Consultant to Ministry of Rural Development to Undertake a Pre-testing of the BPL Methodologies
 United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM)
 Location: New Delhi
 Last Date: July 10, 2010
 Email: registry.unifem.in@unifem.org (Reference: DevNetJobsIndia.org)

Website: www.unifem.org.in

Starting date : 5 July 2010
Closing date : 10 July 2010

Announcement No. UNIFEM/SRO/SSA/2010/005

Position : Consultant to Ministry of Rural Development to Undertake a Pre-testing of the BPL Methodologies

Organization : United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM)

No. of Positions : Two

Duration : One Year

Type of Contract : SSA – (Short Service Agreement)

Background and Justification
The number of people below the poverty line (BPL) is determined at the national and the state level by the Planning Commission. This is done on the basis of a large sample survey of Consumer Expenditure carried out by the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) after an interval of 5 years approximately. The latest poverty ratios released by the Planning Commission, based on the 61st Round of NSSO of 2004-05, estimate that 28.3 per cent households in the rural areas were living below the poverty line. While estimations of poverty are done by the Planning Commission, a Census to identify the BPL households has been conducted by the Ministry of Rural Development of the central government three times (1992, 1997 and 2002) in the last 17 years. The primary purpose of conducting village wise census of poor households is to identify the BPL households that could be assisted under various programmes of the Ministry, such as IAY, NSAP, SGSY, TSC, etc. In addition, many other Ministries of the Government of India use the BPL list so prepared for targeting benefits to them, such as PDS, NMBS, health insurance, scholarships, etc. Some state-specific schemes also limit their assistance to this list of the BPL families. This makes preparation of the list all the more important and central to poverty alleviation. The BPL list is thus of enormous practical importance to both central and state government officials, as well as the rural population at large.

As the corner stone for the BPL methodology is proposed to be based on a strong and comprehensive exclusion criteria frame work , there is need to analyse and weigh the identified criteria for their significance and strength in determining the extent of exclusion of the comparatively well off households. Exercises in permutations and combinations of the various indicators need to be conducted to arrive at a set of exclusion criteria which yield the best results.

For this purpose it is proposed to undertake pre testing of the methodology for identifying the criteria to be finally utilised in the BPL census.

The Ministry of Rural Development is proposing to undertake a pre-testing of the BPL methodologies in about 260 villages in order to finalise the methodology for the BPL census.
In this context, various processes including preparation of survey instruments, training modules and guidelines, field testing modalities, data management systems, IEC etc are underway. It is proposed the first batch of trainings from state governments will be held in third week of July and the pilot will be launched soon after. Along side the processes for the BPL census will be simultaneously undertaken which includes a significant component of training instruments and statewise trainings for trainers 9ToTs) following a cascade modality. The preparation of survey instruments and guidelines will also be undertaken. The Ministry is planning a massive media strategy campaign on the BPL census. Even after the census is over the work relating to validation of BPL list, analysis of various indicators and the process documentation will be undertaken. Although the BPL census exercise will take place in 2012, the various activities relating to the BPL census are likely to continue till March 2013 including analysis of data and finalization of the BPL list including the issuance of BPL cards.

Need for two Programme Associates
A technical support unit is being set up in the Ministry of Rural Development consisting of senior demographers, statisticians, social scientists, tribal affairs experts and economists to ensure that the various stages of the census are technically sound.

As women form the poorest of the poor it is very important that these BPL surveys are gender sensitive and do not exclude categories of women who are living below the poverty line but are invisible in the data collection process due to the existing gender stereotypes that prevail in society. Gender sensitization exercises will need to be conducted for the experts in the technical unit, the enumerators, and the designers of the communication campaigns, the data analysts etc. Modules in how to conduct gender sensitive participatory rural appraisals so that poverty ranking exercises can be done meaningfully will also need to be commented upon and analysed with a gender perspective. The validation of data will need a gender eye as well.

Two programme associates will be recruited by UNIFEM to support the Chief Economic Adviser in the Ministry of Rural Development to ensure that this very significant exercise is “genderised” at every stage.

Tasks
The programme associates will:
1. Participate in the training exercises on the process and methodology of the pilot for the BPL census and incorporate gender dimensions that need to be included.
2. Provide requested inputs to ensure that the training materials developed for the capacity building of stakeholders are gender sensitive. E.g. excluded widows in a household would be invisible and some probing questions may be needed to ensure that such women get included in the lists.
3. Ensure that the training manuals incorporate “easy to understand” and easy to use check lists for the enumerators.
4. Work closely with the agencies undertaking the communication campaigns so that gender stereotypes are unlearned before new learning is introduced. E.g. females can also head households.
5. Advocate with the state governments to ensure that a sizeable number of women enumerators are engaged in the exercise.
6. Supervise/observe the PRA trainings so that the process does not overlook the gender dimensions.
7. Support the Chief Economic Adviser in collecting data/information on a sex disaggregated basis etc. needed as the raw data gets analysed and finalized.
8. Support the Chief Economic Adviser and the technical unit with any information that will improve the gender sensitivity of the BPL exercise.
9. Liaise with UNIFEM’s policy adviser every 4-6 weeks to keep UNIFEM updated of the progress of the exercise.
10. Any other task identified by the Chief Economic Adviser.

Deliverables

1. Gender Training materials for the BPL census.
2. Gender review report including checklists included in the enumerator’s manual.
3. Reports of Gender Trainings held for the enumerators of the BPL census.
4. Detailed comments on the communication strategy for the BPL census to ensure that the communication campaign is gender sensitive
5. Reports on the analysis of data of the BPL census from a gender perspective.
6. Papers to justify the identification of a gender equal profile of the census enumerators
7. Comments on the participatory appraisal methodologies to ensure gender inclusion

Requirements
a) A post-graduate degree in social sciences
b) At least 3 years work experience with a development agency on poverty alleviation issues
c) A clear understanding of gender and power relations including gender poverty, gender mainstreaming and engendering schemes and programmes
d) Expertise in conducting training workshops for middle and senior level govt. functionaries on gender issues
e) Demonstrated ability to prepare analytical and well researched reports
f) Good presentation skills
g) Evidence of having worked in a team successfully.
Criteria for selection

Based on the above specified experience and skill set the emphasis with regard to criteria for selection will be given to applicants who have actually undertaken gender mainstreaming and implementation of multi-stakeholder initiatives. Applicants who have worked with the UN system will be given special preference.

Time Period
One year (renewable) based on performance.

Remuneration

Remuneration will be commensurate with the experience of the applicant. Please mention the expected salary per annum in your application letter.

The assignment will be supervised by the Chief Economic Adviser in the Ministry of Rural Development in close collaboration with UNIFEM.

Application Process

Please send in your detailed resume, a completed UN P11 form by COB on Saturday the 10th of July 2010 to registry.unifem.in@unifem.org .

Interested applicants should apply for the vacancy, using the Personal History Form - P 11 and the latest CV.

Application to this vacancy should be sent to registry.unifem.in@unifem.org . Please insert Announcement Number in the Subject of the E-mail. Applications without the Vacancy Number or with the incorrect Vacancy Number will not be accepted.

NOTE : Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.