Terms of Reference
Project title: STOP! – Prevention of sexual and gender-based violence in refugee camps and their neighborhoods in Uganda
Project duration: August 2019 – October 2022
Implementing agency: ACFODE – Action for Development, Uganda
Partner: EIRENE – International Christian Service for Peace, Germany
Donor: BMZ – German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development
Project area: Refugee camp Kyaka II and its neighborhoods, western Uganda
Project number: P 4292
Background and Project
1.1 Organisational Overview
ACFODE is a national non-governmental women’s organization that was found in 1985. ACFODE’s vision is ‘a just society where gender equality is a reality’ and its mission is ‘to empower women, girls and influence legislation and policy for gender equality in Uganda’. ACFODE’s core business is Advocacy for women’s empowerment and gender equality. For the last 33 years, ACFODE has implemented several interventions addressing SGBV in communities through community-based approaches, networking, partnerships and policy advocacy. ACFODE’s community-based approaches include model couple approach, economic empowerment through Village Saving and Loan Associations and social enterprises, engaging religious leaders, school teachers, opinion and cultural leaders as male gender equality champions, capacity building in leadership and good governance, civic education, social accountability through participatory monitoring and evaluation for advocacy.
1.2 Background
Lessons learnt from projects in Uganda show that successful SGBV prevention requires long-term interventions including intensive behavior-change programs and multi-stakeholder involvement including male engagement that tackle the primary factors for violence against women and girls such as social and cultural norms, in particular acceptance of violence and the power imbalance between men and women. US State Department evaluation of GBV Prevention programs in two refugee settlements and Kampala city in 2013 mentioned that the incorporation of gender mainstreaming and SGBV prevention in humanitarian programs in Uganda is insufficient. ACFODE in partnership with EIRENE and financial support from the BMZ and other development partners has significantly contributed to the reduction of SGBV and negative gender norms and harmful socio-cultural practices in rural communities. Through the involvement of religious and cultural leaders as well as other social actors such as teachers, health workers, local government and police a conducive environment for the promotion of women and girls ‘rights was created. It is important to scale-up these approaches to other regions for an effective, equal and inclusive prevention of women and girls‘ rights violations in refugee settlements and host communities.
During ACFODE’s baseline assessment in Kyaka II the SGBV actors and communities mentioned strategies and approaches how the SGBV prevention and response could be improved such as strengthening the SGBV referral pathways, create women and girl’s safe spaces, advocate for improved service delivery for survivors (including community-led group psycho-social support), awareness creation about existing SGBV services, training for service providers in SGBV, rebuilding of community and solidarity by involving newly-settled and long-term settled refugees, target men of all ages and older boys and Persons with Specific Needs (PSN) and creation of linkages between livelihood and SGBV programs. Introducing dignified livelihood options for women and men can help leverage the opening of more economically empowering situations for women, with the additional benefit of improved educational and health outcomes for the family and mitigate some of the trauma and frustration of emasculation and disempowerment of displacement for men.
In the context of long-term development, the arising conflicts between refugee population and host communities need to be addressed to foster social cohesion and development. There are some elements of resentment held by nationals in relation to refugees with regard the perception that refugees are provided more aid than them as there are some services that are exclusively provided to refugees. But also rising tensions between the newly-settled and long-term settled refugees have to be recognized. The protracted refugee situation and new influx has led to a scarcity of land and environmental and land degradation. The refugee hosting Districts are overwhelmed with the new challenges that the drastic increase of population imposes on them. A UNDP meeting on Integrated District Planning for Refugees and their host communities in October 2017 showed that there is need to build the capacity of Districts in developing interventions for resilience and self-reliance of Ugandans and refugees in their Districts and integrate them into District Development Plans. The need for better coordination between humanitarian actors and District was communicated by the Chief Administrative Officer of Kyegegwa District. Exchange between the refugee and host communities and the local government has to be facilitated. Recommendations of the Refugee and Host Population Empowerment (ReHoPE) Stocktake Report include that development actors should engage more in local government coordination mechanisms, including sectoral working groups. Due to rapid and unpredictable developments in the refugee settlements, the exact Sub-county and zone (currently 9 zones and 26 villages) of intervention will be determined before the start of the project in consultation with OPM and UNHCR.
