CONSULTANCY TO PROVIDE SURVEY ON YOUTH AND URBAN LIVELIHOODS VULNERABILITY IN RWANDA
TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR CONSULTANT TO SURVEY ON YOUTH AND URBAN LIVELIHOODS VULNERABILITY FOR OXFAM GB RWANDA
Background:
The recent Oxfam Rwanda Joint Country Analysis and Strategic review (conducted in September 2013) highlighted a number of trends and new opportunities for the future of the Rwanda programmes. Among them was the ‘Role of Agriculture as a driver for Poverty reduction in the next 10 years’ for last one month. Broadly it also concluded that there is a need to understand the implications of the limitations of agriculture as well as the opportunities particularly in the service sector (but potentially other sectors) to help build people's livelihoods in Rwanda. This need is driven by evidence of growing youth unemployment, low returns in agriculture, and strategies already practiced by many of diversifying livelihoods.
The external environment is driven by a shift from purely agricultural to more service oriented livelihoods as evidenced in practice as well as reflected in the EDPRS II. It also emphasized on need for developing intervention for youth and urban poor. Thus the context and future trends indicate that there is a need to engage on service sector opportunities emerging from agriculture and non-agriculture related activities. The potential cross-cutting areas could be Financial services, Energy, ICT and Technology transfer. For Oxfam, all these new programme direction means continuing our existing role as a facilitator and convener in order to build on our existing agricultural livelihoods opportunities as well as explore new opportunities to address the youth and other urban livelihoods vulnerability.
Rwanda Country Context:
Rwanda is a small, landlocked, densely populated country with few natural resources. Since the 1994 genocide it has made commendable progress in reducing poverty levels (from about 56.7% of the population in 2005/6 to 44.9% in 2010/2011) and increasing agricultural production. It also has a rapidly growing economy (GDP growth of 8.6% in 2011). Despite these improvements, Rwanda is still facing many developmental challenges including population growth, widespread poverty and high levels of vulnerable youth.
High population growth and urbanisation is a major challenge facing the country. The country has a youthful population (66.8% of population is below 25 years) with limited employment opportunities. According to recently launched EDPRS II, the demographic trend necessitates 200,000 jobs to be created each year for new entrants into the workforce. This compares to a total of 396,000 waged jobs in the formal economy today, meaning that Rwanda will need to see a significant increase in both formal and informal jobs over the period the next five years.
According to the World Bank, Rwanda has the fastest rate of urbanisation among African countries, with the proportion of people living in urban areas increasing nearly threefold between 1990 and 2011. Growing urbanisation offers an opportunity for increased off-farm employment and development of cities. Urbanisation is also widely associated with increased off-farm activity, which would alleviate some of the pressures on the land from rising population density. While the urbanisation rate is growing, the level remains relatively low. This is a unique opportunity for Rwanda to avoid mistakes made by other middle income countries by pro actively managing the urbanisation process and mitigating risks of urban sprawl, divided cities, high urban unemployment and high urban poverty.
In recent years the number of initiatives targeting young urban people in Rwanda has grown, but more needs to be done to address the fast growing population of vulnerable youth. The existing initiatives can also be expanded by developing more systematic approaches to integrating youth issues into urban development projects and programmes. The youth can also be more effectively targeted in urban development initiatives by bringing together knowledge generated from: youth involvement in projects supported; youth-centred events; consultations with young urban/rural people research on rural/urban youth livelihoods and lessons learned from work by partner organizations.
Purpose of the assignment
The overall objective of the survey is to investigate and document the potential livelihood programme options available for youth and vulnerable groups in urban set up that can be supported by Oxfam partnerships from the perspective of a socio-economic development platform of a Convener- Analyser – Broker – Facilitator and Influencer. It’s also expected that a programme strategy of how to respond to problems is developed in consultation with the stakeholders. The survey should also help Oxfam find ways of working more on business models while facilitating scaling up of ideas accepted by the stakeholders engaged in the process. This would entails among other things, Oxfam working on identification of appropriate problem areas with key stakeholders together, share the issues / raise right questions around the issues and observe how they could identify the solutions and who is interested to run ahead with the solution to put in practice.
