Feminist Dalit Organization (FEDO)

Conduct a Research to find out the Status of Civic and Democratic Space in Nepal

(Activity under 5.2 Studies, Research)

Terms of Reference (ToR)

A. Background: 

Feminist Dalit Organization (FEDO) was established in 1994 with the aim of empowering women in general and Dalit women in particular so that they could raise their voice to get their entitlements. Since then it has been implementing several projects with the support of different international donors and partner organizations. As per the need of community and experience of FEDO, the project has designed to support and empower civil society in protecting and promoting democracy, human rights and fundamental freedoms in Nepal. FEDO has been implementing the project Named “Our Voices Our Choices (OVOC): Women and Youth for Democratic Civic Space” (HAMRO AAWAJ HAMRO ROJAI PROJECT) in the partnership of Plan International Nepal in Kalikot.

About Plan International Nepal

Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organization that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. We believe in the power and potential of every child and young people but this is often suppressed by poverty, violence, exclusion and discrimination. And it is girls who are most affected. Working together with children, young people, our supporters and partners, we strive for a just world, tackling the root causes of the challenges facing girls and all vulnerable children. We support children’s rights from birth until they reach adulthood. And we 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. We have been building powerful partnerships for children for over 75 years, and are now active in more than 70 countries. Plan International Nepal has been working in Nepal since 1978 to enable marginalized children as well as their families and communities, to access their rights to health, education, economic security and protection. Currently our programs are running in 12 districts through our development partners.

Overall Objective of Project: To support and empower civil society in protecting and promoting democracy, human rights and fundamental freedoms in Nepal.

Specific Objective 1: To enhance inclusive civic action through co-creation of a multi-country resource hub that facilitates the enlargement of civic, democratic and civil society space.

Specific Objective 2: To support and capacitate youth/women-led CSOs to participate as rights holders in national/regional/global-level efforts to reclaim and protect civic space and civic engagement. 

Specific Objective 3: To hold duty bearers, especially policy makers in Asia, accountable to their responsibilities towards protecting inclusive civic space.

Objective of Research to find out the Status of Civic Space in Nepal

The main objectives of work is to find out the status of Civic Space  and Democratic Space  in Nepal. This study will contribute in the Resource Hub as well as to generate common understanding about the situation of CSOs in Nepal. The research will also contribute to the baseline of the project to further guide for specific future strategic interventions.  The evidence will further support the national, regional and global influencing for human rights issues.

Specific objective of the assignment:

1. Assess political and economic dynamics around civic and democratic space in Nepal including laws, policies dictating the civil society environment and general attitude to civil society engagement.
2. Identify best practices, challenges and opportunities to expand civic space at federal, provincial and local level – improving effectiveness and sustainability of civil society.

a. Assess barriers and facilitators faced by Women, Youth and Dalit led CSOs to realise their organisation’s goals.

1Civic space - the legal and practical framework for the exercise of these freedoms.

2Democratic space - transparency and the possibility of civic and political participation, holding government to account, critique, dissent and contestation.

Rationale for the study

This finding will be used in Resource Hub, which will show the situation of CSOs in Nepal. Also this finding will be very supportive to effective implementation of the project in community level. All the finding gives a scenario of CSOs and democratic civic space of Nepal will support to make a common understanding in different platform like UPR, CERD, and CEDAW etc. FEDO and Plan International Nepal can explain the situation of CSOs in Nepal on basis of this finding in different global forum.  

This research study can be a lobby and advocacy tools at local to federal level. On the basis of this research study, FEDO can lobby and advocacy for women and youth supportive programs and plans at different level. 

Methodology

The consultant/consultancies is encouraged to present better and suitable participatory methodology not limiting to those provided in this ToR. The consultant/consultancies is expected to provide an inception report detailing the proposed methodology including study design, study area, study population, sample size, data collection tools, data collection procedures, ethical considerations and a GANTT chart for the study. The inception report will be finalized after feedback from FEDO Nepal and Plan International Nepal.

The data collection methods can include but not be limited to the following:

Desk review: Review literatures on previous studies on Democratic Civic Space and situation of CSOs in Nepal and available on current laws and policies of three tiers of governance – national, provincial and local as well as other assessments of civic and democratic space.

Focus Groups Discussion (FGD): FGD is recommended with CSOs working in local, districts, province and Federal Level. 

Key Informant Interview (KII)/ In Depth Interview (IDI): KII/IDI is recommended with Key CSOs who has been a part of CSO movement in Nepal, Youth and women CSOs,  Mayor of Rural/Municipality, Ward chairperson, focal person in the municipality, civil society members, informal networks) and other relevant government and non-government stakeholders.

