Gender and Livelihoods Analysis in Karamoja:
ToRs for a Consultant/Consultancy Firm
1. Background:
Oxfam GB (OGB) has been working in Uganda since 1960 implementing humanitarian and long-term development Programmes. OGB’s National Change Strategy (NCS; 2007 - 2013) specified the following interrelated strategic directions:
1. Reducing rural poverty though promoting sustainable livelihoods,
2. Increasing resilience to disasters and climatic variations,
3. Building accountability,
4. Promoting gender equality, and
5. Protecting the rights of marginalized groups (mainly pastoralists; PLWHIV and women).
The country programme is currently operating in three geographical areas of Karamoja region (Kotido and Kaabong districts), Acholi-land (Kitgum and Lamwo districts) and Rwenzori region (Kasase and Bundibugyo districts). Livelihoods is a key theme for the three geographical programmes (focusing on agriculture development for farmers, pastoralists and agro-pastoralists) with strong mainstreaming of gender, governance and disasters risk reduction (DRR).
OGB has a long history of supporting the pastoralists and agro-pastoralist communities of Karamoja through various interventions including the formation, training and support to women groups to administer grain stores. Its current country programme in Karamoja has the following objectives:
1. To build the assets, economic opportunities, and resilience of female and male pastoralists and agro-pastoralists and members of other minority groups in Kotido & Kaabong Districts.
2. To increase access to appropriate production services (mainly animal health & water) for male & female pastoralists, agro-pastoralists and members of other minority groups in Kotido & Kaabong Districts.
3. To strengthen accountability mechanisms and promote active citizenship to hold those in power to account.
4. To increase the responsiveness of national policies to pastoralist livelihoods and the needs of the people of Karamoja.
5. To promote socio-economic empowerment of poor women in Karamoja.
Interventions under the first four objectives are funded by Irish Aid and focusing on the two districts of Kotido and Kaabong. Interventions under objective five are funded by Oxfam Ireland (OIE) and focusing on:
a. Strengthening gender aspects of previous and current Oxfam interventions in Karamoja though research and learning, among other mechanisms,
b. Piloting a replicable model for women socio-economic empowerment in one sub-county (Kotido sub-county) aiming at expanding learning into the whole programme,
c. Addressing Gender-based Violence (GBV) in the two districts of Kotido and Kaabong.
The emphasis on promoting gender equality is a true reflection of the significant gender inequality and its strong correlation with poverty in Karamoja. In this male-dominated and most impoverished region of Uganda, women’s burden is particularly heavy especially in terms of water collection where sources are often far, which increase women’s workload and put them at greater risk of abuse such as rape or transactional sex in exchange for access to water. Women are subject to forced and early marriage for girls, female genital mutation (FGM) and a significant power imbalance between men and women. Women’s inability to effectively participate in, and take advantage of, available development opportunities is rooted in the unequal gender relations that define their social and production relations. Unequal control over productive resources, including land, results in women having limited control over the products of their labour.
Cultural attitudes towards gender limit the role that women can or aspire to play in public life, limiting the appropriateness of services to women’s needs, their ability to engage in economic activities to improve their incomes, assets or capabilities, and to contribute to the well-being of the families and children. Men control resources, and exercise great control over women.
2. Rationale and objectives of the consultancy assignment:
Oxfam’s emphasis and commitment to promote women’s socio-economic empowerment in Karamoja necessitates better understanding of how the gender roles and power relations influence on women’s abilities to identify, exploit economic opportunities and control assets in the pastoralists and agro-pastoralists context of Karamoja. In preparation to design and implement a replicable model for women socio-economic empowerment in Kotido sub-county, OGB is planning to hire a national consultant to undertake a gender action research in Kotido Sub County to achieve the following objectives:
1. Analyze the current situation of women socio-economic empowerment in Kotido sub-county as an input to: (a) suggest interventions and strategies in accordance with objectives 2 and 3 below, and (b) collect key baseline information, which will be used to assess the progress of the suggested interventions.
2. Suggest practical interventions to promote women socio-economic empowerment in sustainable and market-oriented manner.
3. Suggest appropriate (context-specific) strategies and approaches to implement the suggested interventions.
3. Key tasks of the assignments
1. In view of this ToR, prepare a technical proposal detailing the methodology you will use to conduct the assignment,
2. Discuss the technical proposal (to be submitted as part of the application by the interested consultants) with Oxfam team for comments and approval.
3. Prepare a work-plan to guide the implementation of the whole assignment in line with the approved methodology.
4. Guided by the approved methodology and work-plan, assess the current status of gender equality in Kotido sub-county and suggest practical interventions to promote women’s socio-economic empowerment based on market-based interventions as well as appropriate implementation strategies.
5. Submit draft report in accordance with the objectives of the assignment for OGB’s comments and feedback.
6. Produce and present final report to OGB team and relevant partner organizations.
4. Deliverables of the assignment:
1. A final report in-line with the aforementioned objectives providing key baseline information of the current status of gender equality and women’s socio-economic empowerment in Kotido sub-county and; detailing suggested practical interventions and appropriate implementation strategies and approaches to promote women’s socio-economic empowerment
All information and deliverables of the assignment are to be submitted in electronic form to OGB, which retains the sole rights with respect to all distribution, dissemination and publication of the deliverables.
5. Implementation arrangements:
· The consultant shall work closely with OGB’s Gender Programme Manager based in Kampala as well as OGB’s team in Kotido.
· OGB’s Gender Programme Manager shall be the technical contact person while OGB’s Programme Manager in Karamoja will be responsible for the overall management of the assignment.
· OGB shall provide all logistical requirements (including transportation for field work) inputs as per the work-plan to be submitted by the consultant and approved by OGB.
6. Duration
The duration of this assignment is 15 working days to be accomplished by the Mid September 2011.
7. Application and selection criteria:
The following criteria will guide the selection of the consultant
· Post university degree in relevant field (e.g. gender studies, or business administration, or development, with a bias in Gender and livelihoods)
· Excellent knowledge and proven practical experience in designing sustainable market-based livelihoods interventions to promote women’s socio-economic empowerment
· Good understanding of gender mainstreaming in livelihood programmes in Uganda
· Proven track record of conducting studies relevant to gender and livelihood analysis with focus on women socio-economic empowerment in pastoralists context.
· Excellent research skills including proficiency in using quantitative and qualitative data analysis packages.
· Ability to communicate verbally and report writing skills
· Good interpersonal skills
· Proven records of commitments to deadline and quality work
Interested consultants should apply to Oxfam GB in Uganda, Plot Number 3459, Tank Hill Road, Muyenga, P.O. Box 6228, Kampala-Uganda or email to or or not later than 17th August 2011.
Interested consultants should submit the following:
(a) Application letter,
(b) Curriculum Vitae,
(c) Sample of similar work by the applicant, and
(d) Technical proposal detailing the methodology you will use to conduct the assignment in line with the ToR.
Only short listed candidates will be contacted and invited to discuss their application.
8. Rumination and terms of Payments
The total numeration for this assignment is $4000 (Four Thousands US Dollars) inclusive of all costs expect transports, food and accommodation during the field work in Karamoja. Payment will be made in three installments as follows:
· 1st installment: 15% of the total fees upon signing the contract,
· 2nd installment: 15% of the total fees upon the approval of the technical proposal.
· 3rd installment: 40% of the total fees upon submission of the draft reports
· 4th and final installment: 30%of the total fees upon OGB’s approval of the final report.
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