Tdh recruits 01 Final Evaluation Consultant

Tdh recruits 01 Final Evaluation Consultant

Final Evaluation Consultant – Tdh Lebanon

Promoting an Enhanced and Sustainable Protective Environment for Children in Lebanon,
July 2018 – July 2019

1. Presentation of Terre des hommes

Created in 1960, the Foundation of Terre des hommes Lausanne (Tdh) mission is to come to the aid of children in need. It endeavors at all times to defend the rights of children, in times of war and natural disasters, or in less publicized situations of distress. Today, Terre des hommes Foundation is the largest non-governmental organization (NGO) for children’s aid in Switzerland. Besides, Tdh has development projects and emergency relief programs in more than 30 countries, including Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt and Syria. This engagement is financed by individual and institutional donations. Over the last fifty years, Terre des hommes has developed in two core areas: healthcare and child protection. Every year, Tdh offers sustainable solutions and a better future for over one million children and their relatives by focusing on two levels:

– providing direct aid worldwide for children in need, whereby projects are carried out under our own management or in partnership with local organizations;

– as an ambassador for children’s rights in Switzerland and throughout the world, through campaigns that promote the fundamental rights of children or that denounce violation of these rights, in particular those contained in the Convention on the Rights of the Child adopted by the UN in 1989.

2. Context

According to UNHCR, the Syrian crisis has displaced 4.81 million Syrian refugees into the Republic of Turkey, the Lebanese Republic, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Republic of Iraq, and the Arab Republic of Egypt, and there are an estimated 6.1 million internally displaced people within Syria.

The Government of Lebanon (GoL) estimates that 1.5 million Syrians[1] have fled the conflict in Syria to Lebanon equivalent to over 20 % of the population. So far, neither the government nor donors have tackled the refugees’ most pressing long-term needs: jobs, schools, and a secure place to live. Lebanon still struggles to absorb the influx. The area encompassing Mount Lebanon and the capital Beirut has seen a high proportion of registered Syrian refugees. According to UNHCR[2], 36% are located in Bekka , 26% in Beirut, 25% in North Lebanon and 12% in South Lebanon.

Additionally, there are approximately 291,460 Palestinian refugees of Lebanon, out of whom 53% live in twelve Palestinian refugee camps. The remaining lives in 56 gatherings across the country. Palestinian refugees, who do not receive public service support from the Lebanese government, have been facing significant challenges to access to decent housing conditions, quality education, access health care and economic opportunities. Considered as ‘stateless citizens’ they have no access to citizenship and land ownership, and very restricted access to labor market. Children and youth are the first in line of being victims of the consequences of this situation and of developing negative coping mechanisms. Competition for resources, lead to tensions between diverse host and displaced communities living side by side. By region, the Palestinian Refugees individuals in Lebanon are concentrated in Sidon with (35.8%), followed by North (25.1%), Tyre (14.7%), Beirut & its suburbs (13.4%), Al Chouf (7.1%) and Bekaa (4%)[3].

The Lebanon Crisis Response Plan (LCRP) emphasizes that this situation has significantly impacted Lebanon’s social and economic growth, caused deepening poverty and humanitarian needs, and exacerbated pre-existing development constraints in the country. Although Lebanon has initially welcomed refugees from Syria, the country is “now challenged to offer basic services such as health or education to the refugee population and the host community. Public services are overstretched, with demand exceeding the capacity of institutions and infrastructure to meet needs. The service sectors are also overburdened, with the public health sector accumulating debt as Syrian patients are unable to cover their part of the fees”[4].

The last Vulnerability Assessment of Syrian Refugees (VASyR) in Lebanon[5] findings reveal that the situation of refugees is as serious as the last years. Indeed, Syrian Refugees in Lebanon remain at a point where not all basic needs are met and households are susceptible to shocks. Life is a daily struggle for 991,917 Syrian refugees,[6] who have little or no financial resources. Around 70% live below the poverty line. There are no formal refugee camps and, as a result, Syrians are scattered throughout more than 2,100 urban and rural communities and locations, often sharing small basic lodgings with other refugee families in overcrowded conditions. The families of high risk children supported by social workers usually face difficult economic situations, living in shelters or informal settlements which can be overcrowded. This can result in increased use of violence and abuse. In South Lebanon 70% of Syrian refugees live in small shelter units while the rest live in Collective Shelters (CS), Informal Tent Settlements (ITS), unfinished buildings, garages and squatting. Over 80% of them pay rent even though the living conditions are extremely poor. Only 5% are living with relatives or are hosted by other families.

