CALL FOR APPLICATIONS FOR CONSULTANCY SERVICES FOR FINAL EVALUATION FOR THE PROJECT “SOLOMON ISLANDS: PROTECTING THE RIGHTS OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN, PARTICULARLY GIRLS, AND MIGRATION-AFFECTED COMMUNITIES”
Commissioned by: IOM Solomon Islands Country Office
Evaluation context
Rates of violence against women and girls (VAWG) are critically high in SOI. UN Women has found that 64% of women aged 15-49 have reported physical and/or sexual violence by an intimate partner and that approximately 73% of women and men agree that partner violence is justified in some circumstances. The same report has found that approximately 37% of women have reported being sexually abused before age 15, and 91% of parents have reported hearing of children being involved in prostitution in SOI. SOI also faces challenges in the area of Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH). Rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are increasing, and condom use remains low, as does knowledge and understanding of HIV and AIDS. The modern contraception prevalence rate is relatively low at 27% in 2013. Youth attitudes towards sex are rapidly changing in SOI, putting this demographic at greater risk of unplanned pregnancy and STIs. As 58% of the population are under 25 years of age, of which 39% are under the age of 15, it is important that SRH interventions include activities targeted specifically to youth.
The nature and scale of Gender-based violence (GBV), sexual exploitation and SRH intersect with migration trends in SOI. In 2012 the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women stated that:
“I received allegations of incest, gang rape and sexual exploitation by foreign workers in the logging and fishing industries. The increasing influx into poor and isolated communities of men who are employed by logging and fishing companies and who have access to money, and other goods that are inaccessible to locals, has created a “market” for sexual services, and has also resulted in cases of sexual exploitation and abuse.”
Sexual violence and exploitation against women and children living in or near logging camps is reported to be an increasingly common occurrence. Child prostitution, child marriage and the consumption and production of child pornography have all been reported in SOI logging camps. There are also reports of child sexual exploitation perpetrated by overseas fishers. While migrant workers have been linked to such forms of abuse, existing social pressures and kastom practices within SOI communities contribute to increased vulnerabilities among women and children and heightened risks of GBV. In SOI, preliminary research indicates the nexus between migration-affected communities and GBV, sexual exploitation and SRH, however few recent studies comprehensively assess this link. In the last 10 years there have been four key studies relevant to the situation of women and children, particularly girls, in migration-affected communities, which all recommend the need for more comprehensive research and awareness-raising activities, and provide initial data on the situation of the beneficiaries. The most recent (2014) study focusing specifically on the rights of children, found that a new phenomenon had emerged whereby girls as young as 13 were being married off to loggers, concluding that “attitudes towards marriage have been reshaped by the presence of wealthy foreigners as represented by loggers and fishing workers and their financial impact on the community.” The ACP-EU Baseline Assessment on TIP (Trafficking-In-Persons) in SOI has highlighted that the influence of logging and fishing on local economies is a hindrance to an effective trafficking response in the country. The report also recommends that future IOM TIP related interventions should include community awareness-raising and campaigns to improve the capacity of stakeholders to explain TIP to the general public with the long-term goal of creating a TIP prevention culture across the country.
The existing evidence indicated that women and children, particularly girls, face particular risks of violence and sexual exploitation in migration-affected communities such as logging camps. However, it is also clear that further, comprehensive research is required to inform future programming.
As a response, IOM implemented the project “Solomon Islands: Protecting the Rights of Women and Children, Particularly Girls, and Migration-Affected Communities,” funded by the European Union in Solomon Islands. The project comprised of three work packages corresponding with the three outcomes of the project:
1) Outcome One (capacity-building and service delivery): Safenet stakeholder CSOs deliver effective and well-coordinated responses to Gender-Based Violence (GBV), Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) challenges and sexual exploitation in migration-affected communities
2) Outcome Two (awareness-raising): Men and boys work alongside women and girls to proactively facilitate reduction in GBV & sexual exploitation, and improve SRH outcomes by acting as community ambassadors in migration-affected communities
3) Outcome Three (advocacy): Duty-bearers improve legal rights and protection of women and children, particularly girls, in migration-affected communities
Evaluation purpose and scope
An ex-post evaluation will be conducted in line with IOM guidelines after the end of the activities. The evaluation will cover the full project period from (30 April 2018 – 31 December 2020). The main purpose of this evaluation is to assess the relevance, effectiveness, impact and sustainability of the “Solomon Islands: Protecting the Rights of Women and Children, Particularly Girls, and Migration-Affected Communities” project, and to draw and document key lessons learnt and the best practices to the project stakeholders.
