Consultant - Baseline Study at Save The Children

Job ID: #1011836
Locations: Zamfara Katsina and Sokoto

Project Summary

• Save the Children has been working in Nigeria since 2001. The early focus was on getting children actively involved in shaping the decisions that affect their lives. Today, SC works in 20 states focusing on child survival, education and protecting children in both development and humanitarian contexts.
• Child, early and forced marriage (CEFM) is a critical child protection issue in Nigeria, and has been demonstrated to have devastating impacts on girls’ wellbeing and development. CEFM often denies a girl her right to an education and leaves her far less able to take advantage of economic opportunities. A girl under 15 is five times more likely to die in childbirth than a grown woman. Girls who marry before 18 are more likely to experience domestic violence than their peers who marry later. CEFM is perpetuated by a range of causes, including deeply entrenched social and economic factors.
• Poverty is a key driver, wherein girls are seen as an economic burden, with their school fees a poor investment since they will leave the household upon marriage, and girls are concurrently understood to be a potential source of income through marriage agreements. Culture, tradition, religious belief, conflict, state fragility and a general perplexity by parents and communities about what to do with large numbers of children in the face of a failing education system and a volatile economy are additionally determining factors.
• Nigeria continues to struggle to curtail the prominence of child marriage, as demonstrated by facts such as that 35% of girls in the country were married by age 15, and 40% were married by the age of 18. These figures rise substantively in the Northwestern regions of Nigeria, with 48% of girls married by age 15, and 78% married by age 18.
• CEFM is a priority topic for Save the Children in Nigeria (SC Nigeria). SC Nigeria is currently working in Sokoto, Zamfara and Katsina on child protection, health, nutrition, hunger and livelihood programs, and as a result of this ongoing programming there already exist good working relationships with the government, INGOs and local Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), as well as groups of girls and boys affected by CEFM. SC Nigeria integrated approach to gender and child protection is ideally suited for CEFM, as it enables us to best develop models for programming and advocacy that support the prevention of CEFM at the community and system levels, the protection of girls and boys who are engaging in CEFM, and the empowerment of girls and boys in contexts where CEFM is practiced.

The Purpose of the Baseline Study

• The purpose of the study is to provide a baseline to measure the programme results, impact and long lasting change in the lives of the beneficiaries at the end of the project.
• It will also provide a baseline to ascertain the cost effectiveness in the implementation of the programme (value for money) and also look at diverse aspects such as geographical spread (rural/urban), socio-economic factors (gender, ethnicity and poverty levels) and their impact on education for children.

Objectives of the Study
The proposed intervention objective is: Girls and boys are protected from child marriage and fulfil their equal rights. The baseline study will focus on:

• Set out parameters for the measurement of programme results including access to CEFM programmes, quality delivery of CEFM, and CRM structures participation as per the project outputs disaggregated by gender, age and location
• Set out baseline data as per the specific output and outcome indicators of the project as stipulated in the Log frame.
• Set out parameters for the measurement of the project impact and long lasting changes in the lives of the beneficiaries.
• Set out parameters for the measurement of the projects implementation on cost effectiveness (value for money).
• Set out parameters for measurement of diverse aspects such as geographical spread (rural/urban), socio-economic (gender, ethnicity and poverty levels) and their impact on education for children.
• Set out parameters for the measurement of a quality learning environment.
• Develop specific, actionable and practical recommendations to guide refining of project objectives and setting of targets.

Scope of the Study

• This baseline study targets three SC Nigeria project states (Katsina, Sokoto, and Zamfara). SC Nigeria plans to implement the CEFM project through the local CSOs already working on early marriage in the selected states. In each state, two (2) CSOs will cover four (4) communities with support from child protection committees (CPC) at the community level.
• There are Islamic based organizations that will assist Save the Children Nigeria to ground and anchor this intervention with sensitivity to the culture and beliefs of the communities and addresses all the objectives above.

Project Outcome Indicators

• Child protection systems at the local and national levels have been strengthened to prevent and address CEFM and early parenthood, and promote gender equality.
• Girls and boys have increased capacity to protect themselves from CEFM and early parenthood, via improved and equitable access to information and services critical for their wellbeing.
• Families and communities, including girls and boys, have enhanced skills and knowledge and are better responsive to prevent and address CEFM and early parenthood.

Methodology
The study will be led by a consultant with experience in field research, experience in conducting participatory research and conversant with the Northern Nigeria environment, particularly that of Child, Early and Forced Marriages. The consultant will be responsible for:

• A clearly written and concise research proposal that adequately documents sampling and research methodology
• The development of the baseline study methodology of how to collect, triangulate and summarize the quantitative and qualitative primary data
• The development of appropriate data collection tools, including tools to collect data from/ with children and training enumerators on the use of the tools.
• Training Materials and training report
• Timeline/ schedule of activities
• Database of all study respondents with demographic characteristics and essential information
• Brief report of the consultancy focusing on processes involved and challenges experienced.

Expected Deliverables

• Detailed baseline framework/design and implementation plan
• Data collection tools
• A sampling framework
• Draft baseline report
• PowerPoint presentation of findings
• Final Baseline report on study findings, stipulating clear parameters for measuring results (output and outcome), impact, long lasting change and value for money.
• The final baseline report/data will be validated and signed off by partners and local stakeholders. This report will also be submitted as part of the updated performance measurement of the project.

Timeframe:

• The Baseline is expected to be conducted in May 2015 with twenty (20) working days for completion of all tasks in the assignment including the draft and final report.

Timeline:

• Finalize protocols and tools 2 days 2 Literature review and Quantitative data analysis 2 days 3 Field work 6 days 4 Analysis and Report writing 5 days 5 Present draft report 3 days 6 Final Report 2 days.

Required Expertize

• Post-graduate degree in Social Sciences, Policy Studies, Education or Development Studies with proven experience in qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis
• Experience in working with the Government, Community, and Children on human rights, child rights and policy development
• Proven experience in conducting research/ baseline surveys
• Familiarity with community-based and participatory approaches
• Strong command of the English language. Knowledge of Hausa is an added advantage in data collection
• Strong English language writing skills
• Commitment to and understanding of Child Protection/ Child Rights Programming
• Ability to work on own initiative and to meet deadlines
• Demonstrated analytical (statistical and data analysis), communication and report-writing skills.