Consultancy Terms of Reference for Final Project Evaluation

Transcription

1 Cnsultancy Terms f Reference fr Final Prject Evaluatin Defending civic space and the right t freedm f expressin in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan Lcatin : Based in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan r Tajikistan, with travel between these cuntries Applicatin Deadline : 7 February 2018 Languages Required : Russian (fluency) English (high level f written and spken cmprehensin) Duratin f Initial Estimated February - April 2018 Cntract : Expected Duratin f Apprximately 20 wrking days Assignment : ARTICLE 19 is seeking a cnsultant t cnduct a full evaluatin f a 20-mnth prject Defending civic space and the right t freedm f expressin in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan funded by the Freign and Cmmnwealth Office (FCO) Magna Carta Fund. 1. Abut ARTICLE 19 ARTICLE 19 is a glbal human rights rganisatin, with nine ffices wrldwide, which prmtes and defends freedm f expressin and infrmatin. ARTICLE 19's visin is a wrld in which all peple can freely express themselves and actively engage in public life withut fear r discriminatin. ARTICLE 19 has been wrking in Russia fr ver 10 years, and has implemented a series f prjects with a number f lcal partners. 2. Abut the prject Since September 2016, ARTICLE 19 has wrked with fur partners and Adil Sz (Kazakhstan), Media Plicy Institute (Kyrgyzstan), Khma (Tajikistan) and NANSMIT (Tajikistan) t implement a 20-mnth prject t sustain existing initiatives aimed at prtecting human rights and preserving civic space in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Activities are fcused in the fllwing areas: a) Supprting human rights defenders (HRDs) and independent media t prtect themselves frm legal, physical and digital threats, achieved thrugh capacity building, institutinal supprt and legal defence. b) Challenging regressive legal plicies and practices dmestically (where pssible) and thrugh internatinal human rights mechanisms, in rder t prevent r mitigate the adptin f legislatin that undermines civil space. ARTICLE 19, Free Wrd Centre, 60 Farringdn Rd, Lndn EC1R 3GA,United Kingdm Tel.: +44 (0) , Web: inf@article19.rg

2 3. Prject Outcmes The prject seeks t achieve the fllwing bjective: T prtect civic space in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan by imprving prtectin fr human rights defenders and independent media; and challenging restrictive legislatin, plicies and practices dmestically and internatinally The specific utcmes f the prject are: HRDs and independent media have increased capacity and access t resurces and expertise t prtect themselves and their jurnalists frm physical, digital, and legal risks r threats Restrictive legislatin and plicies have been challenged dmestically Civil sciety in target cuntries and in exile have engaged with internatinal human rights mechanisms 4. Evaluatin Objective This evaluatin will have multiple aims including: Meeting bjectives and key findings: Assess the extent f the implementatin f activities, the utcmes achieved and the challenges faced. This assessment shuld be cmpleted with reference t the prject s initial framewrk and ther planning/prpsal dcuments, and in line with the indicatrs set ut in the prject s lg frame. Lessns learned: Identify lessns learned fr future ARTICLE 19 s planning Key Recmmendatins: Prvide recmmendatins t build n the results and achieve sustainability. The evaluatin is a requirement f the prject dnr, and the results will als cntribute t ARTICLE 19 and partners internal learning, enabling mre infrmed decisin-making and strengthening future wrk n hate speech issues in the regin T achieve these bjectives, the evaluatin will fcus n answering the fllwing questins abut the prject keeping in mind ARTICLE 19 s Freedm f expressin and equality wrk in general. The evaluatr shuld priritise the fllwing tpics subject t their weighting and add additinal tpics they cnsider relevant. 1. Relevance (weighting = 15%) T what extent are ARTICLE 19 prject utcmes lgical and cherent, and what are their strengths & weaknesses? Has ARTICLE 19 been able t adapt and refine utcmes based n the changing cntext in which they wrk? Hw relevant are prject utcmes t ARTICLE 19 s thery f change and strategy? Hw relevant is the prject t dnr strategy and plicy? 2. Effectiveness/ (and t a lesser extent efficiency) (weighting = 15%) What were the direct and indirect/unintended utcmes achieved as a result f the prject, hw d they cmpare t the riginal prject prpsal 1? Hw has the prgress f actual activities cmpared t planned activities? Have prject activities and utputs effectively delivered planned utcmes? What are the factrs fr success and/r any failures/weaknesses f the prject? Has resurce allcatin been ptimal? Has ARTICLE 19 been well equipped t achieve prject utcmes? 1 If the prject has a lgical framewrk and/r TC this must be referred t in the evaluatin ARTICLE 19, Free Wrd Centre, 60 Farringdn Rd, Lndn EC1R 3GA,United Kingdm Tel.: +44 (0) , Web: inf@article19.rg

