Terms of reference (ToR): Baseline survey for communities empowerment for justice and governance (CEJG) – Phase 5 project
(1 September 2025 – 31 August 2028)
Implementing organization
Catholic Diocese of Zanzibar – Development Department
P.O. Box 294, Zanzibar
Shangani Street, Behind Shangani Post Office
1. Background and context
The Development Department of the Catholic Diocese of Zanzibar serves as the Diocese’s social development arm, with a mandate to promote self-empowerment, dignity, and improved quality of life among marginalized and vulnerable populations, regardless of gender, faith, ethnicity, or social status.
Guided by the Church’s social teaching and human rights principles, the Department implements integrated development interventions aimed at advancing:
Access to justice
Inclusive and accountable governance
Quality education
Health services
Sustainable socio-economic empowerment
Through long-standing engagement with communities, local authorities, and civil society actors, the Department has established itself as a credible partner in addressing structural inequalities and social exclusion in Zanzibar.
In partnership with MISEREOR (the Catholic Bishops’ Organization for Development Cooperation, Germany), the Development Department is preparing to implement a three-year initiative titled “Communities Empowerment for Justice and Governance (CEJG) – Phase 5 Project”, covering the period from 1 September 2025 to 31 August 2028.
This phase builds on the achievements, best practices, and lessons learned from four previous phases of the WIDGAD programme, which contributed to:
Increased legal awareness
Strengthened community governance mechanisms
Improved access to justice for vulnerable groups
Enhanced socio-economic participation of women and youth
Phase 5 seeks to consolidate these gains while responding to emerging challenges and persistent development gaps identified through recent needs assessments and stakeholder consultations.
Project location and community context
The project will be implemented in five selected Shehias of North B District, Zanzibar:
Mkataleni
Misufini
Majenzi
Mahonda
Kitope
These Shehias are predominantly rural and peri-urban and are characterized by:
High levels of poverty
Weak infrastructure
Limited access to essential public services
Heavy reliance on informal economic activities such as small-scale farming, fishing, and petty trade
Recent assessments indicate entrenched socio-economic inequalities, low legal awareness, weak governance and accountability structures, and limited civic participation, particularly among women, youth, and persons with disabilities.
Key social and environmental challenges
The project area faces multiple social challenges, including:
High prevalence of gender-based violence (GBV)
Child neglect
Early marriage
School dropouts, especially among adolescent girls and children with disabilities
Access to justice is constrained by stigma, fear of retaliation, bureaucratic barriers, and limited awareness of legal aid and paralegal services.
Youth unemployment and underemployment further exacerbate vulnerability and social exclusion. Environmental pressures such as climate change, coastal erosion, deforestation, and inadequate waste management threaten livelihoods and community resilience, particularly for households dependent on natural resources.
2. Purpose of the baseline survey
The baseline survey aims to establish benchmarks and reference values for key project indicators against which progress, outcomes, and impact of the CEJG Phase 5 Project will be measured throughout the project lifecycle.
Specifically, the baseline will:
Generate quantitative and qualitative data on the current status of human rights awareness, governance participation, education access, and economic empowerment
Validate and refine assumptions drawn from the 2025 Needs Assessment
Inform project implementation strategies, targeting, and prioritization
Provide a credible reference point for mid-term and end-line evaluations
Meet MISEREOR’s monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning (MEAL) requirements
3. Objectives of the baseline survey
The baseline survey will aim to:
Assess the level of human rights awareness and legal literacy, including access to and utilization of paralegal and legal aid services
Determine the current status of governance structures, including women’s and youth participation, accountability mechanisms, and community engagement
Establish baseline data on inclusive education, particularly school attendance and access for girls and children with disabilities
Assess the level of economic empowerment of women and girls, including access to income-generating activities and financial resources
Identify gender, age, and disability-related disparities across the five target Shehias
Provide disaggregated data to inform inclusive and rights-based project interventions
4. Scope of the baseline survey
The baseline survey will generate comprehensive quantitative and qualitative data to establish benchmark values for key CEJG Phase 5 Project indicators.
4.1 Geographic scope
The survey will be conducted in the following Shehias of North B District, Zanzibar:
Mkataleni Shehia
Misufini Shehia
Majenzi Shehia
Mahonda Shehia
Kitope Shehia
These locations were purposively selected based on documented socio-economic vulnerabilities, prevalence of GBV, weak governance and accountability structures, education disparities, youth unemployment, and environmental risks.
