deployment.

Phase 2: Field Preparation and Data Collection (10 Working Days) Following approval of the Inception Report, the consultant(s) will train field researchers (including on Do-No-Harm, PSEAH, and ethical consent), pre-test the translated tools to ensure cultural and contextual clarity and sensitivity and undertake qualitative and institutional/quantitative data collection across the sampled Sidama woredas and kebeles. At the conclusion of fieldwork, the consultant will facilitate a brief Preliminary Findings Debriefing (PowerPoint presentation) with the ELGP team and Sidama Development Association (SDA) to validate initial observations and identify any analytical gaps requiring follow-up prior to drafting the report.

Phase 3: Data Analysis and Draft Report Preparation (8 Working Days) The consultant(s) will clean, transcribe, and triangulate the qualitative and quantitative data collected from primary and secondary sources to prepare a comprehensive Draft Intersectional Gender Analysis Report with short-, mid-, and long-term Action Plan recommendations. The report will include:

• Executive Summary;
• Methodology and Limitations;
• Context, Policy, and Institutional Analysis;
• Multi-Level Intersectional Gender Findings (Individual, Household/Community, Institutional, and Structural levels);
• Safeguarding, Backlash, and GBV Risk Analysis (aligned with the ADA EGSS Checklist);
• Strategic Implications and recommendations for improving ELGP Flagship Interventions (Mentor–Mentee initiative, Women's Caucuses, Spousal Dialogues, GRB tracking, and ICBPP/CSC platforms);
• Proposed refinements and target benchmarks for ELGP gender-responsive indicators; and
• A draft Operational GAP Matrix outlining concrete actions, responsible actors, budget/resource considerations, and timelines mapped to ELGP Outputs.

HELVETAS and ADA will review the draft report and provide consolidated feedback within 5 days.

Phase 4: Validation Workshop and Finalisation (5 Working Days) The consultant(s) will prepare a summary presentation and facilitate a one-day Validation Workshop in Sidama to present the draft findings and validate the Intersectional GAP with HELVETAS, SDA, government stakeholders (Regional/Woreda Councils, Plan Bureau, WCSA, and pro-poor sectors), and community/CSO representatives. Incorporating feedback from the workshop and the written review, the consultant will submit the final Gender Analysis package:

1. Final Intersectional Gender Analysis Report (maximum 25 pages excluding annexes, incorporating the validated Operational GAP Matrix and Indicator Recommendations) in both editable Word and PDF formats.
2. Standalone Operational GAP & Indicator Matrix in editable Word/Excel format, detailing specific actions, target adjustments, responsible stakeholders, and implementation timelines across ELGP’s 3 outcomes.
3. Concise Intersectional Gender Analysis Brief (maximum 8 pages) summarising the methodology, key findings, conclusions, and strategic recommendations, in both Word and PDF formats (plus the PowerPoint slide deck used for validation).
4. Hard Copies: Two (2) bound and signed hard copies each of the Final Report and the 8-page Brief.
5. Finalised Research Instruments: All final data collection tools, field guides, and informed consent forms in English, Amharic, and Sidaamu Afoo.
6. Anonymised Datasets and Transcripts: All cleaned quantitative/institutional datasets, qualitative interview and FGD transcripts, coding frameworks, analysis files, and digital metadata (e.g., Kobo Toolbox exports). In strict compliance with ethical standards and the ADA Privacy Notice, all datasets and transcripts must be fully anonymised/de-identified prior to handover to protect respondent confidentiality.

8.     Reporting and Management Arrangements

The consultancy will be managed by HELVETAS Ethiopia under the ELGP project. The ELGP MEAL Officer will serve as the primary focal person for technical coordination, quality assurance, review of deliverables, and stakeholder engagement. The consultant(s) will work closely with the ELGP team and SDA throughout the assignment.

9.     Payment Modality

Payments for this consultancy will be made upon satisfactory completion and approval of the agreed deliverables by HELVETAS, as follows:

• 20% of the total contract amount shall be paid upon submission and approval of the Inception Report, including the detailed methodology, work plan, data collection tools, and inception presentation.
• 30% of the total contract amount shall be paid upon submission and approval of the Draft Gender Analysis Report.
• The remaining 50% of the total contract amount shall be paid upon submission and acceptance of all final deliverables, including the Final Intersectional Gender Analysis, Executive Summary, cleaned datasets and data collection tools, and incorporation of all comments and feedback provided by HELVETAS and relevant stakeholders.

HELVETAS shall deduct the applicable withholding tax from all payments in accordance with the tax laws and regulations of Ethiopia.

[1] https://ada.cdn.kontainer.com/cdn-static/66062f94/CPEIB9gpgRSn/policy-document-gender-equality-2024-2030.pdf

Terms of Reference (TOR) Procurement of Accessible Information and Communication Materials

Background

The Ethiopian Federation of Persons with Disabilities (FEAPD) is an umbrella organization committed to promoting the rights, inclusion, participation, and empowerment of persons with disabilities in Ethiopia. The Federation works with member organizations of persons with disabilities (OPDs), government institutions, development partners, and other stakeholders to advance disability-inclusive policies and practices.

The We Can Work Project aims to promote the inclusion and participation of persons with disabilities in employment and the world of work by strengthening access to information, advocacy, awareness, and disability-inclusive policies and practices.

