Background

A - BACKGROUND

UNDP is the UN’s global development network, an organization advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience, and resources to help people build a better life. UNDP is on the ground in about 170 countries and territories, working with national counterparts on solutions to global and national development challenges. In the programme countries, UNDP supports stabilization, state-building, governance and development priorities in in partnership with the host governments, the United Nations system, the development partners and other partners to help the country to achieve sustainable development by eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions, accelerating structural transformations for sustainable development and building resilience to crises and shock.  

UNDP has been a trusted development partner of the Maldives for more than 40 years, helping to achieve the eradication of poverty, reduction of inequalities and exclusion in areas such governance, environment protection, climate change mitigation and adaptation. In each of its thematic areas of work, UNDP at the request of its national partners provides relevant policy advisory support, technical assistance, advocacy, and knowledge to help Maldives achieve its global commitment on Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). With Maldives’s transition to Middle Income Country Status, Official Development Assistance from traditional donor sources has been on the continuous decline. UNDP is therefore working with its national partners to identify and tap into alternative and innovative financing mechanisms for development. This process involves broadening outreach and forging wide-ranging partnerships with stakeholders - including other UN agencies, the government, the private sector, philanthropic Foundations, multi-lateral and bi-lateral donors and International Finance Institutions to advance the country’s development strategies and objectives. 

The nation’s efforts to promote and protect human rights while working towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals continue to be challenged by the fragility of the social and political fabric of the country. In the face of these challenges, initiating discussions and dialogues around human rights, state obligations and citizen responsibilities is key. The third Right Side of Life survey done in 2019 indicated more than 55.6% of the respondents reported to being moderately aware of human rights while 13.4% claimed to have a high awareness and 23.2% reported to have a low understanding of human rights. Yet, when asked to name five human rights, only 36.5% of the respondents were able to do so. This outcome is concerning as it is a decline from 45.1% people who could name five human rights in 2011[1].Recommendations from the study indicated the importance of increasing public awareness on human rights including available redress mechanisms and the need for continuous communication between the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM) and the public.

The Human Rights Commission of the Maldives is an independent and autonomous constitutional body established on 10th December 2003 with a mandate to protect, promote, and sustain human rights in the Maldives. The mandate of HRCM stipulated under The Human Rights Commission’s Act (Act No. 6/2006) highlights the role of HRCM to advocate for human rights, inculcate a culture of human rights in the Maldives, increase awareness, and to disseminate information through various media platforms. Systemic change to inculcate the culture of human rights is also one of the focus areas of the Strategic Plan 2021-2025 of HRCM. A number of strategic goals, objectives, and outcomes are also developed under the strategic plan to ensure that advocacy and communication activities are planned with a focus on reaching remote and vulnerable groups, general public, and duty-bearers across the nation through modern technology. Further, HRCM also aims to achieve a high standard of community awareness on human rights through enhanced visibility and public outreach mechanisms.

UNDP Maldives through its Integrated Governance Programme II (IGP) works with various government partners, including HRCM, in providing relevant support to strengthen the rule of law and human rights for sustaining peace and fostering development. In this regard, UNDP Maldives together with HRCM is seeking the support of a local consultant to develop a communications and advocacy strategy for HRCM. A communications and advocacy strategy would be integral in establishing a framework for advocacy and communication activities of HRCM in order to increase public awareness of human rights, human rights related issues, available redress mechanisms, and to strengthen the visibility and public trust in the organization.

[1] The Third Right Side of Life Survey, 2019, UNDP & HRCM

Duties and Responsibilities

B - DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Scope of Work

Under the guidance of HRCM and UNDP, the consultant is expected to develop a communications and advocacy strategy (herein referred to as “Strategy”) towards changing the public perception of the HRCM, increasing the visibility of HRCM, creating awareness on human rights, human rights related issues, and available redress mechanisms. The tasks to be undertaken by the consultant under the Terms of Reference include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following.   

• A comprehensive desk review of available strategies, and previously made recommendations (including those made in assessment and studies by HRCM, UNDP and other relevant organisations) to find the current gaps in communication and advocacy approaches of HRCM.
• Conduct consultation meetings with key stakeholders and focus group discussions with groups of the general public, including right holder groups in vulnerable or disadvantaged positions, as part of the desk review to identify gaps in communication and advocacy approaches of HRCM.
• Conducting working sessions with HRCM members, and staff to map the commission’s currently ongoing communications and advocacy work.
• The strategy should identify objectives and outcome areas in line with the mandate and strategic goals of HRCM, with a clear description of how the proposed activities included in the strategy and rollout plan will deliver the objectives.
• The strategy should identify and include description of the target audiences, including a description of their specific learning/information needs with regards to creating awareness, building public trust, and increasing HRCM’s visibility
• The strategy should include key concepts of awareness activities that are relevant to the identified target groups. The concepts should be relevant to the local context, and aligned with Human Rights principles.
• The strategy should be gender responsive and should be designed to capture the needs of vulnerable and marginalized groups such as PWDs, migrant workers.
• The Strategy must include recommendations on the most effective channels of communication and advocacy platforms, different mediums, and joint communications (e.g., system wide campaigns, webinars, text, graphics, imageries, infographics, video, printed materials, etc.)
• The strategy must be complemented with a guideline to strengthen communications functions which includes relevant standards (SOPs), templates, checklists, flowcharts etc to guide and institutionalize internal communications, as well as to guide external communications such as with media, which ensures transparent, consistent, and holistic management of the communications function. The consultant should facilitate the finalization of this document through consultation with HRCM.
• The strategy must be complemented with a detailed rollout plan with proposed activity areas, as well as a training program of HRCM staff to implement the Strategy effectively, with a focus on measuring the impact of the activities. For this, the consultant must develop a basic M&E framework.
• Proving necessary technical guidance and recommendations to HRCM for the points above.
• Facilitating a validation session for the strategy, the guideline to strengthen communications functions, and rollout plan.
• Training relevant HRCM staff to implement, monitor and evaluate the strategy.

