Safe and Prosperous Districts Programme, East Sepik Province, “Linking Communities to Markets for Secure Livelihoods”

1.  Introduction

It is estimated that 85% of employment opportunities in PNG exist in the agriculture sector, providing significant opportunities for both women and men to participate in the country’s economic growth. Markets are the major outlets where agricultural produce are exchanged for cash. Market are also the biggest business in town for many rural and semi-urban communities. Women tend to dominate markets because they are convenient and allow them to juggle their household responsibilities with income earning activities.  However, the opportunities that markets provide to communities for raising income are undermined by social norms that restrict women’s earning opportunities and control over income. For example, women are often absent from decision making within market management systems and this, along with gender based violence, diminishes the potential impact that markets could have on the ability for women to earn and control income and contribute to the economic development of Papua New Guinea.

UN Women recognises the impact of violence and gender inequality on women’s economic empowerment and has designed a markets program that aims to address these issues in a wholistic and coherent manner. For 8 years UN Women has worked in Port Moresby to improve women’s ability to earn and control income in safe and prosperous markets. UN Women has developed tools and resources that can be scaled out into other areas and contextualised to suit the local needs. Through the Safe and Prosperous Districts (SPD) Programme UN Women has expanded this work into East Sepik and Milne Bay Provinces and plans to expand further into other Provinces.

UN Women’s work in markets comprises two components; the first aspect involves infrastructure, ensuring that it is gender responsive and caters for the needs of women, who are majority of those who use the space. The second component involves social programs to strengthen governance and market management as well equip market vendors with skills, tools and knowledge to enhance their economic potentials and increase their access and control over their income.   The Programme builds on UN Women’s experience in Port Moresby markets through its Safe City Programme.

The goal of the SPD Programme is to empower women to pursue entrepreneurial activities and improve their livelihoods in market environments that promote their safety and productivity. In order to achieve this, UN Women will be working closely with local authorities such as the Provincial Administration, Local Level Governments and any other market authorities to establish accountable governance and operations systems that enable markets to be managed effectively. UN Women will also work with local NGOs and vendors and other stakeholders to mentor, develop guidelines and provide training to support market vendors, Local Level Government, District Development Authorities and other duty holders on how to manage their markets, including financial accountability, provision for vendors’ wellbeing, and appropriate regulation. This includes support in strengthening and establishing process and organizations that can effectively advocate for and protect vendor and women’s rights for gender responsive services in district markets.

Ultimately the SPD Programme aims to improve women’s ability to earn and control income in safe and economically vibrant markets. UN Women has developed a range of tools and learnings that will inform its programming in targeted districts.  The SPD Programme is aligned with the UN Women PNG’s Strategic Notes/ Annual Work Plan 2020 - Impact Area 2 Women’s Economic Empowerment and aims to achieve the following outcomes:

• Outcome 1 – national, policies and district plans, legislation, policies, strategies, budgets and justice mechanism adopted and implemented to strengthen women’s economic empowerment
• Outcome 2 – social-economic security of urban and rural women improved
• Outcome 3 – services are gender responsive and enhances women’s economic opportunities and livelihoods

1.  Description of required services/results

This Call for Proposals is to engage services of a non-government organization to partner with UN Women and its government partners to implement clusters of activities under the relevant outputs of the above three outcome 3.  These activities are intended to enhance the civic awareness and voice of market vendors in engaging with market management to influence how markets are managed and operated and to build capacity of local governments to manage markets more effectively. UN Women requires services in East Sepik province with the focus on Wewak district.

The table below shows the three outcomes, outputs and specific activities that UN Women would like to partner with a local NGO to achieve.  The table captures the indicative activities and proponents are expected to propose and describe methodologies for implementing them.  Additional activities (if needed) can be proposed in the proposal that will contribute to each of the outcome/ output areas and the expected results.