Accessible information is essential to ensuring that persons with disabilities can understand their rights, participate in advocacy, and access employment-related opportunities. To address communication barriers, FEAPD seeks to engage qualified service providers to translate and produce disability-related policy and advocacy materials in accessible formats for persons with different disabilities.

Purpose of the TOR

The purpose of this TOR is to invite qualified and experienced service providers to submit competitive technical and financial proposals for translating, producing, and disseminating accessible information materials under the We Can Work Project.

The assignment will ensure that the UNCRPD, Ethiopian National Disability Policy/Act, African Disability Protocol (ADP), and advocacy workbook are made available in appropriate languages and accessible formats, in accordance with agreed quality standards and within 21 calendar days of contract signing.

Scope of Work

The assignment comprises the following four service domains. Interested bidders may apply for one or more domains, provided they demonstrate the relevant technical capacity, experience, and ability to meet the required delivery deadline.

Domain 1: Translation and Printing of Written Materials

The selected service provider shall:

• Translate the UNCRPD, Ethiopian National Disability Policy/Act and ADP into Afaan Oromo, and Wolaitigna languages.
• Ensure accuracy, consistency, cultural appropriateness, and clear use of disability-related terminology.
• Conduct professional proofreading, editing, and language quality assurance.
• Format and print the translated materials according to specifications agreed with FEAPD.
• Submit the final printed materials and editable electronic files.

Domain 2: Audio Translation and Production

The selected service provider shall:

• Produce audio versions of the UNCRPD, Ethiopian National Disability Policy/Act, ADP, and advocacy workbook in to Amharic, Afaan Oromo, and Wolaitigna.
• Engage qualified speakers proficient in the respective languages.
• Ensure clear pronunciation, appropriate narration, complete content coverage, and professional audio editing.
• Provide final recordings in accessible digital formats, including MP3 or another format approved by FEAPD.
• Submit all approved audio files for distribution and use.

Domain 3: Braille Transcription and Production

The selected service provider shall:

• Transcribe the agreed source materials into accurate and readable Braille.
• Apply recognized Braille transcription and formatting standards.
• Ensure quality control through review by a competent Braille specialist.
• Produce 100 copies of the agreed Braille materials.
• Deliver the completed copies and relevant electronic files, where applicable.

Domain 4: Easy-to-Read, Tactile, and Large-Print Accessible Materials

The selected service provider shall:

• Develop easy-to-read materials using clear language, simple sentence structures, logical layouts, and appropriate illustrations or symbols where useful.
• Produce large-print materials with legible fonts, appropriate spacing, strong contrast, and accessible layouts.
• Incorporate tactile features where required and appropriate to the intended users and agreed specifications.
• Produce the agreed materials in Amharic, Afaan Oromo, and Wolaitigna.
• Produce 100 copies per language, subject to confirmation of the final specifications and quantities by FEAPD.
• Conduct accessibility and quality checks before final production and submission.

Expected Deliverables

The selected service provider(s) shall deliver:

1. An inception note and detailed work plan, including methodology, quality assurance procedures, and a schedule for completing the assignment within 14 calendar days.
2. Professionally translated, edited, and printed materials in Amharic, Afaan Oromo, and Wolaitigna.
3. Final audio versions of the specified policy and advocacy materials in the three languages.
4. One hundred copies of the agreed Braille materials.
5. Easy-to-read, large-print, and agreed tactile materials in the three languages, in the quantities approved by FEAPD.
6. Editable source files and final digital versions in appropriate formats.
7. A quality assurance report confirming accuracy, completeness, accessibility, and compliance with agreed specifications.
8. A final handover of all approved materials to FEAPD within the contractual deadline.

All deliverables shall be submitted for FEAPD's review and formal acceptance.

Assignment Duration and Schedule

The assignment shall be completed within 14 calendar days from contract signing.

Bidders shall demonstrate their ability to undertake activities concurrently where necessary to meet the deadline.

Roles and Responsibilities

FEAPD shall:

• Provide source documents and relevant project information.
• Confirm language, quantity, design, and accessibility specifications.
• Review submitted drafts and provide consolidated feedback.
• Inspect and formally accept completed deliverables.
• Process payments in accordance with the signed contract and applicable procedures.

The selected service provider(s) shall:

• Provide qualified personnel and necessary production resources.
• Maintain professional standards, accuracy, confidentiality, and accessibility.
• Incorporate feedback and correct agreed deficiencies.
• Comply with the approved work plan and 14-calendar-day deadline.
• Obtain FEAPD's approval before making substantive changes to the source materials or agreed specifications.

Confidentiality and Intellectual Property

All source documents and project information shall be treated as confidential. The selected service provider(s) shall not publish, distribute, or use FEAPD materials for other purposes without prior written authorization.

Unless otherwise agreed in writing, final deliverables, editable files, and project-specific outputs produced under this assignment shall become the property of FEAPD upon completion and payment. The service provider(s) shall comply with applicable copyright, ethical, accessibility, and data protection requirements.

General Conditions

• The TOR does not guarantee contract award to any bidder.
• FEAPD reserves the right to verify submitted information and references.
• FEAPD reserves the right to accept or reject any proposal in accordance with its procurement procedures.
• Any clarification or amendment to this TOR shall be communicated through the official procurement process.
• The successful bidder(s) shall enter into a formal contract with FEAPD before commencing the assignment.
• FEAPD has the right to accept or reject the bid fully or partially.
• Eligible bidders may obtain further information from FEAPD office on working hours
• For further information please call 011 - 1553003 / 0994 - 236308