Consultant to develop a Study on Sustainability Approach for Cash and Voucher Assistance for GBV Survivors: Risks and Opportunities in Lebanon

Official Job Title:

Consultant

Duty Station

Lebanon, UNFPA Office

Hiring Office

UNFPA Lebanon

Grade (Classified)

P4/NOC                               

Vacancy Ref #

UNFPA/LBN/2023/007

Duration

25 working days 

Start-up Date

June 26, 2023

TERMS OF REFERENCE

Study on Sustainability Approach for Cash and Voucher Assistance for GBV Survivors: Risks and Opportunities in Lebanon

Purpose of consultancy:

UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled. UNFPA works towards achieving the three transformative results: end preventable maternal deaths, end unmet need for family planning and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. To read more about UNFPA, please go to: UNFPA about us

Gender-based violence (GBV) is a profound human rights violation with major social and development impacts for survivors of violence, as well as their families, communities, and society more broadly. Addressing GBV contributes to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, namely achieving gender equality and empowering women and girls, reducing poverty, improving health, and promoting peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, etc.…

UNFPA Lebanon promotes gender equality and women empowerment and prevention and protection against GBV. It supports service provision, evidence generation, and capacity development interventions for better GBV prevention, risk mitigation, and response. UNFPA Lebanon started in 2021, in collaboration with its implementing partners (namely national and international NGOs), different kinds of cash assistance that include Emergency cash assistance (ECA), Recurrent cash assistance (RCA) and Cash for Transportation (CfT). Starting August 2022, UNFPA started direct implementation of the RCA through contracting with a money transfer operator which is Online Money Transfer (OMT). The cash assistance varies between one-off payment for the ECA and monthly cash transfers for up to 6 months under RCA. The post distribution monitoring results showed very positive feedback regarding the importance and the effect of the cash assistance especially that it is provided within the cash management scheme and accompanied with a range of comprehensive GBV services, including case management, psychosocial support, psychological assistance, recreational and life skills building activities and referrals to specialized services. 

The integration of cash assistance within GBV case management proved to have a positive impact both on mitigating further risk of GBV and on supporting the access to a comprehensive package of GBV services aimed at improving resilience and wellbeing of survivors and individuals at risk. Cash assistance ensured women at risk could access necessary GBV services or flee violent relationships. This encouraged UNFPA to scale up its activities and position itself as a main referral agency for recurrent cash assistance through accepting referrals from the Gender – Based Violence Information Management System GBVIMS organizations and implementing partners. According to monitoring results the most persons of concern, receiving RCA, were able to mitigate their protection risks and consequences, noting the limited amount provided to cover all the needs. This is considered as a milestone on the path of reaching the goal of self-management and economic empowerment which would be finally reached either through independent livelihood or by being enrolled in a social protection system. In the context of the deteriorated economic situation, work opportunities for unskilled labour are very limited while also for skilled labour are challenging.  Moreover, the financial crisis and hyperinflation translates insufficient income for the majority of workers due to wages limited purchase value. In this context, ensuring sustainable exit strategies for GBV survivors who benefited from cash support, considering the evolving socio-economic situation, is very challenging.  Accordingly, UNFPA Lebanon seeks to carry out a study which focus will be on identifying the full range of sustainable options that GBV survivors can access to build resilience and mitigate protection risks in the medium to longer term.

 Based on the above, a consultant will be engaged:

A. Identify the opportunities and potential partnerships that can contribute to support sustainable exit strategies for Cash in GBV Case Management.

B. Develop a comprehensive exit strategy approach for CVA program mainly cash with GBV case management, considering the identified risks, opportunities, and best practices in the field. What happens after the CVA is received within case management and how to plan safely on this?

C. Provide recommendations for strengthening the exit strategy approach across program design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation to enhance effectiveness and impact of CVA in GBV case management.

Scope of work:

(Description of services, activities, or outputs)

The consultant will work under UNFPA’s supervision to carry out the following tasks:

