Background

Background Information

In September 2017, the EU and the UN launched an ambitious partnership to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls worldwide. The Spotlight Initiative (SI) aims at mobilizing commitment of political leaders and contributing to achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Initiative aims at ending all forms of violence against women and girls, targeting those that are most prevalent and contribute to gender inequality across the world. The Spotlight Initiative will deploy targeted, large-scale investments in Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Pacific and the Caribbean, aimed at achieving significant improvements in the lives of women and girls. Zimbabwe is one of the eight countries in Africa to benefit from this transformative initiative.

The overall vision of the Spotlight Initiative in Zimbabwe is that women and girls realize their full potential in a violence-free, gender-responsive and inclusive Zimbabwe. The Spotlight Initiative will directly contribute to Zimbabwe’s achievement of three of the country’s prioritized Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Goal 5 on Gender Equality, Goal 3 on good health and well-being and Goal 16 on inclusive and peaceful societies. The programme will contribute to the elimination of SGBV and HPs through the creation of a broad partnership with Civil Society, Government, Private Sector, Media, among others; and, build a social movement of women, men, girls and boys as champions and agents of change at the national, subnational and community levels. A specific focus will be on reaching and including in the programme women and girls who are often isolated and most vulnerable to SGBV and HPs due to intersecting forms of discrimination. The programme will also seek to address the SRHR needs of all women and girls using a life-cycle approach.

The SI Zimbabwe is implemented by six agencies, namely ILO, UNICEF, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNDP and UNWOMEN in partnership with the Government of Zimbabwe, led by the Ministry of Women Affairs, Small and Medium Enterprises, Cooperatives and Community Development and in collaboration with the private sector, academic institutions civil society organization, women and child rights organizations. The SI has in place a Steering Committee, co-chaired by the Minister of Women Affairs, Small to Medium Enterprises, Cooperatives and Community Development and the United Nations Resident Representative. All participating UN agencies and the EU are represented in the Steering Committee as well as Civil Society Representatives and indication of the importance of CSOs to SI.

The SI Zimbabwe Country Programme will use a multi-sectoral, multi-layered, interlinked community-centered approach to the implementation of the interventions on the following six Outcome Areas based on the socio-ecological model for addressing SGBV and HPs;

• Legislative and Policy Frameworks
• Strengthening Institutions
• Prevention and Social Norms
• Delivery of Quality, Essential Services
• Data Availability and Capacities
• Supporting the Women’s Movement

In regards to the geographical scope of the SI in Zimbabwe, following an extensive mapping of existing SGBV, HIV and SRHR programmes implemented in Zimbabwe by UN agencies, government, civil society, EU and other development partners-funded initiatives, and the use of a set of key SGBV, HP, SRHR, HIV  and poverty prevalence data in the five provinces and 23 districts distributed as follows:  Mashonaland West Hungwe, Karoi, Zvimba, Makonde, Kariba Rural; Matabeleland South – Umzingwane, Bulima-Mangwe, Matobo, Insiza, Manicaland - Chipinge Rural District, Marange  Mutasa, Buhera, Chimanimani, Nyanga; Mashonaland Central – Muzarabani, Rushinga, Guruve, Mvurwi Mount Darwin, Shamva and Harare -Epworth and Hopley.

In accordance with the 2030 Agenda principle of leaving no one behind and ‘reaching the furthest first’, the four main target groups identified for the Zimbabwe SI are: (1) women and girls living in the rural areas; (2) women and girls in the most impoverished communities in an urban Province;  (3) women and girls with disabilities; and (4) women living with HIV, with a specific focus on young women and adolescent girls.

Spotlight Initiative: Partnership with Civil Society

Given the crucial role of civil society to the success of the  Spotlight Initiative,  the SI has a dedicated Outcome 6  aimed  at supporting CSOs. Furthermore, a  Civil Society National Reference Group (CS-NRG)  is in place and it is an institutional mechanism to provide advice and advocate to realise the results envisioned in the Zimbabwe Spotlight Country Programme.  The SI will be implemented amongst other implementing mechanisms, through a  broad range of civil society groups at National, Sub-National and Community levels, ranging from women’s rights groups, child rights organizations, human rights organizations, community-based women’s groups, civil society groups focused on thematic issues such as SRHR, EVAWG, men and boys, among others will be implementing partners across the SI six Outcome Areas. SI Zimbabwe programme deliberately targeted civil society organizations that represent women and girls who face multiple forms of discrimination (e.g. disabled persons organizations, groups representing sex workers, women and girls living with HIV). Interventions within the Outcome areas engage civil society groups in several  ways some of which are:  capacity strengthening of civil society’s advocacy, lobby and evidenced-based research skills and expertise on EVAWG, SGBV, HPs and SRHR issues; (b) strategic linking of groups representing women and girls who face multiple forms of discrimination with Parliament and key senior officials within Government, so that their voices and experiences are included in law and policy-making processes; (c) as community activists, mobilizers and the initiators of sustainable change within their communities; and (d) as critical actors in the creation of beneficiary accountability mechanisms on the implementation of the SI Country Programme in Zimbabwe, as well as for feedback on the delivery of quality and essential services at district and community levels. Civil society groups will be engaged as partners through a competitive and comprehensive process. Consequently, there is need to carry comprehensive capacity needs assessment (CNA) the CSOs to establish their capacities.

The capacity assessment  will involve identifying capacity that is already in place to determine opportunities and constraints to the achievement of clearly identified results. Capacity Building Plans (CBP) will be developed based on findings from the assessment. The CBP should  provide a clear pathway to achieve the expected results. An important principle of  conducting the capacity needs assessments is that they should be ‘owned’ and driven by the organization(s) to sustain results.

Overall Purpose and Objective of the Civil Society Capacity Needs Assessment

Overall Purpose

The CSOs capacity assessment is aimed at analysing  the desired capacities against existing capacities generates an understanding of capacity assets and needs that can serve as input for formulating a capacity development response that addresses those capacities that could be strengthened and optimizes existing capacities that are already strong and well founded. It can also set the baseline for continuous monitoring and evaluation of progress against relevant indicators and help create a solid foundation for long-term planning, implementation and sustainable results for the SI and beyond.

Specific Objectives

The specific objectives  of the Capacity  Needs Assessment  are as follows:

• To identify the existing capacities of the selected CSOs;

• To identify the capacity gaps of the selected CSOs;

• To  develop  a capacity building plan for the assessed  CSOs.

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope and Methodology of the Civil Society Capacity Needs Assessment

Guided by the UNDP Capacity Development Approach/Model defined as  ‘the process through which individuals, organizations and societies  obtain, strengthen and maintain capabilities to set and achieve their own development over time.’(UNDP,2009.)and Capacity Assessment tools such as the Capacity Assessment Methodology User’s Guide,(UNDP,2008.),Capacity Development, A UNDP Primer (UNDP,2009) and any  other complementary UNWOMEN and UN Capacity  Development Tools , the assessment is aimed at identifying organizational strengthens, weaknesses , threats  and opportunities carry an  intensive institutional capacity assessment of civil society organizations at national, subnational and community level , targeting ,  those working in the area of Elimination of Violence Against Women and Girls , specifically Sexual and Gender Based Violence, Harmful Practices  especially  child marriages and  Sexual Reproductive Health Rights. The Geographical area to be covered are the  SI five provinces and  23 Districts distributed as follows:   Mashonaland West Hungwe, Karoi, Zvimba, Makonde, Kariba Rural; Matabeleland South – Umzingwane, Bulima-Mangwe, Matobo, Insiza, Manicaland - Chipinge Rural District, Marange  Mutasa, Buhera, Chimanimani, Nyanga; Mashonaland Central – Muzarabani, Rushinga, Guruve, Mvurwi Mount Darwin, Shamva and Harare -Epworth and Hopley. The  assessment will at least  cover the following areas with some appropriate agreed upon modifications to suit the CSOs sector,  and the SI 6 Outcomes (organizational development, change management, advocacy and outreach, policy/community  evidenced based research, professional development and CSOs training, learning and knowledge management and monitoring, evaluation and reporting)

This will cover  information about the organization under assessment, such as its mission, vision, organizational structure, activities, budget, human resources and operational procedures. The scan may also include relevant government policies, strategies and plans, laws and regulations and relevant international agreements and standards which the organization is  based on or is supporting. It is also important to find out about recent or ongoing assessments and whether they have collected data & information relevant to the current exercise, to minimize the amount of new and unnecessary research. The preliminary engagement with  CSOs to be assessment will be used  to pose these  questions.  What are priorities for the capacity assessment, based on national priorities for capacity development? What is the purpose of the assessment? What are expectations regarding its output? Are these expectations realistic and well aligned to the services that the  UNDP can offer?

The CNA will  be participatory and consultative. The consultant will conduct the needs assessment using a methodology developed in partnership with the CSOs, UNDP and UNWOMEN. It is expected that the assessment will be built around self-assessment processes as well as broad consultation to help validate, expand and improve the range of information collected. The capacity assessment framework should recognize the multiple dimensions of capacity in relation to each other as well as to the expected results. This approach ensures that capacity building should go beyond individual capacity (relevant skills and abilities) to include organizational capacity (governance, structures, processes, etc.) as well as the broader context and environment within which the organization functions.

