The Danish Disability Fund

The Danish Disability Fund 1. Cover page J.no. ( to be filled by DPOD) HP

SHORT-TERM CONSULTANT & VOLUNTEER (up to 200.000 DKK.)

Applied for (please tick): Specialist Experienced volunteer V Inexperienced volunteer

Intervention title: Supporting the Danish – Nepal disability collaboration

Applicant Danish organisation NB: Financial responsible, although not applicant organisation: (financial responsible) Disabled People’s Organisations Denmark (DH/DPOD) Other Danish partner(s), if any: NB: Applicant organisations: Dansk Handicap Idrætsforbund (DHIF); Foreningen af Danske Døvblinde (FDDB); Landsforeningen Autisme (LA); Stammeforeningen i Danmark (FSD); Danish Association of Affective Disorders (Depfor) (any other organisation who starts cooperation in Nepal under the Disability Fund will be able to join as a partner to this application during the period) Local partner organisation(s): Nepal Spinal Injury Sports Association (NSCISA); National Federation of the Deaf Nepal (NDFN); Autism Care Nepal Society (ACNS); Nepal Stutters Association (NSA); Koshish National Mental Health Self-Help Organisation (KOSHISH) (any organisation starting a partnership with organisations joining this application during the period will be a ‘local’ partner organisation to this application) Country(-ies): Nepal Country’s BNI per capita: 2,420 (current int. $, PPP, 2014) Source:http://databank.worldbank.org/data/reports.aspx?source=2&country=NPL&series=&period= Commencement date: Completion date: Total number of months: 01-01-2016 31-12-2016 12 Contact person for the secondment: Name: Ina Lykke Jensen Email address: [email protected] Telephone nr.: 30283539 Amount requested from the Annual intervention cost: Danish Disability Fund: (Total amount requested divided by number of project years) DKK 164,800 DKK 164,800 Is this a re-submission? (i.e. a revised application, which has previously been submitted) [X] No [ ] Yes, previous date of application: Is this a: [ ] A new intervention? [X] An intervention in extension of a project previously supported by DPOD, Danida or others? In which language should the response letter from the Danish Disability Fund be written (choose one): [ ] Danish [X] English

1 THE DANISH DISABILITY FUND – Short-term secondment and volunteers (up to 200.000 DKK.) Summary of the short-term secondment Fire danske handicaporganisationer er pt. aktive i Nepal med midler fra Handicappuljen og i samarbejde med nepalesiske partnerorganisationer, mens yderligere en organisation er undervejs med opstart af et samarbejde (Depressionsforeningen). De seneste 15 år har en nepalesisk liaison officer været engageret, først gennem Miniprogrammet og senest Handicappuljen. Fælles for organisationerne er, at de er meget engagerede i projekter/aktiviteter med partnerne, men at de i forhold til det internationale udviklingsarbejde har begrænsede ressourcer (mht. frivillige/ansatte med dette som ansvarsområde). Det har vist sig at være en fordel for de ansøgende organisationer og DH at dele en medarbejder i Nepal, da det har bidraget til større synergi og erfaringsudveksling, og det betyder at medarbejderen har oparbejdet en str og bred erfaring at trække på. Hertil kommer at engelsk-niveauet i flere af de nepalesiske organisationer ikke er højt, og kulturforskellen mellem Danmark og Nepal opleves at kunne skabe misforståelser og uenigheder i et projektsamarbejde. Hovedformålet med denne ansøgning er at sikre støtte til projektimplementeringen, kapacitetsopbygning og øget koordinering.

8th December 2015 Date Person responsible (signature)

Taastrup Ina Lykke Jensen, programme coordinator / advisor Place Person responsible and position (block letters)

2 The Danish Disability Fund 2. Application text

A. THE PARTNERS

A.1 The Danish organisation, A.2 Other Danish partners and A.3 The local partner organisation

NB: This is an application for a continuation of the liaison officer to Nepal for Danish DPO’s with active partnerships in Nepal financed under the Disability Fund. Thus, as last year and lacking a more suitable format, this format is used although it is not an application for a short term consultant or a volunteer. Further, as the financially responsible organisation (DPOD) is not actually an applicant partner to the project and as it involves a range of member organisations and their partner organisations, section A.1, A.2 and A.3 is merged in this application.

