Gender and Protection Analysis At Action contre la Faim France

Terms of Reference

Gender and Protection Analysis

Liberia

Organisation

Action Against Hunger, Liberia Country Office

Summary

Gender and Protection Analysis focus on identifying and understanding the different roles, activities, needs and vulnerabilities and capacities of women, girls, men and boys in Montserrado, Margibi and Nimba, Liberia

Duration

3 months upon contract signature (July, August, September 2023)

Background

Action Against Hunger (ACF) is operating in Liberia since 1990 following the first Civil War, and has become one of the main humanitarian and development actors in the country, focusing on the links between nutrition, health, mental health, psychosocial support and protection (MHPSS-P), Food Security and livelihoods (FSL), water sanitation and hygiene (WASH), and advocacy to address the underlying and root causes of nutrition insecurity.

The scope of Action Against Hunger work has evolved significantly over the years, from classic humanitarian and then post-crisis response during the war period (1990-2003), then progressively moving to a development approach based on ensuring the provision of nutrition services within the health system; promoting and implementing FSL and WASH interventions. Action Against Hunger currently works in eight (8) counties out of the total 15 nationally, and targets children under 5 years, pregnant and lactating women and adolescents. Action Against Hunger has an operational base in Montserrado (Monrovia) and nearly 40 staff members in Liberia.

The French Development Agency (AFD) is planning to finance in 2024 a three-year program aiming to strengthen the health system in Liberia by integrating two projects designed by Action Against Hunger and Expertise France. A feasibility study will be conducted in 2023 as the precursor or a start fund for the program intervention and a Gender and Protection analysis and action plan will be part of the study, therefore Action Against Hunger is recruiting a consultant to conduct the Gender and Protection Analysis.

The project designed by Action Against Hunger, “Better Health Outcomes for Liberians (BEHOL)”, aims to improve the health status of Liberians living in the counties of Montserrado, Margibi and Nimba. The tailored package of co-created interventions seeks to fortify the resilience of Liberia’s health system through refining and cultivating leadership within the Ministry of Health by increasing the quality of maternal, neonatal, and mental health care.Additionally, in implementing the BEHOL package, a space will be created for gender transformation with improved health rights for women, girls, and other vulnerable populations. The main outcomes of the project are (project overview in appendix 1):

1. Strengthened health system at the national and subnational levels,
2. Improved quality in the provision of health services at facility and community levels,
3. Improved autonomy in decision-making and health-seeking behavior,
4. Community participation and ownership in improved health care.

The project led by Expertise France will be focused on a technical assistance tailored to the needs of the Ministry of Health to support its efforts to structure its human resources policy, as well as robust human resources for health management information system. The project will be aligned with the priority areas of the National Health Sector Strategic Plan – A Roadmap to Universal Health Coverage (2022-2026) and of the National Health Policy (2022-2031). The project will have three main axis :

1. Governance of the Human Resources for Health (HRH) Strategy

• including the strengthening of the HRH policies, strategies and management and the development/ updating of HRH management tools such as the Core Competency Reference Guide, and the HRH management information system
• Support for the establishment/ strengthening of planning tools (operational and financial), based on the strategy and human and budgetary resources planning carried out by the MoH

1. Availability, quality and distribution of Human Resources for Health

• strengthening/structuring initial and continuing trainings, and on the realization/updating of a mapping of HRH needs by region/county according to the distribution of health structures and the required HR coverage.
• strengthening the skills of specific professions within the medical teams of healthcare structures (nurses, midwives), with the implementation of practical training.
• review and formalization of a continuing education policy as well as the design/revision of a multi-year training plan.
• strengthen the curricula at the level of initial training and the system of certification of trades (continuing training).

1. HRH management information system

• to offer specific training on the management of a HRH management information system, data collection and processing
• to provide support for the structuring of the HRH management information system and the harmonization of the reporting framework

Context

Liberia has made progresses in guaranteeing equality between men and women through legislation and policies, but the full implementation of these policies remains weak while sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) is still widely acknowledged to affect women and adolescent girls in schools, communities, homes and workplaces in the country. A national Action Plan Phase III (2018-2023) has been developed by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection and is currently in use.

