Terms of Reference for a short term Consultancy with FEMNET and ROA Africa

Research on Opportunities and Challenges on the Implementation of AAA in Africa

Duration 3 Months: May - August 2010

1.0 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 and networking, Advocacy and Capacity building. Under the Advocacy Programme FEMNET has been following the Aid Effectiveness Agenda, by ensuring that gender and women’s rights issues including the women’s economic empowerment are adequately addressed. The Reality of Aid Africa Network aims to contribute to more effective international aid and development cooperation strategies to eliminate poverty, based on principles solidarity and equity through well-researched reports on international aid performance.

Development aid has to translate in development effectiveness that positively transforms the lives and status of the people. The development process must involve the people and ensure that the stories of their experiences are not left out in discussions on aid effectiveness that impact on their lives. On the 4th September 2008, Government ministers from developing countries, donors and heads of multilateral and bilateral development agencies endorsed the Accra Agenda for Action (AAA) during a 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 and Reality of Aid Network actively participated. Because of the rigorous lobbying by women organizations and other leading organizations on aid effectiveness 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 indicators to be realized by 2010 to measure aid effectiveness in terms of respect and adherence to internationally accepted human rights standards, gender equality, decent work and sustainable development.

The AAA was intended to strengthen the commitment of ministers of developed and developing countries responsible for development and Heads of multilateral organizations and bilateral institutions that was made in 2005 in Paris commonly known as the Paris Declaration (PD). It was noted then that though there was an urgent need to increase the volume of aid and other development resources in order to meet the MDGs, it was even more pertinent to improve the way aid is delivered and managed. The participants at the Paris High level forum agreed that aid effectiveness had to increase significantly as well as support partner country’s efforts (recipient country) to strengthen governance and improve development performance. In order to address capacity needs and ensure that coordination mechanisms have the support necessary to function effectively, it was agreed in the PD that it is important that relevant structures and plans are created and developed to facilitate the process of harmonisation, alignment and coordination of aid in its entirety. The major objective should be to improve the effect and impact of development assistance in each country concerned, in support of national priorities, and the international commitment to meeting the Millennium Development Goals by 2015.

FEMNET will be working closely with the Reality of Aid Africa Network (RoA) to conduct country based studies in a number of African countries. The purpose of the studies is to assess the extent to which the targets of the PD have been achieved since the adoption of the AAA. RoA will cover seven African countries to assess the status and progress made to achieve harmonization, co-ordination and alignment and the contribution to development performance (development effectiveness). RoA will cover Mozambique, Malawi, Kenya, Benin, Zimbabwe, Cameroon and Rwanda. FEMNET will work closely with RoA in undertaking the study in Kenya and then carry out similar studies in South Africa, Senegal, Burkina Faso and Uganda.

The research aims to support the development of a common African CSO vision for aid effectiveness within the framework of the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness and the Accra Agenda for Action and to support the development of an African CSO common position as we move towards the HLF IV. To undertake these studies FEMNET and RoA are looking for a team of highly qualified consultants, one from each country to conduct the country – based studies in the month of May – June 2010.

2.0 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 different stakeholder in the monitoring of the implementation of the Paris Declaration and the AAA.

More importantly the current global financial and economic crisis is affecting the levels of resources available for development aid especially resources flowing into Africa. Priorities for many donor countries have shifted to managing the impact of the economic and financial crisis in their own economies 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. Home- based economic and political interests may override the issues of equity, human rights and development.

The period for the implementation of the Paris Declaration and the AAA is up to the end of 2010. A review of the implementation of the Paris Declaration will be undertaken and assessed in terms of its contribution to achieving development effectiveness. The review will feed into the preparatory process for the HLF 4 which will be held in 2011 in Seoul, Korea.

