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Team leader for the Project Evaluation of UNDP – Iraq

The Government of Iraq and the United Nations in partnership with the European Commission (EC) agreed on in 2007 to implement the IRAQ - Support to the Rule of Law and Justice Project. The overall objective of the Project is to support judicial and non-judicial institutions as well as the human rights national protection system to enhance the rule of law in Iraq. The project builds on existing work by UNDP Iraq, the Human Rights Office of UNAMI, and UNOPS on promoting the rule of law and justice in Iraq. The project has two components:
The first component is focused on Support to Judicial and Non-Judicial Institutions, with UNDP as the implementing agency. Support to judicial and non-judicial institutions is key to strengthening the rule of law in Iraq. This is one of the goals of the International Compact for Iraq (ICI), which states in section 3.1 that the establishment of the rule of law through institutionalized reforms is fundamental for the successful implementation of the ICI, and identifies the strengthening of the judiciary and the administration of justice as one of its reform priorities. The Government of Iraq’s National Development Strategy (NDS) reiterates the need for an independent judiciary that provides fair and equitable justice with respect for human rights. Specifically, the NDS identifies several emergency issues (Section 9.5.1), including building infrastructure for Iraq’s court facilities, increasing the courts’ administrative capacity for case management, and strengthening the legal profession in support of the judicial process that includes substantive and procedural knowledge, legal research, standards, licensing, higher legal education and human rights training.
The second component of the project is a Programme for the Protection of Detainees and Torture Victims (PPDT), with UNOPS as the implementing agency. The PPDT builds upon the initial results and lessons learnt from the “Promotion of Human Rights” project, implemented by UNOPS in 2005-2007 and also funded by the EC. The PPDT proposes an expansion of its geographical coverage, in particular to reach a larger number of torture victims, the introduction of much needed complementary activities, such as legal aid; and widens the spectrum of stakeholders involved by proposing close partnerships with key Iraqi rule of law institutions and on-going international efforts, and through the promotion of collaborative initiatives between public institutions and civil society to help accelerate and broaden the capacity building of correctional facility staff, thus improving protection to and respect of detainees’ human rights. The main goal of the PPDT is to enhance the protection of human rights of detainees and ex-detainees in Iraq through the promotion of collaborative initiatives between public institutions and the civil society. Building partnerships between public institution and the civil society is the corner stone of this component as it will help accelerating and broadening the capacity building of correctional facility staff, improving thus protection to and respect of detainees’ human rights.
The project objectives were subject to changes as part of a 26 October 2009 Request for Rider (modifications to the Contribution Agreement) submitted by UNDP and again in 2011. These changes will be further explained below.
The original duration of the project was 3 years (2008-2010). However, in December 2010, the EU agreed to extend the duration of the project for another year. Thus the project will come to an end on 31 December 2011.

Duties and Responsibilities

Objectives:
Increase the efficiency of the Justice System to provide greater court transparency, accessibility and accountability:
  • Pilot Court Established in Erbil
  • Pilot Court Established in Basra
Strengthen the capacity of key governmental rule of law institutions to promote a higher standard of justice:
  • Functioning of the Higher Judicial Council is improved.
  • Functioning of the Ministry of Justice is improved.
  • Functioning of the Judicial Training Institute is improved.
Enhance the protection of citizens’ rights through better access to justice and advocacy:
  • Capacity of the Iraqi Bar Association is built to provide better legal services
  • Establish legal aid offices to provide community-based support for the disadvantaged populace, especially women
  • Awareness on the rights of citizens is increased
Increase the prevalence of rights-based management of correctional facilities in Iraq through integrated monitoring-to-training:
  • An increased role of the JNP to assess, monitor report on correctional facilities issues.
  • The capacity of 80 prisons? administrators and staff are enhanced leading to improved detention conditions in the said prisons.
  • Partnership and collaboration between the JNP and key Iraqi ministries are strengthened to facilitate access to prisons.
  • The capacity of number of staff from the Iraqi rule of law authorities is improved for greater rights based management of detention facilities.
Enhance the protection of detainees’ rights through better access to justice and advocacy:
  • 20 NGOs have the capacity to provide legal aid to individuals in detention.
  • 20 legal aid centres are established in different areas, 400 detainees have access to fair justice, duration of arbitrary detention has decreased for hundreds of detainees, and contacts between detainees and their families are facilitated for 300 of detainees.
  • Awareness on the rights of detainees is increased among police, judges, lawyers, traditional leaders, political leaders and religious authorities.

Assist Victims of Torture in their path to medical and psycho-social rehabilitation:

  • The capacity of the Basra Centre for Torture Victims is supported.
  • The capacity of the Kirkuk Centre for Torture Victims is supported.
  • Capacity of institutions involved in the rehabilitation of Torture Victims is strengthened.
  • Partnership with concerned authorities is developed and capacity of health professionals on the treatment of torture victims is strengthened.

