National Consultant to Evaluate the SASA Together Strategy

Background:

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security.

The aim of the assignment is to support the final evaluation of Start, Awareness, Support and Action (SASA! Together) component of the Spotlight Initiative Programme, whose implementation commenced in 2018 and is set to end in 2027. Under the Initiative, SASA! Together was originally planned for implementation from 2019 to 2022, in line with its recommended three-to-five-year timeline. However, in practice a combination of factors stretched implementation to approximately seven years (2019 – 2026). After Spotlight 1.0 funding concluded at the end of 2022, additional funding was secured as part of Spotlight 2.0 (through Gender for Development Uganda) to support continuation and completion of SASA! Together programming. It was implemented fully in Kasese, Tororo and Amudat districts. 

SASA! Together contributed to outcome 3 of the Spotlight Initiative: Gender equitable social norms, attitudes and behaviours change across all levels of the socio-ecological model to prevent violence against women and girls and harmful practices and promote women’s and girls’ SRHR. It is organised around four essential elements: a gender-power analysis, four phases of change, holistic community engagement, and benefits-based activism. The four sequential phases are Start, Awareness, Support, and Action, designed to deepen community engagement and shift norms over time. The theory of change is structured across three strategies: local activism, community leadership, and institutional strengthening.

The primary purpose of this evaluation is to independently assess how effectively the SASA! Together program has shifted social norms, balanced relationship power dynamics, and reduced intimate partner violence (IPV) across the three target districts.

Purpose of the evaluation:

The UN Women Evaluation Policy is the main guiding document that sets forth the principles and organizational framework for evaluation planning, conduct and follow-up in UN Women. These principles are aligned with the United Nations Evaluation Group (UNEG) Norms and Standards for Evaluation in the UN System. The key principles for gender-responsive evaluation at UN Women are: 1) National ownership and leadership; 2) UN system coordination and coherence with regard to gender equality and the empowerment of women; 3) Innovation; 4) Fair power relations and empowerment; 5) Participation and inclusion; 6) Independence and impartiality; 7) Transparency; 8) Quality and credibility; 9) Intentionality and use of evaluation; and 10) Adherence to UNEG ethical guidelines in data collection.

It is a priority for UN Women that SASA! Together evaluation will be gender-responsive and will actively support the achievement of gender equality and women’s empowerment, with emphasis on UN Women’s thematic area on Elimination of Violence Against Women and Girls (EVAWG) in Uganda.

The primary intended users of this evaluation are:

• Staff in target Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies, District Local Government and CSOs; 
• Target beneficiary communities/groups including grassroot women rights organizations;
• Staff of implementing partners; 
• UN Agencies technical working groups;
• Development partners. 

Primary intended uses of this evaluation are:

1. To provide learnings that can be used to improve the design of future SASA Together! and Gender Based Violence (GBV) Programmes;
2. To provide accountability for the development effectiveness of the programme to the donor and other stakeholders.

Evaluation objectives, criteria and key questions:

The overarching purpose of this assignment is to independently assess how effectively the SASA! Together program has fostered a climate of non-tolerance toward VAW/IPV and balanced relationship power dynamics.

The specific evaluation objectives are to:

1. Assess Behavioral Change: Determine changes in the past-year prevalence of physical and sexual IPV among women in targeted communities;
2. Measure Shifts in Social Norms: Evaluate changes in community-wide acceptance of gender inequality, IPV, and a woman's right to sexual decision-making;
3. Examine Strategy Effectiveness and Pathways of Change: Analyze the performance and synergy of the three structural circles: Local Activism, Community Leadership, and Institutional Strengthening;
4. Test the SASA! Together Theory of Change and assess how and through which pathways Local Activism, Community Leadership and Institutional Strengthening, individually and collectively, contributed to changes in power relations, social norms and violence prevention;
5. Capture Operational Learning: Document implementation barriers, facilitators, and institutional shifts to inform scaling or contextual adaptation.

The evaluation will seek to answer the following key evaluation questions aligned to the UN Evaluation Group (UNEG) evaluation criteria as well as standards based on Human Rights and Gender Equality. 

Management and reporting arrangements:

The evaluation and quality assurance will be managed by UN Women Uganda Country Office. The consultant will report directly to EVAW Team Lead, who will provide overall management and supervision of this assignment. To ensure inclusiveness and comprehensive stakeholder engagement, UN Women will also establish an Evaluation Reference Group comprising UN Women staff, duty bearers, right holders, development partners/donors, UN Country Team representatives, and civil society organizations. Members will be selected based on a stakeholder analysis which will need to be consolidated by Consultant in the Inception Report. 

The evaluation will be conducted in accordance with UN Women evaluation guidelines and UNEG norms and standards. Upon completion of the evaluation, UN Women has the responsibility to prepare a management response that addresses the findings and recommendations to ensure future learning and inform implementation of their relevant Programmes. For quality assurance, the evaluation report will be rated against the Global Evaluation Report Assessment & Analysis System (GERAAS).

Description of Responsibilities/ Scope of Work:

The evaluation will cover selected sub-counties within Amudat, Tororo, and Kasese where SASA! Together activities were concentrated between 2019 and 2026. The evaluator will target key demographic segments, including women and men in intimate partnerships, Community Activists (CAs), formal/informal community leaders, and institutional allies (e.g., local government, police, health clinics).

