TOR: Barriers for Youth and Women Employment in Ethiopia (Challenges and Perspective)

Description of geographic location and targets

Whereas this assessment is expected to be conducted at NATIONAL LEVEL in general perspective, specific attention will be given to ADDIS ABABA CITY ADMINISTRATION and ADAMA CITY. To this end the targets of the assessment are unemployed youth and women aged from 15-34.

Rational for the assessment

The “SUSTAINABLE TRAINING FOR EMPLOYMENT PROMOTION (STEP)” project is a project being implemented in Addis Ababa and Adama with the financial & technical support of the SOS Children’s Village World Wide (SOS CVWW) and the German Federal Ministry for economic cooperation and development (BMZ) with the focus on creating skilled employment and/or self-opportunities to socio-economically vulnerable youth in Addis Ababa and Adama cities.

The project is designed to directly benefit 4,500 (60% female) disadvantaged young people at the age between15-34. To consider, the special challenges women face in the education and labor market, the majority 60% of women are integrated into the project. The project is aimed at young people from households affected by poverty. Other selection criteria include limited access to education and qualification measures, limited access to jobs, as well as self-motivation, previous knowledge, and experience of the young people. It is assumed that 14,000 more people will benefit indirectly from the project measures: Apprentices who benefit from the improved their work experiences, target youth qualify their vocational skills; job seekers who find employment with the micro-enterprises set up under the project; and members of families, households, and communities whose living conditions are improved by the young people’s participation in the project. The STEP Adama project targeted a total of 1,800 young people among the total targets.

To realize the project objectives, we conducted prefeasibility and baseline studies, developed the M&E frameworks and thereby the project has been implemented since April 2024. In this phase, we observed changes in the context, challenges and perspectives of youth and women unemployment

In leu of this and with the objective to align the strategic objectives of the project with the current specific challenges and perspectives of youth unemployment and employment barrios, SOS-CVE would like to conduct an assessment on “barriers for youth and women employment in Ethiopia.

Overall Objective of the assessment

Objective: The overall objective of the assessment is to understand the barriers for youth and women employment in Ethiopia (challenges and perspectives) with specific reference to Addis Ababa and Adama cities.

Specific objectives

In observance of the general objective, the specific objectives of the assessment are to:

• Assess the skills, knowledge, and experience of unemployed youth and women in Ethiopia to identify suitable employment opportunities.
• Assess the unemployment perspective in the Economic/income, gender, MPHSS, Participation, voicing and opportunities
• Assess the current challenges and barrios of youth and women unemployment
• Analysis of the unemployment context at micro, meso and macro level
• Analyse gaps in the current response to youth unemployment, existing potential partners & interventions on local or national level
• Develop employment advocacy strategies and soliciting youth participation options

Major evaluation /research questions:

The commissioned consultant should list relevant and possible study/assessment questions by referring to relevant documents, policies and frameworks.

Scope of the assignment

Geographically, the assessment will be limited to NATIONAL LEVEL in general perspective, specific attention will be given to ADDIS ABABA CITY ADMINISTRATION and ADAMA CITY. To this end the targets of the assessment are unemployed youth and women aged from 15-34.

Assessment of Methodology

The consultant is expected to apply relevant and standardized quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection that can generate the highest quality and most credible evidence. Regarding sampling, the consultant should use appropriate sampling methods based on the target groups and set acceptable sample size for both qualitative and quantitative methods.

In addition, qualitative methods need to be clearly indicated. Based on this, the consultant will make detail review of existing laws, policies, strategies, statistics and reports related to the situation of youth and women unemployment in Addis Ababa and Adama cities by focusing on challenges, barrios and perspectives.

The consultant shall also make appropriate interviews, focus group discussions and/or with national/local authorities/institutions, public institutions, municipalities, targeted youth and other stakeholders dealing with the target group. Moreover, he/she will assess the status of the indicators proposed in the project proposal which will be annexed.

Sample

The Commissioned consultant is expected to use appropriate sampling techniques and set acceptable sample size for both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods. Based on the project objectives, results, the market and livelihood assessment equations and the Edu Care project result framework, the consultant should produce best sampling methods and ensure representativeness of the sampled households or respondents, and the sampling frame is from target youth of the project.

Work plan and expected deliveries

Work plan/timetable:

The assignment is expected to be finalized within 35 days after the contractual agreement is signed.

The consultant is expected to develop her/his work plan based on the following table.

