Country: Cameroon
Closing date: 03 Feb 2017
Background
Introduction
Countries in West and Central Africa Region are facing various natural and man-made disasters such as droughts, floods, violent winds, epidemics, but also conflicts, civil unrests and massive population displacements. The purpose of this consultancy is to develop guidelines and tools that can be used in assessing education risks and vulnerabilities in areas affected by humanitarian crisis. The consultancy will aim also in conducting a regional analysis on education risks and vulnerabilities in communities, targeting especially girls, boys, young women and young men, affected by emergency situations to inform programme design, project interventions and partners activities in eight West and Central African countries.
Rationale
Plan International’s Disaster Risk Management Department (DRM) describes a range of work from strengthening resilience through development work to humanitarian first response in disasters, conflicts, and other emergency settings. In adopting this approach, we recognise Plan International as a global development organisation as well as our heritage of assisting girls, boys and communities in emergency and crisis contexts. DRM is now part of the core business of Plan International’s actions and not simply an impact area. Indeed, Plan International put in place its second Global DRM Strategy, which gives direction for all Plan International’s work in emergencies and recovery to development.
In the past five years, the DRM work portfolio increased significantly and this growth came with increased capacities and confidence across the organization, which benefits now from higher recognition as a large and credible INGO in the humanitarian sector. To build on this gain, Plan International’s work in countries of the West and Central Africa region will continue to follow standard processes and mechanisms, as well as it will continue to use relevant tools that ensure quality delivery of programmes in emergencies. Almost all fourteen Plan International Programme Countries in the region (Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo) have been affected either by natural and/or manmade disasters and/or conflicts during these last two decades.
Purpose
The overall purpose of developing the guidelines, tools and analysis is to create greater awareness and consciousness in countries and increase their capacities to take adequate and informed actions for an effective intervention at the onset, before, during and after disasters and conflicts. Risk and vulnerability assessment and analysis are core practices for a formidable DRM work and to provide the basis for increased reliability to our work with communities and partners among other actors. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) recognise the importance of building resilience and preventing conflicts and disasters in order to achieve sustainable development. An analysis of the regional context completed a few years ago has also influenced the need to put in place a tool at the disposal of our frontline workers so that the rationale for our interventions and the ensuing impact of our work can be measured in a more organised and holistic manner.
Objectives
The overall objective of this consultancy is to contribute building Plan International’s capacities in DRM and in Education in Emergencies in the West and Central Africa Region:
To develop guidelines and tools for conducting standardized Education Risk and Vulnerability assessments that are relevant for the North and East of Cameroon, in order to scale it up to West and Central Africa’s humanitarian contexts.
To conduct, in collaboration with Plan International Regional EiE Specialist and Country Offices EiE teams an Education Risk and Vulnerability analysis in eight West and Central Africa countries (Cameroon, Central African Republic, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria and Sierra Leone) affected by humanitarian crisis.
Outcomes
Guidelines and tools informing how to conduct risk and vulnerability assessments in the education sector are available and based on DRM Interim strategy, Plan International Safe School toolkit and Inter-Agency Network for Education in Emergencies (INEE) Conflict-Sensitive Education pack.
Plan International Country Offices EiE teams strengthen their capacities and conduct their own education risk and vulnerability assessment at country level according to the approved guidelines and tools.
A regional analysis based on education risk and vulnerability assessments conducted at country level is developed and supports effective EiE preparedness strategy and response in the West and Central Africa Region.
Scope of work
Area
Based in Cameroon, the consultant will be required to identify types of hazards and threats (natural and man-made disasters and conflicts) that affect the region, their causes and consequences. The consultant will also have to base his/her analysis on perceptions, knowledge, attitudes and practices among affected populations and vulnerable groups.
The consultant will give priority to these emergencies’ impact on the education sector, but s/he will also make sure to adopt an integrated approach taking into consideration Child protection, Health, WASH and Livelihoods sectors throughout the assessments. In addition, this work should highlight Plan International’s Child-Centred Community Development (CCCD) approach, which is aiming to work with communities, helping children and young people, and especially girls and young women, realize their full potential even in emergency settings.
To be precise, the education sector will cover the following types as Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD), primary education, non-formal education, accelerated education, vocational training, depending on the countries’ specific contexts involved in the analysis.
Governments, and in particular Ministries of Education and other national and local education authorities, as well as implementing partners will be involved when carrying out this exercise. Their accountability to affected populations as well as their capacity to intervene in key sectors in crisis contexts significantly influence children, young people and communities, and especially girls and young women’s, vulnerability to emergency settings.
The guidelines, tools and analysis developed through this exercise should draw on existing international humanitarian instruments, tools and procedures including SPHERE, INEE and Global Child Protection Working Group (CPWG) minimum standards, and contextualise and adapt those to local contexts and realities. The materials will also review Plan International strategic documents and DRM work tools used in the West and Central Africa Region. These will be widely circulated among humanitarian aid professionals and critical end users.
Last but not least, the consultant will pay particular attention to mainstream in the process of developing guidelines and tools a gender equality approach that encourage gender transformative interventions. Girls and young women are the most vulnerable in crisis contexts, and are particularly at risk of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in emergency settings. To do so, the consultant will be invited to base his work on Plan International Gender Transformative Programming guidelines and tools.
Workplan
The consultancy has been conceived and will be manage in four stages, which will have to be carefully followed to achieve the expected results. The consultant will define his/her own strategy of implementation of the following activities:
Step 0: Preparation of workshop
A one-month period will be given to the consultant to prepare as best as possible the EiE focal points training workshop. This period will include its induction in one of Plan International's country offices, review of framework documents, development of guidelines and tools, preparation of training manuals. During this period, the consultant will receive a continual technical supervision from the Regional EiE Specialist.
Step 1: Workshop and orientations
The consultant should take part in Plan International West and Central Africa Regional Office (WARO) workshop on education risk and vulnerability assessment in emergencies, which will be held in Dakar, Senegal from 21 to 24 February, 2017. This meeting will bring together EiE focal points from eight Plan International Country Offices. This workshop will be an opportunity for the consultant to better understand Plan International’s orientations on DRM and EiE fields of intervention. Note that the consultant will co-facilitating this workshop with the Regional EiE Specialist mainly on the development of the Guidelines and tools. The consultant will be required to present his/her work approach as well as the main thrusts the guidelines and tools will address when assessing risks and vulnerabilities in the education sector.
Step 2: Guidelines manual and data collection tools
Based on his/her own previous experience, his/her work with Plan International Country Offices EiE focal points and his/her exchanges with the Regional EiE Specialist, the consultant will produce a manual, which includes guidelines presenting how to conduct education risk and vulnerability assessment at country level. This document will be integrated in Plan International's preparedness and response strategy to address education needs in emergency situations that affect the West and Central Africa Region. This manual should include also data collection tools to support Plan International Country Offices in conducting education risk and vulnerability assessments.
Step 3: Technical support
After being internally approved, the guidelines manual and the data collection tools will be shared with Plan International targeted Country Offices. The consultant, in close collaboration with Plan International Regional EiE Specialist, will ensure that both manual and data collection tools are well understood by Country Offices EiE focal points. The consultant will be constantly in touch with Country Offices EiE focal points to support EiE team members on the field. The consultant, in close collaboration with the Regional EiE Specialist, will oversee and support the conduct of country level education risk and vulnerability assessments in the 8 targeted countries where Plan International is present. However, the consultant will be deployed only to Plan International Programme Unit in the North (Maroua) and the East (Bertoua) that implement EiE interventions to better understand team members’ realities and to adapt accordingly the guidelines and tools developed. The consultant will provide technical support to EiE team members in producing quality country level analysis reports on education risks and vulnerability.
Step 4: Analysis and Report
The consultant will ensure that all country level reports are submitted in time by Plan International Country Offices team members and are of high quality. All country level assessment reports should follow a single reporting template and include local illustrations specific to each situation described. The consultant will find support from Plan International Regional EiE Specialist to facilitate communication with Country Offices EiE focal points. Once country level reports will be completed, the consultant will compile and summarize all the collected data. S/he will also bring a regional prospective to his/her analysis on education risks and vulnerabilities. Thus, s/he will produce a comprehensive report based on these analyses giving an overview of the eight priority countries identified in the West and Central Africa Region. Throughout the process of analysing and drafting the report, the consultant will work in close collaboration with the Regional EiE Specialist to ensure that his/her work is moving forward within the time limits
Methodology
This exercise will require a wide review of existing processes of developing assessment tools and guidelines, and a review of Plan International’s and other relevant stakeholders’ work in DRM and EiE both globally and in the West and Central Africa Region.
The consultant will design his/her own work approach. But s/he may seek advices to Plan International Regional EiE Specialist and Country Offices EiE focal points. S/he will also take into consideration suggestions and recommendations, as well as make reference to Plan International’s work in DRM in the West and Central Africa Region. The consultant will conduct a desk review, hold consultations, facilitate training and organize interviews with key stakeholders, including Plan International’s DRM and Technical teams based at the West and Central Africa Regional Office in Dakar. Children, young people, and especially girls and young women, as well as communities, governments and implementing partners will be consulted throughout the guidelines and tools development process.
The final version of guidelines and tools will be developed in both English and French languages. The guidelines will be presented to Plan International WARO DRM team for inputs. A team of Specialists (including Plan International colleagues from the West and Central Africa Regional Office, the National Organisations and the International Headquarters) will be invited to scan the guidelines and tools, and to provide comments for improvement on the design and content. Plan International Regional EiE Specialist will oversee all aspects and stages of this exercise.
qualification and requirements
· University degree or requisite professional qualification in education, pedagogy material development, sociology, psychology any other relevant studies
- Excellent knowledge in pedagogy and curriculum development
- Strong track record on development of similar guidelines and tools
- Very good knowledge of disasters and conflicts in the West and Central Africa Region
- Proven experience in managing education projects in emergency settings
- Proven experience in working remotely with team members based on the field
- Good knowledge INEE and CPWG minimum standards
- Knowledge, contact and engagement with key stakeholders (governments, civil society, academics) in humanitarian work and emergencies in the region and globally
- Ability to speak, read and write excellently both in English and in French languages
- Excellent communication and drafting skills
- Good facilitation skills
- Ability to work in a team, as well as independently
- Being motivated and collaborative
Terms of the job
Timeline
The final version of the guidelines and tools should be delivered both in hard and editable electronic copies in both French and English to Plan International WARO in Dakar, Senegal three months after signing the contract.
Here is the timetable of activities the consultant must comply with:
6 to 10 February 2017: Consultant recruitment tests
13 to 17 February, 2017: Contract signature and consultant’s induction (Country Office or WARO)
20 February to 17 March, 2017: Review documents, Develop Guidelines and tools, elaborate training manuals
17 March, 2017: Submission of Guidelines and tools
21 to 24 March, 2017: Workshop on Education Risk and Vulnerability Assessment in Emergency settings in Dakar, Senegal
27 to 31 March, 2017: Revision of Guidelines manual and tools for education risk and vunerability assessment
3 to 7 April, 2017: Training of EiE country teams on education risk and vulnerability assessment with approved Guidelines and tools
10 to 19 April, 2017: Provision of technical support to Plan International Country Offices for data collection (Data collection will be do by Cos’ EiE Teams)
20 to 27 April, 2017: Provision of technical support to Plan International Country Offices in drafting their own country analysis reports on Education Risk and Vulnerability assessment
28 to 30 April, 2017: Collect and compil the country assessment reports from COs
1st to 7 May, 2017: Analysis of data and Elaboration of the regional report on Education Risk and Vulnerability
8 May, 2017: Submission of draft report (for 3 days review by Plan International’s Specialists)
15 May 27, 2017: Submission of final report.
How to apply:
Submission of applications
Your technical and financial offer should be submitted by latest February 3, 2017 at the following email address: Procurement.waro@plan-international.org.
The application file must contain an up-to-date version of the candidate Curriculum Vitae, together with a technical offer and a financial offer. The technical offer will clearly mention Plan International Country Offices that the consultant will travel to visit’s EiE interventions and to support team members in carrying out Education Risk and Vulnerability assessment. The financial offer will cover all consultancy costs, apart from the regional workshop that will be organised in Dakar, Senegal.