Background
Uganda has over the past years experienced frequent disasters that developed from drought, floods, landslides, human and animal disease, pests, animal attacks, earthquakes, fires, conflicts and other hazards which in many instances resulted in deaths, property damage and livelihood loss. With the increasing negative effects of hazards that accompany population growth, ad hoc development and climate change, public awareness and proactive engagement of the whole spectrum of stakeholders in disaster risk reduction are becoming critical. The Government of Uganda is moving the disaster management paradigm from the traditional emergency response focus toward one of risk reduction and climate adaptation. To reduce the impacts of hazards, Uganda must develop resilient populations with reduced vulnerability to the myriad threats it faces. Essential to achieving this goal is a nuanced and differentiated understanding of the situations of the variety of people at risk. Considering the unique and key roles of women in society, and the tremendous leverage to be gained by better protecting a group comprising 50% of the population, understanding their vulnerabilities, and how they are different from those of other groups, will inform more effective action to foster resilience in women, in the people who depend on them, and in society in general.Current gaps in DRM: In response to the frequent disasters which Uganda faces, the government of Uganda put in place a number of measures to address the effect of emergencies and disasters on the population. These include the launch of the National Policy for Disaster Preparedness and Management in 2010 and staff training in disaster risk management (DRM). Despite these efforts, DRM in Uganda still encounters a number of challenges among which are lack of appreciation of women’s traditional roles, domestic situations, livelihood options and many other life parameters that vary according to region, economic resources and cultural environment. This study addresses the need to deepen understanding of the separate and shared situations of women and men in the contemporary Uganda disaster and climate risk environment.
Need to harmonize approaches to DRM: Stakeholders in Uganda use a variety of approaches to manage disaster risk. Although the OPM is responsible for coordinating disaster preparedness interventions in the country, it has not established a seamless framework that could integrate all of this work. The multicultural nature of Ugandan societies introduces complexity that stands in the way of such an objective. Gender is one dimension of this diverse landscape that more study will illuminate, by revealing the vulnerabilities that women and men have in common, and those they do not.
Duties and Responsibilities
ObjectivesThe main objective of the Consultancy is to characterize the differentiated vulnerabilities of women and men in the Ugandan disaster and climate risk environment for purposes of identifying D/CRM approaches for improved resilience of women, men and society in general.
Specific objectives
- To achieve an understanding of the differences and similarities in women and men’s vulnerabilities, behavior, and coping mechanisms to the various hazards to which they are exposed, and in the various Ugandan contexts in which they live;
- To use this understanding to propose more effective approaches to strengthening resilience in women and men, that reflect the gender-based differences in their vulnerabilities, behavior, and coping mechanisms.
The Consultant’s scope of work will consist of the following tasks:
- Prepare an inception report which outlines the approach to the work, the rationale for the selection of the planned field consultation sites, the logistics required and the timing of activities;
- Prepare a research/study suitable for publication, with the following, but not limited, to the following elements;
- Uganda-relevant literature review findings;
- Field site selection rationale;
- Participatory methodologies for acquiring primary data;Consultation summaries;
- Generalizations of gender differentials in vulnerability, resilience, and D/CRM;
- Recommendations for gender-sensitive D/CRM programming and measures.
The consultant will initially perform a literature review limited to the Ugandan context which will inform the design of the primary data collection approach using Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA).
A regionally and culturally stratified field plan will identify representative disaster-prone rural communities in northern (Acholi), eastern (Teso), northeastern (Karamoja), western (Rwenzori), and central Uganda. A sixth community will be chosen in urban Kampala exposed to flooding. The Consultant, with the support of the Acting Commissioner for Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Management, will seek the cooperation of the District Disaster Management Committees responsible for the respective communities, in the conduct of consultations. The PRA sessions will convene for one day with at least twenty participants, women and men equally represented, aged 25 or older, ideally those having experience disaster events.
The Consultant will explore as much as possible the following gender disaster vulnerability issues, and others considered appropriate;
- What traditional roles expose women and men to risk in times of emergency, and what effective and feasible mitigations are available?
- What is the nature of specific hazards that increases women’s and men’s vulnerability to disaster?
- What are the effects on women’s and men’s vulnerability during the crisis phase versus the recovery phase of a disaster?
- What are differences in the abilities of women and men to recover from the disruption of their lives by disasters?