3 Hw successful was their prject wrk in (a) gaining access t plicymakers and natinal and internatinal plitical actrs in target cuntries and (b) cllabrating with lcal grups and influencers? 3. Impact (weighting = 30%) T what extent has this prject cntributed ARTICLE 19 s thery f change? What psitive changes have ccurred that are demnstrably attributable t ARTICLE 19 and partners? Fr areas where it is t early t assess, is ARTICLE 19 n track cmpared t its riginal prpsal? What has been the verall impact fr end beneficiaries and target grups? What has been the verall impact fr the target cuntry r regin? Hw culd utcmes and impact have been further imprved? Were there any risks that limited the prject s verall impact? 4. Sustainability (weighting = 20%) Hw durable are the utcmes f the prject? Have the right actins been undertaken t make utcmes and impacts sustainable? Has the prject been designed and executed in such a way that the activities will nt stp when the prject has ended, and have sund exit strategies been develped? 5. Partners and relatinships with stakehlders and beneficiaries (weighting = 20%) Hw wuld yu assess the relatinship between frmal partners f this prject (i.eю partners that have signed a partnership statement r MU)? Hw wuld yu assess the relatinship between ARTICLE 19/partners and the authrities in prject cuntries? Hw has this relatinship affected the prject? Hw wuld yu assess the relatinship between ARTICLE 19/partners and end Beneficiaries and Target grups? 6. What are the strengths and the weaknesses f the prject? 7. What lessns can be learned and what recmmendatins can be given? 5. Prcess, Methdlgy and Deliverables The evaluatin will be a cmbinatin f desk based research and meetings in target cuntries. The evaluatr will be expected t cnduct a review f all dcuments prvided by ARTICLE 19, as well as Jitsi/telephne interviews with prject implementers, target beneficiaries and ther key stakehlders. The evaluatr will wrk clsely with ARTICLE 19 staff and cnsultants wh will ensure that the evaluatr has access t all necessary prject dcuments and will facilitate setting up meetings with interviewees, as well as prviding ther supprt as required. In target cuntries, the evaluatin meetings will be agreed and rganised by ur prject partners and will prvide an pprtunity t meet and interview several f the prject beneficiaries. The methdlgy will adhere t the principles f full participatin, and include bth qualitative and quantitative appraches. ARTICLE 19, Free Wrd Centre, 60 Farringdn Rd, Lndn EC1R 3GA,United Kingdm Tel.: +44 (0) , Web: inf@article19.rg

4 The duties f the evaluatr and the methdlgy used will include the fllwing: Design f cmprehensive qualitative evaluatin questinnaires Cmprehensive review f supplied prject dcuments Telephne interviews with ARTICLE 19 staff; representatives f partner rganisatins and prject beneficiaries frm each f the target cuntries Travel t the target cuntries, t meet with partners and beneficiaries. The methdlgy shuld adhere t the Bnd evidence gathering principles as a reference framewrk fr gd evaluatin practice. Evaluatin utputs 6.1. The evaluatin reprt: The reprt is t be presented in English r Russian, clear and simply written (free f jargn) and shuld nt exceed 15 pages, excluding annexes, and be presented in Calibri Fnt 12. The executive summary shuld nt exceed 2 pages. The structure shuld be accrding t the fllwing frmat: Executive summary: this shuld summarise the main findings and recmmendatins in a cncise manner. Intrductin: The first part shuld describe the backgrund and cntext (summary f verall prject cncept and design) as a basis fr the analytical and evaluative sectins that fllw. The intrductin includes a shrt explanatin f the purpse and bjective(s) and the evaluatin methdlgy Analysis and majr findings: This sectin fcuses n the findings related t the questins listed abve under 'Evaluatin Objective'. The sectin nt nly lists the findings, but als cntains an analysis f the evaluatr regarding these findings. Backgrund infrmatin shuld nly be included when it is directly relevant t the reprt's analysis and cnclusins. All analysis f achievements/cnsequences (inc. unintended) must be supprted with relevant data and the data surce must be included. Cnclusins. The cnclusins fllw lgically frm the main findings and the analysis but are clearly distinguishable frm these. The cnclusins shuld prvide answers t the main evaluatin questins. Please use table 1 belw fr the assessment f the different criteria. It shuld include the prject review rating table (see table 1). Recmmendatins. The recmmendatins fllw lgically frm the cnclusins. They shuld be actinable, ideally within a ne-year timeframe, and priritised t help develp ARTICLE s wrk. Annexes Terms f reference Table 1 Prject review rating List f rganisatins and persns interviewed and dcuments reviewed Evaluatin team s wrk schedule Please use the fllwing table fr scring the prject s perfrmance in terms f relevance, effectiveness, etc. Criteria Scring* Explanatin/Cmments Relevance Effectiveness Impact ARTICLE 19, Free Wrd Centre, 60 Farringdn Rd, Lndn EC1R 3GA,United Kingdm Tel.: +44 (0) , Web: inf@article19.rg

