Consultancy- Promoting Gender Equality
in Pakistan’s Justice System
– Legal Aid Network for Victims of Gender-Based Violence

1. Introduction

The Promoting Gender Equality in Pakistan’s Justice System – Legal Aid Network for Victims of Gender-Based Violence is a one and a half year initiative, implemented by The Asia Foundation (the Foundation). The purpose of the project is to improve access to justice for the survivors of gender-based violence (GBV) through the provision of efficient, cost-effective legal aid and assistance. The Foundation, in collaboration with a partner organization ‘Population Environment and Development Center (PED-C)’ supported three legal aid centers across three districts of Haripur and Peshawar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, and Islamabad in the Federal Capital. The project utilized a demand and supply model for legal aid provision and to increase community level knowledge and awareness for legal rights and redressal mechanisms, and in parallel, strengthen the institutional capacity of legal aid centers and build a network of lawyers to meet the growing demand for cost-effective legal aid for GBV survivors.

The expected results of the project include:

• Improved awareness and demand for legal rights and redressal mechanisms among marginalized communities; and

• Legal aid centers and network of lawyers fully equipped and trained to successfully manage GBV cases.

The Foundation seeks the services of a Consultant/Consulting firm to evaluate gains of the project, highlight successes against the project objectives and lessons learnt.

 

1. Purpose of the Assignment
   
   

• Assess the quality and progress in delivery of program services, intended outputs and intermediate results;

• Assess the performance of the project in terms of relevance, effectiveness, sustainability, efficiency and’ integration of gender equality; and

• Highlight success stories of the project and identify key lessons learnt. 

   

  Key Results
  
  

Qualitative and quantitative instruments should be designed to measure the following areas at a minimum, whether these have improved as a result of project interventions or otherwise.  Key results of the project under each objective are as follows:

Objective 1: Improved awareness and demand for legal rights and redressal mechanisms among marginalized communities.

Outcomes: - 

1. Improved knowledge of and positive behaviors towards fundamental rights of survivors of GBV

2. Improved demand for legal aid services among survivors of GBV in target communities. Formation of grandmother groups to act as a link between the communities and the legal aid centers to identify GBV cases in their community and facilitate women and girls to seek help from the legal aid centers.

   Objective 2:  Legal aid centers and network of lawyers fully equipped and trained to successfully manage GBV cases.

   Outcomes: - 

1. Legal aid centers and network of lawyers fully equipped and trained to successfully manage GBV cases.

2. Legal aid centers able to provide broad range of legal services to survivors of GBV

3. Increase in survivors of GBV’s use of legal aid services in the targeted districts

4. Legal aid centers receptive to and efficiently managing cases lodged by members of vulnerable populations i.e. the survivors of GBV

5. Establishment of district justice forums with an aim to promote and support partnerships among relevant stakeholders to support GBV survivors, as well as create an enabling environment for the legal aid centers to operate.

1. Proposed Methodology

The evaluation will consist of both primary and secondary sources of data collection. Primary sources may include Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), Key Informant Interviews (KII) and field observation. Innovative methodology will have additional points during the proposals evaluation. 

1. Deliverables

• Inception report outlining analysis of project documents, existing data, identified districts and proposed study design with sample size, qualitative and quantitative instruments and field implementation plan

• First draft of EoP evaluation report

• Presentation of the key findings to the Foundation

• Final EoP evaluation report

All material prepared and collected during the EoP evaluation will be the sole property of the Foundation. The consultant will be required to provide the Foundation with all primary data collected in electronic form. 

1. Selection Criteria

   Selection of the consultant/consulting firm will take place through a competitive process. Applications will be evaluated based on their technical proposal containing methodology for conducting the assignment, work plan, previous relevant experience, and the financial proposal containing reasonable budget. The shortlisted consulting firms/candidates will be required to deliver a short presentation/session on the basis of which final decision regarding award of contract will be made. The Foundation reserves the right to reject any application without assigning any reason. Please keep in mind, that timeline of the assignment is 12 days, starting from July 19, 2018.

 

1. Schedule of Payment

Payment will be made on the basis of invoice received for milestones achieved against set deliverables.

 

1.       Facilities to be provided by the Project

 

The project will support the consultant/consulting firm by facilitating access to relevant information and materials. The consultant/consulting firm will work closely with the Foundation’s team for the review and guidance regarding the content before development and production.

 

1. Eligibility Criteria

    

• Reputable consulting firms and individual consultants with at least 7-10 years’ experience and proven track record of conducting project evaluations

• Good understanding of the rule of law and access to justice issues in the context of Pakistan

• Experience of working with donors and familiarity with donor reporting requirements

• Ability to deliver quality work on time

• Availability to start work immediately