Program Background

International Medical Corps has been addressing gender-based violence (GBV) in Pakistan since 2008, approaching this humanitarian issue with a comprehensive community-based strategy in refugee villages (RVs) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province. International Medical Corps Pakistan is currently implementing a program titled ‘Afghan refugees Resilience by Strengthening Integrated Interventions through Community Empowerment’ in five districts (Haripur, Mansehra, Lower Dir, Swabi, and Mardan). The program includes GBV prevention and response programming, including a component of women economic empowerment (WEE). There is also a separate Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) programming working alongside the GBV component.

International Medical Corps conducted a survey to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on women and girls in the Afghan Refugees village of district Haripur (Panian 1, Panian2, Phadana) district Manshera (Khaki) and district Lower-Dir (Taimor, Toor, Chakdara) among Afghan communities during the COVID Pandemic in 2020. Results from the survey demonstrated that the risk of GBV has increased during the pandemic. The domestic burden placed on women has been exacerbated, making their share of household tasks even harder. Further, women have been primarily responsible for taking care of COVID-19 affected household members, and women and girls are more exposed to domestic violence, including sexual violence. Additionally, men are increasingly staying at home more making it subsequently more challenging for survivors to access services. The survey also showed that women and girls are regarded as a burden, consequently increasing the risk of domestic abuse and early marriage. To address the GBV challenges, there is a critical need for behavioral change interventions in the community and survivor-centred psychosocial support services for vulnerable women and girls, including GBV survivors.

The results from the survey also indicated that the socio-economic condition has worsened for refugees, especially women and girls who rarely experience economic independency. They suffer from their subordinate status in a male dominated society and most RVs are located in conservative areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Women and girls are totally dependent on men, having neither the right to participate in decision making processes nor the right to education. Thus, there are high levels of illiteracy among women and girls in RVs. In addition to low literacy levels, the lack of skills-based education among women and girls in RVs continues unabated as there are no proper educational or training platforms available at the RV level. Moreover, women have restrictions on movement and are not allowed to leave the house without a “mahram” to access any services or activities that would be available.[1] These hurdles make women more dependent on men in their lives, which makes it easy for some men to abuse their power without repercussions. The prevalence of gender-based discrimination and violence is further exacerbated by the generally trying circumstances of life as refugee; displacement, war, and natural disaster all disrupt social structures and create frustrations and challenges for individuals and families. This disruption can result in increased violence, including GBV. The isolation due to COVID has only made this situation more tense and more violent for refugee families. Similarly, due to lack of opportunities, business education, lack of awareness regarding the market linkages and non-availability of any platform where they can present and highlight their expertise, hence they are unable to participate in income generation activities and empowerment.

Social and economic empowerment of women can make women more independent, self-reliant, and confident and can decrease the risk of GBV. Accordingly, International Medical Corps field team will focus on group discussions series from IRC EASE model to engage the trainees as well as their husbands after to reflect on what makes a successful household, gender roles, and the power dynamics in their relationships and how these dynamics affect decision making. If done right, targeting husbands of the women in gender discussions increase the chance that husbands will allow their wives to learn how to communicate better, make decisions together, which can potentially take some pressure off the family financial situation. It aims to improve the husband’s understanding of inclusion and respect towards his wife’s input and value in decision making.

In addition to targeting gender norms, attitudes, and power dynamics, International Medical Corps will also address the economic conditions that contribute to inequality and increased risk toward women and girls. IMC will build the capacity of Afghan refugee women through business skills training, provision of income generation resources, start-up kits, and market linkages to improve gender equality and strengthen women’s economic empowerment in the selected RVs. It is for this element of the program that IMC seeks a consultant.

Overall Objective of the Consultancy

The overall objective of the consultancy is to conduct Business Management Skills training with enrolled trainees of Afghan Refugee women, initially at three districts of KPK, which includes Haripur (Panian1, Panian2, Phadana Refugees villages), Mansehra (Khaki Refugees village) and district Dir Lower (Toor, Taimer, and Chakdara Refugees village). Later, these trainings will be extended to other two districts namely Swabi (Gandaf Refugees village) and Mardan (Baghecha refugees village) in year 2 and year 3 the basis of lessons learnt in the 03 districts.

For the first year, the tentative distribution of the trainees is as follows. There is room for changes in the distribution after enrollment/finalization of trainees:

1-     District Manshera: 35

2-     District Haripur: 30

3-     District Lower Dir: 35

The purpose of the activity is to build the basic business management/marketing skills of Afghan refugee women and support them to develop business plans. The 100 enrolled trainees (women) in the three districts, (keeping in mind their level of literacy as mostly are illiterate or with basic literacy levels) will work to develop their understanding of the household economy, human and financial resources management and its effective utilization, budgeting, market linkages development, market demand and supply, and record keeping. This should be in line with a competency-based approach such as the competency-based economies through formation of enterprises (CEFE) which is promoted by IRC EA$E model, which is also the source of the gender discussion series. The goal is for participants to gain entrepreneurial competencies and be able to compile a business plan.

By the end of the training, trainees should be able to demonstrate knowledge on the following:

• Gain basic literacy and numeracy
• Better understand to identify human and financial resources and its management at the household level
• Better knowledge of products and services, and it’s costing and pricing  
• Sound understanding of budgeting and record keeping
• Target market and linkages (local market associations of the surrounding areas)
• Knowledge about business development plans and formation and execution of the plan

1. 1.      Consultancy Summary

1.1.        Essential Duties & Responsibilities

To perform this consultancy successfully, an individual/firms must be able to perform the following:

1. Initial meetings with International Medical Corps program team in Islamabad to discuss & understand scope of the work
2. Present an inception report containing the following:
   1. Presentation of methodology & intended tools
   2. Work plan & timeline
   3. Develop tools & methodology for training including all aspects (basic literacy/numeracy, marketing, financial management budgeting, linkages and knowledge about the product and services.
   4. Develop training content including training manual, module, financial and inventory management register, and pre and post tests to measure knowledge gained through training.
   5. Develop training plan together with International Medical Corps team and conduct the trainings as per the plan in concerned RVs.
   6. The training content shall be developed in English and translated in Pashto to be handed over to beneficiaries who are able to read
   7. To train, facilitate and enable the trainees to form and follow the business plan for the economical sustainability (must be a female trainer)
   8. To build and enhance, the trainee’s skills and knowledge about market demands, trends, trades, and income generating activities in the targeted locations
   9. Provide technical assistance and advise for sustainability and increase in income generation to the enrolled trainees during training,
   10. invite potential local entrepreneurs (women) for half day session (to share their particular experiences of entrepreneurship and to guide trainees about market linkages for new businesses establishment  
   11. To conduct Reflection sessions about previous day learning and knowledge
   12. To planned /arrange a local market visit for trainees for awareness raising
   13. To check the regularity and marked the attendance of the trainees, and in case of absence, inform International Medical Corps field staff members
   14. Ensure all necessary arrangements before start of the activity
   15. Well prepared all required documents before the start of the activity
   16. Share draft training report with International Medical Corps program team for feedback
   17. Integrate the feedback and finalize the training report

All tools, training methods, and training content must be appropriate for low-literacy settings

1.2.        Scope of Work

The purpose of this consultancy is to develop appropriate training materials for low literacy/illiterate populations, provide training (business management skills) to 100 (tentative) enrolled trainees (women) under Women Economic Empowerment (WEE) initiatives, in Afghan Refugees Villages. The assignment is expected to be conducted tentatively in the months of April, May.  

2.    Deliverables of this assignment  

-        To prepare and submit an inception report that includes a work plan , training outline course of content, and detail schedule/ work plan of the business management skills training in advance

-        To submit training material including manual and handouts, financial and inventory management register, The training content must be in English and Pashto language.

-        To prepare, filled and submitted pre/post assessment form, evaluation forms of all enrolled trainees

-        Conduct 5-7 days business management skill training of 100 enrolled trainees in a group of 20-25 participants per training.

-        Evaluate each trainee's capacity and concepts regarding training at the end of each training.

-        Detailed training report including tools, methodology, findings, assessment of the trainees, and recommendations

3.    Consultant specifications

To perform this consultancy successfully, an individual must have hands on training experience of humanitarian and development sectors DRR, DRM and livelihoods especially in women economic empowerment skill trainings and gender-based analysis, must be able to perform each task with or without reasonable accommodation.

4.    Application process

A comprehensive application should be submitted in addition to CV, cover letter and references indicating completed similar assignments ( ( provision of business management skills training to the low literate/ illiterate community (women) for this assisgnment training module should be in line with a competency-based approach such as the competency-based economies through formation of enterprises (CEFE) which is promoted by IRC EA$E model,

If you feel fit the required profile and are available for the assignment, please submit a short technical proposal along with your brief technical bio data and evidence of similar work undertaken recently

The successful candidate should further submit a proposal which will include work plan, timeframe, and methodology.The maximum number of days assigned for this consultancy is  (35 working days)