Title: Terms of Reference

Consultancy Service for Gender and Power Analysis, National (individual consultant/ Company)

Activity: Gender Analysis, White Nile, Blue Nile, Central Darfur, South Kordofan Red Sea. SUDAN.

Proposed Activity Date: 30^th April 2025 to 30^th June 2025

Background

Action Against Hunger has been operating in Sudan since 2018, adapting to challenges posed by ongoing conflict with resilience and commitment. The organization has redirected resources toward emergency responses while maintaining a presence in White Nile (WN), Blue Nile (BN), South Kordofan (SK), Central Darfur (CD), and, more recently, Port Sudan (PS), where its coordination office facilitates operations. Action Against Hunger delivers life-saving health and nutrition services through health centers and hospitals, supports food security and livelihoods with agricultural aid and cash assistance, and improves access to water and sanitation through WASH initiatives. The organization also addresses gender-based violence by providing direct support to women and girls, promoting gender equality through training and community engagement. 

Sudan has been immersed in a severe humanitarian crisis since the outbreak of conflict in April 2023. The tension between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has significantly aggravated existing vulnerabilities, leading to widespread displacement, destruction of critical infrastructure, and a breakdown of essential services. The conflict has rapidly spread across many regions, with devastating impacts on civilian populations, particularly in areas that were already grappling with chronic poverty, food insecurity, and limited access to basic services. As of November 2024, approximately 25 million people (more than half of Sudan’s population) are said to need in acute food insecurity and in need of humanitarian assistance. This represents a 50% increase from the previous year.

The war has triggered a massive displacement crisis, with an estimated 11.8 million individuals forcibly displaced as of November 2024. Internally displaced people (IDPs), refugees, and host communities are facing dire conditions, with limited access to water, food, healthcare, shelter, and sanitation facilities. The ongoing violence has also severely restricted humanitarian access, hampering efforts to deliver much-needed assistance.

As Sudan is in the midst of one of the world’s worst protection crises, with an alarming decline in security extending to almost all parts of the country over the past years. Women and girls in Sudan continue to be disproportionately impacted as these scarcities exacerbate pre-existing gender inequalities, forcing them into roles and responsibilities that often increase their exposure to further hardship, negative coping mechanisms and harm.

Gender inequality in Sudan has been significantly exacerbated by the ongoing conflict and instability in the region. Since the beginning of the war, women in Sudan have faced heightened challenges in all aspects of life, including access to education, healthcare, and employment opportunities. The war has led to a breakdown of social structures, leaving women more vulnerable to violence, exploitation, and marginalization. Displaced from their homes, many women are forced to take on roles that were traditionally reserved for men, such as providing for their families and managing households under extreme stress and poverty. Despite these efforts, women are often denied equal pay, access to political power, and the right to make decisions about their own bodies. Patriarchal cultural norms, combined with the lack of legal protections, continue to limit their opportunities for advancement and self-determination. In addition, the trauma and psychological impact of the war have had lasting effects on women, further complicating their struggle for equality and justice in post-war Sudan. The ongoing conflict has not only deepened gender disparities but has also made it more difficult for women to reclaim their rights and build a more equitable society.

Gender analysis is a fundamental component of Action Against Hunger’s (ACF) approach to addressing hunger, as it helps identify systemic inequalities that affect different gender groups, particularly in relation to food security and nutrition. ACF upholds the centrality of protection, prioritizing the safety, well-being, and dignity of crisis-affected populations by placing them at the center of humanitarian actions. This involves reducing the risks they might face, ensuring that all interventions are inclusive and tailored to the specific needs of men, women, and other gender identities. The organization's Gender Equality Policy and ISP3 recognize that gender inequality is both a cause and consequence of hunger, and that tackling these gender disparities—along with other forms of social, political, and economic inequality—must be integral to its mission. By conducting gender analysis, ACF ensures that its policies and programs are informed, resource allocation is efficient, and interventions address the unique challenges that different gender groups face. Ultimately, this approach supports the organization’s overarching goal, promoting gender equality as a key factor in the sustainable elimination of hunger.

The need for gender analysis is critical to mainstreaming gender within humanitarian and development programs. It is essential to understand the barriers, risks, and gender-specific needs faced by women, girls, men, and boys to effectively design and implement programs that address gender inequality. Gender analysis provides insights into the unique vulnerabilities, capacities, and interests of different gender groups, enabling the creation of gender-sensitive and gender-transformative interventions. Without a clear understanding of these dynamics, programs may fail to address the root causes of gender disparities and may not fully meet the needs of affected populations

The propose of this a gender and power analysis to develop a deeper understanding of the different needs, priorities, capacities and coping strategies of women, men, girls, and boys in targeted states. And provide practical programming and operational recommendations to ensure ACF meets and responds to these differentiated needs

The scope of this gender analysis covers multiple sectors, including Health and Nutrition, Food Security, WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene), Protection, and Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS). It aims to assess the differences in barriers and opportunities faced by various populations, with a particular focus on women, girls, youth (both girls and boys), refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and individuals with special needs. The analysis will identify gender-specific vulnerabilities, capacities, and needs within each sector to ensure that interventions are tailored to address the unique challenges these groups face. This comprehensive gender analysis will be conducted across five states, providing a detailed understanding of gender dynamics in diverse contexts and ensuring that all programs are inclusive, effective, and sensitive to the specific requirements of each population group.

OBJECTIVES OF CONSULTANCY:

The purpose of this consultancy is to conduct a gender and power analysis to develop a deeper understanding of the different needs, priorities, capacities and coping strategies of women, men, girls, and boys in targeted states. And provide practical programming and operational recommendations to ensure ACF meets and responds to these differentiated needs. It also ensures that the organization can strengthen the relationship between gender and each of the thematic focus sectors.

The analysis will focus on Gender roles, and time use, decision-making and power dynamics in household, access to and control of resources and assets, meaningful participation, opportunities, decision making at household and community level, and overall outcomes. The gender analysis is expected to bring out the interaction of girls, boys, women, and men. The analysis will also further unpack the structural drivers of conflicts as well as existing coping strategies through joint and gender-disaggregated Focus Group Discussions.

• Identify unique barriers women, girls, men and boys, face in accessing, and benefiting from Livelihoods, health & Nutrition WASH, MHPSS services.
• Examine power relationships and how they influence decision-making processes, societal roles, and the distribution of resources among women, girls, men, and boys.
• Identify gender & social norms and understanding the root causes that contribute to conflicts and inequality in Boys, Girls, Men and Women.

Recommend actions to address the different needs, vulnerabilities and capacities of women, men, girls and boys and serve to proactively respond to gender discrimination through ACF programs, and interventions that consider experiences of different genders and their specific needs.

 SCOPE OF THE WORK/TASKS:

The gender analysis will contact in four states White Nile, Blue Nile, Central Darfur and South Kordofan, in XX localities

KEY ACTIONS AND TIMELINES: