REPOST - Call for Consultancy - Evaluation - Towards a gender equitable society

Final Evaluation and Learning Study

PROJECT NAME

Towards a Gender Equitable Society

ABOUT ABAAD

ABAAD – Resource Center for Gender Equality, is an UN ECOSOC accredited organization that aims to achieve gender equality as an essential condition to sustainable social and economic development in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. ABAAD is a women-led and supported organization that works on three pillars: (a) Direct Services, (b) Capacity building and resource development, and (c) Advocacy and policy reform.  ABAAD, since its establishment in 2011, has been identified as a leading actor on gender equality in the region and as a reliable reference and partner by the local, regional and international entities that promote gender equality, peace building and sustainable development.

Context and Background

Since the onset of the Syrian crisis, ABAAD in collaboration with multiple governmental, national and international organizations has been in the forefront to response for the GBV needs, of the Syrian and host communities. The response efforts have been directed through different channels to provide a holistic sustainable response targeting the Syrians currently residing in Lebanon. Since then, ABAAD has harnessed its efforts to prevent and protect Syrian communities, especially women and girls, from the risks of GBV, and included several initiatives. These initiatives included the formation of 3 MWHs, 8 WGSSs, providing psychosocial support for women, men, boys and girls; and building the capacities of field staff working with Syrian communities on GBV related issues. As such, ABAAD has directly implemented and managed donor-funded projects similar in size, scope, and requirements to this project.

The project aims to reduce the risk of GBV including sexual violence and improve the prevention & response mechanisms in close partnership with existing national & governmental frameworks to ensure sustainability of the national system for GBV prevention and response. The project encompasses the following 2 main pillars: 1) Service delivery through WGSSs and MWHs, and 2) Shifting cultural and social norms related to VAWG, GBV, and traditional gender norms through a TV component.

Purpose and Objectives

In line with ABAAD’s accountability principle towards the beneficiaries and the donor, ABAAD is seeking a consultant to provide an evaluation of the overall project impact and results against the objectives and indicators of achievement. The evaluation exercise is intended to inform ABAAD, Mannion Daniels and relevant stakeholders about the project’s impact on the direct and indirect beneficiaries of the project within their respective communities. 

Scope

The evaluation will cover activities that have taken place since the beginning of the project from the 15^th of January 2021 until the 31^st of December 2022.

Stakeholders to participate in the assignment:

• ABAAD project management and coordination team
• ABAAD Board members  
• Representatives of different involved stakeholders
• Project beneficiaries and surrounding communities

Geographical Scope:

Evaluation of project activities in the following implementation areas: Beirut-Mount Lebanon, Bekaa, North.

Evaluation Question

The evaluation will follow the OECD DAC criteria, as well as ethical guidelines for evaluations. It will however be done while applying a gender lens to the criteria. Specifically, it will focus on the following criteria and their subsequent key questions.

Relevance:

• Were the interventions designed in ways that respond to the needs and priorities of all genders? If so, how? Which planned activities were particularly relevant to the target group?
• To what extent did the interventions’ design reflect the rights of beneficiaries of all genders and nationalities (Lebanese and Syrian refugees) and include feedback from a diverse range of local stakeholders including refugees.
• Does the intervention meet the practical and strategic gender and protection needs of all genders? 

Effectiveness:

• Did the interventions achieve its objectives and expected results in ways that contribute to gender equality? If so how?
• If results were not achieved, why and what were the key factors that influenced this? If they have been, what were key drivers for success?
• Were different approaches necessary to reach people of different genders and if yes, in what ways? Was there sufficient monitoring and analysis of differential effects? In cases in which there was not, what modifications can be made to ensure differential results for future activities?
• Was the theory of change and results framework informed by analysis of gender equality? If so to which extent and in what way?

Impact:

• How did the project contribute to an enabling environment in which social norms around GBV will be shifted?
• What evidence there is that access to safe and quality prevention and response services have increased? 
• Was there any differential impact on protection for different genders? Or were there any gender related differences in engagement, experience and impacts? If so, why did these differential impacts occur?
• To what extent have the project’s objectives and impacts contributed to equal power relations between men and women? And how did it influence men’s perceptions and attitudes towards gender roles?

Sustainability:

• Did the intervention contribute to greater gender equality within a wider social scale? If so how, and to what extent?

Design and Approach

The evaluation should follow a mixed-methods approach of non-experimental design. The methods planned should include but not restricted to: (i) a desk review including but not limited to the project’s documents, location and implementation context, review of publicly available similar project reports and documents on gender and equality by UN, NGOs, and other local and international organizations.  (ii) FGD (with beneficiaries from all nationalities and genders) and KIIs (with project staff and other relevant stakeholders), in addition to 2 quantitative surveys with females and male beneficiaries. Qualitative data is to be transcribed and thematically analyzed. Quantitative data is to be analyzed using univariate and bivariate statistical methods. Where possible, results are to be stratified by age and gender. A sample large enough is to be collected in order to guarantee valid statistical results where necessary.

The evaluation will follow ABAAD and the donor’s norms and standards as well as ethical guidelines for evaluations[i].    

Workplan

The evaluation exercise will comprise the following milestones:

1. Inception report including the following sections:

- Background, Purpose and Objectives.

- Evaluation Design and Approach:

            - Methods

            - Evaluation Matrix

            - Data Collection Instruments

            - Data Analysis

            - Limitations, Risks and Mitigation Measures

- Quality Assurance and Ethical Considerations

- Workplan

- Annexes

The inception report will be shared with ABAAD for feedback. The consultant(s) shall submit a revised inception report based on the received feedback. Deadline: 2 weeks after evaluation kick off

1. Data collection and field work: The fieldwork phase will cover all qualitative and quantitative data collection and triangulation including involvement of project beneficiaries and other stakeholders.

1. Draft evaluation report to be shared with Abaad for feedback. Deadline: No later than 10 weeks after the kick-off meeting. The evaluation report should include:
   • Presentation of the evaluation with key findings;
   • Presentation of recommendations
   • All data must be disaggregated by sex, age, and disability;
   • Submission and presentation of the draft report to ABAAD
   • Period of comments and feedback from ABAAD
   • Submission final draft report, inclusive of comments.
   • Submission of final report
   • Presentation of final report (via PowerPoint presentation)

1. Final evaluation report based on the feedback received from Abaad. To be submitted no later than 2 weeks after receiving the feedback

1. Evaluation results presentation to be conducted in a meeting which includes the project’s primary stakeholders. Deadline: to be agreed on with ABAAD.

The estimated time for feedback at every milestone is 2 weeks. 

Evaluation management arrangement

ABAAD’s MEL advisor will ensure oversight of the evaluation process ensuring that the agreed milestones are timely met and the agreed methodology has been used.  

Final Evaluation Report: A draft of the final evaluation report [no less than 25 and no more than 40 pages, including a two-to-three-page executive summary with key findings and recommendations and excluding annexes will be submitted to ABAAD.  Findings and recommendations must be structured according to the evaluation questions. An outline of the final report structure should be agreed upon during the inception phase. At least the following must be included: cover page; result assessment form (as an annex); executive summary (should be included in the report and also as an independent document); background and objectives of the assignment; methodology (with mention of limitations, if any); summary of findings; analysis of findings addressing guiding questions; conclusions, lessons learned, and recommendations; and agenda of all activities carried out (annex).