Request for Proposal (RFP): Prevent and Protect: Strengthening Access and Responses to GBV in Kaduna, Kano and Sokoto States in Nigeria at Neem Foundation

Background:
Gender-based violence has serious short and long-term consequences on the physical, social, sexual and reproductive, and mental health of women and girls affected by GBV. The mental health impact for GBV survivors also includes post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, substance abuse, self- harm, and suicidal ideation in extreme cases. Yet, the availability and access to essential mental health services for survivors remains a significant gap in GBV responses, especially for survivors in rural or semi-rural communities. In communities across Northwest Nigeria, survivors also face stigma and rejection from their families and communities, influenced by social norms. Thus, all responses to GBV concerns must be multi-pronged and multi-sectoral and prioritise strengthening access to vital social and mental health support for vulnerable women and girls when they need it the most.
Existing efforts to end GBV have significantly focused on legal reform and criminalisation rather than prevention and addressing the root causes that propagate it. Notably, such efforts tend to overlook the multiple forms of intersecting disadvantages – socio-economic, disability, education, e.t.c that often magnify the vulnerability of women and girls to GBV.
In the same vein, the mental health and psychosocial needs of vulnerable people have become increasingly challenging due to limited resources, poor access to mental health services and low numbers
of trained professionals with the capacity to support GBV survivors, especially in contexts affected by conflict and violence.
It is on this basis that NEEM Foundation, a leading crisis response organisation committed to promoting the protection and wellbeing of populations and communities living in contexts affected by conflict,
violence, and fragility, has prepared the Terms of Reference accompanying the Request for Proposal for a qualified and eligible consultant to work towards developing a GBV Framework for the Northwest and most importantly for the framework to have sections on MHPSS delivery in trauma and displacement.
Through our Prevent and Protect programme designed to strengthen institutional responses and access to GBV services for vulnerable people, we are employing a centred approach to address the gaps and challenges to GBV outcomes in the Northwest and the provision of an integrated GBV Framework in Kaduna, Kano and Sokoto.
To support this, Neem Foundation is seeking the expertise of an individual or organisation with a strong track record in the development of a framework and relevant tools around GBV and MHPSS. The selected vendor will be responsible for developing a GBV Framework for Northwest Nigeria with sections on MHPSS delivery in trauma and displacement contexts, which will be validated by Neem Foundation.

Objectives
The key objective of this project is to create a simplified and user-friendly framework that will look at defining procedures for MHPSS service planning and delivery for the survivors of GBV across the Northwest and beyond. The Framework will in turn set standards for MHPSS training and practice, especially for lay counsellors, as well as establishing the approaches to monitoring and evaluating MHPSS programming.
Target Audience
The Framework will be used to provide support to GBV survivors and relevant government agencies to be able to train staff attached to state hospitals and local health centres on mental health in order to meet the demand for improved access to MHPSS services
Key Components and Deliverables
Key Components of the GBV and MHPSS Framework
The framework must consider the context and culture of Northwest Nigeria and take lessons learned and emerging good practices in addressing GBV from other regions. The document will cover (please be aware that this list is not exhaustive and will be subject to discussion during the procurement selection stage):

• A brief introduction to the Northwest context of the framework, objective, and limitations
• Systematic analysis of women and girl’s experience of GBV in the Northwest context
• Guidelines for specific intervention with survivors of GBV
• Guidelines for MHPSS intervention with survivors of GBV

Key Deliverables Includes:
Development of the Framework
The document rather than being a guidance document should aim at setting out general principles and concepts that will guide GBV and MHPSS intervention across agencies, to facilitate greater coherence, consistency and quality GBV intervention and their impact across agencies to protect and improve the mental health and psychosocial well-being of GBV survivors, as well as provide an overarching approach given the cross-cutting nature of MHPSS and the need to ensure alignment with GBV, MHPSS standards and practices.
Review of the Framework (Draft)
The Consultant in conjunction with Neem Foundation and other relevant stakeholders at the state/community (Ministry of Women Affairs and Development, Ministry of Justice, CSO Networks, etc.) level will review the document to ensure that it is user friendly, and all materials and contextualized case studies are included.
Specific Tasks and Timeline
Based on the information provided above, the consultant/s is expected to carry out the development phases as outlined below:
Planning phase: In this phase, the consultant will carry out secondary research to identify, analyse and recommend relevant background materials, including existing materials that can be incorporated into the framework. The information identified from the secondary research must be discussed with Neem
Foundation to agree on key components for the document. Together with the point person at Neem
Foundation, the information identified will be reviewed and agreed on, with the expected results defined. The aim of this approach is to ensure that the methodologies and possible gaps are identified and resolved. To this end, the Consultant will be expected to go on field visits to the Northwest state of intervention where Neem
Foundation is implementing for a quick assessment in the form of focus group discussions or key informant
interviews as deemed necessary.
Production Phase: During this phase, the consultant will use all the inputs received from the field trip and local partners, existing materials and lessons learnt from the experience in the Northwest as well as from other countries to develop the document.
Pilot Testing Phase: During this phase, the consultant will pilot test the document with Neem Staff, checking for understanding of the language and methodology for ease of use
Revision of the draft: During this phase, the consultant will adjust the document incorporating necessary feedback from the pilot test.

See the complete RFP on Google Drive Here