1.3 Project logic, objectives and indicators
Overall Goal (Impact): To promote gender equality and women’s empowerment among refugee and host communities in Uganda.
Specific Objective (Outcome)
Indicators
Actual Status
Target
An effective SGBV and structure in Kyaka II refugee settlement and its host community is created.
Tensions are rising in Kyaka II related to scarcity of land, unresolved SGBV cases and domestic violence, informal conflict resolution by community leaders in unconducive spaces.
Psycho-social support is offered on a sporadic basis to individual cases.
Poverty is a contributing factor to SGBV. Lack of financial management
70 model couples and 25 community facilitators use their knowledge to take action against sexual and gender-based violence. A SGBV dispute resolution mechanism is functional in the camp.
Model couples have counseled 350 couples related to SGBV incidences.
From the VSLA-groups for economic self-organization, 150 persons attest to have been economically empowered.
and lack of experience in rationing food led to food insecurity.
Some social actors are among the major perpetrators of SGBV. They do not use their influential roles effectively to sensitize and protect communities. SGBV community sensitization is insufficient.
85 trained social actors and duty bearers use their knowledge in fora for SGBV-related sensitization, peer support and referral. They use their influence in the District Coordination Forum to implement action plans for SGBV prevention.
There are high incidences of sexual exploitation and gender-discriminatory service delivery. Also conflicts over aid distribution have erupted.
6 committees with 90 trained persons have set-up protection against sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA) systems. Different sectors in KyakaII improve gender-responsive service-delivery.
Budgets allocated to Local Government for SGBV prevention and response and gender-responsive service delivery are insufficient.
District’s capacity in planning and gender-sensitive budgeting is low. Annual budgets and work plans are not responsive to the existing gaps.
50 sensitized District leaders and Policy makers make efforts to strengthen SGBV prevention and response in refugee hosting Districts.
District and Sub-counties have integrated new SGBV prevention and response aspects and gender-sensitive budgeting into their development plans.
Gender issues are not mainstreamed in the current Ugandan Refugee Policy.
Recommendations from the gender analysis of the Uganda Refugee Policy are recognized and accepted by policy makers on the regional and national level.
Results (Output)
Indicators (possibly including quantity structure)
Actual Status
Target
1) 70 role model couples are engaged on SGBV prevention and response in the refugee settlement and host community.
ACFODE currently has no presence at Kyaka II refugee settlement.
A functional ACFODE field office coordinates activities and refers and follows-up SGBV cases.
Male role models have been introduced by other humanitarian actors but not the model couple approach.
70 model couples receive capacity development trainings in SGBV prevention and response. They reach out to another 350 couples.
Land scarcity and lack of non-land dependent income generating activities trainings has created social and economic vulnerabilities.
7 model couple VSLA groups of 200 persons have been formed and trained in economic self-organization and economic empowerment.
2) An SGBV conflict resolution and psycho-social counselling structure with trained community facilitators is established.
Refugee and host community meeting points are often not accessible or in an unconducive environment or without a safe space for women.
The Peace Hut is set up and utilized by the community to discuss about SGBV and receive counseling and peer group support.
There are high incidences of tensions in the household related to inability of men performing traditional gender-roles and economic pressures. Persons with Specific Needs (PSNs) are often neglected in programming and their capacities for community activism are overlooked.
10 Women, 6 Men, 10 Youth (5 female, 5 male) (among them 50% PSNs) have been trained on gender concepts, SGBV, conflict resolution and peer group support techniques.
An informal SGBV dispute resolution mechanism is set up.
Trauma and stigma surround the disclosure of SGBV experiences and services are inadequate to deal appropriately with SGBV incidences.
85% of the targeted SGBV survivors report to have received adequate support that helped them to deal with trauma.
3) 60 Social actors and 40 duty bearers from different sectors actively sensitize communities on SGBV and provide quality response to incidences.
Duty bearers do not have adequate knowledge about SGBV laws and Standard Operating Procedures for GBV case management and show signs of corruption by dropping cases for money.
