REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST 

AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK

Climate Change and Green Growth Department (PECG)

INDIVIDUAL GENDER CONSULTANT

1.    The African Development Bank (AfDB) hereby invites Individual Consultants to indicate their interest for the Climate Investment Funds Country Engagement Budget Forest Investment Programme (CIF CEB FIP) funded activity: Capacity building and establishment of gender- sensitive profit-sharing mechanisms in Burkina Faso forestry sector.

The AfDB hereby invites Individual Consultants to indicate their interest in the following position: CIF CEB- Capacity building and establishment of gender-sensitive profit-sharing mechanisms in Burkina Faso forestry sector activity – gender consultant

2.    The Individual Consult will support the development of project proposal to implement the Capacity building and establishment of gender-sensitive profit-sharing mechanisms in Burkina Faso forestry sector activity. Its main objective is to ensure capacity building and support gender mainstreaming in the REDD+ process. The recruitment of a gender expert will strengthen the capacity building of national actors on mainstreaming gender in the REDD+ process as well as building capacity for the establishment of gender-sensitive benefit-sharing mechanisms and the safeguard information system. The main components are: i) Capacity building on the institutionalization of gender; ii) Capacity building for the establishment of gender-sensitive benefit-sharing mechanisms, and iii) Exchange of South-South experience on the establishment of an information system on REDD+ safeguards including the gender-sensitive benefit-sharing mechanism.

3.    The Climate Finance Division (PECG.1) invites Individual Consultants to indicate their interest in providing the below-described services in the Terms of Reference. Interested Consultants shall provide information on their qualifications and experience demonstrating their ability to undertake this Assignment (documents, reference to similar services, experience in similar assignments, etc.).

4.    The eligibility criteria, the establishment of a short list and the selection procedure shall be in conformity with the Bank’s procedure for the acquisition of consulting services funded by the Administrative or Capital expenditure. Please, note that interest expressed by a consultant does not imply any obligation on the part of the Bank to include him/her in the shortlist.

5.    The duty station is home-based requiring trips to Burkina Faso (covered by the consultant herself/himself). The duration of services is 6 months. The expected starting date is January 9,  2023. Interested Individual Consultants may obtain further information at the address below during the Bank’s working hours: from 08:00 to 17:00 hours, Abidjan local time.

6.    Expressions of interest must be delivered via email to the addresses below no later than December, 2nd, 2022, at 17:00 Abidjan local time and specifically mention “CIF CEB - Capacity building and establishment of gender-sensitive profit-sharing mechanisms in Burkina Faso forestry sector – Gender consultant”. 

For the attention of:

Phillips GARETH

Division manager

African Development Bank

E-mail : G.PHILLIPS@AFDB.ORG  

with copy to: C.QUENARD@AFDB.ORG

S.BORRINI@AFDB.ORG K.GIZAW@AFDB.ORG 

and: B.AYISSI@AFDB.ORG 

ESTABLISHMENT OF THE SHORT LIST

7.    A shortlist of three to six individual consultants will be established at the end the request of expressions of interest. The consultants on the shortlist will be judged on the following criteria on the basis of their updated resume.

-          Level of education in general                                                                                             20%

-          Educational level compared to the field of mission                                                        20%

-          Years of experience in general                                                                                           20%

-          Number of years of experience relevant to the mission                                                40%

Terms of Reference (TOR): Recruitment of a gender specialist to

Strengthening gender mainstreaming in the Burkina Faso's REDD+ process

1. Background

The Strengthening gender mainstreaming in the Burkina Faso's REDD+ process activity is financed by Climate Investment Funds (CIF) under its Forest Investment Program window.

Burkina Faso is facing the acceleration of the loss of its forest cover and is experiencing a sharp increase in greenhouse gas emissions. By 2030, the level of emissions will be multiplied by five (5) compared to 2007 and almost by 1.6 compared to 2015 (CPDN, 2015). Therefore, Burkina Faso has been committed since 2010 to the process of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, taking into account the role of sustainable forest management, conservation and enhancement of forest carbon stocks (REDD+).

