Terms of Reference 

 

Barrier Analysis 

 

Proposals are requested from the Firms/individuals based in Pakistan to identify  barriers and enabling factors affecting the ability of women, adolescents and  persons with disabilities, and their representative groups and advocates, to  present community voices, meaningfully participate in and influence decision 

 

making, exercise leadership, and advocate for inclusive and gender-responsive  WASH and RMNCH services. 

 

Assignment Information 

 

I. About WaterAid 

 

WaterAid is an international not-for-profit organisation, determined to make  clean water, decent toilets, and good hygiene normal for everyone, everywhere.  We have been working with government and non-governmental partners to  ensure that these essential services are available to poor and marginalized  communities, especially women, persons with disabilities, and vulnerable  groups. 

 

WaterAid employs a public health and climate adaptation approach to  addressing current water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) service requirements  and sustaining them for the future. We work with sector partners to support and  influence the behavioural, institutional and policy mechanisms for accelerating progress toward achieving safe and sustainable WASH access for the poor and  marginalized communities. 

 

For more information, please visit (www.wateraid.org)  

 

II. Project Background 

 

WaterAid is implementing a Global Affairs Canada funded project titled:  ‘Strengthening Wholistic and Inclusive Systems for Health (SWISH)’ through  Integration, Prevention and Women's Empowerment. The project aims to help  address preventable diseases by supporting local governments and partners to  integrate Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn and Child Health and WASH services  and practices within the health systems. 

 

The project has a strong learning component and we have made a commitment  to (1) Increase the use of gender responsive, quality RMNCH services and  preventive health practices by women, men and adolescents within targeted  primary healthcare settings; (2) Increase leadership and voice by women and  adolescents in inclusive, gender responsive, quality RMNCH services at primary  health and community levels; and (3) Improve multisectoral governance and  integration of WASH in health systems at all levels, including evidence-informed  program planning, budgeting, monitoring, and policy development. 

 

The project aligns to WaterAid’s global strategic aim focused on prioritising  WASH across the health sector to improve public health and our cross-cutting  priority to deepen and strengthen gender equality across our work. WaterAid  uses several assessment tools in the health sector to determine baseline status 

 

for WASH systems and services, and hygiene and infection prevention and  control (IPC) knowledge and practices.  

 

III. How does WASH and gender equality interact in Health systems ?  

 

Access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) is essential for the health,  dignity, and wellbeing of all people and must be a priority in healthcare facilities,  schools, and other institutions (WaterAid 2017). In healthcare settings, WASH is  critical to providing safe, quality care and achieving Universal Health Coverage  (UHC). Women and girls are especially affected, as they are often the primary  users of health services and caregivers for their families (WaterAid 2019).  Healthcare Facilities are also workplaces, as such poor WASH access undermines  productivity, safety, and equality, which disproportionately affects women as  majorty frontline health employees and vulnerable populations (Kumar et al  2021). Additionally, improvements in WASH are synergistically linked to  improvements in gender equality. This means that WASH is a strong pathway to strengthen equality within households, communities, and institutions (Carrard et  al. 2013, MacArthur et al. 2024). 

 

Barrier Analysis 

 

It is well understood that ability to meaningfully participate and to exercise  leadership and real influence is often impacted positively or negatively by a  person's identity characteristic. A person's gender, economic status, age, ethnic  and other identity characteristics have a big impact on influence and leadership  ability.  

 

The purpose of this Barrier Analysis is therefore to examine the individual,  interpersonal/social, institutional/system and structural barriers, as well as  enabling factors, that affect the ability of women, adolescents and persons with  disabilities, and their representative groups and advocates, to meaningfully  participate in, influence and contribute to decision-making, leadership and  advocacy related to gender-responsive and inclusive RMNCH and WASH services  at community, health facility and district levels. 

