Consultant(s) to Carry out Gender Analysis on Women Participation and Leadership in the Social Economy in Vietnam

1. Background

We Effect is a development cooperation organisation applying a long-term, rights based approach in order to effect change. It was founded by the Swedish cooperative movement in 1958. Our vision is “A sustainable and just world free from poverty”; Our mission is “To strengthen member-based and democratic organizations’ ability to enable men and women to improve their living conditions, defend their rights and contribute to a just society”. Our guiding principle is support to self-help initiatives. We work in 25 countries across four continents. Our focus areas are Rural development, Housing, Gender equality, Access to land and Financial Services. We Effects work with local partner organizations, providing both financial and technical support.

The Europe/Asia Regional Office is based in Ho Chi Minh City and currently covers five long-term programs cross Asia and Europe, including: Promoting socio-economic development in Palestine; Building resilience and sustainable communities to fight poverty and injustice in the Philippines; Strengthening member-based organizations to fight poverty and injustice in rural areas of Southeast Asia (i.e., Cambodia, Myanmar and Vietnam); Strengthening cooperatives and other civil society organizations in Sri Lanka; and EU alignment and empowerment of civil society organizations in Moldova, Albania, Kosovo and Bosnia Herzegovina. Under each of the programs, there are a number of projects being implemented and contributing towards the program goals.

Promoting gender equality in general and ensuring equal benefits and participation for both men and women in cooperatives and other social economic forms is a core programmatic area which is embedded in all projects and programs of We Effect. The recently launched global strategy also emphasizes on We Effect’s work on gender equality.

The Europe/Asia regional office is looking for a consultant team (consisting of one international and one local consultant) to carry out a gender analysis on women participation and leadership in the social economy in Vietnam in order to inform our future programming.

2. Objective of the Assignment

Main purpose of this consultancy is to carry out a gender analysis on women participation and leadership in various forms of social economy, including cooperatives, social enterprises, collective groups and other forms of member-based organizations, with a special focus on ethnic minority women. Field works should be taken place in the provinces where We Effect and the partner organizations are operating such as Yen Bai, Son La, Thua Thien Hue, Bac Kan provinces, among others suggested by the consultant (s).

The analysis should have the following specific objectives:

1. Assessing impacts to the lives of women and who are currently participating in the cooperatives/ collective groups supported by We Effect’s projects in Vietnam and those factors leading to the impacts;
2. Understanding roles and contribution of women in development of cooperatives, social enterprises, collective groups, etc.
3. Identifying barriers and challenges (in relation to various factors – institutional and structural, social norms, etc.) against women’s participation and leadership in cooperatives, social enterprises, collaborative, interest groups and others. 
4. Providing recommendation to promote women’s participation and leadership in cooperatives, collective groups, etc.

Major tasks could include but not limit to the followings:

• Review available literature on women’s economic participation in general and in cooperatives in particular and with special focus on ethnic minority women;
• Conduct a quick policy analysis in relation to the participation of women in the social economy in Vietnam;
• Conduct field works to collect primary data from relevant stakeholders, including target women, men, local authorities, and organizations working on economic empowerment for women;
• Prepare gender analysis report
• Organize a validation workshop with We Effect, local partners and other relevant stakeholders to sharing findings and collect further inputs for report finalization.

5. Expected deliverables:

• Detailed work plan specifying methodologies and processes to be followed;
• Gender analysis report in English
• A dissemination workshop with relevant stakeholders;
• All data/information collected in the fields to be saved in flash drive and hand over to the Regional Director.

6. Methodologies

A range of tools and methodologies for conducting a gender analysis should be utilized. The consultant team will consult with We Effect’s staff in charge to finalize work plan, methodologies and field work processes.

7. Supervision

Selected consultant (s) will perform under the supervision of and report to the Europe/Asia Regional Director. He/ she will work closely with Country Teams as well as the Resource Mobilization Coordinator.

8. Work Plan and Time Schedule

The assigned is expected to take place during November and December for a maximum of 20 working days. Detailed work plan and time schedule will be prepared by the consultant (s) and to be agreed with We Effect.

9. Consultant qualification

• Strong background and knowledge in gender and in Vietnam’s context;
• Proven experiences in leading gender analysis, women economic empowerment related researches and in designing programs to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment
• Proven experiences in social research;
• Excellent facilitation and communication skills;

Proposal including both technical and financial should be sent no later than 13th November to [email protected] – Regional Admin Officer, We Effect’s Europe/Asia Office.