Job Details

Job Description

About ChildFund

ChildFund International is a global child-focused development and protection agency and a founding member of the ChildFund Alliance.

Since 1938, we have worked to help children break the generational cycle of poverty and achieve their full potential. We align what we learn from children with best practices in the international development field to develop and deliver programs that are supported by the generosity of sponsors and donors.

In Zambia, ChildFund works through 6 Local Partners spread across 9 districts counties reaching over 800,000 people. ChildFund has been in Zambia since 1983 and implements programs on Child Protection, Household Economic Strengthening, Early Childhood Development, Education, WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene), Food Security, Emergency Response, Health and Nutrition, Climate Change and Resilience Building.

1. CONSULTANCY ONE: TO REVIEW THE OPERATIONS OF COMMUNITY CHILD PROTECTION COMMITTEES

Duration: 8 weeks

Background

ChildFund Zambia is an International, Child Protection and Development Agency working for the wellbeing of children; supporting locally led initiatives that strengthen families and communities in overcoming root causes of child poverty and ensuring the protection of Children’s rights. ChildFund assists about 15.2 million children and family members in 55 countries regardless of race, creed or gender. It is the World’s oldest child sponsorship organization. ChildFund Zambia started operations in 1983 and currently works in 10 districts in Zambia’s Central, Eastern and Lusaka provinces. ChildFund works through implementing partners in order to reach the children it serves. These partners (referred to as Local Partners or LPs) are sub-granted with funds to implement activities on behalf of ChildFund. The Local partners in turn work closely with Community Associations to deliver the different activities in the respective districts they operate in.

ChildFund seeks to strengthen its Child Protection work through the establishment of Community-Based Child Protection Mechanisms (CBCPM) that look at creating an environment where a child is protected from all forms of violence and abuse. The CBCPM works effectively where child protection systems, referrals and linkages are strong. Child protection activities, through Local Partners are conducted through community child protection committees. The community child protection committees (CCPCs) primary role is to promote child protection and prevent child abuse and neglect at the community level. The CCPCs are composed of community members, local authorities, and other stakeholders within the local community who work together to identify and respond to child protection concerns in the various communities. The essential need to protect children through community-based mechanisms, and structures has become a priority. ChildFund Zambia and its Local Partners have been working to ensure that communities have a strong child protection mechanism that protects and responds to all issues affecting children. This research will support ChildFund with valuable information that will help shape the overall child protection programming, making it relevant, agile and responsive to the needs in the communities where ChildFund and its partners work.

Objective

The overall objective of this consultancy is to review the operations of the CCPCs and provide recommendations for strengthening their capacity to promote child protection and prevent child abuse and neglect.

Scope of Work

The consultant will:

1. Conduct a desk review of existing documents, including CCPC meeting minutes, reports, and other relevant materials.
2. Conduct field visits to selected CCPCs to evaluate their structure, operations, function and relevance
3. Assess the independence and impact of CCPCs through conducting interviews, or otherwise determined with CCPC members, local authorities, and other stakeholders.
4. Assess the effectiveness of the CCPCs in promoting child protection and preventing child abuse and neglect.
5. Identify strengths and weaknesses of the CCPCs, including their capacity, resources, and challenges.
6. Highlight successful practices of CCPCs or other child protection groups and areas needing improvement to achieve the purpose of the group.
7. Develop actionable recommendations for strengthening the capacity of the CCPCs, including proposals for training, capacity building, and resource mobilization.

Deliverables

The consultant will deliver the following:

1. An inception report outlining the methodology and approach for the review.
2. A draft report summarizing the findings and recommendations.
3. A final report incorporating feedback from stakeholders.
4. A presentation summarizing the findings and recommendations.

Timeline

The consultancy will be completed within 8 weeks. The timeline will be as follows:

1. Week 1-2: Desk review and preparation of inception report.
2. Week 3-4: Field visits and data collection.
3. Week 5-6: Data analysis and drafting of report.
4. Week 7-8: Finalization of report and presentation

Qualifications and Experience

The qualified consultant should have the following minimum requirements:

1. A degree in social sciences or a related field.
2. At least 10 years of experience in child protection or a related field.
3. Experience in conducting reviews and evaluations of child protection programs.
4. Strong analytical and writing skills.

2. CONSULTANCY TWO: CONDUCT A CAPACITY ASSESSMENT FOR WOMEN TO IDENTIFY TRAINING NEEDS.

Duration: 10 days

1.Introduction:

ChildFund is a child focused international development organization that works in 24 countries to connect children with the people, resources and institutions they need to grow up safe, healthy, educated and skilled, no matter where they are. The Organization’s core intent is to help deprived, excluded and vulnerable children have the capacity to improve their lives and give them the opportunity to become young adults, parents and elders who bring lasting and positive change in their communities. ChildFund uses a strategy that contributes to achievements of three thematic areas, healthy and secure infants 0-5 years, life stage 1, Educated and confident children, 6-14 years- life stage 2, and skilled and involved youths 15-24 years- life stage 3.  The organization’s key strength lies in mobilizing communities and empowering them to play a role in their own development efforts through community-based interventions, capacity building and ensuring community led sustainable practices.

