Research 2017 International Day of the Girl

Terms of Reference for the 2017 International Day of the Girl research

1. Background and rationale

Since 2014 Plan International has undertaken 3 studies that focus on examining the attitudes and perceptions of adolescent girls in multiple countries.

The purpose of Hear Our Voices (2014) was to help girls, communities and Plan to understand the key issues that adolescent girls face today – in their own words. We learned that only 26% of girls in the study said that girls always decided if they were to marry; 1 in 3 girls said that girls never choose to become pregnant or speak up and say what they want to around boys; and 1 in 4 girls said they never feel comfortable using a school latrine.

The 4 country Girls Speak Out (2015) study built on those findings to focus on examining adolescent girls suggestions for improvements to their lives and how girls themselves would deal with barriers to equality, including issues of gender violence and early pregnancy. The girls said that in relation to early pregnancy, early marriage and safety solutions should focus on awareness raising programmes and campaigns and increased access to information. In addition girls called for more supportive attitudes from families and the community and believed that this is a two- way process with girls feeling sufficiently empowered to raise issues with them in return. In relation to the wider community, solutions tended to focus more on girls having someone they trust who they can talk to and them having the confidence to report violence and abuse.

The 3 country Counting the Invisible (2016) study sought to investigate a set of themes related to the SDGs in order to offer insights into advancing the rights of adolescent girls. The aim of the study was to understand not only the day-to-day reality for the girls that we spoke with, but also to gain insight into their thoughts on how things should be. Asked whether they thought they should have more opportunities to get on in life and achieve their life goals, the girls interviewed in all three countries overwhelmingly answered: “yes”. A number of common themes arose across the 3 countries.

• First, adolescent girls already know how they want their lives to unfold. What is necessary is to strengthen their own agency, and support them to develop self-determination, decision-making skills and self-confidence. The organisational capacity of adolescent girls can be developed through opening up spaces for girls to participate and working with community leaders can facilitate the opening of these spaces for girls, strengthening their active citizenship within their own communities. In addition, programmes can focus on developing girls' advocacy capacities so that they can demand change from local and central governments.
• Second, Economic instability is a fundamental barrier to girls reaching their life goals. Girls did not feel that they had adequate opportunities to succeed in life and achieve their life goals. They felt that more should be done to improve their access to opportunities.
• Third, a focus should be placed on working with mothers, fathers and other family members to recognise the importance of supporting their daughter’s wellbeing, challenging attitudes that normalise violence in the home and improving the low value that is currently attributed to girls within families.
• Finally, the study demonstrated how boys’ own attitudes are informed by ingrained social and cultural norms regarding how boys and men should behave. Because these remain unchallenged in their communities, adolescent boys’ capacity to understand their own roles in contributing to violent attitudes and behaviours in their homes and communities is limited. Therefore engaging boys and men as agents of change to promote the benefits of more gender-equitable relationships is integral to improving the situation for adolescent girls.

The findings from all three studies reinforce existing literature on the key aspects for addressing gender inequalities and discrimination.

The findings from all three studies also provide an opportunity to document and analyse the perceptions of girls in light of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Over the last 3 years girls in different contexts and in response to different questions have told us what they are worried about, and their concerns all link to the SDGs and the progress that they seek to enable.

Therefore for International Day of the Girls 2017, a research paper will be produced which will combine 1) a thought-piece synthesising the 3 studies and analysing the findings in relation to the SDGs and what governments need to prioritise for girls based on their own experiences and perceptions; and 2) a 2 country study which investigates the views of girls and boys on what creates positive change for girls and who are the change-makers that influence social norms.

This Terms of Reference seeks to identify and appoint a consultant(s) in relation to the second component of the IDG 2017 research paper – to undertake the two Plan International country qualitative study with boys and girls, as well as possibly contribute to the same research being carried out in 1-2 National Offices.

1. The overall aim of the work:

The overarching objective is to identify the tipping points for social norm change – the identification of enabling factors and conditions that positively contribute to social change at the individual level and collective level. If we see girls leading change in the world, the identification of these positive enablers are critical to inform the movement for change in girl’s lives.

