Consultancy Services for IEC Material

Introduction

1. Background

Cotton is one of the world’s most widely grown crops and is also the most used natural raw material in the textile industry. It is also one of the most heavily traded agricultural commodities and its value chain is long and complex. In the lower tiers of the cotton supply chain, workers still confront significant Fundamentals Principles and Rights at Work (FPRW) deficits, creating a challenging and often exploitative work environment. Struggling with poverty, they find themselves in informal settings, without access to credit or social protection schemes, and with limited awareness of their basic rights.

The practiced work arrangements in the lower tiers of the cotton value chain often involve child labour, forced labour and discrimination at workplace. Informal relations are considered more important in engaging labour and bargaining rather than accepting organized structure of labour unions based on the principle of freedom of association, collective bargaining and social dialogue. Workers’ personnel protection, health and safety are also not considered an important aspect of work ethics. Neither the farmers nor workers of this sector have proper knowledge about the importance of OSH. The local agri-based businesses are also usually not aware of their legal obligations or the concepts of social compliance under corporate social responsibility (CSR). The farmers and workers are also unaware about the importance and benefits of social finance.

Since all the above-mentioned tiers are located and mostly operate within the rural areas, this adds another difficulty of low literacy and awareness levels that makes the job more complex and challenging.

Addressing these multifaceted challenges is crucial to fostering an environment that upholds the principles of decent work for a fair and sustainable cotton supply chain.

2. Rise for Impact Project (ILO-INDITEX Phase 2)

The International Labour Organization (ILO) is the only tripartite UN agency that deals with work and workplace issues, rights and standards. The ILO is devoted to promoting social justice and internationally recognized human and labour rights, pursuing its founding mission that social justice is essential to universal and lasting peace.

The ILO and INDITEX, one of the world’s largest fashion retailers, entered into a partnership in 2017 to promote an integrated approach to FPRW in the cotton supply chain in target countries. The first phase of the project carried out in three countries (India, Pakistan and Mali) produced useful insights in promoting FPRW in the lower tiers of the cotton supply chain. Backed by this success, ILO and INDITEX decided to extend their partnership for a second phase. This new, three year project will operate in Pakistan, India and Uzbekistan as well as at the global level.

Assignment

With the above background, the ILO’s project working on the cotton supply chain foresees many of its activities requiring Informational Educational and Communicational (IEC) material on OSH and social finance to convey the messages to local stakeholders more easily and appropriately. Also, to leave these messages with them as reminders to practice these messages in their daily life over the longer run.

To educate and raise awareness among cotton farmers, workers, and other stakeholders about relevant labor laws, safety and health, and the benefits of social finance, it is essential to develop IEC materials. These materials should be based on indigenous practices, traditions, and workplace ethics within the cotton supply chain and translated into local languages—Urdu, Saraiki, Sindhi, and Balochi—so that individuals can easily understand their basic rights and know where to seek help if their rights are infringed.

During the development and designing phases of this IEC material, made pictorial by using pictures, diagrams, signs and symbols with a tagline and short explanation to facilitate the farmers, workers and other stakeholders understanding of Occupational Safety and Health, and Social Finance such as bank accounts, savings, credit and insurance.

1. Objective

The objective of the consultancy is to develop IEC material on occupational safety and health and social finance in English and translate the same in local languages i.e. Urdu, Saraiki, Sindhi and Balochi to raise awareness among cotton growers and other relevant stakeholders in the cotton supply chain in Pakistan.

2. Tasks

The company/organization selected will be expected to complete the following tasks:

i) The consultant company or organization will conduct a knowledge gap analysis to determine which messages to convey about OSH and Social Finance. The company/organization may also conduct a field visit to assess what messages need to be communicated and to capture high-quality photos. For social finance, the basic messaging will focus on how financial services such as savings, credit, and insurance can help. Given their distinct propositions, it is advisable to create separate materials—leaflets/posters for each. The goal is to help farmers and farm workers understand how a bank account can help them manage their finances, how credit can enhance productivity by providing access to better inputs such as seeds, and how insurance can protect them and their farms against unforeseen production and personal/household risks. The ILO will share some available photographs and sample materials on these topics, such as those available on the ILO’s Trello.

