Project title: “Advancing the realization of victims’ rights in Uganda through the continued support and strengthening of stakeholders.”

Project Period: 01.10.2017 – 31.12.2020

Project Partner: The Austrian Development Cooperation

Terms of Reference

I.              Introduction

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The International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ) seeks Expressions of Interest (EoI) from qualified independent evaluators, teams, or consulting firms to conduct an independent evaluation of the ICTJ’s project – “Advancing the realization of victims’ rights in Uganda through the continued support and strengthening of stakeholders” supported by the Austrian Development Cooperation (ADC). Interested parties are requested to submit an EOI, including a technical proposal and cover letter explaining what kind of expertise would be mobilized to undertake the evaluation, how the candidates meet the desired profile, CV(s), fee structure, and availability. The evaluation’s final report shall be delivered by March 15th, 2021. The deadline for application is January 27th, 2021

About ICTJ

The International Center for Transitional Justice (www.ictj.org) works for justice in countries that have endured massive human rights abuses under repression and conflict. We work with victims, civil society groups, national and international organizations to ensure redress for victims and prevent atrocities from happening again.

II.            Program Context

Uganda’s history of political transitions is marred by civil strife. Since independence in 1962, it is estimated that over 300,000 people died, millions were displaced, and many were maimed, tortured, abducted, and raped. In the course of the conflict between 1990 and 2006, about 66,000 children, women, and men between the ages of 14 and 30 were kidnapped by the Lord Resistance Army. Many of them were forced to serve as child soldiers or sex slaves. Following the end of a twenty-year war between the Government of Uganda and the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) in Northern Uganda, the government formally committed to addressing human rights violations and war crimes committed during the conflicts. Thirteen years since the conflict’s end, the grave human rights violations of the conflict years 1986 and 2007 have largely remained unpunished, and victims’ needs have largely not been addressed. Many victims are still waiting for their reparation. Victims continue to live with the consequences of human rights violations, of which sexual violence was particularly prominent. Challenges such as stigma and trauma make it difficult for victims to earn a livelihood and secure access to basic services such as healthcare and education. Women and girls who have returned with children conflict-related sexual violence suffer from stigma and discrimination. Furthermore, victims’ trauma can be intergenerational, especially for formerly abducted women and their children who are often denied their basic rights to education and citizenship. Structural gender inequalities and cultural norms associated with sexual- and gender-based violence (SGBV) exacerbate challenges for women victims.

III.          The Program

In October 2017, ICTJ commenced implementation of the three-year project to advance the realization of victims’ rights to accountability and redress through supporting emerging opportunities in Uganda and strengthening stakeholders. The project aims to advance the ongoing work on Transitional Justice in Uganda by strengthening and developing the skills of victims’ and civil society groups, state actors, and institutions on transitional justice.  Further, it increases the engagement between these actors, to facilitate the effective design and implementation of transitional justice processes that are responsive to victims’ justice needs. It further aims to enhance the capacity and agency of victims’ groups to meaningfully advocate for, participate in, and monitor transitional justice processes on a national and international level.

Expected Results

  1. To ensure that the National Human Rights Documentation Project (HRDP) will contribute to realizing victims’ rights to acknowledgment and truth, guarantee the integration of victim priorities and perspectives into the HRDP, and facilitate the meaningful participation of civil society and victims;
  2. Through increased capacity of and engagement between, victims, civil society and local authorities, ensure that local development programs in Acholi, Lango, Teso and West Nile more effectively reflect the redress needs of children born of conflict-related sexual violence and their mothers; and
  3. Reduce impunity for international crimes by improving the effectiveness of domestic prosecutions of international crimes at the International Crimes Division (ICD) of the High Court and increasing victim engagement with the trials at the ICD and the International Criminal Court (ICC).

IV.          Objectives of the Final Evaluation

The objectives of the final evaluation are:

  1. To assess the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact, and sustainability of the program.
  2. To provide recommendations to help to re-design or adjust the new program.

