Terms of Reference (TOR) Livelihood Support to Resettled Communities under the project of Support for Sustainable Resettlement in Sri Lanka (SSRS)

Transcription

1 Terms of Reference (TOR) Livelihood Support to Resettled Communities under the project of Support for Sustainable Resettlement in Sri Lanka (SSRS) Application Deadline: 30 July 2018, 2.00 pm Type of Contract: Responsible Party Agreement Language required: Tamil working language, and English Expected Duration: fom 15 August 2018 to 31 December 2018 Starting Date: 15 August 2018 Geographical Area: Jaffna, Killinochchi, Mullaithivu and Batticaloa Districts A. BACKGROUND Since coming into power in January 2015, through extensive and ongoing dialogue with the military, the new Government has released over 3,052 acres of land enabling almost 2,580 families to return. This was an important and early confidence building move, demonstrating a commitment by the leadership to address the needs of the Tamil community. Assistance for resettlement has been provided by the Government, the UN (including through the Peacebuilding Fund), and from other development partners. Further, resettlement is also one of the key areas of concern for the Government of Sri Lanka, as manifest in the prominence given to it in the three-year National Peacebuilding Priority Plan (PPP), which was developed with support from the UN and other key national and international stakeholders. Thus, Resettlement and Durable Solutions together with Transitional Justice, Reconciliation and Good Governance form the four interlinked pillars of the PPP. The Peacebuilding Priority Plan (PPP) serves as the framework for a coordinated Government, United Nations (UN) and development partner response to peacebuilding in Sri Lanka. The Plan focuses on four pillars, including transitional justice, reconciliation, governance, and resettlement and durable solutions. This project will support the pillars of the PPP through sustainable resettlement of recently released lands. It will contribute to promoting accountability for victims of the conflict; sustainable return, resettlement and integration of conflict-displaced persons; peaceful coexistence; and strengthening institutions for equal and transparent access to services. The overall intended impact is to improve the wellbeing of conflict-affected communities for sustainable return and reconciliation. In line with the commitment of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to leave no one behind, the project will contribute to empowering women and youth, promoting diversity and inclusion, and reaching vulnerable and marginalized communities. This approach will be reflected in the criteria for selection of beneficiaries, in addition to promoting fairness and sensitivity to conflict through all activities. To ensure sustainability of interventions and results, the project will be implemented in close collaboration with government entities, local institutions and civil society, building on ongoing initiatives supported by UNDP and other UN agencies. The project will be implemented in line with UNDP s programme and operations policies

2 and procedures, ensuring due diligence, transparency and competitive procurement, and applying social and environmental screening procedures. A rapid needs assessment will be undertaken at the start of the project to confirm that activities are appropriately tailored to support local needs and respond to on the ground demand. Consultations will also be conducted with national and local government and civil society stakeholders to ensure ownership and sustainability, and to align with existing strategies and build on ongoing activities supported by UNDP, other UN agencies, government and development partners. The criteria for selection of beneficiaries will prioritize empowering women and youth, promoting diversity and inclusion, and reaching vulnerable and marginalized communities, in addition to promoting fairness and sensitivity to conflict. In line with UNDP s programme and operations policies and procedures, due diligence, transparency and competitive procurement will be applied, in addition to closely monitoring use and maintenance of project inputs and equipment. B. SCOPE AND OBJECTIVES The scope of this initiative is to provide an integrated socio-economic assistance for returned and resettled families in the selected GN divisions of Jaffna, kilinochchi, Mullaithivu and Batticaloa Districts. This project anticipates reaching maximum of 570 families enabling them towards sustainable resettlement. The objectives of this initiative is to support returned and resettled families with sustainable livelihood assistance and to improve capacity of resettled communities to engage in productive measures including community collective-engagement and re-integration, small business development, value addition for local resources, establishing market linkages, employment generation, enhance access to government services delivery and make returned and resettled communities to be socially accountable for their grievances and to make them take-part in the durable solutions for conflict-affected displacement. C. EXPECTED DELIVERABLES OF THE PARTNERSHIP/ TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE Placing the important for incorporating the Peace-Building Priority Plan of Sri Lanka (PPP); the outcome four of the PPP has been included into the project. Thus, the project design includes the following outcomes and outputs to measure the impact of the project. In this respect to the above, UNDP will seek the support of CSOs/NGOs to address listed below indicative intervention areas which are directly dealt by the UNDP under Sustainable Livelihoods and Cross Cutting Areas components in three geographically speperated lots. Outcome 2: Enhanced livelihood opportunities for sustainable resettlement This outcome will support resettlement specific immediate assistance in newly released areas of the Northern and Eastern Province. Interventions will prioritize vulnerable and marginalized communities, women and youth through three outputs: 1) community-based organizations (CBOs) mobilized and reactivated, 2) resettled communities capacitated to access livelihood opportunities and inputs, and 3) DS Divisions and local authorities capacitated to scale-up efficient service delivery. Output 2.1: Community-based organizations mobilized and reactivated Critical to the success and sustainability of the project is the need to reactivate and develop community support structures on the ground. To this end, interventions have been designed to reactivate and/or develop existing capacities of local-level institutions and state-led structures that are essential to ensuring the

3 sustainable resettlement of families in the target localities. This includes CBOs, Multipurpose Cooperative Societies, Rural Development Societies, Women s Rural Development Societies. This will include a special focus on empowering women, youth and marginalized communities, and on promoting fairness and ensuring sensitivity to conflict in the selection of organizations. To achieve Output 2.1, the following activities will be carried out: Following in-depth community and stakeholder consultations, a comprehensive needs assessment in the target locations will be conducted. This will provide support to prioritize the immediate transition recovery needs and address sectoral gaps in the GN division targets; Tools and interventions will be applied to promote citizen participation, transparency and social accountability from the design stage through to project implementation and evaluation; Support will be provided to increase the number and capacity of CBOs and other community social structures that are mandated to support sustainable return and resettlement of families, and provide accurate and timely livelihood opportunities. By revitalizing these organizations, the project will empower returning families to engage with local government service providers and other duty bearers, and enhance social capital, trust and solidarity among the poorest and most marginalized, especially women who are heads of households. Output 2.2: Resettled communities capacitated to access livelihood opportunities and inputs Interventions under this output are designed to inject much-needed livelihood inputs and business development support to provide greater food security and durable solutions for returning families. Based on an initial needs assessment in resettled areas, fisheries, agriculture and livestock related interventions were identified as necessary to sustain the livelihoods of returned and resettled families, in addition to complementary business development and capacity development to ensure longer-term impact of planned interventions. The assessment also highlighted the need for basic economic infrastructure such as agro-wells, landing sites, agriculture and fisheries, and roads (renovation or construction). In addition, this output will also consider support to enable access to drinking water and sanitation facilities, and reconstruction of road access. To achieve Output 2.2, the following activities will be carried out: Support to Business Development Provide entrepreneurship and small business management coaching, linking with bankers for additional credit facilities; Support young entrepreneurs to develop or expand their businesses in the areas of construction, retail, value addition, sales and manufacturing etc Support in the Fisheries Sector Restore livelihoods and improve food security for returning families by providing vital fishing equipment, tools and other inputs necessary to support fishermen and women, and development of fisheries roads Support in the Agriculture Sector: Improve food security of target beneficiaries through promotion of environmentally-friendly livelihood practices and technology and low-input ecologically-friendly farming practices such as home-gardening techniques; Provide practical training and assistance on farming and home-gardening to empower vulnerable groups including youth/young adults, women, and women heads of households; Provide seeds, fertilizer, livestock, etc. for selected beneficiaries, with emphasis given to supporting women/women-headed households;

4 Support small-scale income-generation activities such as food making/processing and selling, and agro-based value-addition processes to improve the livelihoods of the most vulnerable, especially women Support to Socio-economic infrastructure Construction of internal access roads, renovation of common drinking-water wells, and construction of toilets etc. (based on identified needs, with a special focus on transparent procurement and sustainability) In addition to the interventions outlined above, the following activities are designed as common activity inputs to support the fisheries, agriculture and livestock sectors: Support for the reactivation/setting-up of producer groups in all target localities; Provide technical advice in close collaboration with agricultural, fisheries and farming institutions; Conduct trainings for beneficiaries and local government officers on environmentally-friendly farming practices, organic agriculture, eco-friendly fishing practices and coastal conservation; and Conduct technical business and entrepreneurial skills trainings for target beneficiaries. Output 2.3: DS Divisions and local authorities capacitated to scale-up efficient service delivery This output aims to contribute to the sustainable resettlement of all displaced families by improving reach and efficiency of service delivery by local-level government structures. It will include a strong emphasis on the quality of community engagement with local government actors such as Pradeshiya Sabhas (divisional-level administrative and legislative government bodies), GNs, divisional secretariats and other state service providers such as agriculture and veterinary extension officers, social service and probation officers, police, police women desk officers, medical officers, midwives, public health inspectors and Samurdhi officials. This will be achieved through close collaboration with key stakeholders such as the District Secretaries/Government Agents, Additional Government Agents, Divisional Secretaries, Pradeshiya Sabha Secretaries and heads of departments and other community structures. To achieve Output 2.3, the following activities will be carried out: Support to establish government service delivery mechanisms in the released areas to enable ease of access to services; Raising public awareness on existing government services and how to access them, and building linkages with other service providers to ensure timely services in areas such as livelihood facilities, business registration, technical assistance and guidance to start new businesses; Promoting community reintegration and promote trust among the returnees and other ethnic groups; Capacity development trainings and exposure for government officials to improve skills and knowledge to enhance service delivery; and Promoting principles of effective public service to contribute to sustainable interventions. Note: Please indicate a possible list of resource persons (including CVs) who will engage in the delivery of the training programmes. All programmes need to be delivered in Tamil. A pre-and post-evaluation needs to be conducted for each programme with the specific community group, government officials, etc. The CSOs/NGOs will be also required to identify some lessons learnt as well as assess new knowledge acquired as a result of the programme. D. TIMEFRAME The envisaged time frame of the partnership starting in 15 August 2018 to and ending on 31 December 2018.

