Democratic Republic of the Congo: Gender Expert for Gender Analysis and Capacity Building

The Organization

Search for Common Ground (SFCG) is an international non-profit organization that promotes peaceful transformation of conflict. With headquarters in Washington, DC and in Brussels, Belgium, SFCG’s mission is to transform how individuals, organizations, and governments see and deal with conflict, away from adversarial approaches and toward cooperative solutions. SFCG seeks to help conflicting parties understand their differences and capitalize on their commonalities. With more than 700 staff worldwide, SFCG implements projects in 35 countries. SFCG’s programs are in Africa, Asia, Europe, Middle East, and the United States.

DRC Program

SFCG launched operations in the DRC in 2001 and today the DRC country program is Search’s largest in terms of staff and program value. The country program has offices in Kinshasa, Goma, Bukavu, Kalemie and Bunia with annual budget of around $6 million USD. SFCG works with partners in most provinces, and has numerous smaller satellite offices spread throughout the country. Media is a primary tool utilized by all the programs—radio, video, print, and drama. Each program is adapted to the specific local context and conflict, and all apply tools from SFCG’s toolbox, including capacity-building in conflict transformation, community outreach and dialogue. SFCG donors include DFID, the Dutch Foreign Ministry, the EU, USAID, and UN agencies. SFCG’s Kalemie office is implementing a number of projects to tackle intercommunity violence in ex-Katanga province, with support from UNHCR, the Fonds social de la RDC, and Food for the Hungry (FH).

Summary of the Project

In order to address underlying causes of livelihood insecurity in the South Kivu and Tanganyika provinces, Food For the Hungry in consortium with Search For Common Ground have developed a theory of change based on the achievements and lessons learned from Tuendelee Pamoja I and best practices in resilience and food security programming. The phase II of the project, funded by USAID in the context of its DRC Food Aid Program, will seek to improve food and income security and nutrition needs of the targeted vulnerable populations through a multi-sectoral approach that increases available food and household income and improves the nutrition and health status among adolescent girls, women of reproductive age and children less than five years of age. To make inroads across each of these areas, Tuendelee Pamoja II will conduct a Gender Analysis around sexual and gender-based violence and conflict to gain a better understanding of the changing dynamics and evolution around conflict and gender in order to refine interventions to address these identified barriers to peace and gender equity. The project will also work to improve adult female functional literacy and create entrepreneurial opportunities for women and men (especially youth) to improve household incomes and provide alternative livelihoods to farming and engaging in conflict.

Job description

SFCG is seeking to hire a Gender Expert for a period of approximately 6 months consultancy to:

• Conduct a gender analysis in the first 3 months, for more details please refer to Annex I;
• Looking for integration of the gender analysis findings within the program and to support the project’s cross-cutting objective to improve gender, intra- and inter-community relations in the South Kivu and Tanganyika provinces during the last 3 months.

Specific responsibilities include:

• Conduct a field gender analysis to understand conflicts and violence related to food insecurity and how these affect women, men and youth. For more details, please see Annex I: Terms of Reference for Gender Analysis;
• Coordinate with project implementing partners to integrate results of Gender Analysis into program planning and implementing strategy, particularly regarding social and behavior change communication (SBCC) strategy interventions;
• Support the drafting of the gender strategy for the project;
• Lead or participate in activities to disseminate the findings of the gender analysis;
• Review the monitoring and evaluation plan to ensure evaluation measures address gender considerations, particularly the inclusion of indicators to track shifting gender norms;
• Producing training modules on gender sensitivity and how to integrate gender analysis’ recommendations within the project;
• Conduct trainings for program staff, partners and project participants, including training activities reports;
• Advise and coach project staff on gender mainstreaming and SGBV prevention in activities.

Profile

• University degree (graduate level) in social sciences in a relevant field;
• Oral and written fluency proficiency in French; good knowledge of English would be a plus;
• More than 6 years of experience working on gender issues and gender-related programming, including capacity-building with program teams;
• More than 5 years of experience conducting research in program evaluation. Expert knowledge of research methods and quantitative and qualitative data collection tools.
• Previous experience working in eastern DRC;
• Strong communication, organizational, analysis and report writing skills;
• Experience in working with international organizations (experience with USAID funded project is highly desirable);
• Experience working on food security is desirable;
• Experience working on peacebuilding is desirable;
• Willingness to travel to rural locations with basic conditions within Tanganyika and South Kivu provinces.

Annex I: Terms of Reference for Gender Analysis

Objectives for the gender analysis

Effective conflict prevention and resolution requires deep understanding of the causes, triggers, dynamics and patterns of conflicts. The social fabric and social dynamics that helped prevent or resolve a conflict can also illuminate potential areas of a community’s strength and resilience. To create solutions in a participatory manner, communities need to pay close attention to the roles and responsibilities of both men and women, including young men and young women, leading up to, during, and after a conflict.

The goal of the gender analysis is to understand conflicts and violence related to food insecurity and how this affects women, men and youth in order to improve program objectives and validate the project's goal is to improve food and nutrition security and economic well-being of vulnerable HHs in South Kivu and Tanganyika provinces.

Questions of the gender analysis

At the beginning of the project, the consultant will conduct a community-based gender analysis that identifies the unique characteristics of gender relations as it relates to food and nutrition insecurity affecting key communities in South Kivu and Tanganyika, in collaboration with SFCG DME team in-country. The gender expert is encouraged to support the final design of research questions in coordination with program and DM&E team upon project start-up.

The following are the proposed outlined research questions:

1. How are people in targeted zones affected by conflicts related to food insecurity?
2. How are communities in targeted zones engaged in conflicts related to food access? Are gender norms playing a role?
3. How does food insecurity shape gender norms and differences experienced by these different groups?
4. Are there prevailing barriers or attitudes that are preventing targeted communities from shifting gender relations related to food security?

Candidates are encouraged to show how they creatively push thinking around these issues and the methodological approach to ensure the most accurate information is gathered.

To answer these questions, it will be used a mix-methodology approach that will likely involve both qualitative and quantitative methods. In selected communities in South Kivu and Tanganyika, Search will conduct a survey via a household questionnaire, as well as informal interviews with key people, and focus groups.

Methodology

The gender analysis will take place in a phased approach, which will take approximately three months to complete.

Phase I: Literature Review

The gender analysis will be based on academic research on gender, particularly that which has been previously collected in DRC and specifically in the regions of South Kivu and Tanganyika related to gender relations linked to food security. This foundational analysis will consist of a literature review and preliminary conversations with academics in DRC and abroad. It will serve to identify the key gaps existing in the literature related to gender analysis as it pertains to food insecurity in these two regions..

Phase II: Data Collection Preparation, Samplingand Data Collection

Following the literature review, the consultant will also be expected to lead discussions with SFCG programme and M&E teams to develop a full methodological approach, workplan and tools for data collection. Target communities will be selected on the basis of the level of food insecurity.

Phase III: Validation, Dissemination and Project Re-design

A final report will also be presented in Kalemie and Bukavu to share key findings with stakeholders. The dissemination of the report will help bring to light key dynamics related to gender relations as it pertains to food insecurity. A webinar will also be held through Search’s DME for Peace learning portal (www.dmeforpeace.org) to ensure visibility outside of DRC.

A separate 3-day meeting will also be held with partner and Search to review the findings of the gender analysis. The goal of the facilitated meeting will be to incorporate findings to improve program activities.

Gender Analysis Deliverables

Deliverables that the consultant is responsible for in the gender analysis are the following:

• Initial meeting with program and M&E staff to finalize research questions and design;
• A Gender Analysis literature review, plan and inception report detailing a proposed methodology, the calendar and tools for data collection;
• Training of enumerators;
• Supervision of data collection and active participation in the data collection in the field;
• Supervision of data entry and analysis;
• A draft Gender Analysis report for review by SFCG and FH staff and to be approved by SFCG (40 pages in length);
• A database of the data collected to be submitted to SFCG prior to the first draft of the report;

• A final Gender Analysis report in French, which will be translated in English, based on the following table of contents (unless another agreed-upon structure is decided jointly with SFCG):

• List of acronyms

• Executive summary of no more than three pages

• Overview of the context

• Organization and program background

• Gender Analysis methodology

• Limitations of the Gender Analysis

• Evidence-based conclusions: these include the findings and the analysis

• Recommendations for program strategy

• Appendices:

• Appendix A – Terms of reference

• Appendix B – Data collection tools

• Appendix C – List of the surveys, FGDs and KII conducted

• Appendix D – Project Logframe

• Appendix E – Project indicators

• Appendix F – Bibliography

• Appendix G – Consultant Biography

• A Power Point Presentation of the Gender Analysis and facilitation of a meeting with SFCG and FH to review results and integrate into program strategy.

Logistics

SFCG DRC will provide the consultant with logistical support through:

• Travel to DRC and sites in South-Kivu and Tanganyika provinces
• Ensuring that the consultant receives key documents in a timely manner
• Helping to set up the data collection schedule
• Arranging meetings with the project team and key staff
• Providing administrative support such as photocopying, fax machines, and office space
• Providing office space for the consultant in the SFCG Kalemie and Bukavu offices

Calendar

Pending funding approval, the study will start on January 2017, throughout March 2017. A first draft of the gender analysis is expected to be sent to SFCG DRC by end of February. The report will be shared with partners and donors by beginning of March.

• Consultant recruitment deadline: 23rd of December 2016
• Deadline for finalizing the data collection tools: 20th of January 2017
• Deadline for finalizing data collection: 28th of February 2017
• Deadline for the gender analysis draft report: 15th of March 2017
• Deadline for the final gender analysis deliverables: 30th of March 2017

Special Considerations for Research Consultants

• Structure: The consultant must conduct the study in a structured manner and communicate clearly his/her methods and approach, such that any external person can understand, interpret and evaluate his/her work. S/he must clearly describe the limitations of the study and its results.
• Competence: the consultant must have clear professional capacities and experience to carry out the tasks described above. The consultant is expected to apply recognized industry standards in the domain concerned.
• Honesty and integrity: The consultant must be transparent with SFCG concerning any conflict of interest, of any change to the planning or implementation strategy and the reasons for this change, and of any risks related to proposed activities which may produce inaccurate data.
• Respect: The consultant must respect the security, dignity and values of participants in the study. The consultant must be sensitive and respect differences among participants, including differences of culture, religion, gender, handicap, age and ethnic origin.
• Evaluation standards: The consultant must respect SFCG evaluation standards. More information can be found at http://www.sfcg.org/programmes/ilt/dme_guidelines.html

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How to apply

Applications must include:

• Curriculum Vitae with at least three references;

• A document including the following elements:

• A motivation letter and a short biography clearly demonstrating expertise in conducting analyses and gender issues;

• Technical Proposal explaining the methodology for the Gender Analysis in line with the methodology underlined in the TOR and the proposed calendar (For the Gender Analysis see Annex I);

• A Financial Proposal – including fees for the last 3 months of consultancy.

This posting will close on January 1, applications will be accepted on a rolling basis. All the applications have to be uploaded at the following link. For more information and questions related to this call, please contact cfassiotti@sfcg.org and alemon@sfcg.org, copying cchungong@sfcg.org with subject “ Consultancy – Gender Expert for Gender Analysis and Capacity Building - Tuendelee Pamoja II”.