Purpose and the Objectives of the evaluation

This project evaluation needs to be considered in the context of UNDP and UNOPS broader work on RoL and Justice in Iraq, by implementation of this project. The project structure has offered opportunities as well as challenges.

The objectives of the evaluation are to:
  • Determine if the project has achieved its stated objectives and explain why/why not.
  • Determine the results (i.e. mainly outputs and likelihood of their contributing to the outcome) of the project in terms of sustained improvements achieved.
  • Provide recommendations on how to build on the achievements of the project and ensure that is sustained by the relevant stakeholders.
  • Document lessons learned success stories and good practices in order to maximize the experiences gained. The evaluation should take into consideration the project duration, existing resources and political environmental constraints.
  • Examine the achievement of the common pre-set objectives of the project and recommend ways to improve future partnerships.

Scope and expected outputs:

  • The evaluation will look at the entire project duration and at all activities implemented to date in Iraq. The evaluation will also have to put a specific focus on the role of UNDP and UNOPS constituents in the implementation of the project, the integration of the gender dimension and human rights based approach.
  • The primary clients for this evaluation are the Iraqi Government, UNDP and UNOPS, the European Union, as well as the local and national partners involved in the implementation of the project. Secondary clients are the other relevant stakeholders.
  • The performance of the project will be reviewed with regards to relevance, design, effectiveness, efficiency, and sustainability, taking into account the evaluation questions highlighted in the next section.
The Consultant will be responsible for producing the following deliverables:
  • Desk review
  • Evaluation plan which includes instruments and methodology.
  • Consultations with stakeholder facilitated by the evaluation team.
  • Draft evaluation report including stakeholder consultation proceedings and findings from field visits by evaluation team

In addition, the consultant will prepare a Final Report which includes the following information:

  • Executive Summary
  • Identified findings
  • Clearly identified conclusions and recommendations
  • Lessons learned and potential good practices and effective models of intervention
  • Drafted in user-friendly language for publication and circulation to wide audiences
  • Appropriate Annexes including present TORs
  • Standard evaluation instrument matrix

The Evaluation Report should contain the following:

  • Title Page
  • List of acronyms and abbreviations
  • Table of contents, including list of annexes
  • Executive Summary (1-2 pages)
  • Introduction: background and context of the programme (1 page)
  • Description of the project/ programme – its logic theory, results framework and external factors likely to affect success (6 pages)
  • Evaluation Methodology & Approach (key challenges and limitations) (6 pages)
  • Findings with clear evidence base and interpretations (3-4 pages)
  • Conclusions (2-3 pages)
  • Recommendations (1-2 pages)
  • Lessons and generalizations (2-3 pages)
  • Annexes
The report will not exceed 50 pages, including annexes. The final report will be circulated to key stakeholders. The comments will be jointly consolidated by the UNDP M&E Specialist and provided to the team leader. In preparing the final report the team leader should consider these comments, incorporate as appropriate and provide a brief note explaining why any comments might not have been incorporated.

Competencies

Core Competencies:
  • Professionalism: Possesses comparative experience of proven analytical and evaluative skills and the ability to assess problems and formulate solutions; shows initiative and the ability to manage complex political situations.
  • Ability to conduct results-oriented evaluations. Knowledge and understanding of evaluation and development evaluation in particular is essential.
  • Knowledge of Development Issues: Good knowledge of current development issues and key result areas particularly those pertinent to UNDP’s Practice Areas. Ability to conceptualize issues and analyze data.
  • Technical Skills: Excellent technical skills in measurement and evaluation, including grasp of methodological and operational dimensions and the ability to link corporate and country level issues.
  • Teamwork: Ability to coordinate the work of the team.
  • Results Management: Excellent knowledge of Results Management
  • Relationship with Clients: Builds strong relationships with clients, focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback.
  • Positive Attitude: Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude.
  • Managing Complexities: Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities.
  • Mentoring and Resolution Skills: Leads teams effectively and shows mentoring as well as conflict resolution skills.
  • Communication Skills: Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills.

Corporate Competencies:

  • Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards.
  • Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP.
  • Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.
  • Treats all people fairly without favoritism.