B. Terms and Condition:

The Independent Consultant/Consultancies will serve as Resource Person (RP) to find out the status of Civic Space in Nepal on various topics including Human Rights, Civic space and democratic space. The RP is expected to fulfill following roles and responsibility with high quality deliverables:

1. Conduct the literature review and collect the information from secondary source and analyze it in the perspective of status of democratic civic space and situation of CSOs in Nepal.
2. Conduct the different level consultation workshop/meetings with concerned stakeholders (NHRC, NDC, NWC SWC, Home Ministry AIN, NGO Federation, Dalit NGO Federation, and Youth NGO Federation etc.), 
3. Conduct FGD and KII among CSOs and Identify and Analyze the status and situation of Civic space and CSOs in Nepal. 
4. Conduct the final consultation events among FEDO and Plan International Nepal and address the inputs and suggestion in the Report. 
5. Develop a final comprehensive report with status of Civic space in Nepal and Advocacy Strategy for different level platform. 
6. The independent consultant/consultancies will be solely responsible for produce the entire final reports according to Research and Studies. 

C. Total days of contract: 

The commencements days and time of the contract will be 40 working days.

D. Contract Cost and Payment Terms:

1. FEDO will deduct TDS at the time of payment under the prevailing Tax Rules and Regulations of the Government of Nepal.
2. The payment will be made in two installments (40% amount of total agreement will be provided as initial amount and remained 60% amount will be provided after the submission of report.)

E. Reporting: 

The consultant will work under the direct supervision of the FEDO team and provide updates on progress to the project focal person. 

F. Deliverables/ Expected Product:

1. An inception report and presentation that explains understanding of the Civic Space, CSOs in Nepal and with research methodology.
2. Draft report on Status of Civic space. 
3. Final draft of a comprehensive report in electronic version. 
4. Any datasets or synthesis files used for analysis.
5. English translated transcripts from interviews and FGDs.

G. Required Qualification and Experiences:

1. The consultant/consultancies must have at least a master’s degree in relevant discipline with a minimum of 3 years work experience with similar assignment.
2. The Consultant/Consultancies should have previous research experience Civic and Democratic space, including the rights of Dalit women and Youths.
3. S/he must have understanding and experiences of research focusing on Civic space, Democratic Space, Rights Based Approach, political participation and empowerment of the youth, Dalit women and marginalized community people.
4. The Consultant/Consultancies should have an adequate understanding of Civic and Democratic space, Human Rights, Justice, Democratic Governance and the social and political dynamics in Nepal, including the rights of Dalit women and Youths. 
5. She/he will also have good knowledge of political participation, representation and empowerment in the perspective of GESI. Additionally, the consultant/consultancies will have enough understanding of the dimension of caste and gender based discrimination issues in Nepal.
6. The Consultant/Consultancies should demonstrate excellent analytical and writing skills.
7. The team should be well balanced in terms of expertise.

H. Ethical and Safeguarding Children and Young people Statements:

FEDO and Plan International recognize that violence against children and young people is prevalent throughout the world and in all societies. Violence against children includes physical or mental violence, injury and abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, maltreatment and sexual abuse. In addition, children and young people may be vulnerable and at risk due to reasons of gender, sexual orientation, ethnic origin, disability and age or illness. Plan International is fully committed to ending violence against children and acknowledges that we have a duty to promote the gender responsive safeguarding of children and young people and particularly those with who we work or are in contact.

Plan International’s Global Policy- Safeguarding Children and Young People emphasizes the safeguarding of children and young people who come in contact with Plan employees, volunteers, partner organisations and individuals, including consultants, who are working on behalf of Plan International. This is regarded as strict global compliance issue and has to follow it mandatorily. In this respect, the consultant should include statements in the proposal on how s/he will ensure ethics and safeguarding of children and young people during the commencement of the assignment and during the field work. The consultant should also specify other ethical protocols to be followed during the due course of the evaluation/study/research. The consultant is strongly recommended to take written consent of the respondents and/or children’s guardian before taking photographs/interview and ask if their photographs, verbatim or case stories could be used in report for public dissemination. Such consent must be documented and submitted to Plan International Nepal along with the final report.

Further, the consultant should responsible to take ethical approval from the concern authorities which need to take ethical approval before data collection.

I. How to Apply:

Interested researchers who meet the above requirements should apply by submitting their Expression of Interest with short proposal, Rate of per day and CV (not more than five pages) in sealed quotatoion to the Procurement Department of FEDO with subject line “Application for Conduct a Research to find out the Status of Civic Space in Nepal” before 21st July, 2022 atFeminist Dalit Organization; Head Office, Kupondole-Lalitpur, Phone No:01-5520982, 5543986  Only short-listed applicants will be contacted for the next stage of EOI selection process. All selection rights will be reserved with FEDO. 

Note: No phone calls will be entertained.