• Develop a clear work plan and timeline for delivery of the results following inception meeting with UNFPA to ensure good understanding of the TORs and expected deliverables
• Review relevant literature, reports, and existing program documents related to CVA for protection and GBV survivors in Lebanon as well as social protection and livelihood
• Describe data collection methods to be used and develop relevant tools (surveys, KIIs, FGDs)
• Identify and conduct 3-5 consultations with key actors involved in social protection and multi-purpose humanitarian cash assistance programs in Lebanon, such as the World Food Programme (WFP), United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and Ministry of Social Affairs (MoSA), and understand the scope, coverage, and eligibility criteria of their existing programs.
• cross check/update/validate the 4W livelihood map with the relevant actors, organizations, and programs involved in supporting livelihood development, professional training, and job creation in Lebanon beyond standard home-based self-production IGA.
• Analysis of skills, education, attitudes, capacity and interest of GBV Case Management clients to determine their potential for livelihood development, professional training, and job placement.
• Identify livelihoods and job placement programmes that match clients’ profiles, attitudes and interests as well as employers’ conditionalities and identify best practices from the previous implemented program.
• Identify concrete options and models for the establishment of preferential referral pathways with selected actors, organizations, initiatives, and relevant stakeholders that ensure efficient and effective delivery of social protection and humanitarian cash assistance services or a smooth transition from GBV case management services to livelihood support and job placement programs.
• Identify potential partnerships and propose collaborations, both within the humanitarian sector and with other development actors, that can contribute to sustainable program implementation.
• Develop a sustainability framework for CVA program, mainly cash within GBV case management outlining key strategies, activities, and indicators to ensure long-term support for GBV survivors.
• Provide actionable recommendations for program design mainly the cash within GBV case management, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation to enhance sustainability and effectiveness.
• Prepare a comprehensive report in English documenting the findings, analysis, and recommendations of the consultancy.
• Finalize the report (structure to be agreed with UNFPA) based on UNFPA input and comments + a PPT summarizing the methodology and key findings + recommendations.
• Presenting the findings in a meeting as requested by UNFPA

Duration working schedule:

25 working days (From June 26^th to July 31^st 2023)

Place where services are to be delivered:

Lebanon

Delivery dates and how work will be delivered (e.g. electronic, hard copy etc.):

Delivery Date: August 10th, 2023.

All deliverables will be submitted electronically in English

Monitoring and progress control, including reporting requirements, periodicity format and deadline:

The consultant will deliver the tasks based on milestones and deliverables agreed upon and reflected in the contract terms. These deliverables include reporting requirements as well as a timeline. 

Supervisory arrangements:

The consultant will work under the overall guidance of the Humanitarian coordinator and in close collaboration with the UNFPA team (Head of office, SRH programme Specialist, GBV programme Specialist, CVA coordinator and the M&E analyst)

Expected travel:

NA

Required expertise, qualifications and competencies, including language requirements:

The Consultant should fulfil the following requirements:

Education: Master’s degree in Social Sciences, Gender Studies, Development Studies, Public Health, with previous work experience and considerable skills in conducting research studies.

Experience:

• 5 years’ experience in Cash/ social protection, Livelihood, or related subject areas.
• Demonstrated experience in conducting assessments and developing strategies related to cash and voucher assistance programs, livelihood interventions, gender-based violence, and humanitarian interventions.
• Preferred knowledge of Lebanon and work experience in Middle East and Syria crisis
• Excellent research, analytical, and report writing skills.
• Ability to work independently and to take initiative and ownership of the task.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to establish effective and working relations with different stakeholders.
• Working with international organizations/ UN agencies/ donors is an asset.
• Ability to work efficiently and adhere to deadlines
• Proficiency in oral and written English. Arabic is desirable.
• Excellent written and spoken communication skills in English.

Inputs / services to be provided by UNFPA or implementing partner (e.g support services, office space, equipment), if applicable:

• sharing details regarding CVA activities in Lebanon
• sharing relevant documents/reports
• facilitating contact with the IPs and other stakeholders
• reviewing the consultancy tools and draft report

Other relevant information or special conditions, if any:

Milestones:

• Inception report outlining the proposed methodology and work plan.
• Interim report summarizing the key findings from the literature review, stakeholder consultations, and risk assessment, along with a draft of sustainability approach for CVA program, including strategies, activities, and indicators.
• Final report incorporating all the feedback received, providing detailed recommendations for program improvement, and a comprehensive sustainability approach.

Deliverables:

• Data collection tools
• Inception report submitted
• Interim report submitted
• Final consultancy report submitted and cleared.

Signature of Requesting Officer in Hiring Office: Pamela Di Camillo

Date: June 6, 2023

Application process and deadline

Interested candidates may apply online by providing: 

• Most updated CV
• Updated P11 (click here)
• Cover letter mentioning the relevance of past/current experience with the requirements of the consultancy
• Mention in the email subject the post title and number

The above documents must be sent to bids_lbn@unfpa.org  by no later than 15 June 2023 Candidates who fail to submit the required documents above will not be considered for review. UNFPA Lebanon will only be responsible to respond to those applicants submitting the required documents above and in which there is further interest. ONLY individual consultants, not companies, are eligible to apply.

Candidates assessed by the panel and considered to be eligible for the appointment but who are not selected for this vacant post may be offered an assignment to another position at the same/lower grade provided that they meet the minimum qualifications required.