Somalia: Preventing Violence Against Women & Girls in Somalia TERMS OF REFERENCE

Preventing Violence Against Women & Girls in Somalia
TERMS OF REFERENCE

INTERSOS Humanitarian Organization is seeking an experienced evaluator to assess its UN WOMEN funded pilot project on GBV prevention in South Central Somalia. The project evaluation will be designed to contribute further to a baseline field study conducted in November 2015 by a local university to generate findings and best practices to inform government policies and actions that can address root normative causes of VAWG.

1. BACKGROUND
   Decades of conflict, insecurity, mass displacement, and systemic gender inequality have contributed to a culture of impunity regarding Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG). As a result, sexual and other forms of gender-based violence (GBV) are pervasive in Somalia. While GBV has a devastating impact on the lives of women and girls, who are the majority of survivors, it is also hinders the development of men and boys. Eliminating gender-based violence helps to strengthen entire communities.

The twin risks of stigma and retaliation preclude the reporting of incidents and access to services for the majority of survivors of sexual violence. Even so, in only four regions of the country, there were over 5,500 GBV incidents reported to service providers in one year (Somalia GBV working group, July 2013 to June 2014). During this same period, 44% of reported cases were physical assault, with the majority perpetrated by an intimate partner; another 33% were rape cases (Somalia GBV working group, 2014). Those most at risk are internally displaced people, minority clans, female headed households, and adolescent girls due to the breakdown of social protection systems and often their clan-protection. Furthermore, harmful traditional practices such as FGM/C and forced marriage are common place but underreported.

The causes of VAWG are linked to a complex interplay of factors. Despite religious tenets that protect women and girls, traditional beliefs and social norms condone violence and limit gender equality. With the breakdown of all formal systems of government and rule of law since the collapse of the state in 1991, elders and religious leaders have played a critical role in determining acceptable social behaviors, as well as moderating informal rule of law and justice systems. If survivors and their families do seek redress, even through formal mechanisms, customary law (Xeer) is often applied by default. Community elders or male heads of families are thus called upon to “settle” rape cases by arranging marriage between perpetrator and survivor or by setting a token compensation.

Imams, clan and community leaders represent one of the most powerful stakeholder voices in the Somali context. Many Imams have begun to emphasize the Islamic teachings on status and protection of women, while elders decry rape as haram to Somali culture, religion, and tradition. Still, levels of knowledge and awareness on VAWG, and the willingness to advocate remain low. Imams primarily engage in awareness-raising through Friday prayers and mosque teachings, which reach men and boys, but not women and girls. Both sexes must be reached as potential perpetrators, given that females frequently support intimate partner violence, forced and early marriage, and FGM/C.

The absence of a functioning police and judicial system, culture of violence and impunity, and beliefs that perpetuate VAWG are linked to education and the influence of social norms. Police are largely ineffective in preventing VAWG due to some of the following factors: lack of education (33% have never attended school; most police are appointed from civil war roles), irregular payment, alignment with clan or warlord politics, belief that VAWG is appropriate or a domestic issue.

Overall, the collapse of the central state had a devastating impact on the education system. While private schools, NGO schools, and community-based Madrassas have sprung up in place, competing curriculums and challenges to fund school attendance have hampered educational achievement. Curriculums rarely provide life skills education that could address harmful traditional norms., INTERSOS KAP surveys in Mogadishu of persons in contact with GBV survivors cases (May 2013) found that one third of police officers have not attended school; only 57% of the most respected community leaders in IDP camps have attended a Madrassa for education. Knowledge of GBV, including causes and consequences, is similarly low. An INTERSOS assessment in Jowhar (September 2013) found that 69% could not identify factors that increase vulnerability to GBV.

Access to formal justice is severely hampered by the fledgling court system, which lacks resources and capacity and operates under an outdated legal framework (1962 Penal Code). There is important progress towards drafting the Sexual Offenses Bill, led by the Ministry of Women and Human Rights Development (MoWHRD), which is due to be debated in parliament during 2015. However, harmful traditional social and religious norms remain broadly unchallenged and violence against women and girls persists.

UN Women has provided funding to conduct research in Banadir and Middle Shabelle to improve the understanding of social and religious norms perpetuating violence and those which can be utilized to prevent VAWG. The research will be led by INTERSOS in partnership with the Ministry of Women and Human Rights Development (MoWHRD) and Ministry of Religious Endowments (MoRE), and local NGOs WOCCA and OSPAD.