1. Specific objectives
2. To conduct research with girls and boys in two countries to interrogate their understanding and experiences of how positive change happens in dispelling gender stereotypes.
3. To work with girls and boys who to identify who are the change-makers that influence social norms in moving towards a more gender equal society.
4. To work with boys and girls identify positive enablers of change for girls that would allow them to for e.g. go to school; seek advice on SHRH; report instances of gender based violence or domestic violence; seek out positions of leadership in schools and communities; work with community leaders to influence gender norms; be empowered to refuse consent in inter-personal relationships, amongst others.
5. To elicit the above information in a way that acknowledges and interrogates the intersecting vulnerabilities that girls and boys may experience in any given community.
6. Methods and stakeholders

The research methodology must generate meaningful data and analysis on the perspectives of girls and boys on the enabling factors which contribute to positive social change on gender equality.

In order to generate this meaningful data that responds to the research objective, a qualitative methods approach will be applied to the research. This will capture the perceptions, attitudes and experiences of adolescent girls and boys and also the complexity and changing realities of their lives through applying qualitative methods in the form of open questions and creative and reflective workshops. The insights derived from the qualitative methods will allow the research provide insights into social norms within households, community dynamics and social relations.

The target sample size will be set at 100 adolescent girls and boys in each country. Given the small scale and qualitative nature of the research, a purposive sampling[1] approach will applied. Guidelines must be developed to send to the Plan International country offices in order to frame a selection of girls and that align with the intersectionality focus of the research. The selection criteria is as follows:

• girls and between the ages of 15 and 19
• two diverse groups of identities of girls reflecting intersectional characteristics and/or intersecting vulnerabilities
• two differing locations across the country, one rural and one urban setting.
• the girls and boys must have participated in a girls empowerment initiative such as Champions of Change.

Gender and programme staff from Plan International Country Offices will collaborate with the consultant to identify specific groups of adolescent girls facing intersecting vulnerabilities and risks, such as being marginalised, excluded or discriminated against. The selection of the particular identities and groups of adolescent girls will be based on the Country Office’s current programme evidence and practice.

Once the characteristics and locations of target respondents are identified by gender and programme advisers from Plan International Country Offices, the Country Office will contact local offices from these areas and ask them to collaborate with local partners in the communities to mobilise adolescent girls and boys who fit the criteria. Ethics and consent principles must be applied and the consultant will have to undertake an ethics approval process in line with Plan International’s Research Policy and Standards.

The adolescent girls and boys are required to participate in reflective workshops and group discussions. These workshops must be guided by participatory action research principles, which centre around inclusive strategies for gathering information that involve the people directly affected by an issue in learning about or addressing that issue, and then linking that learning with identifying potential opportunities for addressing the issue or taking action.

The content from the reflective workshops must be collated. All qualitative data must be transcribed if conducted in a language other than English. Quality control measures must be identified and put in place. Qualitative data must be analysed using Nvivo or similar software which allows for data to be inputted, coded and analysed.

Sub-analysis must be applied to the data. Typical sub-group differences that may be applied (based on demographic data collected from the research participants) include:

• age
• location
• ethnicity
• education (i.e. number of years of schooling completed or in school/out of school)
• marital status
• girls with or without children.

In line with the participatory nature of the research, a collective analysis workshop session must held in each country with researchers and Plan International gender and programme staff. The researchers should facilitate these sessions and compile the results into a report. The detail of these results, although subjective, provide an excellent form of cross-checking anticipated versus actual revelations of the findings.

A draft report for each country setting out the methodology and findings and analysis must be produced. The draft country reports must be sent to the research reference group and relevant Plan International country director for review and input.

The research will be undertaken in two Plan International Country Offices. The selection of Country Offices will be finalised in conjunction with the consultant once appointed but in all likelihood will involve one country from Latin Africa and one from Africa.