REDD+ was initiated under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Its fundamental objective is to provide financial incentives to developing countries engaged in this process and which are making efforts to reduce their GHG emissions in the forestry sector. Beyond carbon, the process also aims to promote non-carbon benefits, such as poverty reduction, conservation of forest ecosystems and sustainable development in targeted countries.

The implementation of the national REDD+ strategy, currently under development, will thus enable Burkina Faso to reconcile its development ambitions with its climate objectives in terms of mitigation and adaptation through the proposal of a holistic and integrated sustainable development around forest landscapes. The REDD+ process seeking to increase the benefits in terms of environmental and forest protection and the improvement of the living conditions of the populations, must in its implementation take into account social and environmental issues.

Interest of integrating the gender approach in development projects

It is necessary to make institutional actors understand that integrating the gender approach in development projects, in particular REDD+ projects, is a method of intervention to promote equitable development. It consists of promoting awareness and introducing strategies and tools for equality through the transversal integration of gender at several levels: in the operating methods of institutions, in the skills of personnel and at all stages management of the cycle of projects or programs for the sustainable management of natural resources. Gender analysis is an essential step in identifying and formulating a project that takes the gender dimension into account. The information collected during this phase should help guide the intervention so that it reduces inequalities between women and men, or at least does not reinforce existing inequalities. In short, to help achieve effective gender mainstreaming, at identification stage it is indeed necessary project planning, through monitoring and evaluation, to systematically carry out analyzes by gender approach and to define the role and place of women and men in the project or program.

2. Project objectives

The Strengthen gender mainstreaming in the Burkina Faso's REDD+ process activity includes three main components:

1. Capacity building on the institutionalization of gender

This activity is intended to build the capacity of the staff of the National REDD+ Technical Secretariat, the FIP Coordination Unit and other public administration partners (SP/CNDD, DGESS, DFR, DPV/PFNL, etc.), civil society organizations and the private sector in the use of gender analysis tools to improve their consideration in practices for sustainable development. It is necessary that at the level of the national structures involved in the actions of the CIF there are skills required to engage effectively in the integration of the gender perspective.

It is thus a question of equipping the actors on the consideration of gender in a systematic and global way in the policies, programs, projects, services of the Ministry in charge of the environment on:

2.     Capacity building for the establishment of gender-sensitive benefit-sharing mechanisms

The implementation of REDD+ in Burkina Faso will potentially generate carbon benefits. The success of the implementation of REDD+ depends, among other things, on the establishment of a transparent and equitable mechanism for sharing the mulpadatiple benefits and co-benefits linked to the process. In rural areas, there is a significant gap between women and men in the redistribution of benefits related to natural resources. One of the challenges of the REDD+ process will be to reduce this gap in the REDD+ benefit sharing mechanism. A benefit-sharing mechanism also designed, which takes into account the gender dimension, will contribute to enhancing the effectiveness of forest management and increasing the effectiveness of the national REDD+ strategy. It is therefore necessary that support be provided to the National REDD+ Technical Secretariat and the FIP Coordination Unit to ensure better integration of gender analysis in the design of benefit-sharing plans as well as advocacy at the national and local level for the effectiveness of taking gender into account in the various benefit-sharing mechanisms that will be put in place by REDD+ initiatives, projects and programs at the national level.

3.     Exchange of South-South experience on the establishment of an information system on REDD+ safeguards including the gender-sensitive benefit-sharing mechanism

●     Building an operational and open Safeguards Information System based on the experience of Côte d'Ivoire to exchange of experiences between Côte d'Ivoire and Burkina Faso will enable the country to achieve this objective.

●     Sharing south-south experiences on gender-responsive benefit-sharing mechanisms In addition, support for women's cooperatives provides a solid entry point for setting up gender-sensitive benefit-sharing mechanisms. Successful examples of benefit sharing from women's cooperatives in Côte d'Ivoire under the SPAZ projects, Agro-Industrial Pole Project in the Bélier Region and Youth Employment and Development Project agro-industry offer an opportunity for South-South knowledge to strengthen the capacity of the National REDD+ Technical Secretariat, the FIP Coordination Unit and other Partner Administrations (SP/CNDD, DGESS, DFR, DPV/PFNL, etc.). in order to understand good practices for supporting and strengthening benefit-sharing mechanisms in women's cooperatives.

