Terms of Reference (TOR)
For
Carry out study to identify impact of COVID-19 and Amphan over rights of women and girls and their livelihood in climate vulnerable locations

Introduction

Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF) a non-government and non-profit organization works with local organizations to improve the well-being of poor and marginalized communities, through increasing their voices, capacities, realization of their fundamental rights and demand-driven institutional responsiveness. MJF believes in equal rights of all human beings and therefore, is working for upholding the dignity of socially excluded and marginalized people. MJF is dedicated to mainstreaming gender in its operation in terms of participation, capacity, and programmatic focus. It is one of the largest national non-governmental organization in Bangladesh providing grants and capacity building support for human rights and good governance.

MJF is implementing a five-year project funded by Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) with an aim to enhance the capacity of civil society and public institutions to address gender-based violence in public and private domain and build greater resilience of vulnerable communities to deal with climate change impacts and natural disaster. Under this project, MJF has already established partnership with 9 organizations to work directly for building community resilience towards climate change impacts and engaged 13136 HHs from climate vulnerable coastal, floodplain and hill areas. Specific objectives are: a. to support climate vulnerable communities with special emphasis on women in Coastal, Char, and Hilly regions to implement grassroots projects aimed at reducing vulnerability to climate change impacts b. to promote knowledge management within networks of partners and non-partner NGOs and CSO’s utilizing best practices for community based climate change adaptation c. to promote context specific, eco-system friendly and climate adaptive agricultural and livelihood practices in Coastal, Char, and Hilly regions d. to identify and address vulnerability and insecurity of  women left behind due to  climate induced-migration by involving the community, civil society and multilevel stakeholders. These organizations are also involved to strengthen public institutions to ensure responsiveness towards gender concerns including Violence against women and girls (VAWG) and climate change adaptation (CCA). 

The outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19) has created global humanitarian crisis. After detection of first infection in 8 March, Bangladesh government declared lockdown since 26th March to keep people at home for reducing spread of infection in the society.  The disaster has created health crisis along with social, political, and economic crises. Many have lost their livelihood due to limiting and shut down of economic activities within the country and abroad respectively. Violation of women and girls right has been reported to increase.  Along with the COVID-19 situation, the landfall of Amphan in May 2020, complicated the misery of coastal people. Huge people lost their livelihood as well as their shelter and living under open sky on embankments. The situation increased exposer of women and girls to the violence again.

Therefore, this is understandable that the misery of climate vulnerable communities especially women and girls increased with the introduction of different types of disaster.

In this context, MJF has planned to carry out assessment for identifying impact of COVID-19 over rights of women and girls and their livelihood in three climate vulnerable locations (Hill, Coast and Flood plain) of the project. 

Purpose: To identify the COVID 19 and Amphan impact on selected climate vulnerable area and Way forward
Scope of the assignment:

1. Understand impact of COVID-19 in three climate vulnerable project locations (coastal, hill and floodplain areas) over life and livelihood of climate vulnerable women including intersectionality’s
2. Understant the impact of Amphan in coastal areas over life and livelihood of climate vulnerable women including intersectionality’s.
3. Understand dimension of violation of women and girls right (regarding class, ethnicity, disability, minority) in three climate vulnerable project locations.
4.  Learn about Gender based violence against women and girls during COVID-19 and Amphan situation at both private and public place.
5. Understand initiatives of government to address rights and safety of climate vulnerable women and girls during COVID-19 and Amphan situation.
6. Understand initiatives of government to uplift life and livelihood of climate vulnerable women in response COVID-19 and Amphan situation.
7. Situation of child marriage in climate impact area.
8. Learn about necessary short- and long-term initiatives in relation to uplift livelihood and establish right of climate vulnerable women and girls.

Output/deliverables of the assignment: The outputs of the assignment will be as follow:

1. An inception report by 20th July 2020 by detailing methodology, questionnaire, and others.
2. A draft report (soft copy) by 20th August 2020.
3. Sharing with national level stakeholders through workshop (will be arranged by MJF)
4. Final report (soft and hard copy) by 10 September 2020.

Time Period:

The consultative services will be provided by 10th September 2020.

Proposal and Budget:

The consulting farm/individual will provide a proposal (outline on methodology, prior experience of the firm/individual consultant on similar study and budget). The budget will include consultancy fee, preparation and making copy of study report, transport, accommodation, food and data collection cost of consulting farm/consultant any other cost (if applicable). VAT and tax will be deducted at source as per government rule of Bangladesh.

Mode of Payment:

A payment schedule is given below against the deliverables

Copyright and Ownership of Assignment:

MJF reserves the copyright of all information, findings and the final documents produced through this process.

General Clause:

All documents prepared during the assignment will be treated as MJF property. Assignment will not be sub-contracted to anyone.

• If any additional time is required to complete the contract, over and above that previously agreed to, without changing the scope of work, then it has to be agreed by MJF in writing to Md. Ahsanul Wahed, Deputy Program Manager, before 10 days ending of Consultancy period. Request for Extension must be submitted with proper justification.
• If required any change in the Scope of Work by MJF, it should be rationalized in written with required cost or time, or any part of the work under the contract, equitable adjustment in the contract price, delivery schedule, or both will be amended in writing.
• The consultant/team will be responsible for all their costs including taxes, subsistence, transport and accommodation.
• Submissions which do not meet all the basic requirements will not be reviewed.

Penalty Clause: If the agreed deadline and / or deliverables are not adhered to by the consultant/team, financial penalties will be imposed upon the consultant/team in terms of payment. This is specified as follows:

• In case of delayed submission of the deliverables up to one-month delay, 30% of the contract amount will be deducted.
• Delay of more than one month, will result in auto cancelation of the contract and forfeit of the remaining 50% of the contract value.
• Confidentiality of all aspects of the assignment is to be assured by the consultant/team at all times.

Disclaimer:

Manusher Jonno Foundation reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals/ application without assigning any reason what so ever.

Discloser of information:

It is understood and agreed that the Consultant(s) shall, during and after the effective period of the contract, treat as confidential and not disclose, unless authorized in writing by Manusher Jonno Foundation, any information obtained in the assignment of the performance of the Contract. Information will be made available for the consultants on a need-to-know basis.

Safeguarding /Protection Policy:

The individual consultant /team/Firm shall comply with the MJF’s Policy on safeguarding and child Protection policy. Any violation /deviation in complying with MJF’s Policy on Children Protection and vulnerable adults will not only result-in termination of the agreement but also MJF will initiate appropriate action in order to make good the damages/losses caused due to noncompliance of MJF’s safeguarding policy.

Hard copy of technical and financial proposal along with CV/organizational profile, copy of TIN etc. should be submitted to Manusher Jonno Foundation, Plot #3 & 4, Hazi Road, Avenue #3, Rupnagar Housing Estate, Mirpur-2, Dhaka and soft copy by e-mail to both: ramesh@manusher.org and ahsan@manusher.org  by 01 July, 2020.