Consultancy for Development of Photography, Videography, Scriptwriting and Documentary Material for Women Economic Empowerment Programme Advocacy

1.0 Context: ActionAid and Theory of Change

ActionAid International Kenya (AAIK) is a member of ActionAid Federation. ActionAid works in more than 43 countries all over the world, in the places where we can make the biggest impact. We tackle poverty and denial of human rights at the local level, and we challenge the causes behind them locally, nationally and globally. In Kenya, AA works in solidarity with women and people living in poverty and exclusion; connecting their voices, sharing ideas, spreading inspiration, campaigning, advocating and influencing public policy to eradicate poverty and ensure social justice. ActionAid International Kenya has presence in 18 counties in Kenya, with 12 Local Rights Programmes, programme area in Isiolo, Kitui, Nairobi and Mombasa; and two Global Platforms in Nairobi and Nanyuki.

Since 1972, AAIK has worked through Partnerships to build the capacity of women living in poverty and exclusion and their institutions and solidarity groups, to challenge rights violation but with staff at the forefront.

ActionAid’s believes that social justice can be achieved through purposeful individual and collective action to shift unequal and unjust power, whether it is hidden, visible or invisible, from the household level to local, national and international levels. Active and organized people develop and drive change, which will transform power when led by those who are directly affected, by poverty and injustice. Women, and particularly those living in poverty and exclusion pay the highest price of unjust and patriarchal societies, must play a central role as change agents. Young people critical drivers of change. Collective struggles must be linked through solidarity and common cause between communities, progressive people’s organizations and movements, activists, and self-mobilized groups to strengthen the people power needed to drive structural change. Change is not linear, and opportunities to drive social change and resist injustice open up at different moments. ActionAid is both a catalyst and a contributor to social change processes.

We are prepared to seize key moments for social transformation or resisting backlash, when they arise, guided by our long-term rootedness in communities and by working closely with people living in poverty and exclusion and their organizations and movements.

We believe that any fundamental, lasting and transformational change in eradicating poverty and injustices for communities living in poverty and exclusion can only be achieved be facilitating these communities, especially women living in poverty and exclusion their organizations and solidarity groups to lead their development agenda.

Different paradigms have been used to steer development among communities; ActionAid recognizes that only a ‘Shift in Power’ to the communities living in poverty and exclusion, especially women can bring about ‘Political transformation’ in their communities; the communities and especially women living poverty and exclusion must take lead in challenging unequal power relations that cause multiple denial of rights.

1.1 Background: Women Economic Empowerment (WEE) Project

Historically, advocacy efforts in Kenya related to gender have struggled at times to be effective at driving policy change in part due to a lack of cohesive unified calls to action, tied to Kenya’s political priorities, as well as access to clear evidence on what works to drive change.

The primary goal for the Women Economic Empowerment (WEE) project is to elevate WEE as a national priority by ensuring evidence which emerges on women’s economic empowerment is translated and packaged into clear policy asks, mobilized through local advocacy organizations, and ultimately driven into policy change to advance women’s economic empowerment. This project in Kenya will also coordinate with other WEE evidence collection/dissemination efforts in Ethiopia and Uganda to ensure evidence dissemination is not done in a silo.

The analysis for the gender data strategy on Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE) revealed the following issues on data and evidence for WEE engagement and decision making:

• There is a lack of data and evidence on women’s economic empowerment which impedes analysis of what matters, and the ability to design solutions to close gaps.
• Existing intellectual resources and evidence focus much more on the problem – not on what works to drive tangible change.
• Where there are evidence generation efforts, such as in Kenya, these are not overtly gendered, and WEE dimensions are often not considered.
• Most economic inclusion programs and policies are not explicitly designed to address gender gaps and WEE.
• Where there is decision-making and engagement on developing policies and programs- a lack of timely testing and evidence limits greater impact and progress.
• There is a lack of uptake on WEE-related gender data and evidence by country governments.
• There is a disconnect between researchers, implementers, and advocates especially in WEE, relative to other more established gender domains in education and health.

In this regard, the project has designed a strategy of linking research work to advocacy towards realizing an evidence-based policy influencing.

2.0 Scope of the Consultancy

The scope of this consultancy is to document progress made in the implementation of the Women Economic Empowerment (WEE) project across the five counties (Nairobi, Isiolo, Taita Taveta, Mombasa and HomaBay) through photos and a documentary for public dissemination by ActionAid International Kenya digitally and at international conferences.

