
FSC Indigenous Foundation
Indigenous Peoples Alliance for Rights and Development – IPARD
Cooperative Agreement No. 7200AA20CA00013
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
SUPPORT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN EMPOWERMENT PLAN OF INDIGENOUS AND AFRO-DESCENDANT WOMEN IN HONDURAS (PEMIAH)
NOVEMBER 2023
- CONTEXT
A. BACKGROUND
In 2019, the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) established the FSC Indigenous Foundation (FSC-IF) as the operational office of the Permanent Committee of Indigenous Peoples (CPIP). FSC-IF is a private interest foundation in accordance with Law No. 25 of June 12, 1995, of the Republic of Panama. The mission of FSC-IF is to enable an enabling environment to guarantee the rights of Indigenous Peoples and promote sustainable forest-based solutions within 300 million hectares of indigenous forests on the planet. The vision is that Indigenous Peoples’ global values, rights, livelihoods, ecosystem services, natural capital and communities are incorporated into forest governance, climate change governance and market systems.
Indigenous Peoples’ Alliance for Rights and Development
FSC-IF is the implementing partner of the five-year Global Development Alliance (GDA) program funded by USAID and FSC: Indigenous Peoples’ Alliance for Rights and Development (IPARD). The IPARD Program is guided by three development objectives:
- Objective 1: Organize and convene a training program for indigenous peoples’ organizations and stakeholders.
- Objective 2: To foster an enabling environment for the recognition, effective participation and joint decision-making of Indigenous Peoples in matters affecting them; and
- Objective 3: Promote the sustainable development of Indigenous Peoples based on sustainable economic models.
IPARD uses three interconnected approaches to help indigenous peoples overcome their development challenges:
- Multi-sectoral approach (MSA): under the strategic direction of the IPARD Steering Committee (SC), the Program convenes and draws on the expertise of multi-sectoral partners to ensure that the needs of indigenous communities are considered across a wide range of sectors.
- Country Focused Approach (CFA): IPARD’s program strategy is guided by a country-focused approach, driven by specific country contexts related to Indigenous Peoples. IPARD applies a structured process to identify, evaluate and select countries for its programs. FSC-FI works in conjunction with the IPARD Steering Committee, and in accordance with the guidelines of the multi-sectoral approach, to select countries and identify key priorities and strategies.
- Indigenous Project Management Approach (IPMA): Leveraging FSC-IF’s networks and relationships with Indigenous leaders and organizations around the world, IPARD seeks ongoing dialogue, consultation, and feedback with Indigenous Peoples to inform the Program. IPARD supports a forum through which the FSC-IF Indigenous Foundation serves as a bridge between Indigenous Peoples, technical partners, national governments, and the private sector. IPARD invests in best conservation practices and effective approaches and methodologies to ensure the long-term development of Indigenous Peoples’ Organizations in multiple management areas to enable them to develop, negotiate, manage and implement their own programs, projects and other initiatives.
Through these three approaches, IPARD aims to empower Indigenous Peoples’ organizations and catalyze an enabling environment in which Indigenous Peoples can pursue their development.
B. IPARD PROGRAM – CONTEXT HONDURAS
National context
Honduras is a country that has experienced economic growth in recent years, driven by a strong industrial base and export-oriented production. Despite this, it has not been able to reach high levels of development, nor the levels of growth prior to the 2008 crisis. Its economy is the eighteenth largest in Latin America in terms of GDP and one of the three smallest in Central America (World Bank, 2020). Its strengths include the potential for faster growth and greater shared prosperity, with its strategic location, growing industrial base, ongoing efforts to diversify its exports, and young and growing population (World Bank, 2020).
The main economic sector continues to be agriculture, followed by maquila (mainly textiles). The tertiary sector absorbs about 58% of GDP, with commerce and other services standing out in this area (ICEX, 2020). The centers of production and economic development are concentrated mainly in the Sula Valley and, to a lesser extent, in Tegucigalpa. Activities linked to the service sector predominate in its main cities (Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula), while traditional agriculture stands out in the west, center and south of the country (UNFPA, 2016).
On the other hand, the country is highly exposed to adverse natural events, especially heavy rains, droughts and hurricanes, which disproportionately affect the poorest population (World Bank, 2020). The crisis triggered by the COVID has had a severe impact on the country, being one of the hardest hit economies in the region, with a 9% drop in GDP in 2020 (BCH, 2020), greatly impacting the employment and income of the poor, vulnerable and middle-class population (World Bank, 2020).
In addition to the pandemic, Honduras has suffered the effect of tropical storms Eta and Iota in 2020, with major damage to productive infrastructure and a serious worsening of living conditions. 2021 begins to show signs of reactivation. Quarterly Gross Domestic Product (GDP) results for the fourth quarter of 2021 reflect that the Honduran economy is on the path of economic recovery, with a year-on-year increase of 12.5% (Central Bank of Honduras, 2022).
The labor market, despite its expansion, has worsened in terms of quality, and most of the jobs created are characterized by informality, underemployment, low productivity, and low income (ICEX, 2020). Additionally, economic inactivity continues to be a major challenge, a circumstance that mainly affects women (Michel, V. and Walker, I., 2019).
In terms of social development, the country faces high poverty rates (with 65% of its population living below the poverty line, of which 42% is in extreme poverty) (INE, 2019c). Inequality conditions that the middle class is small (World Bank, 2020), not having grown in more than a decade (WAGE, 2019).
Context of Gender and Indigenous / Afro-descendant women in Honduras
In Honduras, more than 17% of the population considers itself indigenous or Afro-descendant, of which 12% are young people[1] . Indigenous territories are distributed throughout the national territory:
- In the center, south and east are the Lenca (Intibuca, Lempira, La Paz, Santa Barbara, Comayagua, Francisco Morazan and Valle), Pech (Olancho, Colon and Gracias a Dios).
- On the Atlantic coast are the English-speaking blacks and Garifunas (Cortés, Atlántida, Colón, Gracias a Dios and Islas de la Bahía), the Miskitos (Gracias a Dios), the Nahua (Olancho), and the Tawahkas (Gracias a Dios and Olancho).
- In the border area with Guatemala, the Chorti (Copan and Ocotepeque), and the Tolupanes in Yoro and northern Francisco Morazán.
In a multi-ethnic country like Honduras, the socioeconomic situation of indigenous peoples is very precarious. Agriculture, along with some complementary activities, represent the main sources of income for indigenous peoples, but in poor employment and production conditions. Poverty and precariousness especially affect women, who have the lowest educational levels, the highest illiteracy rates (22% versus 18% in men) (INE, 2013), the highest unemployment (84% of unemployed indigenous people are women) (IFAD, 2017) and lower wages and access to resources and services. Despite everything, they are women who contribute to the family and community economy, through their own initiatives in agricultural production, handicrafts and some in the tourism sector, but in a framework of enormous precariousness, informality, low competitiveness and invisibility. They also face a situation of discrimination that makes them vulnerable to unfair and precarious working conditions (IFAD, 2017).
Honduras ranks 67th out of 156 countries worldwide, and 18th in the Latin American and Caribbean region, in the ranking of the Gender Gap Report (WEF, 2021). This global position hides substantial differences depending on the dimension considered: while in educational attainment it occupies the top positions in the ranking, it falls back to 122nd place in relation to health and survival or to 85th place in terms of women’s political participation. In terms of economic participation and opportunities, the overall position improves to 52nd place (WEF, 2021).
Despite the growth experienced in recent decades, women’s economic participation continues to be low (EAP of 41.4% in 2019), one of the lowest in the region and with an average growth rate lower than that of neighboring countries. This participation turns out to be significantly low among women with lower educational levels (27% in women with no education), low-income (26%), rural (34%) and young (INE, 2019a). Together with underemployment, the low participation of women in economic activity constitutes one of the main structural problems of the Honduran labor market, with a loss of income in the country linked to it of around 22% (Michel, V. and Walker, I., 2019).
In the area of security, the homicide rate has been reduced in recent years and police institutions have improved (WAGE, 2019). Even so, the country is affected by the highest rates of violence in the world. In this context of generalized violence, violence against women represents a serious problem, being the country with the highest rate of femicides in the region (CEPALSTAT, 2021).
Institutional context that provides services to indigenous women
At the governmental level, the entity in charge of the accompaniment and management in favor of the Indigenous peoples and Afro Hondurans from the year 2022, is called the National Coordinator of Indigenous Peoples and Afro Hondurans (CONAPOA),[2] formerly known as SEDINAFROH, as an instance attached to the Secretariat of Social Development (SEDESOL) of the Secretariat of the Presidency, whose purpose is the study and creation of Public Policies concerning the relationship of the State with the native peoples and afro-descendants of the country, formulating from a technical basis programs and/or projects to be executed by the competent entity. At the political level in relation to the Indigenous and Afro Honduran population has been articulated through the Public Policy against Racism and Racial Discrimination for the Integral Development of the Indigenous and Afro Honduran Population.
In 2012-2013, the Indigenous Women’s Organization together with other key actors developed the Political Agenda of Indigenous and Afro Honduran Women[3] which seeks i) to achieve recognition by the State of the citizenship of Indigenous and Afro Honduran Women, guaranteeing their access and full participation in institutional, local and national structures, ii) guarantee the human rights of Indigenous and Afro-Honduran women through the creation of a Political Agenda that contains the identification of their problems, needs and proposals to the State, International Cooperation, women’s organizations, private enterprise, mixed organizations, indigenous federations and Afro-Honduran and other instances of civil society.
The strategic axes of this Agenda are 7:
- Right to social and political participation for the exercise of citizenship of indigenous and Afro-Honduran women.
- Right to a life free of violence and access to justice for indigenous and Afro-Honduran women.
- Right to health and sexual and reproductive rights of indigenous women and Afro-Honduran women
- Right to education, culture, and the right to information for indigenous and Afro-Honduran women.
- Economic rights and control of resources of indigenous and Afro-Honduran women.
- Access, sustainable use and control of biodiversity, natural resources and risk management from the perspective of indigenous and Afro-Honduran women.
- Migration forced displacement and dispossession of territories of indigenous women and Afro-Honduran.
In addition, in 2020, the Network of Indigenous and Afro-Honduran Women (REDMIAH), an organization in defense of the rights of women presented a proposal for a Public Policy on the Rights of Indigenous and Afro-Honduran Women[4] , with the support and accompaniment of UNFPA, which had the input of more than 4,000 women from the nine indigenous peoples and Afro-Honduran. This policy, however, did not go forward.
Afro-Honduran indigenous women and have been a fundamental part of the processes of resistance and vindication. Their stories of struggle are an integral part of the Honduran national identity. However, this participation is minimally recognized, manifesting itself in the conditions of exclusion, marginalization, discrimination, and violence to which they are exposed.
The proposed Public Policy for Indigenous Women and Afro Honduran seeks to reverse this reality, and is aimed at promoting gender equality, autonomy, participation, equity, organization, and cultural identity of women of the nine Indigenous Peoples and Afro Honduran: Lenca, Tawahka, Pech, Maya Chortí, Black Anglophone, Garífuna, Tolupán, Nahua and Miskitu Peoples.
The Policy is structured in six (6) areas of intervention, including the right to education, the right to economic resources and decent work, and the right to land, territory and natural resources. It includes gender equality among its principles, although in the development of the P-PIAH this issue was not addressed. P-PIAH this issue was not operationalized.
Currently, REDMIAH wants to reactivate this policy with the Government of Honduras (GoH) by developing a roadmap or an Empowerment Plan for Indigenous and Afro-descendant Women of Honduras (PEMIAH) as an advocacy tool to promote the policy referenced. PEMIAH will become a planning technical document with three prong objectives: 1) Start implementation of the drafted public policy; 2) Advocate for Indigenous Women Development with a work plan and Operational Plan to direct public and private investment projects towards women economic empowerment and social development; and 3) Strengthen Indigenous Women Organizations capacity to implement economic and financial inclusive activities. Given their previous experience and engagement, REDMIAH will lead this process, given that they led the drafted public policy process, towards making the plan a platform to get more partners, public and private funds, strengthen governance, and more importantly get Indigenous Women Organizations to work together for their own development.
