Expression of Interest
INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANISATION
International Gender Consultant for ILO’s LEED+ project
Project: Local Empowerment through Economic Development and Reconciliation (LEED+)
Assignment: - Consultancy service to Develop an Action Plan to Consolidate, Wind Up, and Promote the Impact of the Gender Component of the Project
Type of the Assignment: Individual
TERMS OF REFERENCE
Assist LEED+ Project to Develop an Action Plan to Consolidate, Wind Up, and Promote the Impact of the Gender Component of the Project
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Project Background
The Local Empowerment through Economic Development and Reconciliation (LEED+) is a project of the International Labour Organization (ILO) implemented in the Northern Region of Sri Lanka with joint funding from the Governments of Australia and Norway. At its heart is recognizing that deep pockets of poverty continue to prevail amongst communities previously directly affected by the conflict and that lasting reconciliation and economic regeneration are the only ways to ensure sustainable peace.
Gender and disability inclusion is one of the key priority areas for LEED+. To achieve this, the project follows a two-pronged strategy. The strategy includes working at grassroots levels with SMEs, cooperatives, farmer groups, and individuals to demonstrate new business models of inclusion while collaborating with government departments to mainstream gender and disability at the provincial level.
1.2 Background of the LEED+ intervention on gender and disability mainstreaming
The LEED+ project has been implementing various interventions in the Northern Province to mainstream gender and disability inclusion. Especially, a three-dimensional approach is being followed to mainstream gender. The approaches are 1) individual-level supports for socio-economic empowerment of women, 2) societal level awareness programs and discussion, and 3) institutional level transformation approaches. Through these approaches, several interventions are implemented.
Through the project, 51 women leaders in the Northern Province from diverse backgrounds such as cooperative board members, entrepreneurs, social workers, and employees and managerial level were provided leadership training to improve their leadership skills and qualities and thereby enhance their leadership role in their respective area of work as well as a societal level.
Similarly, 47 women entrepreneurs from the Northern Province were trained on various business skills such as packaging and quality management, digital marketing, OSH, business development services, inclusive business models, networking, etc., to improve their businesses.
In collaboration with the Department of Social Service Province, the Social Service Offices (SSOs) capacity was built on gender and disability inclusion through the ToT training program. The SSOs conducted several awareness programs at the community level, private sector, and government officials to enhance societal understanding of women's economic empowerment and induce social transformation.
Moreover, the project is conducting several Focus Group Discussion (FGDs) with the selected partner cooperative members to create self–realization among the women and to sensitize men on gender inclusion to create a healthy dialogue practice between the men and women from the community, which will eventually contribute to a healthy transformational society that is inclusive and equal to all; leaving no one behind.
Further, the project has supported the Ministry of Women's Affairs, Northern Province to develop a provincial gender policy using a participatory approach and in consultation with various stakeholders. The policy will function as a means to mainstream gender inclusion through different departments and sectors. In addition, the project has worked with SMEs to create inclusive SME models in the North that contain a conducive work environment and ensure a decent standard of work for women. The inclusive SME model is further replicated in the North through the Chamber of Commerce and Industries Yarlpanam (CCIY) for women, an ILO partner. Lastly, the project introduced the concept of 'affirmative action' to its partners such as private sectors and cooperative societies through collaborating with them in different value chains under the agricultural industry and fisheries sector. Affirmative action is a method of positive discrimination which helps vulnerable people to benefit from the intervention equally. There are many forms of affirmative action, and each is unique depending on the individual case.
2. JUSTIFICATION OF THE ASSIGNMENT
As the LEED+ project is nearing the end of its current phase, it needs to consolidate the interventions for gender inclusion and enable the different partners and target group to see the various intervention as a comprenhensive work towards mainstreaming gender.
Moreover, the project needs to document the success and impacts of the various interventions while also identifying areas for further improvement within the remaining project period to ensure impact and effectiveness of the project’s intervention in the Northern Province. Furthermore, identifying potential gaps for improvement in the long term will enable ILO to design potential future interventions.
Since the LEED+ project has been paying close attention to gender inclusion and implemented several interventions to mainstream gender, the project requires these interventions and their impacts adequately documented to create knowledge products to be shared with a broad range of parties including donors, gender specialists and other practitioners and policy makers.
For this purpose, the project seeks an international gender consultant familiar with the Tamil culture, contextual background of the Northern Province in Sri Lanka, and ability to interact with the community and partners. Extensive work experience in the area of gender and drafting of reports is also essential. The consultant is further expected to familiarize him/herself with the LEED+ project and develop short term and long term action plans. The ability to work independently and complete the task on time is crucial.
3. OBJECTIVE
● To consolidate the interventions for gender inclusion as a wholesome work to mainstream gender.
● To document the success and impacts of the intervention through the gender lens.
● To identify areas to further improve within the remaining project period and develop a short term action plan to ensure the impact and effectiveness of the project intervention in the Northern Province
● To identify potential gaps to improve in the long term through other ILO projects and develop a long-term action plan.
● To develop a coffee table book for various stakeholders, including the donors, gender specialists, and other higher units within the ILO and UN agencies.
4. ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Assess the capacity needs of the project key partners such as the Department of Agriculture, Department of Social Service, Provincial Ministry of Women's Affairs, Department of Industries, and the Department of Cooperatives on their ability to implement the gender policy and provide short term action plan covering the remaining project period.
2. Assess the project interventions related to gender mainstreaming through coordination with relevant partners and beneficiaries, identify areas to strenghten the impact of the interventions and develop a short-term action plan covering the remaining project period.
3. Develop a long term action plan based on the identified gaps for the future engagement by ILO in the Northern Province.
4. Develop a short term action plan to consolidate activities carried out under the gender inclusion component.
5. Document the success and impacts of project interventions through the gender lens.
5. PROJECT DELIVERABLES
Short term action plan developed (covering the remaining project period) to build the capacity of the departments to implement the gender policy.
Short term action plan developed (covering the remaining project period) to strengthen the impact of the intervention related to gender mainstreaming.
A long term action plan for the future engagement by ILO in the Northern Province.
List of recommendations plan based on the identified gaps for the future use of ILO.
List of recommendations and a short term action plan (covering the remaining project period) to consolidate activities carried out under the component of gender inclusion.
6. DURATION
The estimated duration for the intervention is 02 months. The contract is expected to commence on the 15th of January 2022 and be completed by the 15th of March 2022.
6. MONITORING AND EVALUATION
The consultant will work closely with the project Gender and Disability officer, under the guidance of the project NPC. The consultant will also report progress to the LEED+ project CTA on a regular basis.
07. Duty station and reporting
The consultant will be based on the Killinochchi office with local travel to field and project sites. The consultant be briefed upon arrival in Colombo by the project CTA before travelling to Kilinochchi.
Budget
Deliverable
Assses and a short term action plan developed (covering the remaining project period) to build the capacity of the departments to implement the gender policy
10 days
Short term action plan developed (covering the remaining project period) to improve the impact of the intervention related to gender mainstreaming
10 days
List of reccommondation based on the identified gaps for the future use of ILO
10 days
List of a reccomondaition and a short term action plan (covering the remaining project period) to consolidate activities carried out under the component of gender inclusion.
15 days
DSA, travel etc had to be calculated
This vacancy is archived.