Terms of Reference (ToR) to recruit a consultant to conduct project outcome evaluation

RWAMREC
Sep 8
7 min read

Project: Engaging Men for gender equality in the Private Sector

Location: Kigali (Gasabo & Nyarugenge) and Musanze Districts, Rwanda

Period: 45 working days

1. About RWAMREC

The Rwanda Men’s Resource Centre (RWAMREC) is a non-governmental organization committed to promote gender equality by fostering positive masculinities and actively engaging men in the prevention of gender-based violence (GBV). Guided by its vision of a peaceful Rwandan society where women and men share responsibilities in both the family and public spheres with mutual respect and equality, RWAMREC strives to challenge harmful gender norms and foster inclusive social transformation.

As part of its commitment to evidence-based programming, RWAMREC seeks to engage a qualified research consultant to conduct a comprehensive outcome evaluation of its project “Engaging Men for Gender Equality in the Private Sector.” This evaluation aims to assess the extent of change brought about by the project’s interventions, focusing on shifts in attitudes, behaviors, and institutional practices that foster more gender-responsive workplaces and promote the economic empowerment of women.

2. Project Background

The project “Engaging Men for Gender Equality in the Private Sector” is implemented by RWAMREC in partnership with GIZ Rwanda and aims to engage men as allies, both as managers, colleagues, husbands, and business partners, in improving the working conditions of women’s employees in the private sector. The intended project will tackle harmful gender norms that prevent women from actively participating in the economy, including:

● Norms that prevent women from having safe and equitable working conditions as employees.

● Norms that prevent women from owning and managing successful businesses.

3. Rationale

Rwanda has made remarkable progress in advancing gender equality in the public sector through favorable policies and strategies. The country is internationally recognized for having the highest percentage of women in parliament 61.3%, according to the Inter-Parliamentary Union, making it a global leader in women’s political representation. However, despite these achievements, gender disparities persist in the private sector, where women remain underrepresented and underserved. These inequalities negatively impact not only women but also their families, businesses, and the broader economy.

According to the NISR (Labour Force Survey Thematic Report on Gender), women's participation in Rwanda’s labor market is only 48.2%, while men's participation is 65.6%. Furthermore, women occupy only 32% of decision-making positions in the private sector. Regarding women’s representation in decision-making positions among PSF Secretariat staff, there are no women CEOs (the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Advocacy Officer, and the Chief Operations Officer are males). As for the 5 Directorate positions, they are all occupied by males. Moreover, a persistent gender pay gap exists. Women in Rwanda earn approximately 13% less than men on a monthly basis, largely due to occupational segregation, educational attainment differences, and the higher prevalence of women in part-time or informal jobs, which tend to offer lower pay and fewer benefits.

According to the National Institutes of Statistics of Rwanda’s Labour Force Survey (2019-2022), the Thematic Report on Gender shows that, as the level of educational attainment increases, the income from the main employment job also increases. Still, regardless of the level of education, females get lower average monthly earnings than their male counterparts with the same level of education. The results show that, in 2022, the gap between female and male average monthly income at the University level has widened to 105,437 Frw (239,719 Frw for females against 345,156 Frw for males).

The same report indicated that females earn less income on average than their counterparts. Although the average monthly income earnings of females whose occupation is the manager are the highest compared to other occupations, it is still 1.3 times lower compared to male managers (374,274 Frws against 488,099 Frw). The difference in average income between females and males is wider in urban than in rural areas. The findings show that in 2022, a female living in an urban area was earning on average 74,817 Frws lower than a male counterpart (94,751 Frws against 169,568 Frws respectively), while in a rural area, a female was earning on average 16,544 Frws lower than the male counterpart (27,987 Frws against 44,531 Frws respectively).

As reported by Transparency International Rwanda regarding sexual harassment in the workplace; 10% of employees, either personally or at least through one of their workmates, have experienced cases of gender-based corruption in the form of sexual harassment, exploitation, and/or use of sex as a form of “payment”.

Additionally, there is a lack of access to internal employee welfare programs in private companies such as health insurance, paid time off, and social security, in particular the lack of childcare facilities in private companies for mothers and lactation rooms.

The private sector is mainly dominated by men, who benefit from the patriarchal system because it gives them privileges and power. Men also often do not acknowledge the benefits of gender equality for both men and women due to the fear of losing power and privileges in the workplace. This is coupled with a lack of awareness of the root causes of those behaviors.

Within this framework, RWAMREC is seeking a qualified consultant to carry out an outcome evaluation to assess the extent of change resulting from the project’s interventions—specifically, shifts in attitudes, behaviors, and institutional practices that promote more gender-responsive workplaces and enhance women's economic empowerment.

4. Objective of the assignment

The primary objective is to assess the effectiveness and impact of the project interventions by comparing results with the baseline data. Specifically, the survey aims to:

Measure shifts knowledge and attitude shifts among project beneficiaries including CEOs, senior management, employees, male champions, female entrepreneurs, and their partners.
Evaluate improvements in workplace conditions for female employees and the level of gender mainstreaming within corporate structures.
Assess both perceived and actual changes in women’s competitiveness in business.
Understand the perceived and real improvements in women’s competitiveness in business.
Analyze public engagement and changes in perceptions resulting from media campaigns.
Identify key successes, gaps, and constraints in program implementation.
Document good practices and generate evidence-based recommendations to inform and strengthen future programming.