Gender inequalities are deeply entrenched in Liberian society, including stereotypes (women and girls are considered inferior to men and boys) and prejudice against women and exclusion of women in decision-making, lack of access to resources all of which provides an enabling environment for high levels of violence against women and girls.

A total of 1761 GBV cases were reported in 2021. The trend of the past five years (2017-2021) shows that the number of cases reported raised from 2017 to 2019 (which accounted 1685, 2105, and 2708 cases respectively) and that there was a decrease in cases reported in 2020 and 2021 (with 2240 cases and 1761). Although the decrease in cases reported in the last years could be a sign of GBV cases reduction, it is likely that these numbers are the result of under reporting of cases. This is due to lack of support to community or GBV local response actors for effective services delivery, as well as lack of funding to adequately support data collection nationwide as well as the impacts of COVID19 pandemic.

The cases reported in 2021 include rape (66% from which 58% were girls between 6 and 17 years old) sexual assault (12%), physical assaults and domestic violence (10%) and denial of resources (9%). Child Marriages (36%) of 20-24 years old women were married before 18 and 9% before 15 years old) Traditional rites like female genital female genital mutilation (44.2% of 15-49 years old women and girls have been mutilated) and forced child marriages still prevail in Liberia in both urban and rural communities.

While this data provides an insight of reported cases, underreporting, compromising, slow judicial system and unwillingness of survivors’ parents and relatives to prosecute GBV perpetrators are greatly undermining the fight against GBV. Most cases have been reported by health facilities (73%), but also by the Women and Children Protection Section of the Liberia National Police, Government of Liberia Lines Ministries and Agencies and NGOs.

Objectives of the Gender and Protection Analysis

Outcomes:

1) Based on a preliminary analysis, assess the project proposed and make recommendations to adequately address gender inequalities, protection risk and promote women empowerment.

2) Provide an exhaustive gender and protection analysis in the target area of the project (30 catchment communities in 3 Counties) to (1) determine predominant gender and social norms and power dynamics that hinder women, adolescents, girls and youth on the exercise of their health and sexual and reproductive health rights (access to qualitative, tailored and comprehensive health care base on the specifics needs of each collective); (2) Analyze the population’s representations of existing protection risks and the strategies adopted by vulnerable people to reduce the risks of protection incidents; (3) Understand existing types of violence, their root causes and causal agents, who is most at risk of experiencing them and for what reasons.

3) Provide a gender and protection action plan to ensure the mainstreaming of gender throughout the project’s implementation with the aim to promote gender equality at program and institutional level (in line with ACF gender policy).

General Objectives of the gender and protection analysis:

The consultant is expected to provide the following information, according to the targeted population groups (by age, sex, disabilities, etc.) and encompassing the different technical sectors of Action Against Hunger intervention for this project (Health and Nutrition, Mental Health, Psychosocial Support and Protection and Wash, Sanitation and Hygiene) with an intersectional and rights approach on:

• Sexual/Gendered Division of Labor
• Household decision-making
• Control of productive assets
• Access to public spaces and services
• Claiming rights and meaningful participation in public decision-making
• Control over one’s body
• Violence and restorative justice
• Aspirations and strategic interests

Specific Objectives of the gender and protection analysis:

Analysis women’s, adolescents, youth, girls and PWD specific vulnerability factors which hinder their capacity to exercise their health rights:

• Control/access over resources at household level
• Control/access over resources at community level
• Main barrier of access to the health system
• Health conditions due to the impact of gender roles
• Sexual and reproductive health issues
• Protection risks: with a focus in Gender based violence (including IPV and SGBV)
• Barriers to exercise the right to access to comprehensive information
• Power relation base on gender roles regarding health rights (including male perceptions about women’s, adolescents, youth, girls and PWD health and rights)

Location and scope

The gender and protection analysis will be conducted in 3 Counties in Liberia: Margibi, Nimba and Montserrado. A total of 25-30 health facilities will be covered in the project (approximately 15 in Montserrado, 4 in Margibi and 6 Nimba). Each health facility is composed of a different number of catchment areas (communities) which are currently being selected where the project will be implementing activities with Community Based Organizations and the Community Health Committees (composed by community health workers and assistants, traditional healers and traditions midwives).

