Engaging Consultant to undertake the development of the 2021 Gender Mainstreaming Training and Gender Policy Implementation for the JRS Eastern Africa Region
1. Background
Gender-unaware projects neglect to address gender and exclusion issues, thereby exacerbating gender and exclusion disparities. They lack the potential to contribute to gender equality and inclusion. Because of this, JRS launched a Gender Policy in May 2020 to ensure that its programming is gender transformative. The purpose of the Global Policy on Gender is to establish a clear vision, direction, common language, and consistent message to operationalize and communicate our commitment to the promotion of gender equality, women/girls’ rights, and inclusion for all of our staff, at all levels. In addition to the purpose, it contains 3 core objectives,
i) gender-responsive design and delivery in services,
ii) a non-discriminatory culture that guarantees the right to equal opportunity for all,
iii) transformative gender equality language, that addresses different levels of JRS' operations in its humanitarian work.
After the policy's international launch, there has been a significant need to develop a common understanding of the policy, contextualize it, and operationalize it within the JRS Eastern Africa countries of Kenya, South Sudan, Ethiopia, and Uganda. Given the broad range of projects in the different countries in the region in terms of scale and scope, thematic focus and breadth, location, and context, the Gender Policy cannot set fixed minimum criteria to optimize its potential and integrate gender equality, girls/women's rights, and inclusion as much as possible within its specific context.
The JRS EAR Regional Office will engage a Gender Consultant to develop and carry out a gender-specific training program in Nairobi, Kenya and develop a training of trainers (ToT) manual for the participants.
2. Rationale
JRS’s Humanitarian Mandate is to meet the immediate needs of disaster-affected populations in the poorest communities in the world in a way that also addresses the underlying causes of people’s vulnerability. JRS recognizes the link between poverty and gender inequality and the need for humanitarian organizations to design, plan and respond to the needs of affected women, girls, men, and boys in ways that promote gender equality.
Poverty and social injustice cannot be overcome until all people have equal rights and opportunities. Gender inequality and lack of a balanced voice of women, men, and the youths; weak governance, and the increasing frequency and impact of humanitarian crises are the three critical underlying causes of poverty and social injustice. Power relations between genders and ages are unequal, and that we must challenge patriarchy and promote gender equality to achieve social justice. Our work must be embedded in the local context, and we must be aware of local legal environments. In conservation, equal rights and opportunities to resource use are important for sustainable resource utilization.
It is based on this that JRS Eastern Africa is seeking for services of a capable individual to offer a 5-day in-person training on Gender mainstreaming to its staff (approximately 27 people) across the 4 countries we work in: Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan, and Ethiopia. The training seeks to bridge the gap between humanitarian programming and gender mainstreaming.
The consultant will oversee all activities listed below aimed toward enhancing gender mainstreaming inclusion in the scope of programming, equitable language, inclusive services, and ToT implementation to support institutional strengthening.
It is hoped that the outcome will enhance the momentum and equitable will to strengthen women/girls agency, foster enabling environments, and support boys/men to embrace positive masculinities in promoting the gender equality agenda forward.
3. Goal and Objective
Goal: Gender mainstreaming is practically adopted by all JRS staff as an element of good practice.
The specific objectives are.
· To impart practical knowledge and skills on gender mainstreaming concepts in humanitarian work.
· To enable members to understand gender key concepts including clearly and accurately defining key vocabulary.
· To articulate various dimensions of gender in a dynamic environment
· To enable JRS staff to practically apply mainstreaming concepts in their work.
· To enable JRS staff to build their capacity as leaders/catalyst for gender mainstreaming at JRS through leadership skills.
· To link gender mainstreaming and other diversity issues that affect organization operation.
· To use the training of trainers (ToT) theory to allow transfer of knowledge from those trained to the rest of JRS staff
· To tabulate an easy-to-use training manual on gender mainstreaming that will be a tool used by all JRS staff.
4. Scope of Work
a) The work shall entail carrying out the in-person training in Nairobi, Kenya for a minimum of 27 participants coming from 4 countries (Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan, and Ethiopia) and:
· Identifying gaps from the JRS’s staff on gender knowledge
· Introducing key concepts defining them to participants
· Linking other diversity issues with gender
· Identifying gender mainstreaming as a leadership activity and imparting leadership skills on participants
· Highlighting gender mainstreaming as a key element of good practice within an organization
· Balancing the demands of day-to-day work with good practice
· Practical examples on how gender can be mainstreamed in planning and reporting.
· Setting a list of good practice on gender to ensure a change in behavior, attitudes, and beliefs and ultimately organizational culture
· Skills on monitoring and evaluating gender mainstreaming practices.
· Linking internal gender practices with the external environment
5. Proposed Methodology
The trainers shall be expected to adopt appropriate training strategies that ensure a change of attitude for the staff trained and retention of knowledge and skills for practice.
The training will be conducted over 5 days in a participatory manner and in a way that will enable the JRS staff to learn practical skills on gender issues. The trainer may choose to give the participants periodic exercises on gender concepts to ascertain levels of understanding from each participant.
The training will be customized to fit JRS’s values, mission, plans, and JRS’ gender policy strategic directions.
A summary of written and verbal communication can be used to enhance trainee participation. The participants must leave the training with a thorough understanding of gender concepts and skills to practically apply those to their daily work.
It is also expected that the trainer studies specific gender context approaches since the group shall be coming from and working in diverse backgrounds.
6. Duration:
The training will be conducted in person over 5 days from 8.30 am to 5.00 pm daily, in Nairobi, Kenya.
7. Deliverables
· Developing training materials
· Delivering a comprehensive, in-depth 5-day training session on gender as outlined in the scope of work
· Developing and submitting training report
· Conduct training as required for staff in gender-related concepts and gender mainstreaming techniques.
· Facilitate and support the participants to mainstream the gender perspective plan of action within the strategic structure of their programs and activities.
· Develop a few gender perspective monitoring indicators
· Identify and tackle resistance strategies with peer dialogue and role-play.
· Ensure sufficient resources (including time) to discuss gender issue.
· Develop and formalize a ToT Gender training manual in line with JRS/ Gender Policy and ensure that commitments on gender equality and gender mainstreaming translate into action throughout the program process.
· Based on the process mentioned above and in consultation with the Regional Team, prepare a comprehensive list of contents to be included pre-workshop to ensure that all the required contents are included.
· Submit a proposed implementation plan with tentative timelines for the required service that is in line with the TOR.
· Produce a well-written and comprehensive contextualized easy to use training manual; 27 participants, (5 Uganda, 5 South Sudan, 5 Kenya, 7 Ethiopia,5 Regional Office).
8. Accountability and Responsibility
The trainers shall report Regional Advocacy Officer directly or his/ her designate under whose docket the training will be conducted. In line with the organization's core values, all trainers will be required to sign a code of conduct and child protection policy.
JRS shall provide for:
i. Guidance throughout all phases of execution.
ii. Approval of all deliverables including final sign-offs to make payments. Terms of payment the payment schedules shall be described in the contract.
iii. Make available suitable facilities for training, during the period of the Agreement.
iv. JRS shall make all payments herein agreed upon after making the mandatory statutory deductions and other deductions such as taxes, certificate accreditation as specified.
The consultant will be responsible for;
· Submitting a detailed proposal in conformity with the TORs specified herein.
· Submission of all the required statutory documentation.
· Production o