An additional component to this consultancy is the need to train 1-2 National Offices to conduct this research in their settings. The National Offices will then send the qualitative data to the consultants, who will analyse and write up the methodology, findings and analysis for the National Offices into separate National Office reports to be used in their territories.

All of these will be then used by Plan International to draft a comprehensive report for International Day of the Girl 2017 together. Therefore these reports which are the subject of this consultancy will not be the final IDG product, though they should be in publishable, proofread and edited form for use in the countries, which is the responsibility of the consultant.

A reference group for this work will consist of the Director of MERL; IH research manager; IH Head of Communications; IH Head of Advocacy; IH Global Gender Advisor and possible representatives from participating NOs. The consultant/team will be expected to interact with and brief the reference group.

1. Deliverables
   4.1 A detailed methodology and set of research tools for the research in 2 Plan International Country Offices and possible 1-2 National Offices as well.
   4.2. Training for possible 1-2 National Offices to conduct the research.
   4.3 An ethics application and ethics approval confirmation
   4.4 A set of drafts reports setting out the findings from the research based on the objectives and methodologies set out in sections 2 & 3 above.
   4.5 A set of final, edited and proofread reports incorporating any comments from the reference group.
2. Target audience and users of the reports

The target audience is adolescent girls, boys and communities in the countries that the work was carried out in. Likewise governments and the NGO sector in those countries. More broadly, the target audience is global NGOs, UN agencies and other institutions working on gender equality, children’s rights and the SDGs.

The primary users of the research include Plan International’s Global Influencing and Partnership Department; BIAAG, International Programme Department; National Offices, Country Offices It is also intended that the reports will form the basis of briefing adolescent girls who will be participating in the IDG 2017 ‘take overs’.

1. Timeline

There is a hard finish to this work which must be completed by Mid-August 2017. Penalties based on the contract price will be applied to deliverables which are not submitted by this date.

1. Selection criteria for consultant(s)
   Qualification and Experience:
2. Relevant academic background (Master’s Degree preferred).
3. Significant professional background in qualitative research on perceptions and experiences of adolescent girls and boys in developing and developed countries, with a minimum of 4 years experience in conducting field research of this nature and collating and analysing findings.
4. Previous experience in conducting similar work for INGOs or international donors will be preferred.

Knowledge and skills:

• Excellent analytical, facilitation, interpersonal, communication and reporting skills.
• Knowledge experience of using research analysis software such as Nvivo.
• Understanding of development, child rights and gender equality and rights based programming.
• Excellent written and spoken English and Spanish.
• How to apply

Interested consultant(s) are requested to base a proposal on this Terms of Reference, including an initial work plan (to be elaborated on if awarded the assignment) and budget; CV(s), one sample of previous work and 2 references. The proposal shall demonstrate an understanding of the intent, scope and complexity of the work. Interested consultant(s) are requested to submit the proposal on or before March 21, 2017 to procurement@plan-international.org, Plan International, Dukes Court, Duke Street, Woking GU21 5BH or email. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to participate in an interview (either in person or via skype) in the week commencing 24 March 2017.

1. General
2. This work will be managed by Jacqui Gallinetti, Director of Research and Knowledge Management at Plan International Headquarters, Woking.
3. All documents prepared during the assignment will be treated as Plan International’s property.
4. The assignment will not be sub-contracted to anyone.
5. In the event that additional time is required to complete the contract, over and above that previously agreed to, without changing the scope of work, then it has to be agreed by Plan International in writing.
6. In case of any change made, in the scope of work by Plan International because of an increase or decrease in the cost or time required for performance or any part of the work under the contract, equitable adjustment in the contract price, delivery schedule, or both will be amended in writing.
7. Confidentiality of all the assignment will be assured at all times.
8. Copyright in the work product of the assignment will rest with Plan International.

[1] Purposive sampling is a non-probability form of sampling, applied when research targets specific characteristics of people or contexts. It differs from random sampling, as participants are selected on the basis of criteria most relevant to the research questions. Purposive sampling does not allow researchers to generalise findings to a population.

HOW TO APPLY:

All replies to Procurement@plan-international.org