Background

A. UN Women’s Mandate related to the Project

The work of the UN Women on gender-responsive humanitarian action is governed by a two-pronged approach while prioritizing amplifying women’s voices, leadership and agency as a critical and enabling cross-cutting area. Firstly, UN Women seeks to contribute to increased UN System accountability towards the implementation of gender commitments in coordinating and implementing UN-led humanitarian and refugee responses, spanning both sudden onset and protracted crises. It does so by integrating gender throughout humanitarian programme cycles and enhance support for humanitarian actors to effectively address and respond to the intersectional needs of women and girls. In addition, UN Women leads interventions that contribute to strengthened comprehensive protection, learning and livelihood support to crisis affected and displaced women and girls through the implementation of UN Women Leadership, Empowerment, Access and Protection (LEAP) Gender Accelerator for humanitarian coordination and response. UN Women supports women and girls in all their diversity to meet their needs in times of crisis, recover from crisis and build resilience, and strengthen countries’ abilities to rebuild better and equally. In humanitarian coordination spaces, UN Women has promoted gender-responsive humanitarian action through the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC), the highest-level humanitarian coordination forum in the UN system, including by development of the IASC Gender Policy and an accompanying monitoring mechanism on Gender Accountability Framework.

In Mozambique, UN Women’s intervention on gender-responsive humanitarian action guided by the UN Women´s strategic note (2023-2026) which is being implemented within the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) 2022-2026. Moreover, the interventions are aligned to and are expected to contribute towards the achievement of several of the government´s national plans and strategies (including the Five Year Plan, Cabo Delgado Reconstruction Plan (2021-2024), Mozambique Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP), the National Plan for the Advancement of Women, National Gender Policy and its Implementation Strategy, the National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security (NAP), National Programme on Women´s Economic Empowerment, and National Plan for Disaster Management.

B. Context in Mozambique

Since October 2017, a Non-State Armed Group has been launching violent attacks on civilians in the northern province of Cabo Delgado. The ongoing armed conflict has left over 2 million people in urgent need of humanitarian assistance and protection in Cabo Delgado, Niassa and Nampula provinces. The rapid escalation of the conflict has caused a massive displacement of people. The continued and increasing levels of displacement have also resulted in a growing range of risks and needs, especially for women and girls. Initially in 2021-2022, the ever-rising displacement crisis caused much of the responsibility of caring for and sheltering displaced people to be placed on host communities in the southern districts of Cabo Delgado.

In 2022, there was a drastic shift in the peace, security and humanitarian situation in Northern Mozambique. Areas of Cabo Delgado province that had previously been harder to reach due to conflict with NSAGs, became more accessible due to reinforced military presence. By June 2022, the Government has managed to regain and maintain control of coastal towns of Cabo Delgado. however, NSAGs still continue to destabilise pockets of territory. NSAGs began shifting operations into the southern and western districts as well as into neighbouring Nampula province. As a result, areas previously considered secure and stable in the province’s south and west were subject to attacks, making travel and programme implementation complicated. This generated new wave of displacement and impacted the provision of humanitarian assistance. The conflict in Northern Mozambique resulted in over 2 million people in need of critical assistance and protection (UNOCHA, February 2023).

Since 2022, some people displaced by the conflict have spontaneously returned to areas reclaimed by the Government with international military support. Assisting population returning to Northern districts remains a key priority of the Government and development/humanitarian partners, particularly as their vulnerability is likely to increase during the agricultural lean season. As of Abril 2023, an estimated 420,200 people returned to their areas of origin in Cabo Delgado, primarily to the districts of Mocimboa Da Praia, Muidumbe, Palma and Quissanga (IOM/DTM, April 2023). Safety audits in areas of return have indicated that people have returned because of perception of increased security in areas of return as well as poor living conditions and a lack of access to basic services (because of distance or lack of appropriate civil documentation and inability of those services to cater for an increased number of people) and employment prospects in displaced communities (UNOCHA, February 2023). Shelter is currently the highest humanitarian need in the region (OIM, April 2023). As response the Government prioritized the rebuilding of infostructure, including the construction of temporary and permanent shelter, the creation of socioeconomic opportunities, the provision of psychosocial services, amongst others. These priorities are also reflected in the short-medium priorities of the Cabo Delgado Reconstruction Plan 2021-2024: “c. Guarantee security and means of subsistence for the return to the areas of origin; r. Promote the construction of houses for resettled and returned vulnerable displaced families; and i. Provide psychosocial support to resettled/displaced vulnerable groups and including civil servants.

