Terms of Reference

Assessment and Design for Citizen Voice and Action Project in Fragile Areas of DRC

Sector: Advocacy and Justice for Children
Employment type Consultant (External)
Deadline for Proposal Submission: May 10, 2012

Duration of consultancy
WVI has set aside up to 5 months for this for this assignment, based on a monthly consultancy rate. The proposed project start date is Monday 14th May 2012.

Proposal bids should include

1. Copy of CV with references
2. Sample of previous research writing/ program develop development activities
3. 1 page detailed work-schedule
4. 2 page proposed model development methodology, including research, outreach and development
5. 1 Page proposed operational budget

Candidates should have the following profile:

1. Tertiary education qualification or equivalent significant work experience.
2. Experience in significant research methodology design and implementation.
3. Experience in program design, program management or program evaluation.
4. Experience working with issues of governance, social accountability, civic education,
5. Capabilities in self-management, communication and report writing.
6. Fluent in French, with Basic English, other local dialects a benefit.

Objective of Consultancy

World Vision DRC is seeking to create a project model for the Citizen Voice and Action approach in the fragile context of DRC. This model will be implemented through the integrated programming model of the Fragile Contexts Business Model that DRC will begin implementing from FY13. Note that this consultancy will not implement a project, but will undertake the assessment and design activities to develop a concrete proposal for a CVA project for eastern DRC. The model will draw on the already well developed project model of CVA developed by the World Vision partnership and take guidance from the examples and lessons of other countries in the east and central Africa region that have already implemented such programs. The aim of the program in development is to establish and strengthen dialogue and the accountability between ordinary citizens, public service providers and officials in the DR Congo.

This consultancy will include the following steps of the assessment and design process:

• Conducting a field assessment exercise in multiple geographic locations, including surveys, focus groups and interviews with community members, community leaders, government representatives and representatives of the UN, NGOs and other relevant stakeholders.
• Conducting field risk assessments
• Conducting Local Capacities for Peace/ Do No Harm assessments.
• Writing a full assessment report.
• Writing a full project proposal.
• Testing elements of the proposal to validate the activities.
• Conducting internal capacity building activities to ensure that WVDRC is socialized and prepared for the implementation of the CVA project.

Expected Outputs:

I. An assessment report that outlines the following information:

External Context:

1. Information: The key policies of Government and other policy makers that guide the use of public funding to provide key child related social services. What information is available and what is being shared, and what is missing. This should be done for the key WVeDRC sectors, the key child focused services, and key services related to fragility such as security and social protection services.
2. Voice: The capacity and ability of people to express their views. Capturing specifically the attitudes and perspectives of children, their families and local service providers about social services and the existing opportunities for social accountability.
3. Dialogue: What are the current opportunities for social accountability either provided by the Government, and/or facilitated by NGOs, etc. What are the current entry points where World Vision can leverage existing structures to anchor CVA advocacy?
4. Accountability: Analysis on the political environment at each administrative level and their interest/willingness to engage in social accountability activities
5. Public Services: The current status of public services in each area. The presence, number and resources of social services in the relevant programming areas.
6. For each of sections a-e the report should:
• Undertake a thorough risk assessment exercise to determine the potential and expected risks involved for both communities and NGO staff.
• Undertake a cost analysis exercise to determine general cost indicators related to programming activities.
• Undertake a Local Capacities for Peace/Do No Harm assessment which shows how we the project activities

*Each of these elements (a-e) should have both qualitative reflection and quantitative statistics that will be used for the baseline of the project.

Internal Context:

1. Level of organizational preparedness for implementation of a CVA approach. What strategy, relationships, skills, resources exist that can be leveraged to assist the implementation of the model.

2. Project Model Design Proposal that uses all of the relevant information from the assessment report above to define a contextualized CVA local level advocacy approach.

This should include:

1. Separated programming options, or an integrated program combining these options that address social accountability in:
• Funding channeled through humanitarian funding mechanisms, including the Pooled Fund, Humanitarian Clusters and other public channels.
• Funding channeled through stabilization and development coordination mechanisms, including the STAREC and ISSSS stabilization and reconstruction program, and the UN PBF.
• Funding channeled through traditional Government for public service providers, including through Ministries, executive offices and local services providers.
2. Programming context information suggesting which options or combination of options are relevant to each of the territories, districts and provinces that are covered under the Governments Stabilisation and Reconstruction Plan for War-Affected Areas including:
• Priority 1: North Kivu: Beni, Lubero, Masisi, Rutshuru, Nyiragongo and Walikale
• Priority 2: South Kivu: Fizi, Idjwi, Kabare, Kalehe, Mwenga, Shabunda, Uvira and Walungu
• Additional area of interest: Maniema: Kindu,Kasuku, Mikelenge. Alunguli
• Additional area of interest: Katanga: Tanganika
• Additional area of interest: Orientale: Bas-Uele, Haut Uele, Beni
3. The external programming activities in the community should include all the areas of the CVA model:
• Enabling Citizen Participation: Social mapping, Public policy awareness/sensitisation, preparing local materials, citizen education, building networks and coalitions, and establishing relationships and connections.
• Engagement via community gathering: training of CVA teams, meetings, monitoring standards, score cards.
• Improving services and influencing policy: sensitisation of service providers, interface meetings, social monitoring and support, data analysis and report writing, validation meetings, community dialogue and accountability sessions, doing action/commitment plans, building networks and coalitions, advocacy and influence.
4. A budget including activities, staff, operating costs, administration costs, etc.
5. A monitoring and evaluation plan
6. A sustainability plan
7. An external engagement plan (including advocacy, Christian Commitments, and communications).

3. A pilot report of a community based trial of some CVA activities outlined in the project proposal.

1. The report should document the activities, documenting the challenges, opportunities – and incorporating this feedback into final project proposal report.

4. A series of internal capacity building steps to prepare World Vision DRC for this project. This should include:

1. Meetings with Senior Leadership to ensure their buy-in to the CVA approach.
2. A review of strategic documents to ensure the inclusion of CVA.
3. Meetings with the Quality Assurance team, to support funding discussions and secure resources for CVA activities.
4. Creating and delivering training modules for World Vision general and program staff, and implement training for all relevant staff on CVA activities. The training should include:
1. Introduction to civic education and good governance.
2. Training on the CVA approach and theory
3. Training on the CVA project that will be implemented and information to integrate CVA into other sector programs.

Please send your application to recruit_wvdrc@wvi.org