Jan 2016
Plan International Bangladesh
Terms of Reference for hiring consultant to conduct
An Equity and Inclusion study in Bangladesh to determine the sustainability of
programme interventions on Equity and Inclusion
1 Summary of Assignment:
Plan
International
Bangladesh
along
with
other
implementing
agencies,
WaterAid
Bangladesh, Unilever Bangladesh Limited, Water and Sanitation for the Urban Poor (WSUP)
jointly implementing theSouth Asia WASH Results Programme (SAWRP)to promote and
enable the sustained use of hygienic household toilets, access to safe drinking water and
the practice of hand-washing with soap. Under this project, Plan International Bangladesh
intend to conduct a study to determine the sustainability of programme interventions
regarding Equity and Inclusion. Equity’ is defined as: ‘ensuring that vulnerable groups are
benefiting from the interventions, and understanding whether there is any exclusion’. The
specific groups included are women, children, people with disabilities and the poorest of the
poor.
The consultant(s) will be required to work closely with the concernedEquity and Inclusion
(E&I) Sustainability Assessment Framework (SAF) Team of Plan International Bangladesh,
under the overall supervision of Country Coordination Unit (CCU), SAWRP, Bangladesh.
It is expected that this assignment will take place between February’2016 andMarch’2016.
Project Summary
Project Name
South Asia WASH Results Programme (SAWRP)
Bangladesh Component
Project Location
Plan Bangladesh – Jaldhaka, Hatibandha, Barguna Sadar, Sreepur,
Chirirbandar, Khansama, Nikli, Karimganj Upazila
WaterAid – Saghata, Sadullapur, Debiganj, Royganj, Baliadangi
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Upazila
WSUP & Unilever – Around 14,000 selected schools under
32 Districts of Bangladesh
Project duration
Jan 2016 – Dec 2017 (2 years)
Implementing
Plan International Bangladesh, WaterAid Bangladesh, Unilever
agency
Bangladesh Limited, Water and Sanitation for the Urban Poor
(WSUP)
Final report deadline
March 2016
2 Introduction to Plan International
With almost 78 years’ experience working with children in poverty, and their families and
communities, Plan is one of the most respected and trusted grassroots, child rights based
organizations in the world. Plan is independent, with no religious, political or governmental
affiliations.
Plan International plays an important role in mobilising children, communities and civil
society organisations to claim the rights of children and achieve agreed local development
priorities. Plan works in 71countries - 21 countries raise funds to support work in 50
developing countries across Africa, Asia and the South America.
Plan International has been operating in Bangladesh since 1994. Plan International seeks to
ensure the rights of children to education, health, safe water and sanitation, protection,
livelihood and protection from environmental degradation and natural or man-made
disaster hazards throughout the country. Our Country Office is located in Dhaka and we are
working in 22 districts. We partner with national and local non-governmental organisations,
and together our work benefits more than million children and their communities.
3 Background and overview of the project
The South Asia WASH Results Programme (SAWRP) is operating in Pakistan and Bangladesh,
two countries where very high numbers of poor people do not use improved sanitation. An
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innovative ‘Payment by Results’ (PbR) approach is being used for this project, which is split
into an outputs phase and an outcomes phase. The main objective of the programme is to
promote and enable the sustained use of hygienic household toilets and the practice of
hand-washing with soap. The programme will also make water supply improvements in a
