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.

1. 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. 

2. Summary of the Project

3. 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:

1. 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.

2. Evaluate the relevance, effectiveness, and sustainability of the project's interventions and implementation approach.

3. Assess the project's contribution to enhancing judicial capacity, professional development, and youth engagement within Pakistan's legal and judicial sector.

4. Examine the effectiveness of key initiatives, including Praxis.pk, Juris Hub Pakistan, career fairs, and the Cross-Provincial Judicial Fellowship.

5. Identify key implementation challenges, lessons learned, and good practices to inform future justice sector programming.

6. 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 inform the design and implementation of future programs. The evaluation report should specifically address the following aspects:

• Key programming factors contributing to success 

• Major programming challenges encountered

• Implementation and administrative factors contributing to success 

• Key implementation and administrative challenges

• Major challenges overall and strategies to address them

6. Key Outputs

1. Inception Report:The consultant will provide an inception report that includes the methodology, proposed sampling strategy, data collection tools/instruments, quality assurance measures, data validation approach, and a detailed field plan/work plan. within one week of contract signing, for approval by the TAF Director of Programs.

2. Data Collection Tools: Develop and have the data collection tools approved by the project team before proceeding with data collection, analysis, and interpretation.

3. Draft Evaluation Report: The consultant will prepare a draft evaluation report with all essential components for review by the project team.

4. Validation Meeting:Hold a validation meeting with the project team.

5. Final Evaluation Report:The consultant will provide a final evaluation report, incorporating feedback from the SPJS project team. This will be delivered in both electronic and hard copy formats (MS Word document, PDF, and PowerPoint slides).

6. Data Sets:The consultant will provide TAF with all data sets and materials related to the research.

1. Eligibility Criteria

The consultant engaged to undertake the assignment must fulfill the following requirements:

• Strong background and experience in data collection and analysis.

• Proven experience in undertaking evaluation/research or leading evaluation/research teams, with outstanding skills in qualitative and quantitative research and data analysis using relevant software.

• Technical expertise in evaluating judicial reform and legal sector development projects and the ability to draw strong and valid conclusions.

• Strong communication skills.

2. Award of Contract

The contract would be signed for up to 1.5 months with the consultant/firm. 

3. Responsibilities of TAF

TAF will monitor and supervise the work, review its progress, provide regular technical support, and provide feedback when required.

4. Intellectual Property

All information about this project, reports, policy recommendations, and data, etc., belonging to the client, which the service provider may come into contact with during the performance of his/her duties under this partnership, shall remain the property of The Asia Foundation-Pakistan, who shall have exclusive rights over their use. Except for this assignment's purposes, the information shall not be disclosed to the public nor used in whatever form without TAF's written permission.

5. Payment Modality

The awarded contract will be paid in Pakistani rupees (PKR) against the deliverables and upon submission of the agreed deliverables as per TAF’s financial rules and payment conditions stipulated in the Service Contract.

6. How to Apply and Submission Deadline

Interested consultants are invited to submit their Sealed proposals, including the following information:

• Detailed profile and relevant experience

• Technical proposal

• Financial proposal with a breakdown of costs

Sealed proposals should be sent to the TAF office at the following address:

Director Operations: The Asia Foundation Pakistan Office

EOBI House, 3rd Floor, Block 32-34, Mauve Area
I&T Center, G-10/4, Islamabad.

Tel # 051-8434707

For any further information, please contact [email protected] by email.

The deadline for submission of Sealed proposals is Monday, August 3, 2026. Sealed Proposals received after the deadline will not be considered.