Consultancy: Research on Menstrual Hygiene Management amongst Syrian refugee women in the Bekaa

Terms of Reference

Consultancy: Research on Menstrual Hygiene Management amongst Syrian refugee women in the Bekaa

1          Introduction & Background

Nine years into the Syrian Crisis, Lebanon hosts approximately 1.5m Syrian refugees including 924,161 registered with UNHCR as of August 2019[1]. In addition to an increasingly precarious protection environment, high levels of WaSH vulnerabilities persist amongst refugees in the country, and tensions with host communities increasingly revolve around competition for water resources and the environmental and public health impacts of poor sanitation practices. Syrian refugee women are disproportionately affected by this reality, as gendered inequalities and power imbalances are exacerbated and patriarchal social norms are sustained during displacement. Lack of or restricted access to WaSH results in added implications on refugee women’s lives as they pay the heaviest price for poor sanitation and their distinct needs are often deprioritized in household spending. This is particularly the case for sanitary products, and Syrian refugee women accordingly report facing increasing challenges in relation to their menstrual hygiene management (MHM)[2].

Oxfam has been responding to the humanitarian crisis for the past 7 years in Lebanon, implementing WASH, protection and livelihoods interventions in the Bekaa Valley of Lebanon, covering 10 municipalities in 258 Informal Tented Settlements (ITSs) with 11, 639 individuals. The WaSH intervention consists of the provision of full wash services, including water distribution, facilities construction and maintenance, desludging services and public health and hygiene promotion. The intervention also adopts a community-based approach, focused on supporting communities in taking action to identify and respond to protection threats, in addition to providing specialized protection services such as legal aid and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) case management. Additionally, Oxfam prioritizes livelihoods activities that contribute to the economic self-reliance and resilience of displacement-affected populations in Lebanon.

Following preliminary assessments with Syrian refugee women in the Bekaa, Oxfam is looking to hire a consultant(s) to undertake a comprehensive research exploring challenges around menstrual hygiene management faced by Syrian refugee women in the Bekaa valley in Lebanon, focusing on their experiences and presenting potential solutions.

2          Objectives

The overall objective of this research work is to explore the different lived experiences, perceptions and practices of Syrian refugee women in the Bekaa in relation to menstrual hygiene management. The purpose of this research also includes finding potential solutions to the challenges faced by those women, and the report will serve to inform Oxfam in Lebanon’s humanitarian programming and will be published and shared with partners in the humanitarian response in Lebanon.

1.       Research questions

The research will answer the following research questions:

1. What are the different lived experiences of Syrian refugee women residing in informal tented settlements (ITSs) in the Bekaa in relation to menstrual hygiene management?
   1. What are the challenges that Syrian refugee women face in relation to menstrual hygiene management?
   2. What are women’s practices and coping strategies in response to those challenges?
   3. What are the implications of those practices on their bodies and their lives?

Note: According to preliminary assessments, challenges may include: de-prioritization of household spending in relation to women’s menstrual hygiene, women’s limited decision-making power at individual, household and communal levels, lack of (quality) sanitary products, lack of privacy for women and particularly during menstruation, and social stigmatization.

1. What are communal perceptions in relation to menstrual hygiene and how do those affect women’s practices, bodies and lives?
   1. What are those women’s perceptions around their experiences in relation to menstrual hygiene practices and challenges?
   2. How do their current experiences differ from those prior to conflict and displacement?
   3. What are communal perceptions around menstruation, menstrual hygiene, and menstrual blood?

1. What are the solutions or actions that can be taken and that most adequately respond to the needs of Syrian refugee women in relation to their menstrual hygiene management?
   1. What are some positive coping strategies that women resort to and that could be reinforced and supported?
   2. What are some practices that women resorted to prior to conflict and displacement that could be supported or explored as possible solutions?
   3. What are different solutions available and suitable for Syrian refugee women in relation to menstrual hygiene management? How comfortable would those women feel with those different solutions?
   4. What could be the role of Oxfam and other international and local organizations and agencies in responding to those menstrual hygiene management challenges?
   5. What could be the role of Oxfam and other international and local organizations and agencies in responding to communal perceptions and associated social stigma around menstruation, menstrual blood and menstrual hygiene?

Note: It is important for recommendations to be presented as ranked and prioritized by women from the communities engaged in the research, possibly though community based participatory exercises.

3          Research methodology and Scope

The researcher(s) are expected to formulate the methodology and tools to undertake the research task and will work closely with the Gender Adviser and PHP senior officer.  The research is expected to rely on qualitative methodologies, focused on capturing women’s different lived experiences and understanding both the practices they resort to and the solutions that would be most appropriate for them. Community-based participatory research exercises and methodologies are preferred and encouraged.

Crucially, the research should look at the distinct experiences and needs of different groups of Syrian refugee women, including:

• Women of different age groups
• Women of different marital or social statuses
• Women with or without children

The research should include a review of existing literature around menstrual hygiene management in humanitarian settings, with a focus on Syrian refugee women in Lebanon. The research could also build on previous monitoring and evaluation reports produced by Oxfam in Lebanon.

1. Timeline and Deliverables

The research work will be carried out between October 7^th and November 29^th, 2019. Below is the list of deliverables that should be included in the workplan:

1. Attend inception meeting upon contract signature
2. Develop inception report with detailed methodology, tools and workplan
3. Conduct desk review of existing literature
4. Conduct data collection exercises
5. Develop and submit first draft of research report
6. Incorporate changes through two rounds of revision
7. Facilitate meeting to present the research findings to Oxfam and relevant stakeholders
8. Develop and submit Final Research Report

1. Reporting Line

The researcher(s) will report to the Gender Adviser.

1. Budget

The total budget for this assignment is 14 000USD.

1. Payment Schedule

Upon contract signature

30%

Upon Oxfam’s approval of final draft

70%

1. Profile and Requirements

The consultant(s) will have:

• Required availability between October and November 2019;
• Demonstrated experience in conducting research related to gender justice in Lebanon or the MENA region;
• Proven qualitative research skills, in terms of design, analysis and report-writing;
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills in English and Arabic;
• Proven understanding of the humanitarian context in Lebanon;
• Proven understanding of gender justice issues in humanitarian contexts, particularly in relation to sexual and reproductive health and rights, and/or menstrual hygiene management.

1. Working Conditions

• The consultant(s) is expected to carry out the duties within the agreed timeframe.
• The consultant(s) is expected to conduct all necessary data collection for this assignment.
• Oxfam will support the consultant(s) in identifying potential research participants.
• Oxfam will provide the consultant(s) with assessments and research reports produced by Oxfam in Lebanon.
• The consultant will work closely with the Gender Adviser and PHP senior officer to design the methodology and tools as well as the final report.
• The consultant(s) will follow data protection guidelines shared by Oxfam in Lebanon and is expected to deliver all raw data collected.

Interested individuals or teams must submit their technical proposals by the deadline, October 6th, 2019.

The technical proposal should include:

• A methodology for achieving the above objectives and deliverables;
• A detailed work plan, in-line with the timeline and deliverables section above, including number of days;
• A budget for achieving the above assignment;
• The Curriculum Vitae for all consultants on the team;
• List of previous experiences that are similar and/or relevant to this consultancy;
• At least two samples of similar work.