V.             Scope of work

  1. The evaluation will examine ICTJ’s program from October 1st, 2017, to December 31st, 2020. The Consultant is also expected to examine (but not focus on) long term results of the prior program.
  2. The Consultant is expected to use the evaluative criteria below and address the key evaluation questions:

Evaluation Criteria and key evaluation questions

Relevance:

  1. Were ICTJ’s program goals, objectives, and strategy relevant to the Transitional Justice (TJ) context in Uganda?
  2. Has the program addressed the capacity needs of target groups (including victims’ groups)?
  3. To what extent was the program relevant to women’s specific needs and priorities in the target groups? What about other vulnerable populations, such as the disabled or children?
  4. How could its program content and approaches be improved to meet their needs better?
  5. How well was the program approach adjusted to fit the changing context?

Provide recommendations on how to improve relevance.

Effectiveness:

  1. To what extent has the project reached the outcomes it planned to achieve? In particular:
  2. To what extent did the program contribute to the National Human Rights Documentation Project (HRDP) ability to realize victims’ rights to acknowledgment and truth, guarantee the integration of victim priorities and perspectives into the HRDP, and facilitate the meaningful participation of civil society and victims?
  3. To what extent did the program contribute to local development programs in Acholi, Lango, Teso, and West Nile more effectively reflect the redress needs of children born of conflict-related sexual violence and their mothers?
  4. To what extent did the program contribute to the capacity of the International Crimes Division (ICD) of the High Court and increasing victim engagement with the trials at the ICD and the International Criminal Court (ICC)?
  5. To what extent has the program contributed to the achievement of its ultimate goal?
  6. What major factors contributed to achieve or not to achieve its objectives (factors of success and challenges)?
  7. What unintended results (both positive and negative) did the project bring about?
  8. Were results different for men and women?
  9. Provide recommendations on how to improve effectiveness. In particular. How can ICTJ strengthen the effectiveness of its interventions in relationship with State processes?
  10. How can ICTJ improve the effectiveness of the work done by their civil society partners?

Efficiency:

  • Has the program delivered its outputs in an efficient manner (results against costs)?
  • How efficient the reporting and liaison with the donor have been?

Provide recommendations on how to improve efficiency.

Impact:

  • How has the transitional justice agenda progressed during the program implementation, and what has been the contribution of ICTJ’s interventions to those changes?
  • How have the needs and priorities of victims been addressed during the program implementation, and what has been the contribution of ICTJ’s interventions to those changes.

Provide recommendations on how to improve impact.

Sustainability:

  • To what extent are the project’s benefits likely to continue after its conclusion, or what is the likelihood that they continue in the long-term?

Provide recommendations on how to improve sustainability.

As the evaluator addresses those questions, s/he must comply with the following requirements:

  1. After reviewing the key project documents, the Consultant will conduct preliminary interviews with the ICTJ team and meetings to discuss the evaluation design involving the team in Uganda and ICTJ’s Senior DME Specialist.
  2. Once the methods to be used for the evaluation are discussed and agreed upon with the ICTJ team, the Consultant is expected to revise the technical offer or produce a document describing the methods and protocols. The technical offer will include a work schedule and budget establishing the number of days worked. If some requirements or objectives of the evaluation as defined hereby cannot be met, the Consultant should briefly justify his/her decision in the technical offer. The final technical offer will be also reviewed by the donor, ADA.
  3. Instruments used for data collection must be reviewed by the ICTJ team and the ICTJ Senior Design, Monitoring, and Evaluation Specialist and approved before the data collection starts.

Other Assignments

The Consultant is asked to conduct a workshop/online conference call to present the evaluation’s preliminary results to the staff and possibly other stakeholders. The Consultant will incorporate the feedback during the presentation in the draft report.