ii) Develop and design 5 posters in English showing before-and-after improvement examples (graphical figures) in key OSH areas such as materials handling, workstations, safe use of machinery and electricity, physical environments (lighting, heat, dust, noise, chemicals, etc.), separate toilets for men and women and other workplace welfare facilities.

iii) Develop and design 5 posters in English using images of real workers with messages/taglines on OSH good practices.

iv) Develop and design 6 posters in English (3 using images and 3 using graphical figures) on the importance and benefits of social finance like having a bank account, savings, credit and insurance. Note: The issues are mainly related to the availability, awareness, understanding and accessibility of financial services.

v) Correct and professionally vetted translation of all above-mentioned posters (reference serial number 2, 3 and 4) in local languages i.e., Urdu, Saraiki, Sindhi and Balochi.

The final products will be compliant with the ILO branding rules.

Pictures should focus on one worker, showing their faces. The written agreement of each workers should be received to use their pictures, and submitted to the ILO with the materials

3. Timeframe and deliverables

The following deliverables are expected from the consultant company/organization:

1. Deliverable 1: Knowledge gap analysis: Within three working weeks (15 days) from the date of signing the contract (task i above).

2. Deliverables 2 to 4: Based on feedback from the ILO on deliverable 1, submit first draft designed all aforementioned posters (reference to tasks ii to iv above) covering content in English, disclaimer and copyright lines for the ILO’s review and comments within 20 working after receiving feedback from the ILO on deliverable 1.

3. Revised deliverables 2 to 4 with integrated feedback from the ILO within two working weeks (10 days) after receiving inputs from the ILO.

4. Deliverable 5: After finalization of the English version of deliverables 2 to 4 and satisfactory acceptance/clearance by the ILO, the consultant company or organization will professionally translate and submit the first designed deliverables 2 to 4 in local languages i.e., Urdu, Saraiki, Sindhi and Balochi to ILO for the feedback, within 20 days after clearance of English version of all the materials/posters (reference to task v).

5. Submission of revised deliverables 2 to 5 in the above-mentioned local languages within 2 working weeks after receiving inputs from the ILO.

6. Deliverable 6 (corresponding to the final version of deliverables 1 to 5): The consultant company/organization shall submit final deliverables integrating comments from the ILO and final and correct deliverables duly reviewed and vetted by the professional and concerned translators.

Note: The consultant firm/organization shall submit source files of all materials with the ILO in printable versions and appropriate software/s.

Payment terms

The total amount of the contract will be paid as follows:

• The first payment amounting to 20% of the value of contract, will be paid upon completion and delivery of deliverable 1 (mentioned in serial number 1 under “timeframe and deliverables” section) and to the satisfaction of the project team and upon submission of an invoice to the ILO.

• The second instalment amounting to 40% of the value of contract, will be paid upon the submission of deliverables 2 to 5 under “timeframe and deliverables” section and to the satisfaction of the project team and upon submission of an invoice to the ILO.

• The third and final instalment amounting to 40% of the value of contract, will be paid upon the submission of final deliverables (reference 6 under “timeframe and deliverables” section) and subject to the satisfaction of the ILO and upon submission of an invoice to the ILO.

Conditions

1. Required qualifications and skills of the applicant

➢ Minimum five-year experience of the company/organization in the relevant field.

➢ Organizational profile in relevance with the ToRs;

➢ Demonstration of understanding about the assignment.

➢ Team structure with relevant qualification and experience.

➢ Knowledge of the ILO branding guidelines and style guide will be an asset.

2. Management arrangements

The Company/Organization will complete the assignment in close coordination with the National Project Coordinator based in ILO’s field Office in Lahore, Pakistan, and other ILO staff as relevant.

3. Responsibilities of the ILO

The ILO will provide the necessary funding to the Company/organization as well as the technical support to guide the performance of the work. The ILO will review all outputs/deliverables and proposals of the Company/Organization to check compliance with these TOR and their relevance in terms of the broader context.

Contact

In case of questions on these terms of reference, please contact: Ijaz Ahmed, ILO National Project Coordinator, at ahmedijaz@ilo.org