Responsibilities of the Consultant

1. Provide an analysis (July, August, September) through desk review of secondary data, (including overview of previous ACF-AFD BECOL project), including focus group discussions and key informant interviews (if needed and feasible) to adjust and mainstream gender and protection in Action Against Hunger project proposal documents
2. Provide a comprehensive gender and protection analysis (July, August, September) simultaneously, including data revision, field analysis, data analysis and reporting.
3. Provide a gender and protection action plan (August),
4. Design a Gender Monitoring and Evaluation Plan for Action Against Hunger to track the progress towards gender equality during the implementation of the project
5. Organize and conduct a workshop (during the first quarter of the project, early 2024) with all project staff, to operationalize the gender and protection workplan..

Main activities of the consultant

• Prepare an inception report – Design and agree on a detailed methodology, work plan and tools to be used to conduct the gender and protection analysis.
• Recruit, train and manage the study team (assistant who speaks the local language) for data collection. ACF can support with the recruitment process if needed.
• Collect and analyze data to revise the project proposal and ensure gender and protection are mainstreamed and integrated in all documents.
• Collect field data, analyze and produce a gender and protection analysis report.
• Produce a gender and protection action plan
• Design a Gender Monitoring and Evaluation PlanExplore synergies and complementarity between Action Against Hunger and Expertise France projects
• Present the gender and protection analysis during an internal and external session
• Conduct a workshop with the project team, during the first quarter of 2024 to operationalize the gender and protection action plan into the project activities.

Methodology of the analysis

The proposed gender and protection analysis will rely on primarily qualitative approach to conduct a deep analysis of the situation of women, girls, men and boys in the 3 selected counties in Liberia.

Desk Review of secondary data:

Desk research will focus on surveys and administrative data that have already been collected in Liberia and more specifically in the counties of intervention. These could include survey data from the national census, Health Management Information System, Education Management Information System, studies research and other sources. As well, secondary research should consider key government policies regarding gender and protection with a special focus in the following sectors: nutrition and health (sexual and reproductive health rights), IPC and psychosocial support.

This will help understand the access to rights that women, girls, adolescents, youth have within formal legal codes and the judicial systems. All secondary research/data will be important in informing this gender and protection analysis and helping to supplement and triangulate qualitative data collected at district and county level.

Field data collection:

Primary research will rely mostly on qualitative methods will understand the intersecting issues of gender and protection that are affecting the status and lives of mainly women and girls but also of men and boys in the three targeted areas. Qualitative research will focus on assessing how and why gender differences and inequalities are relevant to the different pillars of the health system strengthening. The analysis will look to reveal connections between gender relations, power dynamics, and norms to identify, understand, and describe gender differences and the types of gendered protection risks that exist as a result. Research will examine the protection issues that arise at community level, and the various factors at play at the community and district level, in the cause or that contribute to the harm being done to women and girls, as well as men and boys. Analysis will examine interconnections between protection problems and security, including nutritional security, at various levels, making it possible to better take account of security protection factors to ensure a holistic approach to people’s needs.

The consultant will carry out all qualitative research, with the help of a research assistant. Qualitative research will be made up of key informant interviews and focus group discussions. Research will be carried at the district level in the district capital, as well as in a representative number of the 30 communities (catchment areas) and health facilities (including a cross-section of community health posts (CHPs), and maternal and child health posts (MCHPs). Interviews and/or focus groups will be conducted with both, relevant men and women at county, district and community level.

Key informants and focus group participants should be accessed through convenience sampling, with every effort made to proactively include in the study vulnerable groups such as listed below and should be stratified by key characteristics to ensure maximum variation in persons/perspectives sampled based on a variety of factors (age, gender, geographical area, sources of income, marital status, etc.).