The evaluation will include two parts. The first part will be an internal report, using the baseline numbers in the log-frame as a reference point as well as formal interviews with various stakeholders. The evaluation will be designed to meet IOM’s internal evaluation standards, in which evaluations are designed to measure relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainability.
The second part will be a public evaluation/lessons learned document. In coordination with the EU delegation and partner organizations a public evaluation/lessons learned document will be developed and distributed to donors, relevant CSOs and UN agencies throughout the Pacific in order to contribute to the evidence base for programming in this area. This evaluation will take the ‘practical participatory’ approach which highlights that evaluations are most effective when they are developed for primary end users, in this case practice based personnel at Pacific CSOs. The evaluator will work closely Safenet stakeholders to ensure the final product has practical use for future programmes, while also promoting evaluative learning throughout the evaluation process. The evaluator will develop a public best practice and lessons learned document to disseminate to donors and relevant organizations in the Pacific.
Evaluation Criteria
In response to the evaluation purpose, the evaluation will look into the five OECD/DAC main evaluation criteria, such as relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainability, plus two cross-cutting ones such as human rights and gender equality, which are incorporated into relevant OECD/DAC criteria.
Evaluation deliverables
Deliverables 1- Inception Report by 12 February 2021
Deliverables 2- Draft Evaluation Report and brief power point presentation by 2 March 2021
Deliverables 3- Final Evaluation Report and Lesson Learned document by 31 March 2021
Terms of reference
The full evaluation terms of reference can be obtained in our website https://australia.iom.int/vacancy
Requirements
Experience and Skills
At least five years of professional experience in the areas of managing strategic and programme evaluation, meta-evaluation and analysis and advanced degree in social and political sciences.
Excellent and proven knowledge of evaluation methodologies, mixed methods, and approaches.
Proven experience with meta-evaluation and meta-analysis of evaluation reports, preferably with UN agencies and the European Union.
Experience and background in gender equality/gender analysis and gender-responsive evaluations.
Familiarity with UNEG evaluation standards.
Knowledge and expertise on Counter Trafficking and Protection and Rights of Women and Children
Previous experience in Solomon Islands and/or the Pacific region
Fluent analytical and writing skills in English
Languages
For this position, fluency in English is required (oral and written).
Note
The consultant must adhere to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Data Protection Principles (IN/138) and maintain confidentiality.
Required Competencies
Values
· Inclusion and respect for diversity: respects and promotes individual and cultural differences; encourages diversity and inclusion wherever possible.
· Integrity and transparency: maintains high ethical standards and acts in a manner consistent with organizational principles/rules and standards of conduct.
· Professionalism: demonstrates ability to work in a composed, competent and committed manner and exercises careful judgment in meeting day-to-day challenges.
Core Competencies – behavioural indicators
· Teamwork: develops and promotes effective collaboration within and across units to achieve shared goals and optimize results.
· Delivering results: produces and delivers quality results in a service-oriented and timely manner; is action oriented and committed to achieving agreed outcomes.
· Managing and sharing knowledge: continuously seeks to learn, share knowledge and innovate.
· Accountability: takes ownership for achieving the Organization’s priorities and assumes responsibility for own action and delegated work.
· Communication: encourages and contributes to clear and open communication; explains complex matters in an informative, inspiring and motivational way.
Other
Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances.
This vacancy is archived.