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Request for Expression of Interest (REOI)
(Individual Consultants)
Procurement Title: To Develop a Gender Policy Brief on Access to Rural Finance in Malawi
Name of Project: Financial Access for Rural Markets, Smallholders and Enterprises (FARMSE)
Project Number: 1501
Procurement reference No: FARMSE/387/MW/24
Introduction
The Government of Malawi has received financing from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and NORAD towards the cost of FARMSE, and intends to apply part of the proceeds for the recruitment of consulting services provided by an individual consultant as part of the post of Environmental and Social Management Consultant. The use of any IFAD financing shall be subject to IFAD’s approval, pursuant to the terms and conditions of the financing agreement, as well as IFAD’s rules, policies and procedures. IFAD and its officials, agents and employees shall be held harmless from and against all suits, proceedings, claims, demands, losses and liability of any kind or nature brought by any party in connection with FARMSE.
The overall goal of FARMSE is to reduce poverty, improve livelihoods and enhance the resilience of rural households on a sustainable basis. The Programme’s development objective is to increase access to, and use of, a range of sustainable financial services by rural households and micro, small, and medium enterprises. FARMSE is a ten-year programme beginning July 2018 and finishing in June 2028. The total cost of the programme is US$103 million with IFAD contributing US$72 million, with US$31 being contributions from the Government of Malawi, private sector partners and NORAD.
Background of Assignment
FARMSE program’s interventions are contributing to significant improvements in gender equality and women empowerment (GEWE) dimensions such as increasing women economic empowerment, participation, representation in CBFO leadership and increasing their voice, contributing to positive gender norms and joint benefit sharing. Following the achievements so far, the program wishes to take a step further to enhance access to inclusive finance services by rural women. The program realises that there may be some gaps between the policy and the practise that underscores the need for a comprehensive review inorder to address them through possible policy interventions.
Current Status
FARMSE program has made significant progress in supporting access to a wide range of financial services and products into the rural areas targeting the rural women and other vulnerable categories. So far under the current cohort of implementing partners, a total of 132,433 rural women have been reached with various financial services such as savings, credit and insurance.
Furthermore, in its commitment to provide gendered financial services, the program developed Gender and Youth mainstreaming strategy 2018 -2025 that provides general frameworks in terms of providing inclusive program interventions that targets the women and the youths. Guided by this strategy, the program has strived to reduce gender and youth related barriers to financial innovations and services within the rural context. Through the various financial service providers, the program has been implemented interventions to address the supply and demand side barriers to inclusive financial services. The program has engaged demand driven FSP who have turn have developed and rolled financial services and products that are tailored to the needs for the rural women, youth and PWDs. To some extent, the FSP have considered the poor rural communities as a unique group of clients hence some of the services and products have been reflective of this uniqueness.
Purpose of the Assignment
The purpose of this assignment is for the individual consultant to undertake a gender analysis on the current rural financial service provision by the FARMSE and other rural financial service providers. It is expected that the assessments will examine the current landscape, identify key gendered financial access challenges, and produce actionable recommendations that may require future policy interventions.
Coordination and Consultation
The assignment will be supervised by FARMSE PMU. The consultant will report to the FARMSE Programme Coordinator and expected to work closely with the Social Inclusion Coordinator.
Duration of the Assignment
The assignment will be conducted in 18 man-days spread over a period of 30 calendar days from the date of signing the contract.
Consultants’ Qualifications
- Advanced Degree in Social Sciences, Gender and Development, Economics, Law, Development studies,
Political Sciences or other related fields. - The individual consultant should have at least 5 years of field experience in Gender mainstreaming and transformational programming and strategy/policy development.
- Proven professional experience in any of the following areas; Financial inclusion programming, including but not limited to knowledge of Social Protection and Graduation models and other social inclusion areas like targeting rural youth with financial services and products.
- Knowledge of the Malawi financial sector and its relevant policies.
- Knowledge of gender analysis tools and their
application in development programmes. - Demonstrable experience in policy brief development especially related gender equality and women empowerment.
- Excellent communication skills both oral and writing.
- Ability to work in a stressful environment and to deliver high quality work.
- Knowledge of Malawi context and development sector, in particular IFAD and Government of Malawi working environment and systems is a great asset.
- Demonstrable expertise (at least 5 years) in gender programming, gender analysis, data and reporting.
- Proven experience of gender equality and women empowerment interventions including policy engagement.
Application Process
This request for expression of interest follows the general procurement notice that appeared in Nation and Daily Times newspapers on 14th- 15th September and 17th September 2018, on the IFAD website and on DgMarket 15th and 14th September 2018 respectively.
FARMSE now invites eligible Individual consultants to express their interest in providing the services. Interested Individual Consultants should request detailed Terms of Reference through email from the FARMSE email addresses indicated below.
Interested individual consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the services in the form of a curriculum vitae (CV). A consultant will be selected in accordance with the individual consultant selection (ICS) method set out in IFAD’ Project Procurement Handbook that can be accessed via the IFAD website at www.ifad.org/project-procurement.
Any request for clarification on this REOl should be sent to the address email below jmaulana@farmse.org/gkabaghe@farmse.org no later than 10.00 hours on 2nd December, 2024.
The client will provide responses to all clarification requests by 12.00 noon on 6th December, 2024. Request for full TORs can be obtained from FARMSE Website: www.farmsemalawi.org or from the following email addresses: jmaulana@farmse.org/gkabaghe@farmse.org
Submission:
Expressions of interest must be delivered to FARMSE, Off Mchinji Road, JAD Office Complex, Behind Automotive Products Limited, Behind NAC, Lilongwe. Malawi no later than 10.00 hours on 16th December, 2024 in a Tender Box in the conference room
CONTACT ADDRESS:
The National Programme Coordinator
FARMSE,
Ministry of Finance & Economic Affairs,
JAD Complex, Off Kaunda Road,
P.O. Box 30049, LILONGWE 3.
Tel: (265)01-756932/3; Fax (265)01-756930
Email: jmaulana@farmse.org/gkabaghe@farmse.org
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