Gender Analysis for Urban Green Graduation Programme At Concern Worldwide

Concern Worldwide began its work as an INGO in Bangladesh in 1972 and has responded to all major emergencies and implemented numerous programmes for the socio-economic empowerment of extremely poor people across the country. Under the Country Strategic Plan 2022- 2026 we aim to contribute to bringing sustainable, positive changes in the lives of people living in extreme poverty in Bangladesh. We will achieve this through working on five particular pillars – ensuring sustained change from our programmes (predominantly in the health, nutrition and livelihoods sectors); climate change; humanitarian action; working through partnership; and equality, diversity and inclusion.

Background and Rational

Concern Worldwide believes that ‘People are equal in rights and must be treated with respect and dignity’ with the value ‘believe in equality’ included.

Concern’s mission is to ‘Ending extreme poverty whatever it takes’. Gender inequality is one of the oldest and most pervasive forms of inequality in the world and a key driver of extreme poverty. Based on the Concern Worldwide Global Equality Strategy, Gender is the fundamental organizing principle of society, a gendered perspective is the crucial component of any broader equality analysis. Concern Worldwide works around existing gender inequality and imbalances, addresses, critically examines, and challenges long-held gender norms, attitudes, and beliefs toward equality. Based on Concern Worldwide Country strategic plan for 2022-2026 Concern continues the focus intervention for addressing gender inequality and promoting Equality, Diversity and Inclusion externally and internally for sustainable development.

Concern worldwide initiated ‘Urban Green Graduation’ programme from 2023 to 2027 with the goal to contribute to the households to create the capacities sustainably meet their basic needs and has enhanced coping strategies through reinforced livelihoods that value the natural environment with the development partners of Nari Maitree and SEEP. The green graduation programme aims to focus on those who live in some of the most extreme living conditions in the pavement, informal slums covering both Dhaka North and South City Corporation. To address the issues around inequality, marginalisation and lack of access to basic public services, building on past progress, the proposed programme will have strong grassroots led advocacy component to address systemic barriers for accessing decent jobs, social safety nets, and access to basic services like education, health and identification services by the target group. This will have a direct impact on the programme participants but will also have a wider systemic impact on policy and practice. For systemic and inclusive planning, programme will find out the inequalities faced by target communities to design programme for transformative changes.

Programme outcomes:

The Green Graduation programme will address the underlying causes of poverty experienced by the urban people living in conditions of extreme poverty. The programme participants of this programme are living in conditions of extreme poverty and the most vulnerable, who have the most precarious living arrangements, struggling with low paid, secure or meaningful employment, those have the least access to basic services (WASH, health care, education and social services), moreover they are the people who face discrimination, isolation and exclusion, based on their economic condition, their caste and religion. Within these communities, female headed households, people with disabilities, elderly, adolescent girls and children, face additional layers of inequality, risk and vulnerability. The shocks and vulnerabilities these communities face include, fires, waterlogging and forced evictions, further disrupting their lives. They are often people who have moved to the city due to the impact of natural disasters because of climate impacts.

The overall objective of the programme will be achieved through sets of interventions as outlined below under each of the outcomes of the programme logic.

Outcome 1: Improved food security of Graduation households

Outcome 2: Increased financial security

Outcome 3: Improved access to affordable, accessible and appropriate financial services and increased savings

Outcome 4: Improved social cohesion and social capital including status of women

Outcome 5: Improved environmental protection and sustainability

Outcome 6: Concern generates evidence that Green Graduation sustainably improves the wellbeing of participants and improves environmental protection and sustainability and influences the policy agenda on social protection and economic inclusion

Outcome 7: Crisis affected households are able to meet their immediate needs related to a disaster/shock within the program areas

Objective of the assignment

The main purpose of the consultancy is to conduct a gender analysis to examine the existing gender roles, attitudes and practices and the root causes of violence of the most vulnerable and marginalized families living in undeveloped slums and squatter communities, living on the pavements, and living in Dalit communities which contributes for inequality, marginalization and extreme poverty and denial their access to basic services to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment to achieve the programme outcomes.

This analysis should help identifying specific factors those are important to consider while designing appropriate program interventions – particularly for women headed households.

Specific Tasks to be carried out by the Consultant(s):

1. Analyze and identify existing gender and social norms, roles, attitudes, and practices that influence access to formal and informal job markets, skill development, and entrepreneurship and a household’s capacity to sustainably engage in economic activities.
2. Analyze and identify the root causes of the issues that affect poverty outcomes, such as unequal division of labor; access to basic services, educational opportunities, skills, and trainings, access to resources, technology and information, and participation in decision-making power at household, community and local government levels.
3. Analyze and identify the different needs and preferences of women and girls, men and boys including their autonomy, decision-making power, and control of income or household assets, accessibility to social services, nutrition and health care access, and reproductive health, including mental health
4. Analyze and identify the negative or harmful stereotypes in family and society which contributes to inequality, insecurity, gender based violence and explore potential actors to get engage for transformative change and prevention of SGBV.
5. Analyze the existing social services and networks, including the Social Safety Net available for women and girls, people with disabilities, and marginalized groups, including men and boys. Identify the intersectional issues for getting this support to overcome poverty and prevent gender-based violence.

Methodology

The analysis will be a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods for information collection and analysis. The information will be collected from primary and secondary sources. The primary data will be collected from programme participants of Urban Green Graduation Program. Data should be collected from Key Informant Interviews, Focus Group Discussions ensuring participation of slum, pavement and undeveloped slum dwellers including the Dalits and persons with disabilities. To get perspectives from wider communities, the consultant should interview local government representatives, training institutions, local clubs, local elites, small entrepreneurs, local religious leaders etc. The consultant is free to propose any other methodologies as appropriate for this consultancy. The consultant/firm will ensure the quality, including applying tools and instruments for conducting gender analysis.

The analysis needs to include both age and gender disaggregated information. A strong gender and inclusion lens is mandatory. The analysis will include intersectional factors such as disability, age, social status, wealth, education, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity etc.

The consultant is responsible to propose and design a suitable methodology and develop tools required for data collection, analyzing the data, interpreting and presenting the results in a clear and consistent way.

Outputs and Deliverables:

• Inception Report: After signing the contract with Concern, the consultant(s)/consultancy firm is expected to submit an inception report. This will provide a detailed plan of how the assignment will be carried out including tools and techniques proposed to apply. The required structure of the inception report is outlined in Annexe 1.
• Design of Appropriate Data Collection Tools: The consultant(s)/consultancy firm is expected to design appropriate and culturally sensitive data collection tools to meet analysis objectives. This would include a mix of Qualitative or Quantitative data collection tools. A complete set of data findings is to be shared with Concern.
• Training: The consultant will be fully responsible to recruit and facilitate the training for the analysis team on data collection tools. They will also be fully responsible for supervising the analysis team and monitoring data collection in the field following Concern Worldwide Code of Conduct and associated policies.
• Logistics: The consultant(s) will be fully responsible for organising transport, accommodation and any other logistical requirements. Where support from Concern is required, this needs to be clearly outlined in the Inception Report and will be discussed and agreed upon by all parties.
• Feedback session: At the end of the fieldwork, initial feedback and debrief sessions with the programme team and Urban Green Graduation partners management team.
• Final Analysis Report: The Consultant(s) is expected to produce a high quality, well-written final report in English, which does not exceed 20 pages (excluding annexes). The report should reflect and comment on all of the sections outlined in the objectives. The report will show disaggregated findings against each of the objectives both in tabular and descriptive formats. (Please see the final report template attached in Annex 2). The report should be on A4 size paper and in a legible font (e.g., Times New Roman 11, Arial11, or a similar print size). Soft copies of the final report (in Word and PDF formats) with complete data set (in Excel format, raw and cleaned) are to be submitted.

