Consultant - Research on a multi-hazard school safety programming in ASEAN: its impacts on girls’ access to education

Background

ASEAN Safe Schools Initiative (ASSI) was established and endorsed by the ASEAN Committee on Disaster Management (ACDM) in January 2013 to promote Disaster Risk Reduction in Education sector across ASEAN countries. This initiative is a priority of the ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response (AADMER) Work Programme 2016-2020 (Priority Programme #2: Building Safe ASEAN Infrastructures and Essential Service) and the ASEAN Work Plan on Education 2016-2020 (Priority Area 5.2: Promoting inclusion of disaster risk reduction in national curriculum through support to relevant sectors’ initiatives).

In alignment with the technical thrust #4: Information and Knowledge Management, conducting and sharing evidence-based research and case studies, this ASSI Project Phase 5 will be conducting a research activity that focuses on the impacts of school safety programming in ASEAN on girls’ rights to education. It seeks to contribute to the wider best practices gathering and dissemination and our advocacy efforts to AMSs with regards to promoting the discussions on gender perspectives in school safety implementation in the context of multi-hazard ASEAN.

It is critical to discuss about this through a research. Studies around gender and disaster reports that women often suffer disproportionately higher impacts in disasters than men including disruption to education or being more vulnerable to forced child marriage.

Purpose of the consultancy

This multi-hazard research will study on the impacts of school safety programming in ASEAN on girls’ right to education. In consultation with relevant stakeholders and ASSI team, this research can propose qualitative and quantitative methods that include survey, sampling, interviews and focus group discussions. It can also conduct field observation of sampled schools that had implemented and showcased good practices on how school safety programming positively impacts children’s increased access to education in at least two ASEAN countries.

The research looks to focus on safe school implementation through a gender lens, contributing to creating sound practices and evidence-based research and discourses on gender and school safety in ASEAN, as well as promoting learning and exchanges of multi-hazard approach to a research in ASEAN.

The hypothesis of this research:

H0: the investment in multi-hazard school safety programming in ASEAN countries has not generated positive impacts on girls’ increased access to education.

H1: the investment in multi-hazard school safety programming in ASEAN countries has increased girls’ access to education.

Key questions:

1. Has the investment in multi-hazard school safety programming in ASEAN countries generated positive impacts on girls’ access to education over the last 5 years?

2. What specific interventions have been vital in improving girls’ access to education/school?

The targets of the research:

1. Senior/top level governments at the Ministry of Education (MoE) and National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) in ASEAN Member States.

2. Other relevant line agencies involved in the school safety work.

3. Academic community, practitioners, and regional partners and stakeholders.

Scope of consultancy

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

• Develop a detailed research plan including its methodology and timeline.
• Collect and analyze data and resources relevant to comprehensive school safety implementation in ASEAN and girls’ right to education.
• Implement the plan to develop the research including desk review, focus group discussion, interviews, field observations and other activities when necessary.
• Provide draft research to be presented and consulted with ASSI stakeholders including ASSI Programme Management Team, ASSI country facilitators and Technical Working Group.

Time frame

The consultant is required to accomplish all the expected deliverables within 20 working days in July – October 2019.

Experience and skills requirements

• Experienced and having sound methodology in multi-hazard research and school safety implementation.
• Having education background and experience in risk reduction and resilience in Education sector.
• Having the trust and/or acceptability to work with key partners: Save the Children, Plan International, World Vision, ASEAN Secretariat, as well as the NDMOs and Ministries of Education throughout the region.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, in English. Fluency in at least one (1) ASEAN language is an advantage.
• Demonstrated ability to deliver projects on time.

Roles and responsibilities

a. Consultant(s) will:

• conduct and consult with ASSI stakeholders on the development of the research
• adhere to the timeframe agreed with the ASSI PMT

b. ASSI PMT, Technical Working Group, and the implementing partners will:

• provide inputs to the consultants in the process of developing the research, including providing feedbacks to the draft output
• coordinate with country focal points for the organization of country-based research

c. Wahana Visi Indonesia/World Vision will:

• provide a contract to the service provider
• pay for the services rendered within 30 days of satisfactory completion of work

Terms and conditions

i. All financial bids should be inclusive of all costs related to the work. ASSI will cover the necessary travel costs of the consultant to selected countries where the research will be conducted.

ii. Individual consultants or companies will be asked to sign all necessary documents according to World Vision/Wahana Visi standard policy and procedure.

iii. No advance payment will be paid for the work.

iv. Selection process and awarding of contract will be done immediately after the closing date.

v. The agreed costs will be paid to the recruited consultant/ company after the satisfactory delivery of work upon receipt of letter-headed invoice in accordance with World Vision payment policies.

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