2021-08-15

Terms of Reference (ToR) for Research Assistant for DOWN2EARTH Project in Somaliland

Somaliland
Posted on August 15, 2021

ActionAid Somaliland (AAIS)

Terms of Reference (ToR) for Research Assistant for DOWN2EARTH Project in Somaliland

Terms of Reference (ToR)

Research Assistant for DOWN2EARTH Project in Somaliland.

Introduction

ActionAid Somaliland (AAIS) is a Non-governmental International Organization (INGO) that was operating in Somaliland over the last 25 years contributing to the relief and development of the people of Somaliland, implementing an integrated programme on women rights, Humanitarian response, resilience building, food security and livelihoods, local institutional capacity building and public policy influencing through facilitating processes that eradicate poverty and ensure social justice.

AAIS supports local communities and their institutions in four out of the six regions (Sanaag, Togdheer, Sool and Marodijex) in Somaliland. Moreover, AAIS manages Local Rights Programmes (LRPs) in Gebiley and Hargeisa districts. The AAIS promotes women’s rights, resilient livelihoods and sustainable natural resources management. The resilient livelihood programmes prioritise activities that alleviate poverty and ensure the maintenance of human rights, with a focus on vulnerable women and girls. The programme builds the capacity of people living in poverty and exclusion and their institutions to organize themselves around activities that alleviate poverty and claim their rights, particularly through women empowerment.

1.2 Background of the Project

Down2Earth project is a research project that aims at translating climate information into multilevel decision support for social adaptation, policy development, and resilience to water scarcity in the Horn of Africa drylands. The initial project team are physical scientists who have produced some groundbreaking scientific studies on water and climate in the region. The project runs in three AAI countries namely Somaliland, Ethiopia and Kenya with other 14 partners. It is a four-year project with the following.

Overall objectives:

Address the multi-faceted challenges of water scarcity and food insecurity under climate change in the Horn of Africa Drylands (HAD), by facilitating community-centred adaptation and resilience to climate change impacts.
Use a multidisciplinary, inclusive approach, bringing together local communities, academic experts, novel decision-support tools, multi-level governance structures, regional climate centres, and NGOs.

In Somaliland, the DOWN2EARTH project engages with the population of three villages (Beerato, Ceel-xume and Qaloocato) in Odweyne district, Togdheer region. The Research Assistant will work with a research coordinator and a research assistant. In addition, a representative from the Ministry of Environment and Rural Development will be involved in the field data collection activities. The Primary role of the research team is collecting empirical data from the local communities and other relevant stakeholders.

Objectives and Purpose of the Research Assistant

The main objective of the research assignment is to carry out research work for DOWN2 EARTH (D2E) project in Odweyne district under the Beerato, Ceel-xume and Qaloocato villages on water scarcity and climate change to realize the following specific objectives:

Assess the socio-economic dimensions and human dynamics of climate change in HAD including feedbacks between climatic shocks, human behaviour, and policy implementation.
Characterize and quantify historical trends and future projections of climate change, and interactions between water scarcity, food insecurity, population, land use, and the policy environment in HAD.

Scope of the D2E Research

The D2E research project covers Beerato, Ceel-xume and Qaloocato villages in the Odweyne district. The research assistant will work with the Research Coordinator, the AAIS partners in the district and the staff and the local partners or community on the methodology and data collection tools, sample size and locations for data collection and field visits, taking into consideration the COVID-19 safety measures set by the Ministry of Health.

The research assist is working on this project for 12 months, starting from 1^st Sept 2021. During this period, the research assistant will be stationed in the AAIS office in Jigjiga yar, Hargeisa city. The position holder is required to work 8 hours for five days or 40 hours a week.

3.0 Expected Approach and Methodology

In collaboration with the University of East Angelia (UEA), ActionAid will provide a research methodology, which will be used for each phase as guided by the research coordinator.

We expect the Research Assistant (RA) to travel to the project target district, where necessary, to carry out primary data collection, including both qualitative and quantitative data. The RA should give voice to the experiences of direct project participants and partners, as well as other relevant stakeholders including government, civil society among others. The RA should prioritise women and girls experiences and ensure that data collection is conducted in a gender-sensitive and culturally appropriate manner.

