ISCOS
ISCOS is a non-governmental organisation (NGO) founded in 1983, drawing on the experience of the CISL trade union, to promote international cooperation initiatives and projects in accordance with the principles of solidarity, social justice, human dignity and peace. Our priorities are: the defence of trade union freedoms and human rights; the fight against poverty and discrimination; and support for communities affected by natural disasters and wars. ISCOS has been active in Pakistan since the early 1990s, carrying out initiatives in vocational training and the fight against malnutrition.
BELIEF PROJECT
The project aims to support Christian communities in the province of Punjab by addressing their basic needs, safeguarding their rights, promoting socio-economic inclusion, and fostering reconciliation and interfaith dialogue in Pakistan. In particular, the initiatives aim to improve the socio-economic inclusion of predominantly Christian communities within an environment more conducive to interfaith dialogue. These predominantly Christian communities will see improved access to quality education and training services and will be able to acquire greater knowledge and opportunities to enjoy their fundamental rights.
Activities:
- Vocational training and support for employment opportunities
- Improving educational facilities for vulnerable students
- Promoting peaceful coexistence and combating discrimination through interfaith dialogue
- Training on social and labour rights aimed at workers in low-paid and low-skilled jobs
- Raising awareness of hygiene and health
- Combating prejudice through direct engagement and mutual understanding
Beneficiaries
In total, the project aims to reach: 17,578 direct beneficiaries (52% women) and 133,046 indirect beneficiaries,
Funding Body
Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS)
OBJECTIVES OF THE FINAL EXTERNAL EVALUATION
General Objective
The Final External Evaluation will assess the progress and measurability of the Initiative’s RBM component; it will analyse and evaluate the verification methods set out in the DUP, the progress of activities against expected outcomes, and the operational effectiveness of the partner network, ensuring the traceability and measurability of the indicators used (and updated, for both baseline and final values, as per the AICS letter approving the First Interim Report) in the DUP. It will analyse progress in the implementation of activities and seek to ascertain the extent to which the expected outputs and outcomes have been achieved in accordance with the logical framework (verifying that the baseline values have been updated and that this update has been consistently reflected in the final values), identifying improvements to be made in the implementation of the project in the future. The monitoring of indicators was carried out by a third-party organisation engaged locally.
The purpose of the project’s final external evaluation is to provide an overall assessment of the activities carried out, the achievement of targets and the results obtained. The findings and recommendations arising from the evaluation will be used to plan a possible new phase of the project, thereby ensuring continuity and improvement in the actions undertaken.
This evaluation will also serve to highlight the best practices and lessons learnt during the project, which will be shared with both the partners and the donor; the results of the external evaluation will be presented to the donor, and the key aspects of the project relevant to future interventions will be discussed.
Key areas of focus for the evaluation will be:
- the improvement of the educational provision at the vocational schools involved in the project;
- raising awareness within the vocational schools and the communities involved on various issues, including: gender equality, the promotion of cultural and religious diversity and integration, the promotion of a peaceful and non-violent culture, educational inclusion, and workers’ rights and responsibilities.
Specific objectives
- To assess the relevance of the project from its formulation stage, in terms of the needs of the target groups and any changes that have occurred in the context;
- to identify challenges and recommend corrective actions to achieve the results, taking into account aspects of sustainability and relevance;
- to identify lessons learnt and best practices;
- to identify the factors that facilitated or hindered the achievement of the results and the implementation of the strategy developed;
- to measure effectiveness and assess the extent to which the initial objectives have been achieved in terms of their results-orientation;
- assess the project’s efficiency in terms of the optimal use of human, financial and material resources in relation to the results achieved;
- analyse the results achieved with regard to the integration of the gender dimension;
- analyse the changes brought about and their impact, based on the positive effects in consultation forums, the influence on public policies, and the level of participation and strengthening of CSOs, institutions and communities;
- analyse the elements of sustainability (technical, environmental, institutional, financial), incorporating horizontal criteria (gender approach) and qualitative criteria (skills and capacities acquired, level of participation achieved, adaptability, changes brought about);
Requirements for the Assessor
- The assessor must, where possible, be registered on the registers of assessors maintained by the MAECI and/or the AICS and/or other public bodies;
- They must not have, nor must they have had in the three years prior to the submission of the proposal, any ongoing working relationship with the Implementing Body, and they must not be carrying out more than three evaluations of projects co-financed by the AICS for the Implementing Body at the same time;
- They must not be in a situation of conflict of interest with ISCOS;
- Proven experience of at least 10 years in cooperation projects or having carried out at least 12 external monitoring and evaluation assignments for development projects, preferably in the fields of vocational training, education and interfaith dialogue between West and South Asia.
- Excellent knowledge of English. Knowledge of Urdu or Punjabi will be considered an advantage.
The working methodology proposed by the Evaluator must include:
- An initial phase of document analysis (5–7 days)
- A fieldwork period for the External Evaluator of at least 10 days
- A third phase of analysis and drafting of the final report (8–10 days)
The following must be submitted:
- 1 preliminary report (methodological framework and timetable);
- 1 report on the fieldwork carried out;
- 1 final report.
The Final Evaluation methodology will be based on the guidelines set out in the ‘MAECI Operational Manual for Monitoring and Evaluation’ and will adopt a participatory approach in which the target groups will play a leading role throughout the entire process.
Implementation period
The Final External Evaluation will take place during the last three months of the project, namely between October and mid-November 2026.
Remuneration
Upon completion of all activities, the evaluator will be paid a lump sum of €10,400.00, which includes: the cost of a return flight to Pakistan, insurance, transport costs in Italy, and a daily allowance, half of which is payable in advance and the balance upon submission of the evaluation report.
Code of Conduct
The evaluator must adhere to the following code of conduct:
- Maintain independence of judgement
- Act impartially and objectively
- Disclose any potential conflict of interest
- Respect confidentiality
- Use data and information responsibly
- Provide constructive feedback
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted, even before the vacancy deadline.