- Introduction
The refugee influx in Uganda, particularly in Yumbe, Terego, and Obongi Districts, has resulted in complex dynamics within both refugee and host communities. Understanding the gendered aspects of peace and conflict is essential for effective peacebuilding interventions. Therefore, this Terms of Reference outlines the scope, objectives, methodology, and deliverables for conducting a gender-sensitive peace and conflict analysis in these communities.
2. Background about Oxfam in Uganda
Oxfam is an international confederation of 21 affiliate organizations working together with partners and local communities in more than 90 countries to find lasting solutions to poverty and injustice. Oxfam in Uganda started work in the early 1960s delivering development and humanitarian support as part of the global movement of people fighting to end inequality and injustice. Today, we continue to tackle the inequalities that make and keep people poor. We save and protect people’s lives in times of crisis. We work with people to build their resilience and rebuild their livelihoods. We enable vulnerable people’s voices to be heard and campaign for genuine, durable change.
Oxfam envisions Uganda free of extreme inequality and injustice; a society where citizens and particularly women across all age groups claim and exercise their rights and responsibilities and can influence decisions that affect their lives. Our one country program is hinged on four thematic areas that is Inclusive Governance & Accountability, Resilient livelihoods, Humanitarian Preparedness and Response; and Gender Justice & Women’s Rights.
3. Information about the Project:
Oxfam and WCC in collaboration with Refugee Led Organizations i.e. Community Empowerment for Creative Innovation (CECI), Youth Social Advocacy Team (YSAT), and Refugee-led Organizations Network (RELON), received GAC funding to implement ‘Geared for Success’ (GFS), 5-year, gender-responsive initiative in South Sudan and Uganda, with a public engagement component in Canada. although GFS will directly reach people in Canada, the ultimate project participants are students/learners in Uganda and South Sudan. GFS’ ultimate outcome is enhanced equitable and inclusive learning outcomes for ‘refugee, internally displaced and host community children and youth, particularly girls and adolescent girls’ (hereinafter referred to as ultimate project participants) in the districts of Yumbe, Terego and Obongi in Uganda. GFS will achieve this by increasing access to education for ultimate beneficiaries, driven by local refugee-led organizations (RLOs) and community-based organizations (hereinafter referred to collectively as CBOs).
Oxfam and WCC believe that empowering CBOs is the key to achieve our ultimate outcome. CBOs are on the front lines of providing essential education services for refugees and IDPs. However, their ability to have impact depends on having strong organizational and technical capacity, community support, financial resources, and access to duty-bearers. Unfortunately, resources from governments are overstretched, putting the needs of IDPs and refugees and their organizations, secondary to those of host communities. Even when there are investments for IDPs/refugees and their organizations by governments or other donors, they tend to not be tailored to their needs. To ensure that CBOs are ‘geared for success’, this project will facilitate and provide technical and financial resources to improve their performance -with more female leadership and community support-, allowing them to enable access to education and to successfully advocate for the right to education for ultimate beneficiaries. GFS will also strengthen Canadians’ (including Diaspora) contribution to education for refugees/IDPs and to the ‘Together for Learning’ Campaign, and will advance the evidence base on the role of CBOs in enhancing gender-responsive education for refugees and IDPs.
The project’s design and Theory of Change is grounded in the following general assumptions, that will be continuously tested and evidenced throughout the project:
Gender equality and women’s empowerment:
- Women’s and girls’ rights are fundamental human rights and essential to advancing gender justice, equality, non-discrimination, inclusion, and peaceful coexistence.
- Promoting feminist agency, meaning women’s and girls’ autonomy and meaningful decision-making power, is integral to achieving the project aims.
- Collaboration, participation and learning among all the key stakeholder groups identified are critical to successful outcomes and lasting change for gender equality and women’s empowerment.
Triple nexus approach:
- The triple nexus approach is necessary to achieve durable education solutions and advance gender equality, particularly for displaced populations, in this context of severe gender inequality, human rights violations, protracted conflict and violence, weak governance, high socio-economic vulnerability and natural disasters.
- There are peace and social cohesion dividends from working on the triple nexus – i.e., through connecting communities with each other and highlighting common challenges and goals, including those of children, especially girls and adolescent girls, and through mitigating risks, negative perceptions, and discrimination that may hinder their access to gender-responsive education or increase tensions or disparities. Even activities without an explicit goal of peaceful coexistence, such as designing and implementing a school feeding initiative as part of school garden, have been shown to reduce community tensions and foster greater levels of empathy and engagement, as they give participants an opportunity to spend time engaged in mutually beneficial, constructive tasks, and understand each other’s lives and points of view.
