She Belongs in School At Save the Children

Background

Save the Children’s (SC) “She Belongs In School” (SBIS) program is a 5-year initiative (1 April 2020 –31 March 2025) to enhance the empowerment and learning outcomes of adolescent girls (10-19) in the provinces of Nampula and Niassa in Mozambique. This ultimate outcome will be achieved by shifting the underlying harmful gender inequality norms, practices, and behaviors among caregivers and community influencers (including religious leaders) that act as root causes for girls not attending school or continuing to higher education, towards the promotion and support of women and girls’ rights, particularly the right to education (1100); increasing self-belief, decision making power and leadership exercised by adolescent girls to pursue education (1200); and enhancing the provision of safe and supportive learning environment that build the skills and competencies of adolescent girls and are responsive to their specific needs (1300). Total program budget is CAD 31,409,775 of which CAD 30,000,000 is requested from GAC.

The program’s primary beneficiaries will be adolescent girls (aged 10-19), both in and out-of-school, and at risk of not realizing their right to education and learning. Particular attention will be paid to those facing intersectional discrimination such as girls in remote hard to reach areas and girls living with disabilities. However, to effectively and sustainably transform their educational opportunities, the program will meaningfully engage across the socio-ecological model to mobilize, support, engage and build the capacity of not only girls themselves, but also responsibility holders (male peers, female and male caregivers and households, community leaders) and duty bearers (education authorities in the target provinces and other relevant Ministries). Through consultations conducted in 2019 and on-going programming across the target provinces, this program has been designed with all the target groups (including girls) to ensure that the program responds to the needs as articulated by the beneficiaries, and also supports the broader empowerment of girls as agents of change in their lives and decision makers in the programs which aim to support them. Given the importance of working with relevant duty bearers and supporting system strengthening, SBIS was also designed in collaboration with the relevant Government authorities. Please see attached letters of support from the Provincial Offices of Education in Nampula and Niassa.

SBIS will be delivered by SC along with 5 other partners, each brining unique technical specializations and geographic footprints. These partners include AJODEMO, UATAF, Progresso, United Purpose and Girl Move Academy. Included within this group are leaders in disability inclusion, girl empowerment approaches, and youth engagement. Please see partnership section for more detail. Across the 6 partners (including SC), the program will be delivered in Mecanhelas, Mandimba and Cuamba districts in Niassa Province, and Muecate, Membe, Erati and Nacaroa districts in Nampula Province.

This initiative directly contributes to poverty reduction, by targeting individuals who specifically face several dimensions of poverty concurrently, including limited access to education, inadequate income, political and social exclusion, personal insecurity, as well as being affected by infringements on human rights, including discrimination and inequality. For example, the program will directly support households who face extreme poverty and feel unable to prioritize the direct and indirect costs to sending girls to school. In order to ensure the sustainability of results, the program takes on a number of approaches including working in collaboration with local partners and building upon existing working relationships between SC and government stakeholders in the target locations. SC will leverage these relationships and long-standing programming platforms in the target regions to not only deliver best practice approaches, but also pilot and evaluate innovative approaches to support enhanced gender-responsiveness of educational programming.

Purpose of the Baseline

The purpose of the baseline will be to provide situational information at project locations in Mecanhelas, Mandimba and Cuamba districts in Niassa Province, and Muecate, Membe, Erati and Nacaroa districts in Nampula Province. It will inform program intervention and strategies. Information from the baseline assessment will be used as standards to track performance towards achieving the project’s outcomes throughout the implementation.

Objectives

Specific objectives of the study are:

• To identify the benchmarks for the project’s intended immediate, intermediate, and ultimate outcomes, against a set of approved indicators in Performance Measurement Framework (PMF).
• To provide evidence on key contextual factors and verify Save The Children’s understanding of the social norm (power dynamics at HH and community level) situation in Niassa and Nampula provinces.
• To assess social and gender-based attitudes of responsibility-holders at household and community levels toward access to quality education for girls aged 10-19.
• To determine the knowledge and skills of adolescents (10-19) (boys and girls) to engage with responsibility holders and peers for the advancement of girls’ right to quality education.
• To assess socio-economic capacities of responsibility-holders at household level to sustain access to quality education for girls (and boys) aged 10-19.
• Provide information on decision making powers, participation levels and control of assets of girls, boys, women and men at household and community level.
• Generate findings on the restrictive gender stereotypes in school as well as safety and protection issues in the school and community environment and other external factors that can affect girls’ access to education.
• To provide baseline data where relevant in response to the updated indicators to measure the project results and impact and quality education for the beneficiaries in the program site/location at the end of the project.
• Conduct a social norm diagnostic covering the following areas:
• Power dynamics at the household and community levels.
• Distribution of resources at the household level (access to and control over);
• Roles and responsibilities of women, girls, men and boys.
• Identify key influencers of harmful and positive behaviors and practices.
• Cultural and religious taboos, myths and beliefs.
• Knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding education and ASRH rights, and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV, including CEFM)

Scope of the study

The Baseline assessment will take place in seven districts namely Mecanhelas, Mandimba and Cuamba in Niassa Province, and Muecate, Membe, Erati and Nacaroa in Nampula Province.

Methodology

A mix method approach will be used for data collection (quantitative and qualitative), beginning with the quantitative survey.

Data Collection Tools

A quantitative household survey that will be administered with

• Adolescent girls and boys stratified by age (10-14, 15-19 years) and current status of education (in/out of school);
• Caregivers (male and female) i.e., head of households and parents,
• Focused group discussions with
• Adolescents (10-14,15–19) years girls and boys)
• Community members, religious leaders, and key
• Key informant interviews with
• Education and social protection government officials.

