GEISA Facilitator - Plan International Ghana

Plan International Ghana is an International Child-Centered Community Development organization and has been operating in Ghana since 1992 and is not in affiliation to any organized body such as political, religious or government. Plan Ghana’s vision is a world in which all children realize their full potentials in societies, and the rights and dignity of children respected. Plan International Ghana has a mission to achieve lasting improvements in the quality of life of deprived children in developing countries through a process that unites people across cultures and adds value to their lives. Our four values define how we work to achieve our Purpose; We strive for lasting impact, We work well together, We are inclusive and empowering and we are open and accountable.

Gender inequality and exclusion vary in their expression from place to place but, in all countries where we work, we encounter different forms of gender-based discrimination, gender stereotyping and an unequal distribution of power between women, men, girls and boys, and other genders, as well as exclusion based on multiple factors. These factors include identities such as race, class, ethnicity, ability, language, sexual orientation, and gender identity, among others. We recognize that individuals have multiple identities that shape their experiences. We believe that our work on tackling gender inequality can be strengthened by examining how these identities intersect, and by using this learning to inform programmes and influencing. Gender inequality intensifies the negative effects of all other forms of exclusion and as a result, exclusion is different and often worse for girls and women. Girls often face the most significant barriers to exercising their rights among excluded groups, which is why gender equality and girls’ rights remain a distinct priority for our work.

In line with this, Plan International Ghana has decided to undertake a Gender Equality and Inclusion Self-Assessment (GEISA) as a part of our wider commitment to gender equality and inclusion.

Why is the GEISA Important?

Undertaking a GEISA is part of Plan’s process to understand and build our capacity to address gender inequalities and exclusion. The GEISA enables Plan International Ghana’s staff to look at and identify the critical gender and inclusion issues in our programme and influencing work, across our offices and staff, and marketing and communications.

Definition of a GEISA

A GEISA is a participatory process that encourages staff to ‘take stock’ of all their work, to see how far it promotes gender equality and inclusion. Reviewing and reflecting on the quality and relevance of our current work on gender and inclusion allows staff to understand what is working well, where the gaps are, and to decide on clear actions to improve the quality of this work in future. A GEISA requires every Plan office to look at both our internal office and our external relations, understanding and exploring the gender and inclusion issues in both.

Purpose of Assignment

The purpose of a GEISA is:

• To undertake a learning and review process on gender equality and inclusion across all Plan’s work, both internal and external; and
• To identify the strengths and challenges of Plan’s gender and inclusion work in order to determine concrete steps for making improvements.

Specific Objectives of the Assignment

• To understand Plan’s existing work on gender equality and inclusion, for use in assessing future progress.
• To motivate staff to understand the relevance or value of addressing gender inequalities and exclusion in their work.
• To encourage all staff to use gender equality and inclusion analysis in their work.
• To emphasize the importance of gender equality and inclusion towards our quest for a just world for all children.
• To document and disseminate good practices around addressing gender inequalities and exclusion.
• To provide baseline data on Plan’s existing gender equality and inclusion work and progress (inside Plan and in external programmes), and use this for institutional learning.
• To set priorities for action to ensure progress on gender equality and inclusion is on track.
• To establish a process of learning about how to improve performance on gender equality and inclusion

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Key Research Questions

It is expected that all research questions as outlined below are answered. 

• What are Plan International Ghana priorities around gender equality, women’s and girls’ rights, the rights of persons with disabilities (PWDs), indigenous rights, and any other contextually relevant inclusion issues? 
• Are there other policies that cut across gender equality and inclusion work?
• Are there key policies related to gender equality and inclusion that your office is missing?
• Have gender equality and inclusion been included or considered in Plan International Ghana programming for assessing future progress?  
• Are there policies within your office that challenge or inhibit the work on gender equality and inclusion?
• What are the existing practices or mechanisms used to address gender inequalities and exclusion in Plan’s programmes and projects? How have these practices addressed gender inequalities and exclusion?
• Who has the responsibility for disseminating and updating staff on emerging gender inequality and exclusion issues? How is this done?
• Who has the responsibility for gender equality and inclusion work in the department, Programme Unit or office?
• Do job descriptions for staff include gender equality and inclusion competencies?
• How do staff understand the concept of gender equality, inclusion, and girls’ empowerment?
• What are the experiences of staff in working with Plan around issues of gender equality, inclusion and girls’ empowerment?
• How are gender equality and inclusion included in staff work? 
• Do staff across different departments have key performance indicators on gender equality and inclusion goals/commitments?
• What is the level of work done on GE and inclusion key performance indicators towards achieving a just world for all children?
• How are gender equality and inclusion work reported and monitored?
• What support were given to staff working on gender equality and inclusion? Were the support provided adequate?
• What are the available data on Plan’s existing gender equality and inclusion work and progress (inside Plan and in external programmes), and use this for institutional learning.
• How are staff using gender equality and inclusion analysis in their work?
• What are the mechanisms or opportunities available for tracking progress of gender equality and inclusion?
• Are there any obvious changes in attitudes and beliefs around inclusion issues such as sexual orientation, disability, ethnicity or religion etc., as well as gender relations, the position and status of women/girls, or the role of men/boys in addressing gender inequalities and exclusion?
• How are boys and men involved in promoting gender equality and inclusion in the country?

Scope of Work

Scope of work and methodology

The process of a gender equality and inclusion assessment is highly participatory, working closely with Plan staff. Consultants are invited to suggest appropriate methodology and approaches that will reflect the involvement of the cross- sections of the study population by sex, age and other relevant gender equality and inclusion parameters. The methodology should consider quantitative and qualitative research methods in the data collection, analysis and presentation of the results. The sampling frame should consider both Plan staff from all the four (4) Programme Units (PUs) (in the Central, Volta, Eastern and Upper West regions), Country Office and other supporting/project offices within the country.  It will also consider both sponsorship and grant staff. Other category of persons include implementing partners at district and national levels, development partners, government partners, as well as Plan beneficiaries. The Plan International Ghana’s Gender Advisor and MER staff will participate in all survey processes including the design and testing of the data collection tools as well as review of the survey results. Digital data collection will be used in this survey. The consultants’ role is to guide the GEISA process as a facilitator rather than an external evaluator. The evidence from other organizations and within Plan shows that a participatory self-assessment is the most effective way to learn about gender equality and inclusion in an organization.

The consultant will work closely with Plan International Ghana’s Gender and Inclusion Advisor to undertake the GEISA.

This will include the following key steps:

• Attend inception and methodology meeting
• Develop the GEISA work plan and schedule.
• Clarify understanding of gender equality and inclusion concepts with the GEISA team.
• Agree on methods to be used in the GEISA process.
• Adjust the framework for analysis to the specific situation of the country office and select relevant and appropriate guiding questions for each of the elements of the framework  Prepare and conduct the training of the facilitation team
• Guide the assessment process and the team during the different steps. It includes facilitating regular exchange and sharing of information among the team members. A daily wrap-up session focuses on questions such as, what was remarkable about the day's session; what has to be taken up as an issue in the methods planned for the following day
• Prepare the debriefing session in which main findings and conclusions are presented and the team’s draft recommendations discussed. And will present the outcome to the management team
• Review relevant documents
• Develop/Review data collection tools for adaptation
• Conduct the GEISA, together with the GEISA team.
• Analyze the data.
• Identify at least three (3) clear Gender Equality and Inclusion issues for advocacy and influencing
• Write the draft GEISA report and facilitate feedback inclusion from the Plan office.
• Present a final, agreed and clear report on the process and findings. The executive summary has to be written in such a way that it can be shared with a wider public
• Identify recommendations and support the Plan office to develop an achievable Gender and Inclusion Action Plan as part of the report
• Facilitate a final dissemination workshop.
• Maintain on-going communication with Plan International Ghana’s Gender Advisor and GEISA Team throughout the entire process.
• 
  The Consultant will ensure that the GEISA is a critical process for Plan to reflect upon, and work towards, the commitments set out in Plan’s Policy on Gender Equality and Inclusion3 (June 2017), which is accompanied by Implementation Guidelines in three interrelated areas.
• Offices and Staff
• Programmes and Influencing
• Marketing and Communications

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Expected Deliverables

It is expected that the Consultant will produce the following deliverables:

• Submission of inception meeting report
• A work-plan for the GEISA process.
• Finalized data collection tools
• Findings on gender equality and inclusion across all three areas of Plan’s work.
• A draft report on the GEISA.
• Final report
• Presentation materials/slides for dissemination of GEISA report.
• A summary of recommendations and Gender and Inclusion Action Plan.
• A set of GEISA Guidelines have been developed to guide this work. It is expected that the Consultant will utilize these guidelines to inform the expected deliverables.

Time Frame and Budget

The entire GEISA process will be undertaken over a time period from March to end of April 2020 (from inception to report delivery). During this time, the Facilitator is expected to work up to 43 days (secondment basis).

Timeline of activities (Please refer to excel sheet attached)

 
Safeguarding and Young People Policy

The selected consultant and staff will conduct the survey in-line with and abiding by Plan’s Safeguarding Children and Young People Policy and ethical standards in Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning.  This means, for example, ensuring that children/young people are taken care of with regards to the principles of gender equality, inclusion and non-discrimination are considered and acted upon throughout, and that the meaningful participation of children, young people and other key stakeholders is promoted in the design and implementation of the evaluation. The selected consultant will commit to respect Plan International’s Safeguarding children and Young People Policy to prevent any harm from participating children and youth.

Disclosure of Information

It is understood and agreed that the Consultant shall complete the consent form to enable the seeking of views of the beneficiaries, during and after the effective period of the contract, also treat as confidential and not divulge, unless authorized in writing by Plan Int. Ghana, any information obtained in the course of the performance of the Contract.  Information will be made available for the consultant on a need to know basis. Field visits will be assisted by Plan Int. Ghana staff.

Indicative Payment

Payment to consultant would be as follows:

60% of approved payment upon signing of contract

40% of payment upon submission of final report and meeting requirement as set out in this TOR

Person Specification

Plan International Ghana aims to contract a Consultant with experience who knows what a gender and inclusion assessment is, how to perform one, and has preferably undertaken one in Plan International or another NGO.

The external facilitator should have the following skills:

• At least a Master’s Degree in Gender and Development Social Sciences/Project Management with a strong practical experience in Gender/Development
• Management/ Monitoring, Evaluation and Research with Gender as part of focus area  Strong experience in undertaking a gender and inclusion assessment in Plan or another INGO;
• Strong facilitation skills and hands-on experience of working in participatory ways with staff groups, partners and communities;
• Strong gender and inclusion analytical skills and knowledge/experience of different gender and inclusion tools;
• Strong knowledge in gender and inclusion trends and emerging issues nationally and globally
• The ability to select the best approach/methodology for different groups and audiences;

Qualitative and quantitative data collection skills;

• Proven ability to support and work with an internal staff team and keep staff motivated;
• Openness to listen, learn and accurately record the GEISA responses and findings;
• Good report-writing skills are essential;
• An ability to negotiate challenging findings from the GEISA with staff and senior management team;
• Experience with child rights-based programme approaches; and
• An understanding of the linkages between children’s rights, gender equality and inclusion.