5. Responsibilities/ Scope of Work

The consultancy firm/consultant will be expected to:

Develop a detailed inception report outlining the proposed methodology, work plan, and data collection tools, in alignment with the project log frame and baseline indicators.
Design and pilot gender-sensitive quantitative and qualitative research tools, to be reviewed and approved by RWAMREC.
Conduct field data collection in the districts of Gasabo, Nyarugenge, and Musanze, targeting:
20 selected companies (including CEOs, senior management, and employees),
10 female entrepreneurs and their male partners,
Assess recall, understanding, and perception shifts among the target audience exposed to the media campaign.
Ensure adherence to ethical standards, including informed consent, confidentiality, and safeguarding principles throughout the evaluation process.
Manage data quality assurance processes during collection, entry, and analysis.
Analyze both quantitative and qualitative data, using a mixed-methods approach.
Conduct comparative analysis of endline data against baseline findings.
Facilitate validation sessions or debrief meetings with RWAMREC and relevant stakeholders.
Prepare and submit a comprehensive outcome evaluation report, including findings, conclusions, and actionable recommendations.
Deliver a PowerPoint presentation summarizing key findings for dissemination purposes.

6. Methodology

The consultant is expected to propose a robust mixed-methods approach that integrates both quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis, grounded in the project’s theory of change and baseline indicators. The methodology should include:

Quantitative surveys: Structured questionnaires will be administered to pre-identified stakeholders, including CEOs, senior managers, employees, female entrepreneurs, male partners, and potentially members of the public exposed to media campaigns. The survey should capture measurable changes in knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and workplace practices.
Qualitative methods: In-depth interviews and focus group discussions will be conducted with key stakeholders to explore nuanced experiences, perceptions, and behavioral changes resulting from the project. These methods will complement quantitative findings by providing context and depth.
Desk review: A thorough review of relevant project documents, including baseline survey data, training reports, action plans, and other monitoring materials, will be undertaken to inform tool development and triangulate findings.
Comparative analysis: The evaluation will include a systematic comparison of endline findings with baseline data to assess changes over time and determine project effectiveness.

The proposed methodology must be gender-sensitive, participatory, and contextually appropriate. It should also ensure the meaningful involvement of stakeholders and uphold ethical standards such as informed consent, confidentiality, and cultural respect throughout all stages of the evaluation.

7. Deliverables

Inception Report with methodology, tools, and work plan.
Data Collection Tools (approved by RWAMREC).
Clean Data Sets (quantitative and qualitative).
Draft outcome evaluation Report with findings and comparison to baseline.
Final outcome evaluation Report with recommendations and annexes.
PowerPoint Summary for dissemination purposes.
Duration and Timeline

The assignment is expected to be completed within 45 working days starting from the date of contract signing. A detailed timeline should be proposed in the inception phase.

Required Academic qualifications and Experience

8. Academic Qualifications

Master's degree (or higher) in one of the following fields: Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E); Social Sciences (e.g., Sociology, Gender Studies), Development Studies, Economics or a related field
Relevant Experience
Minimum 5–7 years of proven experience conducting evaluations (especially outcome or impact evaluations) in development, gender, or social change programs.
Demonstrated experience in designing and implementing evaluation frameworks, including theories of change, logical frameworks, and results-based management.
Solid track record in evaluating gender-transformative programs, behavior change interventions, or women’s economic empowerment initiatives.
Experience working with or evaluating programs involving community engagement, couples or men’s involvement in gender equality, or institutional capacity building.
Proven experience working with the private sector in similar thematic areas.
Technical Competencies
Strong knowledge of qualitative and quantitative research methods (e.g., focus groups, key informant interviews, surveys).
Excellent ability to analyze and synthesize findings and write clear, evidence-based reports.
Strong data collection team if needed, and this team qualification and experience will be shared and be approved by Rwamrec.

9. Soft Skills and Other Requirements

Strong analytical, communication, and report-writing skills in English
Familiarity with the local context (Rwanda) and cultural sensitivity in engaging stakeholders.

10. Ethical Considerations

The consultant must ensure:

Voluntary participation with informed consent.
Anonymity and confidentiality of respondents.
Gender-sensitive and culturally appropriate tools and approach.
Compliance with RWAMREC’s safeguarding and Do-No-Harm principles.

11. Reporting and Coordination

Consultant will closely work with the RWAMREC MELI and report to the Executive director

12. Evaluation criteria

Criteria	Score
Methodology	30
Work plan	10
Qualification and skills	30
Financial proposal	30
Total	100

13. Application Requirements

Interested applicants should submit:

Technical proposal with a detailed methodology and work plan
Financial proposal.
Detailed CV showing a comprehensive résumé showcasing relevant experience and achievements.
Two certificates of good completion for the similar assignments performed in the last 5 years.

Applications should be addressed to the RWAMREC Executive Director by e-mail at info@rwamrec.org, not later than 26/09/2025 at 17:00pm. Late applications will not be received.

Kigali, September, 08, 2025

Fidèle RUTAYSIRE,

RWAMREC Executive, RWAMREC