Terms of Reference for conducting National Comprehensive Child Protection Assessment in Somalia

Terms of Reference for conducting National Comprehensive Child Protection Assessment in Somalia.

1. Background

The humanitarian situation in Somalia remains fragile due to Widespread drought, flash floods, ongoing conflict and subsequent mass displacement have destroyed the traditional protective and support mechanisms leaving children and their families vulnerable to a variety of child protection concerns including family separation, violence, abuse and exploitation, threats to children’s safety and security.

Somalia has experienced protracted crises for the past three decades; these crises impacted negatively the well-being of the country’s population. The country has experienced years of conflict, disasters, and insecurity which have all contributed to very low scores for most health indicators due to poor governance, protracted conflict, underdevelopment, economic decline, poverty, social and gender inequality, and environmental degradation.  The three-decade-long protracted conflict has led to widespread psychosocial trauma, social deprivation and substance abuse with devastating consequences on mental health. Children are particularly affected by crises; the majority of children and young people exhibit signs of mental health disorders. Children and young people have unmet mental health and psychological needs.

Despite the massive humanitarian need, access to children in need of protection is restricted by security constraints in many regions of south and central Somalia and information relating to child protection is generally limited. Negative coping mechanisms such as child labour, early marriage and increased recruitment of young boys by various armed actors is also on the rise. The crisis also increased the vulnerability of women and girls to the risk of sexual and gender-based violence.

It is against this above background that the National Child Protection Area of Responsibility (CPAOR) will undertake an in-depth countrywide comprehensive Child Protection assessment to better understand the main child protection concerns and issues affecting children in Somalia. This will enable the CP AOR actors to better plan and prioritize programmatic responses within the frame of the 2024 Somalia Humanitarian Response Plan. Additionally, the outcome of this national CP Assessment will provide evidence-based data on the key child protection issues impacting on children and will help Child Protection partners in making evidence informed programme decisions especially when developing new programmes in the immediate future. The assessment will complete other related assessments such as the MSNA, VOICES, and already completed assessments.

1. Objectives

The objectives of the child protection assessment are to; -

• Determine the scale of the protection risks and related needs for children in Somalia
• Determine potential and actual capacities existing on the ground including local and international actors and the communities to respond to the existing risks and needs.
• Propose a coherent set of priorities/recommendations for strengthening the current responses- including geographical and programmatic areas of priority.

1. Methodology

The assessment employed mixed methods design in data collection and analyses. Both quantitative and qualitative approaches will be used. The consultant is expected to employ wide-range of data collection methodologies including, but not limited to:

• Secondary data review and desk review
• Key informant interview with the community leaders, Child protection community-based structures, child protection practitioners working directly with the affected children in the targeted locations to better understand perceptions of safety between children, adolescent girls and boys, and their caregivers).
• The quantitative component included questionnaires and data mined from relevant authorities and stakeholders in respective data collection sites
• A validation workshop to validate the findings

1. Scope of Work and Assessment Area of Focus.

The assessment is designed based on the knowledge already available and the scope is not limited to identification of child protection issues and systems, but also understanding the root causes, as well as the functionality and capacity of the systems to adequately and effectively address the child protection issues. In this regard, the approach of the assignment focused on core areas as follows:

• Child Protection and Related Issues: Understand and Determine the drivers to and key child protection related concerns for children, their magnitude, the categories of children affected, the perpetrators and the circumstances that expose children to such violations.
• Generate empirical data on the trends of the identified concerns and the impacts that they have on children.
• Document voices of children and caregivers to understand their protection needs and concerns
• Map out Existing community-based child protection systems and structures including CP service points (CFS’s, Child Protection desks, one stop centers), community child protection committees. The assessment sought to understand the formal and informal child protection systems that exist in the community, how they function, and if there exist any linkages between the formal and community child protection systems.
• Assess the strengths and gaps existing in child protection programmes (policies, legal framework & interventions) generally and propose how such programmes could be enhanced for the benefit of the children.
• Capacity gap Assessment: Institutional capacity is an important element in evaluating the ability, performance, challenges, and gaps of any child Protection entity. The assessment explored the work, human resources, logistics, systems, networks, linkages and processes of the various organizations involved in child protection.
• Validation of the assessment results and report writing: Analyse the findings, support from the CPAOR coordination mechanisms at state, regional and district level, conduct validation workshops to validate the findings and complete the report.
• Dissemination of the report

1. Duration of the assignment.

The overall assignment will cover a period of 3 months –including training of enumerators, document review, development of tools, fieldwork, data analysis, reporting and validation workshops.

1. Expected Deliverables.

• An inception plan clearly indicating activities, timelines, assessment tools and delivery plan.
• A comprehensive assessment report based on the objectives.
• Organize a one-day dissemination workshop for the stakeholder.

1. Expertise required.

The Consultant will work in close collaboration and support from Child protection program team, MEAL and Child Protection Area of Responsibility (CP AoR). Therefore, the applicant should have the following minimum qualifications and experiences:

• Advanced university degrees in social science, preferably with multi‐disciplinary trainings
• Significant international exposure and some experience in working with the UN and NGOs in the emergency context
• Demonstrated experience in giving effective policy advice to the Government.
• Established track record in conducting high-quality research in child protection.
• Established record in work on integrated social and child protection systems.
• Strong analytical, synthesizing, report writing and presentation skills.
• Must be willing and able to work independently.
• Good communication, advocacy and people skills.
• Ability to communicate with various stakeholders in multi‐cultural contexts and to express ideas and concepts concisely and clearly in written and oral form.
• Language proficiency: Fluency in English is mandatory, good command of Somali is an asset.

Selection Criteria

The recommendation for the award of the contract will be based on the best combination of a technical and financial score. All proposals will be assessed on their technical merit and price.

1. Safeguarding

SOS Children’s Villages organization is committed to safeguarding the rights of the children and therefore, it is expected that every individual who joins or working with SOS Children’s Villages Somalia understands his/her responsibility in protecting and keeping children safe always. SOS Children’s villages Code of Conduct sets out the standards which all staff members must adhere to and the consultant is bound to sign and abide by the SOS Children’s villages Code of Conduct.

A contract will be signed by the consultant before commencement of the action. The contract will detail terms and conditions of service, aspects on inputs and deliverables. The Consultant will be expected to treat as private and confidential any information disclosed to her/him or with which she/he may come into contact during her/his service. The Consultant will not therefore disclose the same or any particulars thereof to any third party or publish it in any paper without the prior written consent of SOS Children’s villages. Any sensitive information (particularly concerning individual children) should be treated as confidential.

An agreement with a consultant will be rendered void if SOS Children’s villages Somalia discovers any corrupt activities have taken place either during the sourcing, preparation and implementation of the consultancy agreement.

Interested and qualified consultant should submit the following to SOS CV Somalia:

1. The technical proposal detailing the methodology of undertaking the assignments described in the TOR, tentative work plan as well as relevant knowledge and technical expertise of the consultant/consultants undertaking the assignment.
2. The financial proposal indicates all-inclusive costs for undertaking the tasks described in this Terms of Reference (ToR).
3. Company profile or CV including a minimum of 3 references
4. A sample of previously conducted similar studies.
5. Detailed budget breakdown based on expected daily rates.

How to Apply: To submit applications for this consultancy, please send the documentation to: [email protected]

Please send your completed applications not later than 9th July, 2023