All programs are implemented through partnership with area-based Child Development Agencies called Local Partners (LPs) that have qualified and experienced staff, community health workers and other volunteers. Currently, ChildFund has partnerships through memoranda of understanding with LPs in Mumbwa, Kafue, Lusaka, Chongwe, Luangwa and Chibombo.

ChildFund is inviting consultancy from individuals or companies to undertake research for Women Empowerment and Micro Small Enterprises Support Project implemented in 4 greater Lusaka areas namely, Chawama, John Howard, Garden and Ngwerere. The assessment will focus on training needs/gaps for women in business and are connected to subsidized electricity. The consultant will work closely with the project team.

About the Project:

ChildFund and its partners, We effect and Civic Forum with funding support from the European Union through European Commission’s Lusaka Transmission Distribution Rehabilitation Project (LTDRP)- Low Voltage Distribution network are implementing the Women Empowerment and Micro Small Enterprises Support project which started in June 2023 and is ending in May 2026. It is being implemented in eight areas in Lusaka, namely, Chawama, John Howard, Garden, Ngwerere, Chainda, Mtendere East, Nkoloma and Mandevu. The project is designed to support women and youth beneficiaries of subsidized electricity connections in eight (8) compounds within Lusaka District, helping them establish and sustain profitable businesses that leverage access to electricity.

The overall objective of the project is to contribute to the increased access to complimentary services including business management/entrepreneurial skills and credit facilities among women benefiting from the subsidized Lusaka Transmission Distribution Rehabilitation Project (LTDRP) electricity connections in the target areas of Lusaka

Project Specific Objectives:

1. To build or strengthen resilient and profitable women and youth owned business that ensure continuous delivery of quality empowerment services.
2. To promote gender coordinated transformative, sustainable, and right-based empowerment services that foster women and youth’s entrepreneurship in the target areas

Role of ChildFund:

ChildFund and CFHHZ as co-implementors will jointly coordinate interventions in community mobilization, beneficiary selection, building the capacity of women and the youth in entrepreneurship, business management, records management, financial management, business planning, and decision making. This will be followed by the strengthening of community associations, cooperatives and the formation of women and youth groups. The established groups will identify mentors who will be trained to support small scale entrepreneurs through mentorship sessions to target groups.  Other activities will include capacity assessments for groups/cooperatives and conduct annual public markets for women and youths’ business groups. Further, capacity will be enhanced in leadership, democracy and governance to strengthen business groups/association.

Purpose of the Assessment:

The overall purpose of this capacity assessment is to identify training needs for women in business. The assessment will cover issues on training, mentorship, networks, business development, and access to finance.

Scope of work:

The consultant is required to carry out in-depth review of the current training capacity needs for women in business. In addition, the consultant will assess the current and projected demand for the identified skills as well as the viability/sustainability of the capacity needs among the businesswomen. The assessment will be conducted in the four implementation areas for ChildFund – Chawama, Garden, Ngwerere and John Howard and will consist of the following;

1. Desk study on the relevant policy environment, governance structure mandates, funding, human resource and materials of the women in business as well as the roles and responsibilities of various actors/stakeholders within the sector.
2. Assess the gaps in the skills and management while identifying the necessary measures in training that could ensure greater participation for women in the entrepreneurship sector.
3. Examine challenges specific to women in business and evaluate how planned Government initiatives at different levels i.e. national, provincial and local level aim to improve capacity needs for women in business.
4. Submission of a detailed analytical report of the qualitative data collected.

Methodology

The methodology applied should include:

Participatory action research using focus group discussions, individual interviews and other applicable research techniques to assess the training needs for women in business. The data obtained will be collated and triangulated into information that can easily be dissected by different stakeholders.

Expected outputs:

1. An inception report including workplan from consultant detailing understanding of the terms of reference.
2. Data collection plan to cover how the identification of training needs will be undertaken and proposed participatory methods of the data collection to be used.
3. A detailed analytical report of training needs for women in business. The consultant will adopt the reporting format stipulated by ChildFund within the TORs. These include title page, list of abbreviations/ acronyms, executive summary, introduction, Purpose, target of assessment, methodology, materials used, challenges, recommendations.

Time and workplan:

The estimated time for conducting the assessment is 10 days. This will include 8 days of actual data collection and two days for reporting.

Budget:

The consultant should send in the bid total amount that should include professional fees, travel, meals and communication.

Expertise required:

• Master’s degree in development studies, Gender studies, Sociology or related relevant field of study.
• Minimum of 3 years of experience of research on gender transformative programming or development programming.
• Proven experience in identifying and/or conducting human and institutional capacity needs assessments.
• Strong communications skills, work well in team, excellent deadline management.
• Familiarity working with women entrepreneurs and/or Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Zambia.
• Proven experience working or undertaking research on gender transformation or development programming.

Application Instructions:

Interested consultants should submit their applications to [email protected]. The following should accompany the application:

1. A cover letter outlining their experience and qualifications.
2. A CV.
3. A proposal outlining their approach, methodology, timeline and detailed budget.
4. Contact information for three references.