Scope
Oxfam is seeking to develop an integrated Livelihood programme focusing on youth and other vulnerable groups in urban set up to address urban poverty and suffering using a multi-dimensional approach and partnerships. This approach could either be targeted at Oxfam as convenor and facilitator or at its partners or both. Oxfam is therefore seeking experienced professionals (both individuals or institutions) to undertake the assignment under the following output/outcome:
Pre-design
- Assess the extent to which young people are represented among those living in poverty.
- In the analysis of socio-economic context:
a) Include sex-disaggregated information on the situation of young women and men and outline age-related constraining factors.
b) Consider what opportunities are open to young women and men with respect to their abilities to:- Access land
- Obtain finances
- Access productive inputs
- Enter markets
- Acquire relevant information about income-generating and training opportunities in their communities.
c) Consider the knowledge and skills that young women and men have to engage in productive activities and contribute generally to the socio- economic development of their communities:
- Assess the educational levels (skills and vocational training) of young women and men (including gender gaps therein)
- Recognize specific skills that young people possess or may be interested in acquiring that may be used in the programme/project – such as openness to new ideas, working with information and communication technologies (ICTs), adapting new technologies and innovations, and entrepreneurship
- Assess the educational levels (skills and vocational training) of young women and men (including gender gaps therein)
- Recognize specific skills that young people possess or may be interested in acquiring that may be used in the programme/project – such as openness to new ideas, working with information and communication technologies (ICTs), adapting new technologies and innovations, and entrepreneurship
- In the pre-design consultation process, include young women and men:
• Meet separately with young women and young men
• Engage with youth organizations
• Involve young people in programme design
• Consult with the ministry of youth and, where feasible, facilitate dialogue with ministries of labour, education and rural/community development. - Give sufficient attention to gender analysis, to understand the different constraints and opportunities faced by young women and men in accessing urban livelihoods and decent employment. Particular attention should be given to how gender and age barriers interact to exacerbate the disadvantages faced by young women, taking consideration of:
• Household division of labour
• Limitations in access to resources and services
• Restrictions on mobility, customary rules and threats to safety. - As part of the institutional context analysis:
• Determine whether youth are organized into groups and, if so, how to expand their influence in local decision-making and planning
• Identify the extent of involvement by young women and men in urban/rural organizations (as members and leaders) and how this may be increased
• Research which service providers (training, financial, advisory, etc.) are available locally and to what extent they provide services tailored to the needs of young people.
Design
1. Mainstream youth issues into programme design and implementation strategies, in particular in the terms of reference for design missions.
2. Explicitly include young women and men in the targeting strategy and view them as protagonists in design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
3. Endeavour to include all four decent-work pillars (creating jobs; guaranteeing rights at work; extending social protection; and promoting social dialogue) in design, establishing specific objectives, budgets and indicators – and monitor their implementation.
4. Devise empowering measures to encourage young women to participate in programme/project activities and share in the benefits, taking into account the need to overcome barriers identified in the gender analysis.
5. Encourage young women and men to participate in the project’s implementation and institutional arrangements.
6. Allocate resources specifically to finance youth-related activities in the programme’s budget.
7. Integrate youth-centred quantitative and qualitative indicators in the monitoring and evaluation systems:
• Disaggregate log-frame indicators by age as well as sex
• Provide information on youth in the form of outcome and impact indicators rather than input and output indicators wherever possible.
1. Mainstream youth issues into programme design and implementation strategies, in particular in the terms of reference for design missions.
2. Explicitly include young women and men in the targeting strategy and view them as protagonists in design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
3. Endeavour to include all four decent-work pillars (creating jobs; guaranteeing rights at work; extending social protection; and promoting social dialogue) in design, establishing specific objectives, budgets and indicators – and monitor their implementation.
