TOR For Breaking barriers and increasing access” – An Assessment of persons living with disabilities in Baidoa, Somalia

TOR: Breaking barriers and increasing access” – An Assessment of persons living with disabilities in Baidoa

1. Brief introduction of Save the Children Country Office

Save the Children International (SCI) is a non-governmental organization whose mission is to fight for children’s rights and deliver immediate and lasting solution to children’s lives worldwide. SCI has been operational in Greater Somalia for over 40 years. Current programs straddle relief and development in various sectors including Health, Nutrition, Child Protection, Child Rights Governance, Vocational and Skills Training, Education, Food Security and Livelihoods (FSL), Child Poverty Reduction and Water and Sanitation services. SCI Somalia works in Somaliland, Puntland and Southern States of Somalia to help communities cope with drought, conflict, displacement and flood, and most recently COVID-19 pandemic. Save the Children International has profoundly invested in humanitarian and development projects by getting financial and technical support from international donor community.

Focusing on Somalia Government National Development Plan and challenges faced by children Save the Children designed a Country Strategic Plan (CSP) for 2019-2021 and breakthroughs which include: Most deprived children 0-5 years of age have a strong start in life; children (6–14yr) have a better foundation for a bright future; young people (15-24yr age) become socially and economically productive citizens; girls and women have greater voice, choice and control over decision affecting their lives, and strengthening government and civil society capacity to sustain child wellbeing in Somalia.

2. Background 

As cited in the WHO World Report on Disability (2011)[1], persons with disabilities form the largest minority group globally. However, data on the prevalence of disability and on the situation of persons with disabilities are very often lacking or of poor quality. The WHO estimates that 15% of the global population are persons with disabilities. Of this, approximately 80% live in developing countries. In Somalia, the majority of these are among the poorest part of the population and face various physical, attitudinal and institutional barriers to access food, health, shelter and protection on an equal basis with others. As such, it is essential that Save the Children take actions in order to effectively identify and respond to the specific needs and rights of children with disabilities who are most at risk of being left behind.

Save the Children Somalia Country Office with the financial support from Save the Children Finland is implementing “Breaking barriers and increasing access” project, an inclusive intervention support for basic food security and child protection for people living in drought and conflict affected areas of Baidoa, Somalia. The project addresses most vulnerable households’ urgent needs to prevent further deterioration of food security, malnutrition, health, and gender-based violence in Baidoa District, in the southern Bay region of Somalia. The primary beneficiaries of the project are households with persons or children with disabilities. The intervention includes a monthly cash transfer of USD 50 per household for 1,400 households over a period of 8 months. In addition to cash transfers, the project includes structured support to caregivers on parenting and child-feeding practices, child protection case management support for individual children and their families and community-based awareness creation on prevention and response to child protection harms including gender-based violence and recruitment of girls and boys into armed groups. The theory of change for the project is mainly based on two of SCI’s common approaches: Resourcing Families for Better Nutrition and Parenting without Violence common approach. The integrated project will directly benefit 10,400 persons and 14,400 indirectly from 1 April 2020 to 30 September 2021.

Attempts have been made to assess the situation of persons/children with disabilities in Somalia, including in Baidoa. Most of the studies done so far have focused in estimating the number of children with disabilities and their distribution across the country; assessing the demographic, socio-economic and socio-cultural characteristics of children with disabilities; determining the nature, types and causes of impairments; identifying the specific barriers to participation and accessing education, health, nutrition and protection services by children with disabilities and describing the legal and policy framework regarding persons with disabilities in Somalia. For instance, the latest Rapid Assessment of the Status of Children with Disabilities in Somalia (2020) commissioned by the Ministry of Women and Human Rights Development (MoWHRD)[2] identified attitudes towards children with disabilities such as persons with disabilities can’t contribute to the family welfare and children with disabilities are a sign of bad luck and bring drought and poverty. The assessment also confirmed that children with disabilities experience different child rights violations, including physical assault, name calling, abuse and denial of access to services. Awareness about child rights and specifically rights of persons and children with disabilities is low.[3]

However, number of research and assessments looking at disability in Somalia is still very low and based on very limited sample size. As acknowledged by existing research reports, there are still numerous evidences gap to better understand the experiences of persons and children with disabilities living in Somalia, the barriers and challenges they face, and how they and their families have responded to them, including in relation to protection, child feeding and access to food. In addition, most of the existing studies have not used right based approach and have not engaged disability persons’ organisations and persons and children with disabilities themselves as active participants. In order to understand the situation better, it is important to compare how protection risks, food insecurity and access to food are different for children with disabilities and children without disabilities in same households.

