UNDP Jobs - 51345- Re-advertisement - International Consultant to Res

Re-advertisement - International Consultant to Research Early and Forced Marriage in Poor Urban Areas

Location :

Dhaka with field visits, BANGLADESH

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

14-Jan-15 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

35 days including a 18 day mission in Bangladesh, inclusive of international travel days;

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Background

Candidates who previously applied need not re-apply.

Description of the Assignment

The consultant will undertake a literature review of international best practice in preventing early and forced marriage; engage with a sample communities and stakeholders to explore attitudes and establish the drivers of early and forced marriage in poor urban areas in Bangladesh; and identify areas for priority focus in future urban programming.

Project Description

The project

UPPR works with communities in 23 towns and cities across Bangladesh to develop the capacity of poor women to manage their communities’ development issues and tackle the needs they identify as most important. The project began in 2008 and seeks to reduce urban poverty in Bangladesh by sustainably improving the livelihoods and living conditions of 3 million poor and extreme poor people living in urban areas, especially women and children by August 2014. Key outputs include:

Urban poor communities mobilized to form representative and inclusive groups and prepare community action plans;
Poor urban communities have healthy and secure living environments;
Urban poor and extremely poor people acquire the resources, knowledge and skills to increase their income and assets; and,
Pro-poor urban policies and partnerships supported at the national and local levels.

To achieve these outcomes UPPR works with over 2,500 Community Development Committees (CDCs). Over 90% of leadership in CDCs is provided by women and they manage the Participatory Identification of the Poor (PIP); the development of Community Action Plans (CAPs); and oversee the implementation of community contracts.

To provide this support, the Government of Bangladesh and the United Nations work together to manage and implement UPPR. It is the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) that hosts and executes UPPR at a national level. In the towns and cities in which UPPR works, it does it jointly with the Municipality or City Cooperation. UNDP manages the implementation of the Project, and UN-Habitat supports the components that work on improving living conditions. Beyond the contributions of these actors, the majority of funding is provided by UK aid (GBP 60 million).

The project has been extended from August 2014 to March 2015. In that period activities focusing on sustainability and establishing best practices are planned.

Early and forced marriage in Bangladesh

Blomgren asserts that early marriage in Bangladesh is driven by a series of dynamic that include family status, gender inequality in society, poverty, literacy, cultural dynamics, and legal inequality (2009). Bangladesh has the highest rate of under-16 marriage in South Asia, with about half of the nation’s girls marrying before reaching their mid-teens. In a baseline study conducted by Plan UK with ICDDR,B, it was estimated that the rate of early and forced marriage was lower in urban areas than rural areas. The study found that 54% of women aged 18 to 24 years in urban areas were married before they were 18, compared to 71% in rural areas. However this study also found that those with the least education and lowest wealth levels are more likely to marry early. As a result it may be argued that this urban rate could obscure a larger problem within the poorer areas experiencing the higher rates of rural migration where UPPR works.

UPPR is currently undertaking a rapid assessment of prevalence of early marriage in the poor urban areas in which the project works. The project is collecting data on women’s empowerment from approximately 3,000 households within its primary groups across 23 towns and cities in Bangladesh. In addition to core data on empowerment, data is also being collected on the number of households where women aged under 30 years married before they were 18 years of age. Data was not collected on the exact age the women married at. The objective is to provide a snapshot of the contemporary prevalence of early marriage. Data analysis will be completed in November. However this will provide a limited insight into prevalence and does not probe attitudes, drivers, or solutions.

This study

UNDP Bangladesh and DFID Bangladesh are exploring approaches to include in future urban programming and UK aid in particular have identified early and forced marriage as a priority area of intervention. To support this UPPR is commissioning a study to explore the trends in early marriage in urban areas in greater depth alongside a review of international best practices.

Based on data emerging from the women’s empowerment study it is proposed to undertake case studies on attitudes, drivers, and solutions in three towns where qualitative research with communities and stakeholders will be undertaken. In particular UPPR is keen to understand the attitudes of community members to early marriage; what they believe drives early marriage; and the perceived challenges and opportunities for programming to reduce early marriage from their perspective. The use of participatory approaches is suggested. UPPR is also keen to gather insights from other stakeholders in the community and towns, including local government officials and religious leaders.

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of Work

The consultant will:

Develop an inception report that outlines their approach and timeline in light of discussions with UPPR;
Undertake a literature review of research on early and forced marriage in Bangladesh andexisting evidence regarding early and forced marriage in Bangladesh; gaps in this knowledge base; and international best practice in reducing early and forced marriage;
Develop qualitative tools to collect data on attitudes and drivers of early and forced marriage in poor urban areas from community members and stakeholders, including local government officials, relevant NGOs, and international agencies. These should include participatory approaches;
Undertake qualitative data collection in three towns with community members and stakeholders and additional stakeholders in Dhaka and then undertake qualitative data analysis;
Develop final report that incorporates (a) a summary of the literature review, (b) analysis of attitudes and the drivers of, and solutions to, early and forced marriage from the perspective of poor urban communities and stakeholders; and (c) proposes priorities for new urban programming, including suggested approaches ad strategies.

Expected Outputs

Inception report;
Literature review;
Final report.

Impact of Result

This final products will be used by UPPR and its partners, particularly UK aid, to inform new programming to reduce early and forced marriage in poor urban areas and highlight priorities for further research.

Institutional Arrangement

The work will be overseen by the International Project Manager of UPPR.

Duration of the Work and Duty Station

The consultancy will take place over 35 days including a 16 day mission in Bangladesh, inclusive of international travel days;
The consultant will be based in Dhaka and will undertake field trips to up to three additional towns which will be determined at the outset of the consultancy;
UPPR will provide all necessary data and contacts. During the field visit UPPR will facilitate the visit and provide transport and office space as required. UPPR will not provide a laptop.

Final Products/Services

An inception report which outlines the consultant’s updated understanding of the work; methodological approach and qualitative tools, including participatory approaches; and plan to complete the tasks within the agreed timeline;
A literature review highlighting existing evidence regarding early and forced marriage in Bangladesh; gaps in this knowledge base; and international best practice in reducing early and forced marriage;
A final report that incorporates (a) a summary of the literature review, (b) analysis of attitudes and the drivers of, and solutions to, early and forced marriage from the perspective of poor urban communities and stakeholders; and (c) proposes priorities for new urban programming, including suggested approaches ad strategies.

Scope of Bid Price and Schedule of Payment

Remuneration of the successful contractor will be fixed and bids should be submitted on this basis. No adjustment will be given for the period and determined by the specified outputs as per this ToR. The price should take into account all HR costs and professional fees, travel costs, subsistence and ancillary expenses.
UNDP shall effect payments, by bank transfer to the consultant’s bank account, upon acceptance by UNDP (in consultation with LPAD) of the deliverables specified in the ToR. Payments will be made based on milestone deliverables upon submission of invoice and upon certification of the work completed.

Payment installments

20% on acceptance of inception report;
40% on acceptance of literature review;
40% on acceptance of final report.

Terms

The selected contractor will prepare and submit a work plan for approval and report progress;
Payment for services of the contractor will be made upon certification of the deliverable and submission of invoice by the International Project Manager, UPPR.

Recommended Presentation of Proposal

Interested individuals must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications:

Cover letter

The cover letter should complement the consultant’s CV and provide a detailed description of the consultant’s relevant experience and;
Samples of similar work done previously as specified under the qualifications of the successful contractor should be attached or link provided

Technical proposal

This two page proposal should outline the consultant’s understanding of the task; their proposed approach, including potential tools and a methodology for robust analysis of qualitative data; any risks which the consultant envisages.

All the above required documents to be uploaded together in a single file.

Evaluation

Individuals will be evaluated based on the following methodologies:

Cumulative analysis

When using this weighted scoring method, the award of the contract should 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

Financial proposal will be asked from the shortlisted candidates but only candidates obtaining a minimum of 70% of the technical criteria weight points would be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

Technical Evaluation:70 points

Level of experience in researching early and forced marriage: 25 Points
Level of experience in researching gender and development: 10 Points
Level of experience in researching urban poverty issues: 10 points
Quality of proposed approach to collecting and analyzing qualitative data, including participatory approaches:25 points

Financial Evaluation: 30 Points

Responsibilities of the Contractor regarding cost component

All cost related to this assignment including logistics, office arrangements, accommodation, etc. (including when in travel within Bangladesh) shall be borne by the contractor;
Achieving the deliverables shall be the sole responsibility of the contractor. Any delay shall be communicated and plan to achieve the deliverables shall be communicated by the contractor to the UPPR team.

Responsibilities of UNDP regarding cost component

UNDP shall pay the lump sum amount quoted in the financial proposal and shall be paid as achievement of milestones as per the TOR.

Identification of Risk and Risk Mitigation Plan

Risk Identification – delay in the delivery of milestones due external factors. The consultant will be solely responsible for the deliverables and will be responsible to achieve these milestones;
A focal person/team from the UPPR project will coordinate the task between the consultant and UPPR. The International Project Manager will assure the quality of final products.

Key Performance Indicator

The achievement of milestone deliverables.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards (human rights, peace, understanding between peoples and nations, tolerance, integrity, respect, results orientation (UNDP core ethics) impartiality;
Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Functional Competencies:

Development and poverty knowledge (especially in urban context);
Proven research capacities;
Knowledge of Bangladeshi cultural context;
Proven ability to write very high quality reports (in the English language);
Excellent communication skills (written and oral).

Required Skills and Experience

Academic Qualifications:

At least an MSc in social research /gender or development studies.

Experience

Minimum of ten years’ experience undertaking research in international development;
Experience of designing and implementing at least three previous research studies relating to gender and development, including at least one study relating to marriage practices. This should be demonstrated by authored reports;
Track record of leading and contributing to research studies in international development, including published articles. This should be demonstrated by a list of studies and publications;
Experience working in South Asia region.

Language Requirement:

Fluency in English (Written and oral).