Purpose of the evaluation

Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA seeks to examine in-depth the work of this three-year project with ANCP/ DFAT and APHEDA funding, and our ongoing strategic relationship with partner unions – BWTUC, CFSWF and IDEA – and MoWA.

The evaluation will review progress across the entire program, including meetings with staff, project beneficiaries, and wider program stakeholders (for example, community leaders, members of government, and other civil society actors).

The evaluation will focus on key lessons learned and direct outcomes for women workers in precarious and informal work in the sectors identified by trade union partners, in relation to increasing their access to Decent Work through stronger representation from partner trade unions. It will assess key lessons learned, direct outcomes and the progress against the structural and organisational strengthening objectives, to transform gender norms within trade unions’/workers’ association’s own organisations, to be able to ‘better identify and represent women workers’. It will also assess the extent to which it has resulted in increasing dialogue about women’s workplace related issues with decision-makers, through MoWA.

The evaluation will take into consideration the environmental impacts of the project and capacity building in identified cross-cutting areas such as gender and disability.

Staff and program beneficiaries will participate in the assessment processes and contribute to the formulation of recommendations based on the evaluation findings.

Overview of the project

The project started on 1 January 2020 and will run through to 30 June 2023. It is funded by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) through its Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP), Australian unions and APHEDA donations, and is a continuation of a longer-term program of work.

The project aims to contribute to equality for women workers in Cambodia by mobilising women workers, transforming gender relations within union structures, changing attitudes and values about women and work, through activities designed to increase gender equality in the partner unions/worker association – BWTUC, CFSWF and IDEA – and through identifying and increasing access to Decent Work for women workers in sectors covered by these unions, through stronger union representation.

The project also aims to contribute to increased engagement with decision-makers through labour-related policy dialogue, to encourage policy change in relation to women workers’ access to Decent Work.

This contributes to a long-term vision for ‘the right of women to physical autonomy, the ability to generate income and their own resources and to participate fully in decisions that affect their lives and their commu­nity are fundamental to achieving gender equality, social justice and lasting peace and democracy. Enhancing women’s ability to access Decent Work and to participate fully in social and economic development is a critical pathway to achieving gender equality’.  The goal for this project is to contribute to equality for women workers in Cambodia by mobilising women workers, transforming gender relations within union structures, changing attitudes and values about women and work.

 

Objectives of the project 

The objectives of this project are:

Specific Objective: Women in Cambodia will have increased access to Decent Work through stronger representation within and through the union movement related to gender equality.

Sub Objective 1 Increase the capacity of unions to analyse and respond collaboratively to gender inequalities, through stronger unions and effective advocacy for women’s labour rights.

Sub Objective 2 Improved livelihoods, health and wellbeing of women workers through increased awareness of and access to Decent Work.

Sub Objective 3 Increased inclusion of women worker’s issues and needs within labour related policy dialogue.

 

Key project outputs include:

1. Gender and power analysis of BWTUC, CFSWF and IDEA organisational structures and operating environments, development of a plan based on the analysis and implementation of a program of activities to achieve the aims and objectives of the plan,
2. Needs assessment of women workers in key sectors for union partners, development of a joint/collaborative strategy by BWTUC, CFSWF and IDEA to eliminate at least one or more major barriers to women’s equal access to Decent Work through a program of collaborative actions aimed at removing barriers and promoting access to Decent Work for women workers,
3. Policy dialogue workshop/forum series that engages decision makers, and is related to women workers and Decent Work, with the development and distribution of brief reports/communiques developed that explore the underlying issues of women workers and provide recommendations to increase women workers’ access to Decent Work.

 

Evaluation objectives

This evaluation should:

1. Assess relevance, effectiveness, outcomes and outputs of the project from January 2020 to June 2023 against the project plan and other documentation.
2. Assess sustainable impacts of the project’s contribution to the sustainability of the three union partners.
3. Assess: a) the effectiveness and suggest enhancements to policy and procedures around child protection, counter-terrorism, fraud and sexual exploitation for partners, b) how partners are implementing policies and procedures that are in place on these issues, including partnership and organisational issues.

4. Outline emerging concerns and possible interventions, or other projects to be funded.
5. Draw lessons from the strategic partnership of Union Aid Abroad – APHEDA and BWTUC, CFSWF and IDEA, and MoWA and make recommendations on possible next steps for the program, including suggesting key areas for a new project design and strengthening the impact of future collaboration.

 

Evaluation questions

1. Effectiveness:
   1. To what extent have partners achieved their project objectives in the last three years?
   2. In which areas has the program been successful?
   3. In which areas have efforts not provided sufficient results?
   4. What were the enablers and barriers to achieving project outcomes?

2. Relevance: is this the right program in the current environment in Cambodia? Describe whether and how the overall development goal/impact goal is relevant in the current context and emerging issues relevant to the impact group/s. Is this the best focus for building unions currently or in the future?

 

3. Efficiency and long-term impact:
   1. How has the program performed in terms of value for money?
   2. Are project approaches efficient ways to achieve the intended outcomes?
   3. Does the project contribute to the strengthening of trade union partners and policy implementation to benefit women workers?
   4. Describe areas where the project may better utilize resources for greater outcomes or impact.
   5. Is it bringing sustainable long-term change (behaviour, policy, systems), to trade unions and with changes to government policy intervention?

4. Cross-cutting issues: were the following aspects of the project sufficient and adequate and what lessons could be learned for future projects in terms of
   1. Gender equality
   2. Disability inclusion
   3. Child protection
   4. Environmental safeguards
   5. Sustainability
   6. Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Harassment (PSEAH)

5. Sustainability: what are the options for sustainable organising for women workers and three union partners, and what relationships could be built with the broader workers’ movement in Cambodia? What other capacity strengthening outcomes have resulted from the partnership between Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA and partners and what impact have these had?

 

Methodology

Please send your proposed methodology in your application.

Expected output

1. a final methodology and planning before the start of the field research
2. a draft evaluation report
3. a final report

 

The final report should include the following chapters:

1. an executive summary (maximum 3 pages)
2. a critical description of methods used (and potential limitations) (maximum 2 pages)
3. findings of the study (maximum 20 pages)
4. lessons learned (maximum 5 pages)
5. recommendations (maximum 2 pages)

 

Selection criteria

The consultant/s should ideally meet the following selection criteria:

1. Strong international development project evaluation experience
2. Substantive experience in women’s rights and/or worker’s rights organizing programs in Cambodia or the region
3. Demonstrated experience with a range of evaluation methodologies, including participatory approaches
4. Ability to synthesize and communicate complex development project lessons, in English and in writing
5. In-depth understanding of worker’s rights in Cambodia.
6. Knowledge and understanding of DFAT/ANCP processes and requirements (desirable).

 

Budget

Please submit a budget with your application.

 

Timeline

Submission of offers	By 9am (AEST) 11 April 2023
Selection of consultant(s)	13 April 2023
Field research in Phnom Penh	April – May 2023
Submission of draft evaluation report	7 June 2023
Union Aid Abroad – APHEDA provides comments on draft report	14 June
Submission of final report	1 July 2023