Official Title

Study on the Impact of Affirmative Action for Women in Ethiopia

Study on Impact of Affirmative Action for women Agency UNDP Status Published Type of
notice Request for Proposal Display from date 04-03-2010 Close date 05-04-2010 Country
Ethiopia Reference UNDP Ethiopia RFP/010/2010 Contact Mekdelawit Hailu
mekdelawit.hailu@undp.org Assefa Gebrehiwot assefa.gebrehiwot@undp.org Description
Call for Proposal to conduct study on Impact of Affirmative Action for women
Terms of Reference (TOR)
Reference: RFP/010/2010
1. Back Ground
Gender inequality is not only the issue of inequitably, but in varies dimensions plays a
significant role in accounting for the poor growth performance of the country. Given the lack
of access and control over resources and many discriminatory traditional customs, the
Ethiopian women, constitutes half of the population, comprise a majority of those living in
absolute poverty. Gender differentials persist at all levels, as reflected by social indicators.
Women have not participating and benefit equally with men due to long aged cultural,
social, economical and political system of the country.
Considering this problem of women and the oppression and abuse imposed on them, the
government of Ethiopia has implemented the National policy on women and other beneficial
polices strategies and programs.
Womens rights for equal participation and benefit with men can not be seen separately
from the over all economic and political progress with in the community although it is an
established fact that it needs special attention in this change process. In this regard, the
biggest victory for the struggle of Ethiopia women is the establishment of the FDRE
constitution which proclaimed their right, followed by the FDRE womens policy, the
ratification of a Family Law, the amendment of the criminal code in a way to stop abuse
committed against them, etc.
Affirmative is a term used to indicate that organizations are taking positive steps toward
providing equal opportunities for women and others underrepresented group. The goal of
affirmative action is to create access for women and minorities to fields in education and
employment that were previously closed to them.
Various findings indicate that due to the measure taken by the government of Ethiopia,
encouraging results are achieved with regard to developing womens participation and
benefits. In rural development; Womens participation and benefits are increasing in various
agricultural packages in credit and cooperative services. In urban area; the number of
women, who are engaged in small and micro trading, production firms, being owner of
condominium houses has shown progress. Womens participation and benefits in education
and training has also shown improvement.
With regard to health, promising results are achieved in pre and post partum examination,
mothers and childrens vaccination, family planning and reproductive service in both rural
and urban areas.
 Therefore, in recognition to the challenges as well as its strength and the limited evidence
avail at Federal level, the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs (MOWA), has planed to
conduct a Nation-wide assessment on Impact of Affirmative Action. The purpose of the
assessment is to identify impact of the affirmative action both its weakness and strength,
and the findings would contribute to propose possible solutions and corrective measures.
2. OBJECTIVE
The main objectives of this impact assessment are:

Asses the impact of Affirmative Action for women at National level and exploit major
findings
Propose concrete and possible solutions to come up with different strategies, to fill the gaps
and implement it more effectively.

