Rapid Humanitarian Needs Assessment in Zaporizhzha, Kherson and Mykolaiv (Ukraine)

Background

The request for proposals for undertaking a rapid needs assessment (the assessment) is submitted by the Danish Red Cross (DRC) together with the Ukrainian Red Cross Society (URCS) and several other Red Cross Red Crescent Movement (RCRC Movement) partners in Ukraine.

Since February 24th 2022, the URCS and the RCRC Movement have significantly scaled up its humanitarian response activities in all regions of Ukraine. The response has covered all sectors in providing essential humanitarian assistance to help people meet their basic needs. URCS Emergency Response Teams have worked around the clock responding to crisis situation including remote strikes, humanitarian relief assistance and cash and voucher-based assistance been provided to meet acute needs for food and water, hygiene and safe and warm shelters. URCS have significantly scaled up its delivery of basic and focused psychosocial support nationwide and have complemented the existing health care system through Mobile Health Units (MHUs) and home-based care (HBC) services. A comprehensive winterization package is currently being delivered across the country to ensure that communities are able to stay in safe, warm and dignified shelters over the winter period.

Purpose and objectives

The overall purpose of the assessment is to provide relevant findings, insights and recommendations for DRC, URCS and RCRC Movement partners informing and providing direction for the joint humanitarian operation currently being undertaken in the hardest affected areas of Ukraine.

The Needs Assessment is commissioned at a time where URCS and RCRC Movement partners are responding to urgent needs arising from the damages to civilian infrastructure nationwide and to address humanitarian needs in recently de-occupied areas of the country. At the same time, URCS and RCRC Movement partners are working to ensure that our humanitarian response for the coming months and year is based on a solid analysis of the existing humanitarian situation in the hardest affected areas.

The assessments has three key objectives:

1. Produce a rapid analysis of the existing humanitarian needs in the targeted areas of the assessment with a specific focus on key RCRC Movement priority sectors
2. Provide an analysis of the current gaps and key challenges for humanitarian organizations in responding to the humanitarian needs in the areas
3. Provide recommendations for how URCS and RCRC Movement actors can best respond to the humanitarian situation in the areas and contribute to closing gaps in the current humanitarian response.

Scope and assessment approach

Geographical delimitation

The assessment will focus on the humanitarian situation and response in Zaporizhzha, Kherson and Mykolaiv regions. The regions have been affected by constant armed conflict since the beginning of the conflict escalation on February 24th and the current front line of the conflict run through the region. People living in the regions, and specifically people living close to the front lines, are significantly impacted by the ongoing fighting limiting their ability to meet basic needs, staying safe and protected and accessing essential and basic services.

Specific target areas

The assessment will focus on two types of areas within Zaporizhzha, Kherson and Mykolaiv where humanitarian needs and the possible response are expected to be different with the ambition that the needs assessment provide insights both into whether and how the needs, gaps and opportunities are different. The consultant(s) are expected to answer the research questions posed below and develop findings and recommendations that reflect the distinct reality in the two types of areas.

Frontline areas and newly de-occupied areas

In the area within 20 km of the frontline as well as specific focus on Hromadas where the frontline passes through, communities and residents are constantly living with the threat of shelling and remote strikes and of the frontline moving. Delivery of essential services is significantly hampered by the ongoing hostilities and security constraints place severe limitations on the ability of humanitarian actors to operate.

Affected areas not on the front lines with a focus on isolated and rural areas in targeted regions

Areas outside of the main city/cities in the targeted regions that are not on the immediate front lines also characterized by a high degree of volatility and disruption of essential services as well as frequent shelling. In addition, the areas are often more difficult to access and deliver humanitarian services to with the population living in the areas lacking access to basic services to meet their basic needs and having specific other vulnerabilities.

Priority sectors

The Needs Assessment will focus on areas where URCS and partners have extensive experience over several years and in the current conflict situation with responding effectively to humanitarian needs. These are:

• Assistance to ensure affected people are able to meet their basic needs through delivery of targeted and effective humanitarian assistance including cash and voucher-based assistance and distribution of essential relief items
• Assistance to ensure (re-)establishment of services and activities, ranging from evacuations, first aid, PFA, re-establishment of essential services (like banking, internet, postal, access to government services).
• Contribute to ensuring that more people are able to become economically self-reliant through the delivery of targeted emergency livelihoods support
• Specifically under protection, the provision of Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) services and activities aimed at reducing the negative impact and long-term consequences of the conflict on the mental health and psychosocial wellbeing of people in Ukraine
• Enabling affected people to meet their need for safe, dignified and warm shelters through delivery of comprehensive and targeted winterization assistance as well as strong bomb shelters

Research questions

The consultant(s) are expected to deliver a needs assessment that focuses on answering the following research questions. The questions are intended as a starting point for the discussion between the selected consultant(s) and the RCRC Movement Assessment Team and the final questions and assessment matrix will be developed in the inception phase.

