Consultant - Rapid Humanitarian Needs Analysis at Christian Aid Nigeria (CA)

Christian Aid (CA) is a UK-based international NGO, partnering with others to end poverty in Africa. At the heart of this vision is the transformation of the lives of people who live in poverty, empowering them to have a brighter future. Christian Aid works in more than 30 countries and has been operating in Nigeria since 2003. The Nigeria Country programme focuses on Community Health and HIV, Accountable Governance including humanitarian response and Gender.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Consultant - Rapid Humanitarian Needs Analysis

Location: Borno
Contract type: Short-term consultancy
Period: 25 days
Start Date: 15th November 2017
End date: 9th December 2017

Background

• Concerned with the high humanitarian needs of citizens in the northeast states of Nigeria caused by insurgency of Jama‘atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS),commonly known as Boko Haram related violence and military measures/operations, which have left widespread devastation in the region, forcing more than 2.2 million civilians to flee their homes.
• People trapped in conflict affected areas fear death and abduction and many are missing, while the destruction of infrastructure and disruption of livelihoods have exacerbated pre-existing low levels of access to education and health services.
• Boys are forcibly recruited by armed groups and thousands of women and girls have been subjected to sexual abuse, enslavement, while some have been used as suicide bombers.
• Communities in Borno, are hosting most of the IDPs, overstretching food, water and the provision basic services. Maiduguri, Borno’s capital, alone has received almost half of all the IDPs in the north-east.
• The situation is compounded by the lack of access to livelihoods strategies as communities cannot access land to undertake agriculture for self-provisioning. Other income deriving livelihoods strategies are under threat from the insecurity that is prevailing in the North East.
• Christian Aid is implementing humanitarian response programme to save lives, to reduce morbidity and suffering, contribute to increasing capabilities, absorptive, adaptive and explore transformative capacities to initiate and regenerate livelihood strategies among the IDPs and local host communities with the overall impact to assimilate improved wellbeing outcomes in face of conflict, shocks and stresses.
• CA is using various response modalities to address the food and nutrition security including; unconditional cash to beneficiaries to support them to enable access to food from the markets where markets are functional; food assistance to support access to food for communities unable to access food through the market; provide a cleaner environment for the displaced populations through supporting access to clean water sources, improving the public health and hygiene; capacity building the communities to utilise effectively the food resources they access through hygiene promotion, nutrition education and addressing cases of moderately malnourished community members; and reduce morbidity.
• This is being further developed to encompass accountable programming that is inclusive, conflict sensitive and supportive of the affected communities by mainstreaming protection, addressing gender based violence and integrate mental health and psychosocial support. CA works in the NE Nigeria with ACT Alliance members, partners and the humanitarian community in NE to ensure that gaps are addressed, coordinated humanitarian response is guaranteed for the conflict affected vulnerable community members.
• The Humanitarian Response Programme in NE Nigeria’s objectives are; to deliver selected and targeted life-saving interventions to the most vulnerable IDP and host communities in selected LGAs in Borno state; build the capacity of the Country Programme, local CSOs and community groups to participate effectively in assessing, articulating and delivering humanitarian interventions; document and share lessons and best practices to the Agency; ACT Alliance and humanitarian community at large in line with Core Humanitarian Standards and country and global communities of practice.
• The overall aim of the rapid need assessment is to conduct a multi-sector needs of IDPs in the above named accessible LGAs in Borno State with focus on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene; food and nutrition security; livelihoods, and mainstreaming protection with special focus on inclusion, accountability, advocacy; information sharing and coordination; and supportive conflict sensitive programming.
• CA is undertaking this needs assessment to understand and prioritised needs per household, state and gender.
• CA focusses on promoting market based interventions where possible and would in addition seek information to enable exploring market accessibility for the implementation of cash and market based programming.
• In achieving inroads in the mainstreaming of protection CA is seeking information on protection gaps in NE to assess the protection needs of the affected communities.
• Job Location: Accessible LGAs of Borno State with emphasis in LGAs CA has programming presence in Borno State.

Need Assessment Purpose & Scope

• The purpose of the humanitarian needs assessment is to conduct and document humanitarian needs of the internally displaced persons in the accessible targeted LGAs, with interest/focus on the following emergency sectors (Protection, WASH, Food security/ livelihood and Nutrition). in addition; The Needs Assessment Research team will also undertake a desk review of the humanitarian context and response, current actors in Borno State and the respective sectors they are programming and where feasible the locations, and coverage; market access with the view to explore cash based programming and risk factors CA need to incorporate in programming especially in LGAs CA is currently programming.
• CA will share the output of the evaluation with partners and relevant stakeholders such as donors, UN agencies, SEMA, clusters/sectors and INGOs, as such quality data gathering, and reporting is an imperative for the assignment.