A risk to the achievement of the project’s ultimate outcome is an intensification in conflict in the project locations, that could lead to mass displacements and the inability to implement activities and thereby achieve the project’s intended results. As a mitigation, the project will maintain updated conflict analyses throughout the project’s implementation, as a basis for early warning and early response planning. In conflict resolution and peacebuilding efforts, understanding the intricate dynamics of conflict and peace within communities is paramount. However, traditional analyses often overlook the gendered aspects of conflict, resulting in incomplete assessments and ineffective interventions. To address this gap, the project aims to conduct a gender-sensitive peace and conflict analysis in target communities, with a focus on identifying and understanding the gender-specific drivers of conflict, deepen the understanding of the complex interplay between gender dynamics and conflict, ultimately contributing to more effective and sustainable peacebuilding interventions. The Gender-Sensitive Peace and Conflict Analysis will contribute to more informed, inclusive, and effective peacebuilding efforts that recognize and respond to the intersecting needs and experiences of individuals across different genders and social identities within refugee and host communities in Yumbe, Terego, and Obongi Districts, Uganda.
4. Purpose and Objectives:
a. Purpose of the study
The purpose of the study is to comprehensively understand the nuanced gender dynamics of conflict and peace within the Refugee and host communities.
b. Objectives of the study:
- Identify the underlying gender-specific drivers of conflict, including socioeconomic disparities, cultural norms, access to resources, and power dynamics, to address the root causes effectively.
- To identify the differential impact of conflict on various genders and vulnerable groups.
- Develop targeted strategies to strengthen the resilience of communities
- Provide evidence-based insights and recommendations to design and implement gender-sensitive policies and programs that promote sustainable and stability.
5. Scope of Work:
Technical Scope: The Study will focus on understanding the gender dynamics, in order to explore gender specific drivers of conflict and highlight the differential impact of conflict on the various vulnerable groups. And develop targeted strategies to strengthen the resilience of communities. Finally come up with recommendations to design and implement gender-sensitive policies and programs that promote sustainability, peace and stability. In a bid to examine these the study will interact with the different stakeholders, (Government officials, Local leaders of both the refugees and the host community, Community members from both the targeted settlements and the host communities), Partner organisation among others.
Geographical Scope:
The research will cover Oxfam project Operation areas in West Nile and the geographical coverage will be limited to locations of Yumbe, Bidibidi refugee settlement, Terego - Omugo refugee settlement and Obongi DLGs Palorinya refugee settlement in specific clusters or villages recommended to Oxfam and Partners by OPM.
6. Methodology
The expected methodology will include both Qualitative and Quantitative approaches in generating primary and secondary data for analysis.
The consultant is expected to articulate the research design and provide detail of study approaches that will be applied. The methods should be sensitive to the target population (unit of analysis), and robust enough to provide adequate responses to the stated research questions. Overall, the methodology section should cover details of study design and approaches, sampling, sample size determination, data collection methods/instruments, data analysis techniques, plan for dissemination of study findings and a statement on quality assurance and ethical considerations during the evaluation. Overall, the section the section should provide details of how the research will be conducted. The expected approach should be described in enoughdetail to enable any other evaluator interested in the same study to apply the same methodology.
The methodology will, be developed by the consultant, as well as all relevant tools presented in the inception report. The three strategic objectives mentioned in chapter 2 should, be assessed, including all research questions under each objective. The data collection should include the use of a number of approaches to gain a deeper understanding of the outcomes of the project, including:
- Desk Review: Review existing literature, reports, and data on peace and conflict, gender relations, and refugee situations.
- Stakeholder Consultations: Engage with diverse stakeholders through interviews, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews.
- Gender Analysis: Apply gender-sensitive analytical frameworks to assess the gendered dimensions of conflict and peacebuilding.
- Data Collection: Conduct surveys, interviews, and focus group discussions to gather primary data on gender-specific experiences and perceptions.
- Data Analysis: Analyse collected data using qualitative and quantitative methods, with a gender-sensitive lens, to identify patterns and trends related to conflict drivers and gender dynamics.
- In addition to the data collection method, an appropriate and strategic sampling method should be selected e.g. snowball sampling, purposeful random sampling or mixed purposeful sampling. The selected consultant will prepare a detailed methodology and share with Oxfam team for review and approval through an inception report.
Note; The consultant should develop their proposal based on the one of the following approaches (see links below). Familiarity and/or proposal based on one and/or more of the following toolkits:
7. Study outputs /Deliverables:
The consultant is, expected to lead, accomplish and submit the following deliverables within the agreed timeframe and budget:
- An inception report, detailing how the study will be, conducted.
- Draft report.
- Final report, The report should consist of:
- Standard cover sheet
- Executive summary;
- Description of objectives,
- Methods and limitations;
- Study findings,
- Conclusions and Recommendations.
- Raw data in any of the following statistical packages (STATA, SPSS, Excel) and also transcribed qualitative scripts.
