Social Norms & Behavior Change Communication Strategy

• This document outlines the Terms of Reference for a consultancy service focused on developing a Social Norms and Behavior Change (SNBC) Communication Strategy.
• The aim is to identify and minimize discriminatory social norms related to women's land rights in Ethiopia.
• The project is a collaboration between Habitat for Humanity and Stand for Her Land.
• This project is dated February 2025

Background

• Women's access to land in essential for economic empowerment, food production, income generation, and cultural identity.
• It enhances political power, participation in decision-making, and sustainable management of resources.
• Equal access to land is a fundamental human right.
• Women's equal rights lack enforcement due to cultural traditions, societal practices and failures in policy implementation.
• Violations of property and inheritance rights are common during marriage and divorce.
• Women are often viewed as secondary rights holders.
• Socioeconomic and cultural discrimination limits women's influence in land use decisions, even when they are landowners.
• Progressive laws and donor efforts still need to address the prevalent threats to women's land rights in Ethiopia.
• The Habitat for Humanity Ethiopia (HFHE) is implementing a five-year "Stand for Her Land" (S4HL) project advocating for women's land rights.
• The Stand for Her Land Campaign operates in Senegal, Uganda, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Bangladesh, and Colombia.
• It is a global initiative promoting secure and equitable women's land rights.
• S4HL uses empowerment strategies focusing on transformative change in women’s rights.
• The SNBC strategy development document addresses discriminatory norms hindering women's access to land rights.
• The document identifies challenges and proposes strategies to overcome these norms.

Objectives

• The main goal of the consultancy is to develop a Social Norms and Behavior Change Communication strategy.
• This aims to minimize discriminatory social norms and practices affecting women's land rights.
• It is expected to deeply assess the Country Coalition's efforts in various contexts.
• The strategy will be translated into five local languages: Amharic, Afan Oromo, Tigrinya, Somali, and Afari.
• A comprehensive assessment of existing discriminatory social norms and practices in Country Coalition target communities is required.
• The SNBC communication strategy should effectively address identified discriminatory social norms.
• It must be culturally sensitive and adaptable to diverse contexts within the Country Coalition's operation area.
• Specific versions of the strategy translated into Amharic, Afan Oromo, Tigirigna, Somali, and Afari languages are needed.
• A clear intervention strategy should be outlined to address negative social norms and practices.
• A monitoring and evaluation framework should be established to measure the SNBC communication strategy's effectiveness.

Expected Outcomes

• A comprehensive understanding of discriminatory social norms affecting women's land rights.
• A culturally sensitive and adaptable SNBC strategy addressing identified discriminatory norms.
• The SNBC strategy translated and accessible in Amharic, Afan Oromo, Tigirigna, Somali, and Afari languages.
• A clearly defined intervention strategy outlining the implementation of the SNBC strategy.
• A robust monitoring and evaluation framework to track the SNBC strategy's effectiveness.
• Demonstrable progress in shifting social norms and behaviors related to discriminatory practices.

Scope of Work

• The consultancy is scheduled from March 1, 2025, to mid-April 2025.
• It aims to develop a SNBC (Social Norms and Behavior Change) communication strategy.
• The assessment will be conducted in eight Country Coalition member locations.
• These will represent Urban, Peri-Urban, and Pastoralist communities, along with regions experiencing significant Large-Scale Investment.
• The strategy will address negative social norms hindering women's land rights across these diverse contexts.
• Actionable recommendations will be included to ensure context-specific strategies.
• The consultancy includes strategy development and translation into Amharic, Afan Oromo, Tigirigna, Somali, and Afari languages.
• A first draft will is due for review from the Country Coalition and HFHE staff with the feedback being incorporated into the final strategy.
• Translated versions will undergo approval for reflection and address all received comments.
• The evaluation criteria for this consultancy will be 70% technical competence and 30% financial competence.
• The consulting firm must have at least five years of similar experience, demonstrating prior experience developing and implementing SNBC strategies.
• The team members should possess relevant experience and appropriate educational backgrounds.

Duration

• The task is scheduled to be completed between March 1, 2025, and the end of April 2025, culminating in a first draft.
• Travel outside of Addis Ababa is required.
• A detailed work plan outlining proposed methodologies is needed.
• Travel and associated costs are covered by the firm.
• Travel is expected to Oromia, Central Ethiopia, and Amhara regions, with visits to one town in each region.
• HFHE will facilitate communication with the Country Coalition for a smooth process.
• The methodologies described are solely for internal evaluation purposes.

Methodology

• Several methodologies can be employed to conduct this consultancy and develop the SNBC strategy.
• A mixed-methods approach recommended.

Desk Review

• Examining existing studies about women's land rights and social norms in the Ethiopian context.
• Review of reports, publications, project documents, evaluations, demographic data, and academic literature related to target communities and the social norms.

Qualitative Data Collection

• To explore nuances of beliefs, attitudes, and norms related to issue of women's land rights.
• Key Informant Interviews (KIIs): Interviews with community & religious leaders, experts, representatives from the Country Coalition.
• Focus Group Discussions (FGDs): Group discussions with members of the target communities to explore understandings, perceptions, and experiences related to social norms.
• Ethnographic Observation: Direct observation of community life to understand how social norms are enacted in daily practices.

Quantitative Data Collection

• This is applicable to measure the prevalence of certain behaviors or beliefs.
• It measures the impact of the SNBC strategy towards women land right.
• Review of existing quantitative data from the survey and multiple sources concerning women's land entitlement.

Data Analysis and Synthesis

• Analyzing qualitative and quantitative findings to gain insights.
• Thematic Analysis: Analyzing qualitative data to identify recurring patterns related to social norms and behavior change.
• Statistical Analysis: Analyzing quantitative data to determine the correlation between behaviors, beliefs and different variables.
• Triangulation: Comparing different data sources to validate findings and get a more comprehensive understanding the issues.

Strategy Development Workshop

• To bring together stakeholders to discuss the findings.
• To collaboratively develop the SNBC strategy.
• Interactive workshops where participants brainstorm, prioritize, and refine the key messages, communication channels, and activities for the strategy.

Translation and Adaptation

• This ensures that the SNBC strategy is culturally appropriate and accessible to all target communities.
• Translation occurs of the strategy document and communication in the need languages (Amharic, Afan Oromo, Tigirigna, Somali, and Afari).

Validation and Refinement

• This is to ensure the SNBC communication strategy is feasible, and acceptable to the communities.
• Sharing the draft strategy with main stakeholders and community people to get feedback to incorporating the proposals.

Reporting Dissemination

• Purpose to document the the whole consultancy to share with key stakeholders.
• Methods included developing a documentation of assessment summaries, the strategy and recommendation of action.

Important Considerations

• Ethical Considerations: Ensures the consent from the communities throughout the consultancy process.
• Gender Sensitivity: Paying regards to the gender dynamic and ensuring the strategy if fit to the needs of both genders.
• Cultural Sensitivity: Adopting research methods that respect the cultural context of the target communities.
• Participatory Approach: Involving community members and other stakeholders in all stages of the consultancy process.

Handover

• The firm is expected to submit an inception report.
• The firm is due to present the final version of the strategy in a workshop organized by the HFHE for validation.
• Submit both the soft and hard copies along with all other tools such as checklists/ appendixes.
• The consultant is due to hand over the materials in both the soft and hard copies.

Evaluation

• Evaluation will be performed with seventy percent to the technical competencies.
• Thirty five percent methodology understanding, fifteen percent to understanding of the TOR and another ten percent to experience of the firm.
• Five to the timeline and the last five to the profile of the group.
• To even consider the evaluation the team should be considered financially competent and must score at least 50 of the 70 for the competencies of the evaluation.

Key People

• Eden Asset (Name)
• Adim Alo (Name)
• Nardos Estate (Name)
• Yitna T (Name)

Habitat for Humanity Information

• Driven by the vision that everyone needs a decent place to live, Habitat for Humanity began in 1976 as a grassroots effort on a community farm in southern Georgia.
• Habitat for Humanity has since grown to become a leading global nonprofit working in local communities across all 50 states in the U.S. and in more than 70 countries.
• Families and individuals in need of a hand up partner with Habitat for Humanity to build or improve a place they can call home.
• Habitat for Humanity Ethiopia (HFHE) is a branch of Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI).
• It started operations in 1993 and has supported more than 165,279 families (826,396).
• Initially focused on mortgage houses for families affected by poverty and other vulnerabilities, the organization has expanded its efforts to incorporate vulnerable group housing, urban slum upgrading, urban resilience building, water sanitation and hygiene (WASH), and Disaster Risk Reduction Response (DR3)-WASH Resilience Building.
• Habitat for Humanity Ethiopia hereby invites eligible consultants (bidders) with valid bids.
• The potential bidder should include evidence of a renewed legal business license with TIN and similar work experience
• A detailed TOR can be collected via the email: [email protected] starting from February 19, 2025 working hours in the morning from 8:30 AM to 12:00 PM & in the afternoon from 01:30 PM to 5:00 PM.
• The deadline for submission of the bid documents is February 28, 2025, before 2:00 PM.
• Bids will be opened on the same day, February 28, 2025, at 2:30 PM at HFHE Country office.
• Bidders should submit their offers in sealed envelopes to Habitat for Humanity Ethiopia before the expiry date of the deadline.
• Bidders must submit technical and financial documents separately.
• Habitat for Humanity Ethiopia reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids.

Physical Address

• Habitat for Humanity Ethiopia CMC Road, Next to Century Mall P.O.Box: 8953, Tel: 011 660 01 95/011 646 08 01

Terms of Reference for a consultancy service to develop a Social Norms and Behavior Change (SNBC) Communication Strategy. This project aims to identify and minimize discriminatory social norms related to women's land rights in Ethiopia, in collaboration with Habitat for Humanity and Stand for Her Land. Equal access to land is a fundamental human right, and women's access to land is essential for economic empowerment.