Background Information
Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) is seeking an evaluation consultant(s) to carry out a Mid-Term Review (MTR) of its Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Approach (2022-2025) (Annex 1). The MENA Approach is designed to help guide WILPF’s MENA team achieve its vision of “advance[ing] a vibrant feminist movement and contribute to a future of peace, justice and equality for all”. This review will help identify whether the approach is still relevant to the changing context it is operating in, what is working well and what is not working so well. It will also identify lessons that will help improve the approach within MENA programming and if possible, more broadly within the WILPF International Secretariat (IS) team.
The review will encompass all the MENA team’s projects (Annex 2). Where possible, examples and focus will be given to Strengthening the Global Grassroot Movement for Feminist Peace project (funded by Norad and running from 1 Apr 2022- 31 Dec 2025) and the Resourcing the Feminist Movement for Peace in the MENA region project (funded by Sida and running from December 2022 – 31 December 2025). These two projects are funded by NORAD and Sida who are also funding this MTR as a joint and complementary effort to identify and incorporate specific learnings for the remainder of their respective cycles.
The Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom was founded in 1915, and since then it has united women around the globe to work for peace by non-violent means and by promoting political, economic, and social justice for all. WILPF addresses the root causes of war and violence through a feminist lens and constantly challenges systems of oppression, militarism, patriarchy, and neoliberalism.
The MENA approach is the MENA team’s strategy that contributes to WILPF’s goals and objectives. The approach was developed building on the NORAD funded project “Growing the Feminist Movement for Peace” MTR (2021), a thorough consultation process with partners, and a comprehensive process of reflection and strategising with staff. The approach aimed to guide the work of the MENA team but also feed into the WILPF International Programme.
The MENA approach applies both nationally and regionally. It is underpinned by three theories of change (ToC) which contribute to WILPF’s overall approach. These are:
- (ToC 1) Resourcing feminist movements and agendas through holistic financing and innovative institutional strengthening.
- (ToC 2) Recentring local intersectional feminist narratives through two-way amplification of impact channelling tangible support to and bringing knowledge and analysis from MENA to the global fora.
- (ToC 3) Claiming space in decision-making, governance structures, and peace processes.
The Approach also identified several progress markers for each ToC, with identified status at baseline in 2022 and a target endline vision for 2025. These are used to assess the progress of the implementation of the approach. The MENA approach is implemented through five projects and over 40 partners, of which 10 are partners within the NORAD fund and 12 partners within the Sida fund.
Objectives
The key objectives of this mid-term review are as follows:
- To Improve the understanding and build (qualitative) evidence around the effects of the approach and the validity of the three theories of change, through examples and stories of change. The approach is also of deep interest to both Sida and NORAD particularly in advancing their WPS agenda. Therefore, it is expected that the findings of the review will provide evidence for WILPF, Sida, NORAD and the relevant stakeholders and community of practice in terms of the relevance and effectiveness of such an approach in advancing feminist peace in certain contexts.
- To assess the progress of the MENA Approach (2022-2025) towards achieving its progress markers. The MENA approach comprises three interconnected theories of change: 1. Resourcing feminist movements and agendas; 2. Recentring local intersectional feminist narratives; 3. Claiming spaces in governance structures and peace processes. While the review will not be exhaustive in terms of assessing each of the progress markers, it will provide an assessment about where the progress mostly lies, and where it isn’t and why.
- The review will also identify learnings including what has been working well towards achieving the progress markers and why, what has not been working well and why, and what can be improved (including adapting work or results). This learning will be incorporated and adopted for the remainder of the cycle.
Scope and Approach
The review will be framed by WILPF’s feminist principles. This means that the review will be designed, research and analysis activities will be conducted, and report writing will all be guided by WILPF’s feminist principles. Similarly, the review will be utilisation focus, where all activities leading to the findings and learnings have a purpose and are used to improve WILPF’s MENA approach in supporting feminist movements and organisations. To the extent possible, the findings and learnings will also constitute evidence that will contribute to NORAD and Sida’s own learning, reflection and developing their approaches to Women Peace and Security. As a feminist review, the research will also be participatory and create a space for partners to reflect, voice their opinions, but also will seek to provide them with useful learning that they can use to adapt their own approaches.
The review will be based on all the MENA projects and interventions. Of course, not all projects will be examined for each question and sub-question, but questions will be answered through examining the most relevant interventions and projects. For example, not all projects apply flexible funding to partners, so questions examining relevance and effectiveness, and sustainability of the flexible funding will be addressed through focusing on Feminist Movement for Change in Syria project and the Resourcing Feminist Organisations and Movements in the MENA region project, which provide flexible funding. These will be further clarified and agreed upon during the inception phase, once a light touch mapping/ evaluability assessment exercise will be conducted for these questions and sub-question.
It is not expected that this consultancy will involve travel. All relevant tasks are expected to be carried out remotely. If the consultant is located where a partner is located, they can opt to do in-person consultations and research.
Proposed Key MTR Questions:
The below are suggested review questions. These will be refined with the consultant(s) during the inception phase.
Relevance:
1. To what extent does the approach (and the interventions within the three theories of change) continue to respond to the changing context and the current priorities of women’s movements, groups and organisations (collectively and individually)?
- 1.1 What current priorities do partners now have (as a result of the changing geopolitical context[1])? (i.e. advocacy within the multilateral spaces, movement building…?)
- 1.2 Does the (flexible aspect of the) approach allow partners to respond to these emerging needs as well as contribute to the long-term goals (including move between humanitarian, development and peace)
Effectiveness
2. Results: To what extent is the approach making progress towards achieving its endline targets, and why (identify enablers and challenges) in terms of:
- 2.1 Resourcing feminist movements and agendas[2]
- 2.1.1 How effective is the approach in strengthening organisations? What does a strong institution look like, what can it do?