- Presentation: Present the research findings and recommendations, to Oxfam, key stakeholders and partners within 1 week of finalizing the report.
- Annexes:
- Relevant maps and photographs of the evaluation areas where necessary
- Bibliography of consulted secondary sources
- Finalized data collection tools
- List of interviewees with accompanying informed consent forms.
8. Qualification and experience.
The consultancy should have:
- Bachelor's and or Master’s degree in Peace and Conflict Management, a Master’s degree in Gender studies are required and post-graduate diploma in Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning is an added advantage.
- Should have excellent skills with participatory approaches for research.
- Demonstrated expertise in gender-sensitive peace and conflict analysis, with experience working in refugee contexts and conflict-affected settings.
- Strong analytical skills and familiarity with qualitative and quantitative research methodologies.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage effectively with diverse stakeholders.
- Prior experience in Uganda or similar contexts is desirable.
- Knowledge of the Ugandan-refugee context, including its cultural and gender dynamics.
- Strong report-writing skills.
- Neutral, non-judgmental facilitation skills that can foster constructive conversations around sensitive subjects amongst diverse stakeholders.
- Experience in using participatory and engaging workshop facilitation methodologies (strongly preferred) .
- Strong English language skills required, other local languages an asset.
9. Ethical Considerations:
The consultant must adhere to ethical guidelines, ensuring informed consent, confidentiality, and respect for the privacy and safety of all participants.
10. Timeline and estimated working days.
The proposed evaluation time frame is 30 working days. This will be done in accordance with the OXFAM evaluation criteria.
Activity
- Consultant to sign a contract for the assignment - 1 day.
- Review of documents and development of the inception report and study instruments - 3 days
- Presentation of Inception report and data collection tools - 1 day
- Training of research assistants and pre-testing of study instruments - 2 days
- Primary data collection (fieldwork) - 10 days
- Data analysis and report writing - 8 days.
- Submission of the draft study report to Oxfam in Uganda - 1 day
- Incorporating comments on draft report - 2 days
- Submission of the final project study report to Oxfam in Uganda - 1 day
- Presentation of study findings/ sharing feedback on a report - 1 day
* Timetable depends on the weather, not all areas may be accessible in case of rain or insecurity.
The consultant should provide a detailed budget/ Financial proposal covering all expenses related to the research, including personnel, travel, data collection tools, and other relevant costs.
Oxfam will provide resources professional fees to facilitate implementation of the assignment.
Statutory Deductions, the Consultant will be responsible for declaration of the income for income tax purposes (i.e. 6% from the gross payment) payable to Uganda Revenue Authority in accordance with the income tax regulations of the Republic of Uganda.
13. Evaluation and award of Consultancy
Proposal study Criteria
The technical proposal will be evaluated based on the Quality Cost-Based Selection (QCBS) Criteria:
- The individual general reliability as well as experience and capacity in the carrying out the assignment (30%).
- The approach in responding to the TOR and detailed work Oxfam in Uganda (45%).
- The qualifications and competencies of the proposed personnel for the assignment (25%).Proposals obtaining more than 70% of the technical points will be considered technically suitable and qualify for financial assessment.
Payment: The consultant will be paid 30% upon approval of the inception report and 70% upon submission and approval of final report and any agreed upon products of the study. The technical fees will be subjected to 6% withholding Tax.
14. Supervision/management of the assignment
The study will be supervised by the Refugee Engagement and Participation Coordinator with support from the Area Manager and the MEAL contact person.
15. Submission of Technical and Financial Proposal:
Interested applicants are expected to submit the following not later than 24th April 2024
- Technical proposal
- Financial Proposal: the financial proposal should provide cost estimate for services to be rendered including consultancy fees, transport, accommodation and living costs, stationeries and supplies needed for data collection etc.
Interested applicants/firms are invited to submit the following:
- A cover letter outlining relevant experience in similar work (1-2 pages)
- CV of the consultant(s) and/or information about the firm.
- Technical Proposal on the understanding of the TOR, methodology , Sample size and suggested workplan.
- List of proposed key activities, Level of Effort and timeframe/workplan
- Financial proposal
The application package should also include:
- A list of three references that can attest to their expertise as it relates to this assignment and /or Copies of similar evaluation reports conducted by the applicant where possible and or a recommendation letter from an NGO’s who the consultant has worked with before.
- Confirmation of availability for assessment period and ability to travel to project location.
Please ensure your submission email has the subject heading: “Geared for Success - Consultancy to Conduct a Gender-Sensitive Peace and Conflict Analysis in Refugee and Host Communities in Yumbe, Terego, and Obongi Districts, Uganda”. to ugandalogistics@oxfam.org by 5:00pm , 24th April, 2024
