Re-Advertised Terms of Reference (TOR) Assessment of the Usability, Reach, and Accessibility of the MINCH Platform for Youth with Disabilities, including women and girls

Background The Ethiopian Center for Disability and Development (ECDD) is an Ethiopian Development Organization established in 2005 and re-registered with the Agency for Civil Society Organizations as an Ethiopian Development Civil Society Organization under Certificate № 0321, pursuant to Proclamation № 1113/2019. ECDD works with partner organizations to promote and facilitate the inclusion of persons with disabilities and disability issues in mainstream service delivery and development programs. Its vision is an Inclusive Ethiopia where persons with disabilities exercise equal rights and have access to the same services and opportunities as other citizens. Currently, ECDD is implementing a project entitled “Ahead for Accessible, Inclusive, Equitable, and Affordable SRH and Essential Healthcare Services for Adolescents and Youth with Disabilities (AHEAD) ” funded by a United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to strengthen Adolescents and youth, particularly those most vulnerable, are equipped with skills & knowledge to make informed choices about their SRH and rights within an enabling environment that promotes adolescent health and wellbeing. A key component of this project includes the implementation of the MINCH Multimedia digital Platform designed to provide accessible and relevant information to persons with disabilities across Ethiopia. The platform was developed to improve access to critical information that supports the empowerment, awareness, and inclusion of persons with disabilities in different aspects of life. The MINCH Platform delivers voice- and text-based information through a toll-free Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system, enabling people with disabilities to access content without smartphones or internet access. This design enables users across the country to access disability-related information on basic mobile phones. The platform provides information in Amharic and Afan Oromo languages, ensuring broader accessibility for users. The content on the platform covers several important areas, including Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH), the rights of persons with disabilities, policies, rules, and regulations related to disability, inclusive education, inclusive livelihood opportunities, and general information, services, and facts relevant to persons with disabilities. In addition to delivering information, the MINCH IVR Multimedia Platform also has the features of interactive tools such as user surveys, discussion forums, question-and-answer sessions, and feedback mechanisms.  Despite the platform’s potential to enhance information access and participation, there is limited evidence regarding how widely the platform reaches youth with disabilities, especially women and girls with disabilities, how easily they can use it, and what motivates them to access it. Furthermore, there is a need to understand whether there are accessibility barriers or gaps that limit effective use of the platform, particularly for youth, women and girls with disabilities. To address these gaps, ECDD plans to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the MINCH Platform, focusing on its usability, reach, and accessibility for youth with disabilities. The assessment will also explore the key motivations for user engagement and identify barriers that may limit full utilization of the platform. The findings from this assessment will provide evidence-based insights to support improvements in the design, accessibility, outreach, and effectiveness of the MINVH Platform.  Therefore, ECDD invites qualified and experienced consultants or consulting firms to submit expressions of interest to undertake this assessment in Addis Ababa, Bahir Dar zurya, Hawassa, Dire Dawa, Adama, Debre Birhan, Arbaminch, Jimma/Kersa 2. General Objective The primary objective of the assessment is to generate reliable baseline evidence on the reach, usability, accessibility, and utilization of the MINCH Platform among youth with disabilities, with particular attention to women and girls. 3. Specific Objectives The assessment is expected to achieve the following objectives: To examine the level of awareness and reach of the MINCH Platform among youth with disabilities, including women and girls in the target areas. To assess the usability and user experience of the MINCH Platform, including how easily users can access and navigate the IVR system. To identify the main reasons and motivations for which users’ access and utilize the platform. To analyze the types of information and services most frequently used by users on the platform. To identify barriers and accessibility challenges that affect the effective use of the platform by youth with disabilities, including women and girls. To generate reliable quantitative and qualitative data on user engagement and accessibility. To provide practical recommendations for improving the functionality, accessibility, and outreach of the MINCH Platform. 4. Scope of Work The consultant/firm will: Conduct a  desk review  of relevant documents, reports, and user data from the MINCH Platform. Design and implement  qualitative and quantitative data collection  targeting youth with disabilities across the following locations: Addis Ababa, Bahir Dar Zurya, Hawassa, Dire Dawa, Adama, Debre Birhan, Arbaminch, and Jimma/Kersa. Engage key stakeholders including  youth with disabilities, women and girls with disabilities, community leaders, and partner organizations. Analyze findings to identify patterns in  reach, usability, accessibility, user motivation, and barriers. Produce a  comprehensive report  with actionable recommendations to improve the platform. 5. Data Collection and Analysis Methodology Detail methodology and work plan to be proposed by the evaluator 6. Sources of Data Data for the assessment will be gathered from both primary and secondary sources. 7. Sample Size Determination The consultant will determine an appropriate sample size using systematically sampling techniques. The sampling approach should ensure adequate representation of: Youth with different types of disabilities Women and girls with disabilities Users and non-users of the platform Different geographic locations where the platform is accessible and not accessible. 8. Data Analysis Data analysis tools to be proposed by the consulting firm 9. Ethical Considerations The assessment must adhere to strong ethical standards, including: Obtaining informed consent from all participants before data collection. Ensuring confidentiality and protection of personal information. Applying inclusive and accessible communication methods suitable for persons with different types of disabilities. Ensuring gender-sensitive and disability-inclusive participation throughout the assessment process. 10. Key Deliverables The consultant is expected to produce the following deliverables: Inception Report       A detailed document describing the proposed methodology, research design, sampling framework, work plan, and structure of the final report.  Data Collection Tools      Survey questionnaires, interview guides, and FGD guides to be reviewed and approved by ECDD before the fieldwork begins. Draft Assessment Report          A preliminary report presenting the initial findings, analysis, and recommendations for review. Revised Draft Report          An updated version incorporating feedback from ECDD. Final Assessment Report A comprehensive report presenting the final findings, conclusions, and recommendations, submitted in both PDF and Word formats.