4. Devise empowering measures to encourage young women to participate in programme/project activities and share in the benefits, taking into account the need to overcome barriers identified in the gender analysis.
5. Encourage young women and men to participate in the project’s implementation and institutional arrangements.
6. Allocate resources specifically to finance youth-related activities in the programme’s budget.
7. Integrate youth-centred quantitative and qualitative indicators in the monitoring and evaluation systems:
• Disaggregate log-frame indicators by age as well as sex
• Provide information on youth in the form of outcome and impact indicators rather than input and output indicators wherever possible.
C. Activities
Measures to improve youth livelihoods should, to the degree feasible, take a comprehensive approach. They should encompass demand-side and supply-side factors, adapting complementary mechanisms that integrate training, job search, involvement of the private sector and measures to improve youth access to land, credit, productive inputs, advisory services and information.
Measures to improve youth livelihoods should, to the degree feasible, take a comprehensive approach. They should encompass demand-side and supply-side factors, adapting complementary mechanisms that integrate training, job search, involvement of the private sector and measures to improve youth access to land, credit, productive inputs, advisory services and information.
The following activities may be adapted to into the programmes/strategy to enhance impact on young women and men;
Enabling transition to employment through skills and vocational training
• Offer incentives to include young people in employment-related training, for example, by providing vouchers that allow businesses to send young employees/apprentices to training providers at discounted rates or for free
• Develop the capacity of local service providers to offer services tailored to the particular needs of young women and men
• Create opportunities for women to train in traditionally male-dominated trades and vice versa
• Target young women and men in training initiatives by setting quotas for youth participation by sex; offering incentives/subsidies for training young people; and involving young people’s organizations in training programmes
• Use ICTs to extend access to modern training to rural areas
• Develop and upgrade formal and informal apprenticeship systems by designing common standards, including assessment and certification, and upgrading the skills of master craftspeople
• Work with private companies operating to promote corporate social responsibility.
• Offer incentives to include young people in employment-related training, for example, by providing vouchers that allow businesses to send young employees/apprentices to training providers at discounted rates or for free
• Develop the capacity of local service providers to offer services tailored to the particular needs of young women and men
• Create opportunities for women to train in traditionally male-dominated trades and vice versa
• Target young women and men in training initiatives by setting quotas for youth participation by sex; offering incentives/subsidies for training young people; and involving young people’s organizations in training programmes
• Use ICTs to extend access to modern training to rural areas
• Develop and upgrade formal and informal apprenticeship systems by designing common standards, including assessment and certification, and upgrading the skills of master craftspeople
• Work with private companies operating to promote corporate social responsibility.
Developing a youth-friendly institutional set-up
• Encourage young women and men, including self-employed youth and emerging entrepreneurs, to see the value and mutual benefit of workers’ and employers’ associations and cooperatives
• Foster the formation of youth groups and identify channels to enable them to participate in decision-making processes
• Facilitate youth inclusion in cooperatives and producer groups, workers’ associations, savings groups, women’s groups, etc. and promote participation of young women and men in them, including representation on decision-making bodies and in leadership positions
• Support farmer organizations to empower their youth members
• Facilitate partnerships between farmers and youth groups.
• Encourage young women and men, including self-employed youth and emerging entrepreneurs, to see the value and mutual benefit of workers’ and employers’ associations and cooperatives
• Foster the formation of youth groups and identify channels to enable them to participate in decision-making processes
• Facilitate youth inclusion in cooperatives and producer groups, workers’ associations, savings groups, women’s groups, etc. and promote participation of young women and men in them, including representation on decision-making bodies and in leadership positions
• Support farmer organizations to empower their youth members
• Facilitate partnerships between farmers and youth groups.
Addressing youth constraints in accessing land
• Provide capacity-building courses for young landowners, adapted to their needs
• Work with youth groups to develop innovative mechanisms to allow young people to access land
• Promote training, technical support and innovative approaches to expand income-generating activities that require little or no farmland
• Introduce social security measures to motivate older generations to transfer land to younger ones.
• Provide capacity-building courses for young landowners, adapted to their needs
• Work with youth groups to develop innovative mechanisms to allow young people to access land
• Promote training, technical support and innovative approaches to expand income-generating activities that require little or no farmland
• Introduce social security measures to motivate older generations to transfer land to younger ones.
Expanding youth access to finance
• Provide courses on financial literacy for young people
• Link the provision of microcredit with training programmes wherever possible
• Support the creation of locally owned and operated financial institutions, with young people in leadership positions
• Establish partnerships with financial institutions
• Develop financial products tailored to the needs of young women and men.
• Provide courses on financial literacy for young people
• Link the provision of microcredit with training programmes wherever possible
• Support the creation of locally owned and operated financial institutions, with young people in leadership positions
• Establish partnerships with financial institutions
• Develop financial products tailored to the needs of young women and men.
Providing multifaceted support to young entrepreneurs
• Facilitate mentorship programmes to link prospective youth entrepreneurs with successful adult entrepreneurs
• Strengthen the capacities of business development service providers to support young entrepreneurs
• Create links between business development service providers and youth groups
• Sensitize stakeholders to the entrepreneurial potential of young women and open dialogue on gender-related barriers to starting a business (for example, restrictions on mobility; access to productive inputs, land and finance; and distribution of household work)
• Develop communication channels to help young entrepreneurs receive and transmit information and facilitate youth-to-youth exchanges
• Empower young people to provide high-tech solutions to market information deficiencies.
• Facilitate mentorship programmes to link prospective youth entrepreneurs with successful adult entrepreneurs
• Strengthen the capacities of business development service providers to support young entrepreneurs
• Create links between business development service providers and youth groups
• Sensitize stakeholders to the entrepreneurial potential of young women and open dialogue on gender-related barriers to starting a business (for example, restrictions on mobility; access to productive inputs, land and finance; and distribution of household work)
• Develop communication channels to help young entrepreneurs receive and transmit information and facilitate youth-to-youth exchanges
• Empower young people to provide high-tech solutions to market information deficiencies.
Expected Outputs
1. A detailed survey report;
2. A finalized programme design and a Livelihoods strategy (which would constitute a component of the existing Sustainable Livelihood programme), with an actionable work plan outlining livelihoods projects and their implementation timeframe and partnership possibilities. The strategy should be a joint product, developed and endorsed by all key stakeholders in the area and by relevant agencies and line ministries;
3. In cooperation with key Oxfam staff, draft M&E plan, with indicators and benchmarks to measure progress on livelihood implementation;
4. A viable concepts developed with specific donors to be approached.
1. A detailed survey report;
2. A finalized programme design and a Livelihoods strategy (which would constitute a component of the existing Sustainable Livelihood programme), with an actionable work plan outlining livelihoods projects and their implementation timeframe and partnership possibilities. The strategy should be a joint product, developed and endorsed by all key stakeholders in the area and by relevant agencies and line ministries;
3. In cooperation with key Oxfam staff, draft M&E plan, with indicators and benchmarks to measure progress on livelihood implementation;
4. A viable concepts developed with specific donors to be approached.
Duration: 4 months
How to apply:
Interested and qualified candidates (both institutions and individuals) should submit their applications with the subject line clearly marked: “ CONSULTANCY TO PROVIDE SURVEY ON YOUTH AND URBAN LIVELIHOODS VULNERABILITY.
Please send your CVs (3 pages Maximum per CV) containing a comprehensive profile of similar or comparable consultancies and engagements and referees to: kigali@oxfam.org.uk to reach us on or before 5.00 pm 31st October 2013, however, applications received will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
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