IBIS West Africa Human Rights and Democratisation (WAHRD) Programme, Phase II Terms of Reference (TOR) for Evaluation, October 2014.

Transcription

1 IBIS West Africa Human Rights and Democratisation (WAHRD) Programme, Phase II Terms of Reference (TOR) for Evaluation, October IBIS Introduction and Change Agenda IBIS is a Danish International Rights- Based Development Organisation committed to a just world where all people have equal access to Education, Influence and Resources. To achieve this, the organization works in partnership with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and Local Actors to combat the structural causes of inequality; poverty, and promote individual and collective rights. IBIS presence in West Africa started with the opening of a Country Office in Ghana in 2001, with the design and implementation of Thematic Programmes within the area of Governance, Education and Organisation Capacity and Communication Rights (CRP) with all these mainly concentrated in Ghana. In 2006, the CRP was changed into the West Africa Human Rights and Democratisation (WARHD) programme to offer an opportunity for IBIS to intervene more directly within the themes: Media Rights, Human Security and other Democratic domains in Sierra Leone, Liberia and through Regional Level Partners based in Ghana. Between , IBIS started interventions in Liberia and Sierra Leone culminating in the opening of Country Offices in 2009, and in 2013 opened a Country Office in Burkina Faso after a 5- year project presence in partnership with a Danish NGO based in Burkina Faso. The IBIS change agenda, which is embodied in the Change Triangle Model: an integrated model aimed at strengthening advocacy in the South (developing world) through thematic competencies (in governance and education) and support to organisational capacity. This holistic approach to advocacy and change is pursued in partnership with civil society as the change agents. In practical terms, IBIS works primarily in partnership with civil society organisations (CSOs) in its programme countries to develop innovative solutions/approaches to development challenges in Governance (under which WAHRD falls) and Education sectors. IBIS programmes are designed within the framework of what is called the Thematic Programme (TP). The TP concept is a strategic space of opportunities where IBIS and partners promote rights- based approaches to programme formulation and implementation, and innovate appropriate ways of combating poverty and lack of fulfilment of rights through advocacy. The main features of a TP in IBIS are flexibility and adaptation to changes in the context during programme implementation.

2 2. WARHD Thematic Programme Evaluation Thematic Programme Evaluation (TPE) in IBIS is an integral part of IBIS thematic programme spiral and is considered to be an important tool for enhancing accountability, strategic management and learning. As the current phase of the WAHRD comes to its end in early 2015, it is required that it is finalised with a TPE. The TPE entails both RETROSPECTIVE and PROSPECTIVE elements aimed at documenting and improving the quality of our work and learning within the organisation. It is considered an assessment of the relevance, performance, outcome, effectiveness, sustainability, learning, and providing recommendations for the formulation of new TPs. As such, emphasis of the TPE is equally divided between the documentation dimension and the learning dimension. It is intended that this TPE will provide guidance for the formulation of the next WARHD Thematic Programme in the West African sub- Region. 2.1 The Objectives of the Thematic Programme Evaluation The main objectives of the TPE will be to: 1. Evaluate the results and relevance of the programme focus of the WAHRD and provide recommendations on the future thematic focus of the programme, including how to reflect cross- cutting issues, based on evaluations, discussions and studies already undertaken by the programme 2. Evaluate the degree to which the managerial setup and approaches, including M&E systems and fundraising, were fit for purpose and provide recommendations for how the managerial setup could be revised and strengthened, given the shift towards a more exclusively regional focus and the need to strengthen ties, collaboration and synergies with the IBIS governance programmes in the region 3. Evaluate the process for partnership selection and the interactions with and contributions of programme partners, including successes in creating a shared ownership, and provide recommendations how and which partners to engage with during the next phase, given the recommended thematic focus of the new programme, including how to increase dialogue, advocacy and engagement with ECOWAS. 4. Evaluate the degree to which the WAHRD programme was able to facilitate synergies with and between programme partners, as well as with across IBIS programme countries in the region. 5. Evaluate whether WAHRD was a cost- effective and sustainable vehicle to support compliance with human rights and peaceful environments in West Africa and provide recommendations on how the next WAHRD TP could become more cost- effective and sustainable in the future 2

3 3. SCOPE OF WORK Evaluation Objectives Retrospective Evaluation & Analysis Prospective Analysis 1. Evaluate the results and relevance of the programme focus of the WAHRD and provide recommendations on the future thematic focus of the programme, including how to reflect cross- cutting issues, based on evaluations, discussions and studies already undertaken by the programme 2. Evaluate the degree to which the managerial setup and approaches, including M&E systems, were fit for purpose and provide recommendations Assess the relevance of the programme in light of the needs, priorities and rights of the target group, the political/legal framework in the country/region and IBIS country/regional strategy. Assess the degree to which the programme was able to reach its objectives, including with an HRBA (approach in mind were applied and also gender equality. Assess the advocacy approach of the programme and how well it was applied Assess how well the WAHRD programme has been able and open to test, verify or respond to new emerging themes and organizations for the greater use of the TP Assess how well the managerial setup was geared to support the attainment of programme objectives Assess the adequacy of the M&E system Provide guidance and recommendations on potential specific issues the programme should focus on under the more general focus of democratic reform and inequality (e.g. elections, decentralization, constitutional reform). Based on the recent WAHRD anti- corruption study and meetings thus far validate and recommend relevant programme entry points for work in this area. Provide guidance on potential focus areas for the new programme related to freedom of information and expression rights. Analyze whether there are youth and/or women rights aspects that are relevant/possible to work with at the regional level as a cross cutting theme. Explore how and whether to make conflict and regional security a component of the new WAHRD, e.g. conflicts related to elections, land and natural resources, social security and inequality. Explore ways to reflect more prominently the human rights based approach as part of the core strategy of the WAHRD programme Provide recommendations for how to improve and make more prominent the advocacy aspect of the WAHRD programme. Provide guidance and recommendations for an efficient and functional regional programme setup that facilitates stronger ties with, and a stronger ownership and role of the country level Governance TPs.

4 for how the managerial setup could be revised and strengthened, given the shift towards a more exclusively regional focus and the need to strengthen ties, collaboration and synergies with the IBIS governance programmes in the region 3. Evaluate the process for partnership selection and the interactions with and contributions of programme partners, including successes in creating a shared ownership and added value, and provide recommendations how and which partners to engage with during the next phase, given the recommended thematic focus of the new programme, including how to increase dialogue, advocacy and engagement with ECOWAS for the programme (including financial monitoring) Assess how well leaning and knowledge gained were documented, applied and institutionalized Evaluate the extent to which the programme ensured a sense of shared ownership among partners and facilitated partner involvement in programme formulation and M&E Assess the contributions of the programme in terms of partner organizational development Assess the extent to which the programme facilitated peer learning among partners Assess whether IBIS had sufficient capacity to add value to the programme Provide recommendations for how to improve programme accountability, including how to improve the programme M&E system. Provide suggestions on an appropriate programme structure that will promote the smooth running of the programme and ultimate attainment of the objectives. Explore structural relationships with other similar regional Oxfam programmes and provide recommendations. Explore structural relationships with other similar regional programmes of other INGOs Provide recommendations for potential regional think tanks and CSO networks as future partners, based on the recommended thematic programme areas for the new WAHRD. Provide recommendations on opportunities and constraints of a regional programme setup in relation to creating functional horizontal and vertical links across institutions, coalitions, platforms and networks at regional and national levels, and between regional WAHRD partners and national TP partners. Explore opportunities for increasing dialogue, advocacy and engagement with ECOWAS at the regional level. Provide recommendations on the possibility of carrying out regional advocacy on the EBOLA outbreak especially its implications on economic growth, youth unemployment, conflict and inequality etc. Provide recommendations for opportunities in working with Oxfam International and/or OSIWA at the regional level, as well as relevant UN agencies that could serve as strategic partners/allies, based on the recommended thematic areas. Provide recommendations for how to improve the peer learning element in a new programme. Provide recommendations for the future role of IBIS in the 4

5 4. Evaluate the degree to which the WAHRD programme was able to facilitate synergies with and between programme partners, as well as with across IBIS programme countries in the region 5. Evaluate whether WAHRD was a cost- effective and sustainable vehicle to support compliance with human rights and peaceful environments in West Africa and provide recommendations on how the WAHRD could become more cost- effective and sustainable in the future, including options for fundraising Assess the extent to which the programme has facilitated national and regional synergies between IBIS programmes, including how well the WAHRD programme has been able to link and collaborate with the Governance TPs Assess the extent to which the programme has facilitated and build on synergies with the AAP Assess the degree to which the programme has facilitated synergies between and with key regional strategic and programme partners, including similar regional programmes of other organizations Access the degree to which WAHRD programme spending was in accordance with IBIS cost categories Assess the extent to which the program established/enhanced capacity, processes and systems that are likely to be sustained WAHRD programme to ensure greater value addition. Provide recommendations for how to strengthen synergies and relations with the Governance TPs in the region. Provide recommendations for how to strengthen synergies with the two other IBIS global programmes, the AAP and EAPI. Provide recommendations for how to build or strengthen synergies with similar regional programmes of Oxfam. Provide recommendations for how to build or strengthen synergies with similar regional programmes of other organizations Identify and recommend opportunities for attaining the 50/50 financing goal, in terms of relevant institutional donors and funding beyond the DANIDA frame, including potential for co- financing with other organizations Provide recommendations on the cost- effective use of funds given the expected decrease in the programme budget Provide recommendations on how to improve programme sustainability in the next phase 5

6 4. Profile of Consultants The evaluation is proposed to be conducted by three consultants, one of them being the lead and taking ultimate responsibility for all outputs, including draft and final reports. The three consultants will have demonstrable and complementary experiences working with NGOs and civil society on Decentralisation, Democratic Reforms, Media Rights, Transparency and Anti- corruption issues, work in West Africa (preferably more than one country within the proposed geographic coverage (Ghana, Liberia, Burkina Faso and Sierra Leone). They will have accomplishments in Post Conflict Rights- Based Approaches to Development Programming and Organisation Development of Civil Society groups. The lead consultant will have a strong profile in conducting evaluations and in leading a team(s) of evaluators to conduct similar assignments. A working knowledge of FRENCH will be required from at least one of the team members. Roles and Responsibilities/Deliverables The consultants commissioned to undertake this evaluation will: 1. Produce and inception report covering the evaluation objectives, the theory of change, the proposed methodology and evaluation matrix. 2. Develop and design the evaluation instruments and tools that meet the OECD- DAC quality standards for development evaluation. 3. Conduct desk based document review. 4. Conduct field visits to relevant countries and partners and other relevant stakeholders, where possible given the Ebola Virus Disease outbreak in Liberia and Sierra Leone) to collect data. 5. Produce the draft detailed report. 6. Make presentations of findings and recommendations to staff and partners, and collect feedback. 7. Suggest two concrete scenarios of thematic focus, possible partners and structure for a future Regional Programme in alignment with IBIS strategies/policies. (Focus of Regional Governance TPs in the region and agenda of ECOWAS). 8. And based on the feedback in (6 and 7) above, produce and submit a final detailed report with an executive summary, in soft and hard copy, of no more than 40 pages.

7 IBIS will: Facilitate the provision of background literature including project documents, reports and other relevant data. Provide necessary logistic support to facilitate travels, appointments, meetings, workshops, etc. 5. Management of the Process The responsibility of managing the evaluation rests on the Programme Director of WAHRD as the Lead and Contact Person but the Ghana Country Director has ultimate oversight responsibility for the exercise. The mission will also be supported by a team comprising the three Country Directors of Sierra Leone, Liberia and Burkina Faso as well as the Governance Programme Directors in these countries whose involvement will generally be remote, unless at the debriefing meeting where it is planned that all the key stakeholders are present. The Senior Governance Advisor at the Head Office responsible for Governance will also be part of the management team and details of his involvement will be discussed with the consultants. 6. Timelines and Schedule for Evaluation It is proposed that the evaluation is carried out between October and December Expression of interest Interested individuals, groups of individuals and firms are invited to submit Technical and Financial proposals as well as indicative timelines for the accomplishment of the tasks to: search4consultants@ibisghana.org. This should be done by 31 st October,

8 8. Reference Documents IBIS Strategy for Democratic Governance, Citizen s Rights and Economic Justice. The Country Strategies of IBIS in Ghana, Sierra Leone and Liberia Burkina Faso Study documents if any (Aliou to advise) Concept Note: future of WARHD from Sierra Leone meeting, May Minutes from SL meeting in May WAHRD Project Document WAHRD Baseline study document 2010 WAHRD Formative Monitoring Report March (2008, 2012) WAHRD Evaluation Report September 2009 WAHRD Project Document Report on study on Anti- Corruption ECOWAS Framework for Conflict Prevention ECOWAS Protocol on Human and Peoples Rights ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance WAHRD II OPS reports (2010, 2011, 2012) IBIS Thematic Programme Evaluation guidelines The Change Triangle Notes on all meetings Commissioned studies under WAHRD phase II Context analysis of Burkina Faso. Addendum to TOR 8

9 ! Annex 1: Proposed Schedule for WAHRD II Evaluation! October December, 2014 Date & Time Activity Person(s) Involved Remarks October 6-10 th Finalisation of TOR CDs and HO October 13 th Advertising and identification of 17 th consultants Justin October 20 th Hiring of consultants Tijani/Justin/Consultants 24 th October 27 th Consultants meet in Accra with WAHRD to firm up plans and clarify expectations, comment on strategies. As many as stakeholders who are around Accra(not limited to Ghana only) Celestina will book hotel accommodati on October 28 th Meet with Country Director (CD) of Ghana, Programme Director of WAHRD and Programme Development Advisor for Ghana to understand perspectives of the results achieved by the WAHRD Programme, challenges and opportunities. Tijani/Justin/Peter/Consul tants October 29 th Group Meeting with Country Directors (CDs) of Sierra Leone and Liberia to understand perspectives of the WAHRD Programme, challenges and opportunities. Rosalind, Anne- Catherine/ Consultants October 30 th Group Meeting with the Governance Programme Directors of Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone Burkina Faso and Programme Facilitator (PF) of Governance in IBIS Ghana Country Office (Accra) for a perspective on the WAHRD Programme, challenges and Emmanuel, Maya, Alpha/Consultants Meeting with Alpha to be held via Skype. 9

10 opportunities. October 31 st November 3 rd November 3 rd Skype meeting with Senior Governance Advisor in IBIS HO to understand perspectives of the WAHRD Programme, challenges and opportunities. Meet with Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) Meet with Foundation for Security in West Africa (FOSDA) Morten/Consultants Abigail/Justin/ Consultants Theodora/Justin/ Consultants November 3 rd November 4 th November 4 th November 4 th Meet with West Africa Network For Peace building (WANEP) Meet with West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI) Meet with National Peace Council (NPC) Meet with Catholic Relief Services (CRS) Alimou/Justin/ Consultants Nana/Justin/ Consultants George/Justin/ Consultants Hippolyt/Justin/ Consultants November 5 th Meet with HFA to understand Patricia/Consultants financial perspectives of the results achieved by the WAHRD Programme, challenges and opportunities. November 5 th Travel to Tamale Celestina/Justin Afia to arrange for pick up and accommodati on November 6 th Meet with West Africa Network For Isaac/Justin/ Consultants Peace building, Ghana (WANEP- Ghana) November 7 th Travel to Accra Celestina/Justin Celestina to arrange for pick up November 9 th Travel to Abuja Consultants/Justin November 10 th - Hold meeting with ECOWAS 11 th possible collaboration with WAHRD Consultants/Justin 10

11 in the next phase November 10 th - Hold meeting with OI and OSIWA 12 th in Senegal on possible collaboration with WAHRD in the next phase. Consultants/Justin To be done via skype November 12 th Travel to Burkina Faso Consultants/Justin November 13 th - Interact with CD of IBIS, Danish 14 th Embassy and any other possible collaborators suggested by Aliou, on their perspectives for WAHRD in the next phase. November 17 th - Meet with project beneficiaries, 21 st participants and allies suggested by WANEP, FOSDA and MFWA at their interactive meetings. November 17 th Global Governance Group meeting 21 st in Copenhagen. Consultants/Justin/Aliou Abigail, Alimou, Theodora, Justin/Consultants. PDs of Governance Programmes November 24 th - Prepare debriefing notes. Consultants 28 th November 24 th - Management Group Meeting CDs of IBIS 28 th December 1 st Debriefing with IBIS Staff Celestina will arrange for the venue December 2 nd Dec 5 th Debriefing with IBIS Staff and partners. Submit the draft report for comments Evaluators, CDs, PDs, HFA, National Policy Advisor, PA, Partner, Beneficiaries, Senior Governance Advisor, International Director Consultants Celestina will arrange for the venue Dec 10 th Submit the final report Consultants 11