The Africa Women’s Development and Communication Network (FEMNET) and Reality of Aid have been spearheading the process of mobilizing civil society including women in Africa to engage in the monitoring of the aid effectiveness agenda. The purpose is to ensure increased CSOs involvement in the discussions on aid effectiveness and to integrate gender and human rights in the aid effectiveness agenda and 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 also have to monitor progress to ensure that the gains made during the HLF3 are translating into concrete actions at the regional and national levels. It is important that we influence the interpretation of the advances. We have to ensure that governments in Africa adopt gender responsive poverty reduction strategies and budgeting mechanisms that commit sufficient aid and other resources for implementation of plans and programs that prioritize gender equality and women’s empowerment.

2.1 The task
FEMNET and Reality of Aid Africa Network will undertake country - based studies to review and assess the changes that are taking place in the countries mentioned above as a result of consistent implementation of the Paris Declaration and the Accra Agenda for Action (AAA) and how this is translating into development effectiveness. The studies 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. 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 studies will also attempt to monitor how the aid effectiveness agenda is contributing to the achievement of gender equality results.

The studies will assist us to evaluate and assess the harmonization, alignment and co-ordination achieved against the targets set out in the AAA and PD since 2008 and assess if implementation of the AAA has contributed to supporting women’s economic empowerment, improved policies, access to training, employment opportunities and productive resources for women. CSOs including 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.

In executing this task, FEMNET and ROA Africa seek the services of 11 consultants from the 11 countries mentioned above. The task of the consultant in each country will be as follows:
1. Review the country reports produced since 2005 – 2010 to identify measures and concrete actions taken by the country and its donor partners to achieve harmonization, coordination and alignment in the delivery and management of development aid;
2. Evaluate the impact of such measures on the process of implementation and achievement of the goals of the poverty reduction plans of each country.
3. Specifically monitor the progress against the AAA commitments presented in a summarized matrix.
4. Provide a database of the different organizations that monitor the aid effectiveness agenda in their countries and a comprehensive bibliography of relevant materials produced and referred to by the consultant in each country produced by government or sector ministries, donors and/or civil society organizations.
5. Based on the finding of the research, suggest to FEMNET and RoA Africa specific actions that leaders in Africa, particularly the countries covered by the studies have to undertake to achieve the goals of the PD fully.
6. Submit well written reports to FEMNET for the countries it will be responsible for and to RoA Africa for the other countries. 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.

