ToR for Enhancing Access to Justice for GBV Survivors through Local Action in Afar and Amhara Regions of Ethiopia (EAGLE Project)

Background

The Ethiopian Women Lawyers’ Association (EWLA) was established at the federal level in 1995 by female legal professionals and was registered as a civil society organization. For the last 30 years, it has been working to stand for justice and equality for Ethiopian women. It implements 5 major programs, including Advocate for Women’s Rights, Public Education and Capacity Building, Comprehensive Free Legal Aid Service, Empower Female Legal Professionals and Foster Networking in the Legal Sector, as well as Professional Ethics and Quality Legal Services. It The Association has its headquarter in Addis Ababa, and regional branch offices in Adama, Hawassa, Bahir Dar, Gambella, Asosa, Jigjiga, Semera, and Dire Dawa. Moreover, it has established 57 volunteer committees at zonal and district levels and launched a multiligual Toll free Hotline center “7711” which provides services in Amharic, Afaan Oromo, and Tigrigna.

As part of its initiatives, EWLA has been implementing a project titled “Enhancing Access to Justice for GBV Survivors through Local Action in Afar and Amhara Regions of Ethiopia (EAGLE Project)” funded by the European Union starting from March 1st, 2024. Since its inception, the project has been implemented in two regions across six zones targeting women and girls, men and boys, community leaders, local authorities, one stop centers and shelters. Activities include capacity building and training for local actors and community leaders; legal aid support for survivors of SGBV; Conduct community dialogues and awareness campaigns on gender equality and positive masculinities; advocacy for policy and institutional reforms at regional and national levels ; support dignity kit for GBV survivors and women living in IDP camps; and sub granting grass root CSOs working on GBV.

As the project enters its phase-out stage, EWLA must evaluate the project by external consultant, the ‘External Terminal Evaluation” need to be evaluate critical areas by linking the project’s Theory of Change (ToC), which maps the project’s pathways from activities to long-term impact. The report will rigorously assess performance using the Performance Indicator Tracking Sheet (PITT) to measure progress against predefined targets, such as legal aid services delivered, advocacy outcomes, shifts in gender norms and improvement of the stakeholder’s capacity and changing the structures for gender responsiveness.

Crucially, the report must demonstrate the result chain (linking inputs, activities, outputs, outcomes, and impact) while triangulating data (e.g., surveys, case studies, stakeholder interviews) to distinguish EWLA-EU’s direct attribution (e.g., specific policy changes) from its broader contributions (e.g., heightened public awareness of gender justice) within the region’s socio-political context.

Therefore, external evaluation is required to assess the effectiveness, efficiency, relevance, impact, and sustainability of the project and to provide recommendations for future programming.

Purpose of the Evaluation

The primary purpose of the evaluation is to:

• To evaluate the extent to which the project has achieved its objectives and outcomes.
• Examine the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of resource use.
• Determine the impact of the project on beneficiaries and the community.
• Assess the sustainability of results and institutional capacities strengthened by the project.
• Provide lessons learned and actionable recommendations for improving current and future interventions.

Objective

To conduct external terminal evaluation with develop a high-quality terminal report for the eighteen month project by identifying best practices, documenting success stories, integrating storytelling, and measuring progress through the Performance Indicator Tracking Sheet (PITT). This will be achieved by aligning the report with the project’s Theory of Change (ToC) to ensure a clear linkage between activities, outcomes, and long-term impact.

Specific Objectives:

• Review annual reports, collect success stories, document best practices, review evaluations, and compile advocacy workshop materials, training data, and pre- and post-test results.
• Review and link the Theory of Change (ToC) of the EAGLE project, triangulate strategic assumptions, and integrate indicators from the project’s outcome.
• Measure and track progress using the PITT to ensure alignment with project goals.
• Identify and develop best practices, success stories, and storytelling materials structured around the project’s specific outcomes.

Scope of the Evaluation

The evaluation will cover:

• The project is operated from March 1st, 2024 to February 30th, 2026 in Amhra Region (Bahirdar, N.Wollo and N.Gonder) and Afar Rigion (Dubti).
• Key project components, including legal aid services, community dialogues, training programs, advocacy, and coordination with stakeholders.
• Before-and-After Analysis: Apply retrospective design approaches to track changes among target groups and assess the project’s influence.
• Gender-Responsive Justice Systems: Assess progress in government sectors on gender equality, including reforms such as revising, amending, or adopting laws/policies related to women’s empowerment.
• Documentation: Produce best practices, success stories, and storytelling narratives aligned with the project’s findings and outcomes.
• Community Impact: Assess improvements in awareness and behavior among communities, faith-based organizations, and community-based organizations regarding gender equality and women’s empowerment, linking findings to project outcomes.
• Pathways of Change: Triangulate and track the project’s Pathways of Change to validate impact.
• Evidence-Based Reporting: Collect survey data from implementing regions to ensure robust validation of results.
• OECD DAC Evaluation: Assess the project against the seven OECD DAC criteria (Relevance, Coherence, Effectiveness, Efficiency, Impact, Sustainability, and Equity).

