Call for consultant(s) to conduct a baseline study for Right Here Right Now 2 (RHRN2) Indonesia

Terms of Reference (External)

 

Call for consultant(s) to conduct a baseline study

for Right Here Right Now 2 (RHRN2) Indonesia

For RUTGERS WPF INDONESIA

 

Location: Indonesia (implemented in North Sumatra West Java, and East Java) 

Application deadline: 17 May 2021                                       

Category: Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) / Gender Justice

Type of contract: Consultancy contract

Languages required: English / Bahasa Indonesia

Start date: May 2021 (start date can be discussed, but ideally as soon as possible)

Expected duration of assignment: May – 31 August 2021

 

1.     Introduction

The Right Here Right Now 2 (RHRN2) Partnership is created to allow young people in all their diversity to enjoy their sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in gender-just societies. Young people are at the forefront of our Partnership. We seek to unleash the power of youth, to increase public support for young people’s SRHR, to improve policies and laws, and to strengthen civil society. Lobbying and advocacy is our main strategy, supported by mutual capacity strengthening. The focus countries of the consortium are Indonesia, Bangladesh, Benin, Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, Nepal, Tunisia and Uganda. RHRN2 Indonesia will be implemented by a coalition of 6 organizations: Rutgers Indonesia, Yayasan Kesehatan Perempuan (YKP), Pamflet, YIFoS, Sanggar Swara, dan Palang Merah Indonesia (PMI).

 

Through RHRN 2, we would like to address one main problem, i.e., young people in Indonesia have not equally obtained comprehensive SRHR information, education, and services due to gender-biased social norms and values. This problem specifically affects young women, girls, young LGBT, and young people with disabilities. The lack of information and access to services for youth leads to a wide range of problems that are related to social and law protection, such as unwanted pregnancy, sexuality transmitted diseases (STDs), social isolation, insecurity, fear, violence and abuse, and criminalization of the victims of sexual violence who decide to have an abortion.

 

Young people aged 15-24 constitute nearly one fifth of Indonesia's total population, i.e. 44 out of 272 million, with around 50:50 ratio of female to male. Overall, SRHR-related knowledge among the nation-wide young population is still low. For example, 1) only 34.8% knows that there are specific days in women's reproductive calendar when chance of pregnancy is higher; and 2) only 52.5% thought that women can become pregnant after one-time intercourse. Access to SRHR information is also concerned with less than 10% of the general population knowing where to obtain information and consultation about youth reproductive health. Despite this situation, more that 90% of the young population could name at least one contraception method and has basic HIV/AIDS knowledge although not for other STDs (37.1%).

 

In the community, sexuality has been reduced to sexual relationships, and furthermore to sexual intercourse. When stipulated in laws and regulations, sexuality is narrowly defined as a sexual relationship within wedlock. Sexual activity other than the preferred ‘safe and responsible’ behaviour (i.e. within wedlock) is seen as dangerous thus needs to be avoided and its spread to be controlled. Practicing ‘deviant sexuality’ is unlawful and needs to be punished including non-heterosexual relationships.

By the end of the program, RHRN2 hopes that the alliance has made a significant contribution to the ultimate goal of Indonesian young people in all their diversity to enjoy their sexual and reproductive health and rights in gender-just societies. It means that we expect Indonesian young people to  have sufficient knowledge about their sexual and reproductive rights and be able to attain them in gender-just societies. We also expect that Indonesian government and society to be more open and inclusive to youth, particularly young women, young LGBT, and young people with disabilities, by providing support in the form of policies and creating safe spaces for them to voice their opinions and demands through both offline and online platforms. The long-term objectives of the programme are:

·        Empowered young people make decisions about their sexuality, voice their needs and claim their rights

·        A critical mass reinforces positive norms and values regarding young people’s SRHR and gender justice

·        Governments adopt, implement and account for human rights-based policies and laws that enable young people’s SRHR and gender justice

·        Strengthened civil society for young people’s SRHR and gender justice

 

Responding to the above, Rutgers Indonesia seeks (a) consultant(s) to conduct the baseline study for RHRN2 Indonesia.