- Inform the groups of the demographic proportions of never-married women (13.7%), single mothers (16.9%), women-headed households (30%4) and widows (12.4%). What are the causes of their disaster vulnerability and how can their resilience be strengthened?
- What support do clan norms give women and men at risk in disaster? How has modernization of Ugandan society, with increasing geographic and social mobility, affected the effectiveness of clan norms to protect women and men?
- With 50% of the Uganda population under the age of 15, the burden on women to care for children is large. What are the perceptions the participants about this fact, and what could be done to mitigate it?
- How do polygamy and inheritance customs influence women’s vulnerability? How does it improve resilience, if at all?
- Can religiosity correlations be found with women’s security?
- What roles might kingdom governance have in promoting women’s resilience?
- Have women’s associations emerged to mitigate women’s vulnerability in times of disaster?
- What are the relative vulnerabilities of women and men in times of displacement and recovery?
Duration
- 1st week – desk review, design a culturally stratified field plan, field arrangements and submission of Inception Report ;
- 2nd week to 3rd week - conduct of PRA consultations in selected communities;
- 4th week – analysis of findings, preparation and submission of draft report ;
- 5th week – presentation of initial findings, sharing of draft report and incorporation of feedback/comments ;
- 6th week – finalization and submission of report to OPM and UNDP.
- Inception Report with a detailed work plan for the assignment;
- Draft research/study incorporating at the minimum provisions under Sections III and IV of this ToR;
- Presentation of findings to the National Platform on Disaster Preparedness and Management and other stakeholders;
- A Final research/study ready for publication and documenting the methodology, community inputs, analysis and recommendations for gender-sensitive D/CRM activities.
- The contract will be performance-based, for 6 weeks spread over a period of 3 months. Terms and conditions of service linked to the type of proposed contract will apply with overall reporting to the Acting Commissioner for Disaster Preparedness and Management and the DRM Advisor;
- The consultant will have all technical obligations and guidance on a day-to-day basis from the Acting Commissioner for Disaster Preparedness and Management and the DRM Advisor and will report to UNDP on all contractual obligations or as shall be advised by UNDP;
- It is expected that this contract will require the consultant to closely work with the Department for Disaster Preparedness and Management of the OPM and the UNDP DRM Team based in the OPM.
Competencies
- Demonstrates integrity and ethical standards;
- Mature judgment and initiative;
- Ability to present complex issues in a simple and clear manner;
- Ability to work under pressure;
- Initiative and independence;
- Interpersonal communication skills.
Core skills:
- Analytical capacity and demonstrated ability to process, analyze and synthesize complex, technical information from different disciplines;
- Ability to innovate, combining methodological approaches and data from various levels and disciplines and report writing;
- Demonstrated research skills and ability to write clearly and concisely.
Required Skills and Experience
Education- Master’s degree in Gender and Development Studies, DRM, Social Sciences or related qualification from a recognized University;
- Doctorate qualification in any of the fields mentioned will be an advantage.
- Minimum of 5 years work experience in the field of Gender with significant exposure to DRM issues and PRA;
- Experience working with government, multilateral and bilateral development agencies and civil society organizations in developing information sharing arrangements.
- Excellent spoken and written English language.
Payment shall be by the lump sum modality in the following 3 installments. These shall be all inclusive and the contract price is fixed regardless of changes in the cost components:
- 30% payment upon submission of an acceptable;
- 40% payment upon submission of an acceptable;
- 30% payment upon submission of an acceptable.
A Final research/study ready for publication and documenting the methodology, community inputs, analysis and recommendations for gender-sensitive D/CRM activities.
Evaluation Method and Criteria
Cumulative analysis
- The award of the contract shall be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:
- responsive/compliant/acceptable, and
- Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.
- Technical Criteria weight; - 70%;
- Financial Criteria weight; - 30%.
Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points (70% of the total technical points) would be considered for the Financial Evaluation
Technical Criteria – Maximum 70 points
Criteria Points
Education and Language skills: 10
Knowledge of Gender and DRM: 25
Relevant experience in conducting similar assignments:15
Description of approach/methodology to assignment: 20
Documents to be included when submitting the proposals
Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications in one single PDF document:
- Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided by UNDP (Annex II);
- Personal CV or P11, indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references;
- Technical proposal;
- Brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment;
- A methodology, on how they will approach and complete the assignment;
- Financial proposal that indicates the all-inclusive fixed total contract price, supported by a breakdown of costs.