About Equitas
Equitas is recognized as a global leader with over 55 years’ experience in the design, delivery and evaluation of effective human rights education programs that advance equality, social justice and respect for human dignity in Canada and around the world. Equitas’ programming contributes to the empowerment of individuals and groups that are subject to discrimination, exclusion and other forms of human rights violations to challenge inequality and discrimination and take action to respect, protect and defend human rights.
Gender equality is central to Equitas’ mission, rooted in the understanding that women’s rights are human rights. Equitas approaches have demonstrated success in developing the capacity of individuals and organizations by building the knowledge, skills and motivation needed to transform entrenched attitudes and practices and affect social change. In strengthening the capacity of educators, Equitas projects have a multiplier effect that ensures knowledge and skills are transferred to local organizations and communities, and that projects will have a broader, longer-term and sustainable impact.
Background
Equitas is implementing the program Advancing Equality through Human Rights Education. This is a five-year initiative (2019-2024) supported primarily by Global Affairs Canada and being implemented in Burkina Faso, Haiti, Kenya, Senegal and Tanzania. The program also comprises international components targeting a global audience of human rights educators delivered in person and on-line. These include the International Human Rights Training Program (IHRTP) delivered in Montréal, Canada, the East Africa Human Rights Program, the West Africa Regional Session, and the Global Rights Connection training delivered online.
The Advancing Equality through Human Rights Education project contributes to increased empowerment of women and girls by providing them with the knowledge, skills and effective tools to take leadership and advance gender equality in their communities. The project contributes to the empowerment of women and girls by focusing on:
- Increased leadership of women in community mobilization initiatives that advance gender equality;
- Enhanced collaboration among women’s organizations and human rights’ groups to advance gender equality; and
- Increased opportunities for women’s organizations to influence duty-bearers in fulfilling their human rights obligations related to gender equality.
Underpinning each of these three levels of results is a strong focus on strengthening the capacity of women’s organizations and human rights organizations to apply a gender perspective, a human rights-based approach and an intersectional lens to address barriers to women’s and girls’ participation in decision-making processes that affect their lives.
The project goal is expected to be achieved through human rights training, coaching, and other capacity strengthening activities, guided by a human rights-based approach (HRBA), as well as support to the implementation of community mobilization actions and to the development of alliances among human rights and women’s organizations to influence duty bearers in these countries. Central to HRBA is progress towards gender equality. Gender equality is a human rights issue as well as a precondition for, and an indicator of sustainable, people-centred development. A basic assumption related to the context of the project is that gender equality is not solely a “women’s issue” but concerns and fully engages men as well as women.
The specific outputs of the various project activities therefore are expected to result in increased capacities of, and opportunities for intermediaries (women and men), and women’s and human rights organizations to collaborate and lead efforts to advance gender equality. The achievement of the project’s immediate outcomes is evidently dependent on the effective participation of key stakeholders, both women and men, in project activities.
Mandate
Equitas is seeking a Consultant to lead the report-writing for the consolidated final narrative operations and results report of the entitled Advancing Equality through Human Rights Education program to be submitted to Global Affairs Canada (GAC) by May 15, 2024. This is the fifth and final report to be submitted to GAC, which will include all operations and results of the five years of the project. There are four prior annual operations and results reports (global and per country/component) available to be shared with the selected Consultant and a mid-term external evaluation report. Equitas will also share the baseline study and the project implementation plan (PIP).
Deliverables
The Consultant will ensure the following key deliverables:
- Conduct a desk review of prior reports submissions to Global Affairs Canada for the program.
- Review the results reports and operations reports for the various countries and components that make up the entire program (some are available in English, others in French).
- Conduct one-to-one meetings with the focal points of each country and component team at Equitas to better understand the scope of the project since its inception, the various activities conducted and the outcomes being reported.
- Prepare a work plan that will describe how the work is to be carried out. This plan shall be reviewed with the Senior Programs Advisor to ensure an agreement by both parties on the work that will be conducted.
