Plan International
Background
The Promoting the Voice and Leadership of Women (PVLW) Activity, implemented by Mercy Corps (MC), Plan International (PI), Arab Renaissance for Democracy and Development (ARDD), Al Jidara, Solidarity is Global Institute (SIGI) offers a new approach to advancing women’s rights and empowerment—one designed and led by Jordanian female voices and grounded in Human Centred Development (HCD) and behavioral science to sustainably change norms. PVLW is a five-year activity that will create transformational changes in gender relations at the family, community and national levels to enhance gender equality and advance women’s leadership in Jordan. This will be achieved through the following objectives:
- Strengthen legislative framework enforcement and institutional capacity
- Increase adoption of inclusive social norms
- Enhanced women’s skills and opportunities for voice and leadership
In the initial stages of the activity, the PVLW team will conduct several formative assessments including a legislative framework mapping, gender equality and social inclusion analysis (GESI), social behaviour change (SBC) analysis, and a leadership opportunity assessment, to drive the activity’s evidence-based approach to address gaps in women’s voice and leadership at the systems, institutional, community, and individual level.
Plan International will lead the in-depth GESI analysis to examine barriers to gender equality and women’s empowerment in Jordan focusing on identifying the most prevalent discriminatory social norms in communities, as well as the main barriers for women and girls to gain agency and voice. The GESI analysis will also explore the differences among men, women, boys, and girls in relation to their position in the community, distribution of resources, receiving opportunities, and power dynamics in relation to agency and leadership opportunities for women and girls. The GESI analysis will build on all existing and relevant gender-related work, including gender analyses that have been carried out for USAID or other donors.
The analysis will be used to effectively mainstream gender equality and women’s empowerment into the formulation of the program as a whole and to develop a robust gender action plan that the PVLW team can use throughout the program duration to inform the planned interventions. To supplement the gender action plan and ensure continuous learning and improvement for GESI, Plan will utilize its own Gender Transformative Marker (GTM) on an annual basis to help review the extent to which our program and influence work contributes to gender transformative and inclusive change. The marker will serve as a diagnostic tool to identify areas that can be strengthened to increase the potential of our program to contribute towards gender transformative and inclusive change, where feasible. Results from the GTM review workshops will then be integrated into the gender action plan to ensure tangible and actionable steps are developed, resourced, and implemented on an annual basis. The GTM will provide an added layer of monitoring for the GESI action plan and promote accountability for mainstreaming GESI throughout all PVLW activities.
The Consultancy
Plan Jordan is looking for a Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) Consultant primarily to identify key barriers to gender equality and inclusion in Jordan and to help with gender mainstreaming across the three objectives of the PVLW activity. The consultant will work closely with Plan’s team including Senior Gender Lead, Gender/SRHR Specialist and with the PVLW consortium partners.
This analysis is expected to capture what type and level of female engagement and empowerment is possible without jeopardizing their safety and security the public (work, street, community) and private (home) spaces and the protective measures needed while at the same time, capture decision-making functions, roles and examples that have positively contributed to female coping behaviors and the effects from the intersectionality of sex, age, disability and other diversity factors as available; including but not limited to:
- Identify barriers, norms, and enabling behaviors at the individual/household, community, and institutional level to support in shaping the project strategies and approaches including the social behavior change strategy and the leadership training program.
- Analyse the level, type and extent of positive and negative shifts in social norms and trends that have occurred and are taking place at the household, community and institutional level in relation to gender equity and power differentials (structure, relations and agency). Unravel the reasons/factors behind those changes, or lack thereof.
- Capture the methods, techniques and approaches that have worked and been adopted in reaching and supporting women and girls of different ages and socioeconomic backgrounds in the Jordanian communities in relation to the services available.
- Review the functionality of formal or informal support structures established for women and girls in the communities and institutions. .
- Develop a set of actionable short, medium and long-term recommendations for the project, based on key findings.