5 E. PROFILE OF CSOs/NGOs TO TAKE FORWARD THE PARTNERSHIP CSOs/NGOs that would be considered for this partnership need to have a valid certificate of registration, have evidence of independent audit, be able to show an in-kind/financial co-contribution to the proposed partnership, have a clear organizational constitution outlining transparent and participatory recruitment, procurement and financial procedures-including transparent procedures on the selection of board members. They would also need to have a strong track record of working in the areas of sustainable livelihood with reference to one or all of the areas of intervention specified in Section B Scope of work. Proven experience of working in the proposed districts will be required, as will evidence of the organization s capacity (in terms of infrastructure and human resources) to deliver the proposed outcomes. This Terms of Reference seeks to strengthen the responses and initiatives of existing CSOs/NGOs already working in the area of sustainable livelihoods and resettlement, and as such will not look to supporting the setup of new organization or new initiatives to undertake this work. F. COMPETENCIES Technical Skills: One or all of the following: Strong expertise in providing services to IDPs in Sri Lanka includes (but not limited to) livelihood assistance, community re-integration, access to government service delivery and business development etc. Experience in conducting training programmes on CBO capacity building, technical trainings on livelihood aspects, small business management coaching etc. Organization needs to highlight its training capacity to undertake the required training programmes. Experience in conducting community awareness programmes on social accountability and engage communities accountable for good governance. Expertise in providing business counselling and mentoring for small business owners. Proven expertise in advocating grievances of IDPs with key stakeholders and seek win-win solutions. Promoting New Approaches: Promote related Producer Organizations on value addition and market linkages to compete with private suppliers. Able to seek a broad range of perspectives - cultural, gender, ethnic sensitivities and environmental protection aspects when developing awareness programmes within a rights framework. Creates an environment that fosters innovation and innovative thinking as well as attempting to create and sensitize the need for value addition to available local resources and providing new look to the traditional enterprises. Promote women-centric enterprises which would add value to their inherent enterprising knowledge and skills and significant to engaging them in the local economic development. Networks and Partnerships: Strong partnerships/networks with relevant actors (state and non-state) and district and divisional level (as relevant to area of operation of the organization) which enable opportunities to re-build strategic alliances for returned and resettled families. Identifies new approaches and strategies that promote sectoral livelihood opportunities with added advantage of product value addition and market-based production plans. Establish tangible market linkages which would demand better deals for both suppliers and the intermediaries.

6 G. Required Skills and Experience Experience - Organization: A CSOs/NGOs which has at least 3 years of experience providing services to IDPs Possess in-house technical expertise on sustainable livelihood framework, and the understanding on the objectives of Peacebuilding Priority Plan of Sri Lanka and the National Policy on Durable Solutions for Conflict-Affected Displaced. Proven ability to promote community cohesiveness, re-integration with special attention to conflictaffected vulnerable groups such as women/single headed households, persons with disability, excombatants, and disadvantaged youth. Experienced in conducting awareness programmes on gender, environmental protection, citizen charter etc. Proven ability to design and conduct programmes in Tamil Experience working at district and divisional level with relevant authorities Past experience working with UNDP or other UN agencies and with other lead ministries including working with the Ministry of Resettlement will be an added advantage. Languages: Staff should have excellent written and spoken knowledge of Tamil (as relevant to each location). Fluency in English including reporting skills in English is required. H. HOW TO APPLY Applicants must submit their proposals and attachments in one envelop. All proposals must be clearly marked with Proposals for Livelihood Support to Resettled Communities with the appropriate lot number on the top left corner of the envelope. All proposals must be sealed and delivered to the addresses below. All late offers will be rejected and returned to the bidder unopened. Head of Procurement/Administration United Nations Development Programme Bauddhaloka Mawatha Colombo 07, Sri Lanka The application should contain: Cover letter explaining why your organization is the most suitable CSOs/NGOs to undertake this work, confirming your organization is able to meet the requirements listed in Sections E and F above. Project Proposal, explaining how your organization proposes to provide support in one/more of the areas detailed in Section C above. A detailed budget and timeframe for completing the proposed intervention(s) according to identified geographical area(s) needs to be clearly spelled out.