Terms of Reference to Conduct a National Child Rights and Business Assessment in Selected Private Businesses and Mandated Institutions in Addis Ababa
Program: Child Rights and Governance
Scope: Addis Ababa, selected private sector, government institutions, and Civil Society organizations.
Dates/duration: 30 July 2018 - 19 September 2018
1. Introduction
Save the Children, Child Rights Program has been implementing a five-year SIDA fund commencing from 2017 to 2021. The project essentially strengthens civil society organizations in holding government duty bearer to increase its accountability in delivering children’s rights. Our CSO partners are responsible to implement their respective projects within the framework of the program.
One key aspect of the work, is to try to find ways in engaging with the impact that comes to children from private sector activities and make sure that certain issues concerning children’s rights can be mitigated through engaging relevant state and corporate actors. Business activities have an impact on children either positively or negatively their lives. Children are the consumers of services and goods; Caregivers and parents are employees of the company and the children are affected by their working terms and conditions; children themselves are often young workers or engaged in harmful work; and they live in communities dominated by the social and environmental impact of large and small scale industries. In addition, the role of the relevant government sectors such as investment bureau, environmental authority and sectorial association of chamber of commerce are huge in making sure the rights of children are realized.
Thus far, Save the Children has explored some engagements together with a partner organization (Organization for Social Development), trying to raise awareness on the Children’s Rights and Business Principles (CRBP) among selected companies. Save the Children now wants to explore how to engage more deeply and want to start by doing a mapping on key actors and issues that are connected to business impact on children.
Save the Children’s work on Child Rights and Business (CRB) seeks to engage with the impact that comes to children and their rights from business activity. To do this, we engage with all actors of society – civil society, state institutions and legislators, corporate sector, and of course children themselves. The nature of the engagements depends on the issues at hand that we want to address and the state of understanding of Business and Human Rights in the given context. Stemming from the UN Guiding Principles and it’s “Protect, Respect, Remedy”-framework, we base our engagements, besides the Conventions on the Rights of the Child (CRC), on the General Comment no. 16 to the CRC (Protect) and the CRBP (Respect).
This consultancy work focuses on assessing the enabling factors to promote, respect and support Child Rights and Business Principles from the legal perspectives, national laws, and policies.
Objective of the Assignment
The main purpose of this consultancy work is to assess the enabling and hindering factors affecting the work on private sectors in respecting, protecting and supporting children’s rights within the framework of the UN Child Rights and Business principle. The findings and recommendations of the study will be used to improve the current project implementation supported by SIDA.
2. Scope of Work/Key issues to be addressed
· Identify the existing policy and legal frameworks that govern the operation of businesses to respect and protect children’s rights?
· Examine the existing initiatives taken by the government and private sector to ensure the private businesses respect, protect and support children’s rights especially those who are most vulnerable.
· Identify key government sectors and their roles, their awareness and engagement in creating enabling environment for the private businesses, enforcing and monitoring the operation of businesses to support children’s rights.
· Assess the existing practices (such as Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Associations, and selected private businesses) to support the most vulnerable section of the society including children, women and youth.
· Identify the main industries/sectors that impact on child rights.
· Identify potential private businesses that SC and its CSO partners can engage with to promote child rights and businesses principles and corporate social responsibility, and bring impact on children.
· Describe the enabling factors and opportunities to exploit the potential of private businesses to support children.
· Identify and describe the hindering factors (legal, policy, institutional, attitudinal) for the operation of private business in respecting, protecting and supporting children’s rights in their day to day operation.
Assess the level of awareness and engagement of the selected private businesses on child rights issues. Issues such as their policies and practices, level of understanding of the child rights and business, commitment of the leaders of the private businesses, and impact of their business operation on children shall be examined.
· Identify civil society organizations (including those working in partnership with SC) and assess their level of awareness and engagement with private sector to support children’s rights.
· Conduct a thorough stakeholder’s analysis and their capacities and gaps related to child rights and business.
· Give practical recommendations on how SC and its CSO partners could engage better with the private sector to bring impact on children in the current and future programming.
3. Methodology
4.1 Sampling: the consultant should come up with a detail methodology describing the sample, method of data collection and analysis. The following could be a starting framework to guide the overall methodology.
Sampling of Institutions and Respondents
· Key government institutions with a mandate to engage with private sectors (such as Investment Bureau, Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, Environmental Authority, Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Associations, and Ministry of Women and Children Affairs).
· Selected private sectors-both those private businesses that are already with SC and its CSO partners and not working in the area of child rights and business.
· Civil Society Organizations who have some kind of engagement with the private sector to bring impact on children and those who have the commitment to work in influencing the private businesses to support children’s rights. Some of these could include: Techno serve, SNV, Mercy corps, Organization for Social Development, Mary Joy Development Association, and Ratson.
