Tenders are invited for Final Project Evaluation: Action for Strengthening the Capacities and Resilience of Women in Niger. Closing Date: 29 Dec 2025 Type: Consultancy 1. GENERAL OVERVIEW The Niger Red Cross is seeking a consultant to conduct the final evaluation of the JURIYA project in Niger. The consultancy mission will take place between December 2025 and March 2026 in the Zinder region (Matameye department). The Niger Red Cross (NRC) was founded on July 13, 1963. It has been recognized by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) since 1965 and was admitted as a member of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) the same year. The NRC benefits from the technical, financial, material, and human support of these two organizations for its various projects and programs. The NRC has eight branches in Niger (one in each region) and works with 4,810 volunteers, according to a recent study conducted as part of the development of the NRCs 2030 volunteer strategy. The NRCs strong territorial presence gives it broad geographical coverage, allowing it to understand local contexts and stakeholders and to be visible throughout Niger. The Danish Red Cross (DRC) has been supporting the Niger Red Cross (NRC) in project implementation and capacity building since 2017. At that time, a project was launched to provide humanitarian assistance to vulnerable migrants and local communities in Niamey, offering basic healthcare services, psychosocial support, non-food items (NFIs), and protection services such as family reunification (FR). Since then, the DRC and the NRC have cooperated on implementing humanitarian aid projects for displaced persons and host communities through distributions, psychosocial support, and livelihood support activities. The DRCs areas of operation in Niger are Diffa, Maradi, Niamey, Tillabéri, and Zinder. The Finnish Red Cross (FRC) has supported the CRN since 2018 through other national partner societies and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). Long-term development cooperation enables the Finnish Red Cross to build communities healthy and safe environments and to strengthen the institutional capacities of national societies. The FRCs objective is to be an adaptable and impact-oriented partner, whose programs are guided by inclusion and localization, with the aim of reaching the most vulnerable. The JURIYA project is part of the CRNs strategy to ensure that people living in fragile environments are resilient, have access to basic health services and live in safe and inclusive communities. 1.1. Context Niger is a country in the Sahel region with a population of 17.8 million and ranks 189th out of 191 countries in the UNDPs 2021/2022 Human Development Index.1 The country has one of the highest fertility rates in the world, with 7.2 children per woman.2 The literacy rate is one of the lowest in the sub-region, reaching 30.11% nationally, with 22.10% for women and 38.64% for men. By place of residence, the rate is 58.51% in urban areas and 23.68% in rural areas (National Institute of Statistics, 2021). Complex and multidimensional poverty in Niger disproportionately affects women. For example, only 36% of employed women are women compared to 80.1% men (government figures), and the majority of those working in the informal sector are women, reflecting their significant economic vulnerability. The fertility rate was 6.6 children per woman in 2021, the highest in the world, and the intervention area (Kantché Department) has one of the highest annual population growth rates in the country (4.3% in Kantché compared to 3.9% nationally). 49.5% of Nigers population is under 15 years old, making it particularly young. In terms of health, adult mortality rates are almost identical for women and men aged 15 to 49 (3.8 and 3.7 deaths per 1,000, respectively). Between the ages of 15 and 50, men and women have a one in seven and one in eight risk of dying, respectively. Maternal deaths account for approximately 39% of all deaths among women aged 15 to 49. Women have a one in 23 risk of dying from maternal causes during their reproductive years. Regarding sexual and reproductive health, the adolescent birth rate was 154 per 1,000 women aged 15 to 19 in 2021. In 2021, only 49% of women aged 15 to 49 had their family planning needs met by modern contraceptive methods. The maternal mortality rate (deaths per 100,000 live births) was 509 in 2017, compared to a global average of 211. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that more than half of maternal deaths occur among adolescent girls or young adults (under 24 years of age) within 48 hours of childbirth, primarily due to anemia. Women and girls are therefore particularly vulnerable in Niger, especially with regard to sexual and reproductive health. To combat maternal mortality, particular emphasis must be placed on the sexual and reproductive health of adolescents and young people (SRH). With nearly 70% of the population under the age of 25, young people represent a strategic challenge in improving sexual and reproductive health. Unmet needs for family planning (2021): 16.9% Number of unwanted pregnancies in Niger (2020): 268,000 Contraceptive prevalence rate for all women (aged 15 to 49): 17.3% Access to information on family planning: 16% Adolescent birth rate (2017): 206/1,000 HIV/AIDS prevalence among 15-24 year olds: 1% (compared to 0.7% in the general population) 1.2. Project Summary The main objective of the project is to contribute to the empowerment of women and girls from vulnerable communities in the Matameye health district in terms of sexual and reproductive health and economic capacity building. The project aims to: Improve access for communities, particularly women and girls, to quality reproductive health services by strengthening the skills of health workers in sexual and reproductive health and improving the functioning of the mobile clinic and the integrated health center. To improve community knowledge (women, men, girls and boys) regarding sexual and reproductive health and to create an environment conducive to improving their livelihoods through sexual and reproductive health training and awareness-raising activities and the establishment of income-generating activities for mothers clubs. Strengthen the capacities of the Niger Red Cross at local, regional and national levels by training Niger Red Cross staff and participating in relevant coordination mechanisms. Start date: January 1, 2022 End date: December 31, 2025 Impact: To improve the living conditions and health of vulnerable populations in Niger in a participatory and inclusive manner. Result: Women and girls of reproductive age in the Matameye health district are able to make informed decisions regarding their sexual and reproductive health and economic situation, in collaboration with men. Actors involved in the project and beneficiaries - Structures offering sexual and reproductive health services: dispensaries, integrated health centers. - Communities: community leaders; mothers clubs; disabled people and marginalized groups; men, young boys and husbands; community relays. - Young girls and boys aged 15 to 24 years. - Healthcare professionals: midwives, nurses and public health workers. Implementation Partners - Matameye Health District - Departmental Directorate of Planning and Community Development - Departmental Directorate for the Promotion of Women and Child Protection - Departmental Directorate for Literacy and Informal Education - Vocational training and education center - Dan Barto Town Hall - The Matameye Town Hall 2. OBJECTIVE AND ISSUES OF THE EVALUATION Since January 2022, the Niger Red Cross (NRC), in partnership with the Danish Red Cross and the Finnish Red Cross, has been implementing the JURIYA project Action for Strengthening the Capacity and Resilience of Women in Niger. This project aims to contribute to the empowerment of women and girls in vulnerable communities in the Matameye health district in terms of sexual and reproductive health and economic empowerment. At the end of the JURIYA project, scheduled for December 2025, a final evaluation is planned to measure the overall performance of the project and the changes it has brought about. Furthermore, this external evaluation fulfills the contractual commitment made to the projects funders, in particular the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Denmark and Finland. 2.1. General objective of the evaluation The final evaluation will provide a comprehensive assessment from the projects inception to gain a precise and detailed understanding of the project, its development, and its context. The objective will be to evaluate the effectiveness, efficiency, performance, and impact of the activities undertaken. 2.2. Specific Objectives Evaluate the extent to which the project interventions contributed to the pathways described in the theory of change. (How consistent was the theory of change with the project design and the evolving context? What lessons and adjustments from the theory of change can be drawn to inform the design of future projects? Were there any missing pathways or factors that were not originally considered?) Assess the extent to which income-generating activities have supported the economic stability and self-reliance of beneficiaries. (Are the selected income-generating activities economically viable and market-appropriate? How have household incomes, savings, or financial resilience changed as a result of project support? What barriers still prevent women and young people from engaging in sustainable economic activities?) Evaluate the integration of the concepts of Gender Protection and Inclusion (GPI) and Community Engagement and Accountability (CEA) throughout the implem Tender Link : https://reliefweb.int/job/4191071/evaluation-finale-du-projet-action-pour-le-renforcement-des-capacites-et-la-resilience-des-femmes-au-niger