3. Scope of work

The scope of work for preparing the country briefs include the following:

●     Realize inclusive consultations to design three tailored trainings;

●     Prepare tailored teaching materials that include concrete tools in French and in English for the trainings;

●     Training on systemic gender mainstreaming at the level of the ministry responsible for the environment and affiliated staff;

●     Training of relevant stakeholders to mainstream gender in Burkina Faso's REDD+ benefit-sharing mechanism: staff of the National REDD+ Technical Secretariat, the FIP Coordination Unit and other public administration partners, civil society organizations and the private sector);

●     Training to build an inclusive Safeguards Information System operational and open based on the experience of Côte d'Ivoire;

●     South-South exchange of experience on the establishment of an information system on REDD+ safeguards including the gender-sensitive benefit-sharing mechanism;

●     Organization of a two-days workshop in Abidjan (online and face-to-face for part of the team) for South-South exchange of experiences between Côte d'Ivoire and Burkina Faso;

●     Production of a learning note in French and in English capturing the outcomes of the whole activity.

4. Expected Outcomes

●     Teaching materials including concrete tools for gender mainstreaming from the three trainings are available in French and in English;

●     Relevant stakeholders are equipped to take gender into account in a systematic and comprehensive way in Burkina Faso's REDD+ process;

●     Relevant stakeholders master the approaches and tools for gender mainstreaming in Burkina Faso's REDD+ benefit-sharing mechanism;

●     Key principles, criteria and indicators to be taken into account in the implementation of the REDD+ safeguard information system are managed by the relevant stakeholders;

●     A learning note captures the outcomes of the whole activity;

5. Time frame

●     Activity 1 Inclusive consultations in the activity area – by February 2023

●     Activity 2 Training on systemic gender mainstreaming at the level of the ministry responsible for the environment and affiliated staff – by March 2023

●     Activity 3 Training on gender-sensitive benefit-sharing mechanisms at the level of the ministry responsible for the environment for affiliated staff – by April 2023

●     Activity 4 Training to build an inclusive Safeguards Information System operational and open based on the experience of Côte d'Ivoire – by May 2023

●     Activity 5 Workshop for South-South exchange of experience on the establishment of an information system on REDD+ safeguards including the gender-sensitive benefit- sharing mechanism – by June 2023

●     Learning note – by July 2023

6. Deliverables

●     Teaching materials

●     Three trainings

●     One workshop

●     One learning note

7. Qualification and experience required

●     Gender expert with at least 7 years of experience in gender capacity building in climate and environment areas.

●     Knowledge on gender in relation to forest resources including REDD+, knowledge of the institutional and associative environment of gender in Burkina Faso, knowledge on GBV/ EAHS /VCE..

●     Ability to work in French and in English.

The Bank will review the deliverables’ draft version, the full draft version and final version for endorsement. Endorsement will be contingent on addressing the comments and observations made by the Bank.

8. Duration of the assignment, start date and reporting

As an indication, it is estimated that the gender expert will have 30 days to accomplish his mission over a period of 6 months from January 2023 to July 2023.

The consultant will report to the Manager, Climate Finance and Environment (PECG.1) and Task Managers for the activity.

The commencement date is expected to be January, 9, 2023.

9. Duty station

The Individual Consultant is expected to be based in Burkina Faso.

The mission will include a trip to Côte d'Ivoire for a one-week stay as part of the workshop activity.

CONCLUSION

The Climate Finance and Environment Division invites Individual Consultants to indicate their interest in providing the above-described services. Interested eligible Individual Consultants shall provide information on their qualifications and experience demonstrating their ability to provide the services (documentation, references for similar services, experience in comparable Assignments, availability of qualified staff, etc.).

The eligibility criteria, the establishment of a shortlist and the selection procedure shall confirm with the Bank’s Rules and Procedure for the Use of Consultants under projects financed by the Bank, May 2008 Edition, revised in July 2012 available on the Bank Website at http://www.Bank.org. Please, note that interest expressed by a Consulting Firm does not imply any obligation on the part of the Bank to include it in the shortlist.