ManusherJonno Foundation (MJF)
Terms of Reference (TOR) for
‘Addressing Social Exclusion in the
National Social Protection Strategy (NSSS) for Bangladesh’
A. Introduction
1. Adoption of an effective social protection system now forms a central part of mainstream
policy packages to combat poverty and social exclusion in a wide range of countries,
including in Bangladesh. The Government is strongly committed to reducing poverty,
improving human development and addressing equity and social inclusion. This
commitment is reflected in Vision 2021, the Perspective Plan 2010-2021, and Five-Year
Plans.
2. Social protection can be seen to refer to a set of policies, programmes and services that,
over the lifecycle, protect against risks, shocks and stresses, and at the same time aim at
reducing poverty, vulnerability and marginalization. It creates opportunities for poor and
vulnerable groups to escape from poverty by strengthening resilience to shocks,
enhancing the capacity to manage economic risks and removing barriers of exclusion,
consistent with the fulfilment of social and economic rights.
3. In Bangladesh, as witnessed across the globe, people face discrimination based on their
caste, ethnicity, religion and social status. Throughout the course of their lives, these
groups ( which mainly includes Dalits, Adibashi groups, ethnic minorities, both are same)
encounter various types of discrimination that affect their lives, their ability to access
justice, their life choices and their opportunities to fully benefit from development. (you
can flag the issue of dignity, most of these community face serious rights violation and
untouchability practice in the society and live an undignified life even they have better
economic situation.) Reducing or eliminating barriers in social institutions is critical for
establishing an environment that enables people from excluded groups to fully benefit
from social and economic opportunities.
4. Evidence show that social safety net programmes have helped to lower poverty in
Bangladesh. However, despite both government and non-governmental agencies
implementing a multitude of social protection interventions, a large proportion of poor and
vulnerable households still do not have access to programmes due to discrimination
related to caste, social identity, occupation or ethnicity.
5. The National Social Security Strategy (NSSS) of Bangladesh-approved recently-clearly
mentions that the government is committed in eliminating all kinds of discrimination in
accessing services including social transfers based on caste, ethnicity, profession or
gender.
6. While the NSSS can be considered gender sensitive in the sense that gender specific
interventions are provided for, with social assistance to vulnerable women given very
high importance, there is a still need to address social exclusion in the strategy so that it
explicitly speaks to the structural causes of exclusion faced by these groups while
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accessing social transfers. Such a policy requires a combination of rights-based
approaches, enhancement of opportunities, and empowerment to effectively make
claims.
7. The Strengthening Government Social Protection Systems for the Poor project (SGSP)
initiated at the request of the Ministry of Finance (MoF) is expected will enable the
Government of Bangladesh (GoB) to establish policies, budgets and costed plans to
make the delivery of social transfers more efficient and effective. Among other outcomes,
this will result in a higher proportion of the poorest people benefiting from social protection
schemes, an increase in the size of benefits, less leakage of benefits to corruption and
patronage, and more regular and reliable transfers to beneficiaries.
8. However, reforming the schemes does not by itself guarantee that poor people will
benefit. The poor, from all groups, need a say in how services are run and monitored.
GoB recognises that targeting of social transfer programmes implemented by various
ministries is quite weak with huge inclusion and exclusion errors, i.e. people who do not
fulfil the criteria have access to the transfers while those who do need it are excluded.
There are also huge leakage in process and rampant political influence in selection of
beneficiaries with people of excluded groups being the worst victim. The poor, especially
those from excluded groups, often get actively excluded from forums at the local level
where decisions are made and therefore do not have a say in how services are run and
monitored.
Common Areas of Feedback and Complaints from beneficiaries
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Lack of awareness of entitlements (criteria, process)
Questions and concerns around targeting
Concerns about the amount of the transfer
Quality and reliability of transfer delivery mechanisms
Frequency and reliability of payments
Treatment of beneficiaries by programme staff
Lack of linkages with complementary programmes
(Holding Cash Transfers to Account.ODI 2013)
9. MJF has gained acceptance over the years within communities, government and
development partners for its ability to work effectively with different stakeholders. i It has
previously supported citizens engagement in monitoring basic essential services through
successive DFID funded Rights and Governance Challenge Funds (2002-). MJF has
already organized citizen forums supported through its NGO and CBO partners looking
into effectiveness and impact of social protection at union, upazila, district and national
level. The National Forum for Social Protection (NFSP), currently being set up, will collate
this evidence gathered by partners and present them to policy makers for necessary
policy reform.
10. This assignment is being commissioned at the same time as there are ongoing large
scale reforms of the social protection system. The report therefore to be implemented
during a dynamic period and will help in capturing perceptions and concerns on the extent
the people from excluded groups are able to access social transfers.
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B. Objective of the study
11. The broader objective of the assignment is to undertake social exclusion diagnostic
analysis that will inform and pave the way for a social inclusion policy brief for
implementation of the National Social Security Strategy (NSSS), a policy brief that would
include measures to so that people from socially excluded groups can access social
transfers, their views and concerns are taken on board while designing programmes
targeting them, as well as an analysis on structural causes for their exclusion and ways
to address them.
C. Scope of work
12. The consultant/organization may include a provision of deploying any technical advisor to
carry out the assignment smoothly. Please note that the expertise of the key
personalities and technical advisor need to be mentioned in the proposal as guided in “#
3” of the annex ii. However, the scope of work will include the following:
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Review the National Social Security Strategy (NSSS) and analyze existing policy
recommendations in support for the socially excluded people (if any), indicate the
weakness of the existing recommendation;
Collect and review key documents and papers relevant for the National Social
Security Strategy in the development of a social inclusion policy brief;
Review the proposed anti discrimination act;
Consultations with relevant stakeholders with GoB; civil society, development
partners, and in particular organizations representing socially excluded groups;
Conduct a brief quantitative and qualitative overview (may be through FGD) of the
status of socially excluded groups in relation to social safety net measures;
Analyze how power structures and structural barrier embedded in social institutions
impact on these groups, and what it would take to overcome these and create an
enabling environment that contributes to their inclusion.
Assess the interest and capacity of selected government departments in addressing
social exclusion in social protection programmes- identify concerns, capacity
constraints and potential entry points;
Recommendations informing the development of a social inclusion policy to guide
implementation of the National Social Security Strategy;
Recommend an implementation roadmap for the draft social inclusion policy brief The
final analysis of the study should include some neighboring countries’ reference of
including socially excluded groups in the social protection.
Role of advisor
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Give inputs on the overall design of the study with respect to construction of
questionnaires, sampling, interview schedules and methodology
Will collaborate in analyzing data and writing part of the report especially in
relation to analysis and recommendation
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D. Lines of Inquiry
13. In order to deliver on the scope of work the assignment requires looking into the
questions below:
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To what extent do government’s current social protection programmes address
social exclusion? To what extent are the programmes reaching the socially
disadvantaged groups (e.g. Dalits, ethnic minorities)? Are there systems in place
to monitor, report, and manage interventions that could have an impact on social
inclusion?
What are discriminatory social institutions and other structural barriers (norms
and behaviours) that impede access?
Do any of the current social protection programmes in Bangladesh address look
into concerns of socially excluded groups systematically? Are the SP programme
designed based on proven and innovative approaches for addressing social
exclusion?
What are the expectations and understanding amongst key stakeholders of
SGSP (DFID, GoB, MJF, and UNDP) of the interface between social exclusion
and social protection?
Within the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, Ministry of Social Welfare or
in other ministries are there programmes that are responsive to the needs of the
excluded groups?
What sort of capacity is needed in the delivery ministries so that they are able to
address social exclusion challenges in the programmes they implement?
How should DFID and MJF share generate buy-in and commitment for proposed
approaches?
E. Methodology
14. The consultant is expected to define a detailed approach and methodology for gathering
and analysing information. Both qualitative and quantitative tools might be employed in
this research. The qualitative sources may include but will not be limited to review of
NSSS, Social Protection data, reports, and statistics, practical examples from
programmes worldwide especially from India, interviews with beneficiaries, case studies,
Key Informants’ interview, focus group discussion with community and government
officials managing programmes in the ground etc.
15. Interviews and meetings with key stakeholders:
o DFID and other programme partners (UNDP, WFP, The World Bank, MoF, Line
Ministries, BBS etc),
o Civil society and organisations working with and led by socially excluded groups
e.g. Parittran, Bangladesh Harijon Oikkya Parishad and Bangladesh Dalit
parishad etc.
o Beneficiary interviews - Men, Women, girls and boys.
o KII with members Local elected bodies of UP may be also important
o Local and national government officials selected in consultation with MJF and
partners
o The review process will involve travel to a couple of sites in Bangladesh.
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F. Deliverables
16. The consultant will be responsible for quality and timely delivery of
a) A social Inclusion policy report for NSSS indicating the shortcomings on the issue.
b) PPT of Key recommendations and implementation roadmap for Government
involvement.
c) Database of the survey/research
G. Timing (Tentative)
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The assignment will take place in between February 01, 2016
The draft report will be produced by April 15, 2016
Final Report will be produced by April 30, 2016
H. Budget
17. Consultant organization should propose a cost effective budget including VAT to carry
out the assignment. The budget should be broken down in excel format. Payments will
be made through account payee cheque or bank transfer. VAT and Tax will be deducted
from the payment as per government circular. Apart from the budget details the following
categorical budget summery should be placed at the bottom of the introduction part of
the technical proposal:
Category
Total (BDT)
A. Programmatic Cost/consultancy fee
b. Administrative cost
Total
I. Required Skills and Competencies
18. The consultant will have a mix of social protection, social exclusion and voice &
accountability skills and thematic knowledge including:
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Knowledge on social protection policy and strategy in national and international
contexts;
Proven research and evaluation capacities on social exclusion issues in South
Asia
Proven experience of the South Asia government systems, current social and
political dynamics, and the policy approaches and delivery of social protection;
Proven expertise in social exclusion analysis and social protection.
At least 10 years’ demonstrable experience of demand work related to social
exclusion programmes
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Experience of working with national and international development partners in
development as well as with various ministries and departments of Government
Good communication and interpersonal skills and experience in working
effectively in a multicultural environment;
Professionalism and flexibility to make changes as and when the need arises;
A team-player and self-starter, able to work with minimum supervision with sound
judgment.
Excellent spoken and written English
Experience in working with marginalised communities.
J. Preparation and submission of the proposal
19. The consultant shall bear all costs associated with the preparation and submission of the
proposal. The consultant/team shall submit both soft and hard copy of proposal to the
“Coordinator, Admin and HR, Manusher Jonno Foundation, House 47, Road 35/A,
Gulshan-2, Dhaka” on or before January 20, 2016 along with CV/Organizational profile,
copy of TIN. Please mention detail contact information of the consultant at the first page
of the proposal.
(See annex ii: Technical Proposal Format).
K. General Terms and Conditions:
20. Either party can terminate this agreement with a written notice within 15 (fifteen) days
from the date of signing this agreement. MJF reserves the right to unilaterally terminate
the contract if:
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The External Consultant cannot fulfill any clause of Terms of Reference.
The External Consultant cannot submit their reports within the specified time.
21. Any document, information or data entrusted to or produced by the External
Consultant/organization in connection with this assignment shall be strictly confidential
and cannot be used by the external consultant/organization for any other purpose without
the written consent of the MJF authority. This provision shall remain valid even after the
completion of this assignment.
22. In the event of a major natural disaster, war or major civil or political unrest this
agreement may be renegotiated and jointly revised between the two parties recognizing
any consequent change in the environment for implementation.
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Annex i: Thematic Intervention of the Civil Society Component
Type of safety net Programmes
Cash transfers
Name of Safety Net Program
1. Old Age Allowance (OAA)
2. Allowance for the Widow, Deserted and
Destitute Women (AWDDW)
3. Allowance for Financially Insolvent Disabled
(AFID)
Conditional cash transfers
4. Primary Education Stipend Program (PESP)
5. Female Secondary School Stipend Program
(FSSSP)
6. Maternity Allowance Programme for the Poor
Lactating Mothers
Public works or training based cash or
7. Vulnerable Group Development (VGD)
in kind transfer (employment generation
8. Employment Generation for Extreme Poor
and community development through
Program (EGEP)
cash/in kind transfer)
Annex ii
Technical Proposal Format (within 5 pages including cover page)
1. Cover page including contact details
2. Introduction
3. Relevant experience of the organization and key staff
4. Methodology
5. Staff roles and responsibilities
6. Concluding remarks
iMJF
facilitated civil society on a number of national issues; the demand for Right to Information Act
and its enactment, Third Party Monitoring of Government Programs through World Bank’s Global
Partnership for Social Accountability (GPSA) programmes, Anti Discrimination act etc.
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