( Actual Table is in the attached Call for Proposal Document) 

UN Women Outcome/ Output/ Indicator

Expected Activity

Expected Milestones

Outcome 1:

National, provincial and district plans, legislations, policies, strategies, budgets and justice mechanisms adopted and implemented to strengthen women’s economic empowerment

Output 1.1: Duty bearers capacity strengthened to develop and implement gender responsive policies, strategies, plans and budgets that improves women's access to economic opportunities

Output Indicator 1.1: Number of duty bearers trained and supported to develop and implement gender responsive policies, plans etc.

Baseline: 30 | Target: 100

Support Duty Bearers to establish an accountable and inclusive governance and operational market management regime that includes women’s voice (including introduction of improved processes and appropriate technology, e.g fee payment system)

The selected partner is expected to conduct and support UN Women in capacity building activities for local duty bearers in the following areas:

• Gender and Human Rights
• The Informal Economy and National Voice Strategy
• PNG SME Policy
• Government roles and responsibilities particularly around social protections measures and building local economies

(Note: trainings should include at least 1 duty bearer from Yangoru/Saussia and 1 from Maprik, costs for accommodation and incidentals should be included in the financial proposal)

Training(s) conducted for at least 50 duty bearers to increase their increased knowledge of gender responsive policies and practices, including the benefits of including women and youth in market governance and operations processes.

UN Women Outcome/ Output/ Indicator

Expected Activity

Expected Milestones

Outcome 2: Socio-economic security of urban and rural women improved

Output 2.1: Women entrepreneurs and farmers are empowered to pursue economic opportunities and have greater control over their income

Output Indicator 2.1: Number of women entrepreneurs and farmers who have reported increased access and control over their income.

Baseline: 0 | Target: 500

Build the capacity of market vendors to manage their finances, build their business and have greater control over their income

The selected partner is expected to implement training and capacity building activities for markets vendors (80% of which should be women) in the following: 

• The Informal Economy and National Voice Strategy
• Leadership and Communication (public speaking)
• Human Rights and Constitutional Rights in PNG with specific reference to Gender-Based Violence
• Financial Literacy and Savings Skills
• Family business management and budgeting
• How to build a business 

In consultation with UN Women during the implementation, the selected partner is also required to provide mentoring support (including bus fares, catering and other associated arrangements for organizing campaign activities as appropriate) to UN Women Sanap Wantaim Behaviour Change Campaign team.  The expected campaign activities are expected to be delivered quarterly as follows:

• Six 2-day awareness sessions in schools for min 10 youth advocates,
• Six 1-day awareness sessions in communities for min 10 youth advocates and 50 community members,
• 3 awareness sessions on radio,
• 1 public event involving 20 youths at least, and
• 3 monthly meetings for 20 youth advocates to mentor and plan the activities with UN Women support.

Capacity and awareness building activities are delivered for at least 100 women vendors to increase their confidence to access to financial services and credit that helps them grow their business.

Sanap Wantaim Youth Advocates are provided with mentoring and associated support to enable effective rollout of the UN Women Sanap Wantaim behavior change campaign in targeted communities.

UN Women Outcome/ Output/ Indicator

Expected Activity

Expected Milestones

Outcome 3: Services are gender responsive and enhances women's economic opportunities and livelihoods

Output 3.1: Market facilities, electricity services are gender responsive, accessible, resilient to disaster risk and climate change, safe, comfortable and affordable for women in the pursuit of their livelihoods

Output Indicator 3.1: Number of women who are able to access market and electricity services safely and in an affordable manner

Baseline: 0 | Target: 500

1. Support the establishment of processes and organisations that can effectively advocate for and protect vendors and women's rights for gender responsive services
2. Work with duty bearers, market vendors, men and boys and other key stakeholders to reduce violent or intimidating behaviour that limit women's equal participation in economic, social and political sphere within the districts

Specifically, the selected partner is expected to:

• Support the establishment of Market Vendors Association for urban and rural vendors.
• Run capacity building workshops on steps for setting up Vendor’s Association and provide ongoing mentoring and technical support to the Associations.
• Work with the Markets Vendors Association to develop relevant policies and plans and policies for the Association.
• Provide ongoing mentoring and technical support to market vendor association

With the technical support provided, two Market Vendors’ Associations are established and able to advocate women’s equal participation and rights.