In addition to SEDINAFROH (now CONAPOA), other governmental entities have developed projects specifically aimed at indigenous women and Afro-Honduran women, within the framework of their assigned competencies. Most of these efforts at the governmental level are channeled through REDMIAH. One of them is the Secretariat of Human Rights (SEDH)[5] which has signed collaboration agreements with REDMIAH[6] . For its part, SENPRENDE[7] launched in 2021 the project called Emprende con Inclusión, which provided seed capital and productive inputs to some 47 organizations that are part of REDMIAH. SEDESOL has provided inputs to agricultural producers.
One of the most far-reaching programs in this area has been the program for the Promotion of Sustainable Cultural Tourism for Inclusive Economic Development in the Lenca Route led by UNDP and UN Women in collaboration with national associations and stakeholders. The objective of the program was to reduce poverty in rural Honduran populations in the Lenca region, with special emphasis on addressing structural inequality, especially among indigenous women and youth, through the promotion of local economic development with sustainable rural tourism initiatives. Among the results achieved with the program are: i) an agenda to promote local development and governance processes based on cultural tourism with emphasis on youth and women; ii) tools and useful information for the management of new initiatives in the territory, training for youth for the preservation of Lenca culture; iii) strengthening of the institutional framework for the social control of public funds and addressing the empowerment of women (SDGF, 2017). It is estimated that around 3,000 women have been beneficiaries of the program (SDGF, 2017).
Among the measures stipulated in the Plan of the current Government aimed at the Indigenous Peoples and Afro Hondurans, in economic matters include: (i) create a special directorate in the National Agrarian Institute especially for Indigenous and Afro-descendant Peoples (IPA); (ii) create a Sub secretariat of Bilingual and Intercultural Education to address the educational needs of the Indigenous and Afro-descendant communities of Honduras, with the purpose of promoting comprehensive education; create literacy programs with linguistic and cultural relevance; stimulate and energize scholarship programs for the PIAH; iii) promote support programs for artisanal fishing with a sustainable approach in the Directorate of Fisheries; and in the SAG the diversification of crops with agroecology techniques; and programs for the production of handicrafts of the PIAH that have this tradition, according to their request for capacity building, through training centers such as the Intibucá Indigenous Training Center.
Among the social factors that influence the problems of Indigenous Peoples’ Organizations and Indigenous Women’s Organizations, the following stand out The Confederation of Indigenous Peoples of Honduras (CONPAH), an organization created in 1992, which integrates all the Indigenous and Black Peoples of Honduras. Honduras (Fith, Onilh, Fetriph (Pech), Fetrixy (Xicaque), Nabipla (Criollos), Masta (Miskitos), Finah (Nahuas), Ofraneh (Garinagu), Conimchh (Chortis), Copin (Lenca) and coordinates and manages demands for their rights before the State, seeking to open spaces of participation for Indigenous Peoples.
C. OBJECTIVE OF THE CONSULTANCY
General Objective:
The objective of this consultancy is to provide technical assistance to Indigenous Women’s Organizations, among other actors (public, private and civil society sectors), to elaborate in a participatory manner an Empowerment Plan for Indigenous and Afro-descendant Women of Honduras (PEMIAH).
Specific objectives:
– Engage with Indigenous Women, through REDMIAH and other Indigenous Women’s Organizations or section, in FPIC processes for the development of PEMIAH.
– Prepare a qualitative and quantitative diagnosis and policy mapping, including stakeholder analysis and institutional assessment, of Red-MIAH among other Indigenous Women’s Organizations.
– Identify key stakeholders involved (public, private, civil society and multilateral organizations) in the design and implementation of PEMIAH.
– Create or strengthen a Multi-sectoral Working Group made up of private companies, public institutions, NGOs, multilateral banks, and advisory groups of Indigenous and Afro-descendant women, among others to support the design and implementation of PEMIAH.
– Develop and draft the PEMIAH as informed by Indigenous and Afro Descendants Women and other key stakeholders identified through the activities above. ,
– Implement communication and socialization initiatives as developed and conducted by the Multi-sectoral Working Group, and those led by Indigenous and Afro Descendant Women Organizations together.
- SCOPE OF CONSULTING WORK
- Assess the different actors involved. It is essential to have Prior, Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) of Indigenous Women (MIAH Network), as well as the support of a small and agile “Multi-sectoral Working Group” with the capacity to propose, contrast, dynamize, accompany, articulate, facilitate decision-making and lead, in short, the construction and subsequent implementation of the Plan.
