Baseline Assessment Consultant for the SRHR-HIV Knows No Borders Project

Nature of the consultancy: To Conduct a Baseline Survey for the new project site in Zimbabwe (Beitbridge) for the SRHR-HIV Knows No Borders Project

1. PROGRAMME CONTEXT

The IOM’s Regional HIV-Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) Knows No Borders Programme is being implemented in six countries, namely: Eswatini, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The regional programme is implemented in partnership with Save the Children (SC) and other partners and aims at “improving quality of life and HIV-SRH outcomes among vulnerable youth, migrants and sex workers in Southern Africa”. The programme is in the second phase of implementation (2021-2026) with funding from the Government of the Netherlands. In 2023, the Government of the Netherlands approved the application for top-up funding (2023 -2026). Part of the top-up funding is to be used for new sites in Mozambique (Nampula and Niassa), South Africa (Musina), and a new Country – Zimbabwe (Beitbridge). Since a baseline study was conducted for all existing sites in 2021, this baseline will focus on the new project sites in Mozambique, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. The baseline will inform strategies with greater results and impact orientation under this SRHR programme and support project management to better design and align its intended activities more systematically and inform the programme targets and results framework. In addition, the baseline will help to better understand how SRHR vulnerabilities may be affected by climate-related migration so that adaptation and thus programme strategies can be better informed.

Purpose and scope of the baseline

Objective

The baseline study will cover a sample of project beneficiaries in the new project site in Zimbabwe. The sample for the baseline will include Save the Children (SC), IOM, related government departments such as health, education, immigration/home affairs, social welfare, and selected gatekeepers like religious and traditional leaders. In addition, the baseline study will also focus on benchmarking the new donor priorities for 2023-26 in the new project sites e.g., climate change issues and will enable project indicators at the impact and outcome levels to be measured and tracked.

The objectives of the baseline assessment in the new sites include the following:

• Explore the link between climate change, migration, and SRHR-HIV outcomes.
• The extent to which SRHR-HIV issues are included in disaster risk management and climate change plans and strategies.
• Explore the impact of climate change-related factors on SRH and HIV outcomes among the target communities and health care system.
• Youth participation in SRH-HIV initiatives at the community level
• The inclusion of economic empowerment and mental health initiatives as part of SRHR-HIV interventions
• CSE, HIV/SRHR services, skills training, and employment promotion
  • Common forms of sexual and gender-based violence among the Young vulnerable people, migrants, and sex workers in their communities, including people who inject drugs and LGBTI groups.
  • Commons social beliefs and norms that perpetuate SGBV among YVP, migrants and sex workers in migration-affected communities, including people who inject drugs and LGBTI groups.
  • Policy environmental analysis and current reforms including the socio-cultural norms that impact the delivery of SRH and HIV services among VYP, including migrants and sex workers.
  • Capacity of local partners and gatekeepers to effectively implement and coordinate SRHR and migration policy actions.
  • Vulnerable young people, migrants, and sex workers’ opportunities to participate in decision-making processes regarding their rights to SRH and HIV services.
• Measure the knowledge and confidence of beneficiaries to make healthy SRH choices following awareness, training, and health education activities.
• YVP, migrants and sex workers and stakeholders’ knowledge on SRHR policies, prevention & protection from exploitation and abuse.
• Social and cultural norms increasingly acknowledge the needs of young vulnerable people.
• National and regional policy and law reforms reflect the SRHR/HIV needs of YVP.

2. METHODOLOGY

An appropriate mix of qualitative and quantitative methods will be applied to gather and analyse data/information on diverse perspectives of the KNB Phase II while ensuring the participation of different stakeholder groups. About 250 targeted direct beneficiaries will be sampled for household surveys. In addition, focus group discussions, key informant interviews, in-depth interviews and a responsive services checklist will be used to collect data. Secondary project data on most output indicators are available and these should be reviewed and synthesised. Data triangulation is required to ensure the credibility and accuracy of data/ information gathered through the various methods and at the analysis and reporting writing level.

