Consultancy – Gender and Inclusion Mainstreaming Strategy for the IPARD IF Program

General Objectives

The Strategy seeks to guide the IPARD IF team in the countries where it operates and in its regional and global activities, to ensure a gender equality and inclusion approach in the implementation of IPARD IF. It is also expected to serve as a technical-operational guide for the design of national plans that are gender-responsive an include marginalized groups. The Strategy will serve as a framework for dialogue between Indigenous Peoples’ Organizations, the public sector, the private sector and civil society organizations involved in the implementation of the Program in each of the countries where we work to contribute to the institutionalization of sustainable, culturally appropriate, socially sensitive development that respects the rights and aspirations of Indigenous Peoples.

Specific Objectives:

• To identify the appropriate tools and priority actions which need to be undertaken to support gender-responsive and inclusive programming.
• To provide guidance on the appropriate entry points best suited to support effective gender and inclusion responsive implementation.
• Increase women’s economic empowerment, participation in Indigenous Peoples Organizations and public policy activities.
• Ensure the participation of other marginalized groups in IPARD IF Program.
• Use IPARD IF Gender and Inclusion Mainstreaming Strategy as a model to provide capacity development to the Program’s stakeholders on this issue.
• Strengthening the team and providing tools to develop the capacities of the stakeholders of the Program.
• Propose recommendations for enhancing opportunities for IPO, government institutions and other stakeholders to implement their own strategies.

Illustrative Tasks:

• Prepare and present a work plan for the consultancy to be approved by the PL on Capacity Development & Inclusion.
• Diagnosis of the IPARD IF activities where gender equity and inclusion actions should be included developed with representative IPO.
• Prepare a draft of the strategy, in accordance with the USAID and FSC and IF Policies on Gender and Inclusion with special attention to the potential roles, benefits, impacts and risks for women and men and other marginalized groups to ensure meaningful participation that will result from program interventions.
• Support the program’s information and communication strategy and informational materials through the formulation of messages designed specifically for women and men independently, and other marginalized groups, whenever relevant.
• Develop a methodological proposal to evaluate entry points for gender and inclusion mainstreaming in the Program’s activities that takes into consideration the guidelines established in USAID and FSC safeguards policies and IF guidelines on the subject.
• Develop three online training and capacity building course for 1. Indigenous Peoples Organizations, 2. Government Agencies and 3. Private Sector.
• Develop a strategy to ensure the mainstreaming of gender and inclusion issues within the IPARD IF Program and guarantee that women spaces are reserved in program decision-making, as well as that gender equity concerns are expressed during the Program consultations at all levels, in all program policies, programs, administrative and financial activities and procedures and the performance indicators monitoring framework. The Strategy should include a section on monitoring, learning and evaluation.
• Organize a validation workshop to review the proposed Strategy and the content of the on-line courses with the IPARD IF team and the IPARD Steering Committee (SC) and representatives of selected IPO.
• Conduct an internal Capacity Development training course for the IPARD IF and SC on gender and inclusion and to validate the Strategy.
• Finalize the Gender and Inclusion Mainstreaming Strategy.
• As part of the final report to accompany the Strategy, document the learning process of developing the Gender and Inclusion Mainstreaming Strategy and develop a knowledge management document with recommendations, good practices and lessons learned.

The specific project milestones/products under this consultancy are as follows:

1. Work Plan
2. Kick-off Meeting
3. Gender Diagnosis
4. First Draft Gender and Inclusion Mainstreaming Strategy
5. Development of three online courses on gender and inclusion for 1. IPO, 2. Government agencies and 3. Private sector.
6. Draft Final Gender Mainstreaming and Inclusion Strategy
7. Validation of Strategy with IPO, IPARD IF and SC and Internal Capacity Workshop
8. Final Approved Gender and Inclusion Mainstreaming Strategy and final design of the three final on-line courses and final report

Payments

Product 1: (30%)

• Work Plan (A draft work plan must be submitted 7 days before contract signing)
• Gender Diagnosis
• First Draft Gender and Inclusion Mainstreaming Strategy

Product 2: (30%)

• Three online courses for IPO, government and private sector
• Validation Workshop of Strategy and online courses
• Internal Capacity Development training course

Product 3: (40%)

• Final Approved Gender and Inclusion Mainstreaming Strategy and final design of the three final online courses

Qualifications and Experience

• Advanced University Degree (Masters or equivalent) in Gender Studies, Social Sciences, Human Rights, Development Studies or related field.
• At least ten (10) years of relevant professional experience in designing gender mainstreaming and inclusion strategies) in the Public Sector, International or Regional Organization.
• Demonstrated experience in curriculum or training materials development for adult learners, especially in the area of gender and inclusion training.
• Fluency in spoken and excellent writing skills.
• Be committed to the values and underlying principles of ‘gender equity and inclusion’
• Demonstrates integrity, sensitivity and adaptability to culture, gender, religion, nationality and age.
• Openness to change and ability to receive/integrate feedback.

Duration and time frame

The total duration of the consultancy is expected not to exceed 12 weeks from date the contract is signed.

How to apply