3.1 Coordination, Roles and Responsibilities

Roles and Responsibilities of the Research Assistant

Assist the research coordination in community mobilization and meeting arrangements
Assist the research coordinator in the review of the data collection tools for contextual relevance and gender lenses.
Facilitating Focus Group Discussions (FGD) and Key Informant Interviews (KII) with female respondents in the project target villages.
Take notes and audio recordings when the project coordinator is facilitating FGDs and KIIs
Administering survey questionnaires with female respondents in the target villages
Take quality pictures during the field data collection process as evidence
Make field observations during the field visits and social interactions
Where necessary, collect in-depth case studies from female respondents in the target villages
Assist the research coordinator in the interpretation and analysis of data from the field
Assist the research coordinator in drafting study reports
Represent the researcher coordinator in coordination meetings (when necessary)
Produce monthly activity plans and reports for AAIS accountability

Roles and responsibilities of AAIS

AAIS will provide the overall guidance and supervision of the task through the research coordinator and relevant program manager.
AAIS will provide technical support, including a review of the tools and reports. The overall accountability of this work rests with the Research Coordinator and AAIS program manager.
AAIS will arrange official transport for the fieldwork. The relevant AAIS staff will process the necessary logistics for the fieldwork.
AAIS will provide accommodation and perdiums for the number of days in the field.

2 Expected Outputs

The following deliverables are expected.

The Research Assistant is expected to produce an activity of the previous month and a tentative work plan for that month.
She shall draft sections of the study reports and submit to the research coordinator for review and complying.
She shall share the minutes of coordination meetings
She shall inputs into the field data collection tools from gender Lenses.
She shall support the research coordinator to make a presentation of key findings and recommendations – initial thoughts/findings before leaving field sites; and presenting overall findings in person or remotely after further analysis.
She shall produce a PowerPoint presentation summarizing key findings and recommendations that can be used to disseminate findings within ActionAid and with external stakeholders.
She shall hand over the raw data (all transcripts, quantitative data, and data collection tools) to the research coordinator (or AAIS), together with the Research report.
Where photographs, videos are included, these should be provided to ActionAid in high-resolution JPEG format, to be catalogued by ActionAid on stories hub. The RC must ensure that photographs are obtained in line with ActionAid guidelines on consent.

3.3 Expected Timelines

The Research Assistant shall prepare a work plan that will operationalise and direct the end of each month/phase. The work plan shall describe the research to be carried out, bringing refinements, specificity and elaboration to this ToR. The assignment schedule will be approved by the AAIS program manager and research coordinator.

Research Assistant Qualifications

We are looking for a Research Assistant with the following key skills and capacity:

General criteria:

Professional expertise in water, land, food security and climate change with experience in quantitative and qualitative research methodology and experiences with Rapid Rural appraisal -RRA approaches, Participatory Rural Appraisal -PRA and Behaviour Change Communications,
Geographical expertise in the implementing district,
Proven technical expertise in gender and social inclusion (including knowledge/experience of gender dimensions/ issues in water, food security and climate change), participatory planning at the village level, planning and coordination.
At least 2 years experience in conducting baseline/evaluations/research work for either WASH program, climate change programs and food security implemented by the government, non-governmental organizations specifically in rural and low-income urban areas.
Strong organizational, analytical and reporting skills, presentation skills, attention to detail, ability to meet deadlines, and proficiency in Microsoft Office and qualitative data analysis software/tools.
Capacity to use mobile data collection tools for data collection, and analysis of survey results
Excellent verbal and written communication in English and Somali languages

Technical criteria

Experience in qualitative and quantitative methods and analysis, as well as participatory research, and behavior change communications.
Evidence of strong downward accountability mechanisms used with project stakeholders/research participants to actively share results and learning
Evidence of use of ethical considerations and methodological measures that respect the rights of all stakeholders

Our safeguarding commitment

ActionAid is committed to preventing and responding to any form of sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse (as well as child abuse and abuse of adults-at-risk), whether carried out by staff/representatives or resulting from our work. ActionAid expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through our code of conduct. We place a high priority on ensuring that only those who share and demonstrate our values are recruited for us.

Application process:

To apply, please submit:

The Curriculum Vitae (CV) of the applicant
A covering letter or expression of interest (EoI) highlighting relevant experience and skills to the specific assignment, and the reasons for interest in the work.
The names of at least three previous works to contact for references.

Female researchers are strongly encouraged to apply

Please send the above to (admin.somaliland@actionaid.org) not later than 19^th August 2021

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted

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