Consultant - Baseline Study Breaking Barriers: Building Feminist Solidarity and Economic Opportunities for Women in West Nile, Uganda

BASELINE STUDY CONSULTANCYBreaking Barriers: Building Feminist Solidarity and Economic Opportunities for Women in West Nile, Uganda (Phase III: 2026–2028)ABOUT THE ASSIGNMENTThe Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa (SIHA Network) seeks a qualified and experienced locally based consultant or consultancy team in West Nile to conduct a baseline study for the Breaking Barriers project (Phase III: 2026–2028).This is a high-impact assignment designed to generate robust, context-specific evidence that will shape programming, influence strategy, and strengthen accountability for advancing women’s economic empowerment and feminist solidarity in West Nile.BACKGROUNDThe Breaking Barriers project aims to strengthen feminist solidarity, expand women’s economic opportunities, and address structural barriers that limit women’s participation in economic and public life across Arua City and Arua District, with a focus on young women and marginalized groups.The baseline study will be conducted at project inception to:* Establish benchmarks for key indicators * Inform adaptive program implementation * Provide a reference point for measuring impactThe study will examine:* Women’s socio-economic status (income, livelihoods, assets, savings, resilience) * Access to finance, markets, skills, and social protection * Functionality and strength of women-led groups and feminist networks * Structural barriers such as gender norms, unpaid care work, and gender-based violence * Responsiveness of local institutions, markets, and financial actorsTHEORY OF CHANGEThe project is grounded in the principle that:Strengthened feminist solidarity combined with improved access to economic opportunities enables women to increase their income, agency, and leadership.The baseline will test key assumptions by generating evidence on:* Women’s current economic realities * Strength and cohesion of feminist networks * Institutional responsiveness and policy environmentFindings will be used to validate and refine implementation pathways.OBJECTIVES OF THE BASELINE STUDYThe consultancy aims to:* Establish socio-economic benchmarks for at least 70% of target women (disaggregated by sex, age, and location) within the first month of project implementation * Assess stakeholder perceptions on women’s participation in non-traditional economic sectors * Evaluate the capacity and functionality of at least 80% of feminist solidarity networks * Identify key structural and institutional barriers through: * Surveys * At least 4 Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) * At least 10 Key Informant Interviews (KIIs)SCOPE OF WORK & METHODOLOGYThe consultant will design and implement a rigorous mixed-methods study grounded in feminist and participatory research principles.APPROACH* Women and community members will be engaged as active contributors and knowledge holders * Emphasis on inclusion, ethics, and contextual sensitivityDATA COLLECTION METHODS* Quantitative Survey * Multi-stage sampling across rural and urban settings * Indicators: income, assets, savings, credit access, leadership, decision-making * Disaggregation: age, disability, location * Stakeholder Perception Survey * Attitudes toward women in non-traditional economic roles * Qualitative Methods * 4 FGDs (young women, market groups, community members) * 10 KIIs (government, private sector, CSOs, cultural leaders) * In-depth interviews on lived experiences * Organizational Capacity Assessment * Governance, advocacy, financial systems, sustainability of women-led groupsQUALITY ASSURANCE* Tool pre-testing * Enumerator training (ethics, safeguarding, consent) * Data triangulationANALYSIS* Quantitative: statistical analysis * Qualitative: thematic analysisDELIVERABLESThe consultant will deliver:1. Inception Report (within 2 weeks) * Methodology, tools, sampling, work plan 2. Draft Baseline Report * Preliminary findings and analysis * Presented in a 2–3 day validation workshop 3. Final Baseline Report * Refined findings, conclusions, and actionable recommendations 4. Presentation Deck (PowerPoint) * Clear summary for stakeholdersREQUIRED QUALIFICATIONSSIHA is particularly interested in consultants based in West Nile with strong contextual understanding.ESSENTIAL* Proven experience conducting baseline studies or evaluations * Strong expertise in gender, women’s rights, or feminist programming * Demonstrated skills in mixed-methods research * Excellent analytical and report writing skills * Ability to engage diverse stakeholdersDESIRABLE* Deep understanding of West Nile socio-cultural and economic context * Experience working with women-led groups or grassroots movements * Knowledge of local languages (e.g., Swahili or Lugbara)HOW TO APPLYInterested candidates should submit the material below via the link https://airtable.com/appH0FdsE4k8EHmeF/shrmVtsw5pf6WOfJx* Technical Proposal (max. 5 pages): methodology, approach, and work plan * Financial Proposal (detailed budget) * CV(s) of consultant(s) * Samples of previous relevant workDeadline: 27 March 2026SIHA strongly encourages applications from qualified consultants based in West Nile, particularly women and feminist researchers with demonstrated commitment to advancing gender equality.