1.     Presentation of the service

 

Title of the Report:	Always Included – Uninterrupted education for children with disabilities before, during, and after crisis
HI Entity:	Advocacy and Institutional Relations
Objective of the service:	Report (25 to 30 pages long)
Duration of the service:	Between 20 to 23 working days, during the period 15 June -29 October 2023
Location of the service:	Consultant’s usual workplace location Geographical focus of the report: Burkina Faso, Madagascar, Palestine.
ToR last updated:	15/05/2023
Authors of ToR:	Inclusive Development Advocacy Manager Information & Publication Advocacy Manager

2. Presentation of the document

2-1- Why this document?

Inclusive education is a thematic priority for Humanity & Inclusion’s international advocacy, with a strategic advocacy focus on strengthening the engagements of bilateral and multilateral donors in support of the education of children with disabilities in low and middle-income countries.

The stagnation of financing for education and a still-limited prioritization of a disability-inclusion approach affect progresses towards the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal n.4 on inclusive and quality education.

To fulfil the right to education for all, education systems need to become more inclusive for children and youth with disabilities and, at the same time, more resilient to cope with crises and to ensure education in all settings and circumstances.

This is particularly relevant in the world we live in, which is increasingly marked by multiple and simultaneous shocks, recurring and protracted crises and the impact of climate change.

Humanity & Inclusion runs inclusive education projects in 26 low and middle-income countries, both in development and humanitarian contexts and, often, in between those.

Our operational experience indicates that ensuring continuity of education is crucial, but also that children and youth with disabilities are more likely to miss out on education (and other services) when the system enters in an ‘emergency’ mode or transitions from a crisis to a post-crisis situation.

Inclusive education for children and youth with disabilities should not be put in place only when external conditions are optimal and stable, but it should be seen as an essential process embedded in education systems and pursued regardless of the external circumstances.

The “nexus” (whether humanitarian-development nexus, or humanitarian-development-peace nexus) is a well-established concept demanding both humanitarian and development efforts to be more effectively connected towards achieving collective outcomes.

Moving away from the ideal of a linear continuum from humanitarian to development approaches, access to services (like education) is often operationalised via a “contiguum approach”, through which humanitarian relief and development actions may take place – and be financed – simultaneously in a given context.

HI places “access to services” at the core of its Theory of Change and strives to strengthen the coherence of its interventions throughout the nexus. Therefore, it is for us relevant to leverage the attention on the continuity of access to inclusive quality education services via better collaboration (among humanitarian and development actors and with local actors) and coherence (between relief and development action/financing).

2-2- Document’s objectives

This report aims to:

• Raise the attention on how intersecting inequalities affect the right to education of children and youth with disabilities in crisis and crisis-prone contexts.
• Call on critical stakeholders to take action and ensure access to education for children with disabilities, without interruption, before, during and after crisis.
• Inform the strategic planning/programming of development and humanitarian donors, governments, and NGOs/CSOs, towards stronger engagements in making inclusive education and essential component of coordinated and coherent responses.

In addressing access to education before, during, and after crisis, we will focus on the distinctive HI’s policy and operational expertise and added value:

• The inclusion of children with disabilities in education (in contexts of development and humanitarian crises),
• The promotion of a multi-sectoral approach, which fosters collaboration and synergies across sectors and actors,
• The attention to intersectionality (in particular between disability, gender, and age).

2-3- Advocacy targets and foreseen use of the document

• International donors (in particular AFD, the EU, FCDO, as the donors under examination in the report, and GLAD members) – Donors’ funding and financing tools, instruments, policies and approaches are pivotal to ensure not only that education continues regardless the circumstances, but also that children with disabilities are included. Via their support, donors play a role in strengthening countries’ education systems, for better resilience and inclusion.
• UN agencies (in particular UNICEF that is under examination in the report, UNESCO, and UNGEI) – via their technical support to countries, as well as their financing and programming capacity, these UN agencies are key players in education and shape the orientations of other stakeholders.
• National governments (in particular in Burkina Faso, Madagascar, and Palestine because of the focus of this publication, but also in other countries where HI operates) – National governments are the key duty-bearers to fulfil the right to education, as the primary responsible for delivering education services to their populations. While the Ministry of Education is in lead, other relevant Ministries can also be targeted (for example, the Ministry of Social Affairs, Disability, Financing, etc.).
• CSOs, NGOs and OPDs (at the international level as well as at the national/local level, both mainstream and disability-focused) – CSOs and NGOs play a critical role in holding decision-makers accountable, calling for the needed changes, and promoting inclusion via their projects/programs. During emergencies or particularly challenging circumstances, CSOs and NGOs may also deliver education services in a given context.

