Short term consultancy with FEMNET

Terms of Reference for a short term Consultancy with FEMNET
Research on the Implementation of AAA in Africa
Duration 6 Months: April-September 2010

Introduction
The African Women’s Development and Communication Network (FEMNET) is a regional African organisation working to promote women’s rights and development in Africa. FEMNET works in three different programmes areas namely Communication, Advocacy and Capacity building. Under the Advocacy Programme FEMNET has been following the Aid Effectiveness Agenda, by ensuring that women’s issues and the voice of the African women is not left out in discussions on aid effectiveness and its desired outcomes, including the need for sustainable development in Africa. On the 4th September 2008, Government ministers from developing countries, donor countries and heads of multilateral and bilateral development agencies endorsed the Accra Agenda for Action (AAA) during the High level Forum on Aid Effectiveness (HLF3). This political statement was a result of months of lengthy discussions and consultations, together with last minute political negotiations to try and save the agreement from being a complete wash-out. The AAA took on board some of the recommendations from civil society consultation processes held prior to the HLF3 where FEMNET actively participated. As a result of the rigorous lobbying by women organisations the AAA includes improved language on gender equality and the need for women’s empowerment. The AAA among other things emphasizes development effectiveness as the measure of aid effectiveness, with the indicators to be realized by 2010 to measure aid effectiveness in terms of international human rights standards, gender equality, decent work and sustainable development.

Justification
Six months after HLF3, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) from around the world met in South Africa and reviewed plans for the implementation of the AAA. It was noted that follow up was generally weak with only a number of meetings for debriefing and dissemination of information on the AAA. The aid effectiveness agenda being a relatively technical area for most organizations very few had established mechanisms for follow up and engage women’s rights groups in the monitoring of the implementation of the Paris Declaration and the AAA and ensure that the whole process of implementation takes into account the gender dimensions. More importantly the current global financial and economic crisis is affecting the level of resources available for follow up work especially in Africa. Priorities for many donor countries have shifted to managing the impact of the economic and financial crisis in their own countries through different forms of stimulus packages and other financial and labour related responses. The reduction of available resources to governments in Africa and other less developed countries may threaten the realizations of the MDGs within the specified period of 2015 and of course the full implementation of the PD and AAA, donor economic and political interests overriding the issues of equity, human rights and development.

The period for the implementation of the Paris Declaration and the AAA is up to end of 2010. There will be a review of the extent to which the Paris Declaration has been implemented and how this has contributed to aid effectiveness. The review will feed into the preparatory process for the HLF 4 which will be held in 2011 in Seoul, Korea.

FEMNET has been spearheading the process of mobilizing women in Africa to engage in the monitoring of the aid effectiveness agenda. The purpose is to ensure that gender and human rights perspectives in the aid effectiveness agenda take centre stage in the discourse. The other objective is to influence donors implementing the PD and AAA to adopt gender equality and women’s empowerment indicators as one way of assessing development effectiveness.

We therefore have to monitor the progress to ensure that the gains made during the HLF3 are resulting into concrete actions at the regional and national levels. It is also important that we influence the interpretation of the advances made on how the “ownership” principle is defined.
We have to ensure that governments in Africa adopt gender responsive PRSPs and budgeting mechanisms that ensure availability of resources for the implementation of plans and programs prioritized at the national levels. In addition we also have to monitor to ensure that the partnership and bilateral agreements that African governments are negotiating with the European Union and particular countries in the European bloc are aligned with the aid effectiveness agenda.

With regards to recognition of civil society organisations as development actors in their own right there is no mention whatsoever of the establishment of clear financing mechanisms to support CSO participation, or a clear commitment to ensure participation in each of the steps of national development processes. This has to be addressed generally and more specifically in terms of how it translates to achieving gender equality, equity and the advancement of women as critical agents of change.

The task
FEMNET is planning to embark on a six months study to review and assess the changes that are taking place in five countries as a response to the implementation of the Paris Declaration and the Accra Agenda for Action (AAA) and how this is translating into development effectiveness. This study will give voice to the views of the citizens of these countries on the progress made in achieving the aid effectiveness agenda in relation to the development priorities of each country. The countries to be involved in the study are Kenya, South Africa, Senegal, Burkina Faso and Uganda. Two of the countries selected are beneficiaries of the UNDP Millennium Villages (MVs) Project. It would be interesting to include the actors and beneficiaries of these projects in the sample population to see how the project has contributed to transforming gender and power relations within the MVs as part of the process of dealing with the negative effects of patriarchy and social and economic justice issues as one way of achieving aid effectiveness. The study will also attempt to monitor how the aid effectiveness agenda is contributing to the achievement of gender equality results.
This study will assist us to understand better how to support women organizations that are involved in monitoring the process of implementation. Many need to enhance their capacities to engage meaningfully with the different actors. Women’s organizations and other activists have to continue holding their governments and donor partners accountable for the progress made in the implementation of the PD and the AAA and various components of the Africa – European Union Partnership Agreement and PoA.

In executing this task, FEMNET seeks the services of five women consultants in the five listed countries. The task of the consultant in each country will be as follows:
1. Monitor the progress to ensure that the gains made during the HLF3 result into concrete actions at the regional and national levels
2. Evaluate the progress of commitments undertaken in the AAA based on the 5 Principles of the Paris Declaration.
3. Specifically monitor the progress against the AAA commitments.
4. Review how the implementation of the Africa - European Union Partnership Agreement and more specifically the PoA (2008 – 2010) has contributed to achieving the commitments of the aid effectiveness agenda and the economic empowerment of women in Africa
5. Based on the finding of the research, suggest to FEMNET specific language/actions to be recommended to the leaders in Africa and to the HLF4.
6. Submit a well-written report to FEMNET. We shall agree on the format to use for the report and submit a summary of findings for each country to enable us undertake the comparative analysis.
7. Submit original receipt or invoice for the job contracted.

Key Reference documents:
- Accra Action Agenda (AAA)
- Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness
- The Africa –European Union partnership Agreement and Plan of Action
Other working documents to be availed once contracted:
- PRSPs (or National Development Plan) for each of the countries
- National Progress reports submitted under the MDGs framework 2005 and 2010
- Poverty assessment reports by governments and CSOs produced in the last 10 years in the five countries
- Relevant studies undertaken in each country

Payment:
The total amount to be paid to each consultant is US $ 2,500 (two thousand and five hundred US dollars only) for the whole contract. The money will be paid in two instalments. US 1,500 to be paid upon signing of the contract and submitting of work plan to FEMNET and US $ 1,000 to be paid upon satisfactory completion of the task which will be based on submission of well written report and separate summary which should be in line with all the necessary requirements.

Requirement:
• The consultant must be based in the country they are bidding to conduct the study.
• Must be well versed with Aid /Development Effectiveness agenda within the new aid modalities
• Should have a strong understanding of Gender and Development issues.
• Very good research, critical analysis and writing skills
• Track record as a reliable consultant
Your contact person at FEMNET will be the Executive Director Ms. Norah Matovu Winyi who will work closely with the Consultant who will be responsible for compiling the regional synthesized report based on the five country reports.
If you have the experience and qualifications to undertake this assignment then send your proposal outlining how you indicate to undertake this study and your curriculum vitae to [email][email protected] TEL: +254 20 2712971/2 by 15th April 2010. Only the selected Consultants will be contacted. We shall have a preparatory meeting for the selected Consultants in Nairobi, Kenya in May 2010.