Consultancy to Write a Policy Brief on Financing Gender-Transformative Social Protection in Asia

Oxfam is a global movement of people who are fighting inequality to end poverty and injustice. Across regions, from the local to the global, we work with people to bring change that lasts.

PURPOSE OF THIS CONTRACT

Oxfam is seeking the services of a consultant to develop a regional policy brief for the Asia Feminist Coalition on social protection in Asia titled "Financing Gender-Transformative Social Protection in Asia: Who Pays, Who Benefits, and How Do We Build Fiscal Justice?"

Across Asia, governments increasingly recognize the importance of social protection. However, social protection systems remain chronically underfunded, fragmented, and unable to respond adequately to the realities of women’s lives, particularly those of informal workers, unpaid caregivers, migrants, Indigenous peoples, and other marginalized communities.

This brief seeks to shift the conversation from what social protection covers to how it is financed. Fiscal policy determines whether governments have the resources and political commitment to build universal, rights-based, and gender-transformative social protection systems. Through a feminist political economy lens, the brief will examine how taxation, public expenditure, borrowing, debt management, and budgeting shape who contributes to public revenues, how resources are allocated, and ultimately who benefits from social protection.

The Asia Feminist Coalition (AFC) proposes to develop a 20-page regional policy brief that examines how fiscal policies shape social protection financing across Asia and identifies pathways towards feminist fiscal policies that can sustainably finance universal and gender-responsive social protection systems. The publication will serve as an advocacy resource for governments, regional institutions, development partners, and feminist organizations seeking to advance fiscal justice and gender equality across Asia.

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

Across much of Asia, fiscal systems continue to rely heavily on regressive consumption taxes while public revenues remain insufficient due to weak progressive taxation, generous tax incentives, illicit financial flows, and corporate tax avoidance. At the same time, rising public debt and fiscal consolidation measures have constrained investments in health, education, care services, and social protection. These policy choices disproportionately affect women, who absorb the consequences through increased unpaid care responsibilities, insecure informal employment, and reduced access to essential public services.

While there is a growing body of literature on social protection financing, taxation, care economies, and gender-responsive budgeting, these issues are often examined in isolation. Existing publications largely focus on the technical aspects of financing social protection or tax systems, with limited attention to how fiscal policy, feminist economics, unpaid care work, informal employment, debt, and climate resilience intersect.

This policy brief seeks to fill that gap by reframing social protection as a question of political and fiscal choice rather than fiscal scarcity. It will be organised around three central questions:

• Where does the money come from?
• Who pays?
• Who benefits?

The publication will demonstrate how taxation, public spending, debt management, and budgeting directly influence gender equality and the realization of economic and social rights. It will also position social protection as a productive public investment that strengthens economies, supports care systems, builds climate resilience, and advances gender justice.

The brief will draw upon the experiences and evidence of the Asia Feminist Coalition (AFC), a network of 25 feminist organizations working across 11 countries to advance collective advocacy on Climate justice, Unpaid care and domestic work, and Feminist economies and financing

Through collective advocacy, evidence generation, and movement building, AFC seeks to influence economic and social policies that advance gender justice across the region. The policy brief will combine feminist political economy analysis with practical recommendations and advocacy pathways for civil society organizations seeking to influence fiscal policy and social protection financing at national, regional, and global levels.

SCOPE OF WORK

The consultant will be responsible for researching, drafting, and finalizing a 20-page regional policy brief that analyses how fiscal policy shapes social protection financing in Asia and proposes feminist solutions for creating fiscal space to finance universal and gender-transformative social protection systems.

The assignment will include a comprehensive literature review, policy analysis, consultation with AFC member organizations, incorporation of regional case studies, and development of actionable policy recommendations.

Specific tasks related to this scope of work are outlined as follows:

1. Conduct a desk review of regional and global literature on social protection financing, fiscal policy, feminist economics, care systems, taxation, debt, gender-responsive budgeting, and fiscal justice.
2. Review policy experiences, evidence, and country-level analysis from AFC member organizations across 11 Asian countries, incorporating relevant case studies and examples.
3. Develop a policy brief that:

1. • Examines the fiscal choices that shape social protection financing across Asia.
   • Analyses the gendered impacts of taxation, debt, austerity, and public expenditure.
   • Demonstrates why financing care is central to sustainable and inclusive social protection.
   • Highlights how climate change and economic crises reinforce the need for stronger public financing.
   • Identifies feminist policy solutions to expand fiscal space for universal and gender-responsive social protection.

1. Consult with AFC members to ensure that their evidence, advocacy experiences, and recommendations are reflected throughout the publication.
2. Revise the draft based on feedback received from Oxfam in Asia, AFC members, and submit a publication-ready final version.

Intended Audience

The primary audience for this brief is feminist and civil society organisations seeking to influence social protection financing and fiscal policy in Asia. It is also intended to support engagement with Ministries of Finance, social protection agencies, parliamentarians, regional institutions, development partners, and international financial institutions working on fiscal policy, social protection, and gender equality.

DELIVERABLES

Overall Objective

The objective of this assignment is to develop a regional policy brief that demonstrates how fiscal policy shapes governments' ability to finance universal and gender-transformative social protection systems and provides evidence-based feminist recommendations for advancing fiscal justice across Asia.

Specific Outputs and Deliverables

The consultant is expected to deliver the following outputs:

1. An inception note outlining the proposed methodology, workplan, and outline of the policy brief.
2. A first draft of the approximately 20-page regional policy brief. This should include Evidence and case studies drawn from AFC member organizations, ensuring that the voices and experiences of the Coalition's 25 member organizations across 11 Asian countries are reflected in the publication.
3. 2 revised drafts incorporating comments from Oxfam in Asia, AFC members, and peer reviewers.
4. A copy-edited, publication-ready final policy brief.
5. An executive summary highlighting the key findings and recommendations.
6. A concise set of key advocacy messages and policy recommendations that can be used by feminist organizations, governments, regional institutions, development partners, and international financial institutions to influence fiscal policy and social protection financing.

PAYMENT SCHEDULE

Remuneration is based on submission of final deliverables according to the schedule. No payment will be made in advance.

Methodology

The consultant is expected to adopt a participatory and evidence-based approach to the assignment. While the detailed work plan and methodology will be agreed upon during the inception phase, the assignment is expected to include the following key steps:

• Conduct a comprehensive desk review of regional and global literature on social protection financing, fiscal policy, feminist economics, care systems, taxation, debt, gender-responsive budgeting, and fiscal justice.
• Review existing research, policy analyses, and advocacy materials produced by the Asia Feminist Coalition (AFC), Oxfam, and other relevant institutions.
• Engage with selected AFC member organizations through interviews or virtual consultations to gather country experiences, case studies, and feminist perspectives on social protection financing.
• Develop an outline for the policy brief for review by Oxfam in Asia.
• Prepare a first draft of the policy brief, integrating evidence, regional examples, and policy recommendations.
• Revise the draft based on feedback received from Oxfam in Asia, AFC members, and peer reviewers.
• Submit a copy-edited, publication-ready final policy brief, including an executive summary and key advocacy messages.

Project organization, roles and responsibilities

• Oxfam will provide overall technical oversight, facilitate coordination with AFC members, consolidate feedback on draft deliverables, and approve the final outputs.
• The Asia Feminist Coalition (AFC) will provide inputs, country examples, and policy perspectives to ensure the brief reflects the experiences and priorities of feminist organizations across the region.
• The Consultant will be responsible for designing the methodology, conducting the research and consultations, drafting and revising the policy brief, and delivering all agreed outputs within the specified timeline.

PROFILE REQUIREMENTS

The consultant should possess the following qualifications and competencies:

Essential Criteria

• The research team is comprised of members with advanced university degree in Economics, Public Policy, Development Studies, Gender Studies, Political Economy, Social Policy, International Development, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience conducting policy research and producing high-quality publications on social protection, public finance, fiscal policy, taxation, gender equality, feminist economics, or related areas.
• Strong understanding of feminist political economy, fiscal justice, gender-responsive budgeting, and social protection systems in Asia.
• Proven experience developing policy briefs, research reports, or advocacy publications for international NGOs, research institutions, UN agencies, or development organizations.
• Experience working with civil society organizations, feminist movements, or regional networks in Asia.
• Excellent analytical, research, and writing skills, with the ability to communicate complex policy issues in a clear and accessible manner.
• Demonstrated ability to synthesize evidence from multiple countries and develop actionable policy recommendations.
• Excellent command of written and spoken English.

Desired Criteria

• Familiarity with the political economy and fiscal policy landscape across Asia.
• Experience facilitating consultations or participatory research processes with diverse stakeholders.
• Knowledge of issues related to unpaid care work, climate justice, labour rights, or gender-responsive public finance.
• Previous experience working with Oxfam, the Asia Feminist Coalition, or other feminist or rights-based organizations is an advantage.
• Experience developing advocacy products intended to influence government, regional institutions, and development partners.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Clarifications

Any questions, remarks, or requests for clarification can be sent to Myrah Nerine Myrah.Nerine@oxfam.org before the submission deadline in writing.

*** To access the full version of the ToR, please click on the link below: https://oxfam.box.com/s/cg5w68juunldn0ba9q7p1ei89fsde2zh