ThaiNGO

Term of Reference

Consultant to undertake Midterm Evaluation for LEAP Project in Deep South of Thailand (Re-announcement)

1. Background

Over the last 10 years, the Deep South region in Thailand has experienced increasing levels of violence originating from a separatist insurgency with over 6,000 people killed, mostly civilians including 120 children. Schools and teachers have been specifically targeted by armed groups, education has been disrupted and children severely impacted by the violence they have witnessed and experienced. Investment by the Thai government in public services and other external aid have been lacking for many years, and working in this challenging context, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) struggle to develop and effectively represent the communities they serve.

The LEAP project will support CSOs to contribute towards reinforced governance and accountability through inclusive policy-making, by empowering citizens and populations to voice and structure their demands to tackle injustice and inequality. The LEAP project aims to strengthen the organizational and technical capacity of CSOs in the South, enhance the evidence base and participation of children in constructive dialogue, and ensure that together with local authorities (LAs), CSOs actively engage children and youth in advocating for the protection of children. The project also promotes an enabling environment for Thai CSOs as actors in governance and public accountability, and as essential bodies to reinforce progress towards peaceful social cohesion, conflict reconciliation and stable society in the Deep South of Thailand.

2. Objectives of this consultancy

Save the Children Thailand intends to conduct a mid-term evaluation of the Local Empowerment to Advocate for Peace (LEAP) project supported by European Commission in the Deep South of Thailand, to generate learning and knowledge by assessing project progress against the project objectives, documenting good practices and lessons learned, and intended and unintended impact of the project interventions, at the midpoint of the 3-year project. (Result Framework in Annex I). The evaluation is intended to disclose the nature of the change that has taken place in the targeted civil society organizations (see list of CSOs in Annex IV), children and communities. The findings will inform course correction and adaptive actions for the final year of the project.

The mid-term evaluation should assess the following learning questions:

Project design and context:

• To what extent is the project rationale and design still relevant to the needs in this context?
• What are existing and emerging risks/threats that affect the project implementation in this context?
• What is the perception of LEAP project and Save the Children as an organization among local organizations and authority?

Project impact and partnership:

• To what extent are project activities impactful and relevant to CSOs?
• To what extent has the capacity of CSOs been strengthened and what are the gaps?
• What are the good practices among CSOs in engaging community and children (girls and boys)?
• How well is the consortium performing together (Save the Children and local partners)?
• To what extent is the project progress toward its objective (i.e. empowerment of children and youth affected by conflict in the Deep South to promote peaceful social cohesion, conflict reconciliation, and better protection of children/youth from violence

Cross-cutting issues:

• How gender-sensitive are the project activities implemented by Save the Children, CSOs and partners?
• How sustainable are the project activities?

Research Methodology:

Save the Child requires a participatory methodology, whereby the work engages all key stakeholders should be provided with an opportunity to provide input and comment to the evaluation team. The evaluation methodology will be comprised of:

• A documentation review including activity and progress reports, assessments together with any other documentation Save the Children considers important for the evaluation;
• A series of interviews and focus group discussions with beneficiaries (including girls and boys), NGOs and local partners, Project Coordinator, and other persons that Save the Children or the evaluator deems necessary;
• Visits to the field to observe project activities and assess the impact on the intended beneficiaries (where applicable);
• Consultations with children, parents, communities, teachers and other beneficiaries by means of focus group discussion or interview and using the design of questions, which are reflective of the project indicators.

The consultant is encouraged to propose additional methodology that they consider appropriate to the project, which is subject to Save the Children’s approval and must meet ethical guidelines (Annex II)

Timeline:

The consultant will be required to dedicate an estimated 25 days’ time to the evaluation during October and December, subject to the requirements and agreements with Save the Children.

3. Key Deliverables:

4. Management of consultancy

The consultant will report to the Senior Field Coordinator. Additional technical advice will be provided by Child Protection Specialist, MEAL Coordinator and PDQ Director.

Save the Children should approve all plans and documents developed by the consultant. The final report will be assessed against Save the Children’s Evaluation Checklist (Annex III).

5. Consultancy Budget

The consultant is requested to submit the evaluation proposal and detailed budget with their application letter. The financial competitiveness of the fee will be considered in the selection process. Costs involved in the assessment/evaluation, such as materials, travel and taxes, should be included in the detailed budget.

Payment will be done in two instalments:

• 40% upon approval of submitted Inception Report
• 60% upon approved completion of all deliverables in the TOR

6. Submissions for the consultancy

The submission must address the terms of reference and include:

• Name and contact details of applicant
• Resume of the lead consultant
• A cover letter outlining the relevant experience and expertise of the consultant and initial ideas on the approach to be taken the achieve the consultancy objectives
• A draft summary proposal of the research scope, design, methods, and field implementation approach (maximum 5 pages)
• A detailed quote in THB and EUR

Annex 1: Project’s Logical Framework: https://goo.gl/jByKkm

Annex II: Ethical guidelines:

Before undertaking any monitoring and evaluation activity with children or adults an ethical assessment should be undertaken by the Country Office. Where appropriate, approval for an activity should be obtained from all relevant ethical or institutional review boards in-country prior to the commencement of the activity.