 

Building on the findings of the SWISH GEDSI Analysis, Institutional Gender and  Empowerment Measure (IN-GEM), and Accessibility & Safety Audit, the Barrier  Analysis will validate, prioritise and deepen the understanding of these barriers  and enabling factors affecting meaningful participation, representation,  leadership, decision-making and advocacy, and identify evidence-based  recommendations to strengthen engagement between communities and health  system, institutional responsiveness and SWISH interventions. 

 

The Barrier Analysis will be guided by a four-level socio-ecological framework to  examine how factors at different, interconnected levels influence the meaningful  participation, representation, leadership, decision-making and advocacy of  women, adolescents and persons with disabilities and their representative  groups and advocates. The analysis will consider barriers and enabling factors at  the following levels: 

 

• Individual level: Factors related to knowledge, awareness, skills,  confidence, motivation, agency, leadership capacity, access to information  and other individual capabilities that influence the ability to participate,  lead, influence decisions and advocate effectively.  

 

• Interpersonal/social level: Factors arising from family, community and  social relationships, including gender and social norms, attitudes, stigma,  discrimination, power relations and perceptions regarding the participation and leadership of women, adolescents and persons with  disabilities.  

 

• Institutional/system level: Factors within health facilities, district health  structures and other relevant institutions and decision-making platforms,  including institutional practices, attitudes, accessibility, information sharing, consultation mechanisms, representation, opportunities for  participation and responsiveness to community voices.  

 

• Structural level: Wider policies, laws, institutional arrangements,  resource allocation, social structures and systemic inequalities that shape  opportunities for meaningful participation, representation, leadership,  influence and advocacy. 

 

• The Barrier Analysis will focus on the following key areas: Identify the  individual, interpersonal/social, institutional/system and structural  barriers, and enablers , that affect the ability of women, adolescents and  persons with disabilities, and their representative groups and advocates,  to meaningfully participate in, influence and contribute to decision 

 

making, leadership and advocacy related to RMNCH and WASH services  at community and health facility levels; and work with these groups to  identify potential solutions and strategies to address key barriers and  leverage existing enablers to strengthen their participation, leadership  and influence.  

 

• Validate and deepen the understanding of barriers identified through the  GEDSI Analysis, IN-GEM, Accessibility and Safety Audit, and other baseline  assessments 

 

• Using participatory approaches, prioritise the barriers and enabling  factors that women, adolescents, people with disabilities and their  representative groups perceive as having the greatest influence on their  ability to represent community priorities, participate meaningfully,  exercise leadership, influence decisions and advocate for inclusive and  gender-responsive RMNCH and WASH services.  

 

• Led by women and people with disabilities, together identify practical,  context-specific solutions to strengthen the capacities, confidence,  opportunities, networks and enabling conditions required for women, persons with disabilities, and their representative groups, to participate  meaningfully, exercise leadership, influence decisions and advocate for  inclusive and gender-responsive services.  

 

• Generate evidence-based, prioritised, practical and feasible  recommendations to inform SWISH interventions, particularly those  related to participation and leadership of women, adolescents, people with disabilities and other marginalized groups. Recommendations  should be clearly linked to SWISH implementation and consider  opportunities to work within existing government systems and  structures. The analysis should also identify longer-term changes and  solutions that may fall beyond the immediate scope of SWISH,  highlighting these as relevant considerations, risks and limitations for  sustained and systemic change. 

 

IV. Institutional Gender and Empowerment Measure (IN-GEM) 

 

As projects seek to strengthen gender-responsive approaches to WASH in  institutions, we are using IN-GEM tool to diagnose contexts and evaluate  change in gender equality in institutions, both related to WASH and more  broadly. Building on the WASH-GEM, the IN-GEM offers a simple set of  modules to help diagnose contexts and evaluate change for staff,  volunteers, clients and supporters in institutions such as schools,  healthcare facilities (HCFs), and community groups. Some modules  mainstream WASH and others focus on empowerment in order to explore  the synergies between WASH and equality. 

 

What modules are included in the IN-GEM? The IN-GEM has 10 modules  in three sections. The first eight modules are quantitative, each with a set of 5- 8 items (questions or statements) with Likert scale responses. The last two  modules are qualitative to help further explore equality outcomes and change. 

 

Part 1 - WASH-focused. These four modules focus on equality and  empowerment in WASH. There are items related to water, sanitation and  hygiene practices within a focus-context. 

 

Part 2 - Empowerment-focused. These four modules are focused on  equality and empowerment more broadly with an optional WASH focus.  Through these modules, project teams can see how individual empowerment  can shape and be shaped by gender-responsive WASH activities.  

 

Part 3 - Reflection-focused. These two qualitative modules allow teams to  explore or interpret the results from Parts 1 and 2. The modules are also  designed to be transformative for the respondents. This means that the  modules offer time for reflection and feedback to the project team. They do  not have a specific focus on WASH 

 

A selection of modules from the IN-GEM Tool was used with healthcare providers  and clients during the SWISH baseline assessment. As a next step, a selection of  modules from this tool will now be implemented with key representatives of different community groups (women leaders, representatives from women rights  organizations and OPDs) who can act as leaders and advocates for their  communities. 

 

V. Methodology  

 

 Barrier Analysis 

 

The Barrier Analysis will primarily use participatory qualitative methods to  examine the barriers and enabling factors affecting the ability of women,  adolescents and persons with disabilities, and their representative groups, to  meaningfully participate in, influence and contribute to RMNCH and WASH  decision-making, service delivery, accountability mechanisms and advocacy  processes. Particular attention will be given to their role as a bridge between  communities and the health system, including their ability to participate equally,  exert leadership, engage with health authorities, influence decisions, represent  community priorities, and advocate for more inclusive and gender-responsive  services. Building on the findings of the SWISH GEDSI Analysis, Accessibility and  Safety Audit, IN-GEM and other baseline assessments, the Barrier Analysis will  validate and prioritise identified barriers and enabling factors, explore their  underlying causes, and facilitate the participatory identification of practical actions to strengthen both community-level capacity and the enabling  environment for meaningful engagement. Findings and recommended actions  will be linked, where relevant, to SWISH outcomes and PMF indicators to  strengthen implementation planning, monitoring and performance tracking. 

 

The consultant/consulting firm will be responsible for conducting the Barrier  Analysis in a participatory and inclusive manner using the guidance and tools  provided by WaterAid. Expected tasks include: 

 

Desk Review 

 

Review the SWISH GEDSI Analysis, Accessibility & Safety Audit, IN-GEM findings,  project documents, provincial health policies and relevant literature to  understand existing evidence, on participation, representation, leadership,  decision-making and advocacy, identify priority issues for validation, and refine  the Barrier Analysis approach and facilitation tools. Also revise the WaterAid  Barrier Analysis Tool to ensure that it captures barriers and enabling factors on  participation, representation, leadership, decision-making and advocacy as well  as the role of community representatives in engaging with the health system. 

 

Target Group and Respondent Mapping

 

Identify and map participants for the Barrier Analysis, ensuring representation  of women leaders, community representatives, adolescents, persons with  disabilities, representatives of organisations working on the rights of persons  with disabilities and other relevant stakeholders. The sampling approach should  ensure representation across gender, age, disability and other relevant social  characteristics. 

 

Inception Meeting 

 

Conduct an inception meeting with WaterAid to agree on the Barrier Analysis  methodology, participant selection, facilitation approach and implementation  plan. 

 

Participatory Barrier Analysis  

 

Facilitate separate in-depth interviews and Focus Group Discussions  (FGDs)/Barrier Analysis sessions with identified stakeholder groups ensuring that  discussions explore both individual/community-level and institutional/system level barriers and enabling factors/ solutions . The discussions should: 

 

• Validate barriers and enabling factors identified through previous  assessments;  

 

• Identify additional context-specific barriers and enabling factors affecting  participants' ability to represent community priorities, participate  meaningfully, exercise leadership, influence decisions and advocate for  inclusive and gender-responsive services ;  

 

• Prioritise the barriers considered most critical by participants;  

 

• Analyse the underlying individual, interpersonal/social,  institutional/system and structural causes of priority barriers; and  

 

• Identify practical, locally appropriate solutions and opportunities for  action.  

 

Data Analysis 

 

Analyse qualitative findings using thematic analysis, triangulating the results  with findings from the GEDSI Analysis, Accessibility & Safety Audit, IN-GEM and  other baseline assessments. The analysis should identify barriers, enabling  factors across individual, interpersonal/social, institutional/system and structural  levels, underlying causes, implications for meaningful participation,  representation, leadership, decision-making and advocacy, prioritized recommended actions and responsible stakeholders.

 

Final Reporting 

 

Prepare a comprehensive Barrier Analysis report presenting the methodology,  validated and prioritised barriers, root cause analysis, enabling factors, proposed  solutions and evidence-based recommendations to strengthen the ability of  women, persons with disabilities and their representative groups to represent  community priorities, participate meaningfully, exercise leadership, and  influence decision-making for inclusive and gender-responsive RMNCH and  WASH services.  

 

Sample Size: 

 

Below is an approximate estimate of the sample size; however, the applicants are  encouraged to propose different sample size:

 

 IN-GEM Analysis 

 

A quantitative IN-GEM survey will be conducted with a specified number of  community representatives using the IN-GEM tool. The sampling approach and  sample size will be further discussed and finalized by WaterAid. However, it is  expected to reach the following: 

 

• Women's group members in catchment areas of 10 HCFs: 40  Representatives from women's rights organizations: 5 

 

• Representatives from OPDs: 5 

 

• Adolescent Girls, youth advocates: 5 

 

• Elderly people from communities (in leadership roles): 5(3 women, 2 men) Total IN-GEM surveys: 60 

 

Quantitative data will be analyzed following the IN-GEM guidance manual. This will  include data quality checks, generation of module-level scores, and comparative  analysis across respondent groups. In line with the IN-GEM methodology, findings  will be reported by individual modules rather than aggregated into a single index,  allowing for a more meaningful interpretation of different dimensions of equality and  empowerment.  

 

VI. Key Responsibilities 

 

Consultant Responsibilities 

 

• Update and Contextualise WaterAid Barrier Analysis tool. 

 

• Develop questionnaire for in-depth interviews 

 

• Train enumerators. 

 

• Provide data collection equipment as needed. 

 

• Conduct and oversee high-quality data collection for Barrier Analysis and IN GEM Survey.

 

• Enter the IN-GEM data to an online WaterAid system (MWater) • Clean and analyse the qualitative and quantitative data. 

 

• Implement the analysis following the agreed methodology, sampling  strategy, data collection instrument, analysis plan, fieldwork plan, and  reporting structure. 

 

• Facilitate a reflection meeting with WaterAid to present draft findings. • Prepare draft and final reports following the provided guidance. 

 

WaterAid Responsibilities 

 

• Provide background information on the SWISH project and target groups. • Share all relevant documents, the WaterAid Barrier Analysis Tool and the IN GEM Tool. 

 

• Collaborate with the consultant throughout implementation. • Notify stakeholders and communities of the upcoming analysis. • Facilitate access to communities and ensure participant availability. 

 

VII. Deliverables and timeline 

 

Key deliverables of this assignment include: 

 

• Inception Report (including contextualised tool and data collection plan) • FGD transcripts (in digital form) and desk review summary • Enumerator Training Report (on IN-GEM Tool) 

 

• Presentation of key findings (PowerPoint) 

 

• Draft and Final Barrier Analysis Report (English) 

 

• Draft and Final IN-GEM Assessment Report (English) 

 

The assignment is expected to be completed according to the below mentioned  timeline:

 

VIII. Timeline and Reporting 

 

WaterAid intends to receive the services of a selected Consultant(s)/Firm for a  period of 60 Days commencing from the agreement signing date. 

