Job Details
Africa Economic Justice Programme (AEJ) is a regional programme that has been supporting regional civil society organizations working in Sub-Saharan Africa since 2007. Over this period, AEJ has strategically created a platform where new practices and innovative ideas on social and economic justice and economic empowerment of women are tested and developed. AEJ works with regional civil society organizations because they complement the work of the national and local actors by providing linkage to the regional and global authorities including intergovernmental and non-state international actors.
The programme focuses on Economic Justice, including Economic Empowerment of women. AEJ believes that the entry point to influence the economic justice situation in Africa is to consider the policies and regulations that form the system, and their implementation. These policies and regulations form a complex and multi-layered system at different levels: internationally, regionally and nationally. Together with its partners, the Africa Economic Justice Programme focuses on influencing “the rules of the game”, promoting good policies, and addressing policies with negative consequences. Partners’ include the perspectives and voices of rights-holders, especially women and vulnerable groups, to ensure that their rights are being considered in the policy process. The partners work either in a specific sub region or with a Sub-Saharan focus.
The Sida CivSam funding is Diakonia’s long term funding source based on an agreement with Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA). AEJ has been implementing a 2016-2020 CivSam funded programme focusing on supporting regional partners to structurally influence the economic justice situation in Africa through consideration of the policies and regulations that form the system and their implementation.
Purpose of the Evaluation
The overall purpose of the evaluation is to assess the relevance, effectiveness, impact and sustainability of the interventions implemented by partner organisations supported by the CIVSAM fund within the AEJ for the period 2016-2020.
As the current programme comes to an end in 2020, an evaluation is deemed imperative to provide an external and independent assessment of the performance of the programme and draw lessons learned for future direction with the immediate process being the next application to CIVSAM in 2021.
Scope of the Evaluation
The end term evaluation will cover the 2016-2020 period of the programme. All the different project components and activities stated in the revised 2016-2020 AEJ CIVSAM programme logical framework will be assessed. The standard OECD/DAC criteria on evaluation namely: relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, sustainability and impact will be used to structure the evaluation. The evaluation will:
Determine the relevance of the programme in relation to its design and to the extent to which its stated outcomes and intermediate outcomes correctly address the identified problems or real needs both at the time of the identification of the project and at the time of the evaluation
Determine the extent that the work has had impact by contributing to changes in the lives of rights holders
Determine unexpected outcomes derived from the programme implementation
Evaluate the achievement of results as relevant to AEJ’s various strategic interventions under the thematic priorities
Assess the adequacy and relevance of the results and indicators under each thematic priority in relation to the identified problem, resources utilised and duration of the programme.
Evaluate the sustainability of the programme and partners, including financial sustainability (e.g. resource mobilisation)
Evaluate application of efficiency during programme implementation (e.g. value for money)
Determine the extent to which gender was mainstreamed in the programme and if so, the impact of the mainstreaming effort on improving gender justice for the relevant rights holders
Assess whether the implementation approaches applied were innovative.
Determine whether there has been a positive or negative impact on the environment due to partners’ projects
Evaluate the conflict sensitivity of the projects
Assess and evaluate Diakonia’s added value to the programme as per Diakonia’s roles within the Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (PME) handbook
Identify the main lessons learnt during programme implementation.
Develop recommendations for consideration in designing the next programme phase.
Methodology
The consultant will derive a mix of qualitative and quantitative research approaches that should include the following:
A literature review of Diakonia and the partner organisations documentations e.g. Diakonia and partner strategies, programme proposals, progress reports etc.
Preparatory meetings and consultations with the Diakonia AEJ and Africa Regional team.
Undertake interviews/Focus Group Discussions with the Diakonia AEJ team, key staff of the respective partner organisations, rights holders as per the respective partner projects, duty bearers; government officials, policy makers etc. as per respective partner projects, and other likeminded organisations, including co-donors
Collect stories of change from identified target groups of the respective partner projects. The stories will focus on what the project beneficiaries consider to be the most significant change brought by the project in their lives, capacities or way of operating.
Roles and Responsibilities
The consultant will be responsible for:
Conducting the assignment and producing an evaluation report with clear recommendations
Developing tools required for data collection and for the coordination of data collection, compilation and analysis exercises.
Diakonia will be responsible for:
Supporting the consultant where necessary to mobilize and coordinate the logistics for all aspects of the assignment. Diakonia will provide logistical requirements for any workshops/meetings required.
Supervising the assignment. The Consultant will report to the Africa Economic Justice Programme Manager based in Nairobi
A reference team from Diakonia Regional Office and representatives of partner organizations will provide overall quality assurance of the evaluation report.
Outputs and Deliverables
The following outputs and deliverable are expected:
An evaluation report (20,000 words maximum)
Other documents related to the assignment – raw and refined statistical data, interview notes, meeting minutes, etc.
Envisaged Timeframe
The evaluation is envisaged to take place for 30 days between 1st December 2019 to 31st March 2020.
Evaluation Team.
The team of consultants should have the following qualifications:
Post graduate degree in Economics, Development Studies, Social Sciences or equivalent (with emphasis on research and analysis and monitoring and evaluation
At least 7 years’ experience in the development field working with Civil Society in Africa. Specific experience in Sub-Saharan Africa will be an added advantage
Possess excellent coordination abilities
Be an excellent team player
Proven understanding and experience of human rights-based programming, progressive theories of change, participatory approaches, gender mainstreaming as well as conflict sensitive approaches to development.
A good understanding of Diakonia’s thematic area of social and economic justice. This includes Fair distribution of wealth and access to natural resources with the following specific thematic areas:
Trade and investment
Women economic empowerment
Development effectiveness
Curbing illicit financial flows
