Consultant - Development of Gender Equity and Social Inclusion Strategy at Plan International

Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian non-profit organisation that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. We support children’s rights from birth until they reach adulthood, and enable children to prepare for - and respond to - crises and adversity. We believe in the power and potential of every child, but know this is often suppressed by poverty, violence, exclusion and discrimination.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Consultant - Development of Gender Equity and Social Inclusion Strategy

Location: Abuja

Background

• Effective Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (E-WASH) Program Development of a Gender Equity and Social Inclusion Strategy for Urban Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Statement of Work (SoW) May 2019
• E-WASH is a four (4) year program funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID), with the goal of improving urban water service delivery by strengthening the governance, financial, and technical viability of six (6) State Water Boards (SWBs) in Nigeria.

This is part of the United States Government’s (USG) efforts to work with the Federal Government of Nigeria (GoN) to address some of the key challenges associated with urban Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) services. USAID E-WASH will work toward achieving the following mutually reinforcing objectives:

• Creating professionally managed and commercially-oriented SWBs.
• Improving the financial and operational viability of SWBs.
• Strengthening policy, institutional and regulatory frameworks for improved WASH services (including establishing accountability mechanisms).
• Building national and state WASH advocacy, coordination, and communications for reform.
• The project is part of USAID’s wider efforts to build closer coordination with the Government of Nigeria through the Federal Ministry of Water Resources (FMWR), select SWBs, and allied stakeholders, to advance broad-based economic growth and resilience through improved WASH services in urban areas. Interventions will be targeted in States where governments have shown willingness to embrace enduring reforms to improve water service delivery.

Rationale for the Development of a Gender and Inclusion Strategy for Urban WASH:

• The State Water Agency Capacity Assessment (SWACA) and Gender Assessment and Analysis (GAA), conducted as part of the baseline assessments in the six E-WASH partner states, unearthed qualitative and quantitative data on gender issues and gender dynamics as they play out within the WASH sector.
• The key findings from the assessments revealed significant gaps in policies, technical capacity, and institutional processes. Considering the program’s commitment to gender-responsive program implementation, EWASH will facilitate institutionalization of a gender-transformative culture at the SWBs, through the development and operationalization of a Gender Equity and Social Inclusion Strategy for the urban WASH sector.
• The strategy will provide guidance and support implanting of a gender perspective in the project and State Water Boards’ operations and governance, including the SWBs’ policies, regulatory frameworks, legislation, and programs at all levels, which will  make it possible for the needs, experiences, and concerns of women and men, girls and boys, to be recognized and addressed as integral to the design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of policies and other operational protocols of the SWBs, as well as the delivery of services.

Scope of Works and Deliverables
This assignment requires the services of a technical expert on Gender and Urban WASH. The technical expert will be under the supervision of the Gender and Inclusion Specialist and will interface with the Senior Gender Equality Director.

The methodology tbe used for the development of a Gender and Inclusion Strategy for urban WASH shall include the following:

• Deliverables - Indicative Tasks and Activities
• Estimated Level of Effort (Days)
• Resource relevant information
• Conduct a desk review of relevant literature
• Consult with E-WASH Program Advisers, State Team Leads, SWBs, CSOs, community members, and significant others such as women’s groups/related WASH programs
• Compile recommendations, including those in SWACA, GAA, and CSbaseline assessments
• Develop a high-level outline of the Strategy that reflects the attributes bulleted below, tbe reviewed by E-WASH

The integration of gender and social inclusion:

• A heavy focus on gender equity and social inclusion as they play out in the strengthening of governance and operations of the SWBs
• The inclusion of all key E-WASH stakeholders, from marginalized groups in communities, tCSOs and other organizations engaged in supporting the objectives of the E-WASH program, tSWBs and any other relevant government entities
• The inclusion of a strong focus on the development of grassroots advocacy and the effective development of the voice of women and girls
• Support of gender-sensitive and socially inclusive strategic communications
• Engagement of youth in significant and sustainable ways that exhibit sensitivity tgender and social inclusion issues
• Gender-sensitivity and social inclusion in all capacity building of CSOs and other organizations, and in institutions such as SWBs, with a goal of promoting sustainability
• Use an Appreciative Approach taddress gender and social inclusion challenges in E-WASH
• Development and Submission of an Inception Report, for review by E-WASH 1
• Development and Submission of near-finished first draft of the Gender Equity and
• Social Inclusion Strategy for Urban WASH, for review by E-WASH
• Revision of the Gender Equity and Social Inclusion Strategy for Urban WASH and submission of the second draft of the Strategy, for review by E-WASH
• Revision, if needed, and Submission of the third and final draft of the Gender Equity and Social Inclusion Strategy, for final review by E-WASH
• Total no. of days 28

Minimum Requirement
The minimum education qualifications and associated knowledge, skills, abilities are outlined below:

Educational Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in Gender Studies, Gender and Development, or equivalent in experience and career history.

Additional Skills:

• Highly competent in the design and delivery of Gender and WASH interventions.
• Experience in Gender and Inclusion strategy development.
• Track record in having developed a similar strategy or other related plans.
• Experience in engaging with stakeholders at Government, Civil Society and community levels.
• Highly organized.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.

Level of Effort (LoE):

• The Level of Effort for this assignment is twenty-eight (28) workdays. Contract duration is 28 days.
• NB: Engagement days may not run concurrently.
• NB: The consultant providing this support is expected to reside in Abuja as travel allowance and/or accommodation within Abuja will not be provided, except for approved trips outside Abuja.

Application Closing Date
6th June, 2019.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should submit the following electronically to: [email protected] stating TOR topic in the subject of the email;

Procedure for Recruitment of Consultant
The potential consultant should:

• Provide curriculum vitae detailing knowledge/experience in the above areas.
• Provide a report showing work on similar previous assignments.
• An outline of how he/she intends to go about the consultancy.
• Propose an expected consultancy fee.
• Possible dates he/she will be available to commence the consultancy.
• Provide name of two references that can attest to the consultant capability to conduct the consultancy.
• A team from Plan International Nigeria will score the documentations provided by the potential consultant based on their technical “know how” and expected fee on the basis of 75% and 25% respectively.