1. What are the most urgent unmet humanitarian needs in the frontline areas and recently de-occupied areas in the target regions?
2. To what extent are local markets able to function in the frontlines areas and recently de-occupied areas in the target regions and what are the implications for humanitarian response by URCS and partners?
3. How can URCS and partners best prepare for responding in new de-occupied areas in the next 6 months building on the experience from Kherson and other places?
4. What are the most urgent unmet humanitarian needs in the affected areas of the region not on the front lines and how can URCS and partners supporting in meeting existing gaps in the humanitarian response?
5. To what extent are local markets able to function in the affected areas not on the front lines in the target regions and what are the implications for humanitarian response by URCS and partners?
6. How is the conflict affecting the mental health and psychosocial wellbeing of people living in the frontline areas and in recently de-occupied areas?
7. To what extent are the current MHPSS actors and organizations in the areas able to provide the necessary assistance to the communities and where are the gaps?
8. To what extent are survivors of Sexual and Gender-based Violence (SGBV) able to access essential services in the targeted areas and what challenges do they face in this regard?
9. What are the main challenges and barriers that the affected population are facing to protect and recover their livelihoods, differentiated by vulnerability and status (IDP, non-displaced and returnees) and context (urban, rural)?
10. To what extent are key markets functioning and what are the risks ahead, including availability and access to labour market and employment services
11. What are the priority livelihoods needs for the different vulnerable population groups in the areas?
12. Building on its existing and ongoing winterization response, how can URCS and partners best prepare for ensuring a comprehensive and effective winterization response in winter 2023/4?
13. What, if any, are the most urgent unmet shelter needs expected for the period between April and September 2023 in the targeted areas and how can URCS and partners support in meeting the needs.

Methodology

The consultant(s) are expected to complete the assessment task using a variety of qualitative and quantitative methods and approaches to triangulate the available existing data and produce new primary data and insights in answering the 13 research questions posed above.

The consultant(s) will be requested to conduct extensive Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) with relevant staff and organizations involved in the humanitarian response and coordination in the targeted areas of the assessment. These should include, but not be limited to, the following: Relevant regional and local authorities present in the area involved in the coordination of humanitarian assistance, key international humanitarian organizations with a specific focus on coordination actors, relevant local humanitarian organizations present in the areas and URCS regional organizations and local branches in the areas.

Review, analysis and consolidation of existing secondary data will play a central role in the assessment due to the proliferation of humanitarian actors and analyses already conducted and underway in Ukraine. The consultant(s) are expected to independently be able to source and analyse the existing relevant data and information on the humanitarian situation including needs and gaps.

Concurrently with the consultancy-led needs assessment, URCS and partners will conduct primary data collection of household level using phone surveys in the areas. The consultant(s) are requested to collaborate with URCS and partners to ensure that the primary data collection is complementary to and adds value to the consultancy-led needs assessment.

Roles & responsibilities

The assessment will be managed through an Assessment Steering Committee consisting of the Deputy Director of URCS (Programmes) and the Country Representatives of the Danish Red Cross (DRC), German Red Cross (GRC) , Luxembourg Red Cross (LuxRC) and Spanish Red Cross (SpRC). The Steering Committee will set the overall direction of the assessment in the initial phase and provide quality assurance and input to the draft version of the assessment report.

The consultant(s) will be supported by an RCRC Movement Assessment Team consisting of the DRC Data & Analysis Team Leader, URCS PMER Manager, URCS Programme Support Lead and the GRC MEAL Delegate who will be the main focal points for the consultant on the day-to-day management of the assessment. The team will coordinate with the SpRC livelihood assessment and with other movement partners.

A dedicated team of RCRC Movement Technical Experts will be involved and engaged throughout the assessment including the GRC CVA Delegate, URCS CVA Specialist, DRC Relief Delegate, URCS Relief Specialist, LuxRC Shelter Delegate, URCS Shelter Specialist, Spanish RC Livelihoods Delegate, URCS Livelihoods Specialist, DRC MHPSS Delegate and URCS MHPSS Specialist.

Deliverables & schedule

The assessment is expected to be conducted during January with the proposed schedule below. The concrete dates and specific sub-deliverables will be developed in consultation between the selected consultant(s) and the Assessment Team.

Expected deadlines:

Start of consultancy: January 12th

Inception Report: January 16th

First draft: January 30th

Comments on first draft: February 1st

Final report: February 3rd

Skills and qualifications

The consultant(s) are expected to demonstrate significant experience with undertaking comprehensive humanitarian needs assessments in contexts of armed conflict and preferably with experience conducting research exercises in Ukraine since the conflict escalation of February 24th 2022. Experience conducting applied research and/or assessments in Ukraine is required and consultant(s) are expected to include team members that are fluent in Ukrainian and Russian.

Consultant(s) are expected to have experience conducting applied research and/or assessment within the priority sectors outlined in this Terms of Reference with preference for consultants with experience within the sector in Ukraine or similar contexts.

It is a requirement that the consultant(s) can deliver on the assessment report within the time frame and schedule described above and priority will be given to proposals with higher degree of feasibility and sufficient resources engaged to deliver within the time frame.

Consultant(s) that have presence on the ground in Ukraine or are able to have presence on the ground for the undertaking of the needs assessment throughout January and February 2023 are preferred.

Budget

There is no pre-defined budget for the assessment exercises and consultant(s) are requested to submit a proposal ensuring that the time frame and schedule is kept while maintaining a high level of quality in the assessment data collection, analysis and compilation of recommendations.

Indicatively, we expect that consultant(s) submit budgets somewhere between 10.000 and 25.000 CHF.