Sample Evaluation Questions

The evaluator should address the following core OECD DAC evaluation criteria’s questions:

Relevance:

• Are the project objectives and activities aligned with the needs of target communities and national development priorities?
• How relevant are the interventions to EU development objectives and international standards on gender equality and SGBV?

Effectiveness:

• To what extent have the planned outputs, outcomes, and objectives been achieved?
• Which factors contributed to or hindered the achievement of objectives?

Efficiency:

• Were project resources (financial, human, and material) used efficiently?
• Was the project implemented according to the planned timeline and budget?

Impact:

• What changes (positive or negative, intended or unintended) have occurred as a result of the project?
• How have beneficiaries’ lives or communities improved in terms of access to justice, awareness, and empowerment?

Sustainability:

• Are the project outcomes likely to be sustained beyond the project period?
• Have institutional and community capacities been strengthened to maintain interventions?

Cross-cutting Issues:

• Gender equality and inclusion of marginalized groups.
• Environmental and social considerations in project implementation.

Methodology

The evaluator is expected to use a mixed-methods approach, including:

• Desk review: Project documents, progress reports, financial reports, monitoring and evaluation data, EU reporting guidelines, and relevant policy frameworks.
• Qualitative methods: Key informant interviews (KIIs) with stakeholders, focus group discussions (FGDs) with beneficiaries, and observation of project activities where possible.
• Quantitative methods: Analysis of project data, surveys, and metrics to measure outputs and outcomes.
• Triangulation: Cross-checking data from multiple sources to ensure validity and reliability of findings.
• Participatory and Inclusive Approach: Engage marginalized and disadvantaged groups in data collection and analysis.
• Before-After Analysis: Use retrospective methods to assess improvements among target groups.
• Case Study Analysis: Complement quantitative data (e.g., surveys, PITT) with qualitative case studies and best practices.
• Document Review: Analyze annual, interim, and evaluation reports to validate results.
• Survey Data: Collect and review survey questionnaires from all implementation regions, with input from MEL personnel.
• Attribution vs. Contribution Analysis: Differentiate direct project attribution from broader contributions using result chain tracking.
• Key Informant Interviews: Engage purposefully selected stakeholders, including feminist movements, religious leaders, law enforcement, ministries, and youth representatives.

The evaluator should also consider contextual factors affecting project implementation, including socio-political, cultural, and economic factors.

Stakeholder Engagement

The evaluation should actively engage with:

• Beneficiaries of project interventions (women, girls, One-stop centers, shelters).
• Project staff and implementing partners.
• Local authorities, government agencies, and civil society organizations, Sub-Grant Organizations.
• EU representatives and relevant donor liaison officers.

The evaluator should ensure stakeholder participation is inclusive, ethical, and gender-sensitive, and that informed consent is obtained for interviews and data collection.

Deliverables

The evaluator is expected to produce the following outputs:

Inception Report

• Detailed evaluation plan, methodology, work schedule, and data collection tools.
• List of stakeholders and sites to be consulted.

Draft Evaluation Report

• Preliminary findings, conclusions, and recommendations for feedback.

Final Evaluation Report (following EU reporting standards)

• Executive summary.
• Introduction and context.
• Methodology.
• Findings organized by evaluation criteria.
• Conclusions and actionable recommendations.
• One pager and one powerpoint presentation with the main conclusions and recommendations
• Annexes: Tools used, list of stakeholders consulted, tables, and graphs.

The final report should be submitted in both electronic and print format.

Qualifications and Experience

The evaluator should possess:

• Advanced degree in Social Sciences, Gender Studies, Development Studies, Law, Human Rights, or related field.
• Minimum of 10 years -experience in project evaluation, preferably in gender, SGBV, legal aid, or human rights.
• Demonstrated experience with EU-funded projects and familiarity with EU reporting requirements.
• Strong skills in quantitative and qualitative research methods.
• Excellent report writing, communication, and presentation skills.
• Knowledge of the socio-cultural context in project regions is an advantage.

Confidentiality and Ethical Considerations

• All information obtained during the evaluation is strictly confidential.
• The evaluator must adhere to ethical standards in data collection, including informed consent, voluntary participation, and protection of vulnerable groups.

Reporting and Coordination

• The evaluator will report to the both European Union and EWLA and coordinate with the M&E team. The evaluator should be available for a debriefing with representatives from the European Union and EU Member States, if needed.
• Regular updates on progress should be shared during fieldwork and report preparation.

Selection Process 

• Candidate selection will be based on the following criteria:
• The ability to respond to and meet the essential and desirable specifications outlined in these terms of reference
• Demonstrated capacity to undertake the type of services sought.
• Relevant academic and professional qualifications and experience.