 

Reporting requirements 

 

The Consultant(s)/Firm will report to Project Manager-SWISH/Gender Advisor at WaterAid Pakistan. Outlines/templates for the assessment reports will be  provided by WaterAid Pakistan.  

 

IX. Ethical Considerations  

 

All stages of this assignment must adhere to the highest ethical standards,  including confidentiality, privacy, safeguarding, and Do No Harm practices. The  consultant team must: 

 

• Protect the anonymity and safety of participants. 

 

• Ensure appropriate informed consent/assent, including parental/guardian  consent where applicable for adolescents; use accessible communication and  reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities; maintain secure  data management; and follow appropriate safeguarding, referral and  response procedures for any disclosures or distress. 

 

• Use gender, disability, and child-sensitive data collection methods. • Conduct separate interviews/FGDs for women and men where appropriate.

Terms of Reference 

 

• Where feasible, assign female enumerators to engage with women and male  enumerators to engage with men. 

 

• Comply with WaterAid’s Safeguarding Policy and sign the Code of Conduct 

 

X. Expertise and Experience required 

 

The Consultant(s)/Firm should have:  

 

• Lead consultant must have a Master’s degree in Gender Studies,  Development Studies, Social Sciences, or a related field. 

 

• Minimum of 5 years’ consulting experience in gender in development  programmes. 

 

• Demonstrated experience (at least 5 years) of conducting qualitative  research and producing high quality assessment reports. 

 

• Demonstrated experience conducting qualitative and participatory  research with women, persons with disabilities, OPDs and adolescents,  using appropriate approaches to facilitate safe, meaningful and inclusive  participation 

 

• Strong understanding of Do No Harm principles and ethical research  practices. 

 

• Experience working in South Punjab  

 

• Relevant language skills for the project context. 

 

XI. Standard Contract Terms & Conditions 

 

WaterAid practices the following terms and conditions stated below: 

 

• Intellectual Property Rights in all documents/information/ other materials  prior to the date of execution of an agreement pursuant to this bid shall  vest in the Party to which such document/information/materials belong.  

 

• All Intellectual Property provided by WaterAid to the Consultant/Firm for  performing the obligations under the agreement with WaterAid shall  remain the exclusive property of WaterAid. 

 

• Any reports produced/data collected, or any other Intellectual Property  generated by the Consultant/Firm pursuant to or under the agreement  with WaterAid shall be the exclusive property of WaterAid. 

 

• The Consultant/Firm assumes all responsibility for complying with local  legal codes as they apply to an Agreement and work performed there  under. In addition, the Consultant/Firm shall be liable to pay all applicable 

Terms of Reference 

 

taxes and fees as required by the laws of government of Pakistan.  WaterAid will deduct Income Tax and applicable Sales Tax at source as per  Govt. rules.  

 

• The Consultant/Firm shall not without first obtaining the consent in writing  of WaterAid, permit any of its duties or obligations made under the  Agreement to be performed or carried out by any other person or reassign  his/her interest in the Agreement. 

 

• The Consultant/Firm shall not hold WaterAid liable for any accident or  misadventure befalling them whilst on duty or pursuing activities to fulfil  the Agreement. 

 

• WaterAid reserves the right to accept and reject any proposal without  assigning any verbal and or written rationale whatsoever. 

 

• The Consultant/Firm agrees to abide by all governing and applicable laws  protecting individuals against any manner of discrimination regardless of  location of work and shall not discriminate with respect to individuals’  eligibility to participate in the Project. 

 

• The Consultant/Firm acknowledges that it has rules and policies to  adequately implement internal controls, in regards to anti-corruption,  anti-fraud, anti-bribery and other situations of misuse of funds. The  Consultant/Firm declares and guarantees that neither the organization,  nor its employees involved in the Project: 

 

a. were convicted by a court of law in any jurisdiction for an offence  involving fraud, bribery or corruption in the past or; 

 

b. are under sanction, for an offence involving fraud, bribery or corruption,  imposed by a government, an international governmental organization or  an organization providing development assistance. 

