Consultancy-Transformational Solutions for Climate Justice (INT10252) At Oxfam GB

1. Background

Iraq is among the most affected and most vulnerable countries to climate change globally. In addition, the country is the fifth most vulnerable country to reduced water and food availability, extreme temperatures, and associated health problems1. Data forecasts predict that by 2050 there will be a 10% decrease in precipitation and an increase in temperature of 1°C. This is expected to cause a 20% reduction in freshwater availability, which would mean that almost one-third of Iraq’s irrigated land will have no water2. Iraq will remain amongst the hottest countries with some of the highest temperature increases in the region in the coming decades. In addition, the country’s vulnerabilities to climate change, severe environmental degradation and mismanagement of natural resources are putting its ecosystem in danger of collapsing. This will threaten water and food security, biodiversity, and the country’s long-term stability3.

Climate change and disasters affect women and men, girls, and boys differently, with many women experiencing disproportionate risks and impacts because of climate-related disasters. The impact of crisis can exacerbate pre-existing gender inequalities and compound intersecting forms of discrimination that affect women to varying degrees and in different ways than men. The impacts of climate change and disasters often magnify existing inequalities between men and women; women tend to be more vulnerable to their effects and are impacted in their multiple roles as food producers and providers, as guardians of health, as caregivers, and as economic actors. Drought, saline intrusion into water sources, and erratic rainfall all lead women to have to work harder to secure key resources such as food, water, and fuel. This leaves women with less time to earn an income, access education or training, or participate in decision-making processes. This – in addition to the fact that women make up the majority of the world’s poor – means that they are likely to be subject to disproportionately negative effects of climate change and disaster, potentially increasing their levels of poverty and inequality.

In March 2022, Oxfam in Iraq published a briefing paper on the impact of climate change on rural communities in Iraq entitled ‘Unfarmed Now, Uninhabited When? Agriculture and Climate Change in Iraq’ (Please see: https://policy-practice.oxfam.org/resources/unfarmed-now-uninhabited-when-agriculture-and-climate-change-in-iraq-621360/). The paper highlights the lack of women participating in decision-making when it comes to family livelihoods, and their intentional and unintentional conditioning to climate change.

Oxfam in Iraq aims to build on this briefing paper to further analyse the gendered impact of climate change from different perspectives, including social and economic and explores in more depth women’s participation in the decision-making processes related to climate change at several levels, including household, community, and national levels. This will include analysing the current existing national strategies/initiatives for climate change adaption, and to what extent women are part of the planning and decision-making process.

This analysis aims to increase depth of knowledge on this topic and provide evidence-based findings and recommendations to key stakeholders including civil society actors, the international community and governmental departments.

1. Purpose of this Assignment:

Oxfam in Iraq is seeking the service of a consultant to collect data on the scope of this assignment through conducting Key Informative Interviews (KIIs) and Focus Groups Discussions (FGDs) with governmental and non-governmental actors. This would include government departments, Civil Society Organizations, Farmers union and associations and other relevant stakeholders. The Assignment should cover the following governorates: Salahaddin, Kirkuk, Diyala, Anbar, Baghdad, Mosul, Erbil.

The consultant is expected to work closely with Oxfam in Iraq to map and identify relevant actors as per the ToR requirements. In addition to developed data collection tools for the KIIs and FGDs, tailored to the targeted actors.

Activities required by the consultant, in close coordination with Oxfam, will include:

• Conduct an inception meeting with Oxfam to share a detailed plan, get clarification on all parameters such as methodology and delivery.
• Mapping and identifying actors.
• Developed data collection tools for the KIIs and FGDs, tailored to the targeted actors.
• The number of workshops will be identified in coordination with the Oxfam team, within the principle of representation of all actors from rural and urban areas. The consultant will be expected to be fully responsible for the coordination and the implementation of the KIIs and FGDs.
• Provide a full transcript of each KII and FGD and write up to 1–2-page summary of the consultant observation and analysis of each KII and FGD to ensure Oxfam is aware of the focus and outcome of the discussions.
• Production of a summary report outlining the output of the discussion and the extracted recommendations – based on discussions from FGDs.

1. Deliverables

In line with the mentioned activities above, the expected deliverables are:

• KIIs and FGDs tools (Arabic and English)
• Stakeholders mapping (Arabic and English)
• 1-2 pages summary of each KII and FGD (English)
• Full transcript of each KII and FGD (Arabic and English)
• Summary report. (Arabic and English)

1. Logistics and Constraints

The Consultant will be responsible to cover all costs related to the assignment.

The consultant will be paid agreed rate, upon satisfactory completion of the assignment including submission of deliverables and reports as per below schedule:

• 50% will be paid upon signing the contract.
• 50% will be paid upon satisfactory completion of all mentioned deliverables.

1. Time Frame

The assignment will be for 30 working days, starting the 17 of March. The timeline will be refined based on the consultant’s work plan and won’t be beyond 30th June 2023.

1. Budget

The consultant should submit a full financial plan. Oxfam will be responsible for covering the cost for venue and stationery and any related cost to the actual implementation of the assignment in agreement with the consultant.

1. Knowledge and Experience

The following key technical requirements will be taken into consideration when assessing consultants’ technical competencies:

• University degree in economics, development studies and agriculture or other relevant fields.
• The consultant should have proven previous experience in conducting similar assignments.
• Excellent knowledge of the agricultural context in Iraq and the challenges that face farmers including governance challenges, climate change, and drought.
• Conducted similar previous activities with the Iraqi civil society.
• Excellent communication and writing skills in English and Arabic.