INVITATION TO BID FOR CONSULTANCY

Save the Children International (SCI) Somalia program hereby invites interested consultants to bid for the consultancy assignment detailed below**

1. Title of Consultancy

**

Terms of Reference for Consultancy Services Assessment of child protection systems in somalia

1. SCI Contracting Office Save the Children Somalia/Somaliland
2. Location: Garowe, Mogadishu, Kismayo
3. Period of Consultancy 45 days
4. Consultant type required: Firm
5. Responsibility for Logistics arrangements and Costs: N/A
6. Taxation Provision: Consultant shall be responsible for all Taxes arising from the consultancy in line with the local Tax regulations applicable at the SCI contracting office named above.
7. Travel requirements Across Somalia Office
8. Security requirements: Consultant will comply with standard Save the Children Security procedures.
9. Qualification and Experience:To be considered, the study team members together must have demonstrated skills, expertise and experience in:· Proven experience of more than 10 years in child protection systems development and process planning;

   · Demonstrated experience in policy processes, including research, reviews and formulation with evidence of similar assignments in other countries;

   · Experience with strengthening of child protection or social services delivery in humanitarian and developing contexts;

   · Background/experience with child protection case management systems development, implementation and review;

   · A mix of international and local consultant -preference will be given to firms with diverse skillset.

   · Excellent research, collaboration, facilitation and report writing skills;

   · Proven knowledge and understanding of social welfare workforce planning and development.

   · Excellent writing skills, presentation skills, strong strategic and analytical skills, computer skills, negotiations skills, interactive and interpersonal communication skills;

   · Managing and coordinating a range of government, non-government, community groups and academic stakeholders

   · Experience conducting studies in humanitarian contexts

   · Strong written and verbal skills in communicating technical and/ or complex findings to non-specialist audiences (especially report writing and presentation skills)

   · A track record of open, collaborative working with clients

10. Evaluation Criteria

a. Compliance with Consultancy requirement

• Provision of sound technical purposal with required information & documents; responsiveness to ToR’s:
• Qualifications and technical qualities of purposed team e.g. level of qualifications and number of years worked to similar assignment.

b. Relavant Consultant Experience

Prove of past experience of the consultancy firm. Please submit copies of similar contracts

c. Adequacy of Work Plan

• Submission of detailed work plan with clear description of tasks and the Scope of Work
• flexibility

d. Consultant of the interview,

• Demonstration of better understanding of TOR and scope of work during the interview
• Demonstration of technical capability and expertize in project evaluations
• Presentation of well structured Methodology and techniques to be applied for the execution the required consultancy services
• Application Procedure

Interested consultants are required to submit their applications throughProsave by sending their identification details(Passport) and CV to somalia.procurement@savethechildren.org, requesting to be invited to the online sourcing activity. This is the recommended option.The applications should be submitted in PDF format as one document comprising Technical and Financial sections as detailed below.

a) Technical proposal – including but not limited to :

· Consultants understanding of the assignment and context

· Approach to the assignment

· Methodology

· Tools

· Deliverables

· Workplan

· Key staff biodata

b) Financial proposal.

Applicants should also indicate the date they are available to start working on the consultancy

All applications MUST be submitted on or before the closing date below to be considered for the assignment. Applicants should also indicate the date they are available to start working on the consultancy

All applications MUST be submitted on or before the closing date below to be considered for the assignment.

1. Closing date for Applications

Interested consultants shall submit their applications through the email address provided above on or before ( 16th April 2022)

Shortlisted candidates will be requested for an interview.

1. Terms of Reference (ToR)

Complete ToR with details appended below attached herewith as Annex 1.

• Purpose of the consultancy,
• Introduction of the project,
• Background of the consultancy,
• Objectives of the consultancy,
• Proposed methodology and approach,
• Scope of work,
• Key deliverables / outputs
• Activity timelines

Terms of Reference

Assessment of child protection systems in somalia

Project Summary

Type of study

Assessment of Child Protection Systems in Somalia**

Name of the project

Improve Child Protection Systems for Internally Displaced Children

SOF: 27600386

Project Start and End dates

1^st November 2021 – 31^st December 2024

Project duration

3 years, 2 Months

Project locations:

Garowe, Mogadishu, Kismayo

Thematic areas

Child Protection

Sub themes

Child Protection – Strengthening Child Protection Systems

Donor

BMZ – Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development

Overall objective of the project

Vulnerable children and youth in Somalia are better protected from violence, abuse, exploitation and neglect

Outcome 1: Vulnerable children in IDP areas are supported through quality child protection systems when in crisis (national and community-based systems)

Outcome 2: Based on the involvement of strong civil society actors, the Somalia child protection system ensures a continuous reduction of protection risks through improved legislation, oversight and resource allocation

Outcome 3: Children and adolescents know their rights and actively – in collaboration with adults – engage in improving child rights in their local communities

Introduction

Save the Children International (SCI) is a non-governmental organization whose mission is to inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children and to achieve immediate and lasting change in children’s lives worldwide. SCI has been operational in Somalia since 1951. Guided by the Country Strategic Plan (CSP) for 2019-2021, SCI strives to ensure the most deprived children aged 0-5 years have a strong start in life; children aged 6–14 years have a better foundation for a bright future; young people aged 15-24 years become socially and economically productive citizens; girls and women have greater voice, choice and control over decisions affecting their lives, and strengthened government and civil society capacity to sustain child wellbeing in Somalia. SCI Somalia implements a range of child-focused and thematically integrated programs across Somaliland, Puntland and Southern States through sustainable humanitarian and/or development programming which enhances both government and community ownership.

