Introduction

The Fred Hollows Foundation (The Foundation) is a secular non-profit public health organisation based in Australia, which was founded in 1992 by eminent eye surgeon Professor Fred Hollows. The Foundation focuses on strengthening eye health systems and the treatment and prevention of avoidable blindness caused by Cataract, Trachoma, Diabetic Retinopathy, and Refractive Error. The Foundation operates in more than 20 countries across Australia, The Pacific, South and Southeast Asia, and Africa. The Foundation was named The Australian Charity of the Year 2013 in the inaugural Australian Charity Awards.

The Foundation in Pakistan has been working with the Government of Pakistan and other partners towards the goal of eliminating avoidable blindness in the country. The Foundation is a key stakeholder in the National Program for Eye Health in Pakistan and has made major contributions to the strengthening of the public eye health care system in the country following the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended Health Systems Strengthening approach. From the beginning, The Fred Hollows Foundation Pakistan (FHFP) has implemented multiple projects that focus on cataract surgeries, systems development and strengthening, refractive error and subspecialities in different parts of the country. The current project i.e., Comprehensive Eye Care for Female Agriculture and Garment Factory Workers is based on the same approach.

Project background

The project originated from the implementation of “Comprehensive Eye Care for Female Agriculture & Cottage Industry Workers Phase I Project (CEC Phase I)”. During the project implementation it was observed that women who were working in sectors other than bangle manufacture and agriculture also face hurdles in accessing eye care services. (i.e., textile/garments, sports goods, and other small/medium industries). Similarly, women working in the agriculture sector were being referred from districts other than our targeted districts; for example, women were travelling from Vehari, Lodhran, Bahawalpur and Okara. These are also agriculture-based districts and have a high load of cataract cases, where women have less awareness of seeking eye care services and limited resources. This indicated that demand for gender sensitive eye care for female agriculture workers is high in Punjab and Sindh as both are predominately agriculture-based provinces.

The project aims to increase access to inclusive, equitable and quality Integrated People-Centred Eye Care (IPEC) services (Cataract and Refractive error) for Female Agriculture and Garment Factory workers in Lahore, Vehari, Bahawalpur, Lodhran, Sanghar and Thatta over the period of four years from October 2023-September 2027. This project is designed to ensure full participation of all beneficiaries regardless of their ethnic background, gender, religion, language, poverty, or disability. The most vulnerable groups, particularly women and persons with disabilities, will be encouraged to maximize their participation in the project. In addition, the project is providing promotive, preventive, and curative eye health services whilst also ensuring that the use of these services does not expose the beneficiaries to financial hardship, therefore contributing to UHC. About 500,000 female agriculture and garment industry workers in Punjab (Lahore, Vehari and Bahawalpur districts) and Sindh (Sanghar and Thatta districts) will directly benefit from this project. The project will upgrade eye

care services through provision of high quality, efficient and cost-effective technology at the primary and secondary levels of the health system, closer to the community to allow better access for women. Appropriate eye health personnel will be trained to provide quality preventive, promotional & curative eye care services. The project will strengthen referral systems from community to secondary level health facilities and raise awareness on prevention & promotion of eye health. The project will integrate eye health into the existing social security structures through multi-sectoral engagement & effective partnerships. The project will work closely with relevant health departments under the provincially devolved public health system as well as work with private/charity organizations, in addition to any existing health and welfare programmes already in place.

Expected Outcomes of the Project:

• Quality gender sensitive & inclusive IPEC services are established in agricultural districts by 2027.
• Increased awareness of eye health care and available services amongst female agriculture and garment factory workers and other stakeholders.
• Increased number of women seeking eye health care amongst garment factory workers in the targeted factories
• Increased availability of affordable quality RE and cataract treatment for poor communities, elderly women, and all workers
• Increased partner capacity and ownership of inclusive IPEC services

Purpose of the Consultancy

In Pakistan, persons with disabilities (PWDs) and women face significant barriers to accessing quality eye health services due to societal stigma, lack of accessible infrastructure, and insufficient awareness among healthcare providers. To address these challenges, FHF seeks to promote equitable access to eye health care for all, ensuring no one is left behind.

Objectives:

The primary objectives of the orientation workshop are as follows:

• Capacity Building: Provide DPOs with a comprehensive understanding of gender and disability-inclusive eye health care principles and practices.
• Advocacy Enhancement: Strengthen the capacity of DPOs and develop a concise advocacy one-page key messages document to advocate for inclusive eye health services and policies at the provincial level.
• Tools and Strategies: Equip DPOs with tools and strategies for effectively advocating for the rights of PWDs and women in eye health contexts.
• Collaboration: Encourage collaboration between DPOs, healthcare providers, and policymakers to ensure inclusive eye health services.