Families and adolescents have been dramatically affected by the conflict in Syria, and the resulting forced displacement. The loss of educational opportunities is perhaps the most significant effect, with long-term devastating outcomes. Additionally, the futures of Syrian girls are deeply affected by new protection concerns, particularly as they are exposed to an unfamiliar society in Lebanon. Child marriage and limitations in their mobility – particularly for girls – are presented by families as coping strategies to these risks. A recent analysis of Tdh’s case management intervention in the South amongst Syrian refugees in 2017 on a sample of 406 children showed that 6% suffered from gender based violence, out of which 32% were linked to cases of child marriage. Amongst Palestinian communities across Lebanon, the same analysis showed that 12% of cases were linked to gender based violence (on a sample of 176 children).

Programming is needed to ensure sustained education access for all adolescents, and to educate very young adolescents and their parents on managing their own health and well-being, given the multiple strains. More effort is needed to encourage positive interaction between adolescent Lebanese and adolescent Syrian refugees[7].

Children and youth represent more than half of the refugee population. In alignment with the strategy of the LCRP 2017-2020 Tdh is constantly working on strengthening the resilience and social cohesion of the most vulnerable children, youth and their families. Humanitarian and development assistance are not mutually exclusive and a comprehensive response addressing longer-term needs and humanitarian efforts and fostering resilience has therefore become essential.

3. Project Summary

Name of Organization:

Fondation Terre des hommes Lausanne

Name of Project:

Promoting an Enhanced and Sustainable Protective Environment for Children in Lebanon

Country:

Lebanon

Areas of intervention:

South Lebanon – Tyre and Saida Districts – and Beirut/Mount Lebanon

Start and end dates of the project:

1^st July 2018 to 31 July 2019 (13 months)

Total budget in $:

1’127’550$

Project Impact:

· Children, youth and their caregivers affected by the protracted crisis in Lebanon have access to an enhanced and sustainable protective environment.

Project Outcomes:

· Outcome 1: Boys and girls at risk and/or victims of violence have access to an integrated package of quality and durable prevention and response services in most disadvantaged localities in South and Mount Lebanon.

· Outcome 2: Youth, families and communities are engaged to enhance social cohesion and foster a protective environment through social behavioural change processes

· Outcome 3: Formal and informal authorities, civil society actors and child protection systems have strengthened commitment, knowledge and capacity to prevent and respond to child protection concerns, in order to strengthen CP systems and enhance sustainability

Target group and number of expected beneficiaries:

· Syrian refugees;

· Palestinian Refugees from Syria (PRS)

· Palestinian Refugees from Lebanon (PRL);

· Lebanese vulnerable children and their families, including from the Dom community

· Other refugees hosting Syrians (i.e. Iraqis, etc.).

· Direct beneficiaries: 3720 children and 2434 adults

· Indirect beneficiaries: 18462 children and adults

4. Objective of the evaluation

The objective of this final evaluation is to provide an independent external analysis of the project funded by the Swiss cooperation (SDC) and implemented by Tdh in Lebanon.

The objectives are:

– Accountability towards project’ actors: the evaluation purpose is to evaluate the perceived effect of Tdh’s intervention in two southern governorates of Lebanon – Tyre and Saida as well as in Beirut and Mount Lebanon from the perspective of different stakeholders: children and members of the community, administrative staff of the CBOs, Tdh’s psychosocial staff, Tdh’s management,and non-public service providers involved with the community.

– Learning for potential next phase of the project: the evaluation aims at identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in achieving the child protection projects objectives. In order to identify lessons learned and give recommendations and feedback for the future operation of the CBOs as well as for the future involvement of Tdh. Through this evaluation, Tdh aims at fostering learning and ensuring that good practices and lessons learned are analyzed and incorporated in future programming.

5. Scope of the evaluation

The evaluation will cover the entire period of the project – 1^st July 2018 to 30 July 2019 – and all the geographical areas of intervention – Saida,Tyre, Beirut and Mount Lebanon in Lebanon.

All the projects’ components should be included in the evaluation scope. However a particular focus on the Capacity Building of local partners will be required and a comparison with the previous approach of selecting partners and building their capacity.

6. Intended users of the evaluation

The intended audience of the evaluation is, among others, Tdh staff in the field and as organization , its partners, its donor (SDC) as well as all the key actors involved in the project such as CPN representative, CBOs management staff and/or any other relevant stakeholders.