Geographic Coverage:

The gender analysis will be focus on the programme intervention areas of Urban Green Graduation Programme in Dhaka North and South city Corporation.

Duration of Assignment

The total period of providing consultative services will be a maximum period of six (6) weeks. The contract will end with the approval and acceptance of the final report, following any feedback given by Concern. The consultant should propose the time required for the assignment based on the proposed methodology.

Tasks

1. Review relevant programme documents and drafting of inception report
2. Kick off meeting with programme team, presentations on the programme background and plans, gender transformative approach and Code of Conduct to be given by Concern.
3. Submission of an inception report for review and sign off
4. Finalisation of inception report and data collection tools based on feedback
5. Training of Analysis Team
6. Data collection in Programme Locations
7. Data analysis and preparation of draft report
8. Feedback Session with programme team
9. Draft report submitted for review
10. Finalize the report incorporating the feedback from the management of Concern Worldwide
11. Submission of the final report

Qualifications and Experience required

• A Master’s degree/Ph.D. in social science e.g. Economics/Sociology/ Anthropology/Gender studies or equivalent fields
• Demonstrated experience minimum 10 years’ on gender impact study, gender analysis, gender responsive evaluation, particularly in research, baseline study, gender transformation, Outcome survey, evaluation, impact assessment, and Gender study including equality and inclusion issues.
• Expertise in qualitative and quantitative data/information collection, analysis, and reporting, including demonstrable experience in conducting similar kinds of gender analysis.
• Expertise of collecting and analysing gender desegregated data. Designing research methods and tools.
• Excellent knowledge on qualitative and quantitative research methods
• Knowledge of the development contexts, national policies and laws relevant on women and girls, persons with disabilities, dalit and other relevant issues to promote equality and to access to legal services, social services, health care, livelihood, education etc.
• Good understanding on gender Dynamics to recognize how social, economic, political and cultural factors intersects with gender to shape the experiences of men, women and children including diversified groups.
• In depth knowledge to recognize the intersectionality of gender with the other social identities such as race, age and disability.
• Consultant(s)/consulting firm should engage analysis team members with at least three years of hands-on experience of doing similar jobs. The team should be gender balanced.
• Excellent communication, planning and coordination skills.
• Strong interpersonal and analytical skills.
• Excellent report writing skill in English and the working national language.
• The Consultant should have previous experience conducting similar analysis in urban context in Bangladesh
• Applicants must share evidence of similar work completed.

Standard Terms

1. Duration: The total period of providing the consultative services will be over a period of 06 weeks starting from the date of contract signing.
2. Remuneration/Fee: Interested bidders are requested to submit their financial proposal along with the technical proposal including Data Quality Assurance Protocol for the assignment, inclusive all VAT and Taxes as per policy of the government of Bangladesh which shall be deducted at source prior to the payment. Expenses not specified in the financial proposal or not mentioned in any section of the agreement are the sole responsibility of the Consultant.
3. Payment: The consultant/consulting firm will be paid an agreed amount including VAT and tax for the total assigned service. Full payment will be made upon completion of the assignment as per the agreed ToR. The payment mode will be in three (3) instalments for the entire assignment against invoices issued by the Consultant:
4. First instalment is 20% after the inception report is formally signed-off by the Programme Director.
5. Second instalment of 30% of the payment will be made after submission of the draft report.
6. The remaining 50% will be paid upon satisfactory submission and acceptance of the Gender Analysis report along with all accompanying documents/datasets as specified in the agreement.

Concern will not be liable for any bank charges arising from incorrect bank details being provided to Concern.

