Consultant - We Have Rights End of Project Evaluation

Project Title: We Have Rights: Protecting IDP and Minority Women and Girls from SGBV in Southwest Somalia and Somaliland

Project Duration: 3 years (August 1, 2022 - July 31, 2025)

Project Location: Somalia, Uganda, South Sudan, Sudan, and Ethiopia

Donor: UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women

Evaluation Commissioning Manager: SIHA’s Regional MEL Coordinator will commission the evaluation

Duration of consultancy: 40 days over a 14-week period | Starting June 23, 2025

Location: Remote with 40% travel to some of the project implementation countries, where feasible.

1. BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

1.1 Background and Context of the Project

The Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa (SIHA Network) is a regional coalition of civil society organizations operating across Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, Somaliland, Ethiopia, Djibouti, and Uganda. Founded in 1995 by grassroots activists, SIHA works to advance gender equality by combating systemic oppression, ending gender-based violence (GBV), dismantling harmful cultural and religious norms, and expanding women’s access to justice and economic opportunities. Through advocacy, capacity-building, and direct interventions, SIHA empowers marginalized communities, particularly in conflict-affected regions, to challenge patriarchal structures and drive social change.

Since 2022, SIHA has implemented the “We Have Rights” Project in South Central Somalia and Somaliland, funded by the UN Trust Fund. This $1M initiative prioritizes protecting internally displaced (IDP) and minority women and girls from sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in high-risk areas like Hargeisa and Banaadir. The project combines survivor-centered services (medical, legal, and psychosocial support), legal advocacy for progressive legislation (e.g., the Sexual Offenses Bill), community dialogues to challenge harmful norms, and movement-building to amplify marginalized voices. By addressing intersectional vulnerabilities linked to clan hierarchies, displacement, and gender inequality, the project aligns with Somalia’s Humanitarian Response Plan and the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework, fostering lasting protections for women and girls in fragile contexts.

1.2 Description of the Project

The We Have Rights Project was designed to address the alarming prevalence of sexual violence (SV) against internally displaced (IDP) and minority women and girls in Somalia, where decades of conflict, ethnic tensions, and political instability have normalized gender-based violence. The project aligns with the 2022 Humanitarian Response Plan for Somalia, which prioritizes improving access to GBV services for vulnerable groups, including IDP adolescent girls, minority clan women, and FGM survivors. It also supports the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework, which seeks to enhance equitable access to essential social services, including GBV response mechanisms.

Sexual violence in Somalia has surged, with the UN documenting a nearly 80% increase in rape cases in 2020 compared to the previous year. This escalation is linked to insecurity, political tensions, inter-communal clashes, and the intensified activities of armed groups like Al-Shabaab, which uses rape as a weapon of war. At the community level, sexual violence reinforces male dominance in a society where traditional masculinity is increasingly challenged by women’s socio-economic roles. Marital rape is not criminalized, and intimate partner violence is often dismissed as a private matter.

The situation is particularly dire for IDP and minority women and girls, who face heightened risks due to a lack of protection, insecure living conditions, and systemic discrimination. According to a UNFPA Somalia Annual Report (UNFPA, 2022), between 2019 and 2021, 74% of survivors accessing GBV and Comprehensive Maternal and Reproductive Health (CMR) services were IDPs, with 99% being female, indicating heightened vulnerability for displaced women and girls to GBV in Somalia UNFPA, 2022). Compounding these challenges, harmful practices like FGM/C (affecting over 90% of Somali women) and child marriage (with 16% of girls married by age 15) persist, further entrenching gender inequality and sexual exploitation (Federal Government of Somalia, 2020).

1.3 Strategy and Theory of Change/Results Chain

The project is grounded in a rights-based and survivor-centered approach to addressing sexual violence against women and girls (SVAWG) in Somalia, particularly targeting displaced and minority women and girls who face systemic discrimination, marginalization, and barriers to accessing services and justice. The strategy centers around enhancing access to comprehensive services, strengthening the capacity of key stakeholders, and enabling legal and policy reform through evidence-based advocacy and coalition building.

