Evaluation Consultant: Civic Participation of Market Vendors Project, Uganda At APT Action on Poverty

Introduction

The project ‘Civic and Political Participation of Women Market Vendors’ is a partnership between Platform for Labour Action (PLA) in Uganda and Action on Poverty (APT) in the UK, where APT is the lead partner in a longstanding partnership. The project is co-funded by the Belgian Ministry of Development Cooperation.

Action on Poverty is a UK based NGO established in 1984 which supports communities across Africa to develop sustainable livelihoods. Platform for Labour Action is a Ugandan NGO established in 2000 to protect the rights of vulnerable and marginalised workers. It is also a licensed legal aid service provider.

Background to Project

The project ‘Civic and Political Participation of Women Market Vendors’ started in February 2022 and is scheduled for completion at the end of January 2024. The total project budget is Euro 249,970.

The programme aims to increase civic and political participation of women market vendors in Kaliro, and Lira districts, Uganda. Promoting transformative, active leadership and participation of market women in the administration and management of markets in the targeted districts contributes to the fulfilment of women’s rights and sustained economic and social empowerment including reduced financial and physical abuse. Specifically, the project aims to empower market women through transformative leadership skills, increase their agency to meaningfully influence decision making at national, district and local levels and to promote economic empowerment and resilience through diversified income.

Evaluation

A final evaluation, to be participatory and fully inclusive of all stakeholders is scheduled for the final stages of the project. The final evaluation provides an opportunity to assess how well the project has met its outcomes, indicators and targets; to identify key factors that have enhanced and/or inhibited this, and whether and how the project adapted to this; assess overall performance in terms of coherence, relevance, effectiveness, efficiency and sustainability; and to identify key learning and recommendations for PLA and APT that may have a wider application for other projects.

Further information on the objectives, scope, method and deliverables of the evaluation are included in the full Terms of Reference, available from the email address given below.

Please note that only candidates based in Uganda, or another country of East Africa, are eligible for this consultancy as per the criteria below. Preference will be given to consultants based in Uganda.

TIME FRAME AND REPORTING

The evaluation will be expected to commence by early December 2023 and will be completed January 2024. The consultancy is expected to take 12-15 days.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE OF THE CONSULTANT

The consultancy shall be carried out by an independent development consultant, who will have overall responsibility for the evaluation. The consultant shall have the following skills and competencies:

• At least a Master’s Degree in Social Sciences, Development Studies or Economics
• Proven experience in undertaking evaluation studies (preference for women’s empowerment, civil society, livelihoods and local governance focus)
• Strong understanding of gender rights and community development.
• Conversant with application of cross cutting themes such as human rights, gender mainstreaming, and gender competence, monitoring and evaluation and advocacy
• Excellent analytical and report writing skills with skills in using statistical packages
• Strong written and verbal communication and presentation skills
• The consultant must be based in Uganda, or another country of East Africa (preference is for candidates based in Uganda)

Cost effectiveness is part of the criteria for selection: due to budget restrictions the maximum daily fee payable is US $250.