Research of Disaster and Gendered Impact in a Changing Climate towards Girl’s Education

Research: Disaster and Gendered Impact in a Changing Climate towards Girl’s Education

Plan International strives to advance children’s rights and equality for girls all over the world. As an independent development and humanitarian organization, we work alongside children, young people, our supporters and partners to tackle the root causes of the challenges girls and all vulnerable children are facing. We support children’s rights from birth until they reach adulthood and enable children to prepare for and respond to crises and adversity. We drive changes in practice and policy at local, national and global levels using our reach, experience and knowledge. For over 80 years we have been building powerful partnerships for children, and we are active in over 75 countries.

BACKGROUND

South Asia is the most severely exposed area to flooding and cyclone in the world. Sixty four percent of the world’s population, who are prone to floods, in fact live in the region. Their vulnerability to natural hazards is exacerbated by a multitude of factors such as environmental degradation, urbanization, political instability and climate change. Bangladesh is often regarded as one of the most vulnerable countries to natural hazards. Disasters caused by natural hazards in Bangladesh have massive impacts on human migration, infectious diseases, and malnutrition. Similarly, Nepal is susceptible to various risks such as earthquake, floods and draught. Many girls, boys and youth in both countries go to schools which do not meet sufficient safety standards that effectively mitigate natural hazard risks. For instance, in Nepal, many school buildings are built without proper building codes and standards being enforced; hence, they risk collapses in earthquakes or other forms of disasters.

Despite the improved enrolment rate for children in general, girls in Bangladesh and Nepal face numerous challenges that hinder them from completing their basic education. The lack of understanding of girls’ needs result in the shortage of menstrual and hygiene facilities at schools. Discriminatory gender norms also exist both in Nepal and Bangladesh making girls more susceptible to school drop-outs as well as discouraging them to achieve high educational outcome. Climate changes increase existing child protection risks of girls and boys with disability, who are often marginalized in many societies. The risk for gender-based violence typically increases by climate change as well. The socio-economic vulnerabilities similarly aggravate the impacts of disasters on girls’ education right and continuity.

Plan International Asia Pacific Regional Office (Plan APAC), in collaboration with Plan International Nepal, Plan International Bangladesh and their local partners, has been implementing the SCRSSI Project since July 2018. In Nepal, the project covers 4 secondary schools and 1 primary schools in Sunrari district. In Bangladesh, it covers 12 primary and secondary schools in Kurigram district. The project, which aims to promote school-based gender-sensitive disaster risk management, demonstrates that girls, boys, and young people are a catalyst for knowledge and behavioral change in their school and communities, capable of handling intricate impacts of natural hazards, climate risks and protection issues. The project also ensures that targeted schools, education authorities and relevant stakeholders receive effective support which builds their capacity, as well as strengthening institutional linkages. All the activities supported by the project are aligned with national frameworks that relate to disaster risk reduction and Education in Emergency in Bangladesh, as well as a newly developed school safety policy in Nepal. A guideline on gender transformative implementation of safe school programming is in development, disseminating relevant information through different platforms at regional level.

RESEARCH FOCUS

Purpose of the research

This research will help Strengthening Community Resilience to Disaster through School Safety Initiative (SCRSSI) project team to strengthen their understanding of the broader social and historical environment in which the SCRSSI project has been embedded in Nepal and Bangladesh. It maps out existing factors that compound and exacerbate natural hazard risks of marginalized children, especially girls, and youth in target areas of the countries, with particular attention to harmful gender norms and stereotypes. It also tries to capture actual and gendered impacts of disasters and climate crisis on girls and boys, their education continuity, and educational attainment. The research also explores international, national and local regulatory frameworks on gender sensitive school-based disaster risk management, not only identifying the gaps, but also finding a way to leverage current frameworks. Additionally, the research results will be crosschecked against the findings from Hazard Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment, which the project teams in both countries conducted at the outset of the project in order to generate more reliable evidence that relates to the gendered impacts of natural hazards and climate crisis on children and youth.

Research questions

The research seeks to answer the following key research questions:

1. How do existing gender norms and stereotypes exacerbate the impacts of disaster and climate risks on girls and boys, their education continuity and attainment?

2. To what extent, do the relevant regulatory frameworks on school-centered disaster risk management integrate and adopt a gender transformative approach?

Sub questions will be determined jointly by Plan International and the research consultant(s) at a later stage.

