Terms of Reference

GENDER IN DISASTER RISK REDUCTION

A STUDY ON SPECIFIC NEEDS AND POTENTIAL IN BUILDING COMMUNITY
RESILIENCE

1. BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE

Disasters affect women, girls, boys and men differently. In majority of situations women and girls are more
vulnerable to culturally determined inequalities related to decision making in their households, communities
and local governments as well as unequal access to resources such as safety issues, education, finance
and health. Therefore, they may be more exposed to risks and affected by disasters, loss of health, lives
and livelihoods. At the same time, women may significantly contribute to building household and community
resilience by bringing their knowledge, skills and added-value perspective to preparedness work,
emergency response and resilience understood as a common and fully inclusive approach.
Womens rights and protection prioritization is also one of the Sustainable Development Goals 2015-2030
(Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls) of which main target is gender equality
and ensuring women and girls have equal access and contribution to sustainable development, resilience
building, safety, education, political and economic decision-making. Gender inclusiveness in building
community resilience is also prioritized in the key Georgia national policies.
In the key sector paper related to the disaster risk reduction, the Sendai Framework 2015-2030, a special
focus on gender issues is mainstreamed through all the four framework priorities (Priority 1: Understanding
disaster risk, Priority 2: Strengthening disaster risk governance to manage disaster risk, Priority 3: Investing
in disaster risk reduction for resilience, Priority 4: Enhancing disaster preparedness for effective response
and to Build Back Better in recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction) and two Sustainable Development
Goals: Goal #5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls and Goal #11: Make cities and
human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. It has been also admitted by the leaders who
have committed themselves to the realization of the framework priorities that there is still a lack of sufficient
research and gender disaggregated analysis at all levels global, regional, country and local on specific risks and impacts of natural disasters on girls and womens lives and livelihoods.

2. AUDIENCE AND USE OF FINDINGS

Three regions of Georgia - Adjara, Kakheti and Mtskheta-Mtianeti have been selected to hold the study.
The residents of the following municipalities Keda, Khulo, Shuakhevi, Telavi, Tianeti and Dusheti - are
considered as the community-based research participants and the source of information since they are
supposed to be the final beneficiaries of the analysis and joint recommendations, developed based on
study findings for the national level for regional and municipal authorities and community leaders involved in
disaster preparedness, mitigation and response work.
The findings of the study will be presented to and discussed with the wide audience, which will include state
actors on national and local level, involved in DRR policy development and implementation process as well
as non-state actors, and donors who work in the field of disaster preparedness, mitigation and response
issues. It will be also disseminated to general public through media and launching event.
The study will be conducted in accordance with Oxfam Research Guidelines.

3. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
As a part of the European Commission Humanitarian Aid Department & Civil Protection (ECHO) funded
Supporting community resilience in the South Caucasus programme Oxfam GB in collaboration with
Bridge Innovation and Development and Black Sea Eco Academy and partnership and support from the
State Security and Crisis Management Council, the Administration of the Government of Georgia, aim
to conduct the study on gender specifications in DRR and in this way to support the state and nonstate actors with gender inclusive DRR policy-making and implementation in Georgia.
The specific objectives of the study are:
(1) To identify the specific conditions, requirements and/or needs which should be considered in
gender inclusive DRR local and national policy-making process as well as its implementation;
(2) To identify the barriers and vulnerabilities withholding women and girls from being actively involved
in community disaster risk reduction work;
(3) To explore and map the potential of womens engagement to
contribute to adequate
preparedness and mitigation actions considering gendered aspects of natural disasters;
(4) To develop recommendations on equal engagement of women and men in DRR that will be
disseminated by the partners at the national, regional and municipal level.

4. RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The research should be designed and conducted in the way to be focused on the below listed issues and
questions:
1
2
3
4
5

Gendered aspects of vulnerabilities and risks that increase girls and womens as well as men and
boys exposure to natural disasters
What are the behavioural, religious, social and cultural patterns withholding the full involvement of
them in disaster risk reduction activities
Identification of specific hazards that may have a negative impact on their lives and livelihoods and
especially those hazards that are gender driven
Mapping barriers that create differences in women and mens involvement in preparedness and
mitigation work
What is the gendered perception of the current local/municipal/regional governments support in their
engagement in building community resilience and their expectations on how to improve the local level
gender inclusive DRR?
Exploring the capacity and potential for men and womens equal involvement in the disaster risk
reduction and community resilience building work, mapping areas where women may contribute
stronger (identified both by women and men).
Gender sensitive municipal budgeting and planning on disaster mitigation and preparedness.

