Consultancy-TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR AN ANALYSIS OF THE CARE POLICY SCORECARD FINDINGS IN SELECT COUNTRIES.

Oxfam is a global movement of people who are fighting inequality to end poverty and injustice. Across regions, from the local to the global, we work with people to address inequalities, tackle the root causes of poverty and bring transformative changes as well as lifesaving support during moments of crisis. The foundation of our work is solely based on our commitment to the universality of human rights. Driven by diversity and basing our asks in evidence and experience, we take a global stand against poverty and injustices. Feminist approaches strongly guide our analysis, actions, and interactions. To learn more about Oxfam, please click here.

About WE-Care

Unpaid Care and domestic work (UCDW) sustains communities and economies, provides essential care, including, healthcare for children, sick and elderly people and those living with disabilities, and keeps households running and families fed. Yet this work is not recognised as productive work, is underinvested in by governments and falls disproportionately on women and girls, contributing to their time and poverty by limiting their opportunities to participate in decent paid employment, education, and political life, and their time for rest and leisure. These challenges are heightened by COVID-19, climate change, and the global cost-of-living crises and the failure of states to invest in socially progressive policies.

The Women’s Economic Empowerment and Care (WE-Care) program is an Oxfam flagship programme that seeks to address UCDW, as a key factor in achieving gender equality and economic development. Now in its fifth phase, phase 5.1 of WE-Care (2023-2024) spans four countries in East and Southern Africa, namely Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, and Zimbabwe and two additional components, a regional (Pan African) and a Global one.

Care Policy Scorecard

As part of its global efforts to deepen policy influencing, Oxfam, together with WE Care and other partners (International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) Asia, International Domestic Workers Federation, Africa Leadership Forum, UK Women’s Budget Group, Ciudadanía Bolivia, Padare Men’s Forum Zimbabwe, the Ugandan Women’s Network and Youth Alive! Kenya developed the Care Policy Scorecard: A tool for assessing country progress towards an enabling policy environment on care. The Care Policy Scorecard seeks to measure government performance and progress on policies relating to UCDW, paid care work and cross-sectoral policy areas. It is a practical tool enables care advocates to monitor and track progress and hold governments to account on their commitments, which are critically needed as countries rebuild their economies, address the fallouts from the COVID-19 pandemic and deliver towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Care Policy Scorecard looks at the extent to which government policies related to care are adopted, budgeted for and implemented, and the extent to which they have a transformative effect on care. It can be used at the national or sub-national level. The Scorecard is intended to be used by civil society, government and academia alike.

The Scorecard has been implemented in several countries by countries and partners including Puerto Rico, the Philippines, Timor Leste, as well as, United States, United Kingdom and Canada. It has also been rolled out in WE-Care implementing countries: Kenya, Uganda, Zimbabwe and Ethiopia. Different countries adopted and adapted the Care Policy Scorecard in different ways, for instance Uganda commissioned a study, while Zimbabwe conducted a pilot exercise and Ethiopia conducted a study of the performance and progress of care and care-supporting policies. Additionally, the significant differences in national and subnational contexts and community and government priorities resulted in action in some policy areas over others.

About the Consultancy

Oxfam’s WE-Care program seeks to conduct an analysis of the Care Policy Scorecard in selected countries to document learnings and best practices, as well as understand common patterns, challenges and successes in policy development, amendment and implementation across countries. WE-Care’s Programme Management Unit (PMU) is therefore seeking the services of a qualified consultancy team to carry out the study/research.

This analysis will serve as a starting point for effectively assessing the impact and effectiveness of rolling out the Care Policy Scorecard, as well as, the status of government policies, actions and commitments on care and care-supporting services. It will also provide necessary insights as to how policymakers benefit from the analysis and what spurs them in taking action and making decisions on care policies. Within this, the analysis of the roll out of the Care Policy Scorecard will expect to shed some light on any trends across countries that are being seen,

e.g. are some policy areas easier to influence over others; and/or are duty-bearers more responsive to some policy areas over others, which help future influencing in this area.

