Job offer: Terms of Reference: Feasibility study for the development of grievance mechanism for the cocoa sector in Ghana

Company Profile

International Cocoa Initiative (ICI) (www.cocoainitiative.org) is a multi-stakeholder organization, uniting the forces of civil society, certifiers, the cocoa and chocolate industry, and international institutions, and working with governments to address child and forced labour in the cocoa sector.ICI has developed a Child Labour Monitoring and Remediation System (CLMRS) that allows industry partners to manage responsibly the risk of child labour in their cocoa supply chain. In line with the Ghana Child Labor Monitoring System (GCLMS), the system is based on the presence of Community Facilitators (CF) within cocoa-growing communities who raise awareness on the issue of child labour; identify cases and implement remediation activities. (www.cocoainitiative.org) Established in 2002, the International Cocoa Initiative (ICI) is a leading organisation promoting child protection in cocoa-growing communities. ICI works with the cocoa industry, civil society and national governments in cocoa-producing countries to ensure a better future for children and contribute to the elimination of child labour.

Terms of Reference: Feasibility study for the development of grievance mechanism for the cocoa sector in Ghana

November 2024

Project Overview
In response to the ongoing need for robust mechanisms to respect human and children’s rights along the cocoa value chain, preventing and remediating potential abuses and violations of children and adult rights, ICI seeks to commission a feasibility study in cocoa supply chain of Ghana on child-friendly grievance mechanism. The study’s goal is to identify the necessary criteria for successfully implementing government and private sector grievance mechanism in Ghana's cocoa sector  

The   grievance mechanism feasibility study will be conducted in growing regions of Ghana. The grievance mechanism should focus on feasibility, and under which conditions the system could work and how and under which conditions it could be child-friendly. The study should start by looking at existing examples in other countries of a child-friendly grievance mechanism in the cocoa and other agricultural sectors, other sectors could be included. The child-friendly grievance mechanism will be aligned with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and it should meet the following requirements: 

Provide equal access and address the needs of individual in cocoa-growing communities: The mechanism should be easily accessible to all men and women as well as children in cocoa growing communities of Ghana, ensuring equitable access for whose rights have been violated

Record and manage all relevant complaints: It should be capable of recording complaints related to rights violations of children and adult in cocoa growing communities

The child-friendly grievance mechanism should be able to recommend a system/mechanism (committee or other) where the complaints should be received and addressed, both at community as well as at district level

The study should look at the possibility to have a private sector mechanism and/or a government base mechanism  

Simplify the reporting process: Once a grievance is reported, the mechanism should ensure it is forwarded to the appropriate agency(ies) or companies involved, without requiring multiple reports. Where the grievance is of criminal in nature, the mechanism must ensure it is referred to appropriate authorities within the district without delay

Independent management: The mechanism should be managed by an independent organization or institution for instance Social Welfare Department to ensure impartiality.

Ensure effective follow-up: Adequate follow-up measures must be generated, implemented, and tracked to address grievances effectively.

Timeframe
The feasibility study is scheduled to be conducted from December 2024 to May 2025. The timeline is structured as follows:

Activity

Deadline

Deadline for applications

December 11, 2024

Selection of consultants

End December 18, 2024

Contract’s signature

By mid-January 2025

Revision and Extension of Stakeholder Analysis

January 2025

Interviews with Relevant Stakeholders

February 2025

Implementation of Local Workshops

April 2025 

Finalization of Draft Report and Feedback

May 2025

Submission of report

June 2025

Publication of Final Report

June 2025

 

ICI is seeking a consultant with experience conducting similar feasibility studies in cocoa regions of Ghana. The selected consultant or organization will be responsible for delivering the following services:

Feasibility Study:

Develop a preliminary concept for implementing a child friendly grievance mechanism. This should focus on the cocoa sector including other sectors within the cocoa regions

Conduct a desk review of child rights risks in the specified districts within the cocoa sector.

Perform an actor analysis and provide recommendations for the appropriate actors to be involved in implementing the child friendly grievance mechanism. ICI Social protection mapping study report will be available for the selected consultant to study to guide the analysis and the recommendation (Report ICI Mapping Study_FINAL_19.04.2022.docx -https://socialprotection-map.cocoainitiative.org/)

Establish a set of criteria necessary for the successful implementation of a child friendly grievance mechanism.

Identify potential risks to the implementation and propose strategies to mitigate these risks.

Develop a step-by-step approach for finalizing the concept, including a proposal for institutionalizing the child-friendly grievance mechanism, including reporting mechanisms, and defining responsibility for the follow-up of case management of received grievances 

Develop a budget for the implementation of the proposed child friendly grievance mechanism and identify potential funding sources.

Workshops and Interviews: Conduct workshops and interviews with stakeholders, ensuring a participatory approach, including children, parents, child labour committee members. At least four local workshops must be conducted in the specified districts, involving local actors such as cooperatives, traders, unions and service providers. Participants should be selected in collaboration with ICI and other local partners.

Calendar: The consultancy is planned to start in December 2024 and to be completed in June 2025

Deliverables
​The consultant is expected to provide the following deliverables:

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Activity/Task

Timeline

1

Inception Report
Outlining the study’s approach, methodology, and timeline.

31st January 2025 - at most 7 days after signing the contract.

2

Draft Report
A comprehensive analysis including the preliminary concept, risk assessment, and recommendations.

10th May 2025

3

Final Report (including executive summary)
Incorporating feedback from ICI and stakeholders. The executive summary should include a concise overview of the findings and recommendations
The final report should include practical suggestions for implementing the grievance mechanism

On/before 10th June 2025

4

PowerPoint Presentation
Summarizing the findings for various audiences.

17th June 2025

Education Required: Post-graduate Degree