Consultancy scope and key questions Scope of Work:

The Consultant(s) will be responsible for the following tasks:

1.      Workshop Design and Development:

• Develop a detailed workshop agenda covering key topics and activities related to gender and disability-inclusive eye health care.
• Design and develop training materials, including presentations and handouts, ensuring they are accessible and tailored to the needs of DPOs.
• Incorporate case studies, best practices, and interactive discussions to facilitate learning and practical application.
• Create a training manual/Module for participants enabling DPOs to cascade training at the field level.
• Conduct a one-day orientation workshop for DPO representatives, focusing on gender and disability inclusion in eye health care.
• Facilitate discussions and group activities to share experiences and challenges faced by PWDs and women in accessing eye health care.
• Provide targeted training in advocacy skills and developing inclusive healthcare plans.
• Conduct a pre- and post-training assessment of participants’ knowledge, skills, and attitudes.
• Develop a user-friendly tool for assessing the immediate results and outcomes of the intervention
• Submit a comprehensive workshop report, including qualitative information, feedback from participants, and inclusive eye care plans.
• Develop training materials, including presentations and handouts, ensuring they are accessible and tailored to the needs of DPOs.
• A template for presentations that DPOs can use to communicate key messages to policymakers and stakeholders
• Attach the training manual for DPOs, along with presentations, one pager policy paper and handouts, as annexes to the final report.

2.      Training Delivery:

3.      Monitoring and Evaluation:

• Conduct a pre- and post-training assessment of participants’ knowledge, skills, and attitudes.
• Develop a user-friendly tool for assessing the immediate results and outcomes of the intervention

4.      Reporting:

• Submit a comprehensive workshop report, including qualitative information, feedback from participants, and inclusive eye care plans.
• Develop training materials, including presentations and handouts, ensuring they are accessible and tailored to the needs of DPOs.
• A template for presentations that DPOs can use to communicate key messages to policymakers and stakeholders
• Attach the training manual for DPOs, along with presentations, one pager policy paper and handouts, as annexes to the final report.

Deliverables

1. Inception report: An inception report on Orientation on Gender and Disability Inclusive Eye Health Care for Disabled Persons Organizations (DPOs)
2. Workshop Agenda: A finalized agenda with detailed session plans.
3. Training Materials: Comprehensive materials developed and tailored for the target audience including handouts, Brochures, manuals etc
4. Workshop Delivery: A one-day workshop conducted as per schedule.
5. Post-Training Assessment: Evaluation of participants and learning outcomes.
6. Draft Report: A preliminary report encompassing the training outcomes, the developed advocacy notes, results from consultations with DPOs, and the training materials, including presentations, handouts, and other relevant documents i.e

• • A document that outlines steps for sustainable engagement between DPOs and key partners (healthcare providers, policymakers).
  • A collection of tools, templates, and strategies for advocating the rights of persons with disabilities (PWDs) and women in the eye health sector.
  • An action plan for DPOs, outlining steps to advocate for PWDs and women in their region and establish a referral mechanism between DPOs and District Health Facilities (District Head Quarters Hospitals) for access to eye health.

1. Final Report: A detailed report of DPOs orientation including training manual for DPOs, along with presentations, one pager policy paper and handouts, to remove the barriers to access eye health care?

Schedule

This assignment is to be completed in 30 days starting from the date of the contract signing. The key consultancy events include.

Recruitment of Consultants, Inception report, Training Design and Development, Training Material Development, Workshop Delivery, Final Report Submission

The timeline for the deliverables will be negotiated and finalized at a later stage after the signing of the contract.

Consultancy team & qualifications

The consultant/consulting firm must have the following:

• A minimum of five (5) years of experience working in the relevant areas
• At least two (2) years of working in the health sector; preferably eye health care will be an added asset.
• Expertise in gender and disability inclusion, particularly in the context of healthcare.
• Experience in conducting training and capacity-building workshops for DPOs or similar organizations.
• Strong facilitation and communication skills.
• Familiarity with the challenges faced by PWDs and women in accessing eye health services in Pakistan
• A master’s degree will be an advantage.
• Excellent communication and writing skills.
• Demonstrated ability to write relevant, concise, clear, and presentable reports/materials.

Management and logistics

The management of the evaluation will be as follows: