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Terms of Reference September 2021
Project Name: Innovation to Inclusion (i2i) Client: Bangladesh Business and Disability Network (BBDN) Assignment Period: September to December, 2021 Background: Innovation to Inclusion (i2i) is a three-year Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) funded programme designed to develop, test, validate and share learnings from innovative interventions that will directly improve access to waged employment in the private sector for women and men with disabilities. The programme is being delivered by a consortium which brings together a diverse group of partners who work collaboratively to ensure a global impact with findings and learnings disseminated to a variety of local, national and international stakeholders including but not limited to beneficiaries, DPOs, local and national government, the private sector, global actors, between consortia partners and with other UK Aid Connect grantees, including Inclusion Works. It is anticipated that findings and learning generated throughout the project life cycle, particularly those relating to technology, will achieve sustainable change for women and men with disabilities and enable them to access the same opportunities offered to others in the private sector. Bangladesh Business & Disability Network (BBDN) is a unique network of employers and employers’ associations formed in collaboration with disability focused organizations, Disabled People’s Organizations, NGOs and development partners, with a purpose of creating a more disability inclusive workforce in Bangladesh. The network was founded as an initiative of Bangladesh Employers’ Federation (BEF) in 2016. Bangladesh has many companies that employ persons with disabilities and there are many others who are willing to employ workers with disabilities. However, there has been no forum to bring together the experiences, learning and successful policies, practices and models to promote disability inclusion in the As a consortium member, BBDN has been playing the “missing link” role throughout the project activities and connecting the supply and demand sides in collaboration with other national level stakeholders (like CRP, CSID, CDD, Bangladesh Computer Council, Department of Social Science, JPUF etc.) for achieving the project specific objective. Context: Disability and poverty are linked in a causal and consequential relationship. People with disabilities often experience considerably higher rates of socioeconomic disadvantage than people without disabilities, including lower rates of employment. Disability inclusion is a neglected, under-prioritised, and complex issue that – as a result of limited attention – lacks evidence regarding effective interventions. i2i has been designed as a holistic, innovative and people-centred approach that will deliver direct and sustainable change for women and men with disabilities in Bangladesh and Kenya, while demonstrating the potential for change of successful interventions that strengthen disability inclusion and validating these in a third country. As part of the UK Aid Connect Terms of Reference, i2i is committed to producing and disseminating rigorous and influential practical evidence, knowledge and learning to progress the programme at scale. Within this there should be mechanisms for systematically listening and responding to beneficiaries, and ensuring this feedback informs programme design and adaptation. Applications: Interested parties should e-mail their proposals to Mr. Golam Kibria, program manager, BBDN pmbbdn@bbdn.com.bd by 18th September 2021 |