Vacancy: Consultant, Livelihood Needs Assessment Study

Company Profile

Solidaridad is an international solution-oriented Civil Society Organization working through eight Regional Expertise Centres on transforming markets to make them more inclusive and sustainable. We bring together supply chain players and engage them with innovative solutions to improve production, ensuring the transition to a sustainable and inclusive economy that maximizes the benefits for all. Our West Africa Regional Expertise Centre is headquartered in Accra-Ghana (www.solidaridadnetwork.org). 

Solidaridad has built a reputation over the years as a catalyst for sustainable innovations in commodity supply chains with the goal of improving livelihoods for vulnerable producers, while respecting the planet, each other and the next generation.

Our programmes in West Africa focuses on stimulating sustainable supply chains through continuous improvements in production and trade relations. Environmental sustainability is critical and core to Solidaridad’s work.  We have operations in Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Nigeria and Liberia.

Job Description

TERMS OF REFERENCE, LIVELIHOOD NEEDS ASSESSMENT STUDY  

Promoting Gender Inclusivity in the Small Scale Mining Sector 

The small-scale mining sector in Ghana currently employs an estimated one million people directly and supports about 4.5 million more people. The sector is characterised by unsafe working conditions, pollution of water bodies, land degradation, illegal mining and gender-based exclusion. Although about 51% of workers in the sector are women (approximately 510,000), most of them are engaged in illegal mining activities. Women comprise just about 6% of the labour force in the licensed operations. They are disadvantaged and excluded from the potentially lucrative and poverty-alleviating opportunities that small-scale mining could offer, mainly  due to lack of access to credit and training, as well as cultural beliefs and norms. 

Solidaridad in partnership with Simavi and Healthy Entrepreneurs is currently implementing The Golden Line Programme in Ghana and Tanzania to help address some of the challenges faced by women in the small-scale mining sector. The 5-year programme (2016-2020) aims to economically empower women living in and around small-scale gold mining communities. The programme seeks to provide women with increased opportunities to engage in economic activities and to enjoy fair and economic working conditions, as this will enhance their status and self determination to make decisions about their life, work and health. Three key challenges have been identified during programme implementation.

These are:

• Women have marginal positions in gold mines; 


• Women miners lack access to finance; and


• Women lack access to land that contains gold deposits.

Despite these challenges, the few women who have successfully ventured into the sector as mine owners or workers have demonstrated the potential for substantial economic gain. This two year (2019-2020) project is undertaking various interrelated activities that would empower more women to actively engage in the sector, leading to more economic and cultural inclusiveness in gold mining communities. It will enable 150 additional women to receive training to improve their skills and knowledge; to create Village Savings and Loan schemes; and to connect with financial institutions to increase the opportunity to access credit to start or improve their businesses within and around the mines. The overall goal of this project is to enhance women’s visibility, autonomy, economic independence and effectiveness in small scale mining in Ghana.

Objective of the Assignment

The objective of the assignment is to undertake a Livelihoods Needs Assessment in project mines.  

Scope of Work 

• Conduct a Livelihoods needs assessment in project mines and identify livelihoods opportunities;


• Undertake training of 5 women’s groups in livelihoods opportunities; 


• Present Draft Livelihoods Needs Assessment Report;


• Present Draft Training Report; and


• Present Final Livelihoods Needs Assessment Report and Training Report after incorporating comments from the Client.

Deliverables

• Livelihoods Needs Assessment Report; and


• Training Report on Livelihoods Opportunities. 

Required Skills or Experience

• The Consultant must hold at least a Master’s Degree in a relevant field and must have experience in training and undertaking and socio-economic studies. Preference will be given to Consultants with experience in gender inclusivity and/or the small scale mining sector in Ghana.