Four DPO’s are currently active in Nepal under the Disability Fund, and an additional organisation is starting up project activities. In some of the organisations, volunteers coordinate and undertake all communication with their partner organisation in Nepal (FSD), while other organisations have an employee or head of secretariat with this responsibility as an additional and/or minor component of their job assignments (LA, FDDB, and DHIF).

For 13 years up until 2013, the development projects in Nepal by Danish disability organisations have been supported by a Nepal-based employee under the ‘Mini-programmet’. Since 2014 DPOD’s member organisations active in Nepal have jointly employed a Liaison Officer in Nepal under the Disability Fund to address the various needs for support in their project cooperation in Nepal, including: - Following up on project activities in between visits from the Danish organisation. - Ensuring mutual understanding in the communication between partner organisations. - Supporting coordination and experience exchange across the Nepalese partner organisations of the Danish member organisations of DPOD.

Current projects or latest approved applications for projects in Nepal by the member organisations participating in this application:  Dansk Handicap Idrætsforbund (DHIF) and partner organisation Nepal Spinal Injury Sports Association (NSCISA): MP 300 (a new application has been submitted but not yet approved (HP 317-097)).  Stammeforeningen i Danmark (FSD) and partner organisation Nepal Stutters Association (NSA): MP 258.  Landsforeningen Autisme (LA) and partner organisation Autism Care Nepal Society (ACNS): HP 317- 078.  Foreningen af Danske Døvblinde (FDDB) and partner organisation National Federation of the Deaf Nepal (NDFN): HP 317-069.

Similar to 2015, the current Liaison Officer will in 2016 support the partnership of DPOD and NFDN, undertaking a CISU-funded project as well as activities under the DPOD-Danida Framework Agreement which is estimated to cover approximately 20 % of the Liaison Officer’s time, while also undertaking work for the Norwegian umbrella organisation Norwegian Federation of Organizations of Disabled People (FFO) occupying 20 % of the work plan. Thus, this application covers 60 % of the expenses related to full time employment of the Liaison Officer. Sharing Liaison Officer has proven to be a very good way of strengthening

3 THE DANISH DISABILITY FUND – Short-term secondment and volunteers (up to 200.000 DKK.) coordination between the support to NFDN by both DPOD and FFO and the support to NFDN’s member organisations by Danish DPO. As DPOD is also fund manager of the Disability Fund, DPOD has offered to undertake the financial and contractual role of the application as well as of the employment of the Liaison Officer.

A.4 The cooperative relationship and its prospects: Is the cooperation between the Danish applicant and the local partner known by the Danish Disability Fund and described in another/other application(s) within the past 12 months?

Yes X Please, insert the 6-digit no./HP no.: 317-067 No

B. BACKGROUND FOR SECONDING A CONSULTANT/VOLUNTEER

B.1 Preparation The need for a Liaison Officer in Nepal has been confirmed during 2015 through meetings with the Danish disability organisations and their partners (Nepal Country Group meetings and individual meetings in Denmark and quarterly country group meetings for partners in Nepal). The application has been developed based on the 2015 application, learning acquired throughout the year as well as developments expected in 2016. The draft application and specific roles and responsibilities of the Liaison Officer have been reviewed by all participating organisations.

The current Liaison Officer, Renu Lohani, has been employed by DPOD and the Danish disability organisations for more than 15 years, and is therefore a trusted and appreciated advisor for both DPOD and the Danish organisations. The specific criteria which are considered by the applying organisations include:  Relevant education and skills as well as many years of experience within disability - and development work.  Good management skills including experience with preparation of budgets and accounts, project management, general planning and development of strategies.  Solid experience with organisational work.  Analytic skills and ability to think strategically and innovative in terms of project design and implementation of the Disability Fund.  Ability to plan and work independently and with limited support from DPOD in Denmark.  Good sense of the political aspects of disability organisations in Nepal.  Profound knowledge regarding the political, social and economic situation in Nepal.  Sense of team work, including a high degree of integrity and commitment to achieve results through collaboration and negotiation.  Solid knowledge about the Danish Development Policy, the Danida Civil Society Policy and guidelines of the Disability Fund.  Good writing and communication skills in both Nepali and English.

B.2 The context in which the short-term secondment will take place The Liaison Officer represents in Nepal DPOD and the applicant organisations, and related to this application have been given responsibilities regarding monitoring of and support to the implementation of projects in Nepal funded by the Disability Fund. The Liaison Officer will support the member organisations

4 The Danish Disability Fund in ensuring that specific needs of disabled people in Nepal are met through the activities, that a lasting impact is pursued and that all relevant guidelines and strategies of Danida and DPOD are followed. As mentioned in section A, the needs of the Danish disability organisations addressed by the Liaison Officer relates to follow-up, communication and understanding, as well as coordination.

It is the role of the Liaison Officer to assist and guide Danish DPO’s along with partners in Nepal regarding initiation, appraisal, monitoring and evaluation of workshops, seminars, projects and other activities funded by the Disability Fund. Furthermore the Liaison Officer sustains contact and networking with relevant local and international parties on behalf of DPOD and the Danish DPO’s, such as The Royal Danish Embassy, Nepalese authorities, INGOs funding the Disability movement of Nepal, The Social Welfare Council, etc.

In 2015 the objectives have been achieved to the following extent:

Obj. 1: Facilitate and support a good and fluent communication between the partners in Denmark and Nepal. Support the implementation of activities in Nepal funded by the Disability Fund. Success criteria: Ensure that the Disability Fund activities in Nepal are in line with the DPOD country strategy, the relevant strategies of the Disability Fund and the Danida Civil Society Policy.

The Liaison officer meets with each Nepali partner to the Danish applicant organisations with varied frequency, depending on request and need. With some organisations, the Liaison Officer participates in the monthly project management meetings and provides feedback and support. The Liaison Officer supervises quarterly the accounts of Danish funded project activities. The Liaison Officer supports the bi-annual audit carried out by external auditor and ensures that the report is forwarded to the Danish partner organisation. Usually the Nepali partner meets with the liaison officer before writing to their partner in Denmark. If there is confusion or delay in response in the communication, the liaison officer is contacted by both Nepali and their Danish partners.

During 2015, FDDB visited their partners twice with the main focus on providing deafblind-specific training to partner organisations and target groups. The Liaison Officer participated with logistics and support during the visit and trainings. DHIF visited for project development workshop partly facilitated by the Liaison Officer as well as providing assistance through translations to and from Nepali and English language. FSD visited during spring, and the liaison officer.

Further, the Liaison Officer introduced and supported the Danish Association of Affective Disorders to the Koshish National Mental Health Self-Help Organisation and has further supported the process of drafting the pre-appraisal application currently underway.

Obj. 2: Build the capacity of partner organisations in project management through meetings and training workshop. Success criteria: Participate in project formulation of new DPOD funded projects in Nepal.

The Liaison officer provided project planning and management training, and partnership capacity building to NSCISA (partner of DHIF). Further, the Liaison Officer supported the DHIF team from Denmark in the development of their new project application.

The Liaison Officer provided support to Autism Care Nepal Society in developing a project application for 2015-17, based on feedback from the Disability Fund Grant Committee to the first application which was

5 THE DANISH DISABILITY FUND – Short-term secondment and volunteers (up to 200.000 DKK.) rejected. The new application was approved and the project is currently under implementation. An application for participation in the global line training at Egmont Folk High School was supported.

The Liaison Officer also supported Nepal Stutters’ Association and their Danish partner FSD in developing a partnership application.

The Liaison officer has also supported NSCISA to apply for funding through Nepal government, which has been successful. Also, the Liaison Officer provided the contact and support to partners of FDDB in applying to the Abilis Foundation.

During 2015, discussions on capacity building of the Liaison Officer have taken place, which also attempts to address the advices in the DPOD approval note. This has so far resulted in participation in a 3 weeks DFC course on organisational change management during November 2015. Further training in 2015 might be pursued, and emphasis in 2016 will be put on how to ensure that this learning will contribute to a strengthened role in the capacity building of the Nepalese disability organisations.

Obj. 3: Ensure information and experience sharing across the relevant partner organisations. Success criteria: Establish good networks and coordination with other donors working with disability in Nepal.

The Liaison Officer has organised two partners’ meetings for information sharing and better collaboration, as well as a half day workshop on needs assessment after earth quake of 25th April. Minutes from the meetings are shared with both Nepali and Danish organisations. Further, information has been shared on relevant developments in Nepal with all the Danish organisations.

The liaison officer has also participated in the disability working group of INGOs sharing and obtaining information valuable to the work of the Nepalese partner organisations. Further, the Liaison Officer represents the Danish DPO’s in meetings at the Royal Danish Embassy and the Norwegian Embassy, sharing information on the work on disability with other (Danish) NGOs working in Nepal. She also participates in the meeting invited by the Ministry of Women Children and Social Welfare as well as other relevant ministries of the Nepal Government.

Further, the Liaison Officer is playing a vital role in strengthening the coordination between the activities supported by FFO and DPOD to the NFDN and among the activities funded via the Disability Fund. With the Disability Fund, this role is increasing important. DPOD and the Danish Disability organisations active in Nepal will in 2016 pursue an update of a country strategy, as the latest country strategy for DPOD’s and its member organisations’ work in Nepal is outdated and primarily analytical and less strategic. The purpose of the country strategy is to provide a better picture of existing opportunities and ultimately direct focus on the changes that DPOD and its member organisations will contribute to through its partnerships. The Liaison Officer is expected to play a key role in this process, also ensuring proper participation of the Nepali organisations.

DPOD, the Danish DPO’s and Renu has agreed to seek to continue with Renu Lohani in the position in 2016, covering employment and office costs in a co-financing model with 40 % paid by FFO and DPOD, and hereby applying the Disability Fund to cover the remaining 60 %, which is equivalent to the amount of time spent by the Liaison Officer on tasks related to the partnerships of Danish disability organisations with Nepalese organisations (based on time register). The Liaison Officer is currently working from a home based office. However, there are plans to look into shared office solutions to increase the professional linkages and sparring opportunities with likeminded organisations. The terms of employment will be outlined in a renewed contract based on the existing contract for 2015 between Renu Lohani and DPOD.

6 The Danish Disability Fund

C. WORK DESCRIPTION

C.1 Objectives and success criteria Specific objectives for the Liaison Officer position regarding the 60 % of a full time position allocated to the development work in Nepal of DPOD member organisations in 2016 are:

1. Facilitate and support a good and fluent communication between the partners in Denmark and Nepal and support the implementation of activities in Nepal funded by the Disability Fund. Success criteria: Ensure that the Disability Fund activities in Nepal are in line with the relevant strategies and guidelines of the Disability Fund and the Danida Civil Society Policy.

2. Build the capacity of partner organisations in project management through meetings and training workshops. Success criteria: Participate in project formulation of new DPOD funded projects in Nepal.

3. Ensure information and experience sharing across the relevant partner organisations and contribute to increased coordination across. Success criteria: Contribute to the development of a country strategy.

C.2 Activities In collaboration with the member organisation, the Liaison Officer will plan the activities taking into account the different needs at different times by the different organisations. The division of time on a yearly basis among the different member organisations will be based on needs and requests. Until now this system has functioned well with the satisfaction of all organisations.

Key activities are: - Meetings with Nepali partner organisations to the Danish applicant organisations. - Participation in key activities of the Nepali organisations, including monitoring of project implementation. - Arrange partners’ meetings for coordination and capacity building. - Assist and support Nepali partner organisations with project development, implementation and M&E. - Assist country strategy development.

The primary duties of the Liaison Officer in relation to the applicant organisations are (a full job description is attached in Annex 2):  Assist the Nepalese partners of the Danish member organisations to fill in the needed formats for approval of projects by the Social Welfare Council and program districts in Nepal and liaise with relevant authorities to obtain the needed approvals as fast as possible.  Facilitate and guide collaboration between Nepalese and Danish DPO partners in collaboration with the involved parties. Guidance, participation and facilitation will primarily relate to planning, implementation and monitoring of activities funded by the Disability Fund, such as projects, workshops and seminars.  Provide capacity building training to partners on project management and handling of budgets as per Danida guidelines when requested.

