Call for Consultant – Evaluation of faith-based approaches to reducing gender-based violence

Terms of Reference

Evaluation of

faith-based approaches to reducing gender-based violence

1. The rationale for the Assessment

Timor-Leste has one of the youngest populations in the Asia-Pacific, with one in four people aged 10-19. Adolescents, especially vulnerable girls, lack agency over key decisions in their lives including the timing of marriage, pregnancy, first sexual experience, use of contraception, career planning, participation in community governance, and control over resources. This prevents girls from pursuing opportunities to strengthen their skills and participation in economic and governance spheres, and therefore works to keep vulnerable girls trapped in cycles of poverty and exclusion. As a result, adolescent girls are more vulnerable to gender-based violence and abuse of their rights, during adolescence and throughout their lives.

The high prevalence of gender-based violence, particularly domestic violence, in Timor-Leste is considered to be a key challenge for the country. Not only is the extent of gender-based violence a serious concern, but also the severity of the violence. Women and girls in Timor-Leste are exposed to high rates of gender-based violence (GBV), particularly intimate partner violence (IPV) and family violence, almost two-thirds (59%) of women who have ever been in a relationship have experienced physical or sexual violence from their partner.[1] Girls who marry early are more vulnerable to intimate partner violence. Local bride price customs in Timor-Leste contribute to early marriage and are also associated with higher rates of intimate partner violence, notably also towards pregnant women.[2] Experience of violence in childhood is also pervasive, with 72% of women and 77% of men from two locations reporting having experienced physical or sexual violence by the time they were 18.[3] Corporal punishment is an accepted form of discipline for children at home and school. UNICEF research found that 70% of children reported experiences of physical violence, and 8 in 10 children reported emotional violence by their teacher during the past 12 months.[4] A study conducted in 2015 indicated that 47 percent of women suffered physical, psychological, or sexual violence by their partners. Other studies indicated that 38 percent of women aged 15-49 experienced physical violence from the age of 15, and 36 percent who were or had been married reported violence—physical, sexual, or emotional—by their husbands or partners. The impacts of these limitations on the rights and outcomes of adolescent girls are far-reaching.

response to these socio-cultural conditions, WVTL is implementing gender-based violence (GBV) and child protection projects across its four Area Programmes (Aileu, Baucau, Covalima, Bobonaro), funded by DFAT, MFAT, and USAID. Each of these projects is implementing World Vision’s faith-based project model: Channels of Hope for Gender (CoHG) project (see an overview of the project model) to work with faith leaders to promote gender equality and address GBV. CoHG is an interactive process using principles from religious texts and science to explore gender identities, norms, and values that impact male and female relationships in families and communities. The program methodology challenges participants to see men and women as created equals and to treat each other accordingly. This new understanding empowers men and women to celebrate who they are, moves people to healthier relationships, and contributes to reducing GBV. Since WVTL began implementing the CoHG project model in 2015, there has not been a review of progress to understand how WVTL’s approaches compare to the project model and what elements have been contextualized. WVTL would also like to consider how CoHG is changing the attitudes, behaviours, and practices of faith leaders regarding gender equality and GBV and what further modifications are needed to build sustainable outcomes. In this regard, WVTL would like to understand if other gender equality or GBV training materials already contextualized to the Timorese context could be integrated within CoHG.

1. Assessment Description

2.1 Objective

The objective of this assessment is to determine how effectively the CoHG project model is supporting survivors of violence through changing attitudes amongst faith leaders (and by extension their communities) and reducing the incidence and acceptance of violence within communities. This will include an assessment of community stakeholders, program staff, and faith leaders’ attitudes, behaviour, and practices regarding gender equality and response to GBV and consideration to the extent that CoHG promotes a rights-based and survivor-centered approach to responding to GBV. This will assist WVTL in ultimately assessing the relevance and ability of the model to bring about long-lasting, sustainable, gender-responsive change in Timor-Leste.

The following key questions will guide the assessment:

1. To what extent do WVTL’s CoHG activities follow the WVI project model?

   • Are all the core components of the project model being implemented?
   • What contextualization (positive and negative) has taken place?
   • How does WTTL’s CoHG align with WVI quality standards/survivor-centered rights-based approaches to addressing GBV?
   • Has training been sufficient for WVTL staff implementing the CoHG program? What is the capacity of project staff to deliver training on GBV and gender equality?