INTENDED AUDIENCE OF THE FINAL RESEARCH REPORT

The SCRSSI project calls for a gender sensitive research proposal for a cross-country research on the impacts of natural hazards and climate change on marginalized children and youth. The research aims to deepen knowledge and understanding of SCRSSI project key stakeholders on the broader historical, social and environmental context of the target areas. Research findings will be utilized as a tool to influence policy makers and practitioners to adopt a gender transformative approach on school-based disaster risk management (DRM).

The selected consultant team will work closely with Plan APAC to develop detailed research design, methodology, and further refine key and sub research questions to achieve the purpose of the research in consultation with Plan International Nepal and Bangladesh teams.

The target audience of the research findings will be:

· Policy-makers, government authorities and technical officials from the Ministry of Education (MoE) and National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) and other relevant government line agencies involved in the school safety work in Nepal and Bangladesh;

· School authorities, teachers, students;

· Practitioners and local partners at national level;

· Plan International staff engaged with the SCRSSI project.

· Regional Partners and Donors in the Asia Pacific Region

METHODS OF DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

The selected consultant team is requested to submit a detailed response to this TOR, including appropriate methods for data collection and analysis. It is suggested that team employ both the following methods:

· Qualitative: literature and desk reviews on reports/publications/frameworks at international, national and local levels related to the topics; project reports and interviews with key stakeholders;

· Quantitative: review and analyze available statistics and data that depict current situation of gender inequality and disaster impacts in the countries; survey questionnaires to sampled population and project beneficiary numbers

EXPECTED DELIVERABLES

At the end of the consultancy service, the following outputs are expected to be achieved:

· A written inception report (research plan), describing the methods (type, justification, number disaggregation); sampling strategy; research procedures including timeline, data collection schedule; data collection tool and data analysis plan; ethical considerations and consent forms for primary data collection to be submitted and approved before commencing field work

· A written research paper (electronic and hard copy) that will address the specific aims and include findings and recommendations, to be submitted and conform to the attached table of contents. (This research paper will be published to internal and external audience)

· An interim research findings presentation to be delivered to the Plan International Nepal and Bangladesh teams after the field work to validate findings, as well as to collect feedback and recommendations

· A list of key informants and interviewees (FGD, IDIs) contacted for the study

· Summary of interview notes, memos and transcripts in English and tape recordings in respective local languages (Bangla and Nepali).

· Completed consent forms, including for children, their caregivers and adults

· A summary of key final findings (2 pages) to be shared with different stakeholders, including local stakeholders; hence, written in both English and respective local languages (Bangla and Nepali)

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS REQUIREMENTS

A consulting firm or a consultant team of maximum of three team members will be hired to carry out the research. Ideally, one Team Lead and one Field Research Coordinator from Bangladesh and one from Nepal respectively. A consulting firm or a consultant team with a network and operation in Bangladesh and Nepal is preferred. (One contract will be issued)

The list of qualifications are as follows:

Team Lead

· Minimum of a Master’s degree, PhD preferred, in anthropology, sociology, education, environmental studies, gender studies or other relevant social science. Knowledge and work experiences in Bangladesh and/or Nepal is an advantage.

· At least 10 years of experience conducting qualitative research, especially ethnographic research; experience in conducting qualitative and quantitative research related to DRR, Education and/or school safety and/or gender-sensitive approaches is preferred; demonstrated experience designing, conducting and analyzing in-depth and key informant interviews using an iterative approach.

· Experience or knowledge of grounded theory and methods, including the comprehensive school safety framework; experience demonstrating strong understanding of disaster and child protection risk reduction and resilience building in education, education in emergencies, and school disaster management.

· Excellent writing skills in English.

· Field research experience in low-middle income countries; those with prior experience conducting research in Bangladesh or Nepal preferred but not necessary; experience of conducting research on marginalized groups preferred.

· Ability to work with clients remotely and in different time zones; comfortable working in a self-directed manner and communicating proactively

Field Research Coordinator

· Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in anthropology, sociology, education, environmental studies, gender studies or other relevant social science.