Overall Goal: By July 2025, displaced and minority women and girls in Somalia will have improved access to safe, survivor-centered health services and strengthened legislation and policy frameworks that promote accountability and justice for sexual violence.

Outcomes:

• Outcome 1: Women and girls survivors of violence in 10 IDP communities and from minority groups in Banaadir and Hargeisa have improved access to safe and adequate comprehensive services.
• Outcome 2: Diverse coalitions of women and girls’ rights organizations and grassroots groups, inclusive of IDP and minority women and girls, influence laws and practices to prevent and respond to SVAWG.

Outputs:

• Output 1: 1,100+ community members have increased awareness of survivors’ rights and harmful social norms.
• Output 2: 150 frontline service providers trained to deliver survivor-centered services.
• Output 3: 80 judicial/legal actors supported to enhance survivors access to justice.
• Output 4: 80 VAWG survivors supported with skills for income generation and peer support.
• Output 5: 200 key stakeholders informed through evidence-based research.
• Output 6: 15+ media professionals amplify voices of IDP and minority women and girls.
• Output 7: 10+ women's organizations strengthened for collective action.
• Output 8: Two active CSO coalitions advocate for SVAWG legislation.

Key Activities:

• Awareness sessions in IDP communities
• Women-to-women dialogues
• Radio shows
• Establishment of community protection groups
• Trainings for service providers
• Support to shelters/safe houses
• Home counselling visits
• Capacity-building workshops for the judiciary
• Training of paralegals- Dialogues with elders/religious leaders
• Provision of legal aid and counselling
• Peer support training
• Peer support group formation
• Business skills training- Start-up capital support
• Research on prevalence and drivers
• Dissemination events
• Awareness workshops for journalists
• Dialogues with survivors
• Trainings on rights and law
• Coalition-building and advocacy trainings
• Protection/security training for WHRDs
• Coalition establishment and quarterly meetings
• Advocacy strategy development
• Advocacy campaign implementation- Regional/international advocacy participation

2. PURPOSE OF THE EVALUATION

The final evaluation aims to assess the effectiveness of the project in addressing sexual violence (SV) against IDP and minority women and girls in Somalia, with a focus on Hargeisa and Banaadir. The evaluation will examine the project relevance, impact, sustainability, and contributions to improving survivors’ access to services and advancing legal protections. It will also identify lessons learned, challenges, and innovative approaches that emerged during implementation to inform future programming and advocacy efforts.

This evaluation should align with the project’s dual focus:

1. Strengthening comprehensive services for SV survivors (e.g., medical care, psychosocial support, legal aid).

2. Influencing laws and policies to criminalize SV and ensure accountability, particularly for women and girls from IDP and minority communities.

   By capturing shifts in knowledge, attitudes, and practices among target communities and policymakers, the evaluation will highlight the project’s role in dismantling patriarchal norms and fostering a more inclusive women’s movement in Somalia. The project supports Somali women’s rights organizations, which have been leading the fight against sexual violence (SV) but are often excluded from decision-making. By working with civil society, government, and other partners, the project would support the improvement of survivor protection and push for systemic change.

Additionally, this evaluation is expected to highlight key lessons, challenges, and successful approaches from the project. It will also measure changes in community and policymaker attitudes, showing how the project helped challenge harmful gender norms and strengthen the women’s rights movement in Somalia.

3. EVALUATION OBJECTIVES AND SCOPE

3.1 Scope of the Evaluation

The evaluation will cover:

• All project activities implemented over three years (e.g., capacity-building for CSOs, awareness campaigns, advocacy for the Sexual Offenses Bill).
• Geographic focus: 10 selected IDP settlements in Hargeisa and Banaadir, where SV prevalence is high.
• Target groups: IDP/minority women and girls, frontline service providers, women’s rights organizations (WROs), and policymakers.
• Cross-cutting themes: Gender equality, human rights, and intersectionality.

3.2 Objectives of the Evaluation

Overall, the evaluation will:

1. Assess the entire project (August 1, 2022 – July 31, 2025) against effectiveness, relevance, efficiency, sustainability, and impact (intended/unintended) in addressing SV against IDP and minority women and girls.
2. Identify lessons learned and promising practices (knowledge generation) for future programming.
3. Ensure a gender-responsive, human rights-based approach across all criteria.

Specific Objectives

1. Determine the extent to which the project achieved its intended outcomes, especially in improving access to survivor-centered services and advancing legal and policy reforms. For example,

• Awareness of SV rights and services among IDP/minority women.
• Attitudes of community leaders and service providers toward SV survivors.
• Engagement of women’s groups in advocacy and decision-making spaces.

2. Document lessons and good practices, such as:

• Effective approaches to survivor-centered advocacy (e.g., coalition-building, community engagement, policy and advocacy, and media campaigns).
• Strategies for engaging religious/traditional leaders in norm change.
• Innovations in economic empowerment to reduce SV vulnerability.

3. Evaluate project performance against OECD-DAC criteria:

• Relevance and coherence of the project’s Theory of Change, including the validity of its underlying assumptions and the project’s alignment with Somalia’s Humanitarian Response Plan and community needs.
• Impact: Reduction in SV cases and improved access to justice/services.
• Sustainability: Potential for continued advocacy and service delivery post-project, and the factors influencing long-term impact.

4. Identify cross-cutting insights, including

• How the integration of gender, youth, and climate considerations was integrated into project interventions.

5. Identify challenges, opportunities, and recommendations, including:

• Barriers to policy reform (e.g., resistance to the Sexual Offenses Bill).
• Gaps in service provision (e.g., medical, legal, psychosocial support).
• Opportunities for replication or scale-up.

4. EVALUATION QUESTIONS AND CRITERIA

The evaluation must address the following questions, structured by OECD-DAC criteria (relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact, sustainability), and incorporate intersectional gender and human rights perspectives.

1. Effectiveness

• To what extent were the intended project goal, outcomes, and outputs (project results) achieved and how?
• How did they influence project outcomes, including increasing access and protection of women and girls from IDP and minority communities from Somalia?
• To what extent did the project improve outcomes for IDP/minority women and girls, including increasing access to quality SV services, shifting harmful community practices and norms, and strengthening legal and policy reforms?

2. Relevance

(Focus: Appropriateness of approaches for Somalia’s context)

• To what extent do the achieved results (project goal, outcomes, and outputs) continue to be relevant to the needs of women and girls?
• How effective and contextually appropriate were the project’s key strategies, including grassroots women’s advocacy, awareness campaigns, and survivor-centered service delivery?

3. Efficiency

(Focus: Delivery of outputs, collaboration, challenges)

• To what extent was the project delivered cost-effectively? (e.g., timeliness, budget use, resource optimization).
• To what extent did economic empowerment initiatives reduce the vulnerability of SV among IDP/Minority women?

4. Sustainability

(Focus: Post-project continuity, local ownership)

• To what extent will the achieved results, especially any positive changes in the lives of women and girls (project goal level), be sustained after this project ends?
• To what extent are the SGBV prevention and response efforts likely to continue post-project based on the capacity and ownership of local partners like WAAPO and SDWC, the durability of established community structures like the Community Protection Groups established in 10 IDP camps, and the women's coalitions?
• To what extent is the government’s commitment to enforce laws and policies that protect women and girls from SV?

5. Impact

• To what extent has the project contributed to ending violence against women, gender equality, and/or women’s empowerment (both intended and unintended impact)?

6. Knowledge Generation

• To what extent has the project generated knowledge, promising or emerging practices in the field of EVAW/G that should be documented and shared with other practitioners?

Cross cutting

7. Gender Equality & Human Rights

To what extent did the project advance gender equality and human rights by addressing intersectional vulnerabilities like clanism and disability in service delivery?

8. Lessons & Recommendations

• What key challenges emerged during implementation?
• What actionable recommendations can inform future programming in Somalia?

5. EVALUATION DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY

The evaluation will employ mixed methods, comparing baseline data (qualitative and quantitative) with endline findings to measure changes in survivors' access to services (e.g., referrals, justice mechanisms), shifts in community attitudes toward SV and harmful practices (e.g., FGM/C, child marriage), and policy advancements (e.g., adoption and enforcement of SV laws).

