Consultancy services to Conduct Gender Analysis For Mass Youth Employment in Apiculture (MaYEA) Programme

The Organization:

The International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe) is an international scientific research institute works in different African countries, head quarter in Nairobi, Kenya. Icipe is the only independent international institute working primarily on arthropods. The center conducts research on pest and beneficial insects and arthropods with the goal of improving human and livestock health, crop production, the ecological system, and wellbeing of communities. icipe’s mission is to improve the health and food security status of the people of the tropics through research and development of environmentally friendly tools and strategies.

icipe’s works across four health themes: human health, animal health, plant health and environmental health. To have an effective impact in these diverse areas, icipe operates through a diverse impact path, collaborating with various agencies in both the public and private sectors which as a result to improve the lives and livelihoods of people in Africa.

As part of its research and development efforts, icipe has partnered with the Mastercard Foundation, IIRR, ORDA Ethiopia and other consortium partners to implement the Mass Youth Employment in Apiculture (MaYEA) program (2024-2028) to generate over one million job opportunities by addressing systemic bottlenecks in the apiculture sector.

2. Background of the Program

Mass Youth Employment in Apiculture (MaYEA) is a five-year program implemented nationwide in ten regions (Oromia, Sidama, Southern, Central and Southwest Ethiopia, Gambella; Amhara, Afar, Tigray and, Benishangul Gumuz, regions) and 135 Woredas (districts) organized in three implementation hubs: South and Southwest Hub lead by International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR); North and Northwest Hub lead by ORDA Ethiopia and National Hub lead by ICIPE.

The MaYEA programme is designed in partnership with Mastercard Foundation’s Young Africa Works in Ethiopia strategy to transform Ethiopian apiculture industry by enabling 1,050,000 young people (80% women and 10% vulnerable group) to access employment opportunities through skilling and access to financial services. Having this huge female youth target (80%), the program is expected to be women friendly and contribute to effective participation of young women in the programe.

Given the persistence of gender inequality, MaYEA programme designed gender sensitive and innovative interventions to unlock gender-related barriers and enhance female youth engagement in the program. In order to achieve these goals and realize MaYEA’s gender and vulnerable group related commitments, ICIPE believes conducting gender analysis is critical to identify gender needs and gather firsthand information for youth participants which as a result increase young women participation and advance gender mainstreaming efforts. The program shall also use gender transformative approach to ensure the business development services needed to engage in honey and other agribusiness operations are women-centred and that the ecosystem is conducive to young women.

3. Objectives

The objective of this gender analysis is to assess major gaps (policy and structure) and social barriers for gender inequality in employment and identify existing social, cultural, and economic challenges and opportunities of young women and men related to beekeeping and allied value chain business in intervention areas. The findings will provide a foundational understanding of gender roles, power dynamics, and the specific barriers and opportunities within the MaYEA program’s operational context, particularly among rural youth engaged in apiculture.

Specifically, the analysis will:

• assess social relations and responsibilities (access/control/decision making powers) of young men and women, in the various roles they play in the community
• assess how gender norms and gender inequality affect the behaviours of targeted groups in particular their attitude and motivation in seeking job and/or engage in business opportunities (entrepreneurship)
• identify gender norms and social barriers affecting vulnerable groups in particular and all program participants in general their engagement in beekeeping, input production, agro- processing, and value chain economic activities
• design recommendations on feasible support areas for young women and on how to achieve the program outcome.

4. Scope of the assignment

The assessment will be conducted in MaYEA implementing Woredas of ten regions. This gender Analysis will focus on examining five areas of inquiries (gender division of labor; household decision-making; access to information skill development and credit ; claiming rights and meaningful participation in public decision-making and existing policy support and/or gaps).

The consulting firm needs to understand the objectives, strategies and interventions of MaYEA programme and conduct discussions with the programme team to have clarity on the purpose of the assignment and expect to design or introduce suitable gender analysis tool/ framework. In collaboration with the consultants all data collection will be administered by program staff based on agreed sampling techniques.

The consulting firm is expected to

• Conduct a comprehensive review of relevant program documents, including proposals, reports, and monitoring data, as well as existing literature on gender and youth development in the target regions.
• Develop clear methodology and data collection tools. This will involve Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) with MaYEA Program staff, implementing partners, community leaders, and relevant government officials; Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with male and female youth participants (including vulnerable and marginalized groups); and utilize gender-sensitive tools to gather quantitative data
• Conduct brainstorming session for program team on the data collection tool
• Consolidate and analyze both qualitative and quantitative data to identify:
• Gender roles, responsibilities, and workload distribution within households and the apiculture value chain.
• Decision-making power and control over resources (e.g., income from honey production and allied value chains).
• Access to and control over assets, including land, equipment, and finances.
• Specific barriers and challenges faced by youth in participating in and benefiting from program activities.
• Vulnerabilities and risks, including Gender-Based Violence (GBV), exploitation, and harassment.
• Develop report
• Incorporate inputs from validation and present final gender analysis report with concrete action plan to improve programme effectiveness
• Presenting the findings to partners and stakeholders

5. Deliverables

The deliverables could focus on the following:

• Inception report with detailed work plan
• Draft Gender Analysis Report for review
• Final Gender Analysis Report with programme enhancement action plan
• A presentation of the key findings and recommendations to the MaYEA Program team.

6. Ethical Consideration and Ownership of the Gender Analysis Report

During data collection, data management and analysis, and utilization of the findings the team shall provide ethical consideration in the survey process. These include consideration of respondents’ privacy, consent, do no harm and among others to safeguard the study participants. All data, visual materials and reports generated through this contract and the gender analysis shall remain the property of MaYEA prpgramme.

7. Time frame

The assignment is expected to take two months starting from the date of the award. The consultant should submit the detailed breakdown of the activities and timetable.

Qualifications of the Consulting Firm

The consulting firm (The lead consultant of the firm and the team deployed for this assignment) need to possess

• demonstrated expertise and experience in conducting gender analysis and have prior experience performing similar work.
• competency and academic qualifications on gender studies, development studies, law or relevant fields.
• proven track-record on conducting gender analyses surveys/studies (at least two similar studies), including qualitative analyses,
• knowledge of gender issues within the country, preferably in-depth knowledge and good understanding the employment eco-system.
• fluency in English and Amharic is required. Knowledge of other local languages is a plus.
• outstanding data collection, analytical research and writing skills,
• demonstrated ability in training facilitation and presentation skills.
• renewed professional license for consultancy services.