1. Accommodation, per diem and other allowance: No accommodation, per diem or other allowances will be paid in addition to the cost mentioned in the agreement.
2. Copyright and Confidentiality: Concern Worldwide will have the copyright for all the documents prepared by the consultant(s) including questionnaires, survey formats, case studies if any, and the final report with due acknowledgement. No part of the document should be reproduced or published in any manner without prior written approval of Concern Worldwide. The consultant will maintain the confidentiality of the stated assignment.
3. Concern’s Code of Conduct (CCoC) and its associated safeguarding policies; the Programme Participant Protection Policy, the Child Safeguarding Policy and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Policy have been developed to ensure the maximum protection of programme participants from exploitation and to clarify the responsibilities of Concern staff, consultants, contractors, visitors to the programme and partner organisations, and the standards of behaviour expected of them. In this context staff have a responsibility to the organisation to strive for and maintain the highest standards in the day-to-day conduct in their workplace in accordance with Concern’s core values and mission. Concern’s Code of Conduct and its associated safeguarding policies have been appended to this Contract for your signature. By signing the Concern Code of Conduct you demonstrate that you have understood their content and agree to conduct yourself in accordance with the provisions of these two documents.
4. Breach of Code of Conduct and Sharing of Information: We are required to share details of certain breaches of Concern’s Code of Conduct, specifically those related to fraud, sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment and trafficking in persons, with external organizations such as institutional donors, regulatory bodies and future employers. In the event where you have been found to be in breach of these aspects of Concern’s Code of Conduct, your personal details (e.g. name, date of birth, address and nationality) and details of these breaches will be shared with these external bodies. Organizations may retain this data and use it to inform future decisions about you.

In addition, where we are working in partnership with another organization and where there are allegations of breaches in the above areas against you, we will cooperate with any investigation being undertaken and will share your personal details with investigation teams.

A breach of this policy will result in disciplinary action up to, and including, dismissal.

1. Responsibility:

The consultant/consultancy firm will provide the report to Gender Coordinator and liaise with the Program Manager, UGGP to receive information, feedback and support to organizing field study and data accumulation. The Programme Director will provide the strategic guidance to the consultant/consultancy firm and urban team to accomplish the assignment with utmost standard.

Annexe 1: Structure of Inception Report

1. Introduction
2. The objective of the analysis
3. Methodology
4. Data collection plan
5. Analysis Plan
6. Limitations
7. Detailed Work Plan (including any support needs from Concern for each activity)
8. Staffing Plan
9. Risk Assessment
10. Budget

• Proposed Final Report Structure

Annexe 2: Brief Structure of Final Report

1. Introduction
2. The objectives of the analysis
3. Methodology
4. Data collection and data quality management
5. Findings

5.1 Brief on existing gender and social norms, roles, attitudes, and practices that can influence the following areas for programme participants:

• • • Access to formal and informal job markets – Skill development, and entrepreneurship – Household’s capacity to sustainably engage in economic activities

5.2 Clearly identified root causes of the issues that affect poverty outcomes. The listed root causes should able to rectify following poverty outcomes

• • • Unequal division of labour – Access to basic services, educational opportunities, skills, and trainings, – Access to resources, technology and information, and – Participation in decision-making power at household, community and local government levels.

5.3 Needs and preferences of women and girls, men and boys based on the following factors:

• • • Autonomy – Decision-making power – Control of income or household assets – Accessibility to social services, nutrition and health care access, and reproductive health, including mental health

5.4 Brief discussion on Negative or harmful stereotypes in family and society which contributes to (i) inequality, (ii) insecurity and (iii) gender based violence

5.5 Potential actors to get engage for transformative change and prevention of SGBV

5.6 Analysis on existing social services and networks, including the Social Safety Net available for women and girls, people with disabilities, and marginalized groups, including men and boys.

5.7 Identification of the intersectional issues for getting existing social services and networks which support to overcome poverty and prevent gender-based violence

1. Risk Assessment: Articulating the risk factors identified for both ‘programme’ and ‘programme participants’ for findings 5.1 to 5.7.
2. Recommendation: Constructive and specific recommendations considering programme seven outcomes, findings and objectives of the analysis
3. Conclusion
4. Annex
   1. Qualitative data collection tools
   2. Quantitative data collection tools
   3. A complete set of data
   4. PowerPoint Presentation Slides