10001623-Technical Assistance to implement gender-responsive solid waste management / circular economy and green public spaces in India

The services included in this tender contribute to the achievement of the objectives of the project "Gender in Smart Cities / Resilient Urban Development: Gender and Digital Approaches as drivers for sustainable growth and recovery in Cities" (GRC) that GIZ is implementing in India on behalf of the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), along with the political counterpart the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA). The services included in this tender are to be implemented in the cities of Guwahati in Assam and Kochi in Kerala and focuses on two urban public services: solid waste management (SWM) / circular economy (CE), and safe and green public spaces.

The contractor is responsible for implementing the following 3 work packages in 2 partner cities in coordination with the GIZ team in Delhi.

Work package 1 - Improving the evidence base Work package 1 aims to improve the data and knowledge base for the provision of climate-resilient municipal services. To this end, a city-wide community of practice (CoP) will be set up, comprising representatives from the municipal corporation, state departments, civil society, and the private sector, to analyze the evidence base for selected services in the areas of SWM / CE as well as safe and green public spaces, with regard to gender equality and the potential for adaptation to climate change and for reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. In Guwahati, the evidence base for green and safe public spaces must consider nature-based solutions and sponge park approaches. In Kochi, the evidence base must consider the existing Kudumbashree women groups from the Kerala government's flagship poverty eradication and women empowerment mission and the Centre for Heritage, Environment and Development (c-hed). In the process, potential problem areas with regard to evidence (e.g., reliability, completeness, acceptance by stakeholders, especially decision-makers, data quality, distortions, level of digitization, and status of gender disaggregation) will be jointly identified and prioritized. On this basis, selected evidence elements are specifically optimized with a focus on key aspects along the information and data cycle using innovative digital approaches with a view to improving the information content on gender and climate aspects (especially gender disaggregation). Decision-makers in the public service sectors are advised to analyze and formalize this qualified evidence and to use it in decision-making processes. Finally, the project promotes knowledge transfer between partner cities with cross-city CoPs in order to exchange best practices regarding evidence qualification and scale up evidence-based decision-making.

Work package 2 - Development of practical models Work package 2 aims to develop models in which women and girls benefit as providers and users of improved climate-resilient municipal public services in partner cities. Based on evidence-based analyses and identified service problems, demonstration projects shall be designed and implemented in the partner cities in close cooperation between city officials, the private sector, and civil society. The demonstration projects focus both on a) improvements in key areas of SWM / CE (e.g., in selected neighborhoods or wards) and b) the enhancement of safe and green public spaces (e.g., in selected parks or green spaces). They serve as practical test environments for evidence-based improvement measures, including physical upgrades to infrastructure, organizational optimization of service processes, digital innovations to increase efficiency, and approaches to promote economic activity. A particular focus is placed on strengthening gender responsiveness and, on the other hand, on strengthening the potential for climate adaptation and resource conservation. Specific thematic focus and requirements apply for the 2 project cities Guwahati and Kochi (see full ToR document for details). Scalable practical models including investment concepts for further implementation shall be developed as well as reviewed and documented in a structured manner on the basis of success factors to be defined. The practical models shall be disseminated for further application and institutionalization through the exchange of experiences between the partner cities and with other cities.

Work package 3 - Strengthening capacities Work package 3 aims to train relevant actors to improve climate-resilient municipal public services. To this end, the city officials and their departments responsible for public service provision are supported in their organizational development in line with their needs. Cooperation with NGOs and women self-help groups (SHGs) shall be promoted in order to anchor inclusive and needs-based solutions. The skills of various target groups are to be strengthened in a targeted manner: a) City and state officials receive further training (e.g., on gender-responsive service planning, climate resilience, or digital skills); b) Women working in public service provision (e.g., in municipal corporations, self-help groups, contracted companies, or the informal sector) shall receive needs-based practical training on relevant topics;. c) Women entrepreneurs shall be supported through targeted mentoring and training on business and financing models. Awareness-raising activities shall be carried out at various levels, both Households and schools. Selected training institutions shall be supported in incorporating the developed training modules into regular training programs for other cities, including a cross-city CoP. Specific thematic focus and requirements apply for the 2 project cities Guwahati and Kochi (see full ToR document for details).