7 THE DANISH DISABILITY FUND – Short-term secondment and volunteers (up to 200.000 DKK.)  Arrange logistics for the visiting Danish colleagues and assist in preparing for consultative meetings with relevant stakeholders.  Facilitate pre-appraisals, monitoring visits and evaluations in Nepal involving representatives of Danish DPOs. The facilitation may involve meetings with disability DPOs and government officials as well as contact to relevant local, national and international stakeholders.  Provide suggestion and feedback needed in the quarterly and by-annual project reports from Nepalese partners to Danish member organisations and DPOD.  Facilitate initiation of new collaborations and ideas or activities between Danish member organisations and Nepalese DPOs.  Support the member organisation and their Nepalese partners in writing project proposals.  Facilitate quarterly meetings with the Nepalese DPOs receiving funding from the Danish Disability Grant.  Provide relevant and country specific input to guidelines and strategies of the Disability Fund.  Supervise the accounts of the Nepali partners quarterly and together with the auditor carry out the bi-annual and annual audits and ensure that the report are sent to Denmark and Norway as per contract. The Liaison Officer will carry out these activities from January 1st, 2016 to December 31st, 2016.

Costs of two of the quarterly meetings with the Nepalese DPOs will be covered within the budget of this application, while member organisations in turn will host the other two meetings in 2016, where only transportation and translation expenses are covered by this application. This is a continuation of the current practice, which is working well.

C.3 Assumptions and risks There are no critical assumptions or risks associated with the Liaison Officer position, as it is a continuation of an existing and well-known employment situation. All applicant organisations support this joint position and find it highly relevant and necessary.

C.4 Monitoring and documentation Since the Liaison Officer will work for a number of organisations, the monitoring will be done during project visits to Nepal by the member organisations and DPOD as well as through the regular communication between each organisation and the Liaison officer. If needed, any issues regarding the position of the Liaison officer will be discussed by the Nepal Country Group in Denmark, and any changes to the Liaison Officer’s job description related to the work covered by this application will be decided jointly by the Nepal Country Group based on the monitoring results and the input from the Nepalese organisations.

The Liaison Officer has submitted an overall annual budget for the activities included in this application. The Liaison Officer registers her time spent on each organisation which is sent to DPOD along with monthly accountabilities of expenses. The Liaison officer may be involved in the quarterly or biannual reporting of the Nepali organisations to their Danish counterparts. Further, the Liaison Officer will collate a final report by the end of the year accounting for the main activities as well as the progress against the success criteria in this application.

3. Budget summary

8 The Danish Disability Fund

Budget summary Currency

Indicate the total cost (i.e. including contributions from the 258,067 DKK Disability Fund as well as others)

Of this, the Disability Fund is to contribute 164,800 DKK

Of this, indicate the amount to be contributed by other sources, including self-funding by the Danish organisation or its local 93,267 DKK partner, if any

Indicate total cost in local currency 3,508,353 NPR

Indicate exchange rate applied 0,068 NPR/DKK

Financing plan Main budget items: Full amount Of this, from the Of this, from other Disability Fund sources

1. Activities 55,400 35,400 20,000 2. Short-term seconded staff 183,168 109,901 73,267 3. Disability compensation 0 0 0 4. Budget margin (a minimum of 6% and a 8,718 8,718 0 maximum of 10% of budget line 1-3) 5. Project expenses in total (budget line 1-4) 247,286 154,019 93,267 6. Auditing in Denmark 0 0 0 7. Subtotal (budget line 5-6) 247,286 154,019 93,267 8. Administration in Denmark (a maximum 7% of 10,781 10,781 the subtotal 7.) 9. Total 258,067 164,800 93,267

4. Annexes

Annex no. Annex title 1 Budget 2 Job description

9 THE DANISH DISABILITY FUND – Short-term secondment and volunteers (up to 200.000 DKK.)