Country: The Gambia
Project: Tourism Diversification and Resilience in The Gambia Project (TDRGP)
Project ID No.: P177179
Assignment Tittle: Individual Consultant to Conduct Gender Assessment
Reporting to: Project Director
Duration: 45 (Forty-five) Days
Background:
The Government of The Gambia is implementing the Tourism, Diversification, and Resilience in The Gambia Project (TDRGP) which is supported by an IDA Investment Project Financing (IPF). TDRGP is a five-year project which aims to improve the diversification and resilience of the Gambian tourism sector by strengthening institutional and policy framework, improving capabilities and access to funds for tourism related MSME suppliers, and building resilience through the strengthening of sustainable coastal infrastructure and rehabilitation of existing tourism sites. As enhancing gender inclusivity within the project and tourism sector is an essential component of the implementation, the project will take a targeted approach to integrate gender actions across components and leverage significant global knowledge and experience in tourism recovery and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) support within tourism.
In line with this commitment, the Project Implementation Unit seeks a proficient consultant to conduct a comprehensive gender assessment. The objective is to create a costed workplan addressing identified gender-related gaps and concerns. The workplan is designed to mitigate these gaps and will receive ongoing support from the project throughout its lifecycle. This initiative aims to champion gender equality and inclusion within the Gambian tourism landscape.
Confirmed Project Intervention Sites
The priority and confirmed intervention areas of the Project are the Atlantic Coastline from Fajara to Senegambia and the Kunta Kinteh Island in the North Bank Region. These areas host major tourism facilities and infrastructure. The project will conduct works to contribute to more resilient tourism infrastructure and services. This would reduce the time and revenue loss from business interruption due to a natural hazards or climate events. At Kunta Kinteh Island in Jufureh and Albreda, erosion control interventions will be implemented to mitigate the ongoing loss of land and preserve this UNESCO World Heritage Site, vital for the tourism sector. The infrastructure upgrades are anticipated to benefit tourists, visitors, and the local community by offering higher quality, expanded options, and a diverse array of products. This improvement aims to elevate tourist satisfaction by enhancing attractions, providing richer experiences, and facilitating better access to selected destinations and river transport.
Project Development Objective (PDO)
The Project Development Objective (PDO) is to support the diversification and climate resilience of the tourism sector at selected destinations.
Objectives of the consultancy
The objective of this consultancy is to support the meaningful integration of gender into a tourism operation for women-led businesses. The goal is to develop a gender assessment focus on the tourism sector, designing interventions that close relevant gender gaps, and identify corresponding sex-disaggregated indicators. The assessment will identify gaps faced by women-led businesses, women founders of businesses and start-ups, and high-growth women-owned businesses.
The main objectives of this consultancy are:
a) To conduct a gender assessment within the tourism sector and specifically focusing on the two confirmed sites – Senegambia to Fajara within Tourism Development Area TDA1 and Jufureh and Albreda (Kunta Island) in North Bank Region.
b) To conduct a gender-smart mapping and stocktaking analysis of various programs, models, and mechanisms for supporting early-stage businesses (including those that might be digital), scaling innovative established small-medium enterprises (SMEs), and supporting traditional SME transformation.
c) To map women’s future skills needed across the SMEs skills continuum, ranging from basic, to intermediate, to advanced, which factors in – Senegambia to Fajara and Jufureh and Albreda’s vision and the ecosystem/gender analysis undertaken.
d) To identify overarching gender disparities, challenges including risks of gender-based violence (GBV), sexual exploration and abuse and sexual harassment (SEA/SH), and opportunities within the tourism sector, drawing insights from literature review.
e) To identify specific gender disparities, challenges including GBV and SEA/SH risks, and opportunities in Jufureh, Albreda and TDA1
f) To identify additional women friendly economic activities that can benefit communities in Jufureh-Albreda and the tourism development area 1 within West Coast Region.
g) To develop a workplan with actionable recommendations for addressing the identified gender-related gaps and risks.
