Background

Projects:

UNDP Gender Equality Project, phase II (GEP-II)

Afghanistan Peace and Reintegration Project (APRP)

Background:

State building and post-conflict reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan since end-2001 have led to renewed opportunities for Afghan women, pointing the way toward fuller realization of their human rights and the mobilization of underutilized talents of half the population in the service of sustainable development. The adoption of the National Action Plan for Women in Afghanistan (NAPWA) in 2008 forms the policy and institutional basis for “promotion of women's advancement is a shared obligation within government and it is a collective responsibility of all sectors, institutions, and individuals to include women or/and gender concerns in all aspects of government work.” NAPWA seeks to achieve outcomes in three main areas: (i) gender equality in employment, promotion, policy making, and budget allocations; (ii) measurable improvements in women’s status, in line with MDG 3; and (iii) greater social acceptance of gender equality as evidenced by increased participation by women in public affairs and policy discussions.

The principle of equal rights for women and men is enshrined in a number of Afghanistan’s laws, international commitments, and national strategies, resulted in some of the gains, such as increase in women representation in central and provincial government structures. Despite these formal requirements, however, women exercise only limited influence in political decision-making and are virtually absent in leadership positions, the police and military, and the peace building process.

Afghanistan is placed on 147 places out of 148 countries ranked for Gender Inequality Index in Global Human Development Report 2012. Such facts as decreasing the quota for seats in provincial and district bodies from 25% to 20% in the Electoral Law, or strong resistance to the Law on EVAW in the Parliament - are clear signals that hard-won gains may be easily eroded. There is a widespread perception that backsliding on women’s rights is possible in the context of future political processes. This is in particular an imminent danger in 2014 leading up to the final withdrawal of the international security forces and the establishment of a new government with presidential elections.

In this context UNDP Afghanistan plans to accelerate and better strategize the work on promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment in the part of ensuring more effective women's participation in decision making. The lessons learned from the ongoing projects at central and local levels show that the number of women in decision making bodies, although is very important, but not enough. The effectiveness of women’s empowerment and leadership requires long-term transformative approach that needs to work on multiple fronts. In addition to support women’s representation in national and subnational processes, including on peace building, there is an urgent need to work on enabling women’s genuine participation in these processes, and strengthening women leaders’ capacities to demonstrate an influence which shows a tangible impact on the decisions made and policies developed.

The ultimate goal is to promote women’s leadership and participation in decision making as a means towards ensuring more equitable and democratic development in Afghanistan.

For contributing to the achievement of this goal, UNDP Afghanistan in its Gender Equality Strategy has prioritized the following programme directions:

• Support women’s leadership and participation in local governance, conflict mitigation, mediation and peace-building. This will include supporting women’s negotiating capacities; strengthening women’s networks; and supporting partners to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1325;
• Support women’s networks to bring gender equality perspectives into policy making and legal reforms, including those related to transparency and accountability, and to leverage its partnerships with government for promoting more effective women leaders engagement in decision making.

In line with these priorities, UNDP Afghanistan through its projects – GEP, ASGP and APRP - plans to support a special training programme for women leaders aiming at:

• Addressing problems and obstacles hindering women’s engagement in decision making and their effectiveness to act as leaders (low confidence, societal perception on women in leadership position, etc.)
• Equipping women leaders with special knowledge and skills enabling them to meaningfully participate in different decision making fora and influence the outcome documents/decisions of those meetings
• Enhancing the decision making power of women leaders by strengthening their solidarity and cohesion, enabling them to promote and sustain the results gained through influence on decisions, and contributing to positive changes on the image of women leaders in the society.

The team of trainers (leading trainer and co-trainer) will be contracted by UNDP for the preparation of the training programme, and conducting training and post-training follow up activities. The contracting of the trainers will be co-funded from GEP, ASGP and APRP projects. 

