Re- Advertisement – Terms of Reference for Conducting Peace and Security Assessments under the SPREAD Project (Kenya and South Sudan) At Saferworld

Background

The countries of Kenya, South Sudan, and Ethiopia share common borders that are characterized by complex socio-economic, political, and environmental challenges. In response to these challenges, DCA in partnership with Saferworld, SAPCONE, ROG, ICPDO, ECC and APAD will be implementing the European Union funded “Strengthening integrated Peace, Resilience and Disaster Risk Reduction for cross-border communities in the Karamoja Cluster” (herein referred to as Borderlands) project.

Working closely with pastoralists/agro-pastoralists, fisherfolk, women and youth-led CSOs, traditional leaders, local/national authorities and the private sector, the project aims at enhancing effectiveness of conflict prevention and mitigation, Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and management and resilience-building in cross border communities in the border region of the Karamoja Cluster (S. Omo/ Ethiopia, Turkana /Kenya and Eastern Equatoria/ S. Sudan).

The duration of the project is 1st February 2024 to 31st January 2027. The project goal will be achieved through strengthening community structures; promoting local/inclusive initiatives that reflect local interests/needs coupled with connections to broader structures (regional/national/international), climate responsive and resilience building measures, trade and market support and seeking to manage cross-border conflict reflecting local priorities with strong participation in advocacy that mitigates cross-border conflict. A comprehensive baseline survey is essential to understand the current context and inform implementation of

the Borderlands project.

Purpose

The SPREAD: Peace & Resilience consortium will conduct inception assessments (hereafter ‘the studies”) which will comprise of three analysis products, namely:

Mapping of Peace Infrastructure
Gender Sensitive Conflict Analysis
Community Security Assