Consultancy – SGBV Prevention: Capacity Assessment and Tools Adaptation

Introduction

The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) was founded in 1952 and currently has 150 Member Associations (MAs) and Collaborative Partners with a presence in over 146 countries. IPPF is a global healthcare provider and a leading advocate of sexual and reproductive health and rights for all with the vision that all people are free to make choices about their sexuality and well-being, in a world free from discrimination. IPPF recognises that the achievement of the highest attainable standard of sexual and reproductive health is not possible when gender equality and human rights are not respected, protected and fulfilled.

IPPF advocates a human rights-based, client-centred, ‘do-no-harm’ approach to providing healthcare and supporting all survivors affected by Sexual and Gender-based Violence (SGBV) and is dedicated to scaling up work at the community level, including humanitarian contexts, to prevent SGBV and respond to the needs of all survivors. IPPF’s work focuses on both SGBV services delivery, prevention, and advocacy-focused programming. The SGBV services delivery component includes providing quality and accessible first-line clinical support and referrals for clinical, psychosocial and protection services. The SGBV programming component, which is the focus of this consultancy, includes shifting social norms that are the root cause of SGBV, contributing to behavioural change and community mobilization, youth engagement, advocacy and campaigns, gender equality, and disability and social inclusion analysis. Within SGBV programming, IPPF aims to contribute to evidence on best practices for SGBV prevention and invest in evidence-based, sustainable approaches.

IPPF is seeking to hire a consultant to support Member Associations (MAs) to implement SGBV prevention work which reflects best practice across the humanitarian-development nexus. Specifically, IPPF aims to 1) map existing MA capacities, programme models, and resources to conduct SGBV prevention at country level, and 2) provide revised/adapted guidance and tools for better engaging into those functions of SGBV programming. Processes and recommendations should align with IPPF’s Feminist Humanitarian Principles, current inter-agency and internal guidance on SGBV, and consider the specific mandate and characteristics of Member Associations as SRH service providers.

Objectives

The focus of the consultancy will be to review existing SGBV prevention capacities, resources, and approaches implemented by thirteen MAs engaged in the SPRINT programme, and to provide recommendations on shared best practices on SGBV prevention strategies which incorporate feasible, acceptable, and effective strategies used by MAs. This consultancy will focus on primary prevention strategies (preventing and/or reducing SGBV victimization or perpetration through addressing risk factors such as social and gendered norms, economic insecurity, social and behaviour change strategies and tools including information-education-communication (IEC) campaigns and materials, and others) and secondary strategies such as interrupting SGBV exposure through shelters, legal strategies, or other means, with the understanding that counselling strategies (tertiary prevention) will be the focus of a separate consultancy. To ensure feasibility of implementation, integration recommendations should follow a survivor-centred approach and consider service provision workflows. The assessment report should provide a brief summary of existing external evidence on best practices for SGBV prevention and highlight strategies used by MAs. All revisions and adaptations will be based on current inter-agency and internal guidance and will keep into consideration the specific mandate and characteristics of member associations as SRH service providers.

The consultant will:

1. Conduct a short and succinct assessment of existing SGBV prevention approaches, models, resources, interests and capacities within up to sixteen Member Associations that are part of the SPRINT programme and/or involved in humanitarian response. This includes:
2. Conduct a desk review of existing IPPF materials on gender inclusion, social norms transformation and SGBV prevention. (3 days)
3. Engage in consultations with both SGBV focal points and SGBV champions from SPRINT member associations, to understand existing capacities, activities, initiatives, etc. and IPPF key relevant staff, for a total of around 20 KIIs. (7 days)
4. Develop an assessment matrix on existing capacities and strategies (for example, social norms change, individual behaviour change, empowerment, etc) used by MAs, combining information from the key informant interviews with existing materials from MAs shared after KIIs. (5 days)
5. Draft a brief assessment (10 pages maximum) which addresses the following questions: 1) What strategies and approaches do MAs use to prevent SGBV? 2) What rationale/theories underlie the approaches used by MAs, and what evidence supports such rationale/theories? 3) What challenges and opportunities do MAs face in implementing SGBV prevention strategies? 4) What next steps should IPPF and MAs take towards implementing effective SGBV prevention strategies and approaches? The full matrix should be attached to this report as an appendix. (5-6 days)
6. Organize a restitution of findings with IPPF staff and incorporate feedback. (1 day)
7. Develop a succinct practitioner-friendly SGBV prevention toolkit (30 pages maximum) with guidance, tools, and examples for MAs to easily understand 1) what SGBV prevention is, 2) shared (“core”) elements of effective SGBV prevention models, and 3) how to adapt existing evidence-supported SGBV prevention programming using 1-2 models as an example, i.e. the RESPECT Framework (WHO, UNWomen and partners) or Communities Care model (UNICEF). This includes:
8. Develop easy-to-use guidance which defines SGBV prevention and core elements of effective program models. (1 day)
9. Develop guidance with 1-2 tools which facilitates adaptation of existing SGBV prevention models to the identified needs/capacities/interests of SPRINT MAs. (5-6 days)
10. Conduct a restitution and validation with IPPF staff and incorporate any feedback. (1 day)

Key deliverables

• Informed consent form and interview guide for Key Informant Interviews;
• SGBV Prevention Mapping Assessment Report with documentation of primary/secondary prevention strategies used by Member Associations and completed assessment matrix;
• A resource repository of MA training manuals and related tools used to support SGBV prevention;
• Toolkit with easy-to use guidance and tool/s on SGBV prevention.

Essential qualifications and professional experience required

• Basic university degree or post graduate university degree in social sciences, law, gender, women’s studies, human rights, international relations or related field.
• Education or training on gender equality, SGBV prevention, risk mitigation ideally in both development and humanitarian contexts.
• Minimum of 7 years of relevant work experience on SGBV prevention, risk mitigation and response, gender equality, transforming systems and social norms.
• Experience in conducting SGBV assessment, research and analysis.
• Experience in developing learning content on gender equality and SGBV is essential.
• Familiarity with IPPF, or previous experience working with IPPF and/or Member Associations or other development/humanitarian organizations is desirable.

Timeframe

This work is to be completed within 3 months, for a level of effort of 28-30 working days.

Fees

Fees must be quoted in USD. Please indicate daily rate, as part of your financial proposal.

How to apply

Expressions of Interest

Consultants with a demonstrable experience in outlined skill set should provide:

• A brief cover letter (no more than two pages) outlining their experience against the requirements listed above and their quote to complete the work;
• A CV describing relevant experience for this role including examples of previous work in relation to the TOR;
• Financial proposal and indicative work plan.

Application materials should be sent to Hema Annadorai at hannadorai@ippf.org with the subject line “Application: Consultancy – SGBV Prevention”.

Deadline for proposals: 19 September 2024