Job Description
Oxfam is a global movement of people who are fighting inequality to end poverty and injustice. Across regions, from the local to the global, we work with people to bring change that lasts.
OVERVIEW
Title and brief description of the assignment
Baseline Survey for Comprehensive Health Options through Innovative Community Engagement (CHOICE) Project
Assignment location
Zimbabwe: Harare, Mutare, Beitbridge, Gwanda, Gokwe South, Kadoma, Makonde, and Zvimba districts.
Contract start date
17 June 2025
How to apply
Interested candidates are invited to submit:
1) A proposal describing how the evaluation will be conducted (including a budget in a separate file)
2) CV (s)
3) A written example of an evaluation already carried out
See section ‘8. Application Process’ for further details
Application deadline
31 May 2025
Specific considerations
1. PURPOSE OF THIS CONSULTANCY
The direct motive for this procurement for consultancy services is to generate baseline data and information on the current situation in the targeted communities, informing the implementation of the project. The study will obtain baseline information, establish benchmarks for the eventual monitoring of progress. The outputs of the consultancy will support the measurement of change over time, inform program implementation, and contribute to learning and accountability. The assessment will also include a gender and protection lens, ensuring that the project remains responsive to the diverse needs and priorities of affected communities.
The Comprehensive Health Options through Innovative Community Engagement (CHOICE) project is a multi-country sexual and reproductive health, and rights (SRHR) initiative funded by the government of Canada and implemented by Oxfam Canada in partnership with 13 local organisations across Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe (3 in Zimbabwe). The project spans 7 years, with funding from Global Affairs Canada. CHOICE’s ultimate goal is to increase the bodily autonomy, agency, and enjoyment of SRHR among people experiencing poverty, marginalization, and vulnerability – particularly women, girls, adolescents, and persons of diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions in targeted districts of the three countries. CHOICE places a strong emphasis on gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, in line with Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy.
CHOICE focuses on building resilient, integrated communities and health systems to better address women and girls’ needs and ensure access to neglected areas of SRHR such as comprehensive contraceptive care (CCC), safe abortion and post-abortion care (PAC), comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) and youth friendly sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services.
CHOICE is committed to supporting comprehensive SRHR. This approach means that all individuals have the rights, knowledge, and means to make decisions and access services concerning their reproductive lives and sexuality, free from criminalization, coercion, discrimination and violence. This includes the promotion and protection of LGBTQI+ rights and the right to safe and legal abortion and post abortion care. CHOICE seeks to advance the sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) of adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) through three strategic pillars, each corresponding to one of its expected intermediate outcomes.
Duties and Responsibilities
Pillar 1: Transforming Social Norms and Strengthening AGYW Agency
Intermediate Outcome 1100: Strengthened agency of AGYW and marginalized groups in exercising SRHR
This pillar focuses on empowering AGYW, including those of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities (SOGIESC), to adopt healthy SRHR behaviours and make autonomous decisions. Activities address harmful social norms, taboos, and traditional practices through community engagement, education, and youth-friendly spaces. It also includes working with schools, caregivers, and influencers to shift attitudes and increase the uptake of SRH services. The project recognizes that autonomy and agency must be supported by enabling relationships and community structures.
Pillar 2: Improving the Supply and Quality of SRHR Services
Intermediate Outcome 1200: Increased access to comprehensive, resilient, gender-responsive, youth-centered SRHR services
This pillar strengthens the “supply side” by ensuring that SRHR services are accessible, high-quality, and responsive to the needs of AGYW. This includes capacity building for healthcare providers to deliver stigma-free, youth-friendly services; improving facility infrastructure and referral systems; and supporting supply chains for contraceptives and other SRHR commodities. The pillar also includes comprehensive contraceptive care (CCC), safe abortion and post-abortion care (PAC), and integration of services for GBV and HIV where applicable.
Pillar 3: Strengthening Civil Society Advocacy and Policy Influence
Intermediate Outcome 1300: Enhanced social action by CSOs, particularly WROs and YLOs, to promote equal protection of SRHR
This pillar supports women’s rights organizations (WROs), youth-led organizations (YLOs), and LGBTQI+ rights groups in their efforts to influence SRHR policy and practice. It includes funding and technical support for advocacy, coalition building, public engagement, and movement strengthening. CHOICE uses tools like the CAT4SRHR to assess and enhance organizational capacity. The project also supports cross-country learning, evidence generation, and public mobilization, both locally and in Canada.
In Zimbabwe, the CHOICE baseline study will provide a foundational assessment that combines a population-level baseline survey with a health facility audit and quality of care assessment. The hybrid approach ensures a comprehensive understanding of both demand- and supply-side factors influencing SRHR outcomes. The results will guide monitoring, learning, and decision-making throughout the life of the project.
3. SCOPE OF WORK
The CHOICE Baseline Study is designed to establish the reference point against which progress will be measured throughout the project’s life cycle. It will collect comprehensive quantitative and qualitative data from project implementation districts in Zimbabwe. The study will employ a mixed-methods approach, including structured surveys, focus group discussions (FGDs), and key informant interviews (KIIs), to capture the experiences, needs, and perspectives of adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) and other stakeholders. Each country is expected to conduct baseline data collection between June and July 2025.
The CHOICE Baseline Study in Zimbabwe integrates two interrelated components:
1. A general household and community-level baseline survey, focused on understanding SRHR-related attitudes, knowledge, behaviors, and agency (Pillars 1 and 3), and
2. A health facility audit and quality of care assessment, evaluating the availability, readiness, and responsiveness of SRHR services (Pillar 2).
Together, these two components will establish a comprehensive baseline against which progress will be measured throughout the project’s lifecycle. This study will collect comprehensive quantitative and qualitative data from project implementation districts in Zimbabwe using a mixed-methods approach. It will incorporate structured surveys, focus group discussions (FGDs), and key informant interviews (KIIs) to capture the experiences, needs, and perspectives of adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) and other stakeholders.
Component 1 – General Baseline Survey: This component will generate data on the experiences, needs, and perspectives of adolescent girls and young women (AGYW), community members, and key stakeholders. Methods will include structured household surveys, focus group discussions (FGDs), and key informant interviews (KIIs). The survey will explore SRHR knowledge, harmful social norms, AGYW agency, attitudes toward SRHR, and civil society advocacy.
Component 2 – Quality of Care Assessment: This component will also assess the quality of care and evaluate the supply and delivery of SRHR services. This will involve the use of three tools: Health Facility Audit, Quality of Care Assessment, and Client Exit Interviews. These tools will assess facility readiness, youth-friendly and gender-responsive care, provider capacity, and emergency preparedness, aligning with Pillar 2 indicators.
Technical Support Requirements: To ensure quality, consistency, and timely analysis, the consultant must be proficient in Survey-CTO to program and adapt tools, manage translations, test for logic and usability, and support data collection teams. The consultant will also clean and consolidate datasets, run descriptive and frequency analyses, and prepare a unified report that integrates quantitative and qualitative findings.
Geographic Coverage and Thematic Areas: The consultant will be responsible for planning and executing all activities required to complete the baseline study across the eight (8) implementing districts: Harare Metropolitan, Mutare, (Manicaland Province) Beitbridge, Gwanda, (Matabeleland South Province) Gokwe South, Kadoma, (Midlands Province), Makonde, and Zvimba districts (Mashonaland West Province). The study will cover communities, health facilities, schools, and partner sites. Key themes include SRHR knowledge, women’s agency, service quality, health system capacity, and civil society advocacy.
Key Responsibilities:
• Desk Review: Review relevant documents (proposal, PMF, partner plans) and national data to inform study design.
• Inception and Study Plan: Develop the study design in consultation with Oxfam; define methods, indicators, sampling, tools, and ethical considerations. Submit an Inception Report.
• Field Data Collection: Organize and conduct data collection across the 8 districts. This includes:
✓ Surveys: Administer structured questionnaires to a representative sample.
✓ Facility Assessments: Use audit and quality tools for SRHR service evaluation.
✓ KIIs: Interview key stakeholders (healthcare workers, local leaders, partners).
✓ FGDs: Conduct gender-segregated discussions with community groups.
✓ Observations: Visit health facilities to validate and enrich data through direct observation.
• Enumerator Management: Recruit and train local enumerators; ensure cultural and linguistic appropriateness.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Consult and involve implementing partners and rights-holders throughout; validate preliminary findings with local feedback.
• Data Analysis and Interpretation: Perform statistical and thematic analysis; triangulate data sources; compare findings with national benchmarks.
• Presentation of Findings: Share preliminary results with Oxfam and partners for validation.
• Reporting: Draft and finalize a unified report combining baseline and quality of care data.
The health facility audit and quality of care assessment will be conducted as a complete enumeration of all targeted health facilities within the implementation districts. However, the baseline survey will use a representative sample of community respondents. Both components will be implemented concurrently at the same facilities to enable integrated analysis and cross-validation of supply and demand perspectives. The two different components are articulated below:
Component 1: Baseline Survey of the CHOICE Project:
Objective: To establish baseline values for the CHOICE Project indicators related to knowledge, attitudes, behaviours, and experiences of Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW) regarding sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR).
Key Activities:
Desk review of relevant documents including CHOICE PMF, previous surveys, and partner plans.
• Design of a mixed-methods study with household/community surveys, FGDs, and KIIs.
• Develop survey tools (quantitative and qualitative) and train enumerators.
• Conduct fieldwork in the districts of Harare Metropolitan, Zvimba, Mutare, Kadoma, Beitbridge, Gwanda, Makonde, and Gokwe South.
• Analyse data by outcome indicators and disaggregate by age, sex, and other relevant demographics.
• Present preliminary findings and submit a draft and final Baseline Report.
Key Indicators Assessed:
• SRHR knowledge and attitudes
• Contraceptive use
• Adolescent pregnancy and GBV indicators
• Gender norms and agency
• Community engagement levels
Component 2: Health Facility Audit and Quality of Care Assessment
Objective: To assess the readiness, availability, and quality of SRHR service delivery in health facilities serving CHOICE project communities.
Key Activities:
• Adapt and program standardized health facility audit tools in Survey-CTO.
• Conduct observations, interviews with health workers, and client exit interviews.
• Focus on service quality elements: youth-friendliness, privacy, respectful care, availability of SRHR commodities, and infrastructure.
Qualifications and Experience
7. PROFILE REQUIREMENTS
The company/ individual(s) should have the following competencies:
• Advanced experience with SRHR, baseline surveys, and health facility assessments
• Advanced degree or relevant field experience in Public Health, Social Sciences, human rights, Gender Studies, monitoring and evaluation
• Proficiency in data collection and analysis applications, particularly Survey-CTO
• Strong skills in quantitative and qualitative analysis using participatory methodologies
• Experience in Zimbabwe and conversant with Shona, Sindebele and English languages
• Ability to facilitate and relate to stakeholders at multiple levels and in diverse contexts
• Familiarity with Global Affairs Canada (GAC) Results-Based Management (RBM) standards
• Excellent communication and report writing skills in English
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