Background: LWF and LWF World Service
LWF World Service is the humanitarian and development arm of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF). LWF is a global communion of churches shaped by the insights of the Lutheran Reformation. Founded in 1947, LWF envisions a just, peaceful, and reconciled world. LWF affirms the dignity of every human being, and this forms the basis of its understanding and practice of human rights and diakonia (service to others).
Today, World Service is a widely recognized, international, faith-based organization working in 28 countries. LWF World Service engages with refugees, internally displaced persons, returnees, and other people at-risk, whom it serves and assists without discrimination of any kind. LWF World Service is known for people-centered and community-based approaches, for presence in hard-to-reach areas and for local rootedness and global connectivity, linking local community priorities and voices with national and international dialogue and advocacy.
In 2014, the Committee for World Service, which governs LWF World Service, approved the LWF Child Protection Policy in line with LWF’s commitment to protect all children in contact with LWF World Service programs globally. The organization has since then rolled out the policy and adapted it to different national contexts in various Country Programs. Child protection has become an integral part of LWF World Service’s non-negotiable policies in its commitment to human rights and accountability to affected populations. It has been integrated into the LWF Staff Code of Conduct, embedded in all staff contracts, onboarding and project planning processes, and linked with the complaints handling mechanisms. Given the fast-evolving humanitarian and protection environment, the policy is overdue for reviewing and updating.
There is a global move towards using the term “Child Safeguarding” to refer to organizational internal policies, frameworks, and procedures for ensuring children are safe from intended and unintended harm. This relates to the safeguards an organization puts in place to keep children safe within the context of its programs and operations. The existing LWF Child Protection Policy to be revised, will therefore become the “LWF Child Safeguarding Policy” in line with these trends.
An increasing number of LWF Country Programs are engaged in programs to protect children from all forms of abuse, neglect, exploitation, and violence against children. These activities fall under the programmatic sector of “Child Protection”. The lack of practical and easy to use guidelines and tools in this sector currently undermines efforts to scale-up and profile LWF in this field.
This Terms of Reference is for the review of the current LWF Child Protection Policy and the development of the first practical guidelines to support LWF World Service in Child Safeguarding and Child Protection programming. We invite applications from child protection and safeguarding experts to undertake the dual assignment.
Objectives and Expected R**esults**
The main objectives of this consultancy are:
· To review the LWF Child Protection Policy (2014) and to update it to match current LWF Country Program needs, the latest developments in the fields of Child Safeguarding and Child Protection and with LWF’s key partners’ requirements.
· To develop Child Protection Guidelines for LWF World Service staff to use as a quick reference guide.**
Methodology
The final methodology will be formulated collectively with the consultant. Following on-boarding, desk review of the Child Protection Policy and other documents, initial consultations with LWF Geneva staff is envisaged, coordinated by the Child Protection Focal Point.
Further consultations with selected country program staff and with key partners of LWF World Service will be carried out to gain a deeper understanding of the current field realities as well as the trends and latest expectations from international partners in child safeguarding and protection.
Given travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, these consultations are likely to be mostly online. However, should possibilities for travel avail themselves, it would be desirable for the consultant to visit at least one country program to gain a practical insight and to assess the child safeguarding and protection challenges LWF World Service country programs typically encounter, including latest complications from the COVID-19 pandemic. Key issues and actions contained in Program Continuity Plans developed by Country Programs as well as Country Strategy Mid-Term Review recommendations may be useful to this assignment.
Expected Process
· Desk review of the Child Protection Policy and related LWF policies, the LWF World Service Global Strategy and selected country strategies.
· Consultation with HQ staff (up to 10 persons TBD) including Focal Points for related LWF Policies – PSEA, Gender Justice, CoC, Complaints Handling and Action for Justice Unit of LWF DTMJ and Youth Desks.
· In consulting with Country Programs, ensuring the inclusion of the affected population and children in the process of clarifying current gaps, priorities and needed tools.
· MS Teams/Skype calls with selected protection advisors in country programs (Cameroon, Chad, Myanmar, Uganda, South Sudan, Colombia, Iraq, others TBD)
· MS Teams/Skype calls with selected LWF World Service international partners (2 – 3 agencies TBD)
· Support an LWF Country Program to adopt and pilot-test the new policy and guidelines
Expected Outputs
The consultant is expected to:
· Compile a summary document highlighting gaps and aspects where the current Child Protection Policy needs updating to match current situation in safeguarding, country program needs, and emerging child safeguarding requirements from LWF’s key partners.
· Facilitate a minimum of two workshops:
a) Kick-off workshop for validating the policy review methodology and presenting the general structures (table of contents) of the updated Child Safeguarding Policy and Child Protection Guidelines,
b) Workshop to launch the new Child Safeguarding Policy and the Child Protection Guidelines to receive final inputs and comments.
· Submit a completed updated Child Safeguarding Policy, no more than 5 pages, excluding annexes.
· Draft a one-page, quick reference document, identifying changes that have been made and why.
· Submit a concise guideline for Child Protection programming with good examples and illustrations from LWF Country Programs and other partners. No more than 25 pages, excluding annexes.
· Provide a presentation (PowerPoint, short video, TBD) that can be used to introduce and disseminate the policy and the guidelines.
· Support LWF Myanmar in adopting and pilot testing the new policy and guidelines, using feedback, new insights, and lessons to update the policy and guidelines.
Timeframe
The actual timeframes will be agreed with the consultant(s). Tentatively, the updated policy and the guideline are expected to be ready by 30 August 2021.
Major activities and milestones
Timeframe
Selection and engagement of consultant(s)
By 10 May
Methodology formulation and documents review
By 15 May
Kick-off workshop and Tables of Contents
By 31 May
Interviews, consultations, analysis, and drafting
01 – 15 June
First draft presentations – email/online workshop
By 21 June
LWF Myanmar adoption and pilot-testing of new policy and guideline
July – August
Final update of policy and guideline
By 30 August
Desired skills and q**ualification**s of the consultant(s)**
● Proven expertise and experience in child protection and safeguarding
● Demonstrable capacity to develop policies, tools, and guidelines for practitioners.
● Excellent ability to facilitate face-to-face and online meetings, interviews, and workshops using participatory and interactive approaches.
● Excellent ability to write concisely and in simple and clear English. Knowledge of French would be an advantage.
● Excellent interpersonal skills
How to apply:
Applicants should submit a proposal containing a technical and a financial bid.
The technical bid should provide the consultant’s interpretation of the ToR and assignment, how they intend to undertake it, and show how their expertise and experience matches the assignment. Examples of similar work undertaken recently (past 5 years) and references are required. Successful applicants will be required to sign the LWF Staff Code of Conduct and Child Protection Policy and commit to abiding by them during the entire assignment.
The financial bid should include a budget for the assignment, broken down to time estimates for the deliverables and the daily consultancy rates.
Closing date for applications: 30 April 2021
To apply, click on the following link.