SCOPE OF WORK
FEMNET and the Reality of Aid Africa Network Secretariat shall guide and oversee the overall direction of the consultancy assignment. The consultants will report directly to the Executive Director of FEMNET and Co-ordinator of the Reality of Aid Africa Network.
3.3 Specifically, the consultant will:
3.3.1 Project Objectives:
a) Asses progress towards achieving the overall outputs and outcomes the implementation of Aid Harmonization, Alignment and Coordination in countries involved;
b) Assess the effectiveness of activities used in the implementation of those principles ;
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c) Assess strengths and weaknesses of the principles in responding to beneficiaries’ needs;
d) Identify other initiatives aimed at improving aid harmonization and alignment across the countries involved
3.3.2 The plan of Action
a) Assess the extent through which non state actors including civil society organisations and parliament have been involved in the development of the national work plan
b) Asses the extent to which the plan of action and the implementation structures of the principles are appropriate in ensuring that they fulfill their stated objectives;
3.3.3 Capacity Development
a) Identify areas in which the implementation of the program has had an impact on the strengthening of human and institutional capacities as well as government ownership;
b) Highlight key capacity gaps remaining, as they apply to the objectives of the project
3.3.4 Way forward
a) Identify the extent to which there remains a need for external support to harmonization, co-ordination and alignment;
b) Where needs are identified, provide concrete recommendations for the provision of future support to harmonization and alignment in countries involved giving consideration to strengths and weaknesses of the current work plan including involvement of non state actors;
c) Identify and document examples of best practice in the provision of support to harmonization and alignment with a view to informing the development of similar interventions in other countries
3.3.5 Assess the impact of the work plan implementation on gender (i.e. impact on both women and men).
3.4 Relevant literature and documentation for reference:
In conducting this assignment the consultant is required to use relevant literature including:
3.4.1 Documents
a) The Research Document for Supporting Aid Harmonisation, Alignment and Coordination in the countries concerned;
b) Progress Reports submitted to the donor co-ordinating group since 2005;
c) Presentation given to Co-ordinating group;
d) The action plan for integrating the project for Supporting Aid Harmonization, Alignment and Coordination in country under study with the Integrated Support to the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning
3.4.2 Documents produced by the Aid Coordination and External Finance Units
a) Aid Effectiveness Reports
b) Newsletters
c) Aid Policy – Aid Policy Implementation Plan – Donors Joint Statement
d) The 2007 Baseline Survey for Donor Alignment and Harmonization in the country under study
e) The 2006 Baseline Survey on Monitoring the Paris Declaration in the country under study
f) Annual Development Partners Meeting Reports
g) Development Partners Coordination Group Related document (Reports, Minutes, Deliverables)
h) Other workshop, meeting, consultation reports
3.4.3 Government
a) PRSP and other national development plans and strategies
b) National development Visions
3.4.4 UN System:
a) UNDAF 2008-2012
b) UNDP Country Program 2008-2012
c) One UN Concept Note
d) Aid Effectiveness related chapters of the 2007 country National Human Development Report
3.4.5 International
a) Rome and Paris Declarations
b) Monterrey Consensus
c) OECD/DAC Harmonizing Donor Practices
d) Other relevant documents
4. REMUNERATION AND OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
The successful consultants will start their assignment as soon as possible following the completion of the recruitment process.
4.1 Submissions will be accepted from Firms and individuals.
4.2 The Successful Result of this Process will be a Contract for Professional Services;
4.2.1 Requiring an in-country presence and dedicated during the evaluation and preparation of the draft report;
4.2.2 Defining an overall period of twenty five (25) working days starting in May 2010. The exact work-plan is to be agreed at the beginning of the evaluation, an indicative timeframe for the assignment is provided as below:
a) Four (4) working days - Briefings with the External Finance and Aid Coordination Units held and review of the core project related documents completed. Strategy to conduct the evaluation prepared and approved by the External Finance and Aid Coordination Units;
b) Four (4) working days – Gathering primary data documented through individual meetings with the Steering Committee members and other relevant stakeholders;
C) Five (5) working days – Gathering secondary data by reviewing all relevant
documentation;
d) Three (3) working days – Prepare an outline proposal, including an annotated table of contents of the report, with approval from the External Finance and Aid Coordination Units;
e) Three (3) working day - Draft evaluation report;
f) One (1) working day – Presentation of draft evaluation report, key findings, and recommendations at the debriefing session;
g) Two (2) working days – Finalize the advanced Draft Evaluation Report with comments received;
h) Three (3) working days – Final report submitted (this stage can be conducted out-of country);
i) Translation of the report (which must be of a standard acceptable to government and donor agencies) shall be submitted to the External Finance and Aid Coordination Units no later than two weeks following the approval of the final report.

4.3 Payment:
The total amount to be paid to each consultant is US $ 4,500. The money will be paid in two installments. US 2,500 to be paid upon signing of the contract and submitting of a work plan to FEMNET and RoA Africa and US $ 2,000 to be paid upon satisfactory completion of the task which will be based on submission of a well written report and separate summary which should be in line with all the necessary requirements.

4.4 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

If you have the experience and relevant qualifications to undertake this assignment then send your proposal outline indicating how you will undertake the study in your country and your curriculum vitae to [email][email protected] and [email][email protected] contacts provided above or call TEL: +254 20 2712971/2 during working hours. The proposal should be submitted by 20th May 2010. Those who applied when the advert was first circulated in April 2010 you are advised to review the terms again as they have been modified and re-submit your CV and proposal to the Only the selected Consultants will be contacted.

Only the selected Consultants will be notified and invited to a Preparatory meeting to be held in Nairobi, Kenya on 26th – 27th May 2010.
Norah Matovu Winyi
Executive Director, FEMNET
Vitalice Meja
Coordinator Reality of Aid