– Women and men

– boys, girls, adolescents, youth, adults and the elderly

– Female-headed households

– The different ethnic and/or religious groups

– People with disabilities

– Community influencers: religious leaders, traditional healers, midwives, local and traditional authorities, teachers, health personnel, etc.

– Humanitarian, governmental and community organizations in the area, especially those involved in protection and gender.

– Action Against Hunger team

Data Collection, Analysis, and Reporting:

The consultant will revise and adapt the available tools from Action Against Hunger to carry out the key informant interviews and focus group discussion. Qualitative data is expected to be captured through a combination of notetaking and digital recording that will be analysed throughout the research process.

Analysis will involve coding of all targeted areas mentioned above using these to understand structural inequalities related to gender, as well as key protection risks. It is requested to illustrate research findings using figures and graphs, as well as narrative analysis. Triangulating analysis through different methods could also help ensure a multi-faceted understanding the root causes of vulnerability, including gender inequality, socioeconomic disparity, access and control over resources, etc. Findings of the gender and protection analysis will be used to understand the best approaches to address gender inequalities and identify strategies to prevent protection concerns. Findings should be clearly transformed into recommendations and a specific gender and protection action plan that will be incorporated at all stages of the project.

The final report should be a comprehensive gender and protection analysis of a maximum of 30 pages (without annexes) following the structure below:

1. 1. Executive summary
   2. List of acronyms
   3. Introduction
   4. Methodology
   5. Findings and analysis
   6. Conclusions
   7. Recommendations
   8. Annexes

Consultancy Deliverables

1. Inception report: including literature material, detailed methodology, tools and detailed workplan proposed for the consultancy
2. Preliminary analysis and project proposal documents (technical proposal, LFA, indicators, budget) revised integrating gender and protection
3. A comprehensive gender and protection analysis report
4. Gender and Protection Action Plan
5. Baseline questionnaire including gender sensitive indicators
6. PowerPoint presentation for the dissemination sessions
7. Workshop report

Timeframe and Schedule of Work (from July to October)

– Briefing: ToR, Project proposal, planning, logistics, meetings with ACF team

– Review literature

– Prepare and validate tools

– Analysis and revision of project proposal (technical proposal, LFA, budget. etc.)

– Recruit research assistant

– Train assistant on methodology and tools

– Collect field data

– Analyze data

– Produce report, action plan and baseline questionnaire

– Submit report, action plan and baseline questionnaire

– Revise documents based on ACF feedback and submit final documents

– Gender and Protection Presentation (internal and external presentation)

– Workshop on gender and protection action plan *To be done during the first quarter of 2024

Terms and Conditions

Action Against Hunger will set up a steering committee to supervise the Gender and Protection Analysis during the consultancy period. The committee will meet based on needs to ensure follow-up in the consultancy work.

The consultant will cover all costs of the service with a budget not superior than 30,000USD. Action Against Hunger can provide logistical coordination to the consultant in terms of travel, visa, accommodation, transportation, per diem, recruitment of assistant, loan of laptop and smart phone in Liberia.

Qualification

Level of studies:

Advanced Degree, preferably with post graduate degree in social science, gender / women studies, international development, human rights, public health or related field.

Required skills:

• Minimum 5 years of experience working on gender issues, gender and development, gender equality, gender mainstreaming, policies analysis and capacity building;
• Demonstrated expertise in gender analysis, gender planning and mainstreaming of gender in projects and programmes;
• Considerable experience in development and use of gender analysis tools and methodologies, analysis and quality reporting;
• Strong analytical and research skills, including the ability to process large amounts of information, analyse qualitative data and extract critical analysis and distribute it appropriately;
• Project management experience in humanitarian or development settings and familiar with project management tools (logical framework, budget, indicators, etc.);
• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral, as well as good facilitation skills;
• Ability to work independently;
• Cultural sensitivity, tactfulness, diplomacy, inter-personal skills and ability to work well under pressure in a demanding environment and tight deadlines;
• Computer Skills (knowledge of Microsoft Office, Outlook and data analysis tools);
• Excellent written and spoken English;
• Previous experience on gender analysis particularly in the context of West Africa, as well as language skills in the local language is an added value.