5.1 Proposed Evaluation Design

The consultant will use a mixed-methods approach, ensuring alignment with the project’s intersectional and survivor-centered framework:

5.2 Data Sources

• SIHA-provided: Baseline report, Mid Term Review Report, Semi-Annual Reports, activity reports, Research and advocacy materials.
• Primary data: Field visits to Hargeisa/Banaadir IDP settlements (if safe; otherwise, remote via local consultants).
• Secondary data: Policy documents and other relevant reports and materials

5.3 Proposed data collection methods and analysis

• Desk Review: Project documents, baseline/end line data, policy drafts.
• Key Informant Interviews (KIIs):
• Survivors (IDP/minority women and girls).
• CSOs (WAAPO, SWDC), women’s groups, legal/health service providers.
• Government (Ministries of Women, Justice), religious/traditional leaders.
• Focus Group Discussions (FGDs):
• Separate groups for minority women, male allies, and youth.
• Surveys:
• Quantitative data on service access and attitude changes.
• Disaggregation by gender, age, minority group, disability, etc.
• Thematic analysis of qualitative data; statistical analysis of surveys.

5.4 Proposed Sampling Methods

The evaluation will adopt a purposive and stratified sampling strategy to ensure representation of diverse groups, including women of different age groups, women with disabilities, IDPs, and minority communities. Sampling will be guided by project participant data, ensuring that perspectives from IDP and minority communities, coalition members, and policy stakeholders are adequately captured. Where possible, baseline and mid-term review data will be used to triangulate findings and provide a more robust understanding of the project’s contribution to systemic change. The consultant is expected to propose a detailed evaluation methodology in the inception report.

5.5 Field visits

Remote options (phone/video KIIs) are encouraged if fieldwork is restricted.

5.6 Level of Stakeholder Engagement

Share draft findings with SIHA/partners for feedback through a sense-making and validation forum to discuss key findings, lessons learned, and best practices, and provide feedback that will be incorporated into the final evaluation report.

6. EVALUATION ETHICS

The evaluator/s must put in place specific safeguards and protocols to protect the safety (both physical and psychological) of respondents and those collecting the data, as well as to prevent harm. This must ensure the rights of the individual are protected, and participation in the evaluation does not result in further violation of their rights. The evaluator/s must have a plan in place to:

• Protect the rights of respondents, including privacy and confidentiality.
• Elaborate on how informed consent will be obtained, and to ensure that the names of individuals consulted during data collection will not be made public. For survivors under 18, parental/guardian consent must be obtained.
• The evaluator/s must be trained in collecting sensitive information and specifically data relating to sexual violence against women, and select any members of the evaluation team on these issues.
• Data collection tools must be designed in a way that is culturally appropriate and does not create distress for respondents.
• Data collection visits should be organized at the appropriate time and place to minimize risk to respondents.
• The interviewer or data collector must be able to provide information on how individuals in risk situations can seek support (referrals to organizations that can provide counseling support, for example, WAAPO, SWDC, BAHICOP)

7. EVALUATION TEAM COMPOSITION

7.1 Roles and Responsibilities

• SIHA’s Role: Commission the evaluation process, provide project documents and stakeholder contacts, and oversee ethical compliance.
• Lead Consultant: Submit weekly progress updates; address risks (e.g., security, data gaps), prepare a PowerPoint presentation and present the final evaluation at a dissemination meeting, and produce a 5-page summary of the evaluation or an infographic. (Templates will be provided.)
• Local Consultant: Secure community access and translate tools/interviews (Somali/English).
• Report Editor: Provide oversight in drafting and editing of the report

The Lead Consultant is expected to hold the following qualifications in order to be eligible for this position:

• Relevant academic qualification is preferably a master’s degree in one or more of the following disciplines: Social Sciences, Development Studies, Statistics, and Gender Studies.
• Evaluation experience of at least 5 years in conducting external evaluations, with mixed-methods evaluation skills, and flexibility in using non-traditional and innovative evaluation methods.
• Expertise in gender and human-rights-based approaches to evaluation and issues of violence against women and girls.
• Experience with program design and theory of change, gender-responsive evaluation, participatory approaches and stakeholder engagement.
• Specific evaluation experiences in the areas of ending violence against women and girls.
• Experience in collecting and analyzing quantitative and qualitative data as well as data visualization.
• In-depth knowledge of gender equality and women’s empowerment.
• A strong commitment to delivering timely and high-quality results, i.e. credible evaluation and its report that can be used.
• A strong team leadership and management track record, as well as interpersonal and communication skills to help ensure that the evaluation is understood and used.
• Good communication skills and ability to communicate with various stakeholders and to express ideas and concepts concisely and clearly.

Other Competencies required:

1. Excellent analytical, editing, and writing skills in the English language;
2. Proven accuracy and attention to detail;
3. Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate and work well with diverse and multicultural supervisors and staff members.
4. Demonstrated ability to meet deadlines and work under pressure.

8. MANAGEMENT ARRANGEMENT OF THE EVALUATION

The evaluation will be led by a consultant or consulting firm (remote or in-country), who will be responsible for the overall design, coordination, and delivery of the evaluation. To ensure contextual relevance and meaningful engagement with affected communities, the consultant or firm must include a Somalia-based consultant within their team (if based outside Somalia). Additionally, they will be responsible for recruiting and managing a team of enumerators to collect field data in selected locations.

Enumerators should be gender-balanced, based in the targeted locations (e.g., Hargeisa and Banaadir), fluent in Somali, and trained in survivor-sensitive research approaches. The consulting team must ensure that all field staff are adequately trained in ethical and confidentiality protocols, particularly regarding engagement with survivors of sexual violence and other vulnerable groups.

9. TIMELINE OF THE ENTIRE EVALUATION PROCESS

The evaluation will be completed within 14 weeks (see schedule below). All deliverables must align with the project’s survivor-centered, intersectional approach and Somalia’s context.

Deliverable Schedule:

Deliverables/Tasks

• Inception Report (Detailed methodology, work plan, ethical protocols- template will be provided). 10 days allocated. To be completed by June 20. 2025
• Data Collection Tools (Adapted to IDP/minority women’s needs). 3 days allocated. To be completed by June 24, 2025
• Incorporate feedback from SIHA & UNTF on the inception report and data collection tools. 5 days allocated. To be completed by June 30, 2025
• Data Collection (Remote/in-person in Hargeisa/Banaadir). 20 days allocated. To be completed by July 30, 2025
• Draft Evaluation Report (Shared for SIHA/partner feedback- template will be provided). 10 days allocated. To be completed by August 30, 2025
• Incorporate feedback from SIHA & UNTF on the draft report. 10 days allocated. To be completed by September 15, 2025
• Validation Meeting. 01 day allocated. To be completed by September 20, 2025
• Final Evaluation Report (Incorporating inputs, 30 pages max, PowerPoint presentation, and a 5-page summary of the evaluation or an infographic - (templates will be provided). 10 days allocated. To be completed by September 25, 2025

Total Duration: 14 weeks over 40 working days.

Note: The Timeline is adjustable based on security/logistics in Somalia. Remote coordination if fieldwork is restricted.

Interested consultants should submit their applications markedvia link: https://airtable.com/appHNyMhgTH7cHVt3/shrD0ne053OXuAg9E. The application should include:

1. A technical proposal outlining the understanding of the assignment, methodology, work plan, and timeline (Max 10 pages).
2. A financial proposal detailing the costs associated with the end-of-project evaluation, including tax obligations and administrative and operational expenses. CV(s) of the consultant(s) or team members, highlighting relevant experience.
3. Two samples of previous work related to the end-of-project evaluation for a similar project.
4. Applications should be submitted no later than June 15, 2025, and all queries related to the ToR should be directed to [email protected].
5. Two copies of reports of similar work conducted

Shortlisting will be done on a rolling basis. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. If you don't hear from us 15 days from closure of the advertisement, kindly know that your application was not considered.