India: Peace building and conflict transformation in Northeast india

It's an evaluation mission in India, for details see the Terms of Reference below

Terms of Reference (TOR) External Evaluation

Peace project titled “Peace-building and Conflict Transformation in Northeast India”

1. Introduction and Purpose

The project implemented by North East Diocesan Social Service Society (NEDSSS) through its Diocesan partners, entitled: “Peace-building and Conflict Transformation in Northeast India”, will end in May 2019. In compliance with the requirements of Misereor, Secours Catholique & CRS, which support this project, the project will need to undergo an external evaluation.

This evaluation should assess, systematically and objectively, the project framework and design, project management, and project performance, i.e. effectiveness, appropriateness and impact. The evaluation should also document best practices that can be used in future peace program and strengthen the work of NEDSSS and its partners (5) in this area.

The primary audiences of the evaluation report are NEDSSS management and project staff, the Diocesan partner organisations’ management & project staff and other stakeholders, including Misereor, Secours Catholique and CRS.

2. Background

North-eastern part of India is home to many ethnic communities with rich natural resources, yet relatively backward in economic development. It is having the landscape with potential racial, lingual and ethnic diversity which creates ethnic tensions and conflicts. For more than half-a-century, the North East has seen an unending cycle of violent conflicts dominated by insurgencies with demands ranging from outright sovereignty to greater political autonomy. Indirectly, insurgent movements have spawned a variety of related conflicts.

The Catholic Church as a religious institution has been at the forefront of the struggle to promote peace and justice based on the dignity of the human person. Thus, the Catholic Church has much to be proud of in contributing to peace making and peace building efforts, joining many other Christians from a variety of denominations who struggle to live out the dictates of their faith in a way that helps build mechanisms conducive to peace.

NEDSSS and its peace partners have in the last three years implemented Capacity building of staff, and local social researchers, workshop in the village communities, trainings of students and teachers, training for staff members of faith-based organisations and for civil society leaders and peace activities, networking with other organisations, advocacy, lobbying vis-à-vis policy makers and including the media, audio-visual materials on peace-building work, exchange of experiences meetings on peace initiatives, documentation of success stories, cultural exchange programs peace clubs, interfaith conclave, peace rallies, street theatre and peace awards through the project “Peace Initiatives in North East India” “to contribute towards enhancing collaboration of youth and children from different communities and strengthening the participation in promoting peace of civil society, educational institutions and interreligious organizations for the reduction of violence among the target communities and promotion of non violence in the states of Manipur, Nagaland and Tripura in North East India**”**.

With new learning and greater understanding from the previous project, the partner organizations proposed “Enhancing Peacebuilding and Conflict Transformation among Individuals, communities and Institutions, in Northeast India” project. The project tried to enhance capacities of individuals, on peace and related issues. Create forums of peace to mediate during conflicts, sensitize communities and institutions through workshops, seminars and other awareness strategies. Built better alliance and collaboration with other likeminded organisations, media and other state functionaries to sensitize and voice the issues of North East India to the world at large. The goal of the project is“Peace and harmony prevails by bringing about change in policy and structure in favour of vulnerable sections and recognising the rights of every individual and group to live in dignity, safety and peace in North East India particularly Assam, Manipur, Nagaland and Tripura”.

The partner organisations are: JUST Agartala (Tripura), Peace Channel (Nagaland), DSSS Imphal (Manipur), BGSS Bongaigaon (Assam) and NESRC Guwahati Assam).

More specifically, as enunciated in the project document, the project is implemented through a sequence of activities aimed at enhancing human and institutional capacities. The expected accomplishments are as follows:

• Objective 1: Capacities of individuals and institutions are built to advocate and become promoters of peacebuilding.

• Objective 2: People involved in peace processes network and dialogue for common understanding and action.

• Objective 3: Peace & Human Rights are integrated into targeted school curricula.

• Objective 4: Capacities of women and youth are enhanced to address local issues of peace & social justice.

The main activities of this project include

At the regional level (for NEDSSS & NESRC): Training of Church, women & community Leaders, Standardization of Manuals on Peace Education and CBO Training, Training staff on peacebuilding skills, Creation of e-group among peace partners for sharing and learning, Identifying and partnering with training agencies for standardized training at partner level, Support and monitor partner level programs, Training of coordinators/managers of different projects, Documentation of case studies, Initiate dialogue between conflicting groups, Exposure and learning for JPMT leaders, Celebration of important days, Workshops/seminars/ symposiums for professionals, peace activists, media persons & base on researches completed, Publication of the Research works

