Details
Description
Terms of Reference
Consultant to adjust FPIC methodology and train staff in gender sensitive FPIC delivery
Location: Attapeu province and Khammouane province, Laos
Start date: 01 May 2025. End Date: 30 May 2025. Estimated Level of Effort: 8 days
Background:
SNV is a global development partner operating across Africa and Asia with a focus on poverty reduction, gender equality, climate adaptation, and governance. The Biodiverse Livelihoods Fund (BLF), is a UK government program aimed at conserving biodiversity and enhancing livelihoods across six critical landscapes. A consortium led by Fauna & Flora International, and including IUCN and SNV, is implementing interventions in the Lower Mekong area including areas in Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam to create improved livelihoods for people living in and around protected areas whilst enhancing biodiversity conservation and increasing climate resilience. In Laos the programme focuses on 3 transboundary areas: Yod Nam Mo national protected area (Xiengkhouang province), Hin Nam No and Phou-Louang Phou-Khaonok protected areas (Khammouane province) and NamKong-Xexu protection forest (Attapeu province). SNV is responsible for the livelihoods /land & resource rights and sustainable agriculture components, working in close collaboration with stakeholders, local government authorities, and the Department of Forestry (DOF). The BLF will implement a participatory Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) process to ensure communities can decide whether they wish to participate in the project and to help prioritize and target BLF related interventions.
FPIC is an ongoing process throughout the project lifecycle, allowing communities to provide or withhold consent for proposed objectives and activities while ensuring open communication, feedback, and grievance mechanisms. A formal grievance mechanism will be in place to record, address, and respond to concerns from stakeholders/villagers regarding BLF in a transparent and appropriate manner.
Objective of the assignment:
The objective of this consultancy is to train BLF Laos field staff to develop the competencies and skills needed to implement the BLF FPIC process in a participatory and practical manner with communities. The FPIC methodology used must align with the overall BLF FPIC framework while being adapted to the Lao context. The consultant will collaborate with the BLF FPIC team and experts to co-design the FPIC process, including establishing grievance mechanisms. The consultant will then provide training to the BLF team and stakeholders, enabling them to effectively implement the FPIC process in BLF target villages.
Methodology and Scope:
The consultant should design/adjust the FPIC methodology, and train and coach the BLF. In many cases, FPIC is conducted as a one-time, checkbox exercise without ensuring truly free participation and informed consent. The methodology must guarantee inclusive participation of all community groups, in particularly women, ensuring equal opportunity to express opinions. This requires adapting the FPIC process to local languages, cultural decision-making practices, and scheduling sessions at times and locations that enable meaningful participation from differentiated village groups. Additionally, as government staff will be involved, the methodology should prevent undue influence, ensuring that the consent process remains unbiased and independent (not dominated by authorities).
The consultant is expected to review the FPIC and grievance process and methodology as proposed by F&F FPIC team, and adjust it to be meaningful, practical and implementable. Recommendations from other projects notably the GIZ PROFEB Larsen 2023 report on Hin Nam No needs to be taken into account. The consultant will prepare the necessary methods and tools for facilitating FPIC workshops in villages.
The consultant will work with the BLF Laos team to create a comprehensive and accessible presentation of the BLF programme and its interventions. This presentation will be tailored to ensure that local communities and target groups fully understand the project components and can prioritise and give feedback on the proposed interventions. Where needed, local ethnic languages will be used, and village translators will be engaged to ensure effective communication
The consultant is expected to design a training programme in the Lao language and train in Vientiane the BLF field staff of IUCN, SNV, AFDC. The consultant should provide feedback on the facilitation skills of team members.
Level of Effort:
Activity
Location
#of days
Review FPIC methodology and BLF documentation
N/A
1
Propose adjustments in methodology and tools to BLF FPIC Team
2
Translate methodology in Lao language
1
Design training programme and BLF content package
2
Training in Vientiane for SNV, IUCN, AFDC staff
2
Total
8
Expected Outputs and Deliverables:
- Adjusted design of the FPIC Methodology including grievance process – tools & methods, mutually agreed with Fauna & Flora FPIC focal person, and incorporating all recommendations.
- Presentation package of the BLF objective and proposed interventions
- Training plan. A 2-day training for the BLF field team – AFDC, SNV, IUCN, in the Lao language, which should be practical, interactive and make use of presentations, group discussions, role plays etc.
Qualifications: The consultant should have extensive experience in participatory FPIC process with ethnic minority groups and local communities, preferably around protected areas. The consultant should be fluent in English and Lao and have excellent training, facilitation and reporting skills.
Submission Process: Interested consultants should submit their CV and cover letter of interest to laprocurement@snv.org by 18 April 2025.