5. SUGGESTED RESEARCH METHODS

2
3

Desk research revision of national DRR policy papers as well as international DRR agreements,
conventions, etc. I suggest the following formulation: To conduct desk review of relevant national and
international DRR and gender equality related policy frameworks. The desk review of these policy
documents should inform the study methodology as well as its final recommendations;
Focus group meetings created from the audience of study participants in selected geographic
location.
Semi-structured Interviews with the questionnaires developed by the researcher and agreed with
the management team in advance.

6. ETHICS AND RISKS

Considering that the study involves people as participants and the results of the study are expected to
impact directly upon them, the study must follow three principles of research ethics, described in Oxfam
Research Guidelines (http://policy-practice.oxfam.org.uk/publications/undertaking-research-with-ethics253032, Undertaking Research with Ethics).

1. Respect: The researcher must recognize the capacity and rights of all individuals to make their
own choices and decisions, and their right to be treated with dignity;
2. Beneficence: The researchers primary goal must be to improve the lives of participants and
protect their physical, mental and social well-being;
3. Justice: The researcher must ensure that the benefits for participants are at least as great as the
risks.
Researchers must adhere to the relevant protocols and demonstrate that they have done so.

7. KEY SOURCES AND PEOPLE TO BE CONSULTED

To conduct the study the researcher should consider the following documents (but not limited to) as the key
source of information, which should be reviewed and analyzed with the special focus on gender
inclusiveness:
The Constitution of Georgia
Sendai Framework 2015-2030
Sustainable Development Goals 2015-2030
International agreements on Gender Equality to which Georgia is a Party
Concept on Gender Equality
Gender Equality Law of Georgia
National Action Plan on Gender Equality; (2014-16)
Human Rights Action Plan of the Government of Georgia (2016-17)
2015 Law on State Security Policy Planning and Coordination
2014 Law on Public Safety
Law on Structure, Authority and Functioning Procedures of the Georgian Government
National Response Plan on Natural and Man Made Emergency Situations
Organic Law of Georgia Local Self-Government Code
Municipal Development Plans and Budgets.
The study will include the consultations, semi-structured interviews and focus groups with the
representatives of the following groups (but not limited to)
1. Community representatives in 18 villages in targeted six municipalities of three targeted regions;
2. At least 18 municipal officials in the targeted 6 municipalities;
3. At least 9 state officials, involved in national DRR policy making and implementation process.
4. I think it will be useful to include interviews with non state actors, e.g. SC, GRC, MC et.

8. STYLE AND LENGTH OF REPORT / RESEARCH PRODUCTS

The Study Report is expected to be the key output of the research, which is expected to include the
following components/sections in it:
I.

II.

The Executive Summary - includes a brief narrative summary of the following: what the report
intended to explore, the purpose of the report, what are the key findings and recommendations of
the study.
The Introduction, containing the following:
(1)
(2)
(3)

Aim - what the focus of this report is.

Purpose - what this report wants to achieve.
Scope - the different aspects of the topics the study needs to investigate, what is going to be
looked at in this report and what will not be considered?

Under the Scope, the researcher should consider the following:

Gendered aspects of vulnerabilities and risks that increase exposure to natural disasters;
Gendered behavioural and cultural patterns withholding the full involvement in disaster risk
reduction activities;
Identification of specific hazards that may have a negative impact on their lives and livelihoods;
Mapping barriers that decrease womens involvement in preparedness and mitigation work;
Gendered perception of the current local/municipal/regional governments support in their
engagement in building community resilience and their expectations on how to improve the local
level gender inclusive DRR;
Exploring the capacity and potential for men and womens involvement in the disaster risk reduction
and community resilience building work, mapping areas where women may contribute stronger
(identified both by women and men).

III.

(4)

Research methods - how the information was obtained, description of the primary sources
(surveys, focus groups, questionnaires) and secondary sources (books, the internet, topic
specific documents, etc.)

(5)

General Background - general background information on the DRR which helps the
audience put the research question in context.