3. Activities:
1. Explore the existing affirmative action for women in Economic, Social, Political and
Cultural activates
2. Assess the mechanism/techniques of implementing affirmative action for women
3. Assess the extent of the applicability of the affirmative action at sectoral levels and the
impact it brought.
4. To explore the impact of the affirmative action substantiated with facts/figures
5. Use the output of the assessment for developing sustainable and tangible strategies.
6. Propose tangible Recommendations based on the findings of the impact assessment
4. Expected outputs are:
v Inception report which should have data collection instruments and questioners will be
submitted with in 5(five) working days (work plan, time schedule will be expected in
consultation with UNDP-DAG)
v Standard outline of the study submitted along with the inception report.
v Final Draft paper of the study with description of the work done
v Final report (synthesis report), that shows the effectiveness, magnitude, extent to which
the directive that benefit women have been applied, and the challenges among different
sector offices and regions.(Major findings show the challenges envisaged in the
implementation of affirmative action at each sectors will be explained)
v Dissemination presentations and validation workshop of the final report
v Based on the Affirmative Action Impact assessment for women, sustainable and concrete
policy recommendation will be developed that overcome the weakness of the
implementation of the Affirmative action at each level.
5. Methodology
The consultancy firm is expected to include a detail methodological proposal with in the
inception report, adhering to the following minimum requirement.
v The consultancy firm will directly work with Ministry of Womens Affairs, UNDP-DAG and
Regional Womens Affairs Bureaus.
v Desk review of documents like assessments done by consultant team with other Ministries
v Primary data collection from the sampled sectors Federal ministries, regions Womens
Affairs Bureaus (using a combination of focus group discussion, interview and data
collection instruments etc) to be reviewed by the Ministry and Technical working groups.
v The consultancy firm shall hire local consultants for collection and summarize of specific
regional data.
v Analysis of findings using statistical techniques.
v Justified way of sampling.
6. Management Arrangement
v The consultancy firm work will be lead and managed by the MOWA, through provision of
technical and others forms of assistance to the consultants working in the firm in effectively
completing their tasks including occasional provision of meeting space to work in.
v Members of the Research team will provide guidance and assistance to the consultancy
firm including the providing feed backs on the draft report
v Review the draft report and provide comments before finalizing
v MOWA facilitates and organizes workshop to pertinent bodies to apprise the draft before
finalize.
7. Obligation of the consultancy firm
v Submit an inception report with five working days of the awarding of the contract
identifying methodology, work plan, expected results, time table and logistics requirements,
develop the tools for the review
v Give training of the trainer for the ministrys research team
v Use firms own computer and other stationers
v Provide to MOWA and DAG the inception report, draft and final report in soft and hard
copy.
v Assign a composition of team members 2-3 consultants with a rich experience in the area
v Respect the date of the report submission as specified in the agreement
v Perform obligations to the highest possible professional and ethical capacity.
8. Obligation of MOWA /UNDP-DAG
v Based on UNDP procedure UNDP-DAG facilitate the recruitment of the consultancy firm
in agreement with MOWA
v Meeting with the consultancy firm and give adequate briefing
v Provide document and information as necessary
v The ministry research team will conduct follow up and support the consultant
v Pay consultancy fees as per the terms of the agreement
9. Deliverables
v Inception report( five working days after the contract signed)
v Final draft report will be expected 90 days after sign of the contract
v A standard final assessment report (hard and soft copy) will be expected after 25 days of
the reception of the final draft
v Present the result of the research on the workshop
10. Duration
v This assessment will be done with arrangement up to three months from the date of
signing the agreement.
11. Qualification and Experience Consultations assigned
The consultancy firm team should have the following skills:-
v Each of the consultants should have doctorate or Master degree in social sciences and
related fields or development and gender studies.
v At least one consultant should have 3 years international experience in gender related
researches and social support approach funded by UN Agencies (especially UNDP).
v The consultants should have a minimum of ten(10) years professional experience
v At least one of the consultant should have a minimum five (5) years international
experience related to gender in developing countries, especially in Africa and particularly in
Ethiopia.
v Fluency in English Language, Written and spoken.
12. Evaluation Criteria
Technical proposals will be rated as per the following matrix. A firm will have to score a
minimum of 70 percent to be considered for the next step. The financial evaluation will be
conducted only for the qualified and responsive technical proposals (i.e. 70 percent and
above). The responsive and qualified firm with the lowest financial proposal (cost and
expenses) will be issued a contract.
Summary of Technical Proposal Evaluation Forms
Score Weight
Points Obtainable
Company / Other Entity
A
B
C
D
E
1.
Expertise of Firm / Organization submitting Proposal working Experience on gender and
related issues
30%
300
2.
Proposed Work Plan and Approach
50%
500
3.
Personnel with a gender related work experience
20%
200
Total
1000