2-4- Proposed methodology

The report will build on:

• Three (3) testimonies from children and youth with disabilities and their families (participants in HI projects), in the countries under focus (Burkina Faso, Madagascar, and Palestine), providing their lived experiences of barriers and enablers to fulfill the right to education in crisis and crisis-prone contexts.
• Testimonies will be provided by HI Programmes in the countries under focus.
• Three (3) case-studies from HI projects, international donors’ and governments’ efforts in the countries under focus or from other countries where these case-studies already exist, providing concrete examples of how disability-inclusion education can be ensured before, during, and after crisis.
• Case-studies will be provided by HI Programmes and/or by HI Inclusive Education Specialists.
• Desk reviews of international donors’ and UN agencies’ strategic documents and instruments, with a view to analyse how the continuity of (education) services is addressed, if the right to education of children with disabilities is taken into consideration, and if intersectional barriers are examined.
• In total, five (05) international donors and UN agencies will be under focus: AFD, FCDO, the EU, UNICEF, and Luxembourg.
• The desk reviews of international donors’ and UN agencies’ strategic documents and instruments will be carried out by the consultant, with specific elements highlighted by HI AIR and/or HI Programmes.
• Desk reviews of Education Sector Plans and/or other strategic documents shaping the education system and the public authorities’ interventions in the three (03) countries under focus.
• The desk reviews of Education Sector Plans (and/or other strategic documents shaping the education system in the countries under focus) will be carried out by the consultant, with specific elements highlighted by HI AIR and/or HI Programmes.
• Twenty (20) Interviews with key informants: HI staff in the countries under focus; local partners and Organisations of Persons with Disabilities; teachers, heads of schools and other education professionals; governmental representatives and/or local authorities; UN agencies’ representatives in the countries under focus and in head-quarters; donors’ representatives in the countries under focus and in head-quarters.
• Interviews with key informants will be carried out by the consultant.
• The list of key informants and the guiding questions to be interviewed will be defined by HI.

2-5- Ethics

We will ensure that high ethical and rigorous research standards are maintained, by following HI’s principles for ethical management of data:

• Ensure a person or community-centered approach;
• Ensure that the person’s consent is properly collected for every picture and written testimony;
• Ensure referral mechanisms are in place;
• Ensure the security of personal and/or sensitive data at all stages of the activity;
• Respect copyright for pictures, obtain permissions to use pictures, and include information related to the photographers;
• Ensure that the final outputs are never used for commercial purposes;
• Ensure the respect of the dignity of beneficiaries portrait in pictures and testimonies;
• Plan and guarantee the use and sharing of information;
• Carefully provide complete references to external sources used in the text of the publication.

Intersectional approach

The ethical principle of non-discrimination is at the very heart of HI’s engagement alongside persons with disabilities and in support of equal opportunities and equal access to services for all. In line with HI’s Disability, Gender and Age internal policy, we fully recognise the importance of applying a systematic attention to disability, gender and age in particular.

We also aspire to convey the complexity of discrimination faced by people affected by the issues we advocate on. We do so by looking into how disability intersects with other factors of discrimination and exclusion – including race and ethnicity, highlighting the intersecting forms of discriminations, and barriers in the access to services by persons with disabilities.

Applicants are therefore required to mention how they will ensure that the findings and analysis will address the intersecting factors of discrimination and exclusion related to disability, age, gender, race and ethnicity.

3.     Presentation of the service

3-1- Overall objective of the consultancy service

The Consultant will deliver a report (in English), based on the testimonies, case studies, desk reviews and interviews.

3-2- Expected results of the service

The Consultant is expected to deliver the following:

(1) A finalized written methodological proposal.

Based on the terms of reference provided by HI and the technical proposal of the consultant, a methodological proposition is finalised.

This document provides the key elements of the study’s implementation and contains, a minima: an introduction specifying the study/research context; presentation of the objectives as agreed between the consultant and HI; presentation of the detailed methodological framework: study design for the desk review, selection of participants for interviews based on an initial list provided by HI, evidence collection, processing and analysis; responsibilities of the consultant and of HI; timeline; budget; ethical considerations.

The document should explicitly mention how intersecting factors of discrimination and exclusion (disability, age, gender, race and ethnicity) will be mainstreamed at each stageof the proposed methodology.

(2) A summary of the findings from the desk review of:

– Testimonies and case-studies (provided by HI).

