Call for tender: Baseline study on women’s safety within the palm oil sector in Indonesia

Background

RSPO, as a global leader in sustainable palm oil certification, plays a pivotal role in addressing social issues that directly affect the sustainable production of oil palm as well as the brands that manufacture and sell certified sustainable oil palm. One of the three key impact areas in which RSPO strives towards is the impact towards ‘People’ (sustainable livelihoods & poverty reduction). As a key segment of the workforce that contributes toward sustainable palm oil, women’s rights and safety must be protected, and the challenges faced need to be identified and addressed. 

Purpose and Objectives of the Baseline Study 

The primary purpose of this baseline study is to obtain on-the-ground information and data on the existing reality and context of the types of safety issues related to women, the root causes, and the degree to which it is experienced within the palm oil sector in Indonesia. This information will be included in a Research Brief, which is one of the main deliverables for the first phase of this project.

The Research Brief is the starting point for subsequent milestones of the WSP. The purpose of the first phase leading into the other milestones of the WSP is to gather and analyze data, in order to understand the scale of the issue before developing guidance to address the issues. Hence, the objective of this project is to begin from a data standpoint. All the below from 1 to 5 shall constitute the contents of the Research Brief:

1. Baseline study and data collection of women safety issues in palm oil sectors.
   • Consultation with stakeholders
   • Conduct site visits & collect data
2. Conducting a situational analysis of women’s safety within the selected region/company
   • Desk-based risk and situational analysis regarding women’s safety on women safety within the selected region/company
   • Design approach & methodology of baseline study (inc. survey/ focus groups/ interview approach)
     • Identify sites for field visits and surveys 
     • Map & identify stakeholders to engage
   • Develop Inception report
3. Identifying and mapping the realities of women’s safety, levels of awareness, and identifying levels of engagement including a profile of stakeholders with their area of expertise, level of influence, and existing work (if any).
4. Identify challenges and opportunities related to women’s safety that exist in the palm oil sector.
5. Recommendations to address these challenges. 

Deliverables, Timeline, and Budget

The work mentioned above is expected to be completed within six (6) months from the time of confirmation of the consultant. The Consultant is expected to provide an outline of the work plan, and expected milestone dates, together with a budget and breakdown of costs in their proposal.

Within the project period, the Consultant is expected to develop the following deliverables:

1. Conduct desk-based risk and situational analysis regarding women’s safety in Indonesia
2. Design approach & methodology of baseline study (inc. survey/ focus groups/ interview approach) by identifying sites for field visits and surveys and mapping & identifying stakeholders to engage
3. Develop a draft and final Inception Report and Research Brief. 
4. The key information essential to be stated in the Research Brief are as follows:
   • Key findings, especially on safety issues and challenges faced by women 
   • Recommendation to address the issues identified
   • Suggestions on how the WSP can be scaled up in the subsequent milestones.
   • A stakeholder mapping brief that sets out their area of expertise, level of influence, and existing work (if any) on women’s safety issues in the area.
5. Develop a Presentation Pack, with a summary of key findings and outcomes 

The expected timeline for the deliverables is as below:

It is expected that the consultants will provide regular periodic reports on the 15th of the month, or the next available day after the 15th, to the RSPO Secretariat on the progress of the baseline study and utilisation of funds.

Submission of proposal 

Interested applicants may submit their expression of interest to [email protected] and cc [email protected] by 6:00 PM MYT (GMT+8) on 4 May 2023. 

And, submit their proposal to [email protected] and cc [email protected] on or before  6:00 PM MYT (GMT+8) on 22 May 2023. 

For any queries, kindly contact the Human Rights & Social Standards Unit, RSPO Secretariat at [email protected].

View ToR: Baseline Study on Women’s Safety within the Palm Oil Sector in Indonesia