 

• The Consultant/Firm declares and guarantees that the funding for the  purposes of the Project will not knowingly be used to benefit terrorist  groups or individual members of those groups, or for terrorist activities,  either directly or indirectly. 

 

• The Consultant/Firm declares and guarantees that funding for the  purposes of the Project will not be knowingly used, either directly or  indirectly, in a manner that contravenes economic sanctions imposed by  Canada. 

 

• The Consultant/Firm will be required to sign the WaterAid’s Code of  Conduct and Safeguarding principles. The Consultant/Firm will also train the data collection teams on these principles with support from WaterAid and ensure that all team members comply with WaterAid’s Code of  Conduct and Safeguarding principles. 

 

XII. Budget/ Financial offer  

 

For Financial offer, each deliverable must be included in the financial offer. All  deliverables MUST be completed within the assignment duration. 

 

XIII. Application  

 

You are invited to submit a technical proposal in sealed envelope, including the  following components:  

 

Expression of Interest 

 

• Explain your interest and suitability for the position against each of the  selection criteria. 

 

• Explain as to how your skills match the tasks detailed in the ToRs 

 

Proposed/Technical plan for the work:  

 

• Proposed methodology 

 

• Proposed work schedule and a deadline for completion of deliverables  

 

Demonstration of Expertise:  

 

• Overview of experience and skills and examples of past work that address  the areas of expertise listed  

 

• Examples of similar assessments conducted by the proposed  consultant/firm particularly in the domain of WASH/Public Health/Gender  Empowerment.  

 

• Current CV (including the proposed key staff) 

 

Financial proposal:  

 

• Detailed breakdown of expected costs and explanation of itemized fees.  • Please include the financial proposal in a “separate sealed envelope” • Costs should be inclusive of all taxes 

 

*Please note that all must be itemized and include clear explanation of all fees and costs,  including any outsourced or contracted work. 

 

XIV. Evaluation Criteria 

 

The proposals will be evaluated in three stages, with a total score of 100 points,  distributed as follows:

 

Technical Proposal 60 points 

 

Technical Evaluation (60 points): 

 

All technical proposals will first be evaluated against the Technical Evaluation  Criteria provided below. A minimum score of 70% (42 out of 60 points in this  case) will be required to qualify for the next stage. 

 

Case Presentation (10 points): 

 

The top five consultants/firms that meet or exceed the technical qualification  threshold will be shortlisted and invited to make a Case Presentation. The  presentation will be evaluated separately and will carry a maximum of 10 points. 

 

Financial Evaluation (30 points): 

 

Only the financial proposals of firms that successfully qualify through the  technical evaluation and are shortlisted for the Case Presentation will be  opened and evaluated. The financial proposal will carry a maximum of 30  points. 

 

The final score will be calculated by combining the scores obtained in the  Technical Proposal (60 points), Case Presentation (10 points), and Financial  Proposal (30 points), for a maximum total of 100 points. 

 

Technical Evaluation Criteria for Shortlisting Consultant/Firm:

 

XV. Deadline for Application:  

 

All proposals must be sent in hard copy via registered mail/courier to the  following address by September 25, 2026. The consultancy title “WAP-02093/08- 09-2026/Hiring Services “Individual/consultant firm to conduct Barrier  Analysis” must be clearly marked on the envelope/email subject.  

 

Head of Admin, Security and Government  

 

Relations, 

 

WaterAid Pakistan, 

 

2nd Floor Executive Heights, 

 

65 West, Fazl ul Haq Road 

 

Blue Area Islamabad. 

 

Telephone No: +91 (0) 51 2806120-22 

 

We thank all applicants for their interest. Only shortlisted candidates will be  contacted. 

 

XVI. Contact information 

 

Enquiries may be directed to: 

 

Email: [email protected]