After training(s) and ongoing support, 20 market vendor association executives are capacitated to advocate for their rights and participate in the market management.

Target Groups

The implementation will involve both duty bearers and rights holders.

Duty bearers: Government institutions responsible for implementing and engaging the public on social protection, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, social cohesion, youth, women and advocacy. A minimum of 50 duty bearers need to participate in each capacity building activity. Details on trainings are shown in the table above under Outcome 1. 

Rights holders: Women. SPD targets support to this group in relation to supporting and facilitating their active economic participation and control over their income. The proposal should include a minimum of 100 market vendors and 20 market vendors executives in various activities, where relevant. Market Vendors should be reached through awareness and information sessions and trainings where appropriate. Details on expected trainings and awareness sessions are shown in the table above under Outcome 2.

Both groups of duty bearers and rights holders should also be captured/ reached under Outcome 3.

Site of delivery

The SPD activities will be implemented in Wewak, East Sepik Province, however, must also include duty bearers from Yangoru and Maprik in capacity building activities for local authorities. In conclusion, the target groups will come from the three districts in East Sepik province: Wewak, Yangoru/Saussia and Maprik, while the location of project implementation is in Wewak.

The selected organization must consider how they will engage and support participants who are based in these districts to actively participate in SPD activities held at Wewak. Financial proposal shown include accommodation and allowance for at least 1 duty bearer from each district (Yangoru/Saussia and Maprik) involved in market management and operations.

Monitoring and Reporting

The Responsible Party will be guided by the SPD Monitoring and Evaluation Framework and expected to contribute information to the overall programme quarterly reporting. The proponent is expected to do ongoing monitoring and develop relevant tools for data collection against the relevant indicators as per the above table.  Additional indicators can be proposed, where possible and appropriate, to help capture the expected results or achievements.

Communication and Reporting Obligations

The selected organisation(s) is expected to ensure that reporting, analysis and recommendations are evidence-based, and assist UN Women to identify promising practices to engage and support women, youth and persons with disabilities to participate in economic activities in the community, district and provincial level. The selected organisation(s) will work closely with the SPD Programme Specialist and UN Women Programme team during project implementation and provide regular quarterly reports including quarterly financial reports in line with UN Women requirements.

Support to Responsible Party

To achieve expected results, the Partner Organization(s) will receive a comprehensive induction on the Safe and Prosperous Districts Programme, and ongoing guidance and support from the Programme Specialist and relevant UN Women personnel.

Eligibility Criteria

The eligible applicant must be a locally registered non-governmental organization with a minimum of five years experience.

Institutional Arrangement

The selected organisation(s) will sign a Project Cooperation Agreement (PCA) with UN Women. A thorough selection process will take place to identify the potential partner/s. The selection process will be based on proven capacity to deliver the proposed outputs/activities by the selected organisation/s. The organisation’s capacity will be assessed by UN Women before awarding of the contract.

1.  Timeframe:  Start date and end date for completion of required services/results

The Project will commence upon signature of partnership with the selected organization (s) for the duration up to 12 months.

1.  Competencies:

Applicants will be expected to address the following criteria, in addition to criteria listed in the Technical Proposal Assessment and Capacity Assessment Checklist):

• Track record working with women in the context of women’s economic empowerment, women’s leadership and capacity building for local and district governments
• Experience implementing awareness raising programmes at community and village level
• Local experience working in the Sepik region with local NGO and other civil society partners, with demonstrated knowledge of subnational government governance structures and functions
• Track record ensuring that implementation of programme design is practical, feasible and effective
• Previous working experience with United Nations is highly desirable but not mandatory