Literature review and secondary data analysis for analysis of underlying causes of undernutrition in Northern Rakhine State ACTION CONTRE LA FAIM, At Action Contre la Faim France

Introduction

Action Contre la Faim (ACF) has been working in Myanmar, Central and Northern Rakhine State since 1994 providing health, nutrition, food security and livelihoods, WASH, and Mental Health Care Practices support to vulnerable Muslim minorities and host communities. Due to increased conflict and armed clashes in Rakhine, the implementation
context has always been challenging, characterized by a dynamic socio-cultural political environment and compounded by extreme weather conditions. The Rakhine context has created a need for innovative and flexible funding, which bridges humanitarian and development programmes, especially in response to the needs of the vulnerable Rohingya population. This context has increased ACF interventions and its humanitarian efforts in Rakhine. ACF work in camps, nutrition centres, and communities focusing on three key determinants of extreme poverty; child and pregnant/lacating women (PLW) malnutrition, food insecurity and poor access to basic services. ACF has a field office in Sittwe with sub bases in TKP, Maungdaw and Minbya.

Background and Rationale

In such, highly complex working environment, this analysis of underlying causes of undernutrition aims to strengthen ACF intervention to save lives and eradicated hunger through the prevention, detection, and treatment of malnutrition. This analysis aims to better inform on underlying causes of undernutrition among children under five years old and pregnant and lactating women in Northern Rakhine State (NRS). ACF will use this information to complete and reinforce its intervention to prevent and treat undernutrition in the area.
This analysis methodology is based on the Link NCA (Nutrition Causal Analysis) methodology developed by ACF adapted for Myanmar Northern Rakhine context. A Link NCA is a mix method (quantitative and qualitative) structured, participatory, holistic study, based on the UNICEF undernutrition causal framework (multisectoral analysis), intended to build evidence-based and contextualized consensus around the plausible determinants of under-nutrition in a local context.

Methodology of the analysis

The following methodology is based on mixed method of data collection. It is inspired by the Link NCA methodology for which ACF has a special technical expertise. It has been adapted to face the main challenges of running assessment in Myanmar and especially in NRS such as the limited access to remote areas and the lengthy and difficult process to get approval for collecting primary assessment data, which is often not granted
4 main steps will be implemented to collect data to triangulate to complete this analysis:

Desk review
Secondary data analysis
Experts workshop
Community consultation
This work will lead to a triangulation of collected information aiming to draw hypothesis of underlying causes of undernutrition in Northern Rakhine State and conclude on recommendations to improve holistic programming to fight undernutrition.

The national or international consultant will be recruited to support with:

  • Completion of the 2 first steps
  • Organisation and facilitation of an online expert workshop
  • Analysis of data collected through community consultation
  • Triangulation of information
  • Development of a report on hypothesis of underlying causes of undernutrition in NRS
  • Recommendation and restitution to the country team, HQ, and potential external stakeholder
    ACF will support the following activities:
  • Support in gathering literature and dataset
  • Conduct community consultation
  • Lead and organise an expert workshop at local level
  • Support in analysis and triangulation
  • Support in drawing recommendations

Objectives of the consultancy

The selected candidate, organisation, firm, will achieve the 2 first steps of the analysis

Literature review

Conduct literature review, including Action Contre la Faim’s reports, assessments, and other data in addition to external sources on the underlying causes of undernutrition in children U5 and PLW. Consultant is expected to provide bibliography of all external sources used.

Secondary data analysis

Since 2016, Action Contre la Faim has gathered a significant amount of information through its programme implementation contained in several datasets. ACF will provide these datasets to the consultant for data cleaning, review, and analysis. The consultant will provide cleaned dataset.

Expert workshop

The consultant will organise and facilitate a workshop with ACF staff from the country office and the HQ who focus on Myanmar in order to gather additional input

Community consultations

ACF will organise community consultation in NRS. The consultant will analyse the information gathered through this consultations

Triangulation, analysis, reporting

Based on all the above collected information, the consultant will triangulate and propose hypothesis of underlying causes of undernutrition with their probability into a report.

Final outputs /deliverables

The selected candidate is expected to deliver:
A report on the hypotheses of underlying causes of undernutrition in NRS based on the quoted desk review and validated by data analysis, including an executive summary, and the detailed methodology, lessons learnt and recommendation for programming (adapted to ACF intervention)
Oral presentation of the work to audiences selected by ACF.
Cleaned datasets with registers of data cleaning process

Action Contre la Faim’s is expecting to have at least one week to provide feedback on final report before completion of the consultancy.

Qualifications of the Consultant

The consultant for the assignment must be experienced, knowledgeable, and possess the following minimum requirements:

  • Bachelor’s degree in social sciences, public health, nutrition, humanitarian and /or development studies or other relevant fields. Master’s degree in fields related to consultancy is a benefit.
  • Have experience and exposure in project implementation with NGO sector, preferably in at least one of ACF sectors of intervention (Nutrition, Health, WASH, Food Security and Livelihood, MHPSS and protection)
  • Have experience in conducting and analysing Nutrition assessment such as SMART survey, SQUEAC survey or Link NCA
  • Have skills in epidemiology and quantitative data analysis; skills in using excel and data software are an asset ; skills in qualitative date analysis are a benefit
  • The consultant needs to be skilled in information gathering and analysis methodologies suitable for assessments.
  • Exposure to the Rakhine context and understanding the realities of the situation.
  • Experience in conflict affected areas is an asset
  • Excellent written skills and spoken in English
  • Highly motivated, dependable and results oriented
  • Adherent to humanitarian principles as well as non-discrimination and data protection and ethics rules
  • Able to work independently

Management

The evaluation process will, at all times, remain cognisant of Action Contre la Faim’s Programme Operation Policy and Action Contre la Faim’s Staff Code of Conduct. The
consultant will report to the MEAL HoD and Nutrition and Health HoD throughout the assessment process. Furthermore, the existing line management structure of the evaluator will remain in place.
The selected consultant, with the support of the MEAL and Nutrition and Health HoDs will also coordinate with all relevant stakeholder of the mission (such as technical Heads of Department) to ensure an holistic multisector approach of their research.

Logistic arrangements and conditions

  • The Consultant will be responsible for necessary equipment: Laptop, Internet and computer accessories; to complete assignment, working through remotely
  • Under the consultant agreements, a month is defined as 22 working days, fees are charged accordingly. Consultant are not paid for weekends.
  • As this consultant need to work remotely, all the related cost to this work should be included as part of the consultancy fees and the cost will not be covered separately by ACF.
  • Consultant are not entitled to pay overtime
  • No contract may commence unless both ACF and the consultant sign the contract
  • As per Action Contre La Faim’s consultant policy, payment is made against approved deliverables.
  • The candidate selected will be governed by and subject to Action Contre La Faim’s Terms and Conditions for individual contract

How to apply

Qualified candidates are expected to send their applications to ACF in English including:

  1. Curriculum vitae
  2. Cover Letter
  3. Copy of degree/diploma
  4. Technical proposal including a detailed tentative planning of timeframe
  5. Financial proposal: please provide your daily consultancy fee with VAT included and currency should be USD or EURO
  6. References from organizations that have previously contracted the consultant (list of 4 reference)
  7. Business Registration
    To loghod@mm-actioncontrelafaim.org no later than July 8th 2021 at 5:00pm (Myanmar time)
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