Project Context and Scope:
The project Empowerment of ‘Families left behind’ for Improved Migration Outcomes in Khatlon, Tajikistan is being implemented by The International Organization for Migration (IOM) jointly with United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and UN Women, through financial support of the Migration Multi-Partner Trust Fund (MMPTF) and it will end on 24 November 2023. The project aims to reduce the vulnerability of families adversely affected by migration in two districts (a total of 700 women left behind and 1500 adolescents and children of the vulnerable families will be targeted under this project) through the following main components:
A baseline assessment (see Annex 1) was carried out to conduct baseline measurements of the 15 outcome indicators and 2 output level indicators of the Baseline Indicators Matrix (see Annex 2). Aligning with this baseline assessment, the UN requires a consultant to produce two deliverables i.) an endline assessment and ii.) a subsequent evaluation of the Empowerment of ‘Families left behind’ for Improved Migration Outcomes in Khatlon project.
The endline assessment aims to assess the effectiveness of the intervention by measuring against specific indicators used in the baseline assessment. It is a project deliverable which will be assess whether the four following outcomes have been achieved and to what extent; outcome 1: Families left behind enjoy improved wellbeing, outcome 2: Families left behind have increased economic resilience and address gender related barriers to economic inclusion, outcome 3: Women and children left behind are protected and seek to protect their rights, outcome 4: National and regional and local government identify and plan to implement evidence-based responses to ‘families left behind’. The audience for this deliverable will be UN agencies, government counterparts, implementing partners and the donor.
The evaluation is the second deliverable and its primary objective is to evaluate the project against the five DAC evaluation criteria: relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability, impact, and cross-cutting issues. A secondary objective is to collect lessons learned and recommendations for further strengthening of projects within this thematic area. In addition, the evaluation will serve for the donor to assess value for money for a set of activities funded and in light of possible extension and expansion. This proposed evaluation shall cover the timeframe of implementation of the project, starting from 1 October 2020 until and including the date when the contract between UN agencies and the selected service provider will enter into force. One section of evaluation should be dedicated to recommendations, good practices and lessons learned that could be derived from the analysis. The endline assessment will feed into the evaluation as it will be key to judging effectiveness and impact.
Objective: Under the overall supervision of the IOM project team, and in close coordination with the focal points in UNICEF, FAO and UN Women, the consultant will be responsible for producing i.) an endline report which will assess the effectiveness of the intervention by measuring against specific indicators used in the baseline assessment, and ii.) a final evaluation of the project. The endline assessment will assess the effectiveness of the intervention by measuring against specific indicators used in the baseline assessment. Content and audience will mirror the baseline assessment, and the endline assessment is expected to feed into the final evaluation as it will provide valuable evidence for evaluation criteria such as effectiveness and impact. The evaluation will involve evaluating the project against the following DAC criteria: relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability, impact, and cross-cutting issues. It aims to: (i) to determine extent to which the objectives of the Empowerment of ‘Families left behind’ for Improved Migration Outcomes in Khatlon project have been met and assess the likelihood of sustainability upon project completion; (ii) to identify causes for any achievement of results or any unsatisfactory results, including UN agencies’ institutional strengths and weaknesses in implementing the project; and (iii) to identify needs for further support for families left behind in Tajikistan. The evaluation is being conducted to support the UN and the donor in assessing progress, to ensure accountability; in determining what is working and what is not, to inform future phases; and, to identify knowledge, good practices, and lessons learned.
Organizational Department / Unit to which the Consultant is contributing:
Migrant Protection and Assistance Division
Category B Consultants: Tangible and measurable outputs of the work assignment
The Consultant is hired to deliver the following tasks on a final payment basis:
Evaluation Criteria
Evaluation Question
Relevance: The extent to which the intervention objectives and design respond to beneficiaries , global, country, and partner/institution needs, policies, and priorities, and continue to do so if circumstances change.
Coherence: The compatibility of the intervention with other interventions in a country, sector or institution.
Effectiveness: assessing the extent to which a project achieves its intended results
Efficiency: assessing how well human, physical and financial resources are used to undertake activities, and how well these resources are converted into outputs in a timely manner
Sustainability: assessing to what extent the project’s results will be maintained for a certain period of time after the current project phased out
Impact: positive and negative, primary and secondary long-term effects produced by the project directly or indirectly, intended or unintended.
Cross-cutting Issues: Gender, whole of government/whole of society and rights-based approach to migration governance
Fourth deliverable - Draft Evaluation Report to be submitted in English for review by the Evaluation Reference Group which will include representatives from the four UN agencies working under the joint programme, UNRCO and other relevant stakeholders such as government counterparts and implementing partners. The minimum report content requirement are as follows:
Fifth deliverable - Final Evaluation Report in professional English language, incorporating feedback of Evaluation Reference Group involved in the review of the report.
Sixth deliverable - A two-page Evaluation Brief following UN guidance and template, to provide a summary of key findings, conclusions and recommendations for easy sharing with UN agencies, UNRCO, the donor, government counterparts, and other stakeholders. The Evaluation Brief should be submitted in English.
Performance indicators for the evaluation of results
Education, Experience and/or skills required
Travel required – within this assignment travel is required to Kulyab and Dusti in Tajikistan.
Competencies
Values
Core Competencies – behavioural indicators
Annex 1: Baseline Assessment Final Report
To be sent by IOM Tajikistan on request
Interested candidates are invited to submit their application – Cover Letter, Curriculum Vitae (CV), technical proposal with a sample assessment report undertaken in the past and remuneration expectations in English by October 14, 2023, 23:59h local time at the latest to applications.tj@iom.int indicating the position title in email subject line and quoting the reference code – IOMTJK/2023/12(C).
Applications from qualified female candidates are highly encouraged.
Incomplete applications will not be taken into consideration. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. The appointment is subject to funding confirmation.
Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment.
No late applications will be accepted.