5 Sustainability Partners and relatinships with stakehlders and beneficiaries * Scring: Highly Successful Successful Partially Successful Unsuccessful 6.2. Debriefing sessin The cnsultant is required t schedule a debriefing sessin t discuss findings with ARTICLE 19 and partners (via Jitsi r ther secure methd f cmmunicatin). The debriefing sessin shuld take place within 30 days f the reprt s submissin. Additinal ntes: Management Respnse: Evaluatrs shuld be aware that it is ARTICLE 19 s plicy t draft a management respnse t all evaluatins undertaken n its prjects. This will take place within 60 days f its submissin. Transparency: It is ARTICLE 19 s plicy that external evaluatins cntribute t its aims f becming a transparent and accuntable rganisatin. Evaluatin reprts will be published n its website and will be shared with external stakehlders unless there are clear security risks with ding s. 7. Evaluatin Duratin The evaluatin (dcument review and interviews) will start in mid-february, and the cnsultant will participate in evaluatin meetings in the regin in March The submissin f the draft evaluatin reprt shuld take place at the end f March 2018 and a final reprt agreed in by the end f February Activities shuld include: Revise dcuments, develp and refine questinnaires, agree interview time line Trip t regin fr participatin in evaluatin meetings Additinal Interviews cnducted by Skype/Jitsi Analysis and Reprt preparatin Initial findings shared with ARTICLE 19 and partners Submissin f draft reprt Incrpratin f ARTICLE 19 and partner feedback and finalisatin f reprt ARTICLE 19 will prvide a management respnse t the evaluatin within tw mnths f receiving the final reprt, cmmenting n the recmmendatins. The cnsultant will nt be expected t respnd frmally t this. ARTICLE 19, Free Wrd Centre, 60 Farringdn Rd, Lndn EC1R 3GA,United Kingdm Tel.: +44 (0) , Web: inf@article19.rg

6 8. Persn specificatin Relevant academic backgrund Written and spken fluency in Russian; cmprehensin f English (particularly, an ability t review English language dcuments). Other reginal languages welcme. Based in the regin (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan r Tajikistan) Demnstrated experience and expertise in the design and undertaking f prgramme evaluatins using participatry M&E methdlgies Knwledge f human rights trends, particularly n freedm f expressin and access t infrmatin, in Central Asia Knwledge f internatinal human rights law and awareness f mechanisms fr the prtectin f human rights at internatinal and reginal level Knwledge f histrical cntext and recent plitical, ecnmic and scial develpments in Central Asia Excellent analytical, interpersnal and cmmunicatin skills 9. Hw t apply Applicants shuld send (in English r Russian): CV and a cvering letter intrducing the evaluatr and hw the skills and cmpetencies described abve are met, with cncrete examples A tw-page utline f the prpsed evaluatin prcess and methdlgy One recent example f a previus evaluatin Tw referees we can cntact t verify experience A financial Prpsal* - specifying a ttal lump sum amunt fr the tasks specified in this annuncement. The financial prpsal shall include a breakdwn f this lump sum amunt (number f anticipated wrking days, travel, per diems and any ther pssible csts); Incmplete applicatins will nt be cnsidered. Please make sure yu have prvided all requested materials. Applicatins t be submitted t: Katie@article19.rg ARTICLE 19, Free Wrd Centre, 60 Farringdn Rd, Lndn EC1R 3GA,United Kingdm Tel.: +44 (0) , Web: inf@article19.rg