At the diocesan partners level (JUST, Peace Channel, BGSS & DSSS): Finalising curriculum, Training of staff, Seminar cum meeting of heads of schools, Training of teachers on peace, human rights, child psychology & child rights, Formation/Re-orientation of peace clubs, Release of amount to school for running activities, Peace club monthly meetings & peace celebrations, Training for peace club leaders in schools at the state level, Inter-School peace activities, Formation of women peace clubs, Conflict resolution trainings for Youth/College peace clubs, Life skill and leadership skill training for the School and collage peace club leaders, Seminar on “Do No Harm” (DNH) for college students of both tribal and non- tribal, State level workshop on peace building for educators and tribal and non tribal leaders, Training of religious leaders , Training for SHG members on Peace-building, Training for SHG member on rights and governance.(2 days), Observation of International Peace/Human Rights/Non Violence Day, Trainings for youth clubs in colleges, Peace Seminars in colleges, Annual Youth Program, Peace band performance, State level seminars on peace, District level Seminars on Peace, District level dialogue and Networking Meeting, Networking meetings at state level, Documentation and newsletter, Monthly Review Meetings of staff, Annual Peace Awards.

The project started in June 2016 and is expected to finish by May 2019. It has been executed by NEDSSS with its Diocesan partners mentioned above. The project aimed at building knowledge, experience and skills of various stakeholders - the partners, staff, researchers, children, youth, community leaders, peace activists, professionals, media etc there by leading to self transformation. The community structure created under the project would also continue and grow as they are voluntary in nature.

3. Scope of the Evaluation

The evaluation takes place ahead of the end of the project in order to assess the implementation of planned activities and achievements of results; find out the strengths and weaknesses of the project, review the project methodologies and assess the impact of the project to make solid and realistic recommendations regarding the different components of the project, its management and its sustainability, and to highlight best practices and lessons learnt.

The evaluation will consider all activities that have been implemented under this project that were financed by Misereor, Secours Catholique & CRS. It should examine the performance of the project in accordance with its logical framework. More specifically, the evaluation should address the following issues:

a) Relevance

· Whether the project design and choice of activities and deliverables have properly reflected and addressed the needs and expectations of the beneficiaries, taking into account NEDSSS’s mandates, and alignment with the objectives of the project;

· Whether the planned and actual activities and outputs of the project were consistent with the intended outcomes and impact;

· To what extent are the initial objectives of the project still appropriate;

· What is NEDSSS's & partners’ comparative advantage in this area of work;

b) Effectiveness

· Whether the activities have achieved planned objectives as enunciated in the project’s logframe and produced beneficial results;

· What are the gaps (if any) between intended and actual project results;

· Which activities and outputs made a particularly important contribution to the achievement of objectives and which were not so important;

· What were the main factors influencing the outcomes of this project, either negatively or positively; what are the lessons to be learned for a replication of the project approach to other locations;

· Had the project produced unexpected results (positive or negative effects)

c) Efficiency

· Have resources (human, technical) and funds been used efficiently, leveraging in-house expertise, previous interventions and other resources to optimize the project outcomes;

· Have the project activities been delivered in a timely manner; and at the least cost;

· Have good practices of each implementing partner been identified, analysed, and shared;

d) Sustainability

· To what extent are the benefits of the project likely to continue on the long term once donor funding has ceased?

· Has the project evolved from activity mode to a process mode where there will be continuity in the future

· Is there flexibility on the part of the project partners to adapt the peacebuilding process according to changing time

· What were the major factors that influenced the achievement or non-achievement of sustainability of the project?

e) Impact

· What exactly has changed for the beneficiaries as a result of the project? The focus here should be not only on knowledge, attitude, skills and use of skills acquired but the processes created for long term peace in the project areas with consideration given to gender aspects;

· Which other factors contributed to the changes, and to what extent can the changes be attributed to the project activities (plausibility);

4. Deliverables and Expected Output

The evaluation, on the basis of its findings and assessments made on the above criteria, should draw conclusions, make recommendations and identify best practices and lessons learned from the implementation of this project.

More specifically, the evaluation should:

− Highlight what has been successful and can be replicated;

− Indicate shortcomings and constraints in the implementation of the project while, at the same time, identifying the remaining challenges, gaps and needs for future courses of action;

− Make pragmatic recommendations to suggest how NEDSSS's work and partners’ under this area can be strengthened. In particular, the evaluator should include recommendations on:

· Subsequent actions needed to improve the effectiveness of the project;

· Other actions conducive to ensuring successful attainment of the expected accomplishments of the project;

· Make pragmatic recommendations to suggest how the benefits of the project can be sustained even without project’s support;

Two deliverables are expected out of this evaluation:

1) Draft evaluation report

2) The final evaluation report

The first draft report should be presented to NEDSSS and Secours Catholique and relevant stakeholders for quality assurance and factual corrections, if any.

