Call for Proposals: Baseline Study on Socio-Economic Status of Pastoralist Women in Ngorongoro District

1.0 Background of Pastoral Women’s Council (PWC)

Established in 1997, the Pastoral Women’s Council (PWC) is a non-governmental organization working in northern Tanzania. It was founded to promote the development of Maasai pastoralist women and children through facilitating their access to education, basic rights, social services and economic empowerment. It seeks to address women’s marginalisation in patriarchal Maasai culture and enhance their quality of life, as well as the re-addressing the poverty Maasai face by encouraging them to become self-reliant and to take control over their own development. PWC addresses the root causes and effects of social injustice by empowering pastoralist women and girls to engage in social processes using a rights’ based development approach based on principles of solidarity, equality, democracy and justice for all.

2.0 Context of Baseline Study

Pastoralist society, especially the Maasai, is strongly patriarchal in nature, with elder men deciding most of major matters for the community. Pastoralist women are seen as inferior to men due to their perceived historic failure to properly perform duties, take responsibilities and decisions[1]. While women play a significant role in pastoral communities and are key agents in livelihood and economic development, their involvement in decision-making and development processes is limited or totally absent. To illustrate this, decisions regarding herd mobility, planning, conflict resolution, and relations with neighbouring groups are usually made by older men and traditional leaders. The marginalisation of pastoralist women is further exacerbated by the fact that customary laws are discriminatory against women. These laws often perpetuate and maintain the status quo that is, male dominance in pastoralist society, and are often used to exclude pastoralist women from property ownership, natural resource management and participation in development processes.

Closely related to the issue of patriarchy and exclusion from decision making, is the lack of ownership, control and use of land and property by pastoralist women.Land and land tenure is one of the most critical issues facing rural women and particularly pastoralist women in Tanzania today[2]. While the government of Tanzania has guaranteed the right to ownership of property and land to everyone in various legal instruments, the actual situation on the ground is different. Pastoralist women continue to face significant challenges in accessing and owning land. One of the reasons for this discrimination against women is that Tanzania operates a system of internal legal pluralism - a system where more than one legal order regulates access to resources. On the one hand are the ‘modern’ laws and policies, namely state laws written down in law books. On the other hand are unwritten customary laws.

Apart from deep rooted culture that marginalises pastoralist women, the pastoralist way of life is generally, also, facing a crisis. Pastoralists’ livelihoods, culture and way of life are threatened by internal and external forces. Pastoralists are now confronted with many and varied problems from insufficient land and water for grazing, to lack of understanding of the pastoral context by non-pastoralists. Population increase, non-sustainable conservation models and breakdown of traditional Maasai institutions are also serious issues that face pastoralist communities today.

In early 2016 PWC received a grant from UNWOMEN (under the Fund for Gender Equality) for a project that aims at socio-economically enhancing the lives of Maasai women living the Ngorongoro District. One of the key deliverable under this project (called Wezesha)is a comprehensive baseline to inform and guide the delivery of results under the project.

3.0 Objectives of the Baseline Study

The overall aim of the Baseline Study is to collect and document empirical data on the socio-economic status of pastoralist women living in Ngorongoro District and develop ( based on this data) a comprehensive Results Matrix to guide delivery of results and impact of the Wezesha project.

The consultant will be required to collect and analyse data in Ngorongoro District on amongst others:

  1. Current socio- economic situation and context of pastoralist women living in Ngorongoro District (including access to basic services, roles and responsibilities of women, men and youth, knowledge of their rights and land tenure systems);
  2. Role of government agencies such as Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (NCAA) in supporting women livelihoods and socio-economic empowerment;
  3. Level of household incomes and expenditure;
  4. Level of literacy and extent to which pastoralist women and girls access formal education- upto the tertiary level;
  5. Quantity and qualityof representation of pastoralist women in positions of leadership and decision making;including within the NCAA, Ngorongoro District Council, village land tribunals, traditional leadership structures and village governments;
  6. Level of ownership, use and control of land, property (including livestock) and natural resources.

Based on information collected and analysed, the consultant will be required to develop a clear and comprehensive Results Matrix showing indicators, targets and milestones to ensure impact of thewezesha project.

4.0 Methodology

Proposed methodology should combine qualitative and quantitative methods. This will include, but not limited to the following; 1) Desk review,2) Development of an appropriate and comprehensive data collection tooland administering the tool through interviews and Focus Group Discussions,3) Analysing the data collected using statistical packages and developing a comprehensive Baseline report ad Results Matrix,4) Validation of Draft Baseline Report and Results Matrix during a stakeholder workshop.

5.0 Expected Duration of Assignment

One month for the entire assignment.

6.0 Required Skills and Competences

  1. Advanced degree in any of the following areas: Education, Economics and Community Development.
  2. At least 8yearsexperience in community development and programming.
  3. Demonstrated experience and expertise in women’s empowerment and pastoralism.
  4. Excellent adult facilitation and interpersonal skills.
  5. Good command of written and spoken English and Kiswahili. Knowledge of Maa language is a plus.

7.0 Deadline for Submission of Technical and Financial Proposal

The deadline for submission of the technical and financial proposal is1st September 2016. All proposals should be emailed to:

Page 1 of 4

[1] PWC, ( 2013), Study on the Women’s Solidarity Boma Exploration on Women’s Livelihoods and Empowerment in Ngorongoro and Longido Districts

[2] PWC ( 2013), Study on the Women’s Solidarity Boma Exploration on Women’s Livelihoods and Empowerment in Ngorongoro and Longido Districts