At the start of the programme, the RHRN2 coalition in Indonesia will undertake a baseline study with the selected consultant(s) that will conduct the study – amongst others – in the 3 intervention areas (North Sumatra West Java, and East Java). The consultancy will be contracted for the period of May – August 2021 for a maximum of 60 billable days. Core deliverables are a) inception report, b) collecting data and analysis, and c) final reporting. All work needs to be conducted in very close collaboration and together with the RHRN2 coalition members.

 

2.     Scope of the work

A baseline study needs to be completed to describe the current context and measure the status of the long term objectives in order to better understand the starting point of key elements of the work against which later progress will be measured. The baseline should compile comprehensive information about the project in order to review its design and make it more responsive to the SRHR-related needs of the target populations. The baseline should authenticate the efficacy and plausibility of the theory of change, contextualize both the problem and targets, and articulate the feasibility of the goals and long-term objectives. The baseline is carried out to collect initial data regarding the SRHR situation in each intervention area, identify policies related to SRHR, and the role of media and CSOs in providing information and education about SRHR in the community.; conduct formative research among the primary and secondary audiences and target groups; and identify country specific needs and entry points for implementation strategies and adaptation of existing interventions and advocacy approaches.

Objectives

The baseline study has the following specific objectives:

1.      The baseline study will be combined with a needs assessment and formative research to address knowledge gaps in order to inform programme interventions and strategies (e.g., advocacy strategy, public support strategy) related to the four pathways:

-            To assess young people, community leaders, traditional leaders, religious leaders, gatekeepers perspective on SRHR, CSE and towards SRHR issues (including SOGIESC).

-            Mapping policies and laws that already gender responsive, includes women and young people, provide access to reproductive health information and services, and also policies, laws, and draft laws that have the potential to criminalize people with diverse SOGIESCs and people working on SRHR issues, both at the local (3 Provinces targeted for the RHRN2) and nationally.

-            To identify individuals / actors who have an important role in society and can be involved in the program.

-            Mapping universities or faculties and departments (including study centers) that are progressive towards the issue of Sexual and Reproductive Health, including Formal Student Organizations (BEM, Student Association, etc.) and informal (communities based on interests and talents, student collective, etc.) that potential to be involved in the program.

-            Mapping mainstream media and alternative media (nationwide and local) regarding their position (values and alignments) in reporting SRHR related matters, and those with good and open perspectives on issues related to reproductive health, young people, and diversity.

-            Mapping youth movement in 3 intervention areas.

-            To identify CSO’s needs related with safety and security issues to support their works in the SRHR movement.

-            Mapping geographical data related to SRHR including number of schools in the intervention area.

2.      The baseline study will validate the Theory of Change;

3.      The baseline study will set the baseline values for indicators (where relevant);

4.      The baseline study will inform the target setting of output and outcome indicators.

 

The work of the baseline will be divided between an external consultant and the country coalition partners. The external consultant will be responsible for coordinating objectives 2, 3, and 4. This will be done in full collaboration with the country coalition to collect the needed information in order to achieve these objectives. The work under objective #1 will be divided; some of the identified formative research will be conducted by the external consultant and some will be conducted by the country coalition partners.

 

3.       Tasks to be performed

·    Develop study design, methodology, sampling methods, planning and quality control procedures;

·   The consultant will go through the TOC together with the country coalition to make sure there is a shared understanding on the already identified knowledge gaps and to identify any (additional) knowledge or evidence gaps;

·    Contextualize the current indicator framework as developed during the second proposal phase at country level (this will be done in continuous liaison with the coalition, including feedback loops based on the formative research part of the baseline study);

·    Inform the target setting of output and outcome indicators. Target setting needs to be done both quantitatively and qualitatively (descriptive);

·    Set the baseline values for indicators (if relevant);