- Write the consolidated operations and results report for the entire program, which will be based on operations and results from the 5 countries and other components of the program (which are available in English and French) during the 5-year period of the program. This report will be written in English, and in accordance with Global Affairs Canada guidelines and template.
All written deliverables of the consultancy will be delivered in English. Some of the readings will be expected to be done in French. The quality and content of the deliverables will be assessed by the Senior Programs Advisor and the Monitoring, Evaluation and Accountability Manager.
Management arrangements
The Consultant will report directly to Equitas’ Senior Programs Advisor, based in Canada. Equitas will provide relevant background documents necessary for the assignment.
Duration, level of effort and location
This assignment is expected to be carried out with a level of effort of approximately 30 working days. The consultancy is expected to be conducted between beginning of February and mid-May 2024.
The assignment is expected to be home-based with all meetings to be conducted virtually. The Consultant will be expected to engage with the team during working hours (EST UTC –5h), and some out-of-hours support may also be required (for instance, during meetings with global stakeholders). The Consultant will be expected to engage using online platforms including Microsoft Teams and Zoom.
The Consultant will supply all necessary equipment required (ex: computer, phone, internet, etc.).
Qualifications of the Consultant
The Consultant should have the following experience, skills, and knowledge:
- Minimum of 10 years of relevant professional experience.
- Demonstrated commitment to contribute to and promote a work environment that values diversity, inclusion, and equality.
- Demonstrated experience in writing narrative reports for institutional donors, such as Global Affairs Canada. Valuable asset if experience with multi-country or multiple component programs.
- Demonstrated experience to work with results-based management frameworks.
- Demonstrated experience in working with a non-profit in an advisory or consultancy role, specifically on the strategic analysis of results and report writing.
- Evidence of having undertaken similar assignments.
- Ability to manage the available time and resources and to work to tight deadlines.
- Ability to communicate orally, and read and understand documents, in both of Canada’s official languages (English and French); and strong written communication skills in English.
How to apply
Submissions should be no longer than 6-7 pages, excluding appendices such as CV and samples of previous work. They must include:
- Curriculum vitae, CV of consultant(s), including relevant work experience and qualifications.
- Technical proposal: Outline, methodology and timeline for the assignment.
- An unedited writing sample report of similar nature as the one being asked for in this request for proposals.
- A financial proposal in Canadian dollars. This proposal must specify a total lump sum amount, as well as daily rate, and payment terms around specific and measurable deliverables. Payments are based upon output, i.e., upon delivery and quality of the services specified in the TOR.
Please note that all proposals should include clear pricing. All costs must be itemized to include an explanation of all fees and costs. If the individual or agency submitting a proposal must outsource or contract any work to meet the requirements contained herein, this must be clearly stated in the proposal. All costs included in the proposals must include any outsourced or contracted work.
Please send these documents to the Senior Program Advisor, Nazik El Yaalaoui at nelyaalaoui@equitas.org, with copy to: rhequitas@equitas.org. Please include “AEHRE Final Report-writing Consultancy” in the subject line.
Deadline for applications is January 22, 2024. Late submissions will not be considered.
Key dates
The key target dates for the RFP process are outlined below. Dates are subject to change. Any changes will be updated to the schedule and applicants that have engaged with Equitas will be informed.
Activity
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Date
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Public call for proposals
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December 18th, 2023
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Closing Date for submission of Proposals
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January 22nd, 2024
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Evaluation of proposals*
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Beginning January 22, 2024
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Start of mandate**
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Week of February 5th, 2024
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End of mandate
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May 15th, 2024
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*Note: Applicants may be contacted during the evaluation process if any clarifications are required.
** Note: While the start of mandate is by the 1st week of February, the bulk of the work on the final report will be mostly between March 25th and May 15th, 2024, when country reports and other components could be shared with the consultant.
Enquiries
Clarification of terms and conditions of the RFP document and RFP process and all other inquiries shall be directed to Nazik El Yaalaoui at nelyaalaoui@equitas.org.