END OF PROJECT EVALUATION FOR THE INCLUSION PROJECT 2

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PURPOSE OF THIS CONTRACT

The IP2 Project places a strong emphasis on learning, accountability, and continuous improvement through its project evaluations, seeking to generate knowledge and insights that inform future programming and contribute to positive social change in the region.

The end-term project evaluation will examine the extent to which the project has achieved its objectives, impact, and level of sustainability toward social inclusion and representation of women leaders/CSO network influencing the policies and plans related to water resources governance and energy infrastructure decision making at all levels. The evaluation results will also inform the design of a potential Inclusion Project phase 3.

The evaluation findings will be shared with the public and stakeholders as part of the Project commitment toward project accountability to stakeholders and the People We Work With (PWWW), including donors, partners, and the communities.

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

The Inclusion Project Phase 2 (IP2) contributes to sustainable development within the Greater Mekong Sub-region by promoting inclusive and sustainable governance of the region’s major rivers, with a focus on the Mekong and Salween basins. The project builds on the achievements and lessons from the Inclusion Project phase 1 (IP1), which was delivered by Oxfam and partners from 2014 to 2020.

Oxfam and its consortium partner, International Rivers (IR), deliver the IP2 project through supporting communities and civil society partners across Thailand, Myanmar, Lao PDR, Cambodia, and Vietnam, and more broadly as the region, to engage and influence governments, inter-governmental bodies and the private sector in water and energy planning and development.

The project is funded by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) from 2020-2024. The Inclusion project has three main outcomes:

Outcome 1. Social Inclusion, Gender Equity and Women’s Leadership: Women, and people from marginalized social groups, are assuming leadership roles in influencing national and regional state and non-state actors in water resource governance (WRG) and energy policy and planning processes.

Outcome 2. Civil Society Engagement and Networking: Riverine communities and civil society actors are engaging with, and influencing local, national, and regional WRG and Renewable Energy (RE) policy and planning processes and promoting the interests and rights of vulnerable social groups.

Outcome 3. Government and the Private Sector: Target government and private sector actors at the national and regional level increasingly commit to regional and international standards and good practice; and include the perspectives of civil society in hydropower and RE policies and plans.

IP2 is currently in its fourth year of implementation. IP2 works with over 30 partners and 12 networks of various actors across five countries and at the regional level to engage in inclusive water governance and renewable energy related platforms.

In June 2023, the IP2 Mid-Term Review (MTR) report was partially endorsed with 06 of the 19 recommendations fully accepted and the rest partially accepted. One of the recommendations from MTR was to undertake a light refresh of the project’s Theory of Change, Theory of Action and update the targets as well as development of a No-Cost Extension proposal, extending the project end date from June 2024 to April 2025.

This end-term evaluation will take a human rights and gender equality lens to the OECD-DAC evaluation criteria[1] for an end-term project evaluation ensures a comprehensive and rigorous assessment of the project's performance, impact, and sustainability. By considering relevance, impact, effectiveness, efficiency, coherence, and sustainability, this evaluation approach provides valuable insights to inform decision-making, improve future project design, and maximize development outcomes.

1. EFFECTIVENESS: To assess the extent to which the IP2 design and implementation achieve the intended and transformative changes for diverse group.
2. RELEVANCE: To evaluate the extent to which the project’s approaches and partnership strategies, taking into account contextual factors, power dynamics and intersecting forms of discrimination while contributing to country and regional influencing priorities
3. IMPACT: To what extent has IP2 contributed to lasting positive and inclusive changes in the governance and management of water resources and energy infrastructure in the Mekong Region
4. SUSTAINABILITY: To evaluate the extent to which the project’s results and success will continue beyond the project life
5. EFFICIENCY: To assess the extent to which the project interventions, allocation of resources and management structure are efficient to deliver transformative change
6. COHERENCE: To assess the extent to which the IP2’s interventions were aligned with the initiatives and resources in the wider WRG/RE policies and plans in the Mekong Region
7. RECOMMENDATIONS: To identify lessons and opportunities for IP2 that inform the next phase of the project

SCOPE, APPROACH, AND METHODOLOGY

The End-Term Project Evaluation will be led by an external independent consultant team. Data collection comprises both secondary data review of existing project documents and targeted primary data collection in selected countries to explore particular topics identified in consultation with the evaluation reference group. In particular, it will include:

• Document review of relevant documents in the project including project reports, technical reports, baseline study report, mid-term review report and management response, updated MEAL framework, No-Cost extension Proposal, and relevant key documents to assess whether the project has achieved or is achieve the intended outcomes and objectives as per the project result framework.

• Primary Data collection with project stakeholders on key questions and outcomes: The data collection will use participatory methods, by adapting some of tool in Feminist participatory action research, including including focus group discussions to bring out the voices and reflections, examples of success, failure, lessons learnt from the project participants. Primary data collection will validate/triangulate the findings of the desk review and the collection of case studies will deepen this analysis. Data collection tools should ensure how the evaluation could capture both quantitative and qualitative information related to GEDSI.

Evaluation matrix will be developed as part of the evaluation design, which cover the evaluation key questions, key informants, and data collection methods/tools. This helps to ensure the collected data will cover all evaluation key questions and triangulate the data and findings.

Selected countries for data collection:

All five countries, including Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam will be selected for this end-term project evaluation. Given the IP2 MTR focused on Thailand and Cambodia, it is suggested for the external consultant team to consider at least three (03) other countries for the end-term evaluation in-person data collection. The countries are included as below:

1. 1. Vietnam – IP2 project delayed starting the implementation due to government’s approval processes. Field data collection could be arranged and at least 02 months is needed to seek permission prior to actual field data collection.
   2. Laos – IP2 partners from CSOs and academics actively implement the IP2 project. Field data collection is possible in the capital cities.
   3. Myanmar – due to the current situation, it is feasible to arrange the field data collection outside of Myanmar. Reasonable time will be needed for logistic arrangements.
   4. Cambodia – Many CSO partners actively implement the IP2 project. Field data collection is possible.
   5. Thailand – Consortium partner (IR) based in Thailand, and regional partners based in Thailand. Field data collection could be arranged.

The evaluation team is strongly recommended to meet with key stakeholders representing communities, CSOs, networks, governments including DFAT and SDC representatives who serve on the Steering Committee, and inter-governmental organizations, private sectors staff for the data collection purposes.

As the IP2 Project is delivering its key activities in 2024, a number of key events will occur as the IP2 End-term evaluation is underway. This includes the Women and Rivers Congress (June 2024); the Political Economy Analysis (PEA) Regional Refresh (May-June 2024); the IP2 GEDSI Audit (Q2-Q3 2024). The key documents from these activities will be strongly recommended for the evaluation team to consult with in the desk review and data-triangulation.

DELIVERABLES

The consultant is expected to deliver the following outputs:

Others

• Eager and required to adhere to Oxfam’s principles and values as well as the promotion of gender justice and women's rights. 
• Understanding of and commitment to adhere to equity, diversity, gender, child safety and staff health and wellbeing principles.

The details of the application process can be accessed here:

https://oxfam.box.com/s/bznaz1ii927qaajwmypcn1eaj2r510mf