Hiring Gender and Inclusion Consultant for SONGO project (Re-advertisement)

PROJECT BACKGROUND

Cordaid (former ICCO Cooperation) is an internationally operating value-based emergency relief and development organization, working in and on fragility. We stand with those who are hit hardest by poverty and conflict. We support them in their struggle to move beyond survival and to fully participate in equitable and resilient societies.

Cordaid is playing the lead role to implement EU funded “Sustained Opportunities for Nutrition Governance (SONGO) project” to improve maternal and child nutrition in Kurigram and Gaibandha districts. The SONGO project is 5 years duration with 4 inter-linked outcomes; (1) establishing upazila nutrition governance, (2) improving maternal and child health, nutrition (3) improving WASH practices (4) enhancing availability and access to safe and nutritious food.

RDRS has been Cordaid's long standing partner in a variety of large poverty alleviation and development projects in Bangladesh, often with food security components. RDRS is working as an implementing partner for the successful implementation of the SONGO project.

SONGO emphasizes the importance of sustained governance as a primary outcome and a precondition to achieve other outcomes that are based on the 2nd National Plan of Action for Nutrition (NPAN2) and three interlinked pillars or pathways (as per the UNICEF Conceptual Framework on Undernutrition).

1. HH food and nutrition security (including availability, economic access and use of food)

2. Feeding and caregiving resources and practices (including maternal, HH and community levels)

3. Access to and use of health services as well as a safe and hygienic environment (i.e. food, care and health).

While availability and accessibility of nutritious and safe food at HH level is a precondition for improved nutrition it does not automatically lead to improved nutrition among all HH members. Lack of nutrition, health and WASH related knowledge, attitudes and practices as well as intra-HH dynamics often impede nutrition improvement. Evidence has also shown that the extent to which women have access to and control over productive resources, time, knowledge and social support networks largely determine their own nutritional status and the kind of care they provide for their children and for the rest of the HHs. The nutritional status of a woman before and during pregnancy has a direct impact on the development and nutritional status of her baby. In order to address child undernutrition fully, the SONGO project will therefore employ nutrition-specific as well as nutrition-sensitive interventions through a lifecycle approach to deliver the right services and messages to the right person at the right time.  The implementation   will   incorporate   a   Social   and   Behavior   Change (SBCC) strategy, using   multiple approaches, ranging from interpersonal communication (such as counselling by health workers) to mass media (such as radio campaigns).  SONGO will reach out to 120,000 HH final beneficiaries of which 95,000 HH are direct beneficiaries.  The approach is based on proven and evolving experiences taking into account the importance of pre-conditions to address e.g. dimensions of availability and access to food as well as the required synergy between interventions and actors at various levels. Interventions will focus on mobilizing and coaching target groups as well as local public, private and development actors to collectively take the necessary actions towards improved nutrition.

WORKING AREA OF THE PROJECT

Kurigram and Gaibandha district

PURPOSE OF THE CONSULTANCY

Under the direct supervision of the Project Manager of SONGO project, the gender and inclusion consultant will be responsible for identifying and implementing gender and inclusion related activities across the project area through ACAP (Accessibility, Communication, Attitude and Participation) framework. The overall objectives of this assignment are to assist the project management team in developing a gender and inclusion strategy and action plan and its implementation. The Consultant will work as a focal person for Gender  & Inclusion related tasks in the project.

CORE RESPONSIBILITY:

The scopes of the services and deliverables of the consultant will include: 

  • Carry out a gender and inclusion analysis to fully understand the different needs, roles, benefits, impacts, risks and access to/control over resources of women and men, disability (including considerations of intersecting categories of identity such as age, social status, ethnicity, marital status, etc.) in the project area
  • Develop a gender equality and inclusion mainstreaming action plan based on the research findings and midterm evaluation results and recommendations, for the implementation of gender and social-responsive activities throughout the life of the project.
  • Document existing available knowledge and data on gender & inclusion in nutrition and climate vulnerabilities and identify knowledge gaps.
  • Mainstream gender in the project implementation; work with the project implementation team to ensure gender and inclusion considerations are integrated into the project’s theory of change, implementation modality, project monitoring and impact measurement
  • Assist the project implementation team in identifying and developing partnerships with gender equality/women’s governmental institutions, local women’s NGOs/CSOs and relevant stakeholders.  
  • Build capacity of the project team to ensure gender and inclusion considerations are mainstreamed into the project implementation, documentation and measurement.
  • Assist in disseminating best practices on gender mainstreaming though different events and social media
  • Any other task assigned by the project manager

ELIGIBILITY OF THE CONSULTANT:

  •  3 to 5 years of relevant experience in research, analyzing and integrating gender and inclusion dimensions into program formulation and implementation, particularly in the context of health and nutrition, climate change, agriculture, food, water, health
  • Good understanding and practical experience of using ACAP (Accessibility, Communication, Attitude and Participation) framework to ensure inclusion of marginalized groups and people with disabilities across all stages of the project
  • Experience in gender-responsive monitoring and evaluation methods, research, capturing the learnings, designing the interventions for the vulnerable areas in climate affected areas in Bangladesh.
  • Previous experience in developing and/or implementing Gender Based Action Plan and strategies for any nutrition project.
  • Expat and Bangladeshi will be equally treated for this assignment, fluency in oral and written English is required.
  • Profound knowledge of Gender Transformative Approaches (GTA) and design/adjustment of project interventions as well.
  • Experience in developing gender-related capacity building and knowledge sharing

SKILLS AND ABILITIES REQUIRED:

  • Very good interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to engage and work with community people
  • Experience in consultation with stakeholders and organizing workshops, training on gender and inclusion considering nutrition lens.
  • Demonstrated ability to provide relevant, well-grounded, and high-quality analytical inputs to operations with a focus on results.
  • Demonstrated ability to synthesize complex information into usable forms for diverse audiences.
  • Ability to write effectively for various audiences under pressure, with tight deadlines in a rapidly changing organizational environment with attention to detail
  • Strong drive for results with the ability to work independently and diligently, while prioritizing and meeting deadlines.

Evaluation criteria:

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following

  • Relevance of education/degree
  • Previous experience of similar works
  • Adequacy of skills & competencies

Nature of Consultancy:

This is an individual full-time consultancy. The initial duration of the contract is 5 months (starting from the end of February); with a possibility of further extension, based on performance and requirement of the project.

LOCATION: Dhaka with frequent (50%) travel to field.

CONSULTANCY APPLICATION PROCEDURE:

Please submit your application details four pages CV and cover letter to procurement.bd@icco.nl. The subject line should be ‘' Gender and Inclusion consultant for SONGO project”. Only shortlisted candidates will be notified for an interview.

Women are encouraged to apply

Application Deadline: 17 January 2022

**Stichting Cordaid holds the authority to terminate the consultancy if the consultant’s contributions and standards are not meeting the expectations of the organisation