Building and supporting Gender and Diversity awareness and capacity building in Tdh

1. Background and justification

Terre des hommes is an independent, neutral and impartial Swiss organization founded in 1960, dedicated to bringing about significant and lasting change in the lives of children and young people, especially those most at risk. We ensure their well-being and the effective implementation of their rights as defined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and other human rights instruments. To make a difference, we focus our efforts on maternal and child health, children and young people in migration situations, and access to justice. We promote the active participation of children and young people in order to empower them. We advocate for their rights and support them in expressing their needs and interests. We work in fragile contexts and conflict zones, as well as in more stable environments.

Tdh intervenes in 32 different countries around the world, in dynamic and complex humanitarian and development contexts. In its interventions, Tdh promotes a Human-Rights Based Approach to programming, and an overall advancement of quality and accountability by ensuring meaningful access to Tdh services for all in safety and dignity. Tdh has adopted the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS) as its framework for Quality & Accountability, which is fully integrated with widely recognized industry standards, notably the Sphere Handbook, the Minimum Standards for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action, and the IASC Principles for Accountability towards Affected Populations. The CHS is also central to the Grand Bargain Commitments on Humanitarian Action. Tdh’s work articulates around the following principles : acting for the best interests of the child, promoting participation and empowerment of children, youth, their families and communities, working in partnership to strengthen local capacities, dynamics and systems, acting for humanitarian interest, development and peace; promoting constant improvement, collaboration and learning, being transparent and accountable towards beneficiaries, partners, donors and ourselves (Tdh values and principles of action, 2020).

• Presentation of Tdh’s Gender & Diversity policy :

Published in 2019, the policy summarizes the understanding, guiding principles and institutional (especially HR management) and operational commitments made at different levels in Tdh. It is a first version and should evolve in the coming years. A dedicated position, supported by a working group was in place until 2020 but is currently not in place.

Tdh acknowledges that gender inequality is the most pervasive form of inequality around the world and a pressing human rights concern. It affects everyone, but women and girls first, constituting the majority of those affected by poverty and crisis. Harmful socially constructed gender norms often present a dominant view of what it means to be female or male and perpetuate a binary and exclusionary view of gender. These lead to discrimination and marginalization, which results in less access to resources, less power, less influence in decision making, and increased Gender-Based Violence.

Tdh recognizes the intersectionality of gender and diversity. The way in which a person’s sex or gender identity is linked to and combines with another part of his or her identity, can lead to and create multiple forms of

discrimination. For example, a child with a disability and from an ethnic minority could be highly marginalized.

Intersectionality is a complex and powerful exclusion phenomenon that differs according to the context. A person’s experiences are influenced by a multitude of identities that interact or overlap, and this Policy seeks to ensure these concepts are addressed together.

• Tdh commitments linked to the G&D policy :

In its strategy 2021-2024, Tdh reaffirms its commitments on G&D through the following pillars:

• Strengthen internal processes, approaches and methods contributing to aligning them with the CHS, CPMS and other standards
• Apply its institutional policy on Gender & Diversity, promote inclusion and deep power dynamics transformation at all levels (institutional, operational) – which means the HR department is also a key stakeholder
• Commitment to apply the Global Code of Conduct in Tdh by all employees, partners, consultants and volunteers, including policy on fraud and corruption, conflict of interest, Child safeguarding policy, Policy on protection against sexual abuses and exploitation, Directive on protection of personal integrity
• Work on quality and ethical MEL processes: improve frameworks, approaches, methods and tools to ensure robust situation analysis (diagnostics) beyond needs assessment, monitoring of context, outputs and outcomes, evaluation. MEL is considered as key to contribute to empowering the people we work with and for as well as to magnify the impact we pursue and learning to improve interventions.

From the strategy 21-24, G&D can be understood as linked to :

• Value based leadership
• Valuing our Human Resources and promoting inclusion
• Quality and accountability of our operations, including through the principle of Do No Harm.

It can also be linked to other cross-cutting topics like community participation, environmental concerns and climate change.

In addition, a new Accountability to Affected People framework is currently being drafted, under the direction of the Quality and accountability sector, that will link with the implementation of the G&D policy.

However, a lot of other frameworks including programmes strategy (theories of change, indicators framework etc.) are not incorporating G&D enough or consistently.

• For implementation in its projects : Tdh G&D marker

A tool to support implementing the policy in its operations, the G&D marker is not used in all Tdh projects until now and its roll-out should be generalized in the coming years (baseline to be designed for 2021).

A G&D Regional Focal Point has been appointed for Africa, but generally the approach that has been favored is that of mainstreaming G&D in different positions and responsibilities. However this limits the specific time and resources allocated to the topic and a new impetus is needed.

2. Objectives and deliverables

The aim of the consultancy is to support the reference persons in HQ to reinforce the implementation of the G&D policy especially at the level of general induction of all staff and at the level of operations through more targeted support.

The consultant will act as a supporting part time resource for the organization, developing an action plan and implementing it together with the reference persons in HQ and in the field.

This could lead to a follow-up consultancy in 2022.

The objectives of the consultancy are to :

• Take stock and analyse the current situation, including assessing the existing resources
• design a strategic approach with different levels / options to support prioritisation
• develop a structured workplan to be the basis for the consultancy and for additional actions by Tdh staff
• support mobilization and capacity building on G&D in the last quarter of 2021 (conducting or impulsing a few targeted actions including training sessions and communication).

Deliverables :

• Based on a set of existing Tdh resources : identify main assets and gaps, and assess relevance of referring to existing external resources and draft a presentation of key findings and recommendations
• Conduct an assessment of the level of focal persons
• Propose next steps / new developments (include milestones in communication and change management)
• Set up an action plan for 2021 and a proposition of a follow-up plan for 2022 (with options)
• Put together Tdh reference material on G&D (our Tdh ‘G&D toolkit’)
• Delivery of first actions as per validated action plan, including initial training sessions to test formats and contents.

3. Method and milestones

1) Briefing with Tdh teams: Quality & Accountability unit, Safeguarding Unit, Operations dpt, Human Resources dpt

2) Literature review (main internal documents) of available resources

3) Refine/confirm methodology proposition + timeframe

4) Interview with key staffs on the ground to understand knowledge of internal frameworks, current practices, gather perceived needs and gaps and suggestions

5) Production of a draft action plan

6) Review by Tdh reference group for the consultancy (from safeguarding, HR, Q&A teams)

7) Implementation of the action plan

8) Reporting.

4. Estimated time

Time estimated for completing the task: 15 to 20 days, during the last quarter (21 September – 21 December 2021) (more precise timeline to be defined)

Ideally, a follow-up consultancy could take place in 2022.

Please send your CV, supported by 3 references and a cover letter and a technical proposition including budget and availability to catherine.dixon@tdh.ch ; aurélie.yotege@tdh.ch by September 15th.

5. Requirements for applying

Please not that applicants should be fully registered as consultant / independent worker.

Profile :

• Experience in implementing G&D in international NGOs, at different levels ; demonstrated training skills
• Field experience, especially in the field of protection, MCH, GBV ; understanding of cultural background and adaptation ; Knowledge and experience of community and child participation
• Able to adapt to Tdh organizational culture and material, and to adapt to different cultures, backgrounds and age groups
• Fluency in English, fluency or very good command of French (ability to interview French speaking persons), Spanish desirable

Can be remote based / home based ; possibility to organize in-person workshop(s) and/or training session(s) in HQ (Lausanne, Switzerland).

Tdh Global Code of Conduct:

Tdh consultants are required to comply with Tdh’s Global Code of Conduct and safeguarding policies.