India: Consultant-Gender and Peace Building Process

TERMS OF REFERENCE

Support requested: For a prospective project on participation of women including women with disabilities in Peace Building Process in Jammu & Kashmir
Provisional dates: 5st March 2016 – 26st March 2016

I- Introduction

Handicap International Federation is an independent and impartial international aid and development organization working in situations of poverty and exclusion, conflict and natural disaster, alongside people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups. HI action and testimony are focused on responding to their essential needs, improving their living conditions and promoting respect for their dignity and fundamental rights. Handicap International has been present in India since 1988, and implemented a wide range of projects across several states of India, including complex state and post emergency situation through local implementing partners (state and district level government partners, local partners NGOs and INGOs).
The strategic priorities of Handicap International in India are focused on: (1) physical rehabilitation and support: improving rehabilitation and access to post -surgical, medical and rehabilitation care for people with disabilities; (2) public Health: increasing awareness about the prevention of disability, its early identification, referral, treatment and ensure the disability prevention and care is delivered by the mainstream public health system; (3) mainstreaming disability issue in community based disaster risk reduction activities and disaster response and Mine Risk Education; (4) promoting inclusion and ensuring participation of people with disabilities in economic, social and political sphere; (5) accessibility: removing common barriers from the environment that restrict physical mobility for people with disabilities.
Handicap International is currently reviewing its strategy in India and wish to develop projects related to women rights, protection from violence, economic empowerment, participation of women in efforts related to conflict mitigation and women participation in the peace building process through increased women participation. These projects would target women with and without disabilities.
The opportunity exists to be engaged in such projects due to calls for proposal, to be published in the coming months. These terms of reference aim to define the scope for a needs assessment and stakeholder consultation to be conducted prior to the development of the proposal that will be submitted to different donors.

II- Context
Jammu and Kashmir is a state in northern India, granted special autonomy under Article 370 of the Constitution of India. It is located mostly in the Himalayan Mountains, and has an international border with China in the north and east, and the Line of Control separates it from the Pakistani-controlled territories of Pakistan Administered Kashmir and Gilgit–Baltistan in the west and northwest, respectively. Jammu and Kashmir consists of three regions: Jammu, the Kashmir valley and Ladakh, Srinagar is the summer capital and Jammu is the winter capital. Jammu & Kashmir is the only state in India with a Muslim-majority

The region is the subject of a territorial conflict between China, India and Pakistan. The dispute over the region has continued for more than six decades, at huge cost. Since the 1989 insurgency, it is estimated that at least 70,000 have been killed and 8,000 are missing .Many have suffered injuries, lost family members, or have relatives either detained or missing. Out of 3, 61,153 persons with disability in J&K more than 100.000 persons have been disabled due to the conflict . While, the land mines and cluster ammunition monitor – data up till 2012 shows that of the 1,074 persons have been killed and 2,068 injured due to mine explosions. Traumatised due to years of violence, has resulted in many suffering from depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress , stifling economic activity and leaving many people with limited means to earn a living.

Women, especially widows, women with disabilities are exposed to widespread violence and rights violations. They have restricted opportunities to work, and exposed to extreme poverty. Some are forced into early marriage; many are exposed to increased acts of violence, including sexual abuse, rape, and trafficking . In particular, women with disabilities are at increased risk of sexual and gender based violence and severe psychological trauma due to separation from their primary caregivers and family, (death or displacement ). Further, women with disabilities usually have extremely limited access to education and rarely received any skills for income generation increasing their vulnerability and ability to cope .
Thus, it is essential to promote the rights of women including women with disabilities, directly and indirectly affected by the conflict, in project that will allow a better protection from violence, promote economic empowerment, and participation of women in efforts related to conflict mitigation. These projects would target women with and without disabilities. It is also at stake to promote their participation the peace building process. Through a better understanding of their own issues women, with or without disabilities, should be involved in the peace building process – as way of accessing justice and having a say and benefitting from any community development process.

A few examples demonstrate the positive impacts of women participation in peace building in J&K. (e.g. Initiatives such as the ATHWASS; an initiative taken by Women in Security, Conflict Management and Peace (WISCOMP), that brought women from all religions to discuss the safety of women in conflict and to ensure their future by creating the self-help groups).

