Legal Aid Final Evaluation

BACKGROUND:

The Lebanese Center for Human Rights (CLDH) is a local non-profit, non-partisan Lebanese human rights organization based in Beirut. CLDH was created in 2006 by the Franco-Lebanese Movement SOLIDA (Support for Lebanese Detained Arbitrarily), which has been active since 1996 in the struggle against arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance and the impunity of those perpetrating gross human rights violations.

CLDH monitors the human rights situation in Lebanon, fights enforced disappearance, impunity, arbitrary detention and racism and rehabilitates victims of torture. CLDH regularly organizes press conferences, workshops and advocacy meetings on human rights issues in Lebanon and collects, records, and documents human rights abuses in reports and press releases. CLDH team on the ground supports initiatives aimed at determining the fate of all missing persons in Lebanon.

Program Overview:

In 2012, CLDH established legal aid program to provide legal consultations and representation to poor and vulnerable and who are victims of human rights violations. Under this programme, CLDH is implementing a 2-year’s project, with the support of the Swiss Embassy in Lebanon and Open Society Foundation. Through this project, CLDH continue in providing support to the most vulnerable groups (including Lebanese community, Syrian refugees, Palestinian refugees, Migrant Domestic Workers, LGBTIQ individuals, and victims of torture).

The project is implemented nationwide with the goal of Protecting the legal rights of the most vulnerable individuals in Lebanon and improve their access to Justice. The Outcome of the project is to prevent rights violations against the most vulnerable groups, such as deportation, arbitrary detention and torture through legal assistance, awareness and advocacy.

To achieve the above, the project conducted the below activities:

1. Legal assistance to vulnerable inmates
2. Legal assistance to poor, vulnerable, and victims of human rights violations
3. Advocacy and awareness raising activities with relevant stakeholders

The Final Evaluation:

Objective: The intended evaluation should be based on the OECD-DAC evaluation criteria, investigating below set of questions, and addressing the performance indicators described in the project documents. The evaluation will be investigating the two years project implemented by CLDH and supported by the Swiss Embassy in Lebanon, from mid-2018 till May 2020.

Relevance:

• Are the program design and implementation relevant to the context of Lebanon and to the new contextual updates?
• Did the project work on the right issues at the right time?
• Did the activities and strategies fit the objectives set?  
• Are the services and the thematic legal areas covered through services relevant to beneficiaries?

Effectiveness:

• To which extent did the project contribute towards creating a positive change according to the beneficiaries?
• To which extent did the project implement the Do-no-harm principle with the beneficiaries?
• To which extent did the project achieve its outcome?
• What were the internal or external factors that facilitated or hindered the objectives’ achievements?
• What are the major best practices and lessons learned stemming from the project’s implementation?
• What are the main results from the project, intended and unintended, positive and negative?
• Is the project able to collect, analyze and use data to measure effectiveness and make needed changes during project implementation?

Efficiency:

• Did the program use well the resources available for provision of legal services? 
• How efficient was the project in achieving its objectives compared to alternatives modalities?
• Did the project managed to conclude the project activities in an efficient manner?

Impact

• What are the intended and unintended results of the project on the project’s internal and external stakeholders, both positive and negative? To what extent are these changes desirable?
• What real difference has the activity made to the beneficiaries? Did they contribute to increased protection of beneficiaries? Is there is a different between migrants and refugees perceptions? Is there a noticeable difference between in-house beneficiaries and inmates?
• How did CLDH work on advocacy on different issues?

Sustainability

• What sustainability measure have been put in place to ensure sustainability of the intervention?
• Are the changes introduced by the project long term and sustainable?
• To what extent will the benefits of the project continue after donor funding ceased?
• To what extent the intervention is integrated with existing national system and governmental services?
• Have new mechanisms been designed to continue any work initiated by this project?
• What could have been done differently so that similar projects could become more sustainable in the future?

In addition to the above lines of inquiry, the evaluation is expected to provide quantitative and qualitative information on the key indicators as listed below:

1. % of targeted population assisted legally that is successful in redressing their situation due to the support provided
2. # of refugees and/or other vulnerable groups whose condition is significantly improved through assistance at the center
3. # of influential policy makers actively engaged in improving the treatment of targeted vulnerable groups in Lebanon
4. # of CSOs and NHRI experts involved in channeling key advocacy messages
5. % of individuals willing to take actions to prevent torture

METHODOLOGY:

We expect the consultant to follow a mixed method approach in the evaluation. The evaluation should also draw a comparative conclusion towards the project data and reports. It will use the following sources: 

Desk study review: Review of online and offline relevant sources of data to complete the assessment.

Key informant interviews: Interviews will be conducted to gather in depth information from key project stakeholders

Focus group discussions: to gather in depth information

Surveys: Surveys should be distributed to wider members of the community

At least 3 weeks of field work are required to collect adequate data.

DELIVERABLES:

Within Ten days from signing the contract, the consultant should submit an Inception Report, which clearly defines the evaluation methodology. It should mention target group and the clear set of data collection tools that will be used, including the questions used in interviews/focus group discussions/surveys.

A draft Research report to be submitted within 10 days of completion of the data collection for review and comments from CLDH. The review and feedback of the report could be more than one round depending on the quality of the report and the extent to which the comments and suggestions from first round have been incorporated.

A Final Report to be submitted after incorporating the comments of CLDH. The report should be written in English, 20-25 pages excluding annexes, consisting of:

• Cover page
• Table of contents, list of acronyms, abbreviations and list of tables and charts, and references used.
• Executive summary of key findings and recommendations – 3-4 pages.
• Introduction, Background information and context analysis
• Methodology with clear explanation of sampling, participants’ selection, and data analysis approach.
• Limitations
• Research findings, analysis, with associated data presented, where appropriate in clear graphs or charts. The findings can include subsections for each research criteria.
• Conclusion and Recommendations.
• Appendices which includes data collection tools

The report should be submitted electronically in a Word document and google doc. The consultant is responsible for English editing of the final report which should be well formatted. The report will be credited to the evaluator and potentially placed in the public domain at the decision of CLDH.

All printed and electronic transcripts of interviews and surveys taken during the assessment and any equipment received from CLDH for the purpose of the study should be submitted back to CLDH. Furthermore, all information generated during the study will be the sole property of CLDH and is subject to submission to CLDH along with the final report, prior to the end of the contract.

AUDIENCE

The primary audience of the evaluation is CLDH and the Swiss Embassy in Beirut, who will use the evaluation to shape their future programing. The secondary audience are Human Rights NGOs, and the Lebanese and international community at large.

DURATION

The duration of the assignment is from April to June 2020.