Expected Outputs and Deliverables

All reports shall be submitted as stipulated below and all reports will be submitted as drafts and upon review by HRCM, UNDP, and the consultant shall revise the draft report. Once the revised reports are accepted by HRCM and UNDP, they will be termed as final reports for the consultancy.

The consultant will be responsible for the following deliverables:

1. Inception report – The report shall include a summary of available strategies, and previously made recommendations (including those made in assessment and studies by HRCM, UNDP and other relevant organisations) to find the current gaps in communication and advocacy approaches of HRCM. This should be complemented by consultation meetings with key stakeholders and focus group discussions with groups of the public, including right holder groups in vulnerable or disadvantaged positions, in order to understand the gaps in HRCM’s communications and advocacy approaches. The inception report should also reflect a clear timeline for the drafting of the strategy, the roll out plan, validation, and training. The deliverable will be completed upon the submission of the draft inception report for HRCM/UNDP review, collecting initial feedback and submitting a final inception report.

2. Development of Strategy – Under this deliverable, the consultant will review the HRCM’s Strategic Plan 2021-2025, HRCM’s Action Plan 2021 - 2025, review the mandated roles of HRCM under the National Strategic Action Plan 2018-2023, the CAR recommendations, and other necessary documents. The consultant will conduct working sessions with HRCM staff members to map the commission’s planned and currently ongoing communications and advocacy work and to identify the specific objectives and outcome areas of the strategy. The consultant will then identify and describe the target audiences, recommend key concepts for effective advocacy and awareness programmes for those target audiences, and most effective channels of communication and advocacy platforms. For these tasks, the consultant is expected to provide necessary technical guidance and recommendations to HRCM, conduct relevant stakeholder discussions and focused discussions with sampled target audiences (these consultations can be clubbed together with the consultations proposed under deliverable 1, which can be conducted in 2 parts). The deliverable will be completed upon the submission of the draft strategy for HRCM/UNDP review, collecting initial feedback and re-submitting the draft.

3. Development of a guideline to strengthen communications functions - Under this deliverable, the consultant will develop relevant standards (SOPs), templates, checklists, flowcharts etc to guide and institutionalize internal communications, as well as to guide external communications such as with media, which ensures transparent, consistent, and holistic management of the communications function. The consultant should provide necessary technical guidance and recommendations to HRCM and facilitate the finalization of this document through consultation with HRCM.

4. Development of Roll-out Plan – Under this deliverable, the consultant will develop new concepts for activities that can be formulated, and incorporate relevant activities that are planned or currently under way, under each objective and outcome areas developed for the strategy. This rollout plan should be formulated for the period of 2022-2025 and should include a basic M&E framework consisting of timeline/milestones, outcome indicators, targets, baselines and means of verification. The consultant is expected to provide necessary technical guidance and recommendations in all stages of the development of the roll out plan. The deliverable will be completed upon the submission of the draft rollout plan for HRCM/UNDP review, collecting initial feedback and re-submitting the draft.

5. Validation, final submission & training - Under this deliverable, the consultant will present the draft strategy, the guideline to strengthen communications functions, and the rollout plan to HRCM staff, UNDP, and other relevant stakeholders to validate and collect constructive feedback. The consultant will then incorporate the feedback, produce, and submit a final draft of the strategy, the guideline to strengthen communications functions, and its rollout plan to HRCM and UNDP for a final review. After receiving any final comments, the consultant will submit the final strategy, the guideline to strengthen communications functions, and the rollout plan. Under this deliverable, the consultant will also train relevant HRCM staff on the strategy, the guideline to strengthen communications functions, the rollout plan and evaluation.

Duration of the Assignment

The duration of the contract shall be 47 days (between Feb 20th – April 20th).

Institutional Arrangement

The Consultant will closely coordinate with HRCM and will be accountable to the HRCM Advocacy Officer and the UNDP Programme Officer assigned to this consultancy. Quarterly meetings will be held with Programme Officer of UNDP Maldives. A briefing and debriefing meeting will be organized with UNDP at the beginning and end of assignment.

Duty Station and Expected Places of Travel

This consultancy is a home-based exercise. However, some physical meetings are expected to be arranged at HRCM or conferencing facilities in Male’, Maldives.

