GESI - Consultancy

Terms of Reference (TOR) for the Documentation of GESI model

The Fred Hollows Foundation (The Foundation) is a non-profit public health organization based in Australia, which was founded in 1992 by eminent eye surgeon, Professor Fred Hollows. The Foundation focuses on strengthening eye health systems and the treatment and prevention of avoidable blindness caused by Cataract, Trachoma, Diabetic Retinopathy, and Refractive Error. The Foundation operates in more than 20 countries across Australia, The Pacific, Southeast Asia, and Africa. The Foundation was named The Australian Charity of the Year 2013 in the inaugural Australian Charity Awards.

Since 2008, The Foundation has supported the development of eye health in Lao, beginning with the Sustainable Comprehensive Eye Care Project (SCEC) (2021-2025), which piloted community eye health in four northern provinces and later expanded to 10 of the country’s 18 provinces. Building on this foundation, the SEHS project in 2021-2025 focused on five provinces, where it expanded eye health services, increased screening coverage and cataract surgery rates, and promoted gender and disability inclusion through strong partnerships with the Ministry of Health (MOH), provincial hospitals, and the Lao Women’s Union (LWU).

Background
Under the Strengthening Eye Health System Project, The Fred Hollows Foundation Laos supported the implementation of a Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI) model in collaboration with the Lao Women’s Union and ethnic minority networks. The model aimed to improve equitable access to eye care services, particularly for women, people with disabilities, ethnic minorities, and people living in remote areas. As the project nears completion, documentation is needed to document the model, its implementation, key lessons learned, and results, to inform advocacy, support organizational learning, and guide potential adaptation and replication within the Lao eye health system.

Purpose
The purpose of this assignment is to document the GESI model implemented in the project and develop practical, evidence-based materials that can be used to support advocacy, organizational learning, and potential replication. The assignment is also expected to clarify how the model – and learnings from its application in the SCEC project – can inform future equitable and inclusive program design within the Lao eye health system.

The documentation process will be guided by principles of ethical, inclusive, and do-no-harm practice.

Objectives
The assignment will aim to:
• document the design, implementation approach, and key results of the GESI model;
• capture good practices, lessons learned, and implementation challenges, responses and remaining gaps
• identify enabling factors, good practices and considerations for replication within the national eye health system;
• produce user-friendly documentation materials to support advocacy and future scale-up; and
• outline how the GESI model can be integrated into future program planning and policy dialogue.

Scope of Work
The consultant will undertake the following tasks:
• review relevant project documents, assessments, reports, and monitoring data related to GESI activities;
• conduct key informant interviews with FHF staff, key representatives of marginalized group organizations, national and provincial partners such as Lao Women’s Union, Disabled People’s Organizations, and eye health sector partners;
• document collaboration mechanisms between social organizations and eye units of target provinces;
• analyze findings related to gender, disability, ethnicity, and geographic inclusion;
• develop a clear description of the GESI model, including its rationale, key actors, processes, tools, and outcomes;
• identify key challenges, document strategies employed to address them, and any further strategies identified for addressing outstanding gaps;
• provide practical recommendations for replication, adaptation, and institutionalization within the Lao context; and
• ensure that outputs are concise, practical, and tailored for programme and policy stakeholders.

Key Deliverables
The consultant is expected to deliver:
1. Inception report outlining the proposed methodology and tools, workplan, report structure, and ethics and safeguarding annex;
2. Draft documentation report (as per the scope detailed above) in Lao and English.
3. Final report documenting the GESI Model in English and Lao incorporating feedback from FHF Laos. For the final report, it is recommended that to follow a 1-3-25 reporting format. This will enable a more reader-friendly report and should include: 1-page summary of main messages, 3-page executive summary, and a 25-page main report, plus any annexes; and,
4. External facing Policy Brief and PowerPoint presentation in English and Lao (approximately 10 slides) for policymakers and partners.

Deliverables should be tailored to meet the needs of government stakeholders, partners, and programme teams, ensuring relevance for both policy dialogue and programme implementation.

The Foundation will provide the following:
· Focal person to support in undertaking the assignment.
· Provide required report template and documents required for desk review.
· Give feedback on the plan and methodology.
· Provide feedback on draft data collection tools, reports, and other deliverables.
· Support coordination between the consultant and partners during the entire evaluation activities.

Methodology
A mixed-methods approach will be used for this assignment, combining desk review, qualitative interviews, and selected case examples. The documentation should apply an intersectional GESI lens and be aligned with relevant GESI/GEDSI frameworks (e.g. GAPSED+) and national equity priorities.