limited number of communities that experience acute water supply problems.
In the ToR of the DFID supported SAWRP, the term ‘Equity’ is defined as: ‘ensuring that
vulnerable groups are benefiting from the interventions, and understanding whether there is
any exclusion’. The specific groups included are women, children, people with disabilities
and the poorest of the poor.
Against this background, the project will use a variety of tools to carry out effective and well
defined assessments that will contribute to achieving sustainable water supplies, sanitation
and hand-washing practices. The purpose of these assessment tools is to enable the
identification of key issues and challenges during the programme that may affect the
sustainability of project outcomes, so that remedial actions or further support can be
provided in good time. This ToR should be read in conjunction with the Equity and Inclusion
Sustainability Framework. The work will be completed in 2 phases.
4 The Assignment
Guidelines and Approach for the study
The assessment will be carried out under the guidance of the ‘Equity and Inclusion (E&I) SAF
Assessment Team’, and will be completed in two (02) phases –
Phase 1 –Desk Study Review:
A desk study review of WaterAid, Plan, WSUP and Unilever activities from the outputs
phase, identifying key findings (both positive and challenging) and knowledge gaps.
The initial study findings will be presented to the assessment team in a meeting before
commencing phase 2. In the meeting, the consultant and the assessment team will
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decide which participatory approaches/tools will be used for information gathering
during the community visits under phase 2.
Phase2 – Community Field Visits:
Community Visits in conjunction with the assessment team and a joint analysis process
with partners. Following the joint community visits, as well as desk study review findings,
the consultant will lead the process of joint analysis around the RAG ratings for the
objectives and indicators given in the Equity and Inclusion Sustainability Assessment
Framework (please refer to annex 2).
Phase 1: Completion of a desk study review
Using secondary sources of information specific to Bangladesh, supported by limited key
informant interviews where appropriate, the consultant will complete an analysis of the
activities carried out during the outputs phase of the programme that are intended to
support equity and inclusion in project water, sanitation and hand-washing initiatives,
bearing in mind the current PbR context. The review will also consider the planned activities
for the outcomes phase to identify areas where improvements or adaptations could be
made to strengthen the programme going forwards. This desk review will form the basis of
our programme wide learning on equity and inclusion which can be used in the
development of future programmes.
The desk study is expected to be a cross review of WaterAid, Plan, WSUP and Unilever
information, identifying key findings (best practice, both positive and challenging) and
knowledge gaps. It should include a discussion of the key equity and inclusion objectives
developed by project partners, based on their implementation plans. Within the report, 3
specific questions should also be addressed;
1. To what extent did the programme learn about who is marginalised or vulnerable and
why during the outputs phase?
2. To what extent have the targeted groups participated in the project processes and
decisions during the outputs phase?
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3. What lessons can be learnt about improvements/adaptations that could be made to the
programme going forward to strengthen equity and inclusion?
Sources of information are expected to include but are not limited to –