C -PAYMENT TERMS

The method of payment is output-based lump-sum scheme. The total amount quoted shall be all-inclusive lump sum and include all costs components required to perform the deliverables identified in the TOR, including professional fee, travel costs, living allowance (if any work is to be done outside the duty station) and any other applicable cost to be incurred by the firm in completing the assignment. The contract price will be a fixed output-based price regardless of extension of the specified duration herein.

The payments shall be released upon submitting the required deliverables/outputs with satisfactory by the Programme Manger/Focal Point as per agreement for each report in accordance with a set time schedule to be agreed in the contract.

For an Individual Contractor who is 62 years of age or older, and on an assignment requiring travel, be it for the purpose of arriving at the duty station or as an integral duty required travel under the TOR, a full medical examination and statement of fitness to work must be provided.  Such medical examination costs must be factored into the financial proposal above. Medical examination is not a requirement for individuals on RLA contracts.Note: Payments will be based on invoices on achievement of agreed milestones i.e., upon delivery of the services specified in the TOR and certification of acceptance by the UNDP. The applicant must factor in all possible costs in their “All Inclusive Lump Sum Fee” including any professional fee, travel, honorarium, board and lodging, and any other foreseeable costs in this exercise. No costs other than what has been indicated in the financial proposal will be paid or reimbursed to the consulting firm. UNDP will only pay for any unplanned travel outside of this TOR and Duty Station on an actual basis and on submission of original bills/invoices and on prior agreement with UNDP officials. Daily per diems and costs for accommodation/meals/incidental expenses for such travel shall not exceed established local UNDP DSA rates.

For an Individual Contractor who is 62 years of age or older, and on an assignment requiring travel, be it for the purpose of arriving at the duty station or as an integral duty required travel under the TOR, a full medical examination and statement of fitness to work must be provided.  Such medical examination costs must be factored into the financial proposal above. Medical examination is not a requirement for individuals on RLA contracts.

Competencies

D -COMPETENCIES

• Ability to communicate in a clear, concise, and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience.
• Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels.
• Demonstrates and encourages teamwork and co-creation, internally and externally, to achieve joint objectives and results.
• Strategic thinking to develop strategy and strategic objectives in line with the HRCM’s strategic plan, based on the local context to bring necessary changes.
• Innovative thinking to look beyond conventional methods and tools and propose new modern ideas and solutions to problems.
• Result oriented to achieve quality results with targeted impacts.
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.
• Familiar with gender mainstreaming and gender sensitive planning.
• Demonstrates good oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to request and take input from others, be flexible, receptive, and adaptable to the different needs or changes in the process.
• Ability to focus on impact, result for the stakeholders, and responds positively to critical feedback
• Demonstrates ability to manage complexities and work under pressure, as well as conflict resolution

Required Skills and Experience

E - REQUIRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Social/Institutional Communications, Mass Communications, Development Communication, Organizational Communications, strategic planning, project management, human rights, gender, and development studies or other relevant fields.

Experience:

• Minimum of 4 years of relevant experience in developing and designing strategic communications and advocacy strategies, frameworks, workplans
• Minimum 3 years of experience working with government institutions and international or non-governmental organizations supporting community and development work in the specific area.
• Minimum of 2 year of experience in facilitating similar training, particularly in the area of human rights, gender, and development.
• Experience developing programs including the production and publishing/dissemination/airing of communication products using various media for major events of local or international nature.

Language Requirements:

Fluency in written and spoken English and Dhivehi is required

Evaluation Method and Criteria

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodology:

Cumulative analysis

The award of the contract shall be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as a) responsive/compliant/acceptable; and b) having received the highest score out of set of weighted technical criteria (70%). and financial criteria (30%). Financial score shall be computed as a ratio of the proposal being evaluated and the lowest priced proposal received by UNDP for the assignment.

Technical Criteria for Evaluation (Maximum 70 points)

1. Criteria 1: Educational Background – 10 points
2. Criteria 2: Minimum of 4 years of relevant experience in developing and designing strategic communications and Advocacy strategies, frameworks and workplans – 20 points
3. Criteria 3 - Minimum of 2 years of experience in facilitating similar training, particularly in the area of human rights, gender, and development. – 20 points
4. Criteria 4: Good analytical writing, and presentation skills and fluent in reading, writing, and speaking English and Dhivehi (to be evaluated based on the publications and reports submitted by the consultant) – 20 points

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points (70% of the total technical points) during the desk review/interview are acceptable would be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

Documentation required

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications. Please group them into one (1) single PDF document as the application only allows to upload a maximum of one document:

1. Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template available in UNDP website; link
2. Portfolio – previously developed strategies, implementation plans or any other relevant material around communications and advocacy by the applicant.
3. Publications, reports and related documents developed and authored by the applicant.
4. Personal CV or P11, indicating all experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references.
5. Financial proposal that indicates the lump sum rate/fee of the candidate in Maldivian Rufiyaa. To assist the requesting unit in the comparison of financial proposals, the financial proposal must include a breakdown of this daily fee (including number of anticipated working days and all foreseeable expenses to carry out the assignment); 

Incomplete proposals may not be considered.  The short-listed candidates may be contacted for interview and the successful candidate will be notified.