Myanmar: End of project evaluation, Myanmar

TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR END OF PROJECT EVALUATION USING OUTCOME HARVESTING METHODOLOGY

Introduction to Saferworld

Saferworld is an independent international organisation working to prevent violent conflict and build safer lives. We have programmes in around 20 countries and territories across Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Europe. We work with local people affected by conflict to improve their safety and sense of security, and we conduct wider research and analysis. We use this evidence and learning to improve local, national and international policies and practices that can help build lasting peace. Our priority is people - we believe that everyone should be able to lead peaceful, fulfilling lives, free from insecurity and violent conflict. Saferworld Myanmar has four key focus areas: a) justice and security, b) gender, c) conflict sensitivity and d) inclusive governance. In all our programming, we put the needs of communities first to achieve our objectives.

Overview of the Project

Saferworld, in partnership with two civil society organisations, is implementing a project titled “Strengthening community security and security sector governance in Myanmar**”**. The project, which is funded by Paung Sie Facility, focuses on what we term ‘community security’. Our community security approach is about helping to make sustainable improvements to people’s experiences of safety and security. It is both about the end state – where communities feel safe and secure – and the process by which communities are supported to identify and address their own security needs through collaboration with the wider community and the involvement of authorities. Community security initiatives can be used to tackle a range of security problems from crime, gender-based violence, lack of trust between communities and security providers, inter-ethnic/religious tensions, and those that are often linked to broader ‘human security’ issues related to people’s health, education and livelihoods. Over the past three years, Saferworld and our partners have formed 15 community groups in the southeast and strengthened their confidence and capacity to resolve their security concerns together with authorities.

The project aims to contribute to more peaceful, secure, and resilient communities in Myanmar in whichcommunities, civil society and local authorities in target locations, including marginalised groups such as women, work together to improve peace and stability, and authorities become more responsive to community needs.

Purpose and objectives of the evaluation

The purpose of the end or project evaluation is to assess the intended and unintended outcomes of the project and determine the level of the project’s contribution to these outcomes.

The specific objectives of the evaluation are to:

• Identify and describe the outcomes (expected and unexpected) from the project implementation;

• Establish the contribution (causal link which is either direct or indirect) of the project to the identified outcomes;

• Establish the status and potential of sustainability of the project after 33 months of the implementation;

• Identify good practices and lessons learnt related to the project’s operational contexts and management, including actors engaged, methods applied in the implementation, cost-effectiveness and value for money, risk management, conflict sensitivity, gender inclusion, adaptability to changing context, and changes observed;

• Assess how the capacity of our civil society partners in community security has improved, how partners were involved in project management, and how effective the approach/model of partnership has been.

Evaluation Methodology

This evaluation will exclusively use Outcome Harvesting (OH) methodology. The focus on the Outcome Harvesting evaluation is to interact with various categories of participating actors with the aim of establishing how they have behaved differently as a result of the project activities. It is expected that the evaluator will engage the project team, civil society partners and participating actors in the identifying and documenting of significant outcomes realised during the project implementation.

To collect and review data on the outcomes, the Evaluator(s) will be expected to, at minimum:

• Review the project documents including monitoring data on the outputs and outcomes and identify preliminary outcomes;

• Conduct interviews with project team members to expound on the identified outcomes and to generate more significant outcomes;

• Attend the biannual programme review and outcome harvesting workshop, 25-26 September in Yangon.

• Conduct interviews and/or focus group discussions with civil society partner staff to further discuss already harvested outcomes and to further identify more outcomes. This includes holding interviews and focus group discussions with partners during and after the outcome harvesting workshop. Partner CSOs will stay in Yangon on September 27^th for this specific purpose.

• Hold focus group discussions with project participants in selected locations to further generate evidence on the documented outcomes in project locations across the southeast.

• Hold an analysis workshop with the project team to critically make sense of the identified outcomes and to validate selected outcomes.

Activity schedule

The evaluation is expected to run from 17^th of September 2018 to 19^th October 2018. This period includes an inception workshop with the project team and participation in our outcome harvesting workshop, followed by desk review, key informant interviews, focus group discussions, site visits, outcome analysis, reporting writing, and feedback/revisions.

Key expectations from evaluator(s)The evaluator(s) will be expected to submit the following deliverables on time and in compliance with Saferworld quality standards.

• Maximum 5 page inception report detailing the evaluation methodology, work plan/schedule and draft data collection tools (following the inception meeting.

• Validation workshop to present evaluation findings with the project team and CSO partners after producing the draft evaluation report. This should include a short presentation of outcome findings, insights into contribution pathways and feasible recommendations.

• Final evaluation report of no more than 20 pages (excluding executive summary, references and annexes). This will be presented to Saferworld in 2 hard copies and soft copy on Friday, 19 October.

• Other documents/materials, such as raw data files, quantitative data files, transcripts of FGDs, photographs taken, outcomes matrix per partner.**Requirements**

Saferworld is looking for an interested and experienced individual evaluator or a team of evaluators to conduct this evaluation. The applicant(s) must have:

• At least five years of experience in conducting evaluations on peacebuilding, conflict management, conflict sensitivity, and/or other relevant sectors.
• In-depth knowledge of the Myanmar context, especially dynamics in the project areas in the southeast.
• An advanced degree in developmental studies, peace and security, and/or other relevant field.
• Demonstrable practical experience in participatory monitoring and evaluation approaches.
• Practical experience in Outcome Harvesting and/or utilisation focused evaluation tools will be an added advantage.
• Knowledge of peacebuilding and conflict management processes and approaches.

Interested candidates should submit:

• Expression of Interest outlining motivation, relevant experience and suitability for the consultancy (maximum 1 page)
• An outline of the methodology and timeline proposed for the assignment (maximum 2 pages)
• A sample of previous work relevant to the assignment
• CV
• Contact details for two referees
• An indicative budget, including details of daily rates (travel-related costs in-country will be covered)

A soft copy of the application should be sent to saferworldmyanmar@saferworld.org.uk. Your e-mail must have the subject heading indicating CSSSG End of Project Evaluation.

Deadline for applications is 4^th September 2018.

We regret only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. It is anticipated that interviews will take place 6^th and 7^th September 2018.