Careers Vacancy

Consultancy – Indigenous and Afro-descendant Women in Honduras Empowerment Plan

I.               CONTEXT

A. BACKGROUND

In 2019, the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) established the FSC Indigenous Foundation (FSC-IF) as the operational office of the Permanent Committee of Indigenous Peoples (CPIP). FSC-IF is a private interest foundation in accordance with Law No. 25 of June 12, 1995, of the Republic of Panama. The mission of FSC-IF is to enable an enabling environment to guarantee the rights of Indigenous Peoples and promote sustainable forest-based solutions within 300 million hectares of indigenous forests on the planet. The vision is that Indigenous Peoples’ global values, rights, livelihoods, ecosystem services, natural capital and communities are incorporated into forest governance, climate change governance and market systems.

Indigenous Peoples’ Alliance for Rights and Development

FSC-IF is the implementing partner of the five-year Global Development Alliance (GDA) program funded by USAID and FSC: Indigenous Peoples’ Alliance for Rights and Development (IPARD). The IPARD Program is guided by three development objectives:

Objective 1: Organize and convene a training program for indigenous peoples’ organizations and stakeholders.
Objective 2: To foster an enabling environment for the recognition, effective participation and joint decision-making of Indigenous Peoples in matters affecting them; and
Objective 3: Promote the sustainable development of Indigenous Peoples based on sustainable economic models.

IPARD uses three interconnected approaches to help indigenous peoples overcome their development challenges:

A.           Multi-sectoral approach (MSA): under the strategic direction of the IPARD Steering Committee (SC), the Program convenes and draws on the expertise of multi-sectoral partners to ensure that the needs of indigenous communities are considered across a wide range of sectors.

B.           Country Focused Approach (CFA): IPARD’s program strategy is guided by a country-focused approach, driven by specific country contexts related to Indigenous Peoples. IPARD applies a structured process to identify, evaluate and select countries for its programs. FSC-FI works in conjunction with the IPARD Steering Committee, and in accordance with the guidelines of the multi-sectoral approach, to select countries and identify key priorities and strategies.

C.           Indigenous Project Management Approach (IPMA): Leveraging FSC-IF’s networks and relationships with Indigenous leaders and organizations around the world, IPARD seeks ongoing dialogue, consultation, and feedback with Indigenous Peoples to inform the Program. IPARD supports a forum through which the FSC-IF Indigenous Foundation serves as a bridge between Indigenous Peoples, technical partners, national governments, and the private sector. IPARD invests in best conservation practices and effective approaches and methodologies to ensure the long-term development of Indigenous Peoples’ Organizations in multiple management areas to enable them to develop, negotiate, manage, and implement their own programs, projects, and other initiatives.

Through these three approaches, IPARD aims to empower Indigenous Peoples’ organizations and catalyze an enabling environment in which Indigenous Peoples can pursue their development.

C. OBJECTIVE OF THE CONSULTANCY

General Objective:

The objective of this consultancy is to provide technical assistance to Indigenous Women’s Organizations, among other actors (public, private and civil society sectors), to elaborate in a participatory manner an Empowerment Plan for Indigenous and Afro-descendant Women of Honduras (PEMIAH).

Specific objectives:

  • Engage with Indigenous Women, through REDMIAH and other Indigenous Women’s Organizations or section, in FPIC processes for the development of PEMIAH.
  • Prepare a qualitative and quantitative diagnosis and policy mapping, including stakeholder analysis and institutional assessment, of Red-MIAH among other Indigenous Women’s Organizations
  • Identify key stakeholders involved (public, private, civil society and multilateral organizations) in the design and implementation of PEMIAH.
  • Create or strengthen a Multi-sectoral Working Group made up of private companies, public institutions, NGOs, multilateral banks, and advisory groups of Indigenous and Afro-descendant women, among others to support the design and implementation of PEMIAH.
  • Develop and draft the PEMIAH as informed by Indigenous and Afro Descendants Women and other key stakeholders identified through the activities above. ,
  • Implement communication and socialization initiatives as developed and conducted by the Multi-sectoral Working Group, and those led by Indigenous and Afro-Descendant Women Organizations together.

CONDITIONS OF THE CONTRACT

Type of consulting: Consultancy firm with payments in accordance with the deliverables indicated in the payment schedule.

Type of contract: Lump sum

Contract duration: 12 months

Location: The consulting firm will perform its work mostly face-to-face in Honduras, and some activities, virtually.

Responsible person: Responsible person for the program for Objective 2.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS AND REQUIRED COMPETENCIES

The consulting firm and consultants or key professionals must meet the following requirements:

Academic background:

  • Bachelor’s degree in social sciences, political and international relations, political engineering, or other related disciplines.
  • Master’s degree in social sciences, politics, international relations, or other related disciplines.

General experience:

  • At least 10 years of activity as an international consultant, among others, for the United Nations, Multilaterals (such as the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)), European Social Fund, among others.

Specific experience:

  • least 10 years of proven professional experience in the promotion, planning, management and evaluation of policies and initiatives for development and socio-economic and technological change in Latin America, based on innovation and inter-institutional and public-private cooperation.
  • At least 10 years of experience in the public and social sector, with emphasis on public policies for priority sectors, working with women, youth, children, and adolescents.
  • At least one (1) experience in the development of a Women’s Economic Empowerment Plan.
  • At least 8 years working with indigenous and/or afro-descendants, especially youth and women.

Skills

  • Demonstrated ability to prepare products and deliverables related to this contract, including forum organizations, interpersonal relations, work plans, economic empowerment plan, and national women’s entrepreneurship strategy design and reporting.
  • Oral and written communication and presentation.
  • Ability to respond appropriately and effectively to pressure, meeting deadlines with exceptional product delivery.
  • Excellent capacity to systematize information and ability to express him/herself in writing and orally.

SEE TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR CONTEXT, METHODOLOGY, AND DETAILS ON HOW TO APPLY

 

TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL PROPOSAL

Applications must include the following documents:

  • A technical proposal to address the general and specific objectives of the consultancy and a schedule for completing the deliverables listed above.
    CV of key consultants, two professional references or background of the consulting firm.
    Financial proposal for services and proposed payment terms, including all local taxes.

Instructions to bidders

  • Deadline for submission of proposals
  • The deadline for submission is December 17, 2023 (5:00 p.m. Panama time).
  • Both the Technical Proposal and the Cost Proposal should be sent via email to: procurement.fscif@fsc.org with the subject – “Support for the Elaboration of the Economic Plan for the Empowerment of Indigenous and Afro-descendant Women in Honduras (PEMIAH)”.

Validity of the Offer

  • Bids must be valid until three months after the date of submission.