The final output of the evaluation is a report that must compose below key elements:

a) Cover page with following details: Name and location of the project to be evaluated, Name of the project executing agency, Project number, Names of all members of the evaluation team, name of person responsible for the report, Date of creation of the report (with the addition: draft/final version)

b)List of abbreviations

c)Contents (clearly structured, with subchapters and page numbers)

d) Summary, around 2-3 pages with following contents: Brief description of the project that was evaluated, Purpose and objectives of the evaluation, Important results with reference to the main evaluation questions in line with the Terms of Reference and an overall assessment of the work performed (conclusions), Important recommendations

e) Description of the evaluated project, the project context and the reason for and objectives of the evaluation: Project context and framework conditions, Project target groups, Project objectives and intervention logic: What does the project aim to achieve and how?, Structure and management of the organisation implementing the project, Nature and scope of cooperation with Donors, Reason for and objectives of the evaluation

f) Chapter on methods with following contents: Description of the data collection methods employed, Description of the sample: Who, how many (subdivided according to gender and possibly other characteristics, such as ethnicity, age, etc.) and what criteria were used in the selection?

g) Presenting the results of data collection and evaluation: Descriptions to be backed up with quantitative/case evidence and differentiate by group (male/female, ethnicity, age, level of understanding/knowledge/action, etc.) whenever possible; separate the description and facts from the assessment.

h) Assessment of the information collected: Based on the evaluation questions: relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainability

i) Overarching conclusions and recommendations: Conclusions are to be presented in the form of a compact synthesis that builds on the answers to the evaluation questions and goes a step further in the assessment – not an abridged version of the facts as presented. Recommendations should focus on the essentials in order to give the follow-up a realistic chance (learning evaluation).

j) Annexes (minimum): Terms of Reference, Timetable: evaluation programme (table with date, details of location, persons affected/interviewed), List of interviewees, List of documents referred to in the report, Documentation of the introductory and final workshop

5. Methodology

The evaluator must use a mixed-method approach to triangulate all available data sources to reach conclusions and findings. Such evaluation methodology may include but is not limited to the following:

− Review of relevant project documents and relevant materials;

− Interviews with NEDSSS & partners staff;

− Personal or telephone interviews with key persons;

− Quantitative assessment & qualitative interviews, focus group discussions, participant observation with direct beneficiaries and other relevant stakeholders, sites’ visits, and activities’ observation;

− Analysis of the data collected and debriefing workshops at partner and regional level

All needed and relevant materials will be provided to the evaluator including but not limited to: Project documents and reports; organisation reports; progress reports, publications, documents and/or reports produced through the project, material used for activities; training materials; list of beneficiaries and workshop/meeting participants etc. relevant financial information to assess the project’s efficiency.

6. Assessment requirements

SCCF is the sponsor of this evaluation. SCCF signs the contract needed for the realization of the evaluation with the consultant(s).

Requested profile of the consultant(s)

It is possible to send the application of a team of 2 consultants, if justified and relevant.

Ideally, the consultant fulfils the following requirements:

• Postgraduate degree in peace studies or related fields

• 10 years of international experience, including the South Asia region, especially India

• Evidence of substantial work on peace projects, social cohesion projects

• Knowledge of the local context

• Evidence of substantial work with groups and CBOs, using right-based and gender approaches

• Experience in coordination, design, implementation and monitoring of project, as well as capacity-building

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills

• Ability to write clear and relevant reports

• Impartial and independent of the parties

• Proficiency in English

Financial Means

The proposed budget should only include the consultant’s fees. Travel and mission expenses will be reimbursed on the actual costs (with proofs of payment) by SCCF at the scale established and which will be transmitted to the chosen candidate(s).

NEDSSS will provide the consultants AC train or airplane tickets to travel on the field, based on the most direct route / most economical cost. Should the consultant wish to make any deviation from the most economical and direct route that involves additional cost, the additional cost must be borne by the consultant.

Provisional Timetable of the Assessment

This evaluation will be completed in an estimated period of 30 working days, including p

1. reparation work (5 days), field visits with briefing sessions, field analysis, debriefing sessions (15 days - without transportation from 1 State to another), reporting work (10 days).

The evaluation is to be carried if possible in the month of March/April, between 1^stMarch, 2019 and 17^th April, 2019.

The consultant(s) is expected to submit the expected outcomes 2 weeks after the field visits ended.

Criteria of selection

The candidate is invited, knowing the present terms of reference, to make methodological, technical and financial proposal for the assessment.

The selection will be based on the following criteria:

• The presentation of the issue and understanding of the subject

• The methodological approach proposed including a matrix relating evaluation issues and questions to evaluation criteria, indicators, sources of information and methods of data collection

• Qualifications, experiences and skills of the candidate

• Experiences in the region and regarding the project’s specific issues

• Financial proposal

• Timetable for the implementation of all services.

By e-mail to the adress :

missioncourteduree@secours-catholique.org