·    Incorporate baseline results derived from formative research conducted by country coalitions partners to (further) contextualize the current indicator framework and inform target setting of outcome and output indicators;

·    Coordinate the development of the data collection tools needed for the formative research;

·    Analyze the data related to all formative research questions - (this also includes the data collected by coalition partners);

·    Write up the results in a draft report (in a coherent way for the full coalition to be able to reflect on);

·    Present the findings to the country coalition;

·    Coordinate and lead the validation workshop;

·    Write the final baseline report;

·    Ensure incorporation of all COVID19 measures and restrictions

 

4.      Deliverables

1.  Inception Report (To be finalised one week after the commencement of the consultancy) - Analysis of existing situation and plan of work for the assignment. The inception report will include timeline, research questions, methodologies (study design, and suggested instruments and tools) to be applied, and a detailed outline of the report (although an overarching report outline will be provided);

2.  Development of the data collection tools. (To be ready at the end of May, 2021.);

3.  Draft Report (To be ready July 31st 2021) – Description of findings based on the research questions given, and including problems encountered and recommendations for further programme development. The report needs to be written in both English and Indonesian;

4.  Coordination of a validation session with the full RHRN2 Coalition. (Currently scheduled August 16, 2021). This session also includes a presentation of the findings;

5.  Final Report – (To be ready and send in on August 25, 2021) – the report will be approved by Rutgers

 

 

5. Methodology

The consultant is expected to propose specific methodologies they will use in the inception report to be submitted for approval. They should demonstrate the use of mixed methods approach in arriving at findings and ensure data quality. Details on sampling strategy and quality assurance measures should be included in the inception report. In addition, it should elaborate on data collection methods, tools and timetables for the baseline study.

Data Management

Data management will be a crucial part of this baseline study. The selected consultant will be asked to submit their plan that includes a plan for data analysis, quality assurance, analysis, ethical review and research permit, preparation of field sites and personnel (supervisors and interviewers), and report writing.

 

 

6. Qualifications and skills

General competencies  

·    Strong interpersonal and oral communication skills; 

·    Ability to work well in multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural teams; 

·    Strong interpersonal skills, in particular, demonstrated team leadership qualities;        

·    Displays cultural, gender, religion, and age sensitivity and adaptability; 

·    High level planning, organizational and time management skills;

·    Ability to quickly adapt to change, and to remain calm under pressure; 

·    Excellent analytical, communication and report writing skills.

Compliance with core principles

·    Meaningful and inclusive youth participation (MIYP);

·    Inclusiveness;

·    A gender-transformative approach (GTA); 

·    Human Rights-Based Approach

·    Do no harm and safety; 

·    Accountability. 

 

Experience   

·    In depth knowledge and experience on research methods;

·    Experience working on baseline studies and previous consultancies;

·    Experience in doing online social media research

·    Previous evaluations relating to SRHR, youth and gender studies is advantageous;  

·    Fluent in both oral and written English.

Qualifications

·          Post graduate degree/s in fields such as Development studies, Public Health, Social Sciences, Gender related studies

 

 

7. Submission and evaluation of proposals

We also welcome applicants that collaborate as a team for this assignment; research institutes and/or independent researchers/consultants can collaborate in order to conduct the baseline study.

 

Interested applicants are invited to send:

1.  An expression of interest (max 5 pages) clearly specifying your motivation, understanding the assignment, steps in the research including timeline, budget, innovative suggestions as well as suitability and availability;

2.  Portfolio indicating previous research experiences in qualitative and quantitative research, preferably on the issues and the core principles of the RHRN2 programme as stated in this term of reference, and a list of previously research conducted;

3.  Samples of previous research reports. (If these reports have been written in collaboration with others, it’s important to indicate which sections you have been writing yourself, or which you contributed to significantly.)

Interested consultants or organizations can submit their application by e-mail to recruitment@rutgers.id, indicating the title of this assignment. 

The closing date for receipt of proposals is May 17, 2021.