- Analyze the data (quantity diagnosis) and propose how to make the quality analysis by determining the number of people to interview, and focus groups, to know the situation in terms of economic empowerment, as well as to identify barriers, needs and opportunities and make a mapping policy, and prepare a Preliminary Plan with a Matrix of Actions identified in the diagnosis and a section with a first government proposal for its articulation and follow-up.
- Coordinate and obtain the FPIC from REDMIAH and establish with the multisectoral motor group to present to the authorities the results of the diagnosis, the preliminary project and the value of the innovation contained in their proposals to inform them of the process and get them to join the Multisectoral Working Group, be an active part of the Plan and achieve the participation of the National Government. The Preliminary Project should be adjusted according to what the authorities propose and decide.
- Design an Empowerment Plan of Indigenous and Afro-descendant Women of Honduras knowing the role that the Indigenous authorities will have in the Plan in the co-created and participatory Plan including the FPIC. Also, elaborate a Commitment Matrix with the most relevant actors to validate the information and achieve the commitment on their participation sustainable to make this Plan a reality.
- Conduct a Validation Workshop, with all the agents (OMIS and OPIS or at least with the key actors) that have committed to actions within the Plan, to i) adjust commitments, ii) prioritize actions, iii) consolidate the degree of ownership iv) identify opportunities for articulation/cooperation, iv) deepen the available information (scope of the plan, v) schedule actions and vi) specify responsibilities in terms of governance. Each of these processes must comply with the FPIC. Likewise, generate an Exit Strategy to strengthen the multi-sectoral driving group that would remain as a mourner of this Plan.
- Participate in the design, coordination with speakers and development of the contents of the Plan’s launch, which will be held to present the commitments to society and make visible the alliance that has been created to promote the economic empowerment of indigenous women in Honduras. The Plan’s governing institution will oversee the logistical aspects.
- Monitoring of the Plan during the three months following its presentation, which will follow the methodology defined in the governance proposal and roadmap included in the Plan.
The dimensions or thematic axes of the Plan to be designed are, at least, the following sections:
- Access to land and to resources that cover basic needs (cash transfers, food security, productive inputs), credit etc.).
- Recognition and exercise of human and economic rights, without discrimination. ethnic and gender discrimination.
- Access to education (primary, secondary, and tertiary) and intercultural bilingual education.
- Job placement, access to quality jobs and vocational training.
- Entrepreneurship (of necessity and opportunity), considering the subsectors and activities in which indigenous women participate, subsectors and activities in which indigenous women participate (agriculture, tourism, handicrafts, etc.).
- Financial inclusion.
- Digital inclusion.
- Care for dependent persons and access to care services.
- Young women.
- Migration of indigenous women.
- Knowledge (disaggregated statistics, specific studies, program participation indicators).
- Recognition and self-recognition (autonomy, awareness of equality, visibility, social equality, visibility, social valuation, cultural change, recognition of ancestral knowledge, intellectual property rights).
- Effective use and appropriation of public services.
- Participation, advocacy, leadership and associationism.
- Public policies, actors, and institutional mechanisms.
- Violence against Indigenous Women (domestic, GBV, social, economic, psychological, physical, harmful practices)
- Intercultural health that includes topics such as traditional ancestral medicine and health personnel, such as midwives and ancestral medicinal plants. In addition, water and sanitation infrastructure to reduce mortality rates of indigenous children.
The priority axes will be defined after the prior design of the Promotion and Policy Plan and its presentation to Indigenous and Afro-descendant women’s organizations and government authorities.
Activities
It is important to consider socio-cultural and linguistic aspects in the development of activities, which may include the use of interpreters.
The activities in support of PEMIAH are as follows:
- Elaboration of the work agenda, including diagnosis and methodology.
- Co-creating the work plan with the donor.
- Preparation of the matrix of actions identified in the diagnosis.
- Governance proposal for the articulation and follow-up of the Plan.
- Presentation of the Preliminary Plan to the authorities; the process carried out together with the results and main conclusions of the diagnosis, under what premises, actions, and methodologies the Preliminary Plan has been designed.
- Organize all necessary meetings between the multisectoral motor group and the authorities so that they are aware of the process and become an active part of the Plan.