3. KEY TASKS AND OUTPUTS

Baseline assessment will consist of three key phases namely a) Inception, b) data collection and c) finalizing the report.

a) Inception phase:

The baseline consultant will perform the following:

1. Conduct a kick-off meeting together with the IOM baseline steering team to understand the project and to collect required documents such as TOC, project proposal, results framework, etc.
2. Submit an electronic copy of the draft inception report/protocol to IOM and engage with the relevant project teams to come to a consensus on the baseline assessment methodology, field visit plan, sampling and so on. The inception report should be approved by the regional baseline survey steering team and PM before starting data collection.
3. Seek the necessary ethical permissions in the country in coordination with the project country teams.
4. to ensure an efficient data collection process, acceptability, and ownership of the baseline data/findings at the country level, IOM may engage in-country research firms to support the consultant in the data collection process.
5. Before pilot testing of the study tools and actual data collection, the consultant shall assemble a team of data collectors and supervisors and train them on survey methodology and tools. After the pilot test, the baseline consultant shall be required to submit the final inception report/protocol including the final translated tools into local languages.

b) Data collection & analysis phase:

1. To ease coordination, the baseline consultant will be provided with all the IOM and SCI country staff contact details. The country project coordinators will assist with the mobilisation of the communities and meetings with primary stakeholders and advise them on the practical timing of the field visits.
2. IOM country offices (programme coordinators) will assist the consultant with an introduction letter to enable the respective country data collection teams to contact stakeholders directly by themselves.
3. Collation of all data and synthesis, including triangulation.

c) Finalizing the baseline report:

This phase will consist of the following steps:

1. Drafting of the baseline report and presentation of the preliminary results of the baseline assessment during a validation workshop with the IOM regional office and country project teams after the completion of data/information analysis by the consultant.
2. The baseline report will be shared with the donor and other key stakeholders for their congruence and feedback. The consultant will be required to respond to or address any questions arising from the review process and produce a final report.

4. EXPECTED DELIVERABLES

The following outputs will be produced:

1. Both soft and hard copies of the final inception report including final translated survey tools, sampling, methodology and analytical framework.
2. Electronic copy of the draft baseline report. The reporting format will be agreed upon during the inception Phase.
3. Preliminary presentation of findings for validation among key stakeholders.
4. A final baseline report incorporating the input from the validation workshop and feedback from other stakeholders, including donors.
   1. Both soft copy and hard copy of the final baseline study report including frozen datasets and qualitative transcripts.
   2. One PowerPoint presentation on the findings of the assignment to IOM to be presented during an oral debriefing meeting with IOM Staff to highlight and explain the observations, findings, and recommendations of the assignment.

5. LOCATION AND LINES OF COMMUNICATION

Under the overall supervision of the Chief of Mission, IOM Zimbabwe, the consultant will directly report to the Country Project Coordinator. The consultant will further share periodic updates on the task with the project team for progress tracking.

6. TIMEFRAME AND WORK PLAN

The assignment will take approximately 6 months from the inception phase to the final reporting phase. The assignment is expected to start in January 2024 and end in June 2024.

Education, Experience and/or skills required:

Education:

• An advanced university degree (PhD, master’s or equivalent) from an accredited educational institution in public health, migration and Health studies, development studies or social sciences with a minimum of ten years of experience in leading the design, execution, and/or management of regional or multi-country HIV and SRHR multi-sectoral programmes especially for the young people, migrants, and key populations, within migration/mobility contexts.

Experience and skills:

• At least 5-10 years of proven experience in conducting qualitative and quantitative research.
• Strong programme design skills, including the capacity to prepare logical, coherent, and consistent technical documents including log frames and M&E plans.
• Previous experience conducting KAPB surveys, baseline and/or prevalence studies, government and sectorial capacity assessments, gender analysis and participatory research.
• Demonstrable knowledge and experience working in the areas of SRHR and HIV at national and sub-national levels.
• Experience in both quantitative and qualitative data collection, management, analysis, and report writing.
• The consultant should be conversant with migration and gender analysis and or gender evaluation methodologies (required).
• Experience in public health interventions especially regarding SRHR for young vulnerable people, sex workers and migrants.
• Experience working with the UN system would be an asset.

Competencies

• A demonstrated high level of professionalism and an ability to work independently and in high-pressure situations under tight deadlines.
• Ability to work well in multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural communities.
• Ability to work with sex workers, migrants, and young and vulnerable people.
• Proven strong communication and technical writing skills.
• High proficiency in written and spoken English is required. Knowledge of some of the local languages is an added advantage.
• Knowledge of SRHR, gender equality and HIV

Values

Inclusion and respect for diversity: respects and promotes individual and cultural differences; encourages diversity and inclusion wherever possible.

Integrity and transparency: maintains high ethical standards and acts in a manner consistent with organizational principles/rules and standards of conduct.

Professionalism: demonstrates ability to work in a composed, competent, and committed manner and exercises careful judgment in meeting day-to-day challenges.

Core Competencies – behavioural indicators

Teamwork: develops and promotes effective collaboration within and across units to achieve shared goals and optimize results.

Delivering results: produces and delivers quality results in a service-oriented and timely manner; is action-oriented and committed to achieving agreed outcomes.

Accountability: takes ownership for achieving the Organization’s priorities and assumes responsibility for own action and delegated work.