1. PROJECT OVERVIEW
   Title of action: Interrupt cycles of violence, create awareness and promote social reconciliation to reduce the prevalence and improve response to violence against women and girls
   Target locations: Banadir and Middle Shabelle Region
   Principal objective: “Ending Violence against Women and Girls”
   Result 1: Research on development and implementation of strategies to engage social and religious norms to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls (VAWG).
   Result 2: Strengthened capacity of women leaders, local authorities, and community elders to develop and implement strategies to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls.
2. FIELD INVESTIGATION

While multi-sectoral responses to VAWG have adequate global guidance, effective means of prevention of VAWG locally are not well researched. In particular in the Somali context, understandings of social and religious teachings that perpetuate or can be utilized to prevent VAWG is not well understood; nor are entry points to engage clan elders and Imams to address harmful social norms and cultural practices. Applied research is required to generate findings and best practices to inform government policies and actions that can address root normative causes of VAWG.

The research component of the project intends to generate evidence that can in turn inform practice regarding engaging with religious and clan leaders to prevent VAWG. It emphasizes engaging customary law and addressing social norms using Somali religious and cultural tenets as entry points. A baseline investigation was conducted by a local university in November 2015 to contribute to the development of the community engagement project activities.

1. COMMUNITY BASED PREVENTION STRATEGIES
   Strengthened capacity of women leaders, local authorities, and community elders to develop and implement strategies to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls:

2. Women: INTERSOS and LNGO partner field teams have conducted a community stakeholder mapping to identify active women’s groups and potential women as agents of change to be engaged in this programme.

3. Identify and engage Imams, Islamic council of elders, councils of clan elders, peace seekers and formal local authorities to become change agents at community, district, regional and national level to address norms that condone violence.

4. Identify and build the capacity of male and female youth to establishing a peer-to-peer network of positive role models.

5. INTERSOS and local partners have contributed to the development of participatory IEC materials through series of workshops with women, youth and male leaders (drama, film, song, art competitions, poems etc.) identified through the community engagement sessions. This was done through support for women’s groups, male leaders and youth peer-to-peer to implement their advocacy, awareness and support plans and community and religious leaders .

6. As part of the awareness promotion, INTERSOS has conducted radio campaigns based on messages/drama developed as part of IEC material development.

7. SCOPE & METHODOLOGY

8. To build on existing baseline findings aiming at identifying Somali social norms and social power structures that perpetuate or prevent VAWG

9. To build on existing baseline findings aiming at identifying Islamic guidance within the Qur’an and Hadiths and understand the current religious and cultural teachings utilized in the Somali context that may either perpetuate or prevent VAWG;

10. To identify the extent to which existing community based prevention mechanisms are effective in preventing VAWG and whether those contribute to women empowerment or are building on disempowering them through the creation of negative protection mechanisms.

11. To assess the impact of the community engagement sessions on the targeted communities;

12. To assess the impact of the participatory and community based awareness campaign to prevent VAWG in the regions of interventions.
    5.1 Methodology
    The complexity at the root of the perpetuation of VAWG suggests the need to engage a variety of key stakeholder groups using approaches that resonate with their role in society, existing knowledge and skills, and capacities as agents of change.

The evaluation design seeks to adopt the following methods:
• Review of research paper developed by INTERSOS and Jobkey University in Mogadishu;
• Stakeholder mapping and power and influence mapping;
• Qualitative focus group discussions and key informant interviews with the target groups below;
• KAP surveys with the target groups below;
• Observations through visits to communities, government institutions etc.

The following target groups will be used:
1) Federal Government authorities
2) Local authorities in other regions and districts targeted
3) Imams and religious leaders at different levels
4) Clan elders and peace seekers at different levels
5) Women Leaders at different levels
6) Community members: Women, men, boys and girls
7) Other key informants such as services providers and GBV working group members

INTERSOS values participatory, learning-oriented and gender-sensitive approaches. The WHO ethical and safety research principles will be adhered to and integrated throughout the research process.

The evaluation will be conducted in Banadir and Middle Shabelle. Sampling will be based on further discussion on the tools to use for the evaluation. Approx. target group: 400 people.