- Assess the participation, leadership and decision-making power, as well as mobility of women and girls.
- Include the adolescent group (15-18 years old) to be part of the analysis sample to ensure that we are giving attention to this group’s needs and perspectives to identify all the protection and gender related risks specific to this group that could enrich the analysis and inform future planning.
Dimensions of the Role
The role involves working closely with the following external and internal stakeholders:
Internal:
- PVLW SMT team
- Plan’s team including the technical unit and the programs unit.
External:
- Plan’s implementing partners in the field including CBOs and NGOs
- Relevant national & local institutions such as JNCW
- Key government entities including relevant ministries
Approach
Plan International will build off of USAID’s framework for gender analysis. USAID has adapted and utilizes the following five domains as particularly useful for gender analysis. In this framework, gender relations are analyzed across the five domains to identify existing gender-based constraints and opportunities:
- Practice And Participation
- Knowledge, Beliefs, and Perceptions (some of which are norms)
- Access to Assets
- Legal Rights and Status
- Roles, Responsibilities and Time use
Because the status of the five domains varies by context, the consultant(s) will need to be cautious about not over-interpreting existing gender analyses. In some instances, data available at a national level may be sufficient and reflect a common understanding of the domains. In other cases, particularly if working in a subnational area that is culturally different from other parts of the country, project staff may need to carry out a separate primary data collection, depending on the activity that PVLW undertakes.
The five domains do not encompass the total range of human activity, and there is overlap among them. Nevertheless, they provide a conceptual framework for understanding critical barriers to GESI, including barriers to leadership and decision-making participation of girls and women in Jordan. Taken together, these five domains provide an understanding of the different levels of power to which women, girls, men, boys, and persons with disabilities may have access in a given context, as well as how policy interventions and associated capacity strengthening opportunities might be developed and implemented to achieve more gender-equitable societies.
As power and decision-making dynamics cut across all five domains, it is important to understand how, where, and to what degree men, women, boys, girls, and marginalised groups with intersecting vulnerabilities can exercise power and make decisions.
Methodologies
The proposed methodology has been outlined below:
Literature Review: The consultant(s) will conduct an extensive desk review of the secondary data sources, including reports on international human rights and gender equality; Jordan legal frameworks, policies, strategies, and action plans on gender equality; literature on social, political, and economic inclusion and gender equality in Jordan; USAID policies and provisions on gender equality and women’s and girls’ empowerment, LGBTQI+ persons with disabilities, and social inclusion; and USAID/Jordan strategy, project, activity, previous GESI analyses conducted in Jordan, and research documents.
Through the literature review and in consultation with USAID, the consultant(s) will identify key stakeholders for primary data collection. Examples of potential stakeholders include USAID staff; USAID/Jordan partners’ staff (both central and at project sites); gender equality and women’s empowerment (GEWE) civil society organizations (CSOs) at the national and local levels; national and local government, including JNCW and senior judiciary officials connected to USAID/Jordan programming; international donors; private sector representatives; and USAID/Jordan project participants. PVLW will prioritize projects for review, considering project focus, and geographic and ethnic diversity and sectoral representation.
Primary Data Collection—Fieldwork: A national consultant(s) will conduct primary data collection in Jordan. Applying a mixed-methods approach for field research, which will be based on the initial literature review and situational analysis. The field research will include semi-structured key informant interviews (KIIs), focus group discussions (including 8 to 12 participants covering all areas of the gender analysis) disaggregated by sex and ensuring gender sensitive data collection approaches (timing of sessions, location, all female /all male teams), an online survey tailored based on the gaps in data identified during the secondary data analysis of project information and relevant statistics. Given the extensive research on gender issues in Jordan, the fieldwork will be designed to confirm the factors identified in the document review and solicit context-specific recommendations that address identified gaps and challenges and highlight effective practices relevant to PVLW’s planned areas of focus.