3.0 Methodology and Process:

The methodology of the review will include various methods:

• Inception meeting with AAIK project team including LRP Coordinators
• Literature review of WEE project documents
• Develop a script covering the needs of the AAIK and considering, highlighting the specificity of the WEE Project
• Focused group discussions with the AAIK Partners
• Key Informant Interviews with government stakeholders (Ministries, Departments and Agencies) at the national and county levels.
• Hold community-level participatory meetings with women organizations for data collection and information gathering.

The methodology must lay emphasis on participatory approach to capture project engagements with beneficiaries, partners and government stakeholders at the national and county government levels.

The consultant needs to take note that:

• The community sessions should be participatory in order to effectively capture issues coming from the community relating to WEE.
• No photographs or case studies are to be taken without signed consent from informants.

3.1 Information to be made available to Consultant at commencement:

• Contacts of the AAIK’s partners
• Contacts of the government stakeholders
• Contacts of the respective LRP coordinators
• Contacts of AAIK staff working on WEE project

4.0 Expected Deliverables

• One video: 15 minutes (with subtitles in English)
• A minimum of 200 color digital images in high resolution shot as RAW files (300 pixels/inch: minimum size 3000 x 2000 pixels); and the same selection in lower resolution (1000 pixels longer edge, JPEG format) to be delivered to ActionAid Kenya on memory stick, hard drive or via providing a link to a shared drive in Internet.
• Photos-book that will successfully capture and emotionally express the core elements of the situation assigned for coverage.
• Consent forms signed by informants.
• 20 interviews in a format who can be displayed on social media platforms and websites.
• The coverage will include different visual perspectives (close-up, medium range, long distance), with a preference for horizontal framing, as noted.
• Archive the edited output in an external hard disk along with professional log.

4.1 Timelines:

• Storyboard session before filming (March, 2022)
• First edit of the video by (August, 2022)
• Final approved video by (October, 2022). This is fixed
• Master copy of all interviews and footage on a hard drive

4.2 Performance indicators for the evaluation of results

The evaluation of the contractors ‘performance will be based on:

• Completion of tasks specified in ToR.
• Compliance with the established deadlines for submission of deliverables.
• Quality of work in line with the expectations from ActionAid Kenya.

5.0 Management of the Consultancy

The consultant will be supervised by Programme Coordinator- Advocacy and Campaigns and supported by Programme Manager- Women Rights and Governance who will regularly communicate with the consultant and provide feedback and guidance on their performance and all other necessary support to achieve objectives of the assignment and remain aware of any upcoming issues related to consultant’s performance and quality of work.

The Programme Coordinator will help the consultant to identify the needs on the field. All activities and deliverables undertaken by the contractor shall also be discussed and planned in consultation with the Communications Coordinator and other AAIK team in the following Local Rights Programs (LRPs); Isiolo, HomaBay, Nairobi, Taita Taveta and Mombasa.

5.1 Responsibilities of the Consultant:

The consultant will be primarily responsible for:

• Photo-videography documentation of the project activities including dialogues, trainings, policy workshops and other events (human-interest photo & video essays where WEE project is being implemented and engagement with communities or beneficiaries) for public dissemination by ActionAid Kenya.
• Conduct at least 20 interviews with women movements, partners, government stakeholders and project beneficiaries that can be displayed on social media platforms and websites.
• Any other documentation-related task during the course of this consultancy.

5.2 Required Qualifications

The lead consultant/ reviewer should have the following:

• Degree in Communications
• Technical expertise and experience in landscape, technical and portrait photography, with proficiency in photo editing skills
• 5 years of working experience in videography/video editing, for events or different type/scope, preferably in the development and social context
• A portfolio of authentic published work
• An eye for detail and creativity
• Demonstrated experience of conception, production and editing of mini video documentaries
• Proficient in English and Swahili languages including the ability to set out a coherent argument in presentations and group interactions will be an asset

5.3 Travel and Accommodation

Official transport shall be availed by ActionAid while in the field. The lead consultant shall seek consent prior to incurring travel expense(s) if not provided with official transport. Accommodation shall be provided by AAIK at the venues of the assignment.

5.4 Duration of the consultancy

The duration of this consultancy is expected to take a maximum of 120 days in total including submission of the final approved video, out of these days, 50 days should be dedicated in the field.

6.0 Mode of Application

All applications should include:

• A brief technical proposal (8 pages maximum)
• A separate financial proposal (3 pages maximum)
• CV of the lead consultant and other team members