Consultancy – Baseline Survey (Kenya) 130 views0 applications

BACKGROUND

ARTICLE 19 Eastern Africa (or EA) is the leading non-governmental organisation promoting and protecting freedom of expression and access to information, both offline and online. ARTICLE 19 EA works across the region in fourteen (14) countries including Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Comoros, and Seychelles. ARTICLE 19 EA fulfils its mandate in partnership with other national and regional organizations and mechanisms and creates solidarity networks aimed at safeguarding freedom of expression and information.

The organisation envisions a region where all people can speak freely, actively participate in public life and enjoy media freedom without fear, censorship or persecution. Its mission is to promote, protect, develop and fulfil freedom of expression and the free flow of information and ideas in order to strengthen regional social justice and empower people to make autonomous choices. ARTICLE 19 EA provides a unique contribution to the protection and promotion of these rights and freedoms through the following thematic areas: Digital, Media, Civic Space, Transparency, and Protection.

ARTICLE 19 EA seeks to implement a three (3) year project titled ‘Securing Digital Rights and Online Freedom of Expression in Eastern Africa’ project. The countries targeted include Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Ethiopia and South Sudan (or Project Countries). The project seeks to defend freedom of expression online, strives to ensure that States and the private sector are actively protecting freedom of expression and access to information, and create empowered representatives from marginalised groups through research, policy advocacy and reform, stakeholder engagement and capacity-building. Specifically the projects outcomes include:

1. At least two (2) allies (in each of the Project Countries) from human rights organizations that do not work on digital rights and they will be able rely on ARTICLE 19’s recent policy documents, based on international law, standards and emerging and/or promising practices which encourage multi-stakeholderism;
2. The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (or ACHPR) will begin to engage with other actors beyond human rights defenders (or HRDs), including ICT corporates, on access and privacy issues;
3. Eastern Africa civil society, media and lawyers networks will push for digital policy frameworks in their respective countries using the African Declaration on Internet Rights and Freedoms (or ADIRF) as a template;
4. Support the institution of three (3) cases on privacy and access across the Project Countries;
5. Form stronger relationships with representatives of marginalised groups, regional bodies and corporate entities; and
6. East Africa Communications Organization (or EACO) and national regulators will begin incorporating freedom of expression and access to information principles as they adopt and/or harmonise ICT policies and technical standards.

SCOPE OF WORK

The purpose of the baseline study is to provide an analysis of baseline data (qualitative and quantitative) on the situation of Digital Rights and Online Freedom of Expression in the Project Countries. The baseline survey report will provide comprehensive information on all the Project Countries, from the project’s inception, upon which to build research outputs and guide advocacy efforts capable of steering effective engagements with multiple national and regional stakeholders and policy-makers.

The baseline survey is also expected to review national and regional laws and policies on Digital Rights and Online Freedom of Expression in the Project Countries in line with international and regional human rights standards on freedom of expression. Specifically, the baseline survey is expected to:

• Determine the baseline values for all impact- and outcome-level performance indicators in the Project Countries;
• Review national laws and policies on Digital Rights and Online Freedom of Expression in the Project Countries;
• Assess governments’ compliance with international, regional and national laws and policies on Digital Rights and Online Freedom of Expression in the Project Countries; and
• Assess the lessons learned and gaps from the previous ‘Securing Digital Rights and Online Freedom of Expression in Eastern Africa’ (2017 – 2019) project.

EXPECTED DELIVERABLES

• Develop an inception report detailing the process and methodologies to be employed to achieve the objective of this consultancy as stated above. It should include a detailed work plan for this exercise, and must be presented to ARTICLE 19 EA for review and further input;
• Undertake a desk review of the relevant project documents, including the Proposal, Results/Logical Frameworks, Implementation Plans, Project Implementation Reports, and any other relevant documents;
• Design data collection methodology as appropriate, guided by international evaluation standards and relevant framework(s);
• Design, develop and refine data collection tools with ARTICLE 19 EA; and
• Carry out data collection, entry and analysis and write up a baseline evaluation report not exceeding twenty-five (25) pages, excluding annexes.

METHODOLOGY

1. The consultant/consultancy firm will be required to provide a detailed methodology of how he/she/they will carry out the evaluation;
2. The consultant/consultancy firm should conduct a desk review with documents provided by ARTICLE 19 EA and documents furnished from the consultant’s/ consultant/consultancy firm’s own references. All references need to be listed in the final report;
3. The consultant/consultancy firm is requested to use participatory approaches to collect information from key informants in the industry across the Project Countries;
4. The consultant/consultancy firm is expected to gather, use and analyse qualitative and quantitative information and data;
5. The consultant/consultancy firm is expected to plan his/her/their work and ensure sufficient time is spent in the field collecting data; and
6. The consultant/consultancy firm is required to submit a draft report for review and make the necessary changes as directed by ARTICLE 19 EA technical staff.

TIMELINES

The baseline survey should commence as soon as possible, but should take not more than one (1) month.

CRITERIA FOR SELECTION OF CONSULTANT/CONSULTANCY FIRM

• Bachelor’s degree in social sciences, data science, technology, media, law;
• At least seven (7) years of experience in quantitative and qualitative data collection skills and methodologies in completing assessments, reviews and evaluations with the UN, international NGOs and/or NGO sector;
• Good research and analytical skills;
• Excellent written and spoken English;
• Excellent facilitation skills;
• Strong report writing, data collection and data analysis skills;
• Familiarity with, and a high level of up-to-date knowledge and understanding of digital rights and freedom of expression online issues in the Eastern African context; and
• Proven track record of assessing digital rights and freedom of expression online issues in programming.