3. Objectives and scope of the assignment 

The general objective of this qualitative assessment is to generate evidence on the situation of children with disabilities and their families in Baidoa. The specific focus is to understand the particular vulnerabilities that children with disabilities face in relation to food security, food access, and protection risks (violence, abuse and neglect), to document children’s and their families’ subjective voices, experiences and perceptions on food security and protection risks and their effects on them and their lives.

The specific research questions of the assignment are: 

• What forms of violence, abuse and neglect do girls and boys with disabilities in Baidoa experience and how does it impact children with disabilities and their families?
• Are there differences in the care and feeding practices, access to food and risk of food insecurity between children with disabilities and children without disabilities?
• What are the mitigating/protective factors contributing to food insecurity and vulnerability to violence, abuse and neglect among children with disabilities in Baidoa (e.g. living circumstances, type of impairment, sex, age, relationship with parents/caregivers)?
• What are the coping strategies of children with disabilities and parents/caregivers of children with disabilities towards food security and protection risks?
• What kind of support do children with disabilities and parents/caregivers of children with disabilities need for better food security and for children to be better protected from violence, abuse and neglect?

4. Intended users of the study and key stakeholders involved  

The findings from the assessment will be used by project implementation team, government, civil society and other stakeholders to design better food security and child protection interventions for children with disabilities and their families to prevent and respond to violence and abuse of children with disabilities.  The assessment will also be used to advocate for realization of the rights of persons and children with disabilities.

The assessment will involve organisations for persons with disabilities, children with disabilities and parents/caregivers of children with disabilities as active participants throughout the process. The other key stakeholders such as community members, religious leaders, government and Save the Children staff will be closely involved.

5. Geographical scope 

This study will be conducted in the Baidoa district where the prevalence of disability is high, there is larger proportion of internally displaced persons, and people are affected by drought and conflict. Interviews will be conducted in the IDP camps and the host community targeted by the project. The selection of respondents for Key Informant Interviews will be in consultation with the local organisations for persons with disabilities and local SCI staff.

6. Methodology 

The study is expected to involve mix-methodology of structured questionnaire, including Washington Group Disability Questions, and standard food security indicators (including food consumption score, dietary diversity, etc.) prepared and administrated to collect quantitative data; and qualitative data collection methods such Key Informant Interviews and Focus Group Discussion will be implemented. The consultant(s) shall follow proper prevention measures to protect both the respondents and data collectors from the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Consultant and SCI staff will discuss and agree on the methodology and data collection approach before the commencement of field activity. Irrespective of the type and methodology of the data collection, data should be disaggregated by age, sex, location and Washington Group Questions’ six core domains of functioning: seeing, hearing, walking, cognition, self-care, and communication.

6.1. Secondary data review (desk review)

The consultant(s) will carry out a desk review before primary data collection. Documents to be reviewed include but are not limited to (SCI documents to be provided by SCI):

• Project proposal document, logical framework and monitoring reports (including post distribution monitoring reports)
• Existing relevant government policies and laws and research initiatives/programmes by agencies in Somalia.
• Child Rights Situation Analysis by SCI
• SCI Child Safeguarding Policy and Code of Conduct

6.2 Primary data collection tools, and data analysis level

The consultant(s) will develop data collection tools in collaboration with SCI staff. The study should use both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Tools to be used with children need to be child-friendly and ensure accessibility for children with disabilities. Qualitative tools need to capture voices of girls and boys with disabilities and voices of parents/caregivers of children with disabilities.

6.3. Sampling

The sampling methodology and size will be agreed together by SCI and the consultant(s). SCI should in all cases review and decide whether to approve any further modifications or changes made.