- Design an Empowerment Plan of Indigenous and Afro-descendant Women of Honduras (PEMIAH), following feedback from the authorities, based on the final thematic axes to be developed.
- Support in decision-making processes and preparation of all key meetings with government authorities.
- Preparation of the matrix of commitments and follow-up.
- Conduct all necessary meetings with the most relevant stakeholders to validate the information and obtain their commitment in terms of active and sustainable participation.
.
Note: The FPIC process should be applied to each of the activities involved.
E. CONDITIONS OF THE CONTRACT
Type of consulting: Consultancy firm with payments in accordance with the deliverables indicated in the payment schedule.
Type of contract: Lump sum
Contract duration: 12 months
Location: The consulting firm will perform its work mostly face-to-face in Honduras, and some activities, virtually. Responsible person: Responsible person for the program for Objective 2.
F. MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS AND REQUIRED COMPETENCIES
The consulting firm and consultants or key professionals must meet the following requirements:
Academic background:
- Bachelor’s degree in social sciences, political and international relations, political engineering, or other related disciplines.
- Master’s degree in social sciences, politics, international relations, or other related disciplines.
General experience:
- At least 10 years of activity as an international consultant, among others, for the United Nations, Multilaterals (such as the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)), European Social Fund, among others.
Specific experience:
- At least 10 years of proven professional experience in the promotion, planning, management and evaluation of policies and initiatives for development and socio-economic and technological change in Latin America, based on innovation and inter-institutional and public-private cooperation.
- At least 10 years of experience in the public and social sector, with emphasis on public policies for priority sectors, working with women, youth, children, and adolescents.
- At least one (1) experience in the development of a Women’s Economic Empowerment Plan.
- At least 8 years working with indigenous and/or afro-descendants, especially youth and women.
Skills
- Demonstrated ability to prepare products and deliverables related to this contract, including forum organizations, interpersonal relations, work plans, economic empowerment plan, and national women’s entrepreneurship strategy design and reporting.
- Oral and written communication and presentation.
- Ability to respond appropriately and effectively to pressure, meeting deadlines with exceptional product delivery.
- Excellent capacity to systematize information and ability to express him/herself in writing and orally.
- METHODOLOGY AND RESULTS
The consultant shall deliver a Work Plan and Schedule of Activities to be carried out during the consultation period within five (5) calendar days from the business day following the signing of the contract, not subject to payment.
This Work Plan should detail the activities and estimated time to carry out the consultancy, including sources of information, research methodology (secondary information, interviews, field visits, analysis of interview results, etc.).
For the development of this consultancy, it is required to comply with the activities established in the Work Plan between FSC-IF and the company. In this sense, the following products must be delivered:
Deliverables
Results
Delivery time
Payment percentage (%)
1
Qualitative and quantitative diagnostics and policy and stakeholder mapping.
Up to 1 month from the date of signature of the service agreement.
10
2
Creation or identification of a Multi-sectoral Working Group, whose presentation will include a proposal/methodology of the objectives of this group, its members, and its sustainability, among others.
Up to 4 months from the date of signature of the service agreement.
15
3
Design of the Preliminary Empowerment Plan for the Indigenous and Afro descendant Women of Honduras (PEMIAH), which will be structured around the axes prioritized based on the analysis.
Up to 5 months from the date of signature of the service contract.
10
4
Coordination of the defense/presentation before the authorities. All the process carried out to date and its results.
Up to 6 months from the signing of the service contract
10
5
Design of the Empowerment Plan of Indigenous and Afro-descendant Women of Honduras, which will be structured around the final thematic axes. The design of the Plan will include a section with a governance proposal for its articulation and monitoring and follow-up, as well as the mechanism that would be most advisable for the institutionalization of the Plan and the financing of the tasks of dynamization and accompaniment.
Up to 7 months from the signing of the service contract
15
6
Validation, Articulation and Prioritization Workshop, as well as the development of the roadmap.
Up to 8 months from the signing of the service contract
10
7
Coordination of the presentation or launching of the Plan.
Up to 9 months from the signing of the service contract
10
8
Follow-up and dynamization of the implementation of the Plan and its governance mechanisms.
Up to 12 months from the signing of the service contract
10
9
Final report on