S.N	Activities	Responsible person	Date	Remark

Deliverables

The commissioned external consultant must deliver the assignment result within 35 days of the contract signing. Based on the work plan, SOS Children’s Villages expect the following deliverables:

• An inception report on assessment design, methodology, sampling frame, sampling technique, sample size, assessment tools and work plan
• Draft assessment report
• Final assessment report
• Raw data, which has been cleaned (both qualitative and quantitative, including original field notes for in-depth interviews and focus group discussions, and recorded audio material), should be submitted with the report. SOS CVE will have sole ownership of all final data, and any findings shall only be shared or reproduced with the permission of SOS Children’s Village Ethiopia.

Reporting Criteria

The reporting criteria for assessment shall be in line with the SOS Children’s Village Ethiopia result based management (RBM) toolkit and should be shared with the consultant along with the data review process and/or for the preparation of the inception report.

Child Safeguarding and ethical issues:

SOS Children’s Villages is committed to ensuring that all research, evaluation and data collection processes (i.e. evidence-generating activities) undertaken by SOS Children’s Villages and its partners are ethical and respect child safeguarding policy and procedure.

The consultant must respect the rights, dignity and protection of children and other vulnerable population groups and should ensure special protection for children and other vulnerable groups during any data-generating activities to minimize any potential risks. Any research, evaluation and data collection SOS Children’s Villages is directly carried out or is involved in as a partner.

Ethical practices need to be ensured in the following circumstances:

• Any research, assessment, baseline, midterm or final evaluations and data collection SOS Children’s Villages has commissioned for ethical oversight of these processes.
• Any research, evaluation and data collection carried out by researchers/consultants on SOS Children’s Villages programmes and participants.

Hence, relevant project coordinator and location MEAL coordinator in Addis Ababa and Harar programme locations will ensure that any researchers, evaluators and data collectors should receive awareness training on, sign and adhere to SOS Children’s Villages core policies:

Obtaining consent from research participants is central to the research relationship and signals respect for the research participant’s dignity, their capability to express their views and their right to have these heard in matters that affect them. Informed consent is an explicit agreement which requires participants to be informed about and understand the research/assessment. This must be given voluntarily and be renegotiable, so that participants may withdraw at any stage of the research process.

Logistical arrangements

The awarded consultant shall show feasible logistical arrangements for the assignment as part of the technical proposal.

Duration of the contract and terms of payment:

The contract of the assignment will last for 35 days from the signing of the agreement, and the following terms of payment will be applicable as follows:

• 30% initial payment with the approval of the inception report
• 30% while the draft report is submitted, reviewed and feedback is given by the SOS Children’s Villages teams.
• 40% while the final report is delivered.

Notice of delay

The incumbent consultant is expected to report the delay in any part of the assignment 10 days before the agreed days of the timetable. If the consultant fails to complete the work within the time limit prescribed under contract agreement, he/she shall pay 0.5% (0.5 percent) of the contract price as liquidated damage for each day of delay until the Client unilaterally terminates the contract for non-performance. The Client shall have the right to decide whether there is a convincing reason for the delay or not.

Copyright and other proprietary rights

The assessment result shall be the sole property of SOS-CVE and shall not be copied or modified for other purposes without the formal consent/approval of the national director.

Termination

The termination of the service agreement for the assignment will be in accordance with the contractual agreement to be included at the formal agreement’s actual signing.

Qualification of the researcher / research team

The applicant consultant shall have at least a master’s degree in a relevant field of study such as Psychology, Sociology, Social Work, Law, development studies, Economics, Project Management (Development or Humanitarian), Monitoring & Evaluation and other related fields per the required assignment.

At least 5 years’ work experience & proven competency in assessment of the same nature, monitoring, and evaluation, including baseline assessments or organizational/program evaluation (baseline, midterm, and final evaluations). The incumbent shall attach at least one sample assessment report produced by the candidate on a similar topic.

• A good understanding of youth employment, women empowerment, livelihoods and development program work.
• A good understanding of child/youth rights/safeguarding & other issues affecting vulnerable children in the Ethiopian context.
• Proven experience in participatory processes and data collection methods
• Strong skills in coordination, analytical and conceptual skills
• Excellent written and spoken communication skills in English.
• Ability to transfer complex concepts and ideas into practical and simple language.
• Experience in organizing research processes with/for child and youth focused development organizations.
• Experience and credibility in providing assessment for external communication and organizational purposes.
• Experience in managing market and livelihood assignments in respect of the participating communities’ culture, social norms, values, and behavior; and maintain appropriate relationships with participants of this evaluation.
• Legally registered firms with renewed license, VAT registration and TIN number