The GESI analysis will begin with an in-briefing with USAID/Jordan mission staff, to present the objectives and review expectations regarding the scope of the process, the consultations, and the methodology and data-collection instruments. Once approved, the consultant will move forward with primary data collection. Interviews will be recorded to facilitate a comprehensive analysis process.
Data Analysis: To analyze the data, the consultant(s) will review the interview notes and identify key themes that align with the framework. The team will then analyze and interpret the data and draw conclusions around the main research questions.
Stakeholder Analysis: Assess the capacities of relevant actors including government agencies, NGOs, CBOs, youth-led groups, and women’s associations whose work focuses on gender and women’s empowerment and the specific area of intervention that can be supported during the lifespan of PVLW.
Report Development and Dissemination: Preliminary findings will be synthesized into a Gender Analysis Report. Once the initial report is drafted, PVLW will conduct a validation workshop with both USAID and the GESI taskforce and will incorporate inputs and feedback from the workshop into the final report. The final report will be structured as follows: Executive summary; purpose; context and background; methodology and limitations; findings, conclusions, and recommendations; and Appendices. The report must not exceed 30 pages in length (without including the executive summary, appendices, lists of key informants, etc.). Submitted separately will be any databases in an Excel sheet in electronic format.
A PowerPoint presentation of the findings and recommendations will also be developed and shared with the PVLW GESI Taskforce, PVLW consortium partners, and USAID/Jordan. A full dissemination plan will be developed as part of the GESI Taskforce.
Expected deliverables.
Deliverable(s)
Gender analysis work plan and report outline.
The work plan will include a detailed description of how the gender analysis will be carried out from beginning to end. It must include a detailed methodology for the Gender Analysis, detailed activities for the operationalization of the desk review and potential primary data collection, including proposed localities and timeline for both fieldwork and the entire work, and annexes to include any other relevant material. The consultant (s) is expected to conduct comprehensive desk research in preparation for the analysis, based on which it will identify remaining gaps that necessitate additional field work for primary data collection or validation of secondary data.
The work plan is expected to have benefited from (a) a review of all statistical databases identifying availability of information; (b) a review of all the provided literature, including additional secondary information retrieved by the research team; (c) the initial/ kick-off meeting with the PVLW GESI taskforce and USAID; and (d) any other preparatory work before desk review and data processing.
The Work Plan will include a proposed schedule of desk review activities and fieldwork, the timeline for data processing and analysis and drafting of the final report, and any other relevant information regarding the assessment. It should be regarded as a living document; adjustments can be made in accordance with learning and in consultation with the PVLW GESI Taskforce and USAID mission.
Draft Gender Analysis Report and PPT presentation
Preliminary findings will be synthesized into a Draft Gender Analysis Report in consultation with the PVLW GESI taskforce and other relevant stakeholders during a validation workshop. The draft of the final report will include tables and graphs, a table of contents and acronyms, and appendices (unless the latter are extensive). The report must not exceed 30 pages in length (without including the executive summary, appendices, lists of key informants, etc.). Submitted separately will be any databases in an Excel sheet in electronic format.
A PowerPoint presentation of preliminary findings and recommendations will also be developed and shared with the PVLW GESI Taskforce, PVLW consortium partners, and USAID/Jordan.
Final Gender Analysis Report
Products include: a) final Gender report; b) a PowerPoint presentation of final report findings and recommendations to the PVLW consortium members, and USAID/Jordan Office; and, c) external presentation of final report findings and recommendations in a public event, likely with a GOJ (working-level) partner like JNCW, USAID implementing partners, and CSOs.
The final report will be in English and Arabic.
Gender Action Plan with gender and age responsive targets and indicators
Based on the report recommendations an action plan should be developed with the PVLW GESI taskforce to operationalize those recommendations through a detailed actionable approach supporting the PVLW team to track and implement related activities after a consultation with the PVLW Senior Management Team (SMT) to approve according to the project and context capacity.