5.2 Target Audience
The evaluation findings are intended to generate a body of evidence that will support a variety of actors in the development of community-based prevention campaigns. In addition, the evaluation will aim at improving future prevention strategies that INTERSOS and partners will develop in future interventions. This will be used by INTERSOS and partners to develop community engagement methodologies and confirm appropriate target groups and persons with whom to promote gender equality, prevention of VAWG, and empowerment of women and girls.

5.3 Expected Outputs & Deliverables

1. Final report detailing the process, methodologies, tools and work plan to be employed to achieve the evaluation objectives;
2. Conduct a minimum of 15 days comprehensive field-based data collection in each of the project target locations according to the agreed research methodology;
3. Analysis of data and transcripts of data written up;
4. Final research report (maximum 20 pages in English language) approved by INTERSOS and partners.
5. DURATION& SCHEDULE
   The evaluation must be conducted over a maximum 4 week period (mid-March to mid-April). The following schedule is anticipated:

Preparation (5 days): Meetings, desk review and design of inception report including research tools and sampling and agreed work plan.
Collection of data (15 days estimated): Travel to target locations to conduct data collection (FGDs, KIIs, KAP surveys etc.)
Analysis & finalise report (1 weeks/10 days estimated): Conduct analysis of the data and prepare a report in English with details of the major evaluation findings and recommendations.
The deadline for the completion and satisfactory submission of the deliverables is the 15th of April 2016.

1. EXPECTED CONSULTANT PROFILE & SELECTION CRITERIA
   7.1 Bid qualification and selection criteria
   The Research Consultant will be selected based on the following criteria:
   • Proven capacity to carry out the assignment and previous experience of successful completion of similar assignments (GBV assessments and surveys) in Somalia;
   • Ability to travel to all main locations, and flexibility to travel to other locations in Somalia to be agreed during the planning stage;
   • Excellent English language skills and ability to conduct interviews in Somali/ have a strong Somali translator (in the field) and for finalization of the deliverables;
   • Have excellent writing skills with the ability to prepare comprehensive research reports in English language.
   • Good understanding of the Somali context, with understanding of protection principles, GBV and women’s empowerment;
   • Quality research reports of the previous assignments as proof of experience.
   • Cost of the consultancy service.

7.2 Terms and Conditions

1. The Consultant will be contracted by INTERSOS Somalia Mission;
2. The Daily consultancy fee is negotiable, although it must fit within the costs allocated by the project;
3. Payment of the agreed consultancy amount will be paid on conducting the field work (20%) with the remaining 80% paid upon satisfactory submission of the agreed deliverables within the agreed timeframe and quality to be stipulated in the contractual agreement;
4. The Consultant must ensure that competent and qualified staff agreed within the contract are the actual persons conducting the work;
5. The consultant must be available to work for the period stipulated and be able to meet the deadline for satisfactory submission outlined in the contract;
6. INTERSOS will support the Research Consultant’s to access to the project areas, including supporting set-up of interviews (where required);
7. Costs relating to consultants insurance coverage and applicable taxes is the responsibility of the consultant (withholding tax will be deducted on behalf of KRA);
8. Logistical arrangements including travel to Somalia (international flights and within Somalia), accommodation and security within Somalia will be covered and facilitated by INTERSOS based on utilising pre-approved suppliers (these costs should be excluded from consultancy bids);
9. The Research Consultant is responsible to abide by INTERSOS security protocols for missions to Somalia, as well as adhering to INTERSOS Child Protection policy and Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse policy.

5.3 Applications
Interested parties should send an expression of interest (EOI) which must include:

1. Suitability for the position as per the bid qualification and selection criteria
2. Technical/ methodological proposal
3. Team composition, including CV lead research consultant, Consultancy firm profile (if affiliated with a firm)
4. Declaration of availability of the lead consultant for the dates proposed
5. Proposed budget (including breakdown of costs, excluding travel, accommodation and security costs)
6. Links to examples of research work conducted that are available online or can be provided upon request.
   Please submit the EOI application by email to hr.somalia@intersos.org or in a sealed envelope addressed to INTERSOS Somalia: #17 Prof. Saitoti Road, Westlands, P.O. Box 57801-00200, Nairobi. Please submit the bid between 8.30am - 5.30pm Monday to Friday at the INTERSOS office by Sunday 20th of March 2016 before 5.30pm (Kenya/Somalia time).