RFP-Consultancy to conduct SGBA in the “Scaling up fortified and diversified Foods through Social Safety Net Programs

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RFP - Consultancy to conduct Sex- and Gender-Based Analysis (SGBA) in the “Scaling up fortified and diversified foods through social safety net programs” - project in India

About the Organization:

Nutrition International, formerly the Micronutrient Initiative (MI), is an international not for profit agency based in Canada that works to eliminate vitamin and mineral deficiencies in developing countries. Micronutrient deficiency is a form of malnutrition and is a recognized health problem in many developing countries.

Background and Rationale:

With the intention of contributing to gender equality, Nutrition International launched its Program Gender Equality Strategy (PGES) in 2018 to systematically mainstream gender equality into nutrition programs. Led by the PGES, Nutrition International aims to ensure deeper integration of gender into all aspects of programming and therefore is planning to conduct a Sex- and Gender-Based Analysis (SGBA) as part of the Nutrition International/Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) Scaling up fortified and diversified foods through social safety net programs in India.

Malnutrition is an issue which both causes and is fueled by the feminization of poverty. An in-depth sex and gender-based analysis (SGBA) will be conducted in India during the inception period to guide project implementation. The analysis will build upon similar analyses done to date.

Conducting an SGBA is a critical step in designing a gender sensitive or responsive project as it seeks to understand gender barriers and enablers within the broader context, assess the status of gender equality within programming and identify short- and long-term strategies to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment. Learnings/recommendations from the SGBA will be included in the project activities that will be implemented throughout the programming cycle. This plan will include landscape analysis, design of Behaviour Change Interventions (BCI) or other interventions, implementation, monitoring (including gender sensitive indicators and sex disaggregated data), and evaluation.

 Objectives, Activities, and Deliverables:

The purpose of this consultancy is to conduct a Sex- and Gender-Based Analysis (SGBA) of Scaling up fortified and diversified foods through social safety net programs in India. This consultancy will assess the status of gender sensitivity and responsiveness within the Nutrition International supported projects. It will provide recommendations for developing short- and long-term strategies for gender mainstreaming in program design, planning and ongoing monitoring, evaluation, and learning (from the results contribution) to promoting gender equality and empowerment of girls and women through the implementation of integrated health and nutrition interventions (including BCI), with direct support of a qualified Gender Equality Expert.

The specific objectives of the consultancy are as follows:

• Assess the gender equality issues relevant to the “Prime”, “Implement” and “Diversification” stages in selected geographic areas to learn about local context for women and girls in relation to men and boys including socio- economic status (gender roles and their status within households, income levels, control over assets), participation and decision-making, access to social safety programs, nutrition information and services, and other vulnerabilities (including indirectly gender-based violence).
• Understand the multiple and intersecting identities of key populations in the target region and assess the extent to which they impact their ability to access and benefit from nutrition interventions and services.
• Assess the level of gender mainstreaming in current program design, implementation and Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) system (including indicators). These include outputs/activities as well as outcomes to address gendered barriers and promote gender equality.
• Explore how community members, state government officials, food distributors, fair price shop personnel, workers in PDS schemes, and other stakeholders in the project catchment area perceive gender, age, caste, and how these perceptions and attitudes may impact the project or cause potential harm or conflict.
• Identify potential opportunities, enablers and provide recommendations for developing short- and long-term strategies including behaviour change objectives and materials that will promote gender equality and empowerment of girls and women through the programs.

Scope of work:

The consultant/consulting organization will be responsible for designing and conducting the SGBA and submitting an assessment report. The consultancy team will work closely with the Nutrition International team to achieve the following key activities under each of the key objectives for the assignment Nutrition International will provide the specific tools and templates, which may be adapted as needed:

The process must be participatory and inclusive. It must respect the local context and follow good practices on quality, attribution, and validation of data and analysis. At the completion of the assignment, the consultant/consulting organization will hand over all raw data files to Nutrition International.

The methodology will include:

• Desk review of project documents: The consultant/consulting organization will be provided with a summary of secondary data review to inform stakeholder discussions. (Objectives 1, 2, 3)
• Key informant interviews with stakeholders such as those in the public distribution system and affiliated workers such as AWWs, ASHA’s and fair shop staff, women’s organizations, government officials, and others. (Objectives, 1, 2, 4)
• Focus group discussions with a range of stakeholders in one district in one of the following states: Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh or Gujarat (Objectives 1, 2, 4)
• Analysis of findings: The consultant/consulting organization will compare the needs, opportunities, aspirations, and experiences of women and adolescent girls, taking into account the diversity of experiences depending on age, location, marital status, dependence on Social Safety Net Programmes, caste and other factors. The analysis will explore the relationship between gender, food security and nutrition at the household, community, and regional levels. In addition, the report will consider the legal and policy environment for improving the nutrition and women and adolescent girls. (Objective 4, 5)

Key Deliverables (and timelines):

• Detailed work plan, including schedule for research activities and research tools.
• Draft final report including analysis of findings and recommendations.
• Final report incorporating feedback from Nutrition International, and including annexes such as list of interviews, references, etc.

The final report should be no more than 40 pages + annexes and references and must observe the following format (page allocation is a rough guide):

• Acronyms Table of Contents Executive Summary 1.0 Introduction (Landscape Analysis) 2.0 Methodology 3.0 Findings 4.0 Analysis and discussion 5.0 Conclusion and recommendations Annexes References

Required Competencies and Knowledge:

• Post-graduate university degree or equivalent in development studies, social development, gender studies or equivalent
• Training in nutrition, food security, public health, an added advantage
• A minimum of seven years’ work experience in social development, gender equality and social inclusion analysis
• Knowledge and experience of using qualitative research and participatory methodologies and approaches such as gender analysis, participatory rapid appraisal, human-centered design
• Strong analytical capacity and proven ability to write compelling reports
• Excellent understanding and experience on key issues and strategies in food and nutrition and gender equality in the Indian context
• Excellent interpersonal skills, cultural sensitivity, and ability to communicate effectively in English and Hindi ability to adhere to tight deadlines, exercise discretion and maintain confidentiality.

Support:

The consultant/consulting organization will receive support from Nutrition International country office staff to identify informants and participants, schedule interviews, plan focus group discussions, gain access to staff and partners; technical support will be provided. The consultant/consulting organization will report to Annoek van den Wijngaart, Program Director, Large Scale Food Fortification.

As per the terms of the contract, the consultant/consulting organization will be expected to adhere to Nutrition International standards for safeguarding, social responsibility and human rights and will be provided with copies of relevant policy documents (Child Protection, Gender Equality, Whistleblower Protection, Sexual Harassment and Sexual Exploitation Policy)

It is expected the assignment will take approximately 25 days to be completed no later than 30 June 2021.

Expressions of interest:  

Interested candidates should submit the following documents:

• Technical offer including a letter of interest that includes availability, information on experience, and implementation plan.
• Financial proposal in CAD including daily rates, costs for travel, accommodation, per diem, and/or subcontracting fees.
• Detailed CV with references.
• Recent samples of two comparable pieces of work.

Submission of proposals:

• Interested agencies need to submit a comprehensive proposal at proposalsindia@nutritionintl.org latest by Monday, April 11, 2021, 18:30 HRS, IST.
• Please include in the subject line: Consultancy – SGBA.