· At least 5 years of demonstrated prior experience conducting qualitative and quantitative research, especially research related to DRR

· Demonstrated prior experience of key informant interviews and focus group discussions

· Must have the ability to speak Bengali and/or Nepali

· Good data management, analysis and cleansing skills

· Excellent desk review and research writing skills

· Training and/or education in ethnographic field work preferable

· Ability and willingness to travel during the entire field work

ETHICS AND CHILD PROTECTION

Plan International is committed to ensuring that the rights of those participating in data collection or analysis are respected and protected, in accordance with our Ethical Monitoring Evaluation Research and Learning (MERL) Framework and our Child and Youth Safeguarding Policy. All applicants should include details in their proposal on how they will ensure a Do No Harm approach ethics, and child protection and protection from gender-based violence for the women in the data collection process. Specifically, the consultant shall explain how appropriate, safe, non-discriminatory participation of all stakeholders will be ensured and how special attention will be paid to the needs of children and other vulnerable groups. The consultant shall also explain how confidentiality and anonymity of participants will be guaranteed.

According to Plan International’s Framework for Ethical Monitoring, Evaluation and Research (MER), ethical approval is required for any form of qualitative or quantitative primary data collection with children or adults that is part of a research design that applies a methodology to fill a pre-identified knowledge gap about issues that are critical for Plan International’s work.

TIME FRAME **

The selected consultants/company is required to accomplish all the expected deliverables within 50 working days in January, February and March 2021.

Contract Signing and inception Report = 2^nd week of Jan’ 2021.

Courtesy Meeting with Plan team = 3^rd Week of Jan’ 2021.

Data Collection (Desk Review) = 4^th week of Jan’ 2021.

Data Collection (Field work) = 1^th – 3^rd week of Feb’ 2021.

Data Consolidation and Analysis = 4^th week of Feb’2021.

Presentation of Initial Findings to Plan = 1^st week of Mar’ 2021.

Report Writing = 1^st -2^nd week of Mar’ 2021

Submission of First Draft = 3r^d week of Mar’ 2021

Revision of Draft report = 4^th week of Mar’ 2021.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES **

Team Lead:

The Team Lead will be in charge of overseeing the research from the inception phase to the submission of the final report. Due to COVID-19 pandemic travel restrictions, the Team Lead can be based in Bangladesh, Nepal or another location. S/he will guide the study remotely and work closely with the field research teams that will conduct the field research under the supervision and guidance of the Team Lead. The Team Lead’s responsibilities include:

· Develop an inception report

· Conduct the desk review

· Lead and supervise the study process

· Train and manage the field teams

· Liaise regularly with the SCRSSI project manager and Regional Evidence and Research Lead in Plan APAC, Nepal and Bangladesh staff and keep them updated on study progress.

· Ensure that interview transcripts and notes are written and uploaded within two days of the interview

· Adhere to the study completion timeline

· Oversee the data collection process, ensuring that interview forms are complete, detailed and of high quality. This task may be allocated to a field researcher since the team lead will be working remotely.

· Manage data flow to be sure that forms, tapes and other documents are properly processed and stored

· Keep the APAC project manager and Regional Evidence and Research Lead regularly apprised of progress

· Conduct the data analysis

· Write the study report

· Finalize the research report taking into account comments and feedback and submit to the project manager and the Regional Evidence and Research Lead the finalized research paper.

· Comply with the requirements of the technical assignment stated in the Terms of Reference

Field Research Coordinator:

Field Research Coordinator, ideally consisting of one local consultant from Bangladesh and another local consultant from Nepal, will carry out the following tasks under the supervision of the Team Lead:

· Report to and keep regular contact with Team Lead during field work

· Be in charge of collecting necessary data through key informant interviews, focus group discussions, in-depth interviews and/or other participatory data collection methods.

· Provide regular updates regarding the data collection progress and any issues

· Provide supervise

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

· All financial bids should be inclusive of all costs related to the work. SCRSSI project will cover the necessary domestic travel costs of the consultant where critical data gathering for the research will be conducted, if possible, given the COVID-19 pandemic;

· Individual consultant(s) or companies will be asked to sign all necessary documents according to Plan International’s standard policy and procedure;

· The agreed costs will be paid to the recruited consultant(s)/ company by advance payment (30% of the consultancy fee) and final payment (70% of the consultancy fee and incidental cost) after the satisfactory delivery of work upon receipt of letter-headed invoice in accordance with Plan International’s payment policies;

· Selection process and awarding of contract will be done immediately after the closing date;

· All consultants/companies will be checked for anti-terrorism before awarding of the contract.