Handicap International’s works currently in Jammu Kashmir on enhancing quality of life of vulnerable groups including people with disabilities through increased access to quality physical rehabilitation services and risk reduction education related to conventional weapons in conflict affected areas. This experience has given to the organization an understanding of the felt needs and the context.
The development of a project related to women rights would aim to address the specific needs of women particularly vulnerable to violence, to promote their economic empowerment, as well as their participation in efforts related to conflict mitigation. The projects would target women with and without disabilities and promote their participation the peace building process.
III Objective and scope of the work

The scope of the work is to:
• Conduct a desk and literature review
• Develop assessment tools (surveys questionnaires, focus group discussion guide, key informant interview guides)
• Conduct the need assessment in collaboration with HI Team (2 persons) The need assessment will include a conflict analysis including a conflict analysis, analysis of the existing peace building processes, if any; and an analysis of women impact (how participation of women can contribute to the peace building process).
• Conduct a stakeholder analysis with the objective of having relevant and factual information that would support project development. This analysis also aims to identify potential partners
• Develop and finalise a project proposal and LogFrame addressing the problems identified during the need assessment and in compliance with the guidelines of upcoming call for proposals. The project would target women with and without disabilities.

The objectives of the assessment and project proposal are:

• economic empowerment of women,
• participation of women in efforts related to conflict mitigation
• Women participation in the peace building process through increased participation.

IV Expected outputs/deliverables

1. Inception report covering detailed analysis methodology to be used, analyses questions, data collection plans and timeline. To be delivered within 3 working days after signing of contract.
2. List of documents and references (e.g: studies, best practice documents, strategies, policy document, evaluations, etc) prepared and annexed.
3. Needs Assessment report of context, challenges, gaps, achievements and needs in policy and practice faced by women and women with disabilities in the peace-building process in targeted districts in J&K.
4. Stakeholder mapping based on the partner mapping matrix template (Annex A) – and proposition on developing relevant partnerships.
5. A project proposal including a logframe with defined objectives and indicators based on the problems identified, the prevailing context, building on what exists, working on the theory of change and ensuring Do No harm principles have been adhere to.

V Methodology
The need assessment methodology will employ a combination of approaches including quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis methods to enhance triangulation of data and increase data quality, validity and reduce bias. The following steps will be followed:

• Development of the survey protocol providing information on: focus of the assessment and research questions, geographical areas, population of the survey and sampling methods, methods for data collection, data analysis.

• Desk and literature review and analysis of existing reference materials, data, studies, reports, relevant policy and legal frameworks on conflict, peace building processes, and community development processes relevant to the targeted areas and women and disability.

• Short listing and consultations with relevant stakeholders across levels– National, State, District and lower. The meetings to ensure representation of actors from the public sector, private, NGOs, CSOs, affected communities including women and Women with disabilities.

VI Duration& Location
The assignment is estimated to be carried out, over 18 working days in the month of March including field visit to different districts in J&K.
VIII Consultant Qualification:
The successful candidate will have the minimum requirements detailed below:

• Strong background on working in the field of conflict analysis, conflict resolution and peace building process led by women.
• Strong understanding of conflict Analysis and Do No Harm Approaches.
• Demonstrated experience and a good understanding on women rights gender, sexual and gender based violence,
• Demonstrated experience in project development, leading and conducting needs assessment, conflict analysis and stakeholder analysis.
• Strong analytical skills
• Excellent writing abilities
• Ability to work independently and within a team.
• Strong facilitation and reporting skills.
• Familiarity with the context in Jammu Kashmir is an added advantage.
• Flexibility in travelling and adapting to difficult conditions.

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Consultants who meet the requirements should submit an expression of interest, which must include the following: (i) A personal statement (ii) a brief statement of the proposed methodology including a a work plan (iii) A financial proposal, including daily cost, (iii) An updated curriculum showing qualifications and experience, (iv) a summary of completed similar consultancies, including the name of the organisation for which the consultancy was conducted, the subject of the consultancy, the location in which any field work was undertaken and the name/e-mail address of the focal point in that organization to whom the consultant reported/worked with.
Documents should be sent to:
C-1/60, Safdarjung Development Area; New Delhi – 110 016; Ph: +91 11 46566934/5/6;Fax: +91 11 26521279 or email to apatri@hi-india.org
Please note that only short listed candidates will be contacted for interview. Qualified candidate will be contacted before application deadline.
Application Deadline is 05/03/2016
The budget for this evaluation is for a maximum of 18 days.