7. Evaluation criteria and questions

The evaluator/team of evaluators is/are requested to answer a list of questions based on the DAC/OCDE criteria for evaluating humanitarian/development assistance^[8] (relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability and impact, Project Design Improvement) and on Terre des hommes Project Cycle Management Guidelines. Those answers shall enable the evaluator/team of evaluators to generate critical analyses, evidence-based, on the impact of the activities implemented by Tdh.

Addressing the evaluation objectives will require that the evaluator provide answers to the following specific questions:

TdhLeb_SDC-Final_evaluation_June2019EFFECTIVENESS

1. To what extent have the project’s objectives been reached?
2. Are the projects activities adequate to realize the objectives?
3. Do the provided services meet the needs of the population and more specifically address the Capacity Building needs of the local actors ?
4. Do certain priorities, especially in terms of Capacity Building, still persist despite the implementation of the projects?

RELEVANCE

1. Has the project aligned properly with the recommendations from the previous evaluation?
2. Should the next phase of the projects be changed to better reflect those needs and priorities?

SUSTAINABILITY

1. To what extent did the projects established processes and systems that are likely to support the continued implementation of the project?
2. Are the involved parties willing and able to continue the child protection projects’ activities on their own?

PROJECT DESIGN IMPROVEMENT

1. In what ways can the child protection system, children’s resilience, social cohesion be improved to better meet projects objectives?
2. In what ways can the delivery of the capacity building be improved to ensure that CBOs knowledge, skills and practice to run the project independently?

8. Methodology

The methodology described in these terms of reference is suggested as a proposition. The evaluator/team of evaluators will be asked to submit a proposal for the methodology of the evaluation to Tdh.

Tdh recommends that the evaluator/team of evaluators will ensure that different methods will be combined and triangulate information. As much as possible, participatory methods will be used to involve project actors and staff, therefore ensuring optimal learning by the team and partners.

The following reviews are recommended as a minimum:

Briefings:

– At the early beginning of the evaluation launching, a skype call will be organize with Tdh’s team, a briefing with the teams will be also organize at the beginning of the field missions and regular feedbacks during the field work will be provided;

Secondary data collection:

– Projects proposal – including logical frameworks, budgets and workplans – and intermediate reports;

– Monitoring and evaluation plans, tools and data;

– Key Tdh Lebanon documents, including:

•  Previous end of project evaluation (October 2017)
•  Capitalization report on capacity building from the previous project phase (December 2017)
•  Partner tools: policy, organization capacity assessment, call for proposal, selection    committee etc.

– Key documents related to national framework, including Lebanon Crisis Response Plan

– Literature review of key documents, including Child Protection sector strategies and national CP data and context analysis from other actors.

Primary data collection:

– Field work to collect data from main project’s stakeholders: Tdh staff, local partners, child protection stakeholders, beneficiaries such as group members, children and their caregivers, community – based child protection committees, center staff, etc…

According the desired focus of this final evaluation, the evaluator/team of evaluators shall prioritize and focus specifically on CBOs as key informant.

• Data collection and analysis through ideally:
  • · In-depth structured or semi-structured interviews, testimonials with key actors and relevant stakeholders and staff
  • · Focus group discussions with children and families
• Meetings/interviews with key stakeholders

The global methodology for primary data collection (tools, target groups…) and analysis should be developed by the evaluator/team of evaluators and submitted to Tdh for approval.

9. Deliverables

– An initial (Inception) report in English (max 10 pages) including:

• the first elements coming up from the desk review, risks and limitations analysis
• the detailed methodology suggested, including the evaluation matrix highlighting how evaluation questions will be addressed
• the draft data collection tools
• Schedule and (revised) Working plan, including the list of (categories of) people and sites to be visited

– At the end of the field mission, two Restitution Workshops on findings, one to the Tdh team and one to the external key partners (especially CBOs managers, CPNs);

– One preliminary report – to be provided 5 days after the end of the field missions, and a final version 2 days after Tdh’s feedback.

– Contents of the final report incorporating:

• 1 executive summary (max. 3-4 pages)
• 1 narrative report (max. 30-40 pages) with an automatic table of contents; a list of annexes, abbreviations, tables, figures, pictures, annexes…; an introduction; the presentation of the methodology, scope and limitations; the findings of the evaluation including lessons-learnt; an evidence-based conclusion
• 1 summary table with the main conclusions and recommendations (separate the short, medium and long term) and the lessons learned
• Annexes: Containing the technical details of the evaluation, as well as the terms of reference, surveys protocols and questionnaires, protocols of interviews and observation, tables or graphics, secondary review references, persons and institutions contacted, a PowerPoint presentation of the findings and recommendations. And the transcripts (rendered anonymous) of interviews, focus groups, observation.