• Members of the NPEACE network – comprising of 30 women leaders, representing High Peace Council, Provincial Peace Councils, provincial government, and civil society organizations;
• Representatives of Provincial Councils and Provincial Governments (the team of 30 participants);
• Representatives of High Peace Council, Provincial Peace Councils, APRP Joint Secretariat, and APRP Gender Unit (the team of 30 participants).

Note – The set of criteria for selection participants from the target groups to be decided after finalization of training methodology and approaches. All together it is planned to involve 90 women leaders, representing different groups in the training programme and post-training follow up activities.

Expected Results:

The Training Programme is expected to be resulted in:

Enhanced knowledge and skills of women leaders to meaningfully participate in governance and peace building processes at central and local levels, and influence decisions impacting more effective and gender responsive development.  

• Percentage of women leaders- participants of the training programme who can demonstrate improved skills on negotiations, conflict resolution, and consensus building during post-training follow up activities;
• Percentage of recommendations made as a result of contributions/arguments from women leaders in different policy making meetings, including on peace building;
• Level of self-satisfaction on the application of new skills by women leaders.

Strengthened partnership among the members of the training group to jointly advocate for and promote specific needs of vulnerable groups in the decision making process of at central and local levels.

•  Number of initiatives jointly undertaken by women leaders after the training (as part of agreed action plan-lobbying, dialogue initiatives, etc.);
• Nation-wide event jointly organized and facilitated by the Network of women leaders to demonstrate gained skills and promote issues prioritized during the training.

Scope of the Assignment:

The Team of Trainers will work under the guidance of UNDP Cross-Practice Unit (CPU), and in close coordination with the teams of GEP, APRP, and ASGP. UNDP team will provide all necessary documents and background materials and will guide the team of trainers for successful implementation of the tasks under the TOR.

50 days, including all stages – preparation; holding training programme, post-training follow up activities, post-training nation-wide event; and final reporting.

Duty Station:

Home-based with two visits to Kabul as per the stages defined in the Scope of Work in the period between the training programme and post-training follow up activities.

Duties and Responsibilities

The contracted Team of Trainers will be tasked to do the following set of activities:

Training programme preparation/development:

• Undertake a desk review of the relevant set of documents, provided by the projects, to finalize/verify the Concept on Training for Women Leaders, by specifying the objectives, expected results, selection criteria, approaches, follow up actions, and necessary logistical arrangements;
• Finalize selection criteria and provide guidance in selection of participants, specified in accordance with the target group;
• Develop the outline of brief profiles of selected participants;
• Finalize the training programme tailor made for specific target group, including special handouts and materials, tailored for the target group;
• Develop Guiding Booklet for participants with instructions for pre- and post- training preparations to be done by participants;
• Provide guidance for all necessary logistical arrangements, including the type of venue, stationary, printing of handouts, etc.

• Conduct training in accordance with the approved training programme;
• Conduct pre/post training evaluation by participants, including brief scan of opinion on a daily basis and make adjustments in training programme if needed ;
• Conduct pre/post scan of capacities of participants by using questionnaire before and after the training ;
• Prepare the report on training, including observations on the level of participation, quality of engagement, feedback from participants, recommendations for follow up actions.

Follow up activities after training:

• Provide coaching to the participants in accordance with a follow up action plan developed during the training;
• Conduct 3-days follow up training to review the application of knowledge gained by trainees during the first round of training;
• Develop a Concept for a post training action – workshop/dialogue/symposium during which participants can exercise/demonstrate application of gained knowledge and skills;
• Facilitate the event in accordance with the agreed format;
• Prepare the report on post-training action, including observations on the quality of participation, feedback from participants and partners, set of recommendations for further capacity development activities for participating women leaders.

Deliverables, Estimated Duration to Complete, Lump sum payment and Review and Approvals Required:

Training programme preparation/ development (By end of September, 30%, UNDP CP, GEP, APRP and ASGP)

• Concept on Training for Women Leaders, developed based on the desk review of relevant documents provided by UNDP;
• Selection Criteria, recommended by trainers and approved by UNDP;
• Outline for participants profiles developed by trainers;
• Training Programme with handouts developed by trainers and approved by UNDP;
• Guiding Booklet for participants developed by trainers prior to Training.

