Consultancy on Triple Nexus in Practice At Oxfam

Background

The Middle East and North Africa region is a highly complex and volatile region. The birth place of the Arab Spring, the region has seen decades of war, large scale displacement, political crises and lack of good governance, large scale human rights violations, shrinking civic space, stark inequality, and is a place of origin, a transit point and a destination for millions of migrants every year. Syrian refugees living in the region remain the world’s biggest refugee caseload. The MENA region also hosts the two longest refugee caseloads in the world, the Palestinian refugees, and the Saharawi refugees in Algeria. The conflicts in the region are often proxy wars, and act as playing fields for the worlds super powers to fight it out and try to increase their global influence. Iran, Turkey, the US, UK, the UAE, France, Saudi Arabia, Russia, are just a few of the countries with a stake in the conflicts of Syria, Yemen, Iraq, OPT and Western Sahara. Despite the continued need for provision of emergency aid, the protracted nature of crises, and displacement and the scale of structural inequality and vulnerability across the region requires stronger articulation between humanitarian and development aid, and peace at all levels.

According to Oxfam, the region includes four so called fragile states, however the MENA team include Lebanon in this definition, as well as the Western Sahara Crisis. The MENA region is a place where the one programme approach is not only appropriate, but is necessary in order to achieve any gains.

Oxfam in MENA is often delivering on the triple nexus, by the nature of being a multi-mandate organization working in very complex protracted crises, however to date, there is no documented evidence of this at the regional level, on either practice or learning.

Oxfam is a multi-mandate organization and has been working towards delivering on our one programme approach for several years. Theoretically, the one programme approach (delivering integrated humanitarian, development and influencing work) aligns very well with the triple nexus approach. However, historically, there have been challenges over getting these traditionally separate workstreams to collaborate and align. The paper that Oxfam produced in 2021[1] looks at four of the dilemmas that may be responsible for this challenge. To date, despite a large swathe of programming across the region that could be included under “triple nexus” programming, there is no documented compendium of case studies, either at global or regional level.

Purpose

The paper will demonstrate how Oxfam in MENA is addressing some of the four dilemmas raised in the global Nexus policy paper through the use of case studies. Ideally, each of the four dilemmas should be looked at through the lens of one project experience. In the event that the case study for a given dilemma is not strong enough, two projects/case studies could be used instead. Where feasible, multiple case studies could be identified for one dilemma.

The paper will also showcase our successes in implementing a nexus approach. This will allow to elaborate our vision on the way forward in terms of nexus implementation in the region, in line with our 10-year strategy for the region.

The paper will enable Oxfam in MENA to better position itself as a key triple nexus actor, both in terms of securing more tailored funding for implementation, as well as in terms of influencing the wider sector, specifically donors. While this paper is produced for the region, other relevant teams across the confederation -both globally and at country level- will be encouraged to use it for fundraising and influencing purposes.

In regard to the latter, this paper is not intended as a strong conceptual piece on aid sector reform, but rather as concrete examples of how nexus can be implemented to varying degrees across the nexus spectrum. Issues faced in rolling out a nexus approach will solely be taken from our programme experience.

Sections of the final paper

· Introduction (0.5 page)

o Setting the nexus scene in the region (evolving contexts, responses, and steers from humanitarian leadership on nexus in the region)

o why we think a shift in programme approach is vital in the region

· Understanding Nexus in the MENA context: operationalizing our global commitments

o Including Oxfam definition of triple nexus, linking to the two previous papers from Oxfam, and other significant products on the triple Nexus produced by other stakeholders, specifically focused on MENA (2,5 pages)

· Dilemma 1: UPHOLDING PRINCIPLES ACROSS THE HUMANITARIANDEVELOPMENT-PEACE PILLARS (2 pages)

o Case study Yemen/Iraq

o Key Learning and recommendations

· Dilemma 2: WORKING WITH STATES AND GOVERNMENT AUTHORITIES (2 pages)

o Case study Iraq/OPT/Syria/Yemen

o Key Learning and recommendations

· Dilemma 3: BALANCING MULTIPLE 4PROGRAMMATIC PRIORITIES (2 pages)

o Case Study – IIraq/Jordan/Lebanon

o Key Learning and recommendations

· Dilemma 4: DEFINING PEACEBUILDING AS IT RELATES TO OXFAM’S IDENTITY AND ADDED VALUE (2 pages)

o Potentially social cohesion projects in Iraq

o Key Learning and recommendations

· Conclusions, direction for Oxfam to move in (2 pages)

· Recommendations (1-2 Pages)

Methodology

· Desk review of available literature on triple nexus programming in MENA (not only Oxfam) and review of Oxfam global positioning on Nexus

· Key Informant interviews with Oxfam country teams in selected countries and possibly project beneficiaries (TBC), to collect the case studies. The regional team will work with the consultant to identify the key interlocuters and identify the case studies. The consultant will need to link the case studies back to the global paper, and the “dos and don’t’s” in the global paper. In case we do not find good case studies that fit with the dilemmas, we may reduce to one or two dilemmas or use two case studies per dilemma. The aim is to demonstrate good practice.

· Review of relevant project documents including programme and/or policy reports

· Key Informant interviews with selected external stakeholders in relevance to the case studies, such as local partners, authorities, beneficiaries

· The consultant will work with the Oxfam Nexus working group co-leads to ensure alignment and to maximise on efforts already initiated in terms of collecting case studies from the region.

· The consultant will be expected to conduct around four KIIs per country, and it is expected that four countries will participate in the paper, however this number could increase to 6 per country depending on the evolution of the research.

· All research activities should be conducted in full compliance with Oxfam’s research ethics guidelines[2]

Expected Outputs

· An external product: one public paper no longer than 15 pages or about 6000 words, end notes excluded.

· A PowerPoint presentation to summarize key findings to share with regional and country teams.

Timeline:

Action

Timeline

Share the ToRs with Policy and Practice to have the report including in the publication pipeline
Oxfam – once Tors are finalized and before the start of the consultancy
Kick off meeting with the consultant to discuss the research, support needed from the RP, and case studies we are interested in. Relevant Oxfam policy documents related to nexus will be provided then to the consultant.
Day one after contract signature
Submission of the external lit review – which will be short given the size of the section for which it is relevant. The literature review should be referenced
5 working days after starting date
Submission of data collection tools (KIIs questionnaires and research method prepared by the consultant for review) and sign off by the consultant manager
The consultant will be expected to conduct KIIs with partner organisations as well as local authorities where relevant
5-7 working days after starting date
First draft submission
15 working days after starting date
First round of comments sent back to the consultant
5 working days
second draft submission and second round of comments
5 working days
Sign off/red lines
(Oxfam with the consultant) 7 working days (optimistic)
final paper submitted to P&P for editing, formatting, and publication.
Oxfam – 10 working days (rather keep this long in case we need external support for formatting and graphic designs) this can be adjusted later.