1. Background of consultancy assignment/ project

Natural resource management programs may affect women and men differently due to their rights, roles, and responsibilities. The unique roles men and women play in their communities lead to different bodies of knowledge about the environments around them. Due to their roles in gathering resources like wood, water, and forest products, not to mention subsistence agriculture, women have a unique understanding of the natural resources around them. However, if women are not specifically included in the design of policies and programs this knowledge can be lost. Increasing women’s participation in decision-making will ensure greater success and sustainability of projects while properly safeguarding natural resources and enhancing the shared benefits of their careful use.

WWF addresses this issue by helping women in developing countries gain better access to education, health care, decision-making bodies, and sustainable livelihoods. Doing so helps ensure that the voices, skills, and knowledge of women are incorporated into discussions and decision-making related to conservation in their families and communities.

WWF is a founding member of the Conservation and Human Rights Initiative and signed the Conservation Initiative on Human Rights Framework in 2009. WWF recognizes human rights as central to achieving effective and equitable conservation and development outcomes. The Framework states WWF’s commitment to respect human rights and to promote rights within the scope of conservation initiatives. WWF adopted its Gender Policy in April 2011 to drive stronger integration of a gender perspective in both its conservation work and its internal operations. We aim to mainstream gender equality and women's empowerment in our global network. That means striving to understand the different needs and capacities of both women and men in a workplace, actively working to redress inequalities, and making the most of what gender diversity can bring to WWF operations and conservation work.

In addition, WWF is also integrating the Environmental and Social Safeguard Framework (ESSF)  to ensure consistent, comprehensive application of safeguards across the entire WWF Network. Safeguards were designed as a risk mitigation management system to be applied to development projects that may potentially generate negative social or environmental impacts.

The ESSF Unit of WWF-Thailand is seeking a consultant to assist us in achieving our mission. The consultant will collaborate with ESSF and the project team to assess gender-based issues within the scope of the Human-Elephant Conflict (HEC) project and provide WWF-Thailand with an analysis of the issues including, gaps, and recommendations.

WWF-TH has been implementing the HEC project for a decade in Kaeng Krachan Forest Complex (KKFC). It aims to increase the effectiveness of elephant and tiger conservation and management efforts in Kaeng Krachan Forest Complex and Kuiburi National Park by working with local communities and concerned government agencies focusing on capacity building, elephant habitat improvement, and human-elephant conflict mitigation. In order to mitigate, solve, and manage those problems sustainability, intensive effort and systematic implementation will consist of the following thematic areas;

1. Strengthening SMART patrol in Kaeng Krachan National Park, Kuiburi National Park, and Mae Nam Pachi Wildlife Sanctuary
2. Monitoring the status of tigers, their prey, and other species of wildlife by camera trapping;
3. Reducing the likelihood of human-elephant conflict through the use of early warning systems, rapid response, and income generating activities ( IGAs)

2. Objective of the consultancy

1. Identify the GEDSI barriers of targeted groups, particularly women and people with disability, in participation in the Project activities, and produce recommendations for addressing GEDSI issues; and  increasing participation in targeted project areas.
2. Examine underlying formal and informal systems and structures of power (legal, economic, political, environmental, social) and how they affect and influence access for women, men, boys, and girls with and without disability in the project areas.
3. Map gender and disability-related structures and services and identify opportunities to engage with them.
4. Assess how socio-cultural norms and practices affect women, men, girls, and boys with and without disability in the HEC project and violence against women and children; and identify opportunities for shifting harmful norms and promoting GEDSI in the context of the project’s outcomes and interventions.

3. Methodology

This study will apply various qualitative and quantitative research methods, including but not limited to individual interviews, direct observations, focus group discussion and document reviews (reports and project documents).

4. Scope of work/ Major responsibility

The consultant will:

1. Conduct an in-depth GEDSI assessment to uncover the social norms, beliefs, practices, and attitudes underlying the differences in needs, constraints, and opportunities;
2. Develop data collection tools and provide an orientation to WWF-TH staff to utilize these effectively.
3. Provide WWF-TH with all draft deliverables for review and approval.
4. Conduct a detailed and comprehensive desk review using varied reports and data. The consultant is expected to be creative and exploratory in sourcing appropriate external documents (including assessments and evaluations).
5. Conduct qualitative and quantitative analysis using an intersectional lens and including comparisons with age band, gender (girls and boys, women,men, and LGBTQ), disability dimensions, location, and other applicable social groups.
6. Present the preliminary findings internally to HEC  project teams.
7. Develop a comprehensive GEDSI Assessment report.
8. Conduct workshops to discuss findings and recommendations with HEC project teams, partners, and other select stakeholder

HEC project team will provide the following suppoirt:

1. Provide relevant project document for the assessment process
2. Indeify and coordinate with selected stakeholders on the ground for this assessment
3. Provide a list of key stakeholders/ key informat for this assessment

5. Outputs/ deliverable of performance and time schedule

The consultant will be in charge of producing the following outputs within the timeline as specified in the table below.

Table 4.1

Upon the end of the consultancy, all outputs as specified above must be met and approved by the Project Supervisor and ESSF Unit. 

6. Required profile:
The consultant should have the following skills and experiences:

• At least a a Master’s degree in Gender and/or Social Science or Natural Resource Management with a strong understanding of gender issues in this field.
• Experience in conducting gender analysis and/or evaluation, gender-based research, and socio-economic surveys with expertise in gender/social inclusion related work.
• Experience in conservation work is preferred
• Proficiency in Thai and English language
• Minimum of 5 years experience in analysis or implementation of gender equality and disability inclusion in humanitarian and/or development context (ideally in intersection with violence prevention, agriculture, or nutrition)
• Proven knowledge and verifiable experience (with sample reports and referees) in conducting GEDSI, gender, and/or disability analysis/ assessments;
• Understanding of the practical challenges pertaining to the development and use of gender analysis and disability inclusion assessment tools.
• A solid grounding in mixed method approaches that combine qualitative and quantitative methods.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, particularly English Report Writing Skills

7. Instructions to Applicants

The interested Consulting firm/Consultant should submit their technical and financial proposals to WWF-TH and should include:

• Understanding of the terms of reference, proposed methodology, and a time schedule for the assignment (should not exceed 10 pages);
• The profile/ CV of the consultant which clearly demonstrates experience and qualification to carry out the assignment. If the consultant plans to engage any team members, their profiles/CVs should be submitted as well;
• A detailed breakdown of indicative professional fees and costs;
• Contact details for three (3) professional referees who we can contact for quality assurance of the consultant’s work.
• The start date for this work will be on the contract signature date.