Call for Consultants - ISF Project Final Evaluation and Impact Harvesting Consultants at International Alert

BACKGROUND

1. Period being evaluated: 1st February 2023 – 31st July 2024 (18 months).
2. Project: Promoting Stability, Access to Justice and Accountability in Northwest Nigeria (Samun Adalci Shine Kwanciyar Hankali)
3. Project Areas of Intervention: The project targets 2 LGAs each in Kaduna and Zamfara States (Chikun and Jema’a LGAs in Kaduna state, Birnin Magaji and Tsafe LGAs in Zamfara state)
4. Donor: Integrated Security Fund (ISF)

CONTEXT

Kaduna and Zamfara States are part of Nigeria’s (North-West) region where the security situation has deteriorated over the last decade, and increasingly so since 2019. The violence is rooted in competition over natural resources between Fulani herders and the predominant Hausa farmers and escalated amid a rise in organized crime, including cattle rustling, kidnapping for ransom and village raids. The region is suffering from full scale violence involving many non-state armed groups such as herder-allied groups, vigilantes, criminal gangs, and jihadists. The violence led to over 8,000 deaths since 2011, and displaced over 200,000, some into neighbouring Niger and other countries in the Sahel. Violence increases the vulnerability of communities and marginalized groups and further expose women to sexual and gender-based violence yet the platforms for women and other marginalized groups to participate in decision-making processes and access justice are limited in this context. Community violence is exacerbated by the level of impunity witnessed due to the lack of prosecution of perpetrators, weak dispute resolution measures and poor access to justice for survivors.

It on this note that International Alert with funding from the United Kingdom Integrated Security Fund (ISF) is implemented the project; Promoting Stability, Access to Justice, and Accountability in North-West Nigeria: Samun Adalchi Shine Kwanciyar Hankali (Achieving Justice Promotes Stability) to address these challenges.

The project aimed at supporting stabilization, local justice and SGBV prevention through broadening inclusion, accountability and managing tensions to reduce violence in Zamfara and Kaduna states. These was to be achieved through;

1.  Inclusive participation of community groups in alternative dispute resolution and local justice initiative processes through strengthening community capacities for resolving past and emerging disputes while ensuring that local justice mechanisms provide opportunities for survivors and excluded groups to seek redress and be part of decision-making processes,
2. Providing marginalized groups, including women, their leaders, and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) with opportunities and platforms to make their voices heard and advocate for their concerns to be addressed.
3. Creating a favourable environment for women and other vulnerable groups by dealing with and preventing sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV)

PROJECT OUTCOME

1. Communities, including the most marginalized have increased access to justice, dispute resolution and decision-making.
2. Women and other marginalized groups have access to opportunities to actively engage in security, justice, conflict resolution and decision-making processes.
3. A favourable environment for the participation of women and other vulnerable groups in decision making by preventing, addressing, and responding to SGBV is created.

With the afore mentioned, we are seeking experienced external consultants to conduct the following for the project:

1. Final project evaluation.
2. Impact harvesting.

FINAL PROJECT EVALUATION CONSULTANT – EOI/08/024/001

This final evaluation will be used to understand the impact of the project in Kaduna & Zamfara states, Northwest Nigeria. The purpose will be to provide information on the efficiency, effectiveness of the strategy adopted, impact and sustainability of the project, for internal accountability and learning which will be used for designing, planning and implementation of future programmes and for accountability to donors.

Specific objectives are:

1. To update the project indicators in achieving the overall goal of the project.
2. To determine the extent to which Alert’s project in Kaduna & Zamfara state is having an impact as framed in the programme theory of change.
3. To assess the conflict and gender sensitivity of the project.
4. To provide and share actionable lessons learned and recommendations for the design and implementation of future projects.
5. Evaluate the relevance, impact, efficiency, effectiveness, and sustainability of the project.

Deliverables and tentative schedule:  

1. The evaluator will produce an inception report detailing methodology and tools for data collection       and analysis, evaluation report and a summarized version of the main report.
2. Tentatively, the work will be delivered within 30 days from inception to end.
3. All deliverables will have to be approved by Alert’s Country Director and the Head of Impact HQ All deliverables and data of the evaluation will be owned by Alert and may be used for both internal and external reporting and communications.
4. The main body of the evaluation report, in word format, should be 20 pages max (excluding the appendices/annexes).

IMPACT HARVESTING CONSULTANT - EOI/08/024/002

The consultant will perform impact harvesting to assess, analyse, and document the impacts of the “Promoting Stability, Access to Justice and Accountability” Project providing actionable insights and recommendations for future strategies.

Deliverables and tentative schedule:

1. Inception Report: Detailed plan outlining the approach, methodology, and timeline for Impact Harvesting.
2. Interim Report: Preliminary findings and progress update.
3. Final Report: Comprehensive Impact Harvesting report with analysis, findings, and recommendations.
4. Presentation: Presentation of findings to key stakeholders.
5. The consultant will produce an inception report detailing methodology and tools for data collection and analysis, evaluation report and a summarized version of the main report.
6. Tentatively, the work will be delivered within 30 days from inception to end.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

The following are required skills and experience for both roles:

1. At least 7 years’ experience in the design, implementation, and evaluation of peacebuilding work in Nigeria.
2. At least 7 years’ experience in carrying out impact evaluations, ideally in the peacebuilding sector
3. Fluent in English
4. MA University degree in relevant field (gender studies, political science, anthropology, international relations, development studies, etc.)
5. Proven experience in conducting quantitative and qualitative research.
6. Experience in the design, implementation, and assessments of peacebuilding work, ideally with an emphasis on displacement, reintegration, and reconciliation
7. Excellent skills in quantitative and qualitative data analysis software.
8. Excellent written and spoken English.
9. Excellent report writing skills.
10. An excellent communicator and ability to be conflict and gender-sensitive when addressing sensitive issues.
11. Knowledge and experience of gender sensitive approaches, including conducting baseline studies on gender issues.
12. Experience assessing women focused interventions
13. Knowledge of Hausa languages.
14. In-depth knowledge of the socio-cultural, economic, and political context of Northwest Nigeria, specifically Kaduna and Zamfara States.