Women and girls have been disproportionately affected by the conflict in northern Mozambique due to their pre-existing vulnerabilities. Structural inequalities, gender and social norms, uneven power dynamics, uneven access to resources, increased likelihood of gender-based violence due to the conflict and continuous displacement coupled with the increased presence of humanitarian workers have heightened the risk of sexual abuse and exploitation (SEA) in Mozambique. There has been a noticeable gender imbalance in the demographic of internally displaced people in Cabo Delgado. In both formal IDP centres and in communities where displaced civilians live with host families, observers routinely note that women and girls appear to outnumber men and boys (Cabo Ligado Conflict Observatory, 15 February 2021). The gender imbalance suggests that certain factors of the pre-existing vulnerabilities, including poverty, reduced livelihood opportunities and economic deprivation, marginalization, and harmful social and gender norms, negatively affect women and girls. Humanitarian, gender analysis and SEA risk assessments have highlighted the risk of humanitarian actors or community leadership committing sexual exploitation and abuse linked to the establishment of beneficiary lists and provision of humanitarian assistance. In addition, organizations’ capacity gaps to meet minimum prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse standards and women’s vulnerabilities to engage in “survival sex” with aid providers to meet their basic needs contribute to SEA related risks (UNOCHA, February 2023).

Against this background, UN Women seeks to implement the project denominated “Promoting socioeconomic recovery and resilience of internally displaced and returnee women and girls in Northern Mozambique” funded by the Korea International Cooperation Agency hereinafter referred to as “the project.” The project seeks to ensure that women lead and benefit from humanitarian-relief and recovery efforts in Cabo Delgado. The project complements and strengthens ongoing peace, security and humanitarian efforts by placing an emphasis on the urgent need to reduce the impact of the protracted nature of the conflict that has been negatively and disproportionately affecting women and girls in the Cabo Delgado.

Description of the Project

Objectives of the assignment:

The overall objective of the baseline study is to establish baseline information on all the Project indicators as referred and design a clear monitoring and evaluation (M&E) plan that will guide project tracking. The baseline will provide progress information on key indicators and serve as a benchmark for assessing the changes that will be brought about by the project interventions. Where necessary, the baseline data should also help to review indicator targets to make them achievable and realistic and then determine and adjust progress towards these targets and their respective results.

The intended end users of this baseline study are UN Women project management, UN Women country office and regional senior management; the donor of the project, UN Women’s main partners (including the national government and the provincial governments); implementing partners as well as other development partners and stakeholders engaged in the implementation of the project and the   promotion of gender-responsive humanitarian response in Mozambique.

Scope of Work:

The project will geographically be focus on the northern region of Mozambique. More specifically, the project will be directly implemented in 6 districts in Cabo Delgado province; namely, Palma, Mocimboa da Praia, Nangade, Muidumbe, Macomia and Quissanga districts.

The baseline study is expected to cover all the districts targeted by the project (therefore, field visits in Cabo Delgado are expected). The Consultant is expected to provide a detailed methodology and plan of how the study will be executed.

The baseline is expected to rely on secondary data and generate comprehensive gender-sensitive primary data (including both qualitative and quantitative sex-disaggregated data). The data should be analysed to determine the value of each outcome/output indicator at the project start according to the project result matrix. These values will serve as a benchmark to inform the monitoring and evaluation of how much progress has been made towards the achievement of the project outcomes and impact.

Duties and Responsibilities

A.Background document review, Inception and planning phase  (3 working days home-based):

i.Conduct a desk review to understand project rationale, design and context and produce inception report for carrying out the baseline.

ii. Develop the study methodology including tools and execution plan: Provide a detailed methodology indicating sampling frameworks/tools and techniques to be employed. Note that the baseline is expected to also generate quantitative and qualitative information about the socio-economic context of the country or the target provinces, profiles of internally displaced women and girls and provide information on socio-cultural norms and practices that affect GEWE in conflict and humanitarian settings. The methodology should follow good practices and recommendations of the UNDG guideline.

B.Data Collection:  Collect the relevant data in all the target districts. The collected data should be with age and gender disaggregation where possible. All data should be collected, stored and shared in line with relevant Data Protection Policy and/or data protection practices, following ethics standards and in line with the UN Women Guidance Tool on Due Diligence and Protection. The data protection and due diligence strategy being employed in the study should be clearly outlined in the inception report.

C.Full study report: Produce first and second draft baseline study reports and organize a debriefing and incorporate feedback/comments from Project Management Team and prepare the final baseline study report in English and Portuguese.

D.Develop project M&E plan and instruments for project monitoring: A key deliverable of this assignment includes project monitoring plan and tools. The consultant shall recommend and/or develop M&E Plan and respective data collection instruments in line with the project outcome/output indicators (these may include the qualitative and quantitative questionnaires, interview and/or focus group discussion guides).

The baseline study report should have:

• An executive summary

• Background (brief)

• Methodology and the process (brief)

• Data collection tools

• Data analysis process, tools used for sampling and data cleaning process

• Findings: consolidated qualitative and quantitative key data findings

• Lessons learned and recommendations for informing end line assessment, including inter alia on any adaptations needed for the methodology, data collection tools, understanding of indicators, selection of target groups, focus on analysis among others.

•M&E Plan

Management of the Baseline Study

The baseline study will be commissioned by UN Women Mozambique Country Office. The Consultant will report to the Country Representative. S/he will benefit from technical support of the UN Women Programme Specialist, UN Women and Programme Officer—Humanitarian Focal Point—(who  will be the main liaison person), and Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting Officer.

Deliverables

Work Schedule:

 UN Women will be sharing its guideline on the onset of the assignment to serve as guidance and benchmark for the data protection and due diligence strategy to be designed and adopted in the study

Competencies

Core Values:

• Respect for Diversity
• Integrity
• Professionalism

Core Competencies:

• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues
• Accountability
• Creative Problem Solving
• Effective Communication
• Inclusive Collaboration
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Leading by Example

Functional Competencies

• Timeliness,
• Responsibility,
• Initiative,
• Communication,
• Accuracy,
• Quality of the products delivered.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Advanced (Masters) degree in humanitarian studies, development studies, statistics, gender studies, economics, social science, peace and security studies, rural development, or other related fields.

Experience:

• A strong record (minimum 7 years) in designing and leading baseline studies and/or evaluations including gender-responsive baseline studies and/or evaluations.  

• A minimum of 7 years of progressive experience in the field of monitoring and researching gender equality and women’s empowerment issues.

• Extensive knowledge and work experience in application of result-based management principles;

• Sound knowledge on gender-responsive humanitarian action, peace and security, socioeconomic empowerment, promoting gender equality and the elimination of violence against women and girls. In addition, work experience is an asset; and

• Extensive knowledge of Women, Peace and Security agenda is an asset.

Language and other skills:

• Proficient in written and oral English and Portuguese

• Fluency in local languages in Cabo Delgado is an asset.

• Sound understanding of social and cultural reality of Mozambique and the region, in particular traditional norms affecting gender equality.

• Sound understanding of the functioning of government structures in Mozambique and the Reconstruction Plan for Cabo Delgado.

• Knowledge of the national gender machinery, women’s organizations, policies, and legislation on GEWE.

• Excellent analytical skills and prior experience of both quantitative and qualitative data analysis.

• Experience with remote research and in emergency contexts is a strong asset.

• Experience conducting research for donor funded projects is an asset.

UNWOMEN 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.