In addition, the analysis will be instrumental in demonstrating the Scorecard’s effectiveness in pushing for the development and implementation of policies that safeguard the rights and well-being of both caregivers and those receiving care.

The research will follow the Oxfam peer review process and Oxfam research standards.

Objectives

1. To document, best practices, innovations and learnings from the different countries implementing the Care Policy Scorecard, based around the five steps outlined in “Part A: How to Use the Care Policy Scorecard” (I.e. planning, undertaking, adapting, scoring and using the scorecard).
2. To assess the effectiveness and challenges of the scorecards as a tool for pushing for development and implementation of transformative care policies and to recommend ways to improve the tool and the guidance for its roll-out.
3. To assess the extent in which the scorecard integrated views of various care actors – care service users, care service providers, decision-/policy-makers – and to subsequently facilitate some engagement or discussions on the results of the assessment.
4. To capture key findings from across different countries, contexts and key patterns/themes to support advocacy.

Research Questions

1. How was the scorecard adapted and rolled out in the different country contexts?
2. How have the scorecard findings been used to influence government policies?
3. What lessons can be learned on the key factors that enabled this?

Methodology

The selected consultant will be expected to conduct a mixed method research comprising of desk review of the different scorecard studies, reports from the aforementioned countries, Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) with Oxfam staff, Care advocates and partners implementing the scorecard, including any consultants commissioned by Oxfam to undertake Score Card studies and where possible engaging government officials that have been engaged in the process of rolling out the Care Policy Scorecard.

Note: No travel is expected under this consultancy.

Scope

To provide an in-depth analysis of rolling out the Care Policy Scorecard and a holistic perspective on the state of care policies state of care policies in several countries. The analysis will cover findings from WE-Care countries (Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, and Zimbabwe), as well as select countries that have implemented the Care Policy Scorecard, such as the Philippines, USA, Puerto Rico, and Canada.

Timeline

We anticipate this assignment to take 3 months, starting February to April 2024

Education and Experience Requirements

Oxfam seeks to work with an experienced consultant(s) with the following skills and qualifications.

The consultant(s) should have;

1. Advanced degree (Masters) in a relevant field such as Public Policy, Social Sciences, Gender and Development, Monitoring and Evaluation, Development Studies, or a related discipline.
2. Minimum of 5 years of experience in global policy analysis, particularly in the subject of Care policies and gender-based analysis and research, is required.
3. Strong research and analytical skills, including proficiency in quantitative and qualitative research approaches, including verified experience of using scorecards as a tracking and accountability tool.
4. Strong understanding and demonstrated experience in using feminist approaches to research.
5. Excellent research/technical writing and editing skills.
6. Proper articulation of the methodology is an added advantage.

Deliverables Expected

1. Develop a research ToR for the proposed analysis of the care policy scorecard. The TOR will undergo a peer review and sign-off process and the consultant will be expected to respond to the peer review comments.
2. Deliver two presentations in the form of webinars. The first on the research design, its goals and the expectations from the team; within the first weeks of the consultancy. The second, a final presentation of results, towards the end of the consultancy.
3. Create a comprehensive report that is Synthesise the findings from the scorecard ii) Document the lessons learned from the process of its roll out and influencing. The final report will go through peer review and sign-off process and the consultant will be expected to respond to the peer review comments.
4. Provide data visualization/infographics that help with interpretation of the findings collected.
5. Offer recommendations for improvements of the guidance on the policy scorecard and future actions on effective utilisation of the tool.

Application Requirements

1. Comprehensive resumes of the consultancy team, highlighting relevant experience, credentials, and skills.
2. A detailed budget proposal presenting the consultant’s fee, expected expenses, and any extra costs related with the study.
3. A clear and comprehensive process proposal that demonstrates the consultant’s understanding of the assignment, recommended methodology, and deliverables summary.