TERMS OF REFERENCE TO

1.0.        Background

As the world battled the novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), Uganda went into a partial lock down for over two months in 2020, characterized by unemployment, reduced economic activities and revenue generation, restrictions in the use of public and private transportation; restriction in movement of persons; lockdown of businesses not dealing in food and essential items; closure of international boundaries among other measures. This slowed down the performance of the economy, with great impact on business operations in the country, including 33.8% of women owned businesses in Uganda (National Small Business Survey). Many women operate small and medium businesses with start-up capital from microfinance institutions including women Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies (SACCOS), greatly characterized by basic formal social protection that would provide a buffer against economic distress, despite earning them a decent income and livelihood.

Government of Uganda took initiatives, through a stimulus package to respond to the effects of the pandemic including; passing a UGX 304bnsupplementary budget of which UGX 59.4bn was meant to support vulnerable groups including women.^[1] The Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MFPED) allocated UGX 94 billion for FY2020/21 to provide credit through SACCOs and Micro Finance Institutions to support micro and small-scale enterprises. Government provided capital to organized special interest groups under the Youth Fund, Women Entrepreneurship Fund and the ‘Emyooga’ Talent Support scheme; for which an allocation of UGX 256 Billion was made. In addition, UGX 555 billion was disbursed to Uganda Development Bank (UDB) in FY 2020/21 for lending enterprises affected by the COVID-19 pandemic to promote production especially for large enterprises to support the economy.[2] This was open to business operators, including those owned by women to invest into their businesses and overcome the COVID-19 shocks/effects. Government also set aside resources to act as incentives to support businesses especially those owned by women including tax waivers and deferrals to reactivate female owned businesses and facilitate quick recovery.^[3]

Whereas this is commendable, there is need to know the number of women – owned businesses that benefitted from the economic stimulus package, and the composition of their business enterprises.

The Civil Society Budget Advocacy Group (CSBAG) supported by UNWOMEN Uganda under the Spotlight Initiative would like to contract the services of a consultant(s) to undertake an assessment of access of the economic stimulus package by women in formal business. The assessment will detail the number of formal women owned businesses that benefitted from the stimulus packages, indicating the effects of COVID-19 on women’s businesses, and reasons for failure for those who were unable to access the package.

2.0.        Rationale of the study

Government of Uganda has undertaken many development initiatives to promote economic development of the population. However, little is known on the impact of these initiatives from a gender perspective, understanding how the women benefit and grow. The assessment will look at the extent to which the package targeted the women established businesses/groups to access credit.

Through this assessment, CSBAG would like to understand the extent to which women – owned businesses in the formal business environment benefitted from government’s economic stimulus to support their businesses and keep in operation. CSBAG would like to understand the women owned business enterprises that benefited from government stimulus packages in both Uganda Development Corporation and Microfinance Institutions to better understand the effectiveness of the strategies used and advocate for improvement based on gaps observed/shared.

The assessment will inform CSBAG’s advocacy and justification for the proportion that should be reserved for women owned businesses.

3.0.        Scope of the study

The study will cover the economic stimulus budget channeled through UDB, UDC and microfinance institutions in FY 2020/21 to provide credit to formal businesses.

• Specific Terms of Reference

The specific terms of reference for this assignment are:

1. Analyze access of formal women owned businesses to the economic stimulus package channeled through UDC and microfinance institutions as a response strategy by GoU to mitigate the effect of COVID 19, and how supportive these strategies were for women economic empowerment.
   1. Clearly indicate the number of beneficiaries from the specific interventions and amounts received plus the enterprises of operation
   1. Collect firsthand information from women businesses on their ability/inability to access the stimulus package
2. Identify factors that could have facilitated more/less women accessing and benefiting from these funds
3. Propose suitable policy and practical strategies that will make it easy for  more women to access to these funds for the mitigation of the COVID-19 impact

4.0.        Key Deliverables

The key deliverables of this assignment shall include;

1. An assessment report with clear analysis and facts on the available stimulus Government packages; factors facilitating/ constraining the access to the packages and possible recommendations.
2. Capture voices of women and men’s experiences in accessing these packages
3. 2 policy briefs on the gaps identified in access to the stimulus packages
4. Simplified guide on accessing funds from UDB, UDC and microfinance institutions

5.0.        Timeline

This assessment will be undertaken for a period of 3 months starting in September 2021 but not later than November 2021.

6.0.        Qualifications

The consultant should have the following qualifications.

• Degree in Economics, gender studies or related from a recognized institution of higher learning
• Should have a deeper understanding of private sector development, microfinance and banking.
• Possession of a post graduate qualification in Economics, Gender studies or related will be an added advantage.
• Qualified Females are encouraged to apply.
• Should have a clear understanding of local government policies and procedures.
• Should have a clear understanding Uganda`s budget process.

7.0.        Submission of proposals for the task

CSBAG is inviting proposals as specified in this Terms of Reference. Interested consultants/firms are requested to submit technical and financial proposals:

1. Only financial proposals quoted in UGX are permitted
2. The technical proposal should contain:
3. Description of the understanding of the tasks, including comments on the TORs;
4. A brief critique or advice on, what the TOR ought to have included or considered, from your understanding of the task
5. A description of the methodology to be followed, to achieve the desired objectives;
6. Work plan and time scheduling of information gathering and other activities; and
7. CVs of the consultants/firms

8.0.        Application Process

Interested candidates should electronically submit their application letter, updated CVs, technical and financial proposals and references for similar work conducted previously, addressed to the Executive Director, Civil Society Budget Advocacy Group (CSBAG), Plot 11 Vubyabirenge Close Ntinda-Stretcher Road, P. O. Box 660, Ntinda Kampala, Uganda. Email: hr@csbag.org CC: snampewo@csbag.org by 5:00pm 27^th August 2021.

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[1] Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development

[2] FY 2021/22 Budget Speech

[3] CSBAG, Economic Outlook