Consultancy to Develop a Gender Strategy

1.0 Background Information

The Canadian Co-operative Association (CCA) in partnership with SEND-Ghana and the Ghana Credit Unions Association (CUA) Ltd is implementing a five year Food Security Through Cooperatives In Northern Ghana (FOSTERING) project which is aimed at increasing sustainable, gender equitable food security for over 42,000 women and men in eight districts in the Eastern Corridor of Northern Ghana (East Gonja, Kpandai, Nanumba South, Nanumba North, Krachi-Nchumuru, Zabzugu, Tatale-Sangule and Chereponi). The FOSTERING project directly tackles four key areas of improving food security and sustainable economic growth for small-holder farmers; improving production; better marketing of products; expansion of household activities into off-season businesses and access to finance. It will incorporate important gender and climate resilience strategies to ensure sustainability of outcomes. The project’s direct beneficiaries are women and men small-holder farmers that are members of credit unions. CCA and its partners recognize that gender inequality can be a significant constraint to economic growth and poverty reduction particularly in rural communities in the Eastern Corridor of Northern Ghana where entrenched cultures and traditions have tended to relegate women in the background. Although women are significant actors in the agriculture labour force - women play a key role in producing up to 80% of basic food for household consumption and market and provide more labour for post-harvest activities in the eastern corridor, there is low gender equity and distribution of benefits at program, institutional and network levels. They particularly do not have equal access to income-earning activities or the financial services necessary to support them. In the family, aside rising trend in the number of female-headed households, women do more work, have less leisure time, and receive less nutrition due to cultural norms that dictate that men eat first. Women also lack decision-making power about household income and resources. Women have less schooling and have higher rates of illiteracy, which limits their ability to participate in co-operative governance. Integrating gender issues have been prioritized within the Project Implementation Plan (PIP) of the FOSTERING Project, as an approach to ensure the enhancement of women’s contribution to efficient delivery of the project results, which will contribute to poverty reduction and socio-economic development of project communities in the eastern corridor. To ensure the achievement of these results, a gender assessment is to be conducted to understand the prevailing gender issues confronting communities, particularly women empowerment vis-a vis men’s in production, yield attained, storage, processing, marketing and within the cooperatives/credit unions in the eastern corridor. As a result the services of a consultant is being sought to conduct a gender analysis of gender issues in the eastern corridor communities and to develop a Gender Implementation Strategy for the FOSTERING project. This strategy will guide the implementation and monitoring of the gender aspects of the FOSTERING project among the target beneficiaries in the short, medium and long term. This strategy when implemented will ensure that the FOSTERING project will support to advance women’s participation in decision making in co-operative governance and increase their access to and control over the resources and benefits of the project in the targeted communities.

2.0 Description of Assignment

2.1 Objectives of Assignment

The main goal of this consultancy is to develop a gender equality strategy for the implementation of the FOSTERING Project in the target communities of the 8 districts in the Eastern Corridor of Northern Ghana. The specific objectives for developing the gender strategy would include;

•   To conduct a gender analysis in the eastern corridor to identify gender issues and challenges directly related to the situation of women at the household and community level
•   Evaluate the commitment and capacity of SEND-Ghana and CUA to promote gender equality
•   To Identify institutions and individuals as well as policies and programs within Ghana that the FOSTERING project may harness to support its efforts to promote gender equality
•   To make recommendations that will be used to guide the programming of activities in the upcoming project proposal to resolve or mitigate identified gender issues.

2.2 Scope of work

The consultant will lead the process for the development of a gender strategy for the project in the 8 target districts of the Eastern Corridor of Northern Ghana. For the purposes of this assignment, it is expected that a representative sample of FOSTERING Project beneficiaries will be selected for data collection purposes. The assignment is expected to begin on 26th May 2014. The Consultant will work closely with the Gender Project Officer and report to the Project Management Team of the FOSTERING Project.

2.3 Proposed Methodology

The Consultant will:

• Provide a proposed draft methodology for:

a) the gender analysis and

b) the development of the gender strategy, study, including questionnaires and other instruments, as well as a work-plan and time-table, which will be discussed and validated with the Project Management Team.

The methodology would involve;

•   Review and analysis of relevant documents, including SEND-Ghana and CUA gender assessments/audits (2010 and 2008 respectively) and project evaluation reports, the FOSTERING project PIP documents, CCA, CUA and SEND-Ghana’s Gender Tool Kit
•   Review and analysis of the different approaches to gender education being implemented by SEND-Ghana e.g. gender model family, gender trainer of trainers, etc.
•   Interviews with key informants e.g. management and staff of SEND-Ghana and CUA
•   Focus group discussions with women and men in a representative sample of communities in the FOSTERING project area (within towns, rural and hard to reach with ethnic minorities). ? The use of participatory rapid appraisal techniques for data collection in the communities. (Possible tools for data collection: Agriculture calendar; 24 hour clock; organization venn diagram; etc.)
•   Sourcing additional information through their established contacts;

2.4 Expected Deliverables

•   The draft methodology for the gender analysis and gender strategy, complete with time table and proposed work plan.
•   Develop and submit an electronic copy of the GENDER ANALYSIS AND STRATEGY REPORT in English to the Project Management Team. This will include;

a. A 15 to 20 page Gender Analysis Report (document #1) that assesses

•   the current institutional capacities and commitments of SEND-Ghana and CUA to promote gender equality, as per the CCA Institutional Gender Assessment Framework. Determine if there are areas of institutional weaknesses (regarding both capacity and commitment to promoting gender equality) which could affect the extent to which activities are carried out in a gender-sensitive manner;
•   the gender analysis carried out in the eastern corridor communities addressing the women’s capacity and empowerment vis-a vis men’s in production, yield attained, storage, processing, marketing and within the cooperatives/credit unions and it affect the household. Show the level of contribution of the women into the household (health, nutrition, economic) showing the importance to enhance equity.
•   the potential impact of the planned activities of the FOSTERING project (i.e., to start in April 2014) in terms of the results a) on women and b) on gender relations between women and men (is there evidence of increased equality between women and men?). To what extent women will be accessing and benefiting from the resources provided through the project, as compared to men? And to what extent the project is addressing women’s practical and strategic needs, as it relates to women’s primary responsibilities?

b. A 10 page document (document #2) that includes

•   a high-level summary of the conclusions from the critical analysis of the gender concerns affecting women’s decision making space and economic participation in the eastern corridor and
•   A gender operational strategy that outlines specific measures for enhancing the extent to which project activities will benefit women to the same extent as men; how the project can benefit women as equally as men.

2.5 Main Key Tasks of Assignment

The consultant’s responsibilities will include, but not be limited to, the following tasks:

•   Preparation of a proposal and work plan for the work, based on this Terms of Reference, for approval of the FOSTERING Project Management Team.
•   Review and analyze relevant sex-disaggregated project monitoring data.
•   Conduct field work in project targeted communities to obtain data on the gender division of labour in the households and related productive activities and in reproductive work; women and men’s access to resources, services, and markets (details of information to be collected to be shared with consultant by project management team).
•   Establish gender results to be achieved, indicators and reporting target for the five years project.
•   Identify and review key gender equality policies (government and other) affecting the sector at the national and regional levels.
•   Assess the gender issues in the eastern corridor and make recommendations for promoting gender equality to the FOSTERING Project Management Team.

2.6 Recommendations

On the basis of this gender analysis, the consultant will develop strategies, through which the project may address the practical needs of women and men and help improve the strategic position of women by suggesting:

•   Ways of improving women’s access to productive resources required under the project, as well as avoiding any negative effects of the project on women’s position;
•   Methods of improving women’s participation in training, and their access to information and extension services;
•   Strengthen women’s social status in the household and the community with regard to decision making and access to development opportunities;
•   Steps to facilitate women’s participation in producers’ organizations to give them access to services, inputs, and markets; and support for women’s savings and credit activities through group formation, training, and linkage with credit union services.
•   Mechanisms to overcome any bottlenecks to promoting gender equality in the FOSTERING Project, regarding the institutional capacity and commitment of SEND-Ghana and CUA to promote gender equality
•   Ways to address the issues of gender results, indicators, targets and reporting of the project.

Qualification Required & Experience

Competencies of the Consultant

The consultant should have the following qualifications and expertise

•   Extensive experience (at least 10 years) in the application of gender-sensitive methodologies for data collection and in developing gender strategies that address gender concerns within the food security and agriculture sectors;
•   Good knowledge and understanding of alternative development in food security and agriculture;
•   Good understanding of poverty, social and cultural issues;
•   International work experience preferred;
•   In-depth knowledge of gender issues;
•   Experience in the use of participatory methodologies;
•   Demonstrated high level of professionalism and an ability to work independently and in high pressure situations under tight deadlines;
•   Ability to write and communicate in English;
•   Knowledge and understanding of rural northern Ghana context;

Required Skills and Experience

The Consultant should have the following qualifications:

•   Master’s degree related to a social science, preferably gender studies, development studies, agriculture and environmental studies, rural development, public policy, social research, etc.
•   At least 10 years experience in the area of Gender and Diversity with proof of activities carried out within the last 5 years
•   Strong professional knowledge in gender policy issues with particular reference to agriculture, rural development, food security and co-operative development in Northern Ghana

Remuneration

The Consultant will receive a remuneration that corresponds to their level of experience, in accordance with SEND-Ghana’s policy on remuneration for services rendered. SEND-Ghana will pay travel expenses for the assignment, including transportation, food, incidentals, and lodging expenses. Modalities for payment will be specified in the service contract, which will be signed between the Consultant and SEND Ghana.

Location: Tamale

How To Apply For The Job

Expression of interest

The Consultant should express his/her interest in this call through a motivation letter accompanied by detailed curriculum vitae with three referees and samples of recent work to SEND-Ghana, by electronic mail to:- Raymond@sendwestafrica.org  and copied to Lucie.Tremblay@coopscanada.coop

Closing Date: 16 May, 2014

Only selected candidates will be contacted.