2. How have the attitudes, behaviours, and practices of faith leaders altered after engaging with CoHG, and to what extent are faith leaders supporting survivors of violence?

   • How do faith leaders describe changes to their attitudes, behaviours, and practices after engaging with CoHG?
   • To what extent are faith leaders passing on positive practices regarding GE, GBV, CP, and disability inclusion? Is there any evidence of attitude or behaviour change amongst congregations?
   • What messages are faith leaders teaching their congregations regarding GE, GBV, CP, and disability inclusion?
   • What is the capacity of faith leaders to recognize the signs of family violence and support women to get the help they need?
   • What course of action do faith leaders recommend to survivors and perpetrators of gender-based violence?
   • What are the main challenges/barriers faith leaders face regarding integrating learning from CoHG and other faith-based approaches into their daily interactions with congregations?

3. How can CoHG and other faith-based approaches be improved and adapted to the TL context?

   • What other evidence-based materials and approaches are being used in TL to tackle GE, GE, and CP?
   • Which of these approaches should be integrated within CoHG?
   • What further contextualization is required for the CoHG material?
   • What are the recommendations for TL to improve its CoHG over the next five years?

4. Methodology

The assessment will be conducted by a consultant who is expected to travel to Timor-Leste for fieldwork. The methodology will employ qualitative methods and be more fully developed by the consultant. It is anticipated the methodology will include the following key steps:

1. Review secondary data, and project reports from WVTL and other WVI partnership offices.
2. Review of CoHG training manuals and participant training materials
3. Preparation of inception report detailing the proposed methodology
4. Focus Groups and Key Information Interviews in Timor-Leste (approximately one week)
5. KIIs with non-Timor-based WVI gender, and faith and development technical specialists
6. Workshop with WVTL staff, women’s organizations, and faith leaders to share findings and develop recommendations
7. Assessment Team

The assessment will be led by an external consultant. The external consultant will coordinate closely with WVTL’s Faith and Development Specialist, Gender and CP Specialist, and Evidence and Learning Manager. The field data collection team will be led by the Baseline and Evaluation Officer who will support the external consultant with FGDs and KIIs.

1. Survey Sample/Coverage

The assessment will take place in target villages (Baucau and Aileu) within the Towards a Future Free from Violence project. Key stakeholders to be consulted as either KIIs or FGDs include:

• WVTL CoHG Program Staff
• Faith leaders
• Adolescents
• Parents
• School teachers
• Health clinic staff/nurses
• Community and Traditional Faith Leaders
• Secretary State for Equality and Inclusion.
• Other INGOs
• Local NGOs, such as PRADET and FOKEPURS
• Asia Foundation
• UN Women

1. Roles and Responsibilities of Consultant/Evaluation Lead

The consultant is expected to lead the evaluation process while WVTL will support logistics. Specifically, the consultant is expected to:

• Develop the evaluation inception report
• Finalize the evaluation methodology
• Conduct the KIIs and FGDs and support WVTL if additional data collection is required
• Conduct a workshop with WVTL staff
• Analyze the evaluation data, and write up the evaluation report

1. Deliverables

All deliverable documents need to be in English. Documents that the consultant is expected to submit:

• Assessment Inception Report, including data collection Instruments and results from secondary data review (4 days’ work)
• Field visit to TL to supervise FGDs, KIIs, and lead analysis workshop (7 days work)
• Draft Assessment Report (4 days’ work)

The report should include (but is not limited to) the following:

• • Executive summary (max. 2-3 pages)
    – Aims, objectives, and scope
    – methodology
    – Findings (related to the specific questions and including qualitative and quantitative data to support) including recommendations
    – Conclusion
    – Recommendations
• Final assessment report (based on feedback from WVT) and 10-slide PowerPoint covering methodology, evaluation findings, and key recommendations (1-day work)

1. Qualifications of the evaluation consultant

• Demonstrated experience in the area of gender-based violence, women’s rights, and child protection, and the integration of faith within development approaches
• Demonstrated oral and written communication skills
• Skilled small group facilitator and comfortable talking with faith leaders.
• Strong analytical skills and ability to clearly synthesize and present findings, draw practical conclusions, make recommendations, and prepare well-written reports in a timely manner
• Knowledge and prior experience in Timor-Leste are preferred.
• Knowledge and familiarity with World Vision are an advantage.
• Fluent in English.