Key Performance Indicators during implementation of Services

The evaluation will be guided by the following set of core evaluation questions:
Relevance and Strategic Fit
  • To what extent does the project respond to the priorities outlined in the Government of Iraq’s (GoI) National Development Strategy and the International Compact with Iraq (ICI).
  • Does the project respond to the real needs of the beneficiaries? Were the planned project objectives and intended results (i.e. outputs and outcomes) relevant and realistic to the situation and needs on the ground? Were the problems and needs adequately analyzed?
  • How well did the project design take into account the existing national capacities, political dynamics and security constrains? Did the project’s original design fill an existing gap that other ongoing interventions were not addressing?
Validity of design / the re-design
  • Were the objectives of the project clear, realistic and likely to be achieved within the established time schedule and with the allocated resources (including human resources)?
  • Was the project design / re-design logical and coherent in terms of the roles, capacities and commitment of stakeholders to realistically achieve the planned results?
  • How effective was the coherence between the design of the project focus, the integration of UNDP and UNOPS, instruments in support of programme objectives, and the coordination with other developmental actors?
  • How appropriate and useful are the indicators described in the project document for monitoring and measuring results? If necessary, how should they be modified to be more useful? Are the means of verifications for the indicators appropriate?
  • To what extent were external factors and assumptions identified at the time of design?
  • Was the project designed in a flexible way to respond to changes / needs that could occur during the implementation?
  • Was the level of stakeholder commitment sufficient to foster constituents’ involvement in promoting social dialogue and human rights?
  • Was the strategy for sustainability of impact defined clearly at the design stage of the project? If so, what were the methodology / approach taken appropriate to the context?
Achievements (Implementation and Development Effectiveness):
  • What are the development results (i.e. against the planned outputs) of interventions, taking into account the quality of the policies, the process of endorsement and adaptation at the local and national level, the feasibility and sustainability of those policies and the institutional development of the local and relevant national partners?
  • Which aspects of the project had the greatest achievements? What have been the supporting factors? What are the main lessons learned from the partnership strategies and what are the possibilities of replication and scaling-up? How can the project build or expand on achievements?
  • In which areas does the project have the least achievements? What have been the constraining factors and why? How can they be overcome?
  • To what extent have interventions addressed gender and Human Rights issues?
  • How effective was the collaboration between the participating UN organizations and what has been the added value of this collaboration?
  • How have stakeholders been involved in project implementation? How effective has the project been in establishing ownership with reference to the local development plans?

Effectiveness of management arrangements and efficiency of resource use:

  • Have resources (funds, human resources, time, etc) been allocated strategically to achieve the relevant outputs and outcomes? Have resources been used efficiently?
  • Were project funds and activities delivered in a timely manner?
  • Were management capacities adequate?
  • Assess the criteria and governance aspects related to the selection of beneficiaries and partners institutions, including NGOs.
  • Did the project receive adequate political, technical and administrative support from its local and national partners?
  • Was there adequate technical, programmatic, administrative and financial backstopping for the project from the “remote offices” of UNDP and UNOPS, in Amman, and the relevant HQ departments? Was the collaboration effective and efficient taking into account that the implementation management is partially done remotely?
  • Has relevant gender expertise and Human rights approaches programming been sought? Have available gender mainstreaming tools been adapted and utilized?
  • How effectively did the project management monitor project performance and results?
  • What has been the quality of documentation and dissemination of knowledge?
  • How efficient was the project in communicating its results?
Impact orientation and sustainability:
  • To what extent did the project make a significant contribution to the reconstruction and development of institutions in the Governmental entities in Iraq?
  • How effectively has the project built necessary capacity of national organizations?
  • To what extent was sustainability considerations taken into account in the execution and conduct of the project’s activities? Is there an exit strategy and, if so, what steps have been taken to ensure sustainability?
  • Are the project results, achievements and benefits likely to be durable? Are these anchored in national institutions and can the partners maintain them at end of the project?
  • Can the project approach and results be replicated and scaled up by national partners and cover other Iraqi areas?

Required Skills and Experience

Education:
  • PhD Degree in Public Administration, Development Studies, Social Sciences, Economics.

Experience:

  • Minimum 20 years’ experience in international development.
  • Minimum 5 years team leader experience in the evaluation of development agencies, programmes and policies in national and international settings
  • Demonstrated capacity for strategic thinking and policy advice.
  • Demonstrated experience working in Iraq or similar environments.
  • Substantive knowledge of the region and Iraq are desirable as is some familiarity with UNDP or UN operations in the country

Language:

  • Fluency in written and spoken English.
Proposals: To be submitted to the following e-mail address no later than COB 19th December 2011:
  • SSA.undp.iraq@undp.org (It is a MUST to indicate the Procurement Notice Number in the e-mail subject box). All needed information which includes: Complete Terms of Reference, The Selection Criteria, and Required Annexes are found on the following link under Procurement Notice Number Q-IC-0105/11:
  • www.iq.undp.org/procurment.aspx
  • Provision of CVs only will not be accepted. Documents to be included when submitting the Proposal:
Technical Proposal: (which will include the following):
  • Signed Proposal Submission Form. (Please use Annex 1).
  • Personal CV including past experience in similar projects and at least 3 references. Please Use the attached CV Form – Annex 2 attached. UNDP-Iraq reserves the right to disqualify any of CVs who are not compliant with the requested form.
Financial proposal:
The financial proposal will specify a total lump sum amount and payment terms around specific and measurable (qualitative and quantitative) deliverables. Payments are based upon output, i.e. upon delivery of the services specified in the TOR. A breakdown of this lump sum amount (including travel, per diems) is to be provided by the IC candidate. Total Fees: Please use Annex 3 – Financial proposal form

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

Team leader for the Project Evaluation of UNDP – Iraq