The Gender Action Plan will be reviewed and updated on an annual basis. Plan will utilize the GTM workshops as an additional tool and period of reflection to strengthen monitoring and improve the action plan throughout the life of the project.
Accountabilities
Under direct supervision of PVLW Senior Gender Lead, and with support from Plan’s technical team and consortium members, the GESI consultant will assume the following tasks:
- Conduct a thorough desk review to identify key barriers to gender equality and social inclusion under the three objectives of the program.
- Develop a workplan that includes a timeline of activities, required resources and a data and information analysis plan.
- Collect primary data from different actors to better understand the root causes of gender inequality and exclusion in the selected locations.
- Liaise with the program’s gender task force to agree on the scope of the gender analysis, geographic locations, methodology and timeline.
- Develop an action plan that identifies entry points for mainstreaming gender into the program. The action plan should mirror the program’s log frame and include the development of gender specific program components, gender and age responsive targets and indicators, timelines, assigned responsibilities, and implementation arrangements
- Identify potential gender-differentiated impacts of the PVLW program in consultation with the consortium partners and relevant stakeholders.
- Assess the capacities of relevant actors including government agencies, NGOs, CBOs, youth-led groups, and women’s associations whose work focuses on gender and the specific area of intervention that can be utilized during the lifespan of the program.
- Undertake any other relevant tasks that are deemed necessary by the Senior Gender Lead to support gender mainstreaming within the program.
Technical expertise, skills and knowledge
Essential
- Advanced degree in Gender Studies, Human rights, Social Sciences, Development or other related fields.
- Sound knowledge of gender issues in humanitarian and/or development settings, particularly GBV, women empowerment and leadership, human rights, and established international standards and principles.
- Experience conducting similar assignments in Jordan.
- Familiarity with and experience in designing and conducting key informant interviews and focus group discussions with the local communities and with key government representatives.
- Fluency in Arabic and English.
- Excellent reporting and writing skills.
- Outstanding communication skills at all levels.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications including Excel and Word and ability to use information technology as a tool and resource.
- Commitment to Plan’s key policies mainly the Gender Equality and Inclusion and Data Privacy policies.
Desirable
- Understanding and knowledge of USAID regulations and program administration, management, and reporting procedures and systems is preferred.
- Previous experience working in a consortium with multiple staff members, partners, and networks.
- Sound relationship with national entities including JNCW, relevant ministries and national CBOs in different governorates.
Plan International’s Values in Practice
We are open and accountable
- Promotes a culture of openness and transparency, including with sponsors and donors.
- Holds self and others accountable to achieve the highest standards of integrity.
- Consistent and fair in the treatment of people.
- Open about mistakes and keen to learn from them.
- Accountable for ensuring we are a safe organisation for all children, girls & young people
We strive for lasting impact
- Articulates a clear purpose for staff and sets high expectations.
- Creates a climate of continuous improvement, open to challenge and new ideas.
- Focuses resources to drive change and maximise long-term impact, responsive to changed priorities or crises.
- Evidence-based and evaluates effectiveness.
We work well together
- Seeks constructive outcomes, listens to others, willing to compromise when appropriate.
- Builds constructive relationships across Plan International to support our shared goals.
- Develops trusting and ‘win-win’ relationships with funders, partners and communities.
- Engages and works well with others outside the organization to build a better world for girls and all children.
We are inclusive and empowering
- We empower our staff to give their best and develop their potential
- We respect all people, appreciate differences and challenge equality in our programs and our workplace
- We support children, girls and young people to increase their confidence and to change their own lives.
Level of contact with children
Low contact: No contact or very low frequency of interaction
ROLE PROFILE and application process
Type of Role: Consultancy – Short term
Contract Duration: 4 months
Reports to: Senior Gender Lead
Location: Home-based
How to apply
Interested candidate should use the below link to download the tender documents: