Gender-responsive External Evaluation

Gender-responsive External Evaluation

Terms of reference

Gender-Responsive External Evaluation

IADK – Empowering youth and women of rural areas to engage in agriculture and food processing.

Organisation:            IADK

Place:                         Kosovo

Evaluation period:    approx. 15 days between August and mid-September 2023

Mandated by:             cfd – the feminist peace organisation

 

  1. Background
  • Information on the mandating organisation: cfd

The Swiss NGO cfd (cfd – The Feminist Peace Organization, www.cfd-ch.org) is a peace and development organisation working towards gender equality, the empowerment of women and participation of women in conflict resolution and peace building efforts. Its regional focus is around the Mediterranean (Southeastern Europe, Maghreb and Middle East).

cfd’s engagement in Southeastern Europe goes back to 1996 and remained ever since a key element in the international cooperation program of the organisation. cfd cooperates with local NGOs, mostly local women’s organisations, human right’s organisations, organisations engaged in inclusive economic development and other NGOs with already defined gender-sensitive approaches or who are interested to further developing their inclusive intervention strategies. Cfd engages in the following sectors: prevention of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), income generation and social and political inclusion. At the moment, in Kosovo cfd is supporting projects in the fields in all three thematic fields.

  • Information on the partner organisation:

Initiative for Agricultural Development in Kosovo IADK is a non-profit, non-governmental organization established in 2004, emerging out of LWF Program. For 18 years, since its establishment, the organization has implemented above 125 projects, with aim to advance small farmers, women and youth in agriculture. IADK continues to become stronger as by learning and developing along the way, who currently is one of the major players in agriculture development in Kosovo, one of the largest NGO in this sector that provides different agriculture services, closely cooperating with relevant institutions, ministry/policy makers, those that have high valued sector expertise. IADK aims to address particularly the agricultural and rural sector problems by improving the quality and quantity of the agriculture sector, increasing knowledge and competitiveness of farmers and strengthening the role of farmers. Therefore, IADK cooperates closely with farmers in Kosovo and their associations, public and private agricultural advisory specialists, other non-governmental organizations, municipalities and government authorities such as MAFRD. Through the cooperation with cfd, IADK has accentuated the gender and vulnerability perspective in its work.

 

  1. Short description of the project to be evaluated

The project “Empowering youth and women of rural areas to engage in agriculture and food processing” is being implemented from January 2021 until December 2023.

The overall goal of the project is to empower women/men and youth living in rural area, to increase their professional capacities, and generate higher income and raise their voice towards public institutions.

 

Outcome 1: Women/men and youth increase their professional capacities and have access in the labouring market.

Output 1.1: Women/men and youth are capacitated through business skills trainings.

Outcome 2: Women/men and youth are empowered and generate higher income.

Output 2.1: Grant support for women/men and youth for higher family income.

Output 2.2: Create linkages with relevant actors in order to promote the integration of women, men and youth into socio-economic activities.

 

  1. Objectives and scope of the gender-responsive external evaluation:

The general objective of this gender-responsive evaluation is to provide an in-depth reflection on the project’s strategic and operational planning, achievements, successes, challenges, and performance, building on the accumulative experience of project intervention in the last 2.5 years (2021-2023). The evaluation is envisaged to be a formative evaluation that intends to provide a reflection process and in-depth analysis to inform a next program phase. The evaluation should focus on two main aspects:

 

  1. To evaluate the extent to which the project has contributed to an empowerment process for rural women and youth.
  2. To assess the way in which the support of cfd has strengthened gender component of IADK and has allowed the organization to grow in this aspect.

 

  • Specific objectives of the gender-responsive evaluation

The evaluation can be based on OECD/DAC evaluation criteria. It should provide an in-depth analysis focusing on aspects of social empowerment, increased gender equality, social transformation and economic strengthening.

Relevance and Coherence: Is the intervention relevant and coherent to achieve greater gender equality, women’s economic, social, and civic empowerment of rural women in the community? What is the added value/comparative advantage of the project compared to similar interventions?

Effectiveness: Assess effectiveness and organizational efficiency in progressing towards the achievement of the project’s goals and towards gender equality, women’s economic, social, and civic empowerment. Is the project designed in a coherent and realistic way to achieve the originally defined objectives? What are the changes produced by the project at local level? What has been the progress made towards achievement of the expected outcomes and expected results?

Efficiency: Were the project funds managed effectively? Could the activities and outputs have been delivered with fewer resources without reducing their quality and quantity? Has IADK’s organisational structure, managerial support and coordination mechanisms effectively supported and facilitated the project implementation?

Sustainability: Assess the sustainability of the intervention in achieving rural women’s and youth’ economic, social, and political empowerment.

Key questions for sustainability:

  • Are the interventions designed in a way to achieve women’s rights in the long run?
  • Are the interventions designed to achieve greater gender equality in the villages targeted by the project?
  • What are the possible partnerships and cooperations needed for IADK to that the project works towards the achievement of long-term objectives?

Impact (road to): Determine the (road to) impact of the intervention with respect to gender equality. What are the intended and unintended, positive and negative, long-term effects of the project?

2.2. Conclusions and recommendations

Define what changes/adaptations need to be envisioned in order to address the identified gaps, challenges and obstacles and to improve long-term benefits of the project. Propose measures for and formulate concrete recommendations for the project adaption in the new project phase 2024-2026.

 

  1. Methodological aspects
    • Data collection

Desk study – Review of secondary sources (to be edited accordingly):

  • Media reports/articles
  • Statements from the families of participating women
  • Market organizers and customers from the local markets
  • Representatives of local authorities
  • Surveys and questionnaires targeting the wider community

Review important available information of the above-mentioned project of the project evaluation period (2021-2023) including: 

  • Project documents
  • Focus groups and interviews to gather information around project outputs and process to inform the evaluation, and to help determine if and how the project can adapt to the needs of the community in new developments.

The evaluation will cover the project implementation period from 01.01.2021 – 30.06.2023 in project target municipalities: Vushtrri, Lipjan, Shtime, and Mitrovica. The mid-term evaluation will integrate gender equality and social inclusion, specifically considering the involvement of women and youth in agriculture and rural economic development, throughout its deliverables and process.

The inclusion of qualitative methods of data collection is required. The consultant will propose the methodological approach as a part of his/her offer. Detailed methodology will be finalized in participation with partner and cfd staff.

 

  • Evaluation Report
  • Submission of draft report in English and executive summary in English and Albanian.
  • Realization of feedback session in English for cfd and IADK
  • Preparation of final report in English and an executive summary in English and Albanian, incorporating results from the feedback session

 

  • Dissemination of the research results

Presentation of final report findings to cfd, participants and involved stakeholders (see target group) in Albanian.

 

  1. Relevant sources of information

The participants in this evaluation project include:

  • Director and project staff members of the partner organisation
  • Direct project participants
  • External partners/stakeholders
  • cfd Program Coordinator and Local Coordinator.

 

  1. Timeframe and time schedule: 15 days in the timeframe of up to 1.5 months starting in August, final report submission latest mid-September 2023.

Timeframe needs to include the following steps

  • Document review and preparation of inception report, including detailed evaluation scope and methodology
  • Presentation of draft inception report and incorporation of feedback from cfd and IADK
  • Data Collection including qualitative methodologies
  • Data Analysis
  • Completion of draft report
  • Presentation of draft report for comments, data cross check and suggestions in feedback session to cfd and IADK (in English).
  • Incorporation of comments and additional findings into a finalized version of the report

Presentation of evaluation findings to cfd, IADK, and relevant stakeholders (in Albanian)

 

  1. Deliverables

The output will be a Gender Responsive Evaluation Report in English and Albanian.

The final evaluation report comprises:

  • An executive summary of not more than 3 pages in each language
  • Inception report with proposed methodologies
  • Draft final report for cfd’s & IADK’s feedback
  • The final report of the assessment will contain analysis, findings / lessons learnt, conclusions and recommendations. The report will also incorporate the results of the feedback session. The report should not exceed 20 pages (excluding the annexes in which the questionnaires and instruments developed are included).

 

  1. Required Qualification
  • University Degree in Social, Gender, Human Rights or Political Science
  • Profound knowledge and experience in the Balkans; understanding of the specifics of the current context, its challenges and the dynamics of political, economic, social and technological transition
  • Practical experience of advising non-government organisations on designing, implementing and evaluating projects from a feminist perspective
  • Proven experience in women’s rights, gender-based violence and discrimination
  • Excellent social scientific methodological data collection skills (qualitative and quantitative)
  • Excellent writing and analytical skills
  • Fluency in English (oral and written) and Albanian/Serbian required

 

  1. Roles and Responsibilities

Obligations of cfd and IADK

Consultant fee: agreed after submission between cfd and consultant.

  1. Local travelling and tentative workshop costs are included in the consultant’s fee.
  2. Travel during data collection is assured by IADK

 

Obligation of Consultant

  1. Execute all task as agreed in the contract and adhere to proposed methods.
  2. Submit the above specified deliverables in time.
  3. Organize the data collection and field visit in coordination with IADK and according to availabilities of participants.

 

  1. Application process

Interested consultants/teams of consultants are asked to provide a written proposal (max. 5 pages) including the proposed methodology, time schedule, financial offer, as well as the CV of the consultant(s) until July 31st 2023 by email to:
cfdkosovo@gmail.com, f.gashi88@gmail.com, and lea.breitner@cfd-ch.org

Questions can be submitted to the same email no later than 26 July 2023.

  1. Selection criteria

Criteria for the selection of the offer will be: 1) Previous experience of consultant (specifically in gender responsive evaluation 2) quality of proposal; 3) proposed methodology; 4) proposed timeframe; 5) financial offer.