Background and Context

Save the Children’s Global Childhood Report[1] ranks Somalia as the 6^th hardest place to be a child. UNICEF’s Appeal for Humanitarian Action for Children[2] reports 7.7M people, including 5.1M children, in need of humanitarian assistance in 2022 due to, among other reasons, the devastating impact of protracted conflict, complex political environment, insecurity, extreme poverty and natural hazards. According to the UN Secretary-General’s Report on Children and Armed Conflict[3] for the period January to December 2020, Somalia is among the countries with highest numbers of grave violations with 4,714 verified grave violations against 3,810 children (3,038 boys and 772 girls). Conflict, drought and displacement also put high pressures on families and caregivers which can lead to higher levels of violence and physical punishment in the home. Displacement can result in separation of children from their families, which exposes them to exploitation, violence and abuse – and the children of IDPs and minorities are particularly vulnerable. Somalia also ranks highly on instances of schools and/or hospital attacks. Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and child marriages are among the highest in the world. According to UNICEF, 98 per cent of girls in Somalia aged between 5 and 11 have undergone some form of FGM. About 1 in 10 Somali marriages occurs before the girl is 15 years old, and about half before they are 18.

While there are dire child protection needs in the country, there exists significant demand and supply gaps in ensuring the protection of children from violence, abuse, exploitation and neglect. These include but not limited to; the persistence of harmful traditions and attitudes and low levels of understanding about the rights of children in many segments of society, several of the legislations meant to protect children are still at their draft stage, the departments that are responsible for protecting children are poorly resourced and highly dependent on external assistance. Child protection referral systems are still very weak and remote areas are left out of any referral programs, as resources are not allocated to them. Where legislation exists, their enforcement remains very low. As there are insufficient legal resources to support affected children many prefer to solve cases of violence against children through customary mediation rather than in the court of law. This contributes to low reporting of incidents to law enforcement agencies[4].

In response to these gaps, Save the Children in Somalia with financial support from Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development is implementing a 42 months project aimed at protecting the vulnerable children and youth in Somalia from violence, abuse, exploitation and neglect through systems strengthening. This assessment will form a basis for both the recruitment of social workers and further prioritization for system strengthening. In addition to information on the coverage of individual areas with child protection services, including community-based committees, data on social workers trained in Somalia and their current activities will also be collected in coordination with UNICEF.

Scope of Study

The overall objective is to facilitate a mapping/assessment of the current practices, processes, institutional arrangements and legal and policy frameworks for child protection coordination and service provision in Somalia.

Specifically, the study seeks to;

1. Establish a baseline of the outcome indicators and the current child protection system in the different areas basing on the 6 building blocks of a child protection systems; workforce, coordination, services, policy frameworks, data collection and use. **

2. Map and assess current emergency and development child protection services and providers, the approaches and processes available in service provision, level of services satisfaction, key challenges and opportunities, coordination mechanisms in place and document client experiences**

a. Service mapping: Case management systems analysis, service and resource mapping and quality of service assessment**

b. Referall pathways**

3. Undertake an indepth analysis of the policy and legislative frameworks and the institutional arrangements for administration of child protection related provisions to identify institutional and structural gaps as well as strengths and opportunities**

4. Provide practical and contextualized recommendations for the strengthening of the child protection system, including legal and policy provisions, institutional roles and set up, coordination, staffing requirements and system costs.**

Geographical Scope: Kismayo, Mogadishu, Garowe

Study Methodology

The consultant shall adopt an appropriate sampling method that will allow correct conclusions about the study population. The sampling methodology and size will be agreed together by Save the Children and the consultant. Save the Children should in all cases review and decide whether to approve any further modifications or changes made.

The study proposes mixed methods of information gathering, conflict and gender sensitive. These include;

· A literature review of available secondary sources on the context and implementation sites.**

· Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) held with relevant stakeholders who are engaged in policymaking and implementation of protection related activities in the selected locations (including government officials, CSOs, NGOs, INGOs etc.). **

· Interviews with girls and boys, woman and men from the selected study locations. **

· Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with boys and girls, and youth communities in the selected study locations.

The process should be participatory and should ensure that Government representatives, partner organizations and their protection networks are proactively involved in the process. The methodology

must be designed to ensure that voices of children and youths are heard, and their participation is child friendly and inclusive i.e. there is a clear focus on reaching and empowering the most deprived

children and their communities to ensure that they are part of the findings and analysis. Data collection and analysis will meet the principles of ethical research. Respondents must provide informed consent and be informed of how to make a complaint or comment regarding any aspect of the mapping and referral pathway development. Data collection and analysis should allow for confidentiality and anonymity. Data collectors will be trained on how to how to identify and respond appropriately to situations of concern they might encounter. Findings and analysis should report separate for boys and girls and should distinguish the needs and services specific to age categories and children with disabilities

Expected Deliverables

The study deliverables and tentative timeline (subject to the commencement date of the study) are outlined below. The study team lead and SC study Project Manager will agree on final milestones and deadlines at the inception phase. The study is expected to be completed within 35 days as follows;

Deliverables and Tentative Timeline

Deliverable / Milestones

Timeline

The study Team will submit an inception report including, Study objectives, scope and key study questions, description of the methodology, including design, data collection methods, sampling strategy, data sources, and study matrix against the key study questions

§ data analysis and reporting plan

§ caveats and limitations of study

§ risks and mitigation plan

§ ethical considerations including details on consent

§ stakeholder and children communication and engagement plan

§ key deliverables, responsibilities, and timelines

§ resource requirements

§ data collection tools (in line with the study matrix)

1 week after signing contract

Final data collection tools (in the report language):**

§ FGD guides

§ Data collection mechanism

1 week

An Interim Report / Power Point Presentation including a summary of findings from the study. The focus will be on:

§ Summary of interim findings

§ Any emerging program trends, issues or risks

§ Any changes that have had to be made to the study design (if applicable)

§ Key tasks for the next stage of the study and any proposed refinements or changes to methodology (if applicable)

2 weeks

A Study Report (45 pages) including the following elements:

§ Executive summary

§ Background description of the Program and context relevant to the Study

§ Scope and focus of the study

§ Overview of the study methodology and data collection methods, including a study matrix

§ Findings aligned to each of the key study questions/objectives

§ Specific caveats or methodological limitations of the evaluation

§ Conclusions outlining implications of the findings or learnings

§ Recommendations

§ Annexes (Study matrix study ToR, Inception Report, Study schedule, List of people involved)

A consolidated set of feedback from key stakeholders will be provided by Save The Children within 1 week of the submission of the draft report.

2 weeks

Final Study Report incorporating feedback from consultation on the Draft Study Report including Data and analyses including all encrypted raw data, databases and analysis outputs

1 week

Copyright and intellectual property rights

The title rights, copyrights and all other rights of whatever nature in any materials used or generated under the provisions of this consultancy will exclusively be vested with Save the Children Somalia Country office. All products developed under this consultancy belong to the Save the Children exclusively, guided by the rules of the grant contract. Under no circumstances will the consultant use the information of this study for publication or dissemination to any individual or organization without official prior written permission from Save the Children Somalia Country office.

Study Team and Selection Criteria

Interested consultants will be required to submit an Expression of Interest in line with the following requirements.

Understanding of Requirements and Experience

To be considered, the study team members together must have demonstrated skills, expertise and experience in:

§ Proven experience of more than 10 years in child protection systems development and process planning;**

§ Demonstrated experience in policy processes, including research, reviews and formulation with evidence of similar assignments in other countries;**

§ Experience with strengthening of child protection or social services delivery in humanitarian and developing contexts;**

§ Background/experience with child protection case management systems development, implementation and review;**

§ A mix of international and local consultant -preference will be given to firms with diverse skillset .

§ Excellent research, collaboration, facilitation and report writing skills;**

§ Proven knowledge and understanding of social welfare workforce planning and development. **

§ Excellent writing skills, presentation skills, strong strategic and analytical skills, computer skills, negotiations skills, interactive and interpersonal communication skills;**

§ Managing and coordinating a range of government, non-government, community groups and academic stakeholders**

§ Experience conducting studies in humanitarian contexts**

§ Strong written and verbal skills in communicating technical and/ or complex findings to non-specialist audiences (especially report writing and presentation skills)**

§ A track record of open, collaborative working with clients

Financial Proposal

Save the Children seeks value for money in its work. This does not necessarily mean “lowest cost”, but quality of the service and reasonableness of the proposed costs. Proposals shall include personnel allocation (role / number of days / daily rates / taxes), as well as any other applicable costs.

Schedule of Payment

The following payments will be made to the consultant using and agreed mode of payment

§ Upon approval of inception report and tools: 20%

§ Upon submission of first draft study report: 30%

§ Upon approval of final study report: 50%

[1] global-childhood-report-2020.pdf (savethechildren.org) – Accessed February 2022

[2] Somalia Appeal | UNICEF – Accessed February 2022

[3] United Nations Official Document – Accessed February 2022

[4] Project proposal