1. Background/ Introduction about the Organizations:

Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) is one of the leading human rights and legal aid organizations in Bangladesh. Since its inception ASK has been working for the protection and promotion of human rights (HR) of vulnerable communities, gender and social justice through community activism, social mobilization, capacity building, legal services, advocacy and policy intervention. ASK takes a comprehensive and holistic approach to the promotion and protection of human rights in particular of women, children and other groups, through mediation, litigation, shelter and psycho-social counselling, monitoring and investigating human rights violations, media campaigns and public interest litigation for law and policy reform.

Committed to attaining gender equality in every sphere of life, ASK’S strategies specifically focus on protecting women’s rights. At the same times, its concern for civil and political rights is expressed through legal aid to victims/survivors of arbitrary arrest, preventive detention, taking a stand against unlawful evictions, extrajudicial killings, torture and death in custody, condition of prisoners and interest of religious and ethnic minorities.

ASK’s advocacy is carried out both at the national, regional and international level. ASK’s publications are an important means of disseminating information and knowledge. ASK executes activities through direct implementation and partnership with like-minded local NGOs, Community Based Organizations (CBOs), Schools, lawyers, local cultural organizations and other stakeholders’ forum.

2. Project Overview:

Since August 2017, vulnerable Rohingya and Host communities’ lives have been deeply affected by the refugee crisis in the Cox’s Bazar of Bangladesh. The impact of the influx on ecosystems, livelihoods and basic multi services has been severe with the immense strain being placed upon local capacities and tolerance. In the both communities GBV and harmful practices, sexual exploitation and Trafficking continues to be a considerable concern. In addition, during these five years aggravated pre-existing tensions between host communities and Rohingya, whilst putting additional pressure on the already fragile socioeconomic structure in Cox’s Bazar.

Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) has been working for peace building and social cohesion among Rohingya and host communities, through the “MAITREE: Promoting women’s participation in peace building and social cohesion” project supported by UN WOMEN since December 2019. UN WOMEN has been supporting women’s participation and leadership for promotion of social harmony and prevention of community conflict and extremism in target upazilas, these initiatives promote tolerance, cohesion and better relationship expanding and consolidating their networks wherever possible. Maitree project aim to contribute to promoting social cohesion by empowering women from the Rohingya refugee community located in Camp 3 and those living in the Raja Palong Union in the Upazila of Ukhiya peace builders and active participants in decision making.  The project has been implement focusing on Elimination of Violence against Women in host community and camp through considering social peace and cohesion with coordination and networking with different stakeholders. MAITREE Project has been contributing to increased social harmony, prevention of community conflict and extremism by promoting women participation and leadership.

3. Purpose/ Rationale of this work:

Under the Maitree project proposal Output 3: Local women rights organizations’ capacities strengthened for promoting social cohesion and addressing GBV at local level and the Key Activities Under Output 3: four (4) Policy to be develop/review and revise the four policy as below-

1.Safeguarding policy,

2. PSEA policy,
3. Child Rights policy and
4. Human Rights Nitimala’

The policy will be focusing on to orient the project staffs to promote adolescent and youth leadership and enhance participation in decision making process at the community level as well family level to improve sensitization on and attitude towards SRHR and menstrual hygiene management and prevention and risk mitigation with adolescent girls in sectorial programming in context of complex humanitarian perspective.

Identified some specific objectives for addressing child protection, Safeguarding, PSEA, Human Rights issues

• Identify the gaps of existing ASK child protection policy and safeguarding, PSEA & Human Rights mechanism and issues, implementation system and practice according to the recommendation.
• Make it a public document for all stakeholders of ASK
• Improve coordination, communication and coherence among ASK, partners and other relevant actors relating to Safe Guarding; Contribute to improved accountability towards affected populations.
• Prepare an action plan based on the approved policy for implementation within the

Expected Deliverable and Output:

The consultant is expected to deliver

1. Conduct an initial review/develop sessions with the organization for the present safeguarding policy, PSEA, Human Rights policy structure, procedure, implementation.
2. Study several safeguarding policy, PSEA, Human Rights policy policies and procedure of other organization and feedback.
3. Develop a safeguarding policy, PSEA, Human Rights policy and procedure, that should address:
4. Organization self-assessment to identify current status
5. Introduction of safeguarding policy, PSEA, Human Rights policy, definition, global policies and standard
6. Prevention pathways, procedures and toolkit
7. Training and awareness raising
8. Risk mitigation and safe programming
9. Toolkit for investigation, reporting and punishment procedures
10. Referral pathways and toolkit
11. Safeguarding Organogram
12. Hold stakeholder meeting to validate the draft safeguarding policy, PSEA, Human Rights policy
13. Finalize safeguarding policy,PSEA, Human Rights policy and submit to ASK

Time Span

This assignment is expected to be carried out for a period of 20 days. Firstly, 07 days for information collect through different secondary information collection and in-depth interview; Secondly, 8 days for preparing draft policy; thirdly, 02 days for sharing session; and next 03 days for finalize the draft and submission. The consultant will submit a detailed plan of work as part of the EOI.

Institutional Arrangements

The consultant will report directly to the Executive Director of the ASK, will provide relevant background, documents, necessary information for the assignment. The ASK, Project Manager Cox’s Bazar shall be responsible for the coordination of meetings, sharing sessions and other activities under the consultancy.

Expertise

1. a) Academic Qualifications

At least a master’s degree/ preferable PhD in HR Management or development field.

1. b) Experience

– At least five years proven experience in building and strengthening safeguarding systems, policies and frameworks.

• Excellent understanding of current Safeguarding & PSEA policy, Child Rights policy and Human Rights best practices and activities.
• Demonstrated experience in working with Non- Government organization and other stakeholders

in public sector development programs especially in the area of capacity development.

1. c) Skills and Competencies:

•  Ability to work with minimal supervision;
• High level written and oral communications skills in English and Bengali.

Read Expression of Interest (EOI).

Download Terms of Reference (ToR).

In Bangladesh, Child Rights Advocacy Coalition, Bangladesh (CRAC’B) is one of the most vibrant Coalition working for child rights since 2013. ASK is the Secretariat of the Coalition. It is encompassed of most of the front-line child rights organisations in the country. This Coalition has for the first time established a child rights monitoring system and executed effective follow-up advocacy in Bangladesh in line with UPR and UNCRC mechanism. The Coalition was set up to strengthen and mobilise the civil society in establishing a systematic monitoring, reporting and conducting follow up advocacy initiatives on child rights situation jointly with organisations that share similar goals and objectives.  The Coalition has developed a monitoring framework based on UPR and UNCRC recommendations to systematically monitor and report the implementation of the government’s commitments in 2014. The Coalition also develops annual report on the situation of children based on the findings collected through using the framework.

At this stage, the Coalition wants to review the existing framework to update it and make it more user-friendly to ensure collection of specific and relevant information. Thus, to ensure the sustainability of the continuous monitoring on the progress of implementation of the UPR and UNCRC recommendations utilising the monitoring framework, making it functional and strengthen the capacity of the CSOs in Bangladesh to integrate the rights of children within their priority areas, the Coalition is going to review the child rights monitoring framework and develop an operational guideline under the “Civil Society Organisations advancing child rights activism through the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) mechanism in Bangladesh” project.

1. Objectives:

• To review the existing child rights monitoring framework and update the framework;
• To develop an operational guideline for the users/CSOs who will collect information from the field level using the framework.

2. Scope:

The scope of work for this ToR are as follows:

• Review the existing child rights monitoring framework based on the UPR and UNCRC recommendations and in consistent with relevant national and international standards.
• Develop a user manual with detail guidelines for using the framework which may include graphics, templates, charts or any other communication method as appropriate.

3. Competency/Qualifications:

• Master’s Degree in Law/ Gender studies/ Sociology/ Development Studies with specific experience on Monitoring and Evaluation of the project related to child rights/human rights.
• At least ten (10) years’ experience in program/project operations/ institutional operations consultancy services preferably with United Nations (UN) or Inter-Governmental Organizations (IGOs), International NGOs (INGOs) or NGOs.
• Proven record of developing M&E framework, operational guideline and successful implementation of it.
• Knowledge and experience on child rights issues would be a plus.
• Skills in quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis, specifically social norms, approach to draw findings from multiple sources for the work. Therefore, consultant must have good logical analysis, and writing skills to capture and communicate the process well.

4. Timeframe:

The consultancy is expected to be started and completed between 1 June and 30 July 2023 following the tentative deadlines:

5. Deliverables:

• A comprehensive monitoring mechanism (reviewed and updated monitoring framework, and developed operational guideline) will be finalised following the requirements outlined in this ToR document.
• All the deliverables must be developed in English.
• The consultant or consultancy firm will provide an orientation on the updated framework and the operational guidelines to the coalition members.
• Finalise the assignment in consultation with the ASK.
• The assignment will be delivered to Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) after finalisation, with appropriate documentation and support provided.

6. Budget and Mode of Payment:

The Budget for this service is BDT 100,000/- [One lac taka only] (including VAT and TAX). The payment will be made in two installments, 30% will be paid after signing of the contract, the rest 70% after the completion of the assignment.

7. Submission of proposal and deadline:

Interested candidates (consultancy / firm / agency / organisation / individual) should forward their applications and express their interest to admin@askbd.org in the email, by 4 June 2023.

8. Ownership:

ASK would have complete ownership and use of the monitoring framework and operational guideline developed for it.

9. General Terms and Conditions and Disclaimers:

• ASK reserves the right to accept or reject any proposal without giving any verbal and/or written rationale;
• All frameworks, guidelines, manuals, forms and/or any other tools developed during the assignment will be treated as ASK’s property;
• The framework, operational guideline or any part of the deliverables cannot be sold, used and reproduced in any manner without prior written approval of ASK;
• ASK and its representatives reserve the right to monitor the quality and progress of the work during the assignment.

10. Terrorism and money laundering issues:

If there any proof of engagement in any terrorism and money laundering issues, ASK will reject the proposal without assigning any reason.

11. Child Protection Policy, Code of Conduct and Sexual Harassment Protection Policy:

The firm/organisation/individual shall comply with the Child Protection Policy, Code of Conduct and Sexual Harassment Protection Policy of ASK. Any violation/deviation in complying with ASK’s child protection policy, Code of Conduct and Sexual Harassment Protection Policy will result in termination of the agreement.

12. Contact Person:

Tamanna Hoq Riti, Coordinator, Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), Email: secretariat_cracb@askbd.org

Last Date of submission: 4 June 2023.