Consultant Operational Review Of PGI Approaches And Integration In The IFRC Disaster Response Emergency Fund DREF

Organizational Context

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, with a network of 191-member National Societies (NSs). The overall aim of the IFRC is “to inspire, encourage, facilitate, and promote at all times all forms of humanitarian activities by NSs with a view to preventing and alleviating human suffering and thereby contributing to the maintenance and promotion of human dignity and peace in the world.” The IFRC works to meet the needs and improve the lives of vulnerable people before, during and after disasters, health emergencies and other crises.

IFRC is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (Movement), together with its member National Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The work of the IFRC is guided by the following fundamental principles: humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, and universality.

IFRC is led by its Secretary General, and has its Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. The Headquarters are organized into three main Divisions: (i) National Society Development and Operations Coordination; (ii) Global Relations, Humanitarian Diplomacy and Digitalization; and (iii) Management Policy, Strategy and Corporate Services.

IFRC has five regional offices in Africa, Asia Pacific, Middle East and North Africa, Europe, and the Americas. IFRC also has country cluster delegation and country delegations throughout the world. Together, the Geneva Headquarters and the field structure (regional, cluster and country) comprise the IFRC Secretariat.

IFRC has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment and other forms of harassment, abuse of authority, discrimination, and lack of integrity (including but not limited to financial misconduct). IFRC also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles.

Please find here the background and rationale for this consultancy.

Job Purpose

The objective of this review is to assess DREF operations by examining the application of IFRC Protection, Gendre and Inclusion Minimum Standards, and accepted sectoral approaches to protection, gender, participatory approaches within them, in order to

• Assess the extent to which the IFRC Minimum Standards for PGI are being met in DREF operations, and the extent to which related common humanitarian standards on SGBV and Child Protection are being met.
• Assess use and functionality of PGI tools, notably the PGI Marker, safeguarding systems, and PGI Minimum Standards in operations, with a focus on what happens when a marker or score of high risk is identified in any of the used tools.
• Assess the extent to which data collection and analysis practices - particularly the use of sex, age, and disability-disaggregated data (SADDD) – is occurring across the project cycle; and identify solutions for improvement.
• Identify observable gaps in reaching certain vulnerable groups or individuals in DREF operations (e.g. through comparative data analysis between DREF people reached figures and reliable secondary sources for the same disaster.)
• Clarify roles and responsibilities for the integration of the protection, gender and inclusion commitments and accountabilities amongst teams and withinin DREF processes and procedures —from proposal to monitoring—focusing on IFRC Secretariat, the DREF team, National Societies, and the DAG.
  
  
  

The outcome will be a knowledge product (report) with actionable recommendations, to improve protection, gender and inclusion mainstreaming in National Society DREF Operations.

Job Duties And Responsibilities

Scope of Work

• Timeframe: DREF-funded health (epidemic and pandemic) operations and Early Action Protocols implemented between 2022–2025.
• Geographic coverage: Global, with case studies from all regions.
  
  
  

Methodology

This research will use a gender-sensitive and survivor-centred approach and will be participatory.

Consultants Should Provide a Short Application Document Outlining The Methodology That They Propose To Use To Meet The Objectives Outlined Above; Which May Include Some Or All Of The Following

• Desk review of 25 recent DREF operations (applications and implementation data and final reports) – with sampling across each of the IFRC’s 5 regions.
• Detailed review of 5 DREF operations for which there is sufficient data for more in-depth analysis.
• Online survey with IFRC and National Society staff and volunteers.
• Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) with DREF team, PGI technical leads, DAG members, and NS focal points.
• Comparative analysis of anticipatory vs. responsive DREFs in using PGI Minimum Standards.
  
  
  

To complete and determine clear fundings, the following are suggested also:

• Stakeholder validation workshop
• DREF Internal Feedback Mechanism – specific survey
  
  
  

Key areas for review and suggested questions provides more specific questions that could inform the review.

Suggested areas and scope of review can be found here.

Deliverables

• A report and evidence base that details some actionable recommendations on improving the integration of protection, gender and inclusion into DREF operations
• Inception report (3 pages)
• Full analytical report (max 12 pages) Executive summary (2–4 pages)
• PowerPoint deck for dissemination.
• The agenda, and facilitation plan for a user design workshop for IFRC and NS to develop any key tools or procedures recommended in the report.
• Drafts of any key tools to implement the recommendations of the report.
• Compilation of 10 diverse case studies from across regions and global showcasing the diverse protection, gender and inclusion related outcomes (mainstreaming, standalone and organisational development related outcomes) each following a similar structure and max 1-2 pages each.
  
  
  

Management

• Oversight: IFRC Lead, Protection, Gender and Inclusion, and IFRC Lead, DREF
• Duration: 45 working days or more based on financial offer from consultants
• Consultant(s) to be selected via competitive proposal process by PGI and DREF teams
  
  
  

Experience

Required

• Demonstrated experience in managing quantitative and qualitative data with a gender and diversity sensitive angle, knowledge of PSEAH and SGBV and/or protection measurement skills.
• Any statistical experience needed.
  
  
  

Knowledge, Skills and Languages

Required

• Excellent written and spoken English.
• Familiar with the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement.
  
  
  

Preferred

• Spanish and/or French and/or Arabic are advantageous.
  
  
  

Competencies, Values and Comments

Application Instructions

• Please submit your application in English only.
• Please include the following documents in your application:
• Motivational letter
• showcasing relevant experience in in Protection, Gender and Inclusion (PGI), humanitarian action, emergencies, and evaluation
• including total number of working days and overall cost, excluding travel costs
• CV (CV of all team members for research firms)
• Previous experience conducting operational or institutional reviews for international humanitarian organisations, preferably within the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement.
• Methodological approach
• Proposed research strategy and sampling plan aligned with the objectives of the review
• Commitment to participatory, and intersectional approaches to evaluation

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