Specific Objectives

• To assess the humanitarian needs of IDPs for food security/ livelihood, Nutrition, WASH and protection in accessible LGAs of Borno State with emphasis in LGAs CA has programming presence. (Please find list attached)
• To determine and document the baseline and indicators for the 4 key sectors– food security/livelihood, Nutrition, WASH and protection in accessible LGAs of Borno State with emphasis in LGAs CA has programming presence.
• To understand the prioritised needs of IDPs per household and gender per LGA.
• To identify, examine and document other humanitarian actors working in the same target states/communities, as well as identify gaps and areas of compliment.
• To conduct market access and feasiblity for the implementation of cash based interventions in accessible LGAs of Borno State with emphasis in LGAs CA has programming presence.

Methodology:

• The methodology should combine a wide range of methods (e.g. quantitative, qualitative, and participatory) which will include community questionnaires, focus group discussions, KIIs, KPA and physical observation. Including the use of simple analytical tools and information sources to allow triangulation of information and ensure impartiality and balanced needs analysis and incorporating community participation and feedback. CA will require a participatory methodology, whereby the assessor engages relevant key stakeholders, including SEMA, IDPs, host community leaders and other humanitarian actors. This will ensure a comprehensive understanding of diverse needs of target population.
• The methodology should also explore means of identifying the most affected, who they are, where they are, estimated numbers (if accurate figure is not possible), groups etc. In addition; explore better ways of engaging local actors in humanitarian response and preparedness, what support (including capacity) they need.

Consultancy Days
The consultancy shall last for a period of 25 working days excluding traveling days including report writing and submission of Draft and then A Final Needs Analysis Report. Submit all data sets and analysis in retrievable form for use in programming response planning.

Consultancy Responsibilities

• Prior Engagement submit an understanding of ToR for evaluation and discussions with CA, Country and Africa Regional Humanitarian Teams.
• Take the lead in developing tools for the needs assessment process and present them for review by Christian Aid and incorporate inputs.
• Undertake briefing/training of the data collection team including enumerators and FGD facilitators (research assistants) to help in data collection process.
• Participate in and supervise data collection and ensure accuracy and quality assurance in the rapid needs assessment process. The consultant is responsible to ensure data validity, consistency and accuracy and to submit reports written in good standard English. If these standards are not met, the consultant will, at his/her own expense, make the necessary amendments to bring the reports to the required standards.
• Conduct data entry, data cleaning, and data analysis. Compile and submit a draft report to Christian Aid to make its input before a final copy will be produced and submitted to Christian Aid.
• Prepare and a separate present summary key findings and recommendations to CA.

Deliverables

• An Inception report written in English language submitted electronically. This report should clearly outline the approach (sampling framework, data collection strategy, methodologies, assessment ethics process, quality assurance process etc.).
• Conduct field visits to all the project local government areas and communities in each state including interaction with a cross section of stakeholders in each LGA/state.
• Submit soft copy of primary quantitative and qualitative data collection tools and description of the process of development of the tools.
• PowerPoint presentation of content of training for enumerators, as well as agenda for the training before field visit.
• Submit soft copy of fully “cleaned” datasets of all collected data in two formats; Excel and SPSS or STATA format.
• Presentation of summary key findings and recommendations to CA
• Submit final soft copy of Needs Analysis Report that is clear, simple, concise and free of jargon, with main body not exceeding 15 pages (inclusive of executive summary and recommendations). Technical details should be confined to appendices, which should also include a list of key informants, number of FGD sessions and the assessment team’s work schedule.
• Five (5) hard copies of the document printed in 12 font size bound professionally.

Consultant competencies:

• At least 4 years demonstrable knowledge and experience on participatory research methodology including the conduct of needs assessment in humanitarian response.
• Knowledge and expertise in participatory research methodologies and humanitarian principles and practices.
• Demonstrable analytical, writing and communication skills.
• Knowledge of humanitarian response in North East Nigeria.
• Experience in assessment report writing.
• Demonstrate knowledge and ability to speak, understand and translate Hausa fluently.

Budget and Terms of Engagement

• Provide CA the necessary accommodation, communication and transportation costs budget to be incurred by the consultant to be covered by CA
• All other costs incurred will be covered from the consultancy fee. 5% withholding tax will be deducted at source from the total cost of the consultancy fee.
• 40% of the consultancy fee will be paid when the contract is signed, and the balance paid on receipt of the submission of an acceptable final report and summary of key findings including recommendations.

Application Closing Date
13th November, 2017.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should submit a proposal to: [email protected]

The proposal should include the following:

• Overview of consultant’s academic qualifications and relevant experience to be included in his/her CV. The CV should also include the contact details such as physical location, telephone number and email address
• Description of the Scope of Work to be performed
• Proposed methodology and work plan
• Include as an appendix, an example of a previous need assessment report
• A Financial Proposal including the Budget to Cover Costs to be borne by CA and Consultant Cost including All Elements needed to accomplish the Task.