TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR CONSULTANCY

RESEARCH ON EVIDENCE OF A CUTLURE OF PREVENTION IN ACTION

FOCUS TOPICS:

PREVENTIVE APPROACHES TO COMBATTING FAKE NEWS AND MISINFORMATION CONCERNING THE SPREAD, PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF COVID-19   

 and / or

COMBATTING THE RECRUITMENT INTO ONLINE PORNOGRAPHY OF CHILDREN AND ECONOMICALLY VULNERABLE WOMEN

Duration

June – December 2022

Level of Effort

35 days (8 hours equal 1 day)

Place of Work

Home-based

BACKGROUND

In 2017, the ASEAN Declaration on the Culture of Prevention for a Peaceful, Inclusive, Resilient, Healthy and Harmonious Society was adopted. This ASEAN Culture of Prevention (CoP) aims to promote preventative approaches across the work of ASEAN pillars, Sectoral Bodies and ASEAN Member States (AMS).

The CoP has six thrusts:

1. Promoting a culture of peace and intercultural understanding;
2. Promoting a culture of respect for all;
3. Promoting a culture of good governance at all levels;
4. Promoting a culture of resilience and care for the environment;
5. Promoting a culture of healthy lifestyle;
6. Promoting a culture supporting the values of moderation.

ASEAN is continuing to make progress in the implementation of the ASEAN Declaration on the CoP. However, among the potential barriers to implementation identified include the lack of targeted and clear evidence on the benefits and promising results of the preventive approach to inform policy makers. In addition, the CoP has been largely concentrated in the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC), with limited engagement that involves other ASEAN pillars, despite the Declaration’s calls for close coordination among the ASEAN Political Security Community (APSC), ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) and ASCC for effective implementation of the CoP’s thrusts.

In order to accelerate the implementation of ASEAN’s Declaration on CoP, it is proposed that an evidence-based assessment of the value of CoP be conducted. This project will provide support to the ASEAN Secretariat and ASEAN Working Group on the Culture of Prevention (WG on CoP), with the support of Australia through the ASEAN-Australia Political Security Partnership (APSP).

OBJECTIVE OF THE PROJECT

To conduct an assessment on the value of the CoP aimed at building an evidence base on CoP to broaden application of the agenda and its policy impact.

Prevention is inherently more difficult than response to assess, for where a successful response can be measured as timely, appropriate, and effective against something that actually occurred, prevention applies to something that did not occur.  In the case of a single and simple event, e.g. a ticking time-bomb defused seconds before exploding, it can be accurately said that certain action prevented an explosion.  But as events multiply and become more complex, e.g. the start and spread of a pandemic or the creation, dissemination, and cascading consequences of fake news, any correlation between pre-emptive or preventative actions and non-occurrences is harder to confidently identify. 

To gain traction within ASEAN and AMS, the CoP requires demonstrable credibility. An evidence-based analysis of whether a preventative approach to the CoP’s six thrusts has yielded positive results in the past, will serve to build knowledge of its potential impact and support for its legitimacy. It will give meaning and context to the CoP and encourage AMS and ASEAN sectoral bodies to support the concept beyond agreeing to its general principles. 

TASKS OF THE CONSULTANCY

This TOR will guide the hiring and engagement of a consultant who will support the ASEAN Secretariat and APSP in the implementation of the research and related deliverables under the project. The tasks below apply to either ONE of the two focus topics of the research:

a. Develop and finalise the methodology, design and outline of research, incorporating input from the ASEAN Secretariat and TAF;

b. Collect and analyze data obtained from secondary sources such as academic papers, reports, research articles, working papers, and statistical databases;

c. Identify informants, including government officials from ASEAN Member States, and conduct online interviews as deemed necessary;

d. Develop a draft research report;

e. Revise and finalise the draft research report, incorporating inputs from the ASEAN Secretariat, TAF, and other stakeholders as advised by the ASEAN Secretariat;

f. Present the findings from the research at the ASEAN CoP Familiarisation Dialogue, a public webinar on the ASEAN CoP, and/or other events as may be requested by the ASEAN Secretariat;

g. Work with a video production team in the development of a video or similar materials on the findings of the research; and

h. Perform any other related tasks as requested by and agreed with the ASEAN Secretariat and TAF.   

EXPECTED DELIVERABLES AND INDICATIVE TIMELINES

The research is expected to provide a case study or case studies from at least one ASEAN Member State on the chosen topic. The case(s) will show expressly how the preventative approach yielded clear and demonstrable results. The research will assess questions, including:

• Was the effort(s) at prevention pursuant to a strategy or carried out on an ad hoc basis? 
• What specific practices worked and did not work? 
• What challenges, whether surmountable or otherwise, would likely be common to other (even all) problems or contexts ripe for prevention? 
• What lessons were learned that might be transferrable to other situations? 
• And, most importantly, what evidence, by way of statistics, testimonies, patterns/trends, or expert reports, is there to support the positive conclusion?

The following deliverables are expected from the consultant within the maximum 35 days^[1]:

Timeline: Jun 2022

Activity: Develop research methodology (including the list of secondary source materials and proposed interviewees), design, and outline

Deliverable: Document outlining research methodology, design, and outline

Level of effort: 3 days

Timeline: Jun-Aug 2022

Activity: Collect data and analysis, write draft report

Deliverable: Draft report

Level of effort: 20 days

Timeline: Aug-Oct 2022

Activity: Revise and finalise draft report with inputs received from TAF and the ASEAN Secretariat

Deliverable: Final report

Level of effort: 5 days

Timeline: Sep-Oct 2022                       

Activity: Coordinate with video production company to develop a video or similar material

Deliverable: Video or similar material

Level of effort: 5 days

Timeline: Nov 2022

Activity: Present report at the ASEAN CoP Familiarisation Dialogue       

Deliverable: Presentation of findings    

Level of effort: 1 day

Timeline: Dec 2022      

Activity: Present report at public webinar on the ASEAN CoP     

Deliverable: Presentation of findings    

Level of effort: 1 day

All deliverables will be produced/delivered in English. The final research is expected to be 15-20 pages.  The timing of the Familiarisation Dialogue and webinar are indicative only and may occur in early 2023.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Postgraduate degree in a field related to the topics and/or at least 7 years of proven experience in a field related to the topics;
• Proven record of research experience, particularly in a field related to the topics. Samples of written work will be required as a basis for consideration;
• Proven ability to develop comprehensive and evidence-based analysis to inform policy makers;
• Ability to work cooperatively and respond constructively to requests and input from different stakeholders;
• Ability to deliver quality outputs within the timeframes stipulated;
• Excellent English writing, communication, and presentation skills.

MANAGEMENT ARRANGEMENT

The project will be implemented through a partnership between the ASEAN Secretariat and APSP, with the Asia Foundation (TAF) as the implementing agency. Technical backstopping for the research and related deliverables will be provided by the ASEAN Secretariat and TAF. TAF will be responsible for overseeing the consultant, his/her contract as well as his/her tasks and deliverables.

HOW TO APPLY

Interested candidates should submit a cover letter explaining which of the two focus topics s/he wishes to pursue. If a candidate wishes to pursue both topics, s/he should also explain that clearly. Candidates should also include a curriculum vitae. Send all materials by 10 May 2022 to Benjamin Zawacki at the Asia Foundation: benjamin.zawacki@asiafoundation.org. 

[1] 8 hours equals 1 day.