– Education Sector Plans (and/or other strategic documents shaping the education system in the countries under focus) in Madagascar, Palestine and Burkina Faso.

– International donors’ and UN agencies’ strategic documents and instruments.

The consultant will review documents provided by HI and search for secondary literature and other documents related to the topic if needed. The findings from the desk review should also inform the qualitative interviews conducted with the key informants. While the desk review findings should be submitted early in the process, the consultant will continue the desk review throughout the project, as new material may emerge from interviews.

(3) Findings and quotes from the 20 Interviews with key informants carried out by the consultant.

The list of stakeholders will be drafted by HI and would welcome the input of the consultant, in order to reach all relevant voices across project locations. In addition, the HI AIR Team will provide a draft list of guiding questions for these interviews, to be reviewed and improved by the consultant.

(4) A report compiling and analyzing all evidence collected (testimonies, case studies, desk reviews and interviews) in order to:

• Introduce the issue: the global situation, the educational situation of children with disabilities, and benefits when uninterrupted education is realized.
• Provide the perspectives of education services’ users (children and youth with disabilities and their families); providers (national and local authorities, education professionals); and policy-makers (governments, international donors, UN agencies).
• Explore barriers and enabling factors across three fundamental dimensions: continuity of learning, continuity of teaching/service provision, and continuity of funding (before, during, and after crisis).
• Present a set of recommendations for governments, donors and UN agencies, as well as CSOs/NGOs.

The intermediate and final drafts of the report will be submitted to HI for review and comments by the editorial committee, before the production of a final draft.

3-3- Timeline of the consultancy service

Between 15 June and 29 October: the Consultant is expected to work 20 to 23 days.

Foreseen date for finalization of the document: 29/10/2023.

Deliverables		Recipients	Dissemination		Delivery Deadlines
Technical Documents relative to study/research implementation
1-	Final Methodological Proposal	HI	Internal	23 June 2023
Workshops/Meetings
2-	1 Kick off Meeting with key contributors (2h)	HI	Internal	By end of June
Mid-term Documents
3-	First analysis of testimonies, case-studies, policy documents	HI	Internal	By 17th of July
4-	Further analysis of donors’ instruments and/or documents	HI	Internal	By 5th of September
5-	Summary of key elements from qualitative interviews	HI	Internal	By 5th of September
6-	Intermediate draft report	HI	Internal	By 15th of September
7-	Final draft report	HI	Internal	By 8th of October
Final document
8-	Final report	HI	External	29 October 2023

The consultant accepts that Humanity & Inclusion may reproduce the methodological proposal and use the tools developed in other contexts or projects.

3-4- Mechanisms for communication and monitoring between the Consultant and Humanity & Inclusion

The recruitment and service of the Consultant will be under the responsibility of the HI Advocacy Manager, which will act as contact person for the consultant for inquiries, clarifications and exchanges.

A kick-off briefing will be done in the beginning, in order to provide the Consultant with key information and guidance about the logic, the approach, and the elements to take into consideration.

A final evaluation will be conducted together with the Consultant (via a call) focusing on overall achievements of objectives and lessons learned.

4.     Requested profile

4.1 – Requested profile

A Consultant with expertise in the fields of disability, gender-equality, education, as well as qualitative research methods.

4.2 – Expertise

Mandatory:

• Minimum Diploma Master’s degree in a relevant field: Education; Social Sciences; Disability; Intersectionality; Law; Political Science; International Development.
• At least 3 years of experience in writing quality publications (provide a list of publications).
• Experience working in education, disability-inclusion, gender equality, or international development sectors.
• Excellent knowledge of global education policies and international development frameworks.
• Excellent analytical skills.
• IT skills – MS Office applications.
• Good proficiency in French and English mandatory, written and oral.
• Understanding and adherence to HI’s values and ethics.

Desired:

• Experience with an international non-governmental organization.

HI values diversity, we welcome and encourage applications of candidates from all gender, ethnicity, nationality or disability.

5.     Application process

Applications must include:

a) Individual :

• Curriculum Vitae (training, experience in the areas mentioned above, lists of key publications),
• ID card or passport of applicant
• References,
• A letter of motivation,

b) Company :

• Registration of company as consultant
• Declaration of integrity filled out and signed
• HI Good Practices filled out and signed
• General Purchasing Conditions filled out and signed

c) A technical proposal including, a minima,

• the proposed methods.
• a detailed calendar.

d) A financial proposal including, a minima,

• detailed consultancy fees
• details of all other expenses (travel, accommodation; etc)

Please, send all required documents by 2^nd June 2023 to the following address: procurement@hi.org