Terms of Reference (TORs) – End of Project Evaluation

Job details

Terms of Reference (TORs) – End of Project Evaluation Hiring a consultant/Firm to perform an End of Project Evaluation of the ‘Strengthening Pakistan’s Judicial System’ (SPJS) Project to thoroughly evaluate the project's implementation, outcomes, and its impact, assessing the evidence in relation to the set goals and objectives. • Background Pakistan's judicial system is plagued by systemic barriers that hinder equal participation and fairness. Challenges include limited access to the courts for vulnerable groups, biased decision-making practices, insufficient representation of these groups within the judiciary, inadequate legal frameworks, and societal pressures on young legal professionals. Despite efforts to align with international best practices, disparities persist due to the lack of updated laws, biased representation of different groups in the formal justice system, and the underrepresentation of talented young lawyers in the judiciary. Speedy justice cannot be served due to the massive backlog of cases in courts; inefficient case management, inadequate use of research and factual evidence, and a low conviction rate often redirect affected individuals to seek informal justice systems. Existing laws promoting fair representation and fundamental rights face weak implementation, with challenges in induction, retention, and career advancement in the judiciary due to discriminatory practices, biases in legal training, and gaps in the legal framework. Additionally, the lack of comprehensive data hinders evidence-based reforms in addressing these challenges and strengthening the judicial system in Pakistan. These issues hinder access to justice and discourage young people from pursuing legal careers. Increasing balanced representation of young men and women in the judiciary is crucial, not only for justice system reform, but also to inspire trust in government institutions, improve decision-making quality, and attract young people of different backgrounds to join and strengthen the legal profession. Project Details:The Asia Foundation (TAF), in collaboration with the project implementation partner, implemented the 'Strengthening Pakistan’s Judicial System’ (SPJS) project across Pakistan. The overall goal of the project is to increase equal representation of young men and women in the Pakistan judiciary by breaking barriers, addressing disparities, cultivating a fair legal environment, and facilitating active participation and leadership opportunities at all levels of the judiciary. The overarching objectives were: Objective 1: Justice sector actors and institutions take action to decrease barriers for vulnerable groups in the judicial profession; Objective 2: promote more youth to pursue legal careers and advance within the Pakistani legal system; and Objective 3: advocate to mobilize support for vulnerable communities and youth in the legal profession. • Summary of the Project Total Duration of the Project 14 months, (July 2025 to September 2026) Project Goal The overall goal of the project is to increase equal representation of young men and women in the Pakistan judiciary by breaking barriers, addressing disparities, cultivating a fair legal environment, and facilitating active participation and leadership opportunities at all levels of the judiciary. Project Objectives • Justice sector actors and institutions take action to decrease barriers for vulnerable groups in the judicial profession; • promote more youth to pursue legal careers and advance within the Pakistani legal system; and • To advocate to mobilize support for vulnerable communities and youth in the legal profession. Project Districts Across Pakistan (Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Capital Territory, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit Baltistan) Project Details During the project period, significant progress was made toward strengthening Pakistan's judicial system through institutional collaboration, professional capacity-building, youth engagement, and digital learning. Extensive consultations with the judiciary, bar councils, judicial academies, academia, and civil society identified key barriers to judicial careers and informed the project's interventions. A major milestone was the National Conference on The Future of Legal Education and Practice in Pakistan, organized in partnership with the Pakistan Bar Council's Directorate of Legal Education. The conference brought together over 200 representatives from government, judicial institutions, academia, the legal profession, and development partners to build consensus on legal education reform and professional development, while also launching Juris Hub Pakistan. The project expanded youth engagement through 10 Law in Practice career fairs across Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, and Islamabad, reaching 964 law students. The fairs connected aspiring lawyers with judges, prosecutors, and senior practitioners, providing practical guidance on legal and judicial career pathways. Successful implementation in Balochistan also extended the project's reach to previously underserved areas. To strengthen professional standards, the project established Praxis.pk, a digital learning platform offering bilingual courses on Harassment Prevention in Legal Settings, while the Legal Ethics and Courtroom Decorum course advanced toward completion. In partnership with the Sindh Judicial Academy, judicial recruitment coaching modules were developed, and the Cross-Provincial Judicial Fellowship was launched to promote professional exchange and capacity-building among judicial officers. Alongside these initiatives, Juris Hub Pakistan was established as a national platform to support mentorship, collaboration, and continuous professional development across Pakistan's legal community. • Purpose and Scope of End-Term Evaluation The evaluation provides an excellent opportunity to comprehensively assess the achievements of the SPJS, including its overall contribution to preventing violent extremism and promoting peacebuilding in the project districts. It will not only offer insights into the project’s progress against its intended results but also help determine the effectiveness of its initiatives and guide the direction of future programming. Specific objectives of the evaluation are: • Assess the extent to which the project achieved its intended objectives and results, particularly in strengthening institutional collaboration, expanding access to judicial careers, and improving professional standards. • Evaluate the relevance, effectiveness, and sustainability of the project's interventions and implementation approach. • Assess the project's contribution to enhancing judicial capacity, professional development, and youth engagement within Pakistan's legal and judicial sector. • Examine the effectiveness of key initiatives, including Praxis.pk, Juris Hub Pakistan, career fairs, and the Cross-Provincial Judicial Fellowship. • Identify key implementation challenges, lessons learned, and good practices to inform future justice sector programming. • Provide practical recommendations to strengthen the sustainability, scalability, and long-term impact of the project's interventions. 4.Methodology The consultant will propose a rigorous methodology that ensures data triangulation. Both qualitative and quantitative methods will be applied. A series of broad evaluation questions, along with relevant sub-questions, will be developed to assess the extent to which the project’s objectives and results have been achieved through the project. The consultant will propose a rigorous methodology to provide the project management team with comprehensive and reliable information aligned with the project's objectives. Principal tools can include, but not limited to: • Review of relevant project documents, including the project proposal, logical framework, work plans, quarterly and annual reports, monitoring data, communication materials, training resources, and other relevant documentation. • A combination of quantitative and qualitative approaches should be employed, incorporating social network analysis of the target groups • Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) with stakeholders, including government officials, civil society representatives, madrassa and university leaders, PAC members, media actors, and community leaders, • Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with youth, women, and other project beneficiaries, • Surveys or Structured Questionnaires (where applicable) to measure project results. • Triangulation of findings from multiple sources to assess project achievements, identify implementation challenges, document lessons learned, and develop evidence-based recommendations. 5. Key lessons learned and recommendations The evaluation should present a clear overview of key lessons learned and recommendations derived from the assessment of the SPJS Project. These lessons, recommendations, and best practices must be articulated in a way that can i