Website ActionAid Zambia
- BACKGROUND
ActionAid Zambia is a member of the ActionAid International Federation and its vision is to see a just and poverty-free Zambia in which every person enjoys the right to a life of dignity. In trying to realize its vision, ActionAid Zambia works with poor and excluded people to end poverty and injustice.ActionAid Zambia believes that young people play a major role in the development of the country as the youth are the largest group. However, Zambia is characterized by high levels of unemployment, limited educational opportunities, limited civic and political participation, and inadequate access to information. These are some of the challenges limiting the ability of young people to realize which has been worsened by the effects of COVID-19.The COVID-19 pandemic is not only a global health crisis, but it has also highly affected the world at large socially, politically, and economically, with women and young people being the most negatively affected negatively. After the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 12, 2020 governments and other authorities worldwide issued various guidelines and directives that require a change in the ways that individuals, communities, and businesses alike interact and transact. Some of these measures that were aimed at curbing a health problem have now created socio-economic problems that disproportionately affect the most vulnerable in society, and in particular women and young people.Young people are not exempted from these challenges and may possibly face some of the most severe consequences. With the economy taking a hit in Zambia due to the effect of COVID-19 among other things, food insecurity, loss of income, police brutality, misinformation, lack of access to public services such as health is a concern in the country.
But even as the world grapples with the crises brought about by COVID-19, reports show that young people are demonstrating their continued leadership in their communities and countries. Though they are some of the most affected in terms of socio-economic impacts, they are also the most active in terms of response and recovery. Not only are they in the front line as health workers, but they are also leading their communities in advancing health and safety.
ActionAid Zambia reported its first two cases of Corona Virus on 18th March 2020. Following the outbreak, the Ministry of Health alongside the World Health Organization introduced guidelines in which to operate in mitigating the spread of the virus. ActionAid Zambia then followed suit in changing its ways of working. We have also changed the way we operate some of the youth activities to online platforms such as Zoom meetings and Facebook live among other online platforms. Seeing that technology is highly used by young people, we have seen that online platforms are one of the effective support platforms for the work of young people in keeping duty bearers to account. We would therefore like to influence the use of technology. Through the creation of digital engagement tools, young people will be supported and empowered to access information, analyze data, present evidence, and lead their communities.
- OBJECTIVESTo establish the socio-economic impact of COVID19 on youth (15-35) from both urban, peri-urban, and rural settings.
- SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
- Quantify the economic impact of Covid-19 on the identified groups
- Use of collected data to develop advocacy and campaigning
- Capacitate young people in data collection and analysis in holding their civic leaders accountable
- SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The study is designed to be conducted in Lusaka, Northern, Muchinga, and Western Province through the use of youth champions that we work within the selected areas. The consultant will provide consultative support and guidance to the selected youth champions in the collection and analysis of data using the research design and tools developed by the consultant. The research will target the respondents between the ages of 15 to 35 years. Ideally a representative of the rural, urban, and peri-urban, and approximately 1000 respondents per site. In addition to those identified above, efforts must be made to reach those impacted most acutely by the Covid-19 pandemic. - DURATION OF THE STUDY
The study is expected to be completed within 30 consecutive days (including travel, data collection, data analysis, and submission of the final report) upon signing of the contract. - PROPOSED METHODOLOGY
The methodology will use a mixed-methods approach of both qualitative and quantitative components. The overall approach to research design, protocol, and guidance must recognize that both the process and final products of the research should be empowering, build solidarity, and shift power to young people. It must follow ActionAid’s Feminist Research Guidelines, to adopt an intersectional feminist approach, ensuring participation of those who are normally excluded and have no access to resources in the pandemic. The research should address ActionAid’s priorities which include: Gender-responsive public services, Youth-led climate justice, Civic participation, and Livelihoods, and economic opportunities.The data collected will be analyzed in three phases. Firstly, the budget data will be analyzed by coding the data and collapsing the codes into broad themes. The second phase consists of analyzing the quantitative database from the pulse surveys in terms of descriptive statistics, while the third phase foresees the merging of the results from both the budget data and the quantitative findings.An indicative list of activities to be performed
- Development of research design
- Design online data collection tools
- Support young people in the creation of digital data collection tools using online forms builders such as Magpi, Google Forms, etc
- Support young people with collection, aggregation, and analysis of citizen-generated data from the communities identified by ActionAid Zambia
- Build the capacity of young people to understand their governments’ COVID19 budgetary commitments and track expenditure or lack thereof of allocated resources.
- Work with ActionAid Zambia to train youth champions on data collection and analysis, as well as budget analysis and budget tracking in relation to the four thematic priorities mentioned above.
- Analyze the data together with young people selected by ActionAid to build their capacity in data analysis, budget analysis, and budget tracking.
- Work with the selected youth as required on the overall data collection process, in the identification and recruitment of research participants, ensuring informed consent, interviewing, transcription, and uploading of completed datasets.
- EXPECTED OUTPUTS
- Develop research design and data collection tools
- Design and delivery of capacity development training to youth champions on the data collection tools (quantitative and qualitative) and budget tracking on the thematic priorities in discussion with ActionAid Zambia.
- Co-design with young people the questions to be shared through the pulse surveys.
- Guide the youth champions on the collection of data
- Guide and facilitate the overall intersectional analysis of the results from the pulse surveys in conjunction with relevant recognized data sources including budget data at subnational and/or national levels
- Develop youth-led policy demands and briefs in line with the thematic priorities
- REQUIREMENTS
The Lead Consultant/Researcher must be a Senior Expert in leading and undertaking assessments/studies particularly on youth related studies and evaluation of programs/projects. The Lead researcher should hold a minimum of a Ph.D./ Master’s degree in Social work, psychology, Behavioral Studies, Humanitarian Studies, Economics, or related subject and practical knowledge. Health sector related experience is a plus. - QUALIFICATIONS MUST INCLUDE:
- Extensive experience in undertaking socio-economic research.
- Experience in conducting youth-related studies
- Proven track records in leading study teams and producing quality reports.
- Proven knowledge and experience in monitoring and evaluation
- Quantitative research and data analysis experience using statistical software (SPSS, Stata, SAS, CISPRO, and others).
- Expertise in facilitating qualitative data collection and analyzing qualitative data using rigorous techniques/content analysis.
- Expertise in designing statistically significant & representative sampling strategies across multiple strata, including cluster sampling, stratified sampling techniques.
- Proven ability to work with the community and Zambian government stakeholders
- Experience using mobile devices to collect quantitative data.
- Excellent writing and presentation skills.
- Experience in conducting a study in Humanitarian and crises set up with women and girls with psychosocial, legal, and economic interpretations will be an added advantage.
- APPLICANTS SHOULD PROVIDE:
- A technical proposal with an elaborate design and methodology, sample size; clear work plan on how the research will be conducted; including the tools to be used in the research and proposed time schedules.
- An itemized budget for consultancy fees.
- Curriculum vitae for the consultants and proposed team members.
- List of related work undertaken in the recent past including full names, email address, telephone, and physical address of the clients.
- Submit proposal indicating the subject line or separately sealed hard copy to ActionAid Zambia Office, 38G Kabulonga Road, Ibex Hill, P.O. Box 51407, Lusaka Zambia, on 13th November 2020, or via the e-mail address: [email protected]