- 2.1.2 How effective is the approach in creating (a) powerful feminist movement(s) in the region?
- 2.2 Recentring local intersectional feminist narratives
- 2.2.1 How effective is the approach and its tools (and our platforms and communications) in recentering, generating and amplifying feminist narratives.
- 2.2.2. Specifically, how useful is the MENA Hub to partners and the wider audience in MENA? This will entail receiving feedback from partners around content, accessibility, format (podcasts, written material…), and thematic areas, but also around reach (location, etc)
- 2.3 Claiming spaces in governance structures and peace processes
- 2.3.1 How effective is the approach in pushing for more constructive engagement in peace processes? with what results?
- 2.3.2 How effective is the approach in conducting (including supporting partners to conduct) collective action and campaigns?
- 2.4 General:
- 2.4.1 Are there certain areas of support (access to multilateral spaces, amplifying voices, resourcing, capacity building, movement building) more effective than others? How and why is that?
- 2.4.2 Does WILPF have the right resources, allies and networks to advance its own agenda and vision? Where does WILPF have most/ least influence in advancing the agenda?
- 2.4.3 How effective is the approach in mainstreaming intersectionality across the activities?
3. Flexibility: To what extent are the processes of the implementation of the approach flexible allowing organisations to achieve results and contribute to the long-term goals (including move between humanitarian and emergency assistance, development and peace).
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4. Feminist approach: To what extent is the approach implementation adhering to WILPF’s feminist principles (including design, implementation and M&E)?
- 4.1 To what extent are MEL feminist principles applied, and how well is the approach able to capture transformative change?
5. WPS agenda: Is the MENA approach (and specifically, movement building) contributing to advancing the WPS agenda?
6. How does the approach take into consideration a holistic conflict sensitivity perspective including security for partners? Is there a need to strengthen any aspects of that?
Sustainability
7. Is the approach contributing to the financial sustainability of the partners [vs. dependency on core funding]? In what ways? What should be done to maximise chances of partners’ organisational sustainability (sustainability of efforts)?
8. Are effects of support provided through projects and their results sustainable? Which intervention has the most long term effect, and why? Why are some interventions less sustainable?
- 8.1 To what extent are the effects of partnerships, networks and movement building interventions sustainable [beyond project lifetime]?
- 8.2 To what extent are the effects of capacity strengthening sustainable?
- 8.3 To what extent are the effects of advocacy support activities sustainable?
Coherence
9. To what extent are different grants and projects including (Norad and Sida interventions) complementary to each other in advancing the MENA approach objectives and vision? Are there hindrances in terms of different types of funding that affect the prospects for a transformative change?
Suggested Methodology
It is expected that the midterm review will use a multi-methods approach, focusing on qualitative data collection. A major component of the methodology will be analysis of existing project documentation through desk review (this includes monitoring reports, case studies, mapping reports and other relevant documents). Other methods for primary qualitative and quantitative data collection should include:
Key Informant Interviews / Partner Consultations: Interviews can include relevant WILPF staff members, representatives from partner organisations, donors and other external stakeholders in the feminist space.
Discussion Groups / Workshops: Discussion groups or online workshops could be done with representatives from partner organisations and project teams within WILPF.
Web analytics: Particularly for the MENA hub to identify locations, preferred formats etc.
Surveys: including for feedback around the MENA Hub
Case Studies: These will be identified in due course and based on preliminary findings from documents review and perhaps initial consultations. To be identified by the consultant and in consultation with WILPF team and partners. One case study could be about the MENA hub.
The consultant is encouraged to propose innovative qualitative participatory tools for data collection.
Expected Deliverables
The following deliverables are expected- timing (except the final report deadline) to be confirmed with consultant(s) and in consultancy contract:
- Inception Report including draft of any tools
- Validation of key findings workshop(s) with WILPF staff and other participants including partners and donors.
- Draft Midterm Report (due 15 September 2024, format to be agreed upon)
- Final Midterm Report (due 31 October 2024, format to be agreed upon)
- Presentation of findings and learning to WILPF staff and donors.
Budget and Timeframe
The total budget for this MTR is 20,000 CHF. The consultant(s) is expected to provide a financial proposal that is within this budget.
The MTR is expected to start at the beginning of July 2024 and be finalised by end of October 2024.
Consultant(s)’s expertise and qualifications
This Review can be conducted by a one person team or a two-persons team.
The Consultant(s) should be able to demonstrate:
- Commitment to WILPF’s values, feminism, peace, and gender equality
- Proven professional experience conducting midterm/reviews of strategies for civil society organisations.
- Demonstrated experience applying a gender-sensitive of feminist approach to research.
- Educational background in social sciences, international development, gender and development is an asset.
- Demonstrated experience in and knowledge of the MENA region, and especially in the feminist space.
- Cross-cultural sensitivity and ability to work in cross-cultural environments.
- Excellent analysis and writing skills in English.
- Fluency in spoken and written English and Arabic
Application Requirements
This is a remotely based consultant position. It is open to individuals as well as teams of two with a mix of Arabic and non-Arabic speakers. Interested candidates should submit the following to [email protected] with “MENA Approach Midterm Review” in the subject line. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
- Updated CV(s) highlighting relevant skills and experience
- A short proposal (not exceeding 3 pages) including: a suggested approach, methodology and innovative qualitative data collection tools based on this ToR; roles (if more than one consultant); a suggested workplan with tentative breakdown of days per deliverable; and a suggested daily fee rate of the consultant(s)
- A link, attachment (of text or extracts) or description of previous relevant work such as evaluations, research, or case studies etc.
