Revised Invitation for Consultancy service Endline Study Exploitation Child Labour Abuse and Human Trafficking (ECLAHT) Project of Ethiopia

Background

Exploitation, child labour abuse and human Trafficking (ECLAHT) Project is a 3-year Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) funded multi-country initiative being implemented simultaneously in Ethiopia and Ghana (with an advocacy and coordination team based in the ActionAid International Secretariat) between December 2020 and December 2023. The total grant amount allocated for Ethiopia program is 14,013,686 NOK. The project’s overall aim is to contribute to a decrease in the scale and prevalence of ECLAHT by working towards 3 common objectives:

1. Governments implement measures to prevent, identify and address ECLAHT issues, and to protect and monitor vulnerable groups and victims of ECLAHT.

2. Businesses have implemented anti-ECLAHT measures to prevent, identify and tackle the use of human trafficking and forced labour, including the worst forms of child labour, in their own operations and supply chains.

3. Vulnerable individuals and groups are more capable of resisting and seeking redress on their recruitment into modern slavery.

The most recent ILO report suggests that ECLAHT is on the increase, with an estimated 50 million people worldwide living in various forms of ECLAHT including forced labour and marriage. In addition to being illegal, the exploitation, abuse and trafficking is also highly profitable; in 2017 the ILO estimated that forced labour in the private sector was generating around US$150 bn per year.

In Ethiopia (where the latest estimated prevalence of modern slavery is 727,000[1]) the project is working in four districts of the Amhara region and the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples’ Region (SNNPR) Kutaber, Harbu, Soro and Hosana and in Addis Ababa with a focus on domestic work and the service sector in the agricultural value chain and industrial sectors. The project strives to prevent the different forms of ECLAHT including human trafficking, forced labour and the worst forms of child labour. Given their comparative vulnerability to the various forms of ECLAHT, the project’s efforts primarily target women and children. The project is implemented in collaboration with other strategic partners at both national and global level in line with ActionAid’s building of movements of solidarity approach majorly through campaigns and advocacy.

Rationale

Endline Study:  This mixed-methods study will provide a major part of the content for the final donor report, the End of Project Evaluation (see below) as well as valuable content for internal learning and reflection. The Endline Study is expected to mirror the Baseline Study to the extent possible (context and resources allowing) in terms of research frameworks, methodology and tools (making improvements where required) with the aim of assessing the extent to which the three project objectives have been achieved and whether the project has made a measurable contribution to ensuring: “a decrease in the scale and prevalence of ECLAHT in Ethiopia. It will serve to collect data against key indicators in the project Results Framework to assess measurable changes and impact, intended or unintended, that have occurred as a result of the project’s interventions. Ideally it will also generate data for a series of “Impact Stories.”

Timeframe

Ideally, the work on this component of the project should start as soon as possible in September 2023, for 45 days. The Work will then continue throughout the remaining part of 2023 with a view to final completion of all products by December 2023.

Consultant Criteria/Personal Specification 

We are looking for a qualified and experienced consultant, or team of consultants with a background and demonstrated experience in conducting research and evaluations on issues related to women’s rights (in particular issues related to labour rights and women’s right to decent work and ECLAHT), ideally from an intersectional feminist perspective who will be able to lead the Endline Study in Ethiopia. The successful candidate must fulfil the

criteria listed below: 

 Essential:

• Advanced Degree in the field of Gender, social work, Economics or another relevant Social Science subject.
• Understanding of issues related to human rights, especially women’s rights, and experience of conducting gendered analysis, principally from an intersectional feminist point of view and current discourse around women’s rights to decent work and freedom from violence and harassment. Experience of working on issues of ECLAHT an advantage.
• Experience of secondary research and legal/policy analysis and proven track record of relevant research focusing on the above-listed issues in one or more of the focus regions/countries.
• Experience of working with NGOs, Trade Unions and/or women’s rights organisations.
• Proven experience of relevant research (quantitative and qualitative) in the field of human rights, especially women’s rights to decent work and issues of ECLAHT.
• Experience of designing and facilitating workshops using feminist participatory research approaches and methodologies, civil society organisations and NGOs.
• Understanding of the role of Monitoring & Evaluation in the programme cycle and experience of conducting learning reviews and evaluation processes, including of advocacy-based projects in the international development sector.
• Ability to apply a range of primary and secondary research methods including participatory methods.
• Experience of using qualitative and quantitative data analysis packages (e.g., SPSS and NVivo or others as relevant).
• Understanding of issues related to research ethics, safeguarding and data protection.
• Ability to analyse complex data and communicate findings using engaging, clear language and visual representations.
• Fluency in written and spoken English, Amharic and preferably linguistic of Hadiya with excellent communication skills and the ability to write clearly and concisely tailor-made communications for diverse range audiences.

Desirable:

• Understanding of the political and social contexts of Ethiopia and the implementation areas.
• Experience of conducting relevant research in Ethiopia.
• Experience of strong downward accountability mechanisms used with project stakeholders/research participants to actively share results and learning.
• Experience of working with ActionAid and understanding of/familiarity with the feminist, women’s rights-based approach to research and the way this supports evidence-based advocacy.
• Fluency in any of the local languages of Ethiopia an advantage.

N.B: The consultant/s will be expected to sign and abide by ActionAid values and compliance statement and key policies (including Anti-Sexual Harassment Policy, Child Safeguarding Policy etc.)

Selection Process 

Candidate selection will be based on the following criteria:

1.       The ability to respond to and meet the essential and desirable specifications outlined in these terms of reference.

2.       Demonstrated capacity to undertake the type of services sought.

3.       Relevant academic and professional qualifications and experience.

4.       Proposed budget and schedule.