Scope of Services
The consultant’s responsibilities will include, but are not limited to the following:
o Review relevant literature, policies, data related to gender inclusivity in the tourism sector, and project documents particularly the Project Appraisal Document, the Environmental and Social Management Framework.
o Review relevant World Bank Group’s documents on the requirements for policy commitments on gender equality, including World Bank Group’s Gender Strategy on Gender Equality, Poverty Reduction, and Inclusive Growth (FY16-23) and Note on Breaking Barriers: Female Entrepreneurs Who Cross Over to Male-Dominated Sectors.
o Visit key stakeholders, including tourism industry representatives, local communities, local government organizations, private sector, and representatives from Chambers of Commerce operating in the project sites and relevant government institutions to conduct interviews.
o Coordinate gender consultations and focus groups with NGOs, CSOs, and women’s associations that focus on entrepreneurship to better access the challenges across access to grants, loans, credits, usage, and skills to better assess the challenges and opportunities identified.
o Analyze the data collected to identify gender disparities, challenges, and opportunities.
o Analyze experiences of other global regional that might include insights that The Gambia can adapt and build on. This can also include a review of appropriate financing mechanism from the
private sector and instruments based on business maturity, with a focus on regional and global best practices.
o Conduct an SEA and SH risk assessment in project area to inform risk mitigation strategies, including analysis of GBV issues, services, and gaps in services and map out and review capacity and quality of GBV service providers in the project area able to provide care and support SEA and SH survivors and identify the support needs of service providers.
o Develop a comprehensive implementation workplan with actionable recommendations (both operational and policy) for promoting gender inclusivity within the tourism sector with good practice materials related to implementation themes.
o Present the findings and implementation work plan to the Project Implementation Unit (PIU) for review and feedback.
o Present the findings and work plan to a wider stakeholder at validation workshop for inputs.
o Funding:
- An analysis with a breakdown of available funding to support innovation for startups, firms, SMEs undergoing transformative efforts. The analysis shall include relevant criteria, respective categories, modalities, target audiences (including gender), and support amount or ticket size. The analysis shall include donor-led initiatives, business angels, seed capital, crowdfunding, venture capital, equity, credits, and soft loans at the country and regional levels, if possible.
- In addition, the assessment should identify challenges per funding modality and make recommendations for potential models and partnering mechanisms at the regional level to fund SME innovation.
QUALIFICATIONS AND RELEVANT WORK EXPERIENCE
The ideal consultant should possess the following qualifications:
- Master’s degree in Gender and Development or related social development fields
- Demonstrated expertise in gender assessments and gender mainstreaming in development projects.
- Academic and/or professional training in gender analysis and demonstrated expertise in incorporating gender in projects and programs and demonstrated understanding of gender equality issues and their intersection with tourism, entrepreneurship, and business.
- Knowledge on gender-based violence and sexual exploitation and abuse and sexual harassment.
- Proven experience and professional training in conducting assessments in the tourism sector or related fields and expertise in mainstreaming gender in projects and programs.
- Strong analytical and research skills.
- Strong attention-to-detail and coordination/logistics skills.
- Excellent communication and report writing skills in English with knowledge of Wolof and /or Mandinka.
- Knowledge of the local context and familiarity with the two specific tourism sites -TDA 1 and Jufureh and Albreda sites is an advantage.
- Prior experience with World Bank operations a plus.
DURATION OF THE ASSIGNMENT
The assignment is expected to last for 45 (Forty-five Days).
The Project Implementation Unit (PIU) of the Ministry of Tourism and Culture invites eligible individuals to apply. Interested individuals must provide information indicating that they are qualified to perform the services (has qualification and experience in similar conditions etc.), as well as submit an EoI outlining their experience in doing similar assignment and why they are suited for the for the assignment.
A Consultant will be selected in accordance with guidelines for the recruitment of Individual Consultant (IC) Selection Method set out in the Procurement Regulations; World Bank Procurement Regulations (PR) for IPE Borrowers, dated November 2020.
Potential applicants may obtain further information at the address below during office hours 0800hrs to 1600hrs from Monday to and Friday 0800hrs to 12:30hrs and to review the Terms of Reference via email from bkujabi@piumotc.gm
Expressions of interest must be delivered to the address below (in person, or by mail) by Friday, 9th February 2024 at 12:00pm Gambian Time.
Attn: Mr. Momodou Ceesay
Project Director
Project Implementation Unit
Plot No. 49 Kotu East Estate
Off Bertil Harding Highway
Tel: 220 9825949 /3971747
E-mail: mceesay@piumotc.gm;
CC: hmjallow@googlemail.com bkujabi@piumotc.gm bkanteh7@gmail.com