· Child led structures (school child clubs and child parliaments) that have some kind of engagement with civil society organizations and the private sector to respect and support children’s rights.
The consultant should take appropriate sample respondents from the above mentioned institutions which are based in Addis Ababa. The consultant should come with appropriate sampling strategy to select institutions and respondents for the study.
4.2 Data Collection
The consultant should use appropriate data collection instruments. These include:
· Review of relevant policies and laws pertaining private business operation in Ethiopia within the framework of international instruments, and different assessments done on child rights and business by the government and civil society organizations.
· Key informant interview with representatives of key government institutions, private businesses, civil society organiszations, and child led structures.
· Focus group discussion with representative of selected private business to generate in-depth information on the key issues identified above.
· Questionnaire to assess the level of awareness and engagement of staff of the private sector on child rights and business (how business impact on children’ rights).
The consultant should clearly describe the type of data collection tools, type of information (as identified in the key issues above) to be gathered and the method of data collection procedures. The data collection tools will be developed by the consultant and reviewed by SC program team, as well as technical advisors from Save the Children Sweden before final administration.
4.3 Data Analysis
The consultant should come up with a clear data analysis strategy while submitting the technical and financial proposal. SC suggests to use both qualitative and quantitative methods of data analysis.
4. Time frame
The timeframe to complete this consultancy work is only three months starting from the date of singing the consultancy agreement. The identified consultant will be briefed on the work schemes, scope and timeline once the assignment is rewarded.
5. Responsibility of the consultant
· Submit the technical and financial proposal to SC.
· Avail themselves to discuss on the proposal defense and clarify the key deliverables and also agree on timetable to deliver on the priorities.
· Sign an agreement with Save the Children and agree on the terms and conditions set in the agreement.
· Discuss with CRG team and agree on the qualities of the deliverables as per the overall objective of the assignment.
Develop the data gathering tools and refine the tools based on the feedback from SC.
· Collect primary and secondary data from the relevant documents, sampled private businesses, CSOs, children, and government institutions.
· Review relevant legal and policy documents pertaining child rights and business and regulating the private sector.
· Conduct a thorough stakeholder’s analysis and advice on the potential areas of engagement with government institutions, private sector, and media to ensure the business has positive impact on children.
· Adhere to Save the Children’s guidance and directions and deliver the expected outputs in the given timeline and priorities.
· Submit the inception report within the 5 days of signing the consultancy agreement.
· Prepare and submit the study report, review the report based on the comments from Save the Children Technical and MEAL team.
· Present the study report to SC and all stakeholders involved in the process.
The consultant is responsible to form a team of experts to successfully undertake the assignment.
The consultant arranges the necessary transport and logistics themselves and Save the Children will not be responsible for those costs incurred.
6. Responsibility of Save the Children
· Give guidance to the consultant on the major deliverables of the consultancy assignment.
· Provide orientation on the time line of the deliverables, key outputs expected from the consultant and avail relevant background documents to the consultant.
· Review the data collection tools and study report to the consultant within a five days of submission.
· Effect payments upon the successful completion of the consultancy work
7. Expected Outputs and Deliverables
· Inception report within 5 days of signing of the agreement.
· First draft report within 2 months of the start of the assignment.
· Present the draft study report to SC and the major stakeholders.
· Final version of the study report at the end of the third month.
8.
Qualification and experience of the consultant
Level | Description of role | Qualification |
D | Focus of assignments is to: Analyze: Apply conceptual models/policy frameworks to the development/assessment of new project, policies or services. Collaborate: Provide substantive input to programme development and assessment of programme quality; Interact with clients/partners to facilitate assessment of needs and the provision of services which meet expectations. Manage the Project Cycle: Analytical work is effectively organized and delivered within established procedures and resources; well integrated with the related work of colleagues and within the anticipated expectations of clients. | 7-8 years direct related consultancy experience in one or more professional disciplines with a Master’s degree, or equivalent combination of relevant education and experience. Theoretical base in subject area, with ability to translate theory into practice Thematic/regional knowledge (where required) |
Qualification and experience of the consultant
Level | Description of role | Qualification |
D | Focus of assignments is to: Analyze: Apply conceptual models/policy frameworks to the development/assessment of new project, policies or services. Collaborate: Provide substantive input to programme development and assessment of programme quality; Interact with clients/partners to facilitate assessment of needs and the provision of services which meet expectations. Manage the Project Cycle: Analytical work is effectively organized and delivered within established procedures and resources; well integrated with the related work of colleagues and within the anticipated expectations of clients. | 7-8 years direct related consultancy experience in one or more professional disciplines with a Master’s degree, or equivalent combination of relevant education and experience. Theoretical base in subject area, with ability to translate theory into practice Thematic/regional knowledge (where required) |