: Plan International Thailand
: Nonprofits / องค์กรไม่แสวงหาผลกำไร
: 1402
: 21 February 2019
25 February 2019
Plan International Asia Regional Hub
Terms of Reference (ToR)
Research Consultant for Regional Research on
Girls’ Leadership in Asia
Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organization that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. As an independent development and humanitarian organization, we work alongside children, young people, our supporters and partners to tackle the root causes of the challenges facing girls and all vulnerable children. We support children’s rights from birth until they reach adulthood and enable children to prepare for and respond to crises and adversity. We drive changes in practice and policy at local, national and global levels using our reach, experience and knowledge. For over 80 years we have been building powerful partnerships for children, and we are active in over 75 countries.
Plan International Asia Regional Hub operates in a vibrant, fast growing, and challenging region, that is home to 650 million adolescents[1]. Even though half of the youth population in Asia is female[2], in many parts of the region, girls and women are undervalued and underestimated. Despite efforts made over the past decade to narrow the gender inequality gap, girls and young women continue to encounter gender-related restrictions and inequalities that keep them from reaching their full potential.
Girls often face gender discrimination even before their birth, particularly in countries where the culture preferences male children. Statistics shows that, for every 100 girls who are born alive in India, seven are aborted, and in China, nine are aborted, just because they are girls.[3] Discrimination continues throughout childhood, and according to the 2016 Global Education Monitoring report four of every five out-of-school girls in South Asia will never enter the formal education system, compared to two out-of-school boys. These discriminatory attitudes and practices towards girls and women significantly limit their ability to enact leadership, to define goals that are in line with their values, and to act on them. With the ambition to help “Girls Get Equal”, Plan International Asia Regional Hub will invest in research into regional girls’ leadership in order to gain deeper insights into key trends and issues that enable or constrain the leadership and agency of adolescent girls and young women.
This research project consists of two phases. Phase I will include the following components:
Phase II research, to be carried out in mid-2019, will include surveys and case studies on adolescent girls’ and young women’s agency in selected locations.
Plan International Asia Regional Hub seeks a consultant or consulting firm to complete the following assignments:
At the minimum, the consultant or consulting firm will be expected to employ the following quantitative and qualitative research methods:
The desk review, at a minimum, will focus on the following areas: education, economic opportunities, safety[5], health (including sexual and reproductive health) and other basic services, political participation and civil liberty, empowerment and self-determination and discriminatory laws/policies. Where possible, the consultant or consulting firm will be expected to identify and compare contextually specific issues and trends across the region.
The consultant or consulting firm will be expected to assess the availability of data sources, identify and justify which data would best would serve the purposes of the study, complete the calculations of both sub-domain and overall index scores and analyze the relationships and trends between the findings of desk research and sub domain and overall index scores. The consultant or consulting firm shall include a detailed methodology for the development of the composite index in the inception report. We welcome suggestions and ideas on approaches to the methodology which may improve the expected outcomes.
The consultant or consulting firm will directly report to the Regional Monitoring, Evaluation and Research (MER) Specialist and work in close collaboration with the Girls Leadership Research Working Group. The following deliverables are expected from the consultant or consulting firm after signing the contract:
Table of Deliverables
Deliverable |
Format |
Length |
Due |
1. An inception Report, at a minimum, should include: 1.1. A tentative list of available literature, relevant documents and data sources to be used 1.2. A detailed methodology for the desk study and index development 1.3. A detailed work plan with timeline, estimated no. of work days for each deliverable and date for deliver 1.4. A tentative structure/outline of the final master report |
Word |
Maximum 10 pages |
By March 22 |
2. First draft report combining the findings of desk research, index scores and conclusions |
Word doc |
Maximum 40 pages |
By April 25 |
3. A presentation of the findings of the draft of the report |
PowerPoint Presentation |
N/A |
By May 5 |
4. Second draft of the report |
Word doc |
Maximum 40 pages |
By May 15 |
5. Final report (including Executive Summary) |
Word doc |
Maximum 40 pages |
By May 20 |
6. Technical report on the index development methodology and complete final set of data used for the development of the index |
Word doc and Excel or any other appropriate formats |
N/A |
By May 20 |
The assignment is estimated to be completed within 45 days beginning from February 2019 and to be completed by May 2019. The timeframe is indicative and can be reevaluated in consultation between Plan International and the consultant or consulting firm.
Task |
Timeframe |
Estimated no. of work days |
Hold an initial meeting to discuss the overall research, methodology, and deliverables |
By mid-March |
1 |
Develop and submit an inception report, detailed work plan and methodology |
By March 22 |
4 |
Inception report and work plan approval |
By March 29 |
N/A |
Conduct desk research and produce a narrative report |
By April 10 |
10 |
Develop index including methodology, indicators selection for each sub domain, weighting, index score calculation, etc.
|
By April 20 |
10 |
Develop and submit a draft research report including an analysis of the findings of desk research and index scores |
By April 25 |
5 |
Incorporate the first round of Plan International’s feedback and revise the draft report |
By May 1 |
7 |
Hold a face to face or virtual meeting to present the second draft of the report |
By May 5 |
2 |
Incorporate the second round of Plan International’s feedback and finalize the report |
By May 15 |
6 |
Submit the final master report and complete set of data used for the index development |
By May 20 |
N/A |
Total |
|
45 |
Academic qualification:
Technical Knowledge, skills and experience:
Candidates will be evaluated in following
Criteria |
Weight |
Academic qualification |
20% |
Technical knowledge, skills and experience |
40% |
Methodology |
20% |
Financial proposal |
20% |
Total |
100 % |
Interested applicants should provide a proposal covering the following aspects:
Please send your application to supornchai.nawataweeporn@plan-international.org and Chamaiporn.siangyen@plan-international.org referencing “Regional Research on Girls’ Leadership in Asia” in the subject line and including support documents as outlined. Application deadline is February 25, 2019 (5 PM, Bangkok time).