VI.          Approach and methodology

  1. The evaluator will suggest the appropriate methodologies for this final evaluation, which will be discussed with the project team in Uganda and the ICTJ Senior Design, Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist. The evaluation should at least include the following components:
    1. Desk review: project documents (project proposal, progress and monitoring reports, program review report, correspondence with the donor, etc.), reports from HRDP and other strategic documents from relevant justice actors;
    2. Key informant interviews with ICTJ staff and key stakeholders;
    3. Field Data collection (depending on conditions on the ground at the time of the evaluation, this could be conducted remotely)
    4. If required, ICTJ Uganda will provide support to arrange transport, accommodation, and meeting with stakeholders.
  2. Use of other qualitative approaches suitable for complex environments where unintended outcomes are expected is encouraged (for example, Most Significant Change, Outcome mapping. Etc.)
  3. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and security conditions in Uganda, careful consideration should be taken to do no harm, manage expectations of stakeholders and interviewees, and overall take a conflict-sensitive approach to the evaluation. Methodology and approach should be conducted in a way that minimizes risks to evaluators and the people interviewed.
  4. The evaluation will be conducted in accordance with the OECD-DAC Evaluation Quality Standards (see http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/55/0/44798177.pdf ). For guidelines related to conducting evaluations in contexts of fragility and conflict, see for example http://www.oecd.org/dac/conflict-fragility-resilience/publications/4312151e.pdf

VII.        Deliverables

Before the fieldwork:

  • Technical offer or document (inception report) describing in detail the methodology.
  • Questionnaires, discussion guides, and other data collection tools

By the deadline:

  • Electronic data files, if relevant.
  • A final evaluation report. The final report shall include the following sections:
    • The executive summary should include: a paragraph describing the program, a paragraph summarizing the methodological approaches used, key findings including a summary of targets and intended outcomes, a conclusion of the program’s relevance, and its contribution towards the final goal.
    • Table of program indicators measured, if relevant
    • Methodology. This section describes each method used and the target groups involved. Regarding quantitative methods, the section must describe the sampling strategy, the type of analysis carried out, and the statistical parameters so that the reader can establish the rigor of the data collected. Methodological constraints, challenges, and limitations should also be discussed in this section.
    • Findings and analysis, addressing evaluation questions
    • Recommendations.
    • Annexes: template of data collection tools, terms of reference, evaluation schedule, list of people met (by the group) and list of documents reviewed.
    • The final report should not exceed 40 pages (without annexes).
    • The evaluation report will be considered as “final” when ICTJ and ADA consider that all the comments made have been taken into account
    • All written deliverables should be completed in English.

VIII.      Time Frame and Budget

  • Time Frame
    • The preparation work will start in the second half of January 2021, with a completion date no later than March 1st, 2021.
    • The fieldwork is anticipated to take place during January and the first week of February 2021.
    • The draft report will be sent no later than February 15th to allow feedback from the ICTJ team and headquarters. The final report shall be delivered by March 1st, 2021.
  • Budget
    • The Consultant should submit a budget that includes all the costs incurred by the evaluation (consultant fees and per diem, accommodation, local transportation and communication costs, data collection costs)
  • Estimated Number of Working Days
    • It is estimated that the evaluation will take between 25-35 working days; with approximately 12-14 days of fieldwork. These numbers are a guideline only, intended to provide a sense of the scale of the effort as it will depend on the size and experience of the team to determine exact needs that fit within the budget.

IX.          Requirements

Skills and Qualifications

  • Knowledge of the Ugandan context is required. Consultants based in Uganda will be prioritized
  • Advanced degree in human rights, political science, law, sociology, development, psychology, anthropology, history, or related field.
  • Relevant qualifications. (Masters or PHD preferred)
  • 10 years of experience in undertaking evaluations of human rights or peacebuilding programs in post-conflict contexts required
  • Knowledge of Transitional Justice is required
  • Has a working knowledge of international NGOs
  • Previous experience working with NGOs, INGOs is desirable.
  • Strong written English.
  • Ability to work well with a team and independently.
  • Strong capacity for analytical thinking.
  • Ability to adhere to strict deadlines.
  • High level of professionalism and attention to detail.

X.             How to apply

Interested candidates shall submit their proposal, curriculum vitae (CV), proposed budget, schedule, and a cover letter. The proposal should describe how the Consultant intends to undertake this assignment Applicants should also explain how their professional experience matches the skills and qualifications listed above.

Applications should be submitted by email to kampala@ictj.org by January 27th, 2021, with the subject line “ICTJ Uganda End of Project Evaluation.”

Application checklist:

  1. A proposal and budget
  2. A short cover letter;
  3. CV;
  4. A sample excerpt/full report of an evaluation report;
  5. Credentials listing prior experience and contact details for references; and
  6. Any other relevant information showing the suitability of the Consultant for the assignment.

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