The Body Report contains the description of the whole process of the study, evaluation and
analysis of the research data with all possible relevant pictorial representations (e.g. graphs, maps,
diagrams). This section also might include citations for all resources used in the report.
The analysis of the data, obtained during the study, should be analysed in line with the Sendai
Framework priorities, divided by the four categories and two related Sustainable Development
Goals:

SENDAI FRAMEWORK
Understanding disaster risk (girls and womens involvement in DRR related
education and awareness raising activities)
Strengthening disaster risk governance to manage disaster risk (womens
Priority 2
participation in decision-making at the local level, gender perspective in relevant
local level policies and practices and the level of womens leadership)
Investing in disaster risk reduction for resilience (womens engagement in
Priority 3
integrated and multidisciplinary approaches and bringing together disaster risk
reduction, climate change adaptation and livelihoods issues)
Enhancing disaster preparedness for effective response and to Build Back
Better in recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction (womens capacity to
Priority 4
respond to disasters and contribute to building resilient communities in all
phases of emergency management pre, during and post)
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS
Goal 5
Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
Goal 11
Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable
Priority 1

IV.

Conclusion/Findings - must relate to the aim given in the introduction, summarising the reports
findings. Must not include any new ideas of findings and must be written in paragraph form.

V.

Recommendations this section should specify what should be done to improve or solve the
problem(s) the study has examined. The content must detail: what could be done, who should do it
and how the solutions could be implemented. The key topic the recommendations should refer to is
how local level authorities can support men and womens role, empowerment and potential
in disaster risk reduction engagement and building community resilience.

The final report should be submitted in Georgian and/or English. It will be good to ask both.

9. TIMELINE AND DELIVERABLES

Work will be carried out during the following times and reports shared with Oxfam and Bridge on end dates:
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3
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5
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Deadline for applications

Expert specialist selection
Study preparation/desk work (9-14 September)
Study/field work completed (15 September 7 October)
Study paper produced (08-15 October)
Study paper launch / advocacy event with major stakeholders and media

10. ASSIGNMENT DATES

9 September 15 October 2016

30 August
7 September
9 September
7 October
15 October
28 October

11. RESEARCH MANAGEMENT

The contractor should work closely with the Regional Programme Coordinator, Gender Advisor and Project
Coordinator in Georgia to identify the specific issues that should be addressed to measure the gender
related gaps and opportunities in communities. As a part of Oxfams commitment to the capacity building of
staff, the evaluator is requested to allow for the shadowing of their work in the field and in selected data
collection.
Relevant skills sets and knowledge the consultant should have
Please note that as per donor requirement the evaluator must be an external candidate and not
an existing Oxfam member of staff
Consultant should have permission to travel in Georgia visa or non-visa travel right, and be
based in Georgia.

12. QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED FOR THE ASSIGNMENT

Well proven and demonstrated capacity and experience in the field of conducting country studies
Good understanding of gender equality issues, experience and knowledge of gender policies and papers
analysis as well as of a field work related to gender issues
Experience in DRR and/or development issues, familiarity with the resilience concept
Ability to set clear time plans and well scheduled work processes
Previous experience working with Oxfam or other similar organisations working on development, safety
or poverty reduction issues an advantage
Ability to cover several simultaneous requests including in-house and field work
Good organizational skills, flexibility
Ability to meet deadlines
English and Georgian language fluency

13. SELECTION CONDITIONS

Individual/company should submit following documentation

Contact details
Resume /experience in conducting country and regional surveys
Budget of the assignment including all travelling costs
Study and analysis approach and methodology details
Detailed timeline for the assignment

In addition, in case of a company additional requirements include:

Registration document of the legal entity
Letter from the tax department or judiciary confirming that the company is not being reorganized or
liquidated and that there is no bankruptcy case against it
Copies of audited accounts for the last two years. (if audited at all), otherwise bank statement for the last
12 months
Letter from the Tax Department confirming that the company has no overdue payments to the state
budget
Candidates are asked to submit a copy of their CV, a cover letter outlining how they meet the key
competencies as well as a writing sample (ideally a previous evaluation authored by the candidate) and
a financial proposal for the assignment with a lump sum covering a fee, travel, and any other costs that may
incur in the process of assignment. The programme is VAT exempted and no VAT costs will be accepted
as eligible.
Interested applicants should submit qualification documents in English language in a sealed envelope and
indicate the purpose of assignment Gender in DRR Study to:
OXFAM, 20 Kipshidze street, Tbilisi
by 30 August 2016