The consultants must describe how they will address/deliver the demands of the  TOR, providing a detailed description of the essential performance characteristics, reporting conditions and quality assurance mechanisms that will be put in place, while demonstrating that the proposed methodology will be appropriate to the CSOs sector  and context of the work;

The consultants with the assistance of UNDP and UNWOMEN and all other SI participating UN Agencies  will  facilitate the active engagement of all participating CSOs in the capacity assessment and development process as well as Coordinate the work closely with UNDP and UNWOMEN  throughout the entire capacity assessment process

During the capacity assessment data & information will  collected on desired and existing capacity. This data & information can be gathered by a variety of means, including self-assessment, online and off-line questionnaires, interviews and focus groups;  data analysis -interpret results: The comparison of desired capacities against existing capacities determines the level of effort required to bridge the gap between them and informs the formulation of a capacity development response.  The  Consultant will be requested  to include in the proposal the best methodology for the assessment.

Duties, Responsibilities and Reporting Obligations

Under the overall supervision of the UNDP and UNWOMEN Spotlight Teams  the consultants will perform the following substantive duties and responsibilities:

• Prepare an inception report, covering the background, objectives, methodological approach, work plan and deliverables for presentation at inception workshop;

• Develop assessmenttools to conduct capacity assessment needs of participating CSOs;

• Carry out a gap’s analysis on the CSOs capacity in respectSGBV, HPs and SRHRsfocusing on thestructures, mandate, personnel and funding, relevant to the effective implementation of the SI programmewith the view to develop their capacity;

• Conduct in-depth assessment of the capacity of the participating CSOs, identify capacity gaps; institutional development requirements; assess ability to strengthen relations with external stakeholders such as government , the UN and donors specifically in relationship to the SI;

• Carry out an analysis on the capacity of the participating institutions to implement SGBV, HPs and SRHRsactivities, mainstream gender and human rights, and fully apply result-based management principles in a sustainable manner;

• Provide recommendations on a capacity building plan/framework to address the capacity gaps.

Expected Results: Key Deliverables of the Civil Society Capacity Needs Assessment

The  CNA will provide the basis for defining a Capacity Building Plan to achieve the expected results. The CBP should clearly define the change process that will lead to improvement in capacity to achieve results. The CBP should include activities to be undertaken, budget, and indicators to measure progress towards results.  Some of the specific deliverables are:

• An inception report including a work plan, detailed methodology reflecting the research instruments, report format and timeline, to be submitted within 7 days from the commencement of the assignment;

• Conducting of the Assessment of the CSOs – Field Work;

• Facilitation of a validation workshop to present and validate the draftassessment;

• A consolidated report which includes findings of the capacity needs assessment and agreed overall capacity building plan, to be submitted within 7 days after the validation workshop;

• Publication of the Report.

Competencies

• Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
• Promotes the vision, mission and strategic goals of the UN;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Treats all people fairly without favoritism.

Required Skills and Experience

Education

• Master’s degree in Development Studies, Gender Studies, Political and Social Sciences, International Relations, Law, Social Sciences, Public Policy or related field;

• A higher post graduate qualification such as a PHD will be a distinct advantage.

Experience

• Minimum of 10 years of hands-on experience in Capacity Assessment especially applying UNDP Capacity Development Approach especially for CSOs;

• Experience in capacity building initiatives;

• Demonstrated knowledge and experience in dealing with the tools and systems related to capacity needs assessment and development;

• Proven ability to work with multiple stakeholders such as CSOs, Government and Development partners especially in the areas of SGBV, HPs and SRHRs;

• Demonstrates practical knowledge in capacity development approaches;

• Experience working in a multi-cultural and/or international work environment;

• Demonstrable experience in monitoring and evaluation;

• Demonstrated research skills (quantitative and qualitative) strong data collection, analysis and presentation skills;

• Demonstrable experience undertaking similar consultancies for international development organizations, preferably the UN;

• Demonstrable knowledge of Sector Wide Approaches (SWAPs) in general;

• Demonstrated ability in the usage of computers and office software packages, experience in handling of web-based management systems and advanced programmes for data analysis, including SPSS.

Language

• Excellent oral and writing skills in English;

• Knowledge of local languages especially Shona and Ndebele will be an added advantage especially when assessing CSOs at sub-national and local levels.

Application procedure

Applicants are requested to submit a Technical proposal, including:

• A CV highlighting the relevant experience;

• A technical proposal showing how the task will be undertaken;

• Financial Proposal.

Please group all your documents into one (1) single PDF document as the system only allows you to upload one (1) document.

Incomplete applications will not be given consideration.

Please note that only applicants who are short-listed will be contacted.

Evaluation Criteria

The award of the contract shall be made to the 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 ToR.

• Technical Criteria weight: 70%;

• Financial Criteria weight: 30%.

Selection Criteria

Technical Evaluation: 70% of total evaluation (maximum 70 points):

Financial Evaluation: 30% of total evaluation (maximum 30 points).

Note: Only the highest ranked candidates who have obtained a minimum of 49 points (70%) on the technical evaluation will be considered for the financial evaluation.

Please submit an all-inclusive lump sum daily fee. Financial proposals must be all inclusive and must be expressed in USD. The term "all inclusive” implies that all costs (professional fees, communications, consumables, insurance, etc.) that could possibly be incurred in discharging this assignment should be factored into the financial proposal.