TERMS OF REFERENCE (TORs) 

For engaging a consultant to provide life coaching to adult women within RMCs

Post Title: Life Coaching to Adult Women from RMCs.

Project: Protecting and Promoting Religious Freedom in Pakistan (PPRF).

Organization: Legal Aid Society (LAS).

Location(s): Sindh (Dadu, Sanghar and Hyderabad) & Punjab (Khanewal, Muzaffargarh and Multan).

Duration: Two months (Please refer to Section C of the Document).

Activity: Providing life coaching to adult women within RMCs to build soft skills centered on leadership, communication & mediation skills.

TERMS OF REFERENCE (TOR)

Project Title: Protecting and Promoting Religious Freedom in Pakistan (PPRF)

1. Background:

The Legal Aid Society (LAS) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to connecting marginalized, vulnerable, underprivileged, and disempowered Religious Minority Communities (RMCs) with effective and timely justice services. LAS works to create a protective and safe environment for RMCs by increasing their knowledge and reducing their vulnerabilities. The project is being implemented in three districts of Sindh (Dadu, Hyderabad, and Sanghar) and Punjab (Khanewal, Multan, and Muzaffargarh).

 In an effort to empower adult women from RMCs, LAS seeks to hire a consultant to design and deliver a comprehensive life-coaching program. The overall goal of the training is to empower women from RMCs with essential soft skills, enabling them to effectively exercise leadership, communication, and mediation skills in their day-to-day lives within their families and communities. This way, they will be better equipped to exercise their agency and autonomy in instances of violence, enticement, and inducement within the context of FCM. Further, the women trained via life coaching while breaking the cycle of generational trauma and internalized patriarchy and sexism can provide their daughters an environment of safe space and communication, saving them from finding refuge outside the home during the adolescent stage and, thus, saving them from becoming targets of FCM via enticement and inducement. Lastly, this training will indirectly also influence the economic uplift of women as they will be better able to negotiate their financial standing in families, communities, society, and professional space.

Objectives of Life Coaching for Women from RMCs

The life coaching initiative has 2 primary objectives:

Objective 1: Empower religious minority women with essential life skills, such as communication, leadership, and conflict mediation, to reduce their vulnerability to FCM.

Objective 2: Increase legal and social awareness among religious minority women regarding their rights and available protections, enabling them to recognize and resist coercion or manipulation related to forced conversion through marriage.

1. B.    Scope of Consultancy and Expected Outputs:

The scope of work and corresponding outputs/deliverables will be as follows:

Deliverable 01

The consultant will develop a customized work plan that includes specific deadlines for the submission of all deliverables outlined in the contract agreement.

Deliverable 02

Submission of pre- and post-training assessment tools, translated into Urdu and Sindhi, to evaluate participants' capacity-building progress on the specified topics.

Deliverable 03

Development of one comprehensive training manual along with training material and relevant PPT presentations, utilizing community engagement techniques and interactive teaching methodologies. The training manual should integrate practical exercises, case studies, and real-life examples to ensure participants' active engagement and meaningful learning. The training mannual will address the following topics in detail:

1. Communication, Negotiation, and Conflict Resolution Skills:
   Religious minority women need strong communication and negotiation skills to express their needs, set boundaries, and articulate their concerns confidently to family members, community leaders, and authorities. These skills equip them to challenge coercive pressures, resist manipulation, and advocate for their rights in education, employment, and social mobility. Conflict resolution abilities enable them to navigate sensitive discussions, de-escalate tensions, and find compromises that safeguard their autonomy and well-being.
2. Critical Thinking, Decision-Making, and Awareness of Legal Rights:
   The ability to critically assess situations, analyze risks, and make informed decisions is essential for women to recognize manipulative traps and distinguish genuine opportunities from exploitative scenarios. Awareness of their legal rights, available protection mechanisms, and support services further empowers them to seek justice, report coercion or harassment, and access legal aid without fear or hesitation.
3. Emotional Resilience, Confidence, and Leadership Skills:
   Marginalization and societal discrimination often undermine women's self-esteem and resilience. Emotional resilience workshops, counselling, and peer support groups are essential for helping them rebuild confidence, assert their dignity, and face societal challenges with strength. Leadership training can empower women to take on advocacy roles within their communities, challenge harmful social norms, and support others facing similar vulnerabilities.
4. Social Integration, Networking, and Community Engagement:
   Social isolation heightens women's vulnerability to exploitation and coercion. Creating safe spaces for networking, peer connections, and building support systems fosters a sense of belonging and solidarity. Social integration skills enable women to identify allies and mentors, engage with broader society, and navigate public spaces confidently, reducing their isolation and dependence.
5. Gender Sensitization and Awareness of Patriarchal Structures:
   Understanding how patriarchal norms operate within their communities and broader society is critical for challenging restrictive social norms. Awareness sessions can help women recognize control mechanisms, dismantle internalized biases, and advocate for their right to education, employment, and self-determination. These skills empower women to address the root causes of their vulnerabilities and drive long-term social change.

Through this training, participants will start their journey towards break cycles of generational trauma and internalized patriarchy, enabling them to create safe spaces for their daughters and safeguard them from the risks of enticement, inducement, and FCM.

Deliverable 04:

Conducting two-day training sessions in each of the six districts, engaging 34 women participants per district from religious minority communities.  These trainings will be held in Sindh (Dadu, Hyderabad, and Sanghar) and South Punjab (Khanewal, Multan, and Muzaffargarh).

 Deliverable 05:

The consultant will submit a comprehensive report summarizing the training activities, including an analysis of pre-and post-training results, key learning points, challenges encountered, and recommendations for future improvements.

1. C.    Project Timeline & Payment schedule

The consultancy period will commence on January 15, 2025, and conclude on March 15, 2025. The specific timelines and payment details for each deliverable are outlined in the table below.

1. D.    Qualifications and Experience:

1. Qualifications

   - Master’s degree in Social Sciences, Gender Studies, Law, or a related field.

   - Certification or training in Life Coaching, Mediation, Conflict Resolution, or Leadership Development.

2. Experience:

   - Minimum of 5 years of experience in life coaching, training, or facilitation with a focus on women's empowerment, particularly in marginalized communities.

   - Proven expertise in conducting leadership, communication, and mediation skills workshops for women.

   - Experience working with religious minority communities (RMCs) and understanding of the socio-cultural challenges they face.

   - Strong background in conflict resolution and working with vulnerable groups, especially women and girls.

   - Demonstrated ability to create and implement training programs that lead to measurable outcomes in empowerment and advocacy.

 3. Language Proficiency:

• Fluency in English and Urdu is required.
• Proficiency in Sindhi and Punjabi will be considered a value-added asset.

1. E.     Application Process:

Applicants are required to submit their proposals, including:

1. Technical proposal including comprehensive suggested work plan with timelines, relevant work experience of individual or firm, list of relevant work relevant to the life coaching programs/trainings that the applicant was previously involved in, and profiles of the training team, along with detailed CVs of key personnel, with their signatures.

The technical proposal should not contain any financial information.

1. Financial proposal covering all costs associated with the life-coaching program including fees, travel, accommodation, and tax amounts.

1. F.     Selection Criteria:

Technical Proposal

The criteria for selection of technical proposal include the following:

• Clarity of the technical proposal
• Suitability of the proposed work plan and methodology in responding to the Terms of Reference.
• Previous experience related to the assignment will include the total experience of the individual or firm and experience in similar assignments, working with similar donors and the same organization. i.e., demonstrated experience in relevant programs.
• Qualification and competency of the key staff

 Financial Proposal

The financial proposal will be awarded on the lowest cost basis but in considering the following criteria:

• The financial proposal should include a component-wise budget.
• Has relevance and consistency with the technical proposal

1. G. Copyright:

• The above assignment shall fall under the property of LAS, and the individual or firm shall not reproduce or distribute the material and training report without the prior consent of LAS.
• All data under possession of the consultant/ firm, once report has been submitted and endorsed by LAS, MUST be destroyed as per agreed process.

1. H. Notification:

• Successful applicants will be notified regarding the status of their proposals.

The deadline for the submission of the proposal is January 8, 2025. 

Apply at  Email:  [email protected]