Currently there are gaps in the health sector such as lack of spaces for SGBV survivors in medical facilities, gaps in the medical response and in meeting psycho-social support needs.
60 social actors and 40 duty bearers have been trained on gender concepts, SGBV Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for GBV case management and responsibilities.
10 action plans have been developed for more effective SGBV prevention and response, accompanied by ACFODE and the advocacy-consultant-team.
4) Improved linkage between refugee and host population, civil society organizations and local government for effective SGBV prevention and response in refugee hosting Districts.
There are no strong coordination systems between District and agencies for planning, implementation and monitoring. Lack of SGBV help desks and information materials on SGBV, lack of child protection actors as well as female police officers.
Sector performance monitoring is mainly undertaken by humanitarian actors and government in a less participatory way and shows gaps in monitoring gender-responsiveness.
In the Livelihood and Environment sector the existing programmes are not well linked to SGBV survivors and the collection of firewood still imposes a risk for women and girls.
6 committees active in the camp receive capacity development on gender-responsive service delivery and work for a better cooperation with the District Coordination Forum and the sectorial coordination fora in the camp.
15 model couples double as community monitors for gender-responsive service delivery in different sectors.
A forum is established, where relevant stakeholders from refugee and host population, CSOs and local government discuss SGBV and gender-responsive service-delivery issues.
Lack of SGBV help desks and information materials on SGBV, lack of child protection actors as well as female police officers.
In the Livelihood and Environment sector the existing programmes are not well linked to SGBV survivors and the collection of firewood still imposes a risk for women and girls.
50 local government representatives from zones, Sub-county and District and selected community monitors are trained in Advocacy-Workshops on gender-responsive service delivery, SGBV prevention and response and gender-sensitive budgeting. The capacity of the District is built to lobby for increased SGBV resources.
Government for SGBV prevention and response and gender-responsive service delivery are insufficient.
Gender issues are not mainstreamed in the current Ugandan Refugee Policy.
ACFODE knowledge in regional and national advocacy is insufficient.
A gender analysis of the Uganda Refugee Policy (Refugee Act 2006 and Refugee Regulations 2010) is undertaken and recommendations are drawn from the analysis.
ACFODE receives support by the consultant-team for advocacy of these recommendations towards policy makers.
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- Multi-perspective consultant-team for advocacy on local, regional and national level
2.1 Purpose of the consultant team
The multi-perspective consultant-team shall be composed of two consultants: 1 person from Uganda, 1 person from the Democratic Republic of Congo, at least one of them female. In that way, two different perspectives will be represented in the team, the perspective from the hosting society in Uganda and the perspective of the society where the vast majority of the refugees in western Uganda comes from, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The consultant-team will support the ACFODE head quarter in Kampala and the project-team in the refugee-camp Kyaka II in western Uganda to develop and implement an advocacy-strategy at local, district and national level. Furthermore, the consultant-team will provide orientation to ACFODE on how to undertake interventions in the field of humanitarian aid and refugee work. The support of the consultant-team includes also capacity development of specific target groups and the supervision of their advocacy-activities. - 2.2. Objectives
The objectives of the multi-perspective advocacy consultant team are:
- To build capacity of ACFODE on interventions in the context of migration and humanitarian aid and on setting up an advocacy-strategy for effective SGBV prevention and response in the mentioned context.
- To advise the project-team of ACFODE based in Kyaka 11 Refugee refugee camp on the implementation of the advocacy-strategy with local target groups and relevant stakeholders.
- To build capacity of specific target groups and supervise their activities in advocacy on local level, promoting gender budgeting and gender-responsive service delivery.
- To accompany ACFODE’s advocacy at district level to promote SGBV prevention and response in the decision-making processes and gender-responsive budgeting into the local government development plans and its administrative bodies.
- To strengthen ACFODE’s advocacy campaign at national level, which will promote the recognition and implementation of recommendations drawn from gender analysis of the Ugandan national refugee policy by key stakeholders particularly relevant policy-makers.
2.3 Scope of work
Local / camp level- Social actors and duty bearers will be strengthened and advised in their elaboration and implementation of action plans for more effective SGBV prevention and response
- Model couples will be supervised on their monitoring of gender-responsive service delivery which is provided by social actors, administrative and governmental structures at local level
- At least 6 committees and councils of the camp will be trained in advocacy and gender-responsive service delivery
- Strengthen cooperation between the District Coordination Forum and the sectorial coordination fora, zonal leaders as well as the camp commander.
- District level
- A newly established forum will be supported, where relevant stakeholders from refugee and host population, organizations and government agencies discuss sexual and gender-based violence and gender-responsive service-delivery issues.
- Government representatives from zones, Sub-county and District, and selected community members will be trained in advocacy on gender-responsive service delivery, SGBV prevention and response and gender-sensitive budgeting.
- Representatives at District level will be supported in their lobby for increased SGBV resources
National level - ACFODE as an organization will be strengthened in their advocacy related to migration and refugee-policy and in their effective interventions in the context of humanitarian aid
- Ensure elaborate gender analysis of the Ugandan refugee policy, drawing concrete recommendations from the analysis and support ACFODE team to present them to policy-makers. Preparation of policy briefs for political decision-making processes by policy-makers through recognition and implementation of the recommendations.
- Develop a national level advocacy campaign at national level, accompany and supervise the ACFODE team in the implementation of the campaign.
2.4. Outputs- Advocacy strategy elaborated in collaboration with ACFODE and the project-team
- Report after every visit of the project in Kyaka II and the organization ACFODE
- Advocacy campaign based on recommendations drawn from the gender analysis of the Ugandan national policy on Refugees
- Final report of the implementation of the advocacy strategy and campaign
- A final advocacy report highlighting ACFODE ‘s capacity to advocate for gender mainstreaming in refugee policies and the impact of the advocacy-activities undertaken by project team and target groups shall be handed over to ACFODE and EIRENE at the end of the project
- Power point presentation at an event organized by ACFODE, EIRENE and all stakeholders of the project at a venue agreed upon.
- 2.5. Timeframe
Consultant-contract starts end of October 2019 and ends end of September 2022.
A minimum of 14 visits with a duration of 1 week maximum per visit to the project site Kyaka 11 as well to ACFODE headquarters.
The visits will be on a monthly basis at the beginning of the project (October end) until February 2020, and on a quarterly basis until the end of the project in September 2022.
- Expert profile of the Consultants from Uganda and DR Congo
The competencies required from the team, composed of two individuals, are the following:
- Master’s degree in development studies, gender, political sciences or social sciences
- Proven experience in conducting consultancy work in the countries of Uganda and DR Congo, or other East African countries
- Relevant training and work experience in advocacy, lobbying and political decision-making structures
- 5 years of relevant experience in advocacy and lobbying
- Experience in implementation of humanitarian aid, migration and refugees programme
- A good understanding of the context in Uganda and the refugee policy of the national government, as well as the context in DR Congo and the situation of Congolese refugees
- Work experience in community mobilization, rights-based approach and gender programming and evaluation
- Very good report writing skills
- Excellent language skills in English; language skills in Kiswahili and eventually another relevant regional language will be a strong added advantage.
- Administrative and Management
4.1 Submission of technical and financial proposal
Qualifying consultants who meet the following requirements are required to submit a detailed proposal covering the following:
Technical proposal details:
- Technical bid demonstrating the consultant’s understanding of the project, the outcomes and what kind of changes the project is aiming for (see ch. 1.2 background, 1.3 project logic).
- Outlining an advocacy-strategy for the project
- Methodology and work plan for the consultancy
- Detailed profile indicating the consultant’s experience in assignments of similar nature
- Curriculum vitae of consultant
Financial proposal details: - An itemized budget quoted in Uganda Shillings
4.2 Form of Payment and Tax Obligations
A 6% withholding tax to be remitted to URA shall be deducted by ACFODE
4.3 Submission of proposal
Interested consultants should submit their technical and financial proposal to the Executive Director, Action for Development, rbafaki@acfode.org (cc: info@acfode.org) not later than Monday, 30th of September 2019.