Baseline Survey of Ending School Related GBV programme in Malawi

1. BACKGROUND
   Multiple studies report the high prevalence of School Related Gender Based Violence (SRGBV) in Malawi. SRGBV is violence associated with school that is based on gender norms, gendered stereotypes, or targets students on the basis of their sex. SRGBV manifests as rape, forced marriage, child/ early marriage, unwanted sexual touching, unwanted sexual comments, corporal punishment, bullying and verbal harassment. It is rooted in gender inequality and the unequal power relations between adults and children, males and females. SRGBV takes place in classrooms, school grounds, teacher and staff houses, at locations where children are sent during school hours and en route to and from school. SRGBV impinges on children’s dignity, bodily integrity and their right to gender equality. Specifically the school related nature of this violence impedes children from their right to access education of good quality in a safe environment.
   Concern Worldwide and its partners are implementing a three year project (2016-2019), with funding from Comic Relief, which will tackle one of the key barriers to girls achieving an adequate education: School Related Gender Based Violence (SRGBV).
   The aim of the project is to contribute to girls and boys in Phalombe District having greater access to quality education, free from violence and discrimination. The project will also contribute to access to justice for survivors of SRGBV in Nsanje District.
   With this project, we intend to build on and scale up from our lessons learned from a previous SRGBV programme in Nsanje.
   The project will adopt a multi-level approach to address the root causes of SRGBV and achieve sustainable impact. Targeting change at micro, meso and macro level, Concern will bring together students (girls and boys), school management structures, community members (women and men) and district stakeholders to combat sexual and other violence in schools and ensure improved quality of education for the most marginalised girls in and around those schools.
   The program goals and objectives include:
   The project will address: inequitable gender norms that drive GBV and girls’ exclusion from education; quality of education for the most at risk girls; and access to justice for survivors of SRGBV.
   Expected outcomes of the programme are:
2. Improved educational outcomes for the most marginalised girls
3. Schools in Phalombe district provide a safer and more gender inclusive learning environment for girls (and boys) by 2019
4. A stronger and more cohesive school and community linked response to GBV
5. District level stakeholders have greater capacity and commitment to prevent and respond to GBV in schools and communities
6. National level stakeholders and policy makers influence a greater response and more effective implementation of relevant laws and policies to SRGBV cases at district, community and school level
7. PURPOSE OF BASELINE CONSULTANCY
   The purpose of the baseline end line assessment is to assess the starting point in the knowledge, attitudes and practices around the issue of school-related gender based violence in Phalombe District. The consultant will collect baseline data against all agreed programme indicators (still to be finalized, these are provisionally outlined in annex 1). They will work with relevant project staff and managers to finalise quantitative tools (to be provided) and provide overall technical support to the overall data collection process, carry out qualitative assessments, and analyse quantitative data. The consultant will analyse and will document baseline results in a short, clear report highlighting values against programme indicators.
   The survey will collect information specific to the project’s logical framework and theory of change. It is expected that the consultant will support the finalisation of appropriate tools which will be approved by the implementing organisations.
   All indicators should be reported with disaggregated data as required.[1]
8. PROPOSED ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY
   The assessment will be quantitative and qualitative. Data will be collected through two methodologies, both of which have already been used within Malawi schools in the past:
9. Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice survey (s) among students, teachers and community members. The KAP survey will focus on students’ and teachers’ knowledge, attitudes, and practice (in line with key indicators) in the following areas: Child rights; Child protection; Positive Discipline; Physical and sexual violence; Prevention and transmission of HIV and AIDS
10. A participatory assessment among a sample of students, teachers, and community members within the 30 targeted schools’ catchment areas, to gather qualitative baseline information on views of the project, observed changes in the community, and attitudes towards gender, equality, and SRGBV in line with key project indicators
11. A participatory assessment among a sample of access to justice stakeholders within the programme areas, to gather qualitative baseline information on current referral systems, and attitudes towards gender, equality, and SRGBV in line with key project indicators
12. APPROACH AND EXPECTED RESULTS
    The consultant will be expected to involve key district officials and staff, school management, teachers, and students and appropriate stakeholders. Draft tools will be provided to the appointed consultant for finalization as needed. The expected results of the baseline are:
13. Reasonable estimates of current levels of knowledge, attitude, and practice
14. Cleaned base line data stored in an accessible digital format[2]
15. Short, clear base line report, documenting process and results, which will be used to assess programme performance.
16. A completed results monitoring table (see Annex 1), showing baseline values against programme indicators (qualitative and quantitative. This table should form a central part of the baseline report.
17. SPECIFIC TASKS OF THE BASELINE CONSULTANT
    Prior to the field baseline
18. Review programme documentation
19. Finalise methodology for assessment, including sample size determination, number of sites to be assessed, and logistical support required, in consultation with Concern staff
20. Produce an inception report (see annex 2)
21. Finalise tools for data collection (these may be digitalized where possible).
22. Develop spreadsheet or database for entering baseline data

During the field baseline

• Orient survey enumerators in survey tools and methodology
• Oversee implementation of KAP surveys and Focus Group Discussions, including data collection and entry
• Throughout the survey process ensure quality and accuracy of the entire survey team performance and information collected.

Post field survey

• Clean and analyse KAP survey data
• Prepare and submit report

The survey report should follow the following format (maximum of 15 pages, not including annexes):

• Executive Summary (no more than 2 page)
• Methodology
• Key Results/Findings against indicators
• Results Monitoring Plan table with baseline data against key indicators
• Conclusions
• Annexes – to include data collection tools (including any questionnaires), coding sheets
• ORGANIZATION AND TIMING
  The assessment will take place in October 2016, for a total of 16 days.

2 days - Any location - Finalise methodology, tools, and database 10 days- Phalombe, Malawi - Conduct field assessment and data collection including in country travel 4 days - Any location - Analyse data and write assessment

1. QUALIFICATIONS Essential • Proven work experience within projects aiming to address gender-based violence in an international setting, particularly among youth • Previous experience conducting quantitative assessments, including sampling, tools development, training of field staff • Skills in quantitative data analysis using Excel, Epi Info, SPSS or other statistical software package • Experience in participatory approaches to data collection • Fluency in English and ability to write clear, concise, high-quality reports • Ability to guide a team of staff with varying levels of skill and experience in quantitative data collection

Desirable • Understanding of school-related gender based violence and prior experience working in education development projects in an international setting

[1] Data should be disaggregated where the differences between groups are found to be statistically significant (i.e. not due to chance). The consultant should understand this and have the knowledge and capacity to run appropriate tests to determine where data should be disaggregated and where it should not (if the difference is not statistically significant, the same baseline figure should be utilized for each group—this requires statistical analysis such as difference in means testing, etc.).

[2] Where this is not available from the digtal tools/platform (iForm builder)

HOW TO APPLY:

Please submit an Expression of Interest by 19th September to emily.bradley@concern.net outlining exact availability in line with the approximate timeline. The full TOR including annexes is available for download here: https://www.concern.net/about/supplies/tenders

The expression of interest should contain: (a) a technical offer and (b) a financial offer, comprising:

A. Technical offer:

· Up to date CV of the consultant explaining how the consultant meets the skills and experience required.

· Technical proposition detailing proposed methodology and resources needed (max 3 pages). Please ensure this reflects the data collection outlined in annex 1

· At least one example of similar work undertaken.

B. Financial offer:

· A list of all expenses expected to be incurred by the consultant(s) including a daily rate.

Costs of transport in-country and accommodation while on field visits outside Lilongwe will be covered directly by the Consortium and should not be included.