National Gender Based Violence (GBV) Assessment.

Terms of Reference (TOR)

National GBV Assessment.

Background 

Localized and national surveys indicate that violence against women and girls in Ethiopia is widespread, with regional variations. Violence against women is a manifestation of the prevailing gender inequality in the country and impairs the enjoyment of women of their fundamental freedoms and human rights. It is widely recognized that the most common forms of gender based violence in Ethiopia are rape, abduction, early marriage, spousal battering, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and trafficking of women. A survey conducted in Meskan woreda of Ethiopia, as part of a WHO multi country study, showed that Ethiopia had the highest percentage of physical assaults of all 22 countries surveyed across the world, with 49% of women having experienced physical assaults by intimate male partner. The EDHS 2005 also indicated that 75% of girls undergo FGM, and the  age of marriage is 16.1 years at national level, with the average being only 14.1 in the Amhara region. 

The underlying causes of violence against women include, among others, women’s low status and limited power, their low access to social and economic resources, limited enforcement of the available gender sensitive laws, and lack of legal protection to women and girls. This lack of power makes women more vulnerable to acts   of violence and exposes them to more severe forms of violence and more serious injuries than do male victims. On the other hand, the consequences of gender based violence are many, among which physical, psychological and emotional damages are common.  Violence against women, such as rape, abduction and early marriage put women and girls at risk to STIs, HIV/AIDSs, unwanted multiple pregnancies and unsafe abortions. Early marriage, for instance, compromises girls’ educational opportunities and limits them from realizing their full potential.  

Even though women and girls suffer immensely from violence, victims  are afraid to report and get appropriate remedies due to many factors, including the prevailing cultural practices which condone practices that violet women’s rights,  fear of secondary victimization and low awareness and sensitivity of the community and law enforcement bodies to the issue. Further, even though the Family Law and the Penal Laws have been amended to put safeguards for women, these laws have neither been disseminated adequately nor enforced to protect women from violence. It is also widely recognized that the scope and magnitude of violence against women in the different regions, among different ethnic groups is not known and documented to assist for the formulation of evidence based responses and mechanisms.

Thus, in recognition of the extent of the problem, and the limited evidence available to help design evidence based strategies, responses/interventions, the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs (MOWA) has planned to conduct a Nation-wide assessment on the major manifestation of the prevailing gender inequality expressed in the form of Gender based violence.  The purpose of the assessment, among others, would be to identify the major forms of GBV, assess the impact of current interventions and explore the magnitude of the prevalence where the findings would contribute to formulate the National GBV strategy.  
 
Objective of the study

The main objective of the consultancy is to review the status and occurrence of GBV at  National level and to propose a concrete and workable strategy to address the problem with a tangible outcome.  

Scope of work : 

1. Identify the types, extent and magnitude of violence prevalent in each region and among different ethnic groups, in Ethiopia, and determine their prevalence, as well as their causes and effects.
2. Assess the extent to which the amended laws that protect women’s rights have been disseminated, among the general public, particularly among law enforcement officials
3. Assess the extent to which the amended laws have been enforced and identify barriers to their enforcement.
4. Assess the establishment/effectiveness and limitations of institutional mechanisms in place to protect victims from secondary victimization by the government/non government organizations.
5. Assess the effectiveness or/and limitations of interventions of GBV victims ie shelters.

6. Review the scope and limitations of   on going GBV  assessments and reviews
7. Asses and gain knowledge and understanding on the extent and magnitude of the prevalence  of GBV,  its causes and effects and the problems associated to articulated responsive mechanisms
8. Asses and get information on the implementation and practice of legal and social frameworks as well as intervention strategies in the area of mitigating GBV.
9.  Explore the scale of GBV substantiated with facts/figures

10. Use the outcome of the assessment for developing sustainable and tangible strategies /to address the problem and lay foundation for appropriate response mechanisms.

Expected outputs

• The extent and Magnitude of GBV at national level recognized
• Detailed recommendation be taken form stakeholders involved in addressing GBV in the country to mitigate the problem
• The barriers in enforcing the amended laws identified to be reviewed
• Clear and appropriate strategical direction for policy intervention identified
• National GBV strategy formulated

   Management arrangement 

• The consultancy work will be led and managed by the MOWA, through   provision  of technical and other forms of assistance to the consultants in effectively completing their tasks including occasional provision of meeting space to work in.
• Members of the technical group team will provide guidance and assistance to the consultant including providing feed backs on the draft report
• Review the draft report and provide comments before finalization.

Reporting Arrangements

• The consultants will submit an inception report with fifteen days of the awarding of the contract identifying methodology, work plan, expected results, time table and logistics requirements
• Submit a mid-term report and a final draft report for comments to both the Ministry of woman Affairs and the UNDP-DAG Addis Ababa, Ethiopia;
• Once the final draft of the report is produced, the document will be shared with relevant stakeholders for comments.
• MOWA facilitates and organizes validation workshop to pertinent bodies to appraise the draft  before it is finalized
• After incorporating of and/or provision of appropriate responses to all the comments at the validation workshop shall the consultants produce and submit a final report to MOWA and UNDP.

Duration:

This assignment will be finalized within three months: Tentative shedule is from May 1, 2009 to July 1^st 2009. Exact dates will be determined after completion of the selction process.

Proposed work plan 

Consultant qualification and experience

It is required that the consultancy firm presents experts having the following minimum qualifications:

• Doctorate or Masters Degree in social sciences, development, gender studies or related fields.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the specific gender based violence issues at all levels.
• Good interpersonal skills, ability to work well in multi-disciplinary teams, a flexible approach and the ability to multi-task and meet tight deadlines;
• Demonstrated knowledge of report writing, proficiency in English language and computer-literacy (MS Office);
• Respect the date of report submission as specified in the agreement
• Perform obligations to the highest possible professional and ethical capacity
• The firm should have a proven experience in related research and social support approach

Evaluation Criteria

Technical proposals will be rated as per the following matrix. A firm will have to score a minimum of 70% to be considered for the next step. Financial evaluation will be conducted for the qualified and responsive technical proposals (i.e 70% and above). Financial Proposals should include all costs and expenses. The responsive and qualified firm with the lowest financial proposal will be issued a contract.

Submission of Technical & Financial proposals

The technical proposal should have as annexes: (i) CVs of the Consultants expected to undertake the work; (ii) A list of related consultancies/ contracts carried out satisfactorily, supported by credentials; (iii) A confirmation of the capacity to deliver the completed work by the set timeframe; ( iv)  Detailed list of capacity in terms of human and material resources of the organization is needed; (v) Proposed methodology of the study, and (vi) Copies of professional and trade licenses of the consultancy firm.

The financial proposal - cross-referenced to the sealed technical bid should be a financial bid, giving the overall cost but with as much breakdown of costs as possible to allow analysis of reasonableness of the offer.

Qualified and interested Firms should submit their Technical and Financial proposals in separate sealed Envelopes to the following address no later than May 3, 2010:

UNDP Ethiopia

Procurement Specialist

ECA Compound Old Bld.

Vacancy No: RFP/15/2010

Fax: 251 11 5514599 / 5515147

P. O. Box 5580, Addis Ababa

Ethiopia