National policies/strategies on equity and inclusion

Equity and Inclusion strategy documents of existing partners (Plan International,
WaterAid, WSUP, Unilever)

Project narrative reports

Partner case studies

APR reports

Annual reports

Community Situation Analysis, CSAreports

Community reflections/social maps

Programme reports

Implementation manuals

Budgets

Existing project data sources – e.g.baseline survey results for households, baseline and
mid-line survey results for school children and partner KAP surveys where available
Phase 2: Completion of the first annual Equity and Inclusion Sustainability Assessment
Phase 2 will build on the findings from phase 1. With inputs from project partners through
joint site visits and key informant interviews, the consultant will complete a review of the
key programme equity and inclusion assessment objectives and indicators as shown in Table
1.
Table 1: Key programme equity and inclusion assessment objectives and indicators
Objective
Targeted groups have
Indicators
To what extent have targeted groups participated in CLTS
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Objective
Indicators
participated in the project
activities
processes
(is vulnerable groups are identified, do they get the
information and engaged in CLTS, are their voices heard, are
they part of committee etc.)
To what extent have targeted groups participated in decisions
related to water or sanitation
(Is challenges of vulnerable group people has been discussed
addressed in the project)
To what extent have actual activities (both hardware and
software) aimed at improving social inclusion and equity of
targeted groups
Gender and inclusion have
Extent of trainings conducted for implementing partners and
been mainstreamed
field staff (including volunteers)
throughout the programme
(where feasible)
Extent to which gender and inclusion has been included in the
MVE framework and the MVOC
Gender ratios of staff and volunteers at different levels (an
critical analysis of look into ration at senior and field level
position, Review JD and advertisement process if they are
friendly to ensure equity)
Equity issues have been
To what extent have equity issues been discussed with
discussed with Government Government partners
partners
As part of phase 2, the consultant will be expected to conduct community visits to four (04)
different working areas of SAWRP implementing partners. These may be areas with good
performance or those that are facing particular challenges so that we can learn how those
challenges can be tackled. These areas will be finalised(preferably in random basis) during
phase 1 consultation meeting from the SAWRP intervention areas (working areas of
WaterAid, Plan, WSUP and Unilever).
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The visits will include interactions with community peoples. The consultant should have
experience of using community participatory tools. Once the locations of the visits are
confirmed, the consultant and assessment team will decide together on the most
appropriate data collection approach/tool to use in each case. The consultant, in
collaboration with the assessment team will facilitate the data collection process but the
consultant will have overall responsibility for the analysis and reporting of the findings.
Study Area
Intervention areas of SAWRP Implementing Partners –
Partner
WaterAid Bangladesh
Programme Area – District (Upazila)
Gaibandha (Saghata, Sadullapur), Panchagarh (Debiganj),
Sirajganj (Royganj), Thakurgaon (Baliadangi)
Plan International
Barguna (Barguna Sadar), Gazipur (Sreepur), Nilphamari
Bangladesh
(Jaldhaka), Lalmonirhat (Hatibandha), Dinajpur (Chirirbandar,
Khansama), Kishoregonj (Nikli, Karimganj)
WSUP and Unilever
Bogra, Brahmanbaria, Chandpur, Chittagong, Cox's Bazar,
Dinajpur, Gaibandha, Gazipur, Jamalpur, Joypurhat,
Kishoregonj, Lakshmipur, Lalmonirhat, Manikganj, Munshiganj,
Mymensingh, Naogaon, Narayanganj, Narsingdi, Natore,
Nawabganj, Netrokona, Nilphamari, Noakhali, Pabna,
Panchagarh, Rajbari, Rajshahi, Rangpur, Shariatpur, Sherpur,
Sirajganj, Thakurgaon
5 Expected Deliverables
The consultant is expected to produce and submit the following deliverables:
Deliverable 1: A Desk Study Review Report
The desk study review of WaterAid, Plan, WSUP and Unilever activities from the outputs
phase, identifying key findings (both positive and challenging) and knowledge gaps. Based
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on study findings, participatory approaches/tools will be selected and developed for
gathering information during the community level field visits under phase 2.
Deliverable 2: Community Visit Reports
A very brief report of the community visits (max 4 pages for each visit) that explains the
nature of the community visited, the reason for visiting, approaches/tools used and a
summary of the information/data collected.
Deliverable 3: An Equity and Inclusion Assessment Report
An ‘Equity and Inclusion Assessment Framework’ report, based on desk study review and
community level field visits. In addition to the RAG ratings of objectives and indicators (as
elaborated in the annex 02 section), the narrative section of the report will focus on –

Justifications for the RAG ratings given and implications of those ratings

Examples of best practice

Challenges and knowledge gaps

Recommendations for taking forwards
6 Documentation
The consultant will be expected to submit detailed reports (electronic and hard copy) in
English as well as all back-up documentation and data (electronic copies). More specifically,
documentation that will be expected from the successful candidate includes the following –

All reports to be prepared in line with guidelines and details (including tools,
methodology, UKAID branding guidelines) provided by E&I SAF Assessment Team.

Detailed and realistic work plan to guide all planning in a way that will allow for
successful execution of desk review of relevant materials/documents, community level
field visits, data collection, analysis and reporting, in line with agreed timelines, and
takes into consideration an appropriate amount of time to solicit and incorporate
feedback from E&I SAF Assessment Team and final report
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The E&I SAF Assessment Report should be learning oriented and should contain:
1. Executive summary
2. Context of the study
3. Background, project description
4. Objectives and limitations of thestudy
5. Methodology (study design, tools, sampling and sample size, data collection procedure,
data analysis)
6. Findings from Phase 1 &2
7. RAG ratings of objectives and indicators
8. Analysis/discussion on the findings, supported by necessary tables and graphs
9. Conclusions
10. Recommendations
11. References
12. Annexes (TOR, data collection tools)
Scope of Work:
1. Prepare detail work plan and share with E&I SAF Team within 02 working days of contract
signing.
2. Produce consent form for each of the respondents, as needed.
3. Administer data collection in the field, verification, compilation, analysis and interpretation
of data as required.
4. Prepare and present a draft ‘Equity and Inclusion Assessment Report ‘following the
required structure (see Expected Deliverables earlier) to E&I SAF Team and CCU,
incorporating all requested amendments.
5. Produce and submit a high quality, concise, informative Final Report to E&I SAF Team
and CCU as per the agreed deadline.
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6. Maintain regular communication with key contact person(s) (to be identified) of CCU,
SAWRP, Plan International Bangladesh through the assignment period.
7 Expected competencies of consultant
1. The consultant(s) should have a minimum of 5 years of experience in equity and gender
topics with specific experience of working in Bangladesh.
2. S/he should have expertise of applying modern research methodology including case
study.
3. Knowledge of the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sectors would be desirable.
4. The consultant should have experience of using community participatory tools. All
outputs must be delivered in English and fluency in Bangla is also required.
5. The consultant must be able to travel to the project sites.
Parameters for Selection of Firm/Individual to Carry Out the Assignment/Task
The following table outlines the selection criteria:
Selection Criteria
1
The individual/institution/firm's track record, general reliability, including experience
Weighted
Score
15
and capacity on technical analysis
–
Consultant has provided comparable assignments that they have successfully
completed (5)
–
2
Consultant has a track record of work in the area of technical analysis (10)
The qualifications and competence in the combination of personnel proposed are
20
suitable to undertake the analysis as specified in the ToR
–
The consultant possess the academic qualifications, training and experience
requested in the ToR (10)
–
The consultant is knowledgeable and experienced in working in urban, rural and
national level government and CSO stakes (10)
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Selection Criteria
3
The methodology and the detailed research plan
–
Weighted
Score
45
Does the methodology adequately address the objectives and scope outlined in
the ToR? (10)
–
Is the methodology technically proven and comprehensive? (15)
–
Consultant has identified sophisticated tools and techniques for data collection
(quantitative and qualitative) (10)
–
4
Does the work plan provide a logical approach to tasks and issues? (10)
Budget
–
Does the budget seem realistic? (05)
–
Does the budget address all critical costs? (05)
–
Is it competitive?(10)
TOTAL SCORE
20
100
Time frame
The consultant will submit a proposed work plan with key milestones within a week of
signing the contract, which will be reviewed and approved by Country Coordination Unit
(CCU) of SAWRP, Plan International Bangladesh in consultation with the E&I SAF
Assessment Team. It is anticipated that the final report will be produced within 35calendar
days of signing of the contract. While the draft report is produced, it should be shared with
the E&I SAF Assessment Team, and the team will provide feedback on draft report by one
week after receiving the draft report. During the whole period of the assignment, follow up
meetings will be held between the contracted consultant/consulting firm and E&I SAF
Assessment Team as frequently as necessary based on issues as they arise, or once per
week at a minimum. Any field problems should be anticipated and addressed beforehand.
It is expected that the work will take a total of 35 days, including travel time.

12 days for desk review (phase 1)
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
2 day meeting post desk review (phase 1)

1 day to prepare tools for community visits (phase 1)

12 days for community visits (phase 2)

8 days to complete equity framework report
The tentative schedule of the assessment:
4th February,2016
Last date for submission of proposal
07 February,2016
Scrutiny of proposals and decision on selection
08 February, 2016
Negotiations and Contracting process
11 February, 2016
Commencement of assignment
8 Proposal submission details and guidelines
Proposal Submission Checklist
The agency/consultant will submit a detailed proposal for the assessment. The proposal
must reflect the clear understanding of the assignment. The proposal should be divided into
two parts i.e. technical and financial.
1. A detailed technical proposal not more than 15 pages clearly outlining the proposed
methods for the assessment study
2. Curriculum Vitae(s) of proposed staff/consultant outlining relevant education, expertise
and experience. Clear reference to child protection and gender equality experience
should be made where applicable.
3. A table clearly stating the level of effort of each proposed team member (for consulting
firm/agency)
4. A financial proposal with a detailed breakdown of costs for carrying out the assignment
5. A proposed timeframe detailing activities and a schedule/work plan (including a Gantt
chart), in line with the timeframe provided in this ToR and with consideration for the
time it will take for E&I SAF Assessment Teamreview documents (desk review and
assessment report, etc.) before finalization.
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6. Names and contact information of three references who can be contacted regarding
relevant experience
7. A copy of 2 - 3 previous reports of similar work undertaken
8. A Consulting Firm Profile (if applicable) as per below instructions
The detailed technical proposal should:
•
Show a thorough understanding of this terms of reference
•
Include a description of how you would approach the data gathering methods
prescribed in this ToR and how you would approach sampling
•
Demonstrate previous experience in conducting quantitative and qualitative study
approaches
•
Demonstrate inclusivity, gender equality and non-discrimination in the conduct of the
study
•
Demonstrate approaches that will be used to ensure child protection and ethics and
principles will be applied throughout the design and data collection phases of the
project, and how marginalized or vulnerable people will be included.
The financial proposal should contain:
•
Itemized consultancy fees/costs
•
Itemized field data collection expenses
•
Itemized administrative expenses
•
Validity period of quotations
The consulting team profile should contain:
•
The full names of all participating consultants and their roles, including technical
expertise
•
Physical address of the firm
•
Telephone number(s) of the firm (if applicable) and participating consultant(s)
•
Full name and contact information of the contact person within the consulting team
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The financial part will describe the estimated cost for the assessment in details, including
income tax and VAT as per government policy. It should be given in a separate sealed
envelope, including bank account details.Income Tax and VAT applicable for the consultancy
fee as per government policy will be deducted at source.
9 How to Apply
Interested consultants/organizationsare requested to summit proposal and documents in a
sealed envelope on or before 5:00 pm, 04th February 2016 to Plan International Bangladesh,
House # CWN (B) 14, Road # 35, Gulshan-2, Dhaka-1212. The Envelop must be marked with
the title of the assignment.
Contact Persons from Plan International Bangladesh for the Assignment
Farhana Habib,Manager – Monitoring and Evaluation, Phone: +880-2-9860167and email:
Farhana.habib@Plan-international.org) for programmatic support and technical support.
Ethical Considerations
There will be nothing in the study which may be harmful for respondents on legal or
medical grounds, however, as the topic may be of a sensitive nature to some respondents
Plan International will have in place referral procedures in line with Plan International’s Child
Protection Policy; all project team. No one would be forced to provide information for the
study. The research objectives will be clearly explained to all the respondents of the study
before gathering data from them. The researchers will be abstained from collecting data
from those who will deny or show any kind of disinterest in providing information. Written
consent of the respondents will be taken before collecting data where possible, otherwise
verbal consent will be collected (i.e. in the case of individuals cannot write). The
researcherswill be highly committed to the respondents to keep the privacy of their
information and source of data as well as will put heartiest endeavour to be unbiased in
collecting data. The research report will not reveal the identity of the respondents. Full
ethical approval will be obtained before the study commences, if required. In accordance
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with Plan International’s Research Policy and Standards, this will be obtained in one of three
ways as appropriate:
1. If external consultants are being used who work for a University or research institution
that has an ethics approval process, then that University or research institution may
provide approval.
2. Some countries may require ethics approval from governmental or other regulatory
bodies, in such cases ethics approval must be obtained through these processes.
3. If external ethics approval cannot be obtained, this must be received from the Research
and Knowledge Management Team at Plan International IH.
Disclosure of Information / Child Protection Policy
It is understood and agreed that the Consultant shall, during and after the effective period
of the contract, treat as confidential and not divulge, unless authorized in writing by Plan
International, any information obtained in the course of the performance of the
Contract.Information will be made available for the consultants on a need-to-know basis.
Field visits will be accompanied by E&I Assessment Team Member and/or relevant
organization’s staff. The firm/individual shall comply with the Child Protection Policy of
Plan
International
Bangladesh.
Any
violation/deviation
in
complying
with
Plan
International’s Child Protection Policy will not only result-in termination of the agreement
but also Plan International will initiate appropriate action in order to make good the
damages/losses caused due to non-compliance of Plan International’s Child Protection
Policy. This applies to any individual employed by the firm or consultant as part of the
scope of this work.
Bindings
All documents, papers and data produced during the assessment are to be treated as Plan
International’s property and restricted for public use. The contracted agency/consultant will
submit all original documents, materials and data to the Country Coordination Unit (CCU),
South Asia WASH Results Programme (SAWRP) of Plan InternationalBangladesh.
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Disclaimer
Country Coordination Unit (CCU), South Asia WASH Results Programme (SAWRP) of Plan
International Bangladesh reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals without
assigning any reason what so ever.
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Annex 1: Quality Control / Quality Assurance Processes & Expectations
The steps outlined below outline Plan International’s expectations for quality control/quality
assurance processes that should be included in the planning, design and implementation
phases of the consulting mandate.

Briefing discussions with consultant on general expectations for the mandate

Exchanges on the draft report, finalisation and validation of report, including data
collection instruments

Finalise sampling design and size in consultation with the E&I Assessment Team

Translation and review of data collection instruments

Field testing of data collection instruments on men and women, boys and girls (if
required)

Revision and finalisation of data collection instruments

Field visits will be accompanied by E&I Assessment Team Member and/or relevant
organization’s staff, to assess the quality of the data, and to ensure that sampling and
interviewing protocols are followed

Data quality assurance procedures

Qualitative and quantitative data analysis

Preparation of final study report

Exchanges on final study report and validation

Transfer to Country Coordination Unit (CCU), South Asia WASH Results Programme
(SAWRP) of Plan International Bangladeshof all data collected (soft and hard copies)
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Annex-02: Equity and Inclusion Sustainability Assessment Framework
Introduction and background
The South Asia WASH Results (SAWR) Programme is operating in Pakistan and Bangladesh,
two countries where very high numbers of poor people do not use improved sanitation. The
main objective of the programme is to promote and enable the sustained use of hygienic
household toilets, and the practice of hand-washing with soap. The programme will also
make water supply improvements in a limited number of communities (for 10% of total
beneficiaries) that experience acute water supply problems.
In the DFID project ToR ‘Equity’ is defined as: ‘ensuring that vulnerable groups are
benefiting from the interventions, and understanding whether there is any exclusion’.
In addition, DFID state that: ‘Data on number of people with access to WASH services as a
result of the project, should be disaggregated by gender, wealth quintile, and any disability,
vulnerable or disadvantaged groups’.
They also state that ‘under this programme, the
supplier will need to collate data and assess what impacts the proposed interventions will
have on people with disabilities and different access needs’.
Quantitative data on issues of equity and disabilities is being collected through the base,
mid and endline household surveys, supported by additional partner data from KAP surveys.
The specific groups included are women, children, people with disabilities and the poorest
of the poor. The Washington Group definitions are being used for the base, mid and
endline surveys.
However, data on the impacts of the proposed interventions is more
closely related to ongoing programme sustainability throughout the outcomes phase and as
such needs to adopt a more qualitative approach.
The purpose of this Equity and Inclusion Sustainability Assessment Framework (SAF) is to
provide a framework through which the progress of key project stakeholders can be
reviewed over the duration of the programme in terms of achieving equity and inclusion in
project water, sanitation and hand-washing initiatives, bearing in mind the current PbR
context. The key purpose of this assessment is to generate programme wide learning which
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can be use in the development of future programmes. Completing this framework will
involve using a mixed methods approach that combines the use of both quantitative and
qualitative data sources. The roles and responsibilities of project partners are outlined in
section 3.
The assessment will take place on an annual basis.

1st assessment (2016): will focus on equity and inclusion during the outputs phase and
plans for the outcomes phase. This will include a discussion of the key equity and
inclusion objectives developed by project partners, based on their implementation plans.

2nd assessment (2016): will focus on how well equity and inclusion are being achieved
in the outcomes phase and draw out potential areas for improvement. This will include
an assessment of progress in achieving project equity objectives and milestones.

3rd assessment (2017): will focus on how well equity and inclusion objectives and
milestones were achieved overall in the programme.
Overall process for completion of the Equity and Inclusion SAF
In order to complete the annual assessments an ‘Assessment Team’ will be established. The
role of the Assessment Team will be to complete the annual assessment of the progress
against each of the indicators outlined in section 4.
The team composition can be modified according to need or availability of staff and it
should include an expert in equity and inclusion issues from each country. This could be a
member of staff from the partner organisations or local consultants could be used where
appropriate.

The evaluation team should consist of the following representatives in each country;

A representative from the national Plan office with expertise in equity and inclusion
issues

A representative from the national WaterAid office with expertise in equity and inclusion
issues
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
A representative from the national WSUP office (Bangladesh only) with expertise in
equity and inclusion issues

A representative from the CCU M&E team

A representative from WEDC
Representatives from UK offices can also join the assessment team as needed. IPSOS Mori
will play a role in analysing the quantitative data collected during the base, mid and endline surveys.
Roles and responsibilities of project partners
Table 1 outlines the key activities that need to be completed in order for the equity and
inclusion assessments to be successful.
Table 1: Key activities for equity and inclusion SAF completion
Activity
Timeframe
Responsibility
First Annual Assessment (2015)
Complete an initial desk study of existing literature on
Jan 2016
Consultant
Mar 2016
Consultant &
equity and inclusion issues using sources specific to
Pakistan and Bangladesh - e.g. narrative reports,
partner case studies, programme reports etc. and
existing project data sources - e.g. baseline survey
results for households, baseline and mid-line survey
results for school children and partner KAP surveys
where available
The Assessment team will complete the first annual
assessment by completing the E&I Assessment
Assessment team
Framework
Write up draft assessment report with findings and
recommendations for each country
Finalise first annual equity and inclusion report for each May 2016
Consultant
country
Complete a cross-country (programmatic analysis)
WEDC with support of
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Activity
Timeframe
Responsibility
Assessment team
Second Annual Assessment (2016)
Based on the findings from the desk study and in
Jun 2016
Partners to lead, WEDC to
consultation with project partners, identify the
support in method
communities/villages where case studies will be
development, piloting and
conducted during 2016 (before the 2nd annual
training
assessment)
Conduct the first round of case studies: project
Jun -Aug 2016
Partners/independent
partners to capture data using methods and tools
consultant
provided and complete the initial analysis of the
WEDC to support from UK
findings in country
Complete the second annual assessment using the E&I Nov 2016/Dec
Assessment Framework
Assessment team
2017
Write up draft assessment report with findings and
recommendations for each country
Finalise second annual equity and inclusion report for
Jan/Feb 2017
each country and complete a cross-country
WEDC with support of
Assessment team
(programmatic analysis)
Third Annual Assessment (2017)
Based on the 1st and 2nd annual assessments
May 2017
completed in 2015 and 2016 – identify the
Partners to lead, WEDC to
support from UK
communities/villages where case studies will be
conducted during 2017 (before the 3rd and final
assessment)
Conduct the second round of case studies: project
Jun -Aug 2017
Partners/independent
partners to capture data using methods and tools
consultant
provided and complete the initial analysis of the
WEDC to support
findings in country
Complete the third annual assessment using the E&I
Late 2017
Assessment team
Assessment Framework
Write up draft assessment report with findings and
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Activity
Timeframe
Responsibility
recommendations for each country
Finalise third annual equity and inclusion report for
Early 2018
each country and complete a cross-country
WEDC with support of
Assessment team
(programmatic analysis)
The Equity and Inclusion Assessment Framework
The E&I Assessment Framework is composed of a set of equity and inclusion objectives and
their corresponding indicators. Indicators are used to assess performance and progress
against each of the objectives. Table 2 outlines the key programme equity and inclusion
assessment objectives and indicators.
Table 2 Key programme equity and inclusion assessment objectives and indicators
Objective
Indicators
Targeted groups have
To what extent have targeted groups participated in CLTS
participated in the project
activities
processes
To what extent have targeted groups participated in decisions
related to water or sanitation
To what extent have actual activities (both hardware and
software) aimed at improving social inclusion and equity of
targeted groups
Gender and inclusion have been
Extent of trainings conducted for implementing partners and
mainstreamed throughout the
field staff (including volunteers)
programme (where feasible)
Extent to which gender and inclusion has been included in the
MVE framework and the MVOC
Gender ratios of staff and volunteers at different levels
Equity issues have been
To what extent have equity issues been discussed with
discussed with Government
Government partners
partners
Each of these objectives and indicators will
be assessed and rated using the
Red/Amber/Green System (RAG rating). Five levels of performance grading are proposed so
that improvements can be tracked over time. The levels of performance are shown in Table
3.
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Plan International Bangladesh
Table 3 RAG scoring of likelihood of achieving relevant project objectives
Score
Criteria for grading
0
Not able to assess at this stage of the project (due to insufficient data)
1
Unlikely to be achieved. No progress on achieving objectives
2
Only likely to be achieved to a very limited extent, with much less achieved
than expected
3
Likely to be partly achieved, with less achievement than expected to date
4
Likely to be largely achieved. There is good progress towards achieving the
relevant objectives
5
Likely to be completely achieved. The objectives are well on the away to
being completed (or are completed)
This approach is suited to qualitative assessments for aspects such as equity and inclusion
that are undertaken during the course of a project.

In order for the Assessment team to complete this E&I assessment framework the
following steps will take place in each country:

The Assessment team will review the findings from the desk review (2015) or previous
annual assessments and case studies (2016 & 2017).

The team will then visit 3 project locations in order to assess the current situation and
make their assessment on the progress against each indicator and objective.

The team will complete the assessment framework and provide additional narrative
around key findings from the site visits.
The additional narrative information will be particularly important in informing and justifying
the assessment of progress towards each of the indicators. For example, overall progress
against a particular indicator may be classified as a 1 or 2 (red or amber) but the additional
narrative data may explain that there has been a particular challenge which has hampered
performance in that area.
The annual E&I assessment report will cover the following key points;
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Plan International Bangladesh

Findings from the case studies

The E&I assessment framework completed with RAG scorings

A narrative review on the implications of the RAG assessments

Lessons learnt about improvements/adaptations that could be made going forwards
Additional Questions to be addressed through the Equity and Inclusion Assessment process
Table 4 shows the over-arching questions that will be addressed throughout the E&I
assessment process.
Table 4 Overarching E&I questions
Question
To what extent did the programme learn about who is
When it will be addressed
During the initial desk study
marginalised or vulnerable and why during the outputs
phase?
To what extent have the targeted groups participated in
During the initial desk study
the project processes and decisions during the outputs
phase?
What lessons can be learnt about
Annually as part of the E&I assessment
improvements/adaptations that could be made to the
process
programme going forward to strengthen equity and
inclusion?
What has been the impact (both positive and negative)
During the final (2017) assessment
from the project activities on the different targeted
groups?
Using available data sources
Throughout the outputs and outcomes phases, partners are collecting a wealth of
quantitative equity and inclusion data through the project databases, KAP surveys and
community situation analyses. The base, mid and end-line programme surveys also provide
good quantitative data on equitable access to services.
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Plan International Bangladesh
In order to complete a good assessment of the programme, qualitative data will be
collected to augment and enhance the quantitative data sources. This qualitative data will
be collected through the use of focus groups, key stakeholder interviews and participatory
tools. These will form the case studies carried out each year. The case studies will focus on 3
themes but these themes will remain flexible. The key themes in each country will be
identified as a result of the desk review in 2015 and the annual assessment in 2016 and can
be made to align with county priorities.
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