Sampling

Sample sites will be selected through a stratified multi-stage cluster sample design. Strata will be selected at the country level, and will include key characteristics and factors expected to impact progress towards outcome (i.e. geographic location, socio-economic features, etc.)

Sampling for Household Survey

The proposed sample sizes will have 95% confidence interval, enabling results to be generalized to the project intervention areas. An additional 10 percent sample of households will be included to address non-respondents or incomplete questionnaires.

Key populations have been identified for data collection for the project:

1. Adolescent girls and boys, stratified by age (10-14 and 15-19);
2. Male and female head of households, parents, and community members.

The selected research consultant/firm will be required to prepare detailed research methodology in partnership with Save the Children Mozambique. Baseline survey will be proposed to apply both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods.

The baseline assessment should include, but not necessarily limited to the following methods and approaches:

Desk reviews of relevant documents to assess current situations (national/state reports, local laws, policies and strategies related education, resilience and child protection).

A review of the existing SCI and partner policies such as the SCI Child Safeguarding policy, SC Enabling Teachers Common Approach brief, briefs on gender responsive pedagogy, teaching in crisis Context toolkit, SCI humanitarian strategies etc.

Scope of Work for the Consultancy

Design the study methodology – sampling and data collection approaches.

Reviewing the protocol and survey instruments, providing inputs based on previous similar experience including finalizing the design and sampling methodology.

Prepare an inception report with detailed analysis plan for Save the Children’s approval.

Write a draft report based on the data provided by the local consultant for SC and SCC’s feedback.

Finalize the report and create a PowerPoint based on feedback.

Deliverables

Activities & No of days:

• Desk reviews 02
• Submission of inception report (analysis plan) 06
• Data analysis 06
• Submission of first draft report to SC 10
• Adjust the first draft with Save the Children’s feedback 02
• Submission of the second draft to SC 02
• Submission of the final report with PowerPoint 02
• Total number of days 30

Qualifications of Consultant(s)

Minimum of 10 years of experience in coordinating and administering baseline/endline studies, data management and storage, preferably for international non-profit organizations or multilateral agencies with preference for studies in education.

Demonstrated experience in establishing cloud-based systems and working with smart phones or tablets.

Knowledge of and experience with gender equality and measuring gender sensitive/transformative programming.

Demonstrated experience in quantitative and qualitative data analysis, particularly as it relates to education, social norms i.e., power dynamics between male and female members, decision making, access to and control of resources, and others.

Knowledge and experience with adolescent programming, specifically primary education, social norm change, policies and services systems.

Ability to produce high quality work under tight timeframes.

Ability to work jointly with the Save the Children Canada office and integrate feedback as required.

Prior experience working on evaluations for Canadian Government (GAC/CIDA/DFATD) considered an advantage.

Application Package and Procedures

Applications for the consultancy must include following components, for a total of no more than 15 pages (not including appendices, CVs, etc.):

1. Detailed technical proposal clearly demonstrating a thorough understanding of this ToR and including the following:
   a) Demonstrate previous experience in coordinating and administering studies of a similar nature, including experience with the implementation of data collection activities that are gender-responsive, adolescent-f f friendly and respect child safeguarding principles.
   b) Team composition (including sex-disaggregation) and level of effort of each proposed team member, if applicable.
2. A financial proposal with a detailed breakdown of costs for the study:
   a) Consultancy fees/costs for all team members
3. Curriculum Vitae(s) of all proposed staff outlining relevant experience.
4. Names and contact information of two references who can be contacted regarding relevant experience.
5. A copy of a previous report of a similar nature undertaken on: a) baseline study; OR b) endline study.
6. A Consulting Firm profile (if applicable).

The proposal will be scored on both technical (methodology) and financial (budget) aspects weighted at 70% and 30% respectively. Complete applications should be submitted electronically to the following address with the subject line of: ‘She Belongs in School Baseline Study Application’ by email at: [email protected] latest by 30^th April 2021.

Disclosure/Ownership of Information

All ownership and copyright for the data collected is held by the Save the Children Mozambique. It is understood and agreed that the Consultant shall, during and after the effective period of the contract, treat as confidential and not divulge, unless authorized in writing by Save the Children Mozambique, any information obtained in the course of the performance of the assignment. Information will be made available for the consultants on a need‑to‑know basis.

Supervision/Management of Assignment

The Consultant will be required to work closely with the Save the Children Mozambique country office and Senior MEAL Adviser Save the Children Canada. The Consultant will be directly accountable to the Save the Children Mozambique MEAL focal point. The Consultant will keep the Save the Children Mozambique’s MEAL focal point continually informed on the progress of the assignment through updates via email and skype conferences.

Payment Schedule

Payment schedule is proposed as follows:

• 40% payment upon submission of analysis plan.
• 60% payment upon submission of final report.

SC reserves the right to withhold payment if deliverables do not meet the requirements outlined in this Terms of Reference.

Disclaimer

Save The Children Mozambique reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals/application without assigning any reason whatsoever.

Disclosure of Information

It is understood and agreed that the Consultant(s) shall, during and after the effective period of the contract, treat as confidential and not divulge, unless authorized in writing by Save the Children, any information obtained in the course of the performance of the Contract. Information will be made available for the consultants on a need‑to‑know basis. Any necessary field visits will be facilitated by Save the Children staff.