Gender Expert - TIPF – Adam Smith International

Position: Gender Expert – TIPF

Location: Mogadishu, Somalia

1. Introduction

1.1. About ILED Programme

The Inclusive Local and Economic Development (ILED) is a four-year programme funded by the European Union (EU Somalia). The overall objective of the programme is to contribute to improved stability in Somalia by extending state authority and services, promoting local reconciliation and peacebuilding, creating inclusive economic opportunities and protecting the most vulnerable. ILED programme aims to adopt a geographic approach to programming, combining sector investments in an integrated way to address the multifaceted, complex nature of development in Somalia.

Building on consultations and comprehensive analysis with government counterparts and development partners in Somalia, ILED defined the following territorial corridors as preliminary basis for organising the integrated territorial planning and delivery:

Somaliland Corridor – from Burao to Borama
Central-North Corridor – from Bossaso to Dhusamareeb
Shabelle River Corridor – encompassing Lower Shabelle, Hirshabelle and Benadir Regional Administration (BRA)
Juba River Corridor – from Dolow to Kismayo

To achieve the overall objective of the programme, number of projects and instruments have been designed based on comprehensive territorial planning and consultation process conducted in 2019-2020. All ILED-funded projects are currently under implementation across the four corridors. These projects focus on livestock, fisheries, infrastructure, private sector investment, youth and social protection sectors as well as financial contribution to ongoing multi-donor funds—SSF, JPLG and IFC.

1.2. Brief Backdrop – Territorial Integration and Planning Facility (TIPF)

Funded by the EU under the ILED portfolio, Adam Smith International (ASI) is implementing the Territorial Integration and Planning Facility (TIPF) to provide technical and operational support to the EU, government partners, and ILED’s implementing partners, i.e. FAO, UNFPA, DAI, NIS Foundation, AECF, Cash Consortium, and Nordic Fund. Under its ILED remit, TIPF’s main roles are to:

Provide programme coordination and management advisory support as well as helping to establish and operationalise the programme’s governance structures.
Develop Integrated Territorial Development Plans for all Federal Member State (FMS), Banadir Regional Administration (BRA) and Somaliland and support their implementation and integration through the delivery of ILED projects.
Ensure sectoral and cross-cutting issues are identified and mainstreamed in the design and implementation of the ILED projects.

In order to achieve the three-prong mandate outlined above, TIPF comprises a diverse team with significant presence across Somalia/Land. The team—technical/planning lead, M&E Lead, regional coordinators, and government-embedded advisors—played a critical role in ILED’s planning phase, i.e. extensive consultations across all territories which culminated in the formulation of Integrated Territorial Development Plans (ITDPs) for all federal member states (Jubbaland, South West State, Hirshabelle, Galmudug, and Puntland), Benadir Regional Administration, and Somaliland. The team is currently providing technical support to ILED stakeholders—i.e. Government partners, the EU, and ILED implementing partners—in the implementation of ILED projects across all territories. As such, the team will be providing technical and administrative support in the completion of this assignment as well as the adoption of ILED’s Mainstreaming Strategy.

2. Background to the Assignment

Central to the delivery of ILED-funded projects are a set of cross-cutting issues—namely, gender, human rights, inclusivity and conflict sensitivity (Do No Harm), environmental and climate change. The situation, needs and interests of men, women, youth and marginalised groups will be taken into account. ILED is designed to attain to the principles of a rights-based approach (RBA) to development. All stakeholders will be identified and engaged to ensure ownership, participation and synergy. Political economy analysis and conflict assessments will precede programme activities.

Creating opportunities for women will be a particular focus, given their political, social and economic marginalisation. Assessments of the needs and opportunities of women will be undertaken and recommendations followed. In particular, the Programme will respond to the development needs of displaced women – both IDPs and returnees – and of their host communities. Implementing partners will work with authorities to promote their socio-economic inclusion. Impact on these specific groups will be measured.

Against this backdrop, TIPF is commissioning an assignment to assess: how sufficiently the ILED Programme has considered gender issues in the design and delivery of ILED projects and identify existing gaps and issues. Further, the assignment is expected to propose a brief and clear strategy on mainstreaming gender issues into the delivery of ILED projects. The set of recommendations will be accompanied by an actionable framework comprising of activities, methods, and tools, including a performance assessment plan.

3. Scope of the Assignment

TIPF seeks to engage a gender expert to lead this three-prong assignment—consultation, formulation and validation—to draft a gender assessment report. The scope of work for the expert are as follows:

Review ILED Programme’s ToRs—rationale, design, key result areas, and expected impact—with a particular focus on gender as a cross-cutting issue.
Review the Integrated Territorial Development Plans (ITDPs) which ILED has developed for all federal member states (Puntland, Galmudug, Hirshabelle, South West State, and Jubbaland), Benadir Regional Administration (BRA), and Somaliland, assessing the priorities and actions proposed in each ITDP in relation to the mainstreaming of gender as a cross-cutting issue—what, where, when and how.
Conduct stakeholder mapping and analysis—EU, ILED implementing partners, government partners, TIPF, and representatives of target beneficiaries—to identify a set of overarching mainstreaming objectives for gender issues.
Closely consult with relevant EU Programme Managers, including productive sectors, infrastructure, social protection, youth, and private sector development in order to identify key focus areas in regards to the mainstreaming of gender into the delivery of ILED projects.
Review the capacity of the various ILED projects—technical and financial—to ensure the effective mainstreaming of gender issues into the delivery of their respective projects.
Identify existing gaps and challenges in the programme’s capacity for mainstreaming gender issues and provide recommendations.
Draft an assessment report including a roadmap for mainstreaming gender issues into programme delivery with a clearly-defined results and resources framework and action plan.
Hold a programme-wide stakeholders’ workshop to validate the findings of the assessment.

4. Methodology

The Consultant is expected to:

Conduct literature review of all relevant programme documents and tools.
Conduct interviews with all relevant stakeholders, e.g. EU programme managers, ILED implementation partner representatives, government counterparts at national and regional levels (including BRA and Somaliland), and TIPF.
Conduct key informant interviews with representatives from the broader stakeholder field, i.e. chambers of commerce, private sector, civil society organisations (women and youth organisations in particular) and community-level groups including women, youth, and target community leaders.

5. Expected Outcomes

The Consultant is expected to submit the following deliverables:

An inception report that outlines the methodology and a detailed workplan to be submitted prior to the start of the field work (within 5 working days).
Submit a final draft of ILED’s gender equity assessment report which fully reflects the purpose, scope and requirements of this assignment, including tools and frameworks to guide the implementation of the assessment’s recommendations.

Design and deliver a validation workshop attended by representatives of ILED actors/stakeholders.

6. Qualifications and Skills Required

The gender expert (Consultant) shall meet the following requirement and skills:

At least a Master’s Degree in gender studies, social sciences (sociology, anthropology, etc.), public policy or any other relevant disciplines.
At least 7 years of prior experience conducting research predominantly focused on gender equality/equity in the Horn of Africa, preferably in Somalia.
Demonstrated experience in formulating/drafting gender assessment and strategies and actionable policies.
Prior experience in making strategic and technical contributions in the mainstreaming of cross-cutting priorities into the delivery of development interventions.
Demonstrated experience in working with multiple stakeholders and parties in the delivery of similar assignments, preferably in the Somali peninsula.
Excellent research and situational analysis experience, particularly in the Somali context.
Excellent writing and presentation skills.

7. Duration of the Assignment

The assignment is expected to be completed in 40 working days. The Consultant shall provide a detailed breakdown of the assignment in the inception report. ASI will facilitate all the necessary logistics to conduct the assessment.

All interested candidates who meet the qualifications (females strongly encouraged) are asked to send your CV with a cover letter to Ali.Sirad@adamsmithinternational.com, copying Mohamed.Hersi@eu-tipf.org by COB 10^th January 2022.