7. Deliverables  

7.1. Inception report

The consultant(s) will provide a detailed inception report to SCI after the initial meeting and desk review have taken place. The report should clearly present findings from the desk review, the proposed assessment design, methodology, proposed sample framework and proposed sample size and location, how the assessment will be carried out describing data collection tools and type of respondents. The inception report should also provide information on how accessibility requirements for children and persons with disabilities will be considered. Methodology to address data quality issues should be explained in the report. The inception report should also provide a clear matrix of roles and responsibilities indicating the persons involved in the assessment and their roles, the key internal and external stakeholders to be involved, a detailed work plan with expected outputs/deliverables and timeline and a detailed financial breakdown including the number of days and persons involved. The consultant should include a detailed plan on how the assessment team will be trained and the tools field tested.

7.2 Data collection tools and related materials

The final data collection tools that will be used with target groups will be shared by the consultant(s) prior to the data collection process after the tools have been tested and possible modifications to them based on the tests have been made.

7.3. Reports 

1. a) Draft report: A full report with main text of maximum 30 pages excluding cover page, table of contents, abbreviations, executive summary and annexes. The draft report should be delivered in a soft copy in English. References should be fully cited after all important facts and figures. The analytical reports of the findings should be presented in a qualitative format. The report should as a minimum include the following elements:

• Front page with the title of the study, date, and authors of the report
• Table of contents
• List of abbreviations used
• Executive summary (3-4 pages) that presents the key points of the different sections
• Background, objectives, and the intended use of the study
• Methodology and limitations of the study
• Findings
• Conclusions and recommendations
• Relevant annexes, which as a minimum must include:
• Tools used
• List of key informants interviewed or consulted including SCI staff, community leaders, government officials, etc. (if permissions obtained)
• Bibliography of the documents reviewed
• Terms of Reference for the study

1. b) Final assessment report:The assessment report will be considered final only after incorporating the feedback from stakeholders, SCI and partners.
2. c) Power point presentationwith the main findings of the assessment.

• Raw data  

Both raw and processed data shall be delivered to SC at the end of the study:

• Meta-data of the study, detailed explanation of steps followed in the data analysis, should be presented in a way that the analysis can be replicated in the future.
• All original study instruments with their recorded field data.
• Copies of all Excel files / databases used for data analysis
• All products, power point presentation, factsheets, dissemination products remain the property of SCI.

8. Permissions 

The consultant takes responsibility of getting permission or clearance from the local government in cases such requirement is mandatory to conduct the study. SCI will support the paper work if an introduction letter is needed.

9. Ethics and child protection 

The study team is obliged to conduct the assessment in an ethical manner making sure children are safe at all times. The consultant(s) should seek the views of various stakeholders, including children. Efforts should be made to make the assessment process child-centred and sensitive to gender and inclusion.  The assessment team must respect the rights and dignity of participants as well as comply with relevant ethical standards and SCI’s Child Safeguarding Policy and Code of Conduct. The assessment must ensure a voluntary, safe and non-discriminatory participation and a process of free and un-coerced consent. Informed consent of each person (including children) participating in data collection should be documented.   

EXPRESSION OF INTEREST

The minimum required documents;

1. Technical proposal clearly capturing the approach and methodology
2. Financial proposal

• Past similar experience – please attach previous stamped contract

1. Relevant CVS of the lead consultants and team members
2. Firm/individual profile

Interested applicants should submit the minimum required documents through email; CSS.LOGISTICS@savethechildren.org with the subject line of the email body, “Consultancy Services for the Breaking barriers and increasing access – An Assessment of persons living with disabilities in Baidoa – Somalia”

Applications will close by 10:00AM on 1^st February2021 

[1] https://www.who.int/disabilities/world_report/2011/report.pdf

[2] https://resourcecentre.savethechildren.net/library/rapid-assessment-status-children-disabilities-somalia

[3] For more information about situation of persons and children with disabilities in Somalia, see the following report (and its references): Strengthening disability inclusion in the Child Sensitive Social Protection (CSSP) project and the Humanitarian project in Baidoa in Somalia, Save the Children and Abilis Consulting (2020)