• Conduct an initial desk review of available documents, gather and analyze project data, conceptualize the evaluation approach, consult internally on the approach, develop data collection tools, stakeholder mapping, engage reference group;
• Develop the evaluation methodology, stakeholder analysis, evaluation matrix and data collection tools for review by the Evaluation reference group and incorporate changes as appropriate;
• Develop Inception Report that will be reviewed by the Evaluation Reference Group;
• Review existing data to determine available data against which to measure progress; 
• Collect primary quantitative and qualitative data from beneficiaries and selected stakeholders. This involves travelling to the project locations in Kasese, Amudat and Tororo districts;
• Conduct in-depth interviews with national UN Women staff, responsible partner organizations, and other stakeholders as necessary;
• Prepare the first draft of the evaluation report and submit it to the Evaluation Reference Group for comments and possible endorsement; 
• Present the evaluation findings for validation with the Evaluation Reference Group;
• Produce a final evaluation report, not exceeding 30 pages (excluding annexes and technical appendices), written in English, font Calibri, size 11.

Methodology:

The evaluation must apply a rigorous mixed methods design that mirrors SASA!’s emphasis on safety, deep reflection, and ethical standards. It should include:

Quantitative Methods:

• Population-based cross-sectional or longitudinal household cluster surveys comparing intervention zones against appropriate control/baseline data;
• Structured index metrics tracking levels of exposure to SASA! Together materials, activities, or alternative media extensions

Qualitative Methods:

• Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with distinct groups of male and female community members to track changes in conceptualizing "power";
• Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) with institutional allies, local leaders, and program staff;
• Secondary analysis of the program’s internal L&A tools (e.g., Community Change Trackers, Activity Observation Forms).

Consultant’s Workplace and Official Travel:

This is a home and field-based consultancy. The consultant is expected to undertake travel to the project locations in Kasese, Tororo and Amudat for primary data collection. Field costs related to data collection will be covered by UN Women. Travel costs will be covered separately by UN Women based on UN Women rates.

Relevant Evaluation Guidelines and Standards:

The following list outlines the key evaluation guiding documents, quality assurance frameworks, and required learning resources that the Consultant must adhere to throughout the inception, data collection, and reporting phases of the assignment:

• UN Women Evaluation Handbook: How to Manage Gender-Responsive Evaluations: The primary operational manual detailing principles, processes, and tools for planning, conducting, and using gender-responsive evaluations;
• Global Evaluation Report Assessment & Analysis System (GERAAS): UN Women’s quality assurance framework used to evaluate and rate the quality of evaluation reports;
• UN Women Evaluation Policy: Establishes the organizational framework, principles, and accountability mechanisms for evaluation across UN Women;
• UNEG Norms and Standards for Evaluation in the UN System: Defines the core principles (independence, credibility, utility, ethics) for conducting evaluations within the UN system;
• UNEG Quality Checklist for Evaluation ToR and Inception Reports: Sets specific quality indicators for evaluating Terms of Reference and Inception Reports;
• UNEG Ethical Guidelines for Evaluation: Defines the ethical standards and protocols required during data collection and stakeholder engagement;
• UNEG Guidance on Integrating Human Rights and Gender Equality in Evaluation: Provides actionable instructions for integrating human rights and gender equality frameworks into evaluation design, methodology, and analysis.

How to Manage Gender-Responsive Evaluations (Agora E-Learning Course): A 7-module self-paced course reflecting the latest updates from the UN Women Evaluation Handbook and gender-responsive evaluation guidance, covering practical tools for planning, management, quality assurance, and use of findings.

Competencies :

Core Values:

• Integrity;
• Professionalism;
• Respect for Diversity.

Core Competencies:

• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues;
• Accountability;
• Creative Problem Solving;
• Effective Communication;
• Inclusive Collaboration;
• Stakeholder Engagement;
• Leading by Example.

Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Values and Competencies Framework: 

Functional Competencies:

• Strong knowledge of programme formulation and implementation and Results Based Management; 
• Strong understanding of various methodologies in evaluation, both qualitative and quantitative, such as surveys, record reviews, focus groups and case studies; 
• Ability to synthesize programme performance data and produce analytical reports to inform management and strategic decision-making;
• Strong Gender Based Violence and SASA! Together programming knowledge;
• Strong analytical, interviewing skills and ability to work independently.

Education and Certification:

• A master’s degree or equivalent in Gender / Women's studies, Social Sciences, Human Rights, or a related field is required;
• A first-level relevant university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

• At least 5 years’ progressively responsible experience in designing and conducting rigorous impact evaluations of gender-based violence (GBV) prevention programs is required;
• Experience in designing and applying social norms measurement methodologies and conducting feminist gender-power analysis is required;
• Experience working on SASA! / SASA! Together framework or similar community mobilization programs is required;
• Experience in evaluating social norms change programmes in sub-Saharan Africa or similar contexts is desirable;
• Experience working with state and non-state actors at the national, sub national level, women’s human rights and gender equality organizations, development partners is desirable.

Languages:

• Fluency in English is required;
• Knowledge of any other UN official language is an asset. 

Statements:

In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. The creation of UN Women came about as part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact. It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system (DAW, OSAGI, INSTRAW and UNIFEM), which focused exclusively on gender equality and women's empowerment.

Diversity and inclusion:

At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity and organizational need.

If you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in your application.

UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to UN Women’s policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UN Women personnel and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. (Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.)

Note: Applicants must ensure that all sections of the application form, including the sections on education and employment history, are completed. If all sections are not completed the application may be disqualified from the recruitment and selection process.