As per the minimum standards, at each of these stages the responsible individual or office must:

• Make sure the information gathering activity is necessary and justified:
  • Make sure that the purpose of the activity is clearly defined
  • Use the minimum sample size required to get statistically significant or valid results
  • Consider carefully the ethics of using a comparison or control group
• Adopt informed consent and voluntary participation procedures:
  • Participants must give their informed consent (either written or verbal) to participate. When children are involved consent must also be granted from an appropriate adult. Consent forms should be field tested before use. Save the Children’s Practice Standards for child participation can give more guidance.
  • Ensure that participants are well informed on the purpose of the activity and how the results will be disseminated
  • Make sure that individuals are informed that their participation is voluntary and that they have a choice to opt out
  • Confirm that participants understand the limits of the activity, in terms of benefits, and the next steps
  • Consider very carefully the use of incentives for participation and try not to use incentives where possible
• Adopt appropriate confidentiality procedures, sensitive to children’s needs
  • Ensure that all persons involved in the activity, including data gatherers, data input staff, translators etc have received training on the confidentiality procedures and signed an appropriate confidentiality agreement
  • Confidentiality may need to be breached to provide immediate protection to a child. Children and adults must be made aware of the confidentiality procedures before being asked to provide any information.
• Ensure that the costs to children of participating in activity do not outweigh the benefits, and ensure their safety at all times:
  • Adhere to Save the Children’s Child Safeguarding Policy
  • Adhere to Save the Children’s Practice Standards for Child Participation
  • Ensure that participation is in the children’s best interests and does them no harm
  • Ensure that information gathering with children is appropriate to their age and stage of development
  • Anticipate adverse consequences and develop appropriate responses
  • Be cautious and protective and undertake ethical checks as you proceed with any activity
  • Be sensitive and flexible; if situations change you must be prepared to stop or change an activity if ethical issues cannot be resolved
• Be consultative
  • Determine whether local permission from community stakeholders or authorities is needed to proceed and adhere to any locally established institutional policies or guidelines for conducting research.
  • Information about the activity must be provided to all stakeholders
  • Prepare local communities and explain the purpose and aims of the activity
• Be sensible and prepared
  • Researchers have a responsibility to be mindful of cultural, religious, gender, and other significant differences within the research population in the planning, conduct, and reporting of the study findings
  • Ensure that those gathering information from children and/or vulnerable communities are adequately trained and ready to follow up or refer children who might need special attention as a result of research/investigation in sensitive themes.
• Respect the dignity and autonomy of those participating in the activity
  • Ensure children and/or vulnerable communities are not simply used as a means to achieve research objectives
  • Know that study participants have a right to remain anonymous.
• Be accountable
  • Adhere to the International Accountability Charter
  • Make sure that a complaints and feedback mechanism is in place for children and adults participating in the activity
  • Ensure accuracy of information during analysis, interpretation and reporting. And remain open to the findings of any study and do not allow vested interests to interfere
  • Make sure that proper acknowledgement is given at all stages, as appropriate.

Ethical issues

Every data gathering exercise involving children and vulnerable communities is theme or context specific therefore you must review all ethical considerations before undertaking a new activity.

Whenever we conduct research on people, the well-being of research participants must be our top priority. The research question is always of secondary importance. This means that if a choice must be made between doing harm to a participant and doing harm to the research, it is the research that is sacrificed.

In some cases you may decide that you cannot proceed with a monitoring and evaluation activity because of ethical issues.  In this case you may need to re-design the activity or cancel it altogether if an ethical solution cannot be found.

Additional Resources:

• International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie) -  Policy governing the use of human subjects in 3ie funded studies web http://www.3ieimpact.org
• FAO Food Ethics: http://www.fao.org/ethics/ser_en.htm

Annex III: Evaluation report checklist: https://goo.gl/iJwMrn

Annex IV: List of partner organization and sub-grantees:

1. Foundation of Child Development (FCD)
2. Deep South Journalism School (DSJ)
3. Nusantara Foundation For Human Rights and Development (Nusantara)
4. Saiburi Looker
5. PANWONGDAERN Arts and Literature Association
6. Association of Children and Youth for the Peace in the Southernmost Provinces of  Thailand     
7. Deep south Coordination Centre Princess of Naradhiwas University
8. Prince of Songkla University Alumni Association Volunteer
9. The Organization of Narathiwat Civil Society Network (ONCSN)
10. CHILDREN HEALTHY COUNCIL (CHC)
11. Deep South Relief and Recociliation Foundation (DSRR)

Submissions should be addressed to: hr.thailand@savethechildren.org, tommy.chaiya@savethechildren.org and dah.thananant@savethechildren.org

Close date for submissions: 29 August 2017

Please indicate in the subject as “Apply Consultant to undertake Midterm Evaluation for LEAP Project in Deep South of Thailand_(Name of candidate)”

Only shortlisted candidates will be notified.

“We need to keep children safe so our selection process reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.”

Closing Date               :      19 April 2026 (11:59 PM, Bangkok Time)