Background

Every Voice Counts (EVC) programme aims to contribute to building effective and inclusive governance in six fragile and conflict states (FCAS): Rwanda, Burundi, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia, and Sudan. The programme targets women and youth in particular to increase their participation and inclusion in governance. Since the programme began in 2016, local authorities (LAs), civil society organizations (CSO), and international non-governmental organizations (INGO) have been successful in engaging women, youth, and local authorities in the implementation of programme activities including advocacy and lobbying efforts. Working with local authorities (LAs) in fragile countries in order to ensure they are effective, responsive and accountable is a critical element of the Every Voice Counts program’s theory of change on Inclusive Governance (IG). As part of the programme, selected civil society organizations (CSOs) and local authorities (LAs) were trained and coached by The Hague Academy for Local Governance (THA) in inclusive governance, participatory methods and gender sensitivity in decision-making processes. CSOs and LAs are also involved in various programme interventions to increase their awareness on the rights and responsibilities of women and youth to participate and mapping of targets groups and powerholders for the ongoing lobby and advocacy trajectories.

This learning review is meant to better understand what approaches/models/interventions are effective in strengthening the effectiveness, responsiveness and accountability of CSOs and LAs Somalia (Puntland and South West State) to test assumptions of the EVC programme and generate knowledge (for application). On one hand, we wish to evaluate the current approaches/models/interventions and document what is working and what is not, as well as the contextual factors that might promote or hinder certain changes. On the other hand, we wish to explore best practices/learning from others that can inform future programming.

2. Audience and use of findings

The internal (longer) report will be used to improve the governance programming in the future and should include recommendations for THA, CARE country offices and implementing partners, as well as government institutions. The external report (without sensitivities) will be geared towards peers, donors (i.e., Dutch MoFA) and government institutions.

3. Objectives

· To explore, evaluate and showcase different approaches/models/interventions and document best practices and lessons for strengthening the effectiveness, responsiveness and accountability of CSOs and LAs.

4. Questions

Main question: What approaches/models/interventions are effective in strengthening the effectiveness, responsiveness and accountability of CSOs and LAs?

Sub questions:

I. Learning from current programming

a. What works well and what doesn’t in the current approaches/models/interventions that THA and CARE are using in their work with CSOs and LAs?

b. What are some of the contextual and social factors that determine the successfulness (and unsuccessfulness) of these approaches/models/interventions?

c. What can we learn from these successes and failures for future replication?

d. What do CSOs and LAs need in order to increase their effectiveness, responsiveness and accountability?

e. What priorities does CSOs and LAs have that the EVC programme could respond to increase their effectiveness, responsiveness and accountability?

5. Suggested methods

This learning review will focus on strengthening effectiveness, responsiveness and accountability of CSOs and LAs as well as country level specific literature, policies and other relevant documents. The focus of the review will assess specific approaches/models/interventions used by the programme that aims at strengthening CSOs and LAs effectiveness, responsiveness and accountability. Next to the literature review, qualitative research methodologies will be developed to collect data from CSOs and LAs, trainers of THA, CARE staff and other key stakeholders (still to be identified) target locations in Puntland and South West State (to be determined in consultation with the country office).

6. Key people to be consulted

Internal:

• THA trainers
• M&E and impact measurement
• THA co-trainers (implementing partners)
• Senior CARE country office programme managers/coordinators

External:

• Government
• Peer NGO
• CSOs
• International organizations
• Advocacy and lobby expert and intellectuals

8. Style and length of report/learning review products

The Final Learning Internal report, including an Executive Summary, should be no more than 15 pages, excluding annexes. The Final external product will be the same as the final Learning Internal report yet leaving out certain sensitive issues that would hinder external publication and should be no more than 10 pages. The document should include quotes, personal stories and infographics (made by the designer). The executive summary of the external report should be written to stand alone as a separate summary document for external distribution. The consultant and THA/CARE NL will agree on the outline of the report.

9. Responsibilities of the consultant

• Developing a learning review framework (incl sub-questions, tools, sampling guidance etc)
• Conducting a country-specific literature review
• Coordinating and guiding the local data collectors (based on specific ToRs)
• Quality check data collected
• Analyzing country data
• Writing up internal and external knowledge products

9. Timetable

The following outlines the key milestones in the delivery of the learning review, including deadlines and outputs.

Activity

Deadline

Output

Responsibility

Estimated Days

Terms of Reference

28 February

ToR

Fatma & Gerald, Mohamed Hamud, Berlinda, Freddy

Hire consultant

March

Consultant

CO SOM

Terms of Reference Local Consultants

March

ToRs

Consultant

Literature and Document Review

April

Draft Literature review

Lead consultant

3 days

Learning review Framework (incl tools)

April

Framework & tools

consultant

2 days

Consultant coordination and with CARE NL (local & leads)

Ongoing March-July

Update emails on the progress

2 days

Data collection Phase 1

April

Raw Data

consultant and data collectors

Data Analysis Phase 1 and write-up

April/May

Data Analysis notes

Lead consultant

4 days

Inputs for June meeting and Phase 2 Data collection

May

Briefing and new data collection tools as needed

Lead consultant

1 day

June internal meeting

The first week of June

N/A

CARE NL and stakeholders

Data collection

June

Raw Data

Local consultant

10 days

Data analysis & new docs

July

Data Analysis notes

1 day

Draft Internal Report

July

Draft internal report

Lead consultant

3 days

Feedback on report

July

Edits

THA, CARE NL, CARE COs

Final Internal Report (longer version)

August

Final Internal Report

Lead consultant

1 day

Feedback on sensitivities

August

Edits

CDs of CARE COs

Final external report (short version)

August

Final external report

Lead consultant

1 day

1-2 page knowledge product

August

Final Knowledge Product

Designed and/or commissioned by CNL and CO

days Lead Consultant

18 days**

Payment terms:

the consultant will be paid 30% of the contract fees upon submission of the inception report and 70% after approval of the final report.

10. Learning review management

The consultant(s) will be hired and managed by the CARE Country Office in Somalia. Both THA and CNL, and the CO will be responsible to comment on the key deliverables.

11. Qualifications and experience required

· Experience with learning review in FCAS;

· Experience with working in Somalia/willing to travel to Somalia

· High level of academic education in social sciences;

· Experience with the theme of inclusive governance in fragile countries;

· Experience with qualitative learning review methods;

· Fluent in English; and

· Excellent writing skills.