The survey will cover:
Households
Community institutions (schools, legal aid/paralegal units, governance structures)
Key stakeholder groups, including women’s groups, youth networks, persons with disabilities, community leaders, and local government representatives
4.2 Thematic scope
Human rights and access to justice
Governance and civic participation
Inclusive education
Economic empowerment
Environmental and climate-related vulnerabilities
4.3 Target population
The survey will focus on:
Women and girls (18–49), particularly GBV survivors
Youth (18–35), unemployed or excluded from governance
Adolescents and children with disabilities (6–17)
Community leaders and local government representatives
5. Key baseline indicators
All indicators will be disaggregated by sex, age, disability status, and Shehia where applicable.
Human rights and access to justice
Percentage of community members aware of their legal rights
Proportion of respondents demonstrating knowledge of basic legal rights, GBV laws, and available legal aid/paralegal services
Number of GBV cases reported per Shehia
Number of GBV survivors accessing legal aid services
Number and types of unresolved legal disputes
Governance and participation
Percentage of women and youth in leadership and decision-making roles
Number of existing community-led governance initiatives
Level of community satisfaction with local governance structures
Inclusive education
Percentage of children with disabilities attending school
Number of schools with disability-friendly infrastructure
Number of teachers trained in inclusive education methodologies
Economic empowerment
Number of women engaged in income-generating activities
Access to financial services and vocational training
Ability of GBV survivors to follow up cases due to economic independence
6. Methodology
The consultant(s) shall propose a mixed-methods approach, including:
Household surveys using structured questionnaires
Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) with community leaders, paralegals, teachers, and local government officials
Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with women, youth, and persons with disabilities
Review of relevant secondary data (government reports, school records, legal aid registers)
The methodology must be:
Participatory and gender-sensitive
Inclusive of persons with disabilities
Ethical, confidential, and compliant with safeguarding and GBV research standards
7. Roles and responsibilities
7.1 Consultant(s)
Design data collection tools aligned with project indicators
Collect, analyze, and interpret baseline data
Produce a comprehensive baseline report
Present findings and recommendations to stakeholders
7.2 Development department (Catholic Diocese of Zanzibar)
Provide overall coordination and oversight
Facilitate community entry and stakeholder engagement
Review and approve tools and reports
8. Deliverables
Expected deliverables include:
Inception report with methodology, sampling, and work plan
Data collection tools (questionnaires, FGD and KII guides)
Clean and analyzed dataset
Draft baseline survey report
Final baseline survey report incorporating feedback
Presentation of findings to project stakeholders
9. Duration and timeline
The baseline survey is expected to be conducted within 6–8 weeks, covering:
Tool development and piloting
Data collection
Data analysis
Reporting and dissemination
A detailed timeline shall be proposed by the consultant.
10. Consultant qualifications
The consultant or firm should demonstrate:
Proven experience in baseline or evaluation studies for governance, human rights, or development projects
Strong expertise in gender, GBV, inclusive education, and economic empowerment
Experience working with vulnerable populations in Zanzibar or similar contexts
Strong analytical, report-writing, and facilitation skills
11. Ethical considerations
The baseline survey must adhere to:
Informed consent
Confidentiality and data protection
Do-no-harm principles, particularly when engaging GBV survivors and children
12. Reporting and approval
The final baseline report will be submitted to the Development Department of the Catholic Diocese of Zanzibar and shared with MISEREOR for review and approval.
13. Application and submission procedures
Interested and qualified consultants or firms are invited to submit their application, technical proposal (including an inception report), and CVs through:
Email: gadzanzibar23@gmail.com
Hand delivery: Development Office, Catholic Diocese of Zanzibar, Catholic Church compound at St. Joseph’s Cathedral (Minara Miwili), Zanzibar
Deadline for submission: 5 January 2026 at 15:30 PM
Late submissions will not be considered. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
RFQ/Tender Information and Attachments
For comprehensive information regarding this RFQ/tender, we invite you to download the attachments provided below. These documents contain all the necessary details, including specifications, requirements, and submission guidelines. Please review them carefully to ensure you have all the pertinent information needed to participate.