A LITTLE ABOUT US

Founded in 1951, The Nature Conservancy is a global conservation organization dedicated to conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends. Guided by science, we create innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that nature and people can thrive together. We are tackling climate change, conserving lands, waters and oceans at unprecedented scale and providing food and water sustainably.  One of our core values is our commitment to diversity. Therefore, we strive for a globally diverse and culturally competent workforce. Working in 72 countries, including all 50 United States, we use a collaborative approach that engages local communities, governments, the private sector, and other partners.

The Nature Conservancy Africa program follows a holistic approach to protect vital lands and waters, transform the way natural resources are used and managed and inspire to equip others to contribute to the shared vision of a healthy and sustainable future for Africa’s lands, waters, wildlife and people. We use a collaborative approach that engages local communities, governments, the private sector, and other partners. To learn more, visit www.nature.orq or follow @nature press on Twitter.

In Zambia, TNC has a primary geographical focus on the Greater Kafue Ecosystem (GKE) comprising 66,000 sq.km of national park and the nine surrounding Game Management Areas, the West Lunga Complex and the community managed corridors that connect and buffer these two protected areas. TNC is working with communities and diverse public and private stakeholders in this ecosystem to strengthen community tenure over natural resources, develop effective natural resource governance and management systems and create sustainable conservation and revenue generation models for the landscape.

Within this landscape and in collaboration with the Forestry Department, TNC is implementing a five-year project, “Ecosystem Conservation and Community Livelihood Enhancement in North Western Zambia” funded by the Global Environmental Facility (GEF), through the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Working with Government, other collaborating public and private stakeholders in the landscape and forest-dependent communities themselves, the Project focuses on three districts of NW Province to address the direct and indirect causes or drivers of deforestation and of the degradation of forest and agricultural lands.

THE CONSULTANCY

1.0       INTRODUCTION

The Government of the Republic of Zambia (GRZ) has received financing from the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) to implement the Ecosystem Conservation and Community Livelihood Enhancement Project in Northwestern Province (“the Project”). The Project is being implemented by the United Nations Environment Program and executed by The Nature Conservancy in collaboration with the Ministry of Green Economy and Environment – Forestry Department. The Project is being implemented in 3 project sites of Kelongwa Makaba Community Forest Management Area (CFMA) in Kasempa District, Kamikolo CFMA in Kalumbila district and Ntambu CFMA in Mwinilunga district. The overall objective of the Project is to strengthen community-based sustainable management of forest landscapes and provide improved livelihood opportunities for targeted forest-dependent rural communities in Zambia’s North-West Province.

2.0       OBJECTIVES

The purpose of the gender analysis is to identify gender-based disparities and inequalities in access to and control over critical productive resources, assets, services and opportunities and provide recommendations for the Project positioning and engagement in the gender and women in resource management and governance.

The objectives of the assignment will be:

·        To set up the initial baseline of performance on gender integration in the Project with a view to introducing an ongoing process of benchmarking to measure progress in promoting gender equality and women empowerment

·        To strengthen and finalize the gender strategy

·        To develop a participatory Gender Action Plan for the Project

3.0       SPECIFIC TASKS

3.1 Conduct a desk assessment from existing primary data of the stakeholder population dynamics (parameters involving population disaggregated into males and females; Male/female-headed households; number of households including size of households etc) and undertake a survey in the three Project areas to identify the differentiated roles and needs of men and women in the Project Area with regards to:

·        The governance of forests of different management categories (community forests, local forests, etc),

·        Decision making and management such as their rights to harvest, use and/or market forest products including Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFP);

3.2 Clearly identify the differentiated roles and needs between men and women in the functioning of the value chains for NTFP, wood fuels, saw timber and agricultural products and other nature-based value chains.

3.3 Identify and analyze the differentiated roles and needs in the traditional and current rights to land ownership, inheritance and access to land and agricultural lands;

3.4 Identify the differentiated roles and needs between men and women in the Project Area in their access to schooling/ education/ capacity building, government services, credit and other factors of importance in their lives;

3.5 Undertake a desk review and analyse the equitability of the roles and benefits to men and women in the other main operational participatory forestry management initiatives in Zambia (such as the Zambia Integrated Forest Landscape Program led Community Forest Management Groups (CFMGs); the Transforming Landscapes for Resilience and Development Project led CFMGs and the Bio-Carbon Partners led Community Forestry Program) and the success or failure of the efforts made by these projects to improve gender equality;

3.6 Develop and propose specific indicators for monitoring of the impact of the Project on gender equality (this involves establishing a baseline for gender equality issues at each site);

3.7 Review the Project’s Outcomes, Outputs and Activities and make recommendations for improving their impacts on gender equality and women’s empowerment;

3.8 Identify gender gaps for the PIU staff and the district level staff for FD, DNPW, Fisheries and Agriculture and the gender training needs for the named staff.

3.9 Strengthen and finalize the Gender Strategy and develop a Participatory Gender Action Plan for implementation by the Project

4.0 GEOGRAPHICAL SCOPE

The geographical scope of work will cover all the three (3) project sites of Kelongwa Makaba Community Forest Management Area (CFMA) in Kasempa District, Kamikolo CFMA in Kalumbila district and Ntambu CFMA in Mwinilunga district. The assessments will focus on communities around the three Project Sites who are members of the 3 (proposed/existing) Community Forest Management Groups.

5.0 DELIVERABLES

5.1 Inception Report, providing a detailed, methodology, including the data collection tools to be used, a clear workplan and budget presented to a Project stakeholders’ meeting for approval. The stakeholders meeting will be held in Solwezi and organised by the consultant with resources included in the Consultant’s budget.

5.2 Draft Gender Action Plan presented to a stakeholder validation meeting to be held in Solwezi and   organized by the Consultant.

5.3 Final Gender Strategy and Action Plan incorporating inputs and based on comments from stakeholders.

6.0       QUALIFICATIONS AND WORK EXPERIENCE

6.1       The consultant must possess a combination of a post graduate degree in Development Studies, or related fields and a first degree in Gender Studies;

6.2       Must have a minimum of ten years’ practicing experience leading and conducting gender studies/research and analysis in the field of natural resources management;

6.3       Experience in preparing gender strategies

6.4 Familiarity with participatory forestry management and sustainable agricultural initiatives is an added advantage

6.5 Cultural awareness and sensitivity to gender issues is an added advantage.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

The Nature Conservancy invites request for proposals (RFP) from a Consultant/Firm to undertake a gender analysis and develop a gender action plan for the Ecosystem Conservation and Community Livelihood Enhancement – GEF 7 Project in Northwestern Province.  The RFP, detailed Terms of Reference(TORs) and accompanying documents should be submitted by email to The Project Manager (Ethel Mudenda) at ethel.mudenda@tnc.org and copied to The Country Director (Rob Munro) at robert.munro@tnc.org and the Operations Manager (Yvonne M’hango) at Yvonne.m’hango@tnc.org

The RFP must be submitted not later than Friday 15th July, 2022

To complete the RFP for the requested services, click on this link.