Training conducted (15 days of training and 4 days in between each training; by mid October, 40%, UNDP CP, GEP, APRP and ASGP)

• 5 days training conducted for 3 groups;
• Training Report, including: a) the review of the observations on the dynamic of trainees’ skills development; b) action plan for post-training follow up activities (including suggestion for a nation-wide post-training action);
• Pre/Post training capacity assessment of participant.

Training follow up undertaken

(15 days for 3 days follow up training and Nation-wide event preparation and conduction; by mid December, 30%, UNDP CP, GEP, APRP and ASGP)

• Coaching to participants as part of post-training follow up actions;
• 3 days follow up training conducted for 3 groups;
• Concept for a post training Nation-wide action, including the priority area, justification on the need in the action, expected outcomes, roles of trainees in conducting the
• Facilitation of a post training action (workshop/symposium, etc.);
• Report on a post training action (workshop/symposium, etc.), including recommendations for further capacity strengthening activities for the participant.

Evaluation Criteria:

The offer will be evaluated by using the Best Value for money approach (combined scoring method).  The Technical Proposal will be evaluated on 70%.  Whereas the Financial Proposal will be evaluated on 30%. Below is the breakdown of technical proposal on 100% which will be brought to 70%.

Technical: 70%.

• PhD (preferred), MSc/MA Degree or above in Gender Studies, Political Science or any other relevant social science discipline. 20%;
• At least 7 years of relevant experience  in adult education, pedagogy, and training on women leadership and empowerment issues, experience in meditation, peace building and conflict prevention, experience in coaching and mentorship; experience with international development organizations would be considered an asset or other related experience. 40%;
• Proven experience in training, coaching, writing analytical reports. 30%;
• Excellent written English, knowledge in Dari or Pashto languages will be considered as an asset. 10%.

Financial Proposal: 30%.

Core Competencies:

Ethics and Values:

•  Demonstrate and safeguard ethics and integrity.

Organizational Awareness:

• Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment.

Development and Innovation:

• Take charge of self-development and take initiative.

Team Work:

• Demonstrate ability to work in a multicultural, multi ethnic environment and to maintain effective working relations with people of different national and cultural backgrounds.

Communicating and Information Sharing:

• Facilitate and encourage open communication and strive for effective communication.

Functional competencies:

• Familiarity with the gender equality and women’s empowerment concept;
• Advanced knowledge of the analytical foundations of adult education, coaching and mentorship for leaders development;
• Demonstrates good writing skills and the ability to synthesize large amounts of information into succinct written notes/reports, summaries.
• Strong proven capacity in training, coaching;
• Ability to develop creative solutions;
• Ability to liaise with stakeholders and partners, including government, civil society, international organizations;
• Ability to work in culturally diverse environments and display diplomacy and tact;
• Knowledge of socio-economic performance in Afghanistan or post-conflict countries.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• PhD (preferred), MSc/MA Degree or above in Gender Studies, Political Science, or any other relevant social science discipline (20%).

Experience: 

• At least 7 years of relevant experience in adult education, pedagogy, and training on women leadership and empowerment issues, experience in meditation, peace building and conflict prevention, experience in coaching and mentorship; (40%);
• Proven experience in writing analytical reports (30%).

Language:

• Excellent written and spoken English;
• knowledge in Dari or Pashto languages will be considered as an asset. (10%).

Scope of Price Proposal and Schedule of payments:

The proposal from the Trainers in relation to this assignment should be expressed as a lump sum payment plus the appropriate level of DSA subject to travelling to Afghanistan twice for the period of 50 days assignment and travel costs from the consultant’s home base to and from Kabul. The lump sum payment will be made based upon completion of indicated deliverables. An IC Time Sheet will be maintained by the Contractor and serve as the basis for the payment of fees. The ticket cost and DSA will be provided upon signature of the contract, and the payment will be made upon completion of each deliverable as indicated above.