The methodology should apply an intersectional lens, with findings disaggregated by gender, disability, ethnicity, and geography (wherever available), and ensure triangulation across data sources to strengthen the validity of results.

The methodology should ensure that perspectives from diverse stakeholder groups are reflected and findings are presented in a practical and accessible manner, incorporating inclusive data collection approaches such as appropriate accommodation for people with disabilities and the use of translation to enable meaningful participation.

The consultant will be responsible for developing a clear data management plan, including data storage, access, anonymisation, and deletion procedures. Participant selection must be transparent and appropriate, with participation based on voluntary, informed, and non-coercive engagement. Safeguarding risks must be assessed in advance, with clear referral pathways established for participants who may disclose harm or distress during data collection. All personnel involved in data collection, including interpreters and field staff, must receive safeguarding orientation and adhere to The Foundation’s Code of Conduct.

Management and Reporting
The consultant will report to the Program Manager, The Fred Hollows Foundation Laos, and work closely with the relevant technical staff, including the Equity and Inclusion focal point of the country office. All deliverables will be submitted to FHF Laos for review and approval.

Duration
The assignment is expected to be completed over a short-term consultancy period of approximately 30 working days, with the final timeline to be agreed upon at the start of the consultancy.
Activities Duration Person in charge
Desk review of project Documentation 3 days (May 2026) Consultant and FHF Lao team
Inception report and development of including tools and materials 3 day (May 2026) Consultant
Data collection 17 days (May 2026) Consultant and FHF Lao team
Draft report 3 days (May 2026) Consultant
Final report 2 day (June 2026) Consultant
External facing Policy Brief and PowerPoint presentation 2 days (June 2026) Consultant
Total 30 days

Required Qualifications
The consultant should have:
• proven experience in applying Intersectional GEDSI frameworks across the program development cycle (design, implementation, monitoring, and learning);
• strong analytical, facilitation, and report-writing skills in English and Lao language;
• solid understanding of the Lao context
• demonstrated expertise in qualitative research methods, including key informant interviews and thematic analysis;
• Strong facilitation and stakeholder engagement skills, particularly with diverse groups (e.g. OPDs, women’s organizations, government partners);
• Proven experience documenting and articulating program models or approaches (including theory of change, processes, and outcomes)
• demonstrated experience producing advocacy-oriented or policy-facing documentation (e.g. synthesis reports, case studies, learning briefs);
• Experience engaging with government stakeholders and policy processes in low- and middle-income contexts;
• demonstrated ability to translate evidence into practical, actionable recommendations for scale-up and systems integration and;
• strong understanding of the Lao context (highly desirable).

Confidentiality
The consultant/s agree to not divulge confidential information to any person for any reason during or after completion of this contract with The Foundation. Upon completion or termination of this contract, the consultant/s undertake to return to The Foundation any materials, files or property in their possession that relate to the business affairs of The Foundation. The consultant is responsible for safety, security and administration of primary and secondary data collected from The Foundation or otherwise.

Intellectual Property
All intellectual property and/or copyright material produced by the consultant/s whilst under contract to The Foundation remain the property of The Foundation and will not be shared with third parties without the express permission of The Foundation. The consultant/s are required to surrender any copyright material created during the term of the contract to The Foundation upon completion or termination of the contract.

Safeguarding People
The Fred Hollows Foundation is committed to ensuring that its activities are implemented in a safe and productive environment which prevents harm and avoids negative impacts on the health and safety of all people, particularly children, vulnerable people, and disadvantaged groups. The Foundation has a zero-tolerance approach to sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment of any kind. All personnel including contractors/consultants are expected to uphold and promote high standards of professional conduct in line with The Foundation’s Safeguarding People Policy including Code of Conduct. Contractors/consultants will be expected to sign and adhere to The Foundation’s Safeguarding Code of Conduct and provide any background checks as required.

Insurance
Any consultants involved in this evaluation will be required to have in place insurance arrangements appropriate to provision the requirements in this Terms of Reference including travel insurance.

Ethical and other Considerations
The consultant is expected to maintain high professional and ethical standards and comply with The Foundation’s Research and Evaluation Policy. The Foundation is committed to ensuring a safe environment and culture for all people, including children, with whom we come in contact during our work. All members of the evaluation team will be required to comply with The Foundation’s Safeguarding People Policy and sign the Safeguarding Code of Conduct. The consultant will lead the local ethics review process, including identifying the appropriate local ethics review body and preparing all required documentation for submission. This documentation should include, at a minimum, the proposed methodology, data collection tools, consent and assent materials, safeguarding measures, data management plan, and safeguarding measures. External ethics approval must be obtained prior to the commencement of data collection.