The reports shall be provided in Word format and the report pages numbered. The reports shall be written and submitted in English.

10. Chronogram

The proposed evaluation consists of 20 working days including:

• Phase I: 1^st Briefing by skype and Reviews of the secondary data: 4 days à Inception Report
• Phase II: Field work: 10 days (including 1 traveling days) à Two Restitution Workshops (one for Tdh staff and one for key partners involved in the project)
• Phase III: Analysis & report writing: 4 days à 1^st Draft of final report
• Phase IV: Finalization : 2 days à final report

The assignment should be carried out in a period of time to be defined with the evaluator/team of evaluators, ideally between July 25^th and August 30^th 2019,

The consultancy could be organized as follows:

The work plan may be subjected to some adjustments according to the needs of the consultancy and following mutual agreement between Tdh and the evaluator/team of evaluators.

Consequently, the final work plan for the assignment, including the deadline of submission is to be defined at the time of the signature of the contract.

11. Roles and responsibilities

The evaluation will be conducted by 1 external evaluator/team of evaluators contracted by Terre des hommes.

The evaluator/team of evaluators will be in charge of:

– Defining the methodology of the evaluation to be validated by Tdh before being applied;

– Review, if necessary, the evaluation implementation work plan;

– Leading the research – (data collection…) and analysis work:

• Develop the evaluation instruments and conduct validation and field testing of the same;
• Provide orientation to the M&E and project team of Tdh in Lebanon on the evaluation methodology, tools for data collection and the data analysis;
• Lead and participate in the data collection process;
• Analyze data through participatory approach involving the programme quality and management team of Tdh in Lebanon, the project implementation team and the key project stakeholders.

– Present the findings in four restitution workshops, one for Tdh team and one for external key project actors,

– Writing and submitting the first draft of evaluation reports as well as finalizing it after the feedbacks provided by Tdh (cf. Tentative Workplan).

It’s also the responsibilities of the evaluator/team of evaluators to respect and fully integrate to his work the following ethical principles and considerations:

• The outcomes and conclusions of the evaluation must be correct, trustworthy, cross checked and open to scrutiny
• The evaluator/team of evaluators must respect the privacy of the persons met and seek their informed consent to participate in the consultation
• The evaluator/team of evaluators must consider the level of vulnerability and protection status of the targeted beneficiaries and adapt their questions and attitude accordingly
• Tdh has ‘the best interests of the child’ as its central theme of the consultancy. This is to be interwoven into all aspects. If during the process the evaluators/team of evaluators become(s) aware of a child in need of protection and/or assistance, ‘the best interest of the child’ takes precedent over the desired outcomes of the consultancy. This consultancy should not put any child in danger and if a request is made for assistance or the evaluator/team of evaluators recognize(s) a risk, the appropriate resource agencies will be activated to assist the child when possible
• The evaluator/team of evaluators must sign the Terre des hommes Child Safeguarding Policy (CSP) and Code of Conduct and be willing to adhere to its principles and expected practices. If a breach of the policy or code of conduct takes place the consultancy will be terminated immediately without any financial burden on Tdh.

In order to facilitate the induction of the evaluator/team of evaluators and to activate existing knowledge of the Tdh Lebanon team about the context, focal points are mobilized to support the evaluator/team of evaluators throughout the consultancy:

– In Lebanon: Program Coordinator

– In Switzerland: M&E coordinator

– Regular contacts with Tdh Evaluation Focal Points, the main interlocutors being the LEB Program Coordinator, will be established during the duration of the evaluation work in order to share updates on the progress of the work. In case of difficulties, reorientations shall be considered during the course of the evaluation, but only after approval of Tdh.

Tdh will be in charge of:

• organization of movements to the field and in the field;
• the provision of a translator, if necessary;
• mobilization of/ organization of meetings with key informants (CBOs, , CPNs, beneficiaries, etc.);
• provision of any additional information and clarifications as requested;
• provision and facilitation of clear communication with the team and support by the team.

12. Profile of the consultant (team): qualifications and experience

The consultant (team) must have a strong background in the design, the implementation and the evaluation of humanitarian projects in protracted crisis.

Others requirements are :

– Working experience in the Middle-East region. In the Lebanon context would be a strong asset;

– Demonstrated previous experience in leading humanitarian evaluation, using a range of method, especially qualitative analysis techniques, semi-structured interviews, focus groups, or any other participatory approaches;

– Experience in working in the Child Protection sector in protracted crisis (and especially in PSS and Case Management);

– Expertise in project cycle management, and project monitoring ;

– Experience in community-based approach and capacity building project;

– Strong conceptual and analytical thinking;

– Excellent communication and writing skills in English. Arabic would be a strong asset (a translator shall be provided if needed);

– Gender mixed team;

– Excellent skills in operating in an intercultural environment ;

– A successful experience in implementing and / or evaluating SDC-funded project would be an asset.

13. Budget

The maximum budget for this consultancy is 10 000USD.

• In consideration of the provisions for external mandates, the Consultant shall be paid as follows: Consultancy fees: (gross amount including taxes and VAT ) as lump-sum for consultancy work covering 20 working days at 420 USD each, meaning 8400 USD in total.

• Tdh will pay the Consultant in (1) instalment once the analysis is finalized and after the approval from Tdh of the submitted deliverables mentioned in the TOR .

• The consultant will cover for his health insurance, food and accommodation costs when in the field, Tdh will cover for local transportation and flight ticket.

The payment shall be made by bank transfer within 30 days of receipt(s) of the invoice and IBAN code raised by the Consultant. All amounts are paid in USD.

Altought we mentioned 30 days, we will try our best to pay the evaluation before submitting the final report (it means before 15th September).

Consultant shall send a payment request and a receipt for each instalment.

14. Application procedures

To be considered, interested and qualified evaluators must submit the following documentation:

1. Curriculum vitae (max. 3 to 4 pages highlighting work experience and qualifications relevant to this evaluation)
2. Full contact details of at least three references from among recent clients
3. One sample evaluation report highlighting experience relevant to this evaluation
4. A technical offer comprising:

•  Understanding of the objective of the study and the Terms of Reference (ToR);
•  Methodology and tools proposed;
•  A chronogram showing details for the realization of each of the evaluation phases. The  schedule proposed should include time for briefing and debriefing at the mission, and at Head Office as far as possible.

Please submit your application exclusively via email to franck.joly@tdh.ch

Deadline for submissions is July 22^nd, 2019 (COB, Lebanon Time). Only applicants submitting complete applications and under serious consideration will be contacted.

[1] Including 1.017 million registered as refugees with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), along with 31,502 Palestine Refugees from Syria, 35,000 Lebanese returnees, and a pre-existing population of more than 277,985 Palestine Refugees in Lebanon.

[2] UNHCR, online operational Portal, http://data2.unhcr.org/en/situations/syria/location/71

[3] Lebanese Palestinian Dialogue Committee, Central Administration of statistics, Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (2018). The Population and Housing Census in Palestinian Camps and Gatherings – 2017, Key Findings Report (Population, Buildings and Housing Units), Beirut, Lebanon

[4] Lebanon Crisis Response Plan 2017-2019, page 8

[5] The VASyR is conducted annually since 2013 and jointly by UNICEF, UNHCR and WFP. The VASyR surveyed a representative sample of Syrian refugee households in Lebanon to identify changes and trends in their situation.

[6] UNHCR, 2018

[7] DeJong Jocelyn, Sbeity Farah, Schlecht Jennifer, Harfouche Manale, Yamout Rouham, Fouad Fouad M., Manohar Seema, Robinson Courtland : « Young lives disrupted : gender and well-being among adolescent Syrian refugees in Lebanon », 14 November 2017, [Online] https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/s13031-017-0128-7.pdf

[8] http://www.oecd.org/dac/evaluation/daccriteriaforevaluatingdevelopmentassistance.htm **

Deadline for submissions is July 22^nd, 2019 (COB, Lebanon Time). Only applicants submitting complete applications and under serious consideration will be contacted.

To be considered, interested and qualified evaluators must submit the following documentation:

1. Curriculum vitae (max. 3 to 4 pages highlighting work experience and qualifications relevant to this evaluation)
2. Full contact details of at least three references from among recent clients
3. One sample evaluation report highlighting experience relevant to this evaluation
4. A technical offer comprising:

•  Understanding of the objective of the study and the Terms of Reference (ToR);
•  Methodology and tools proposed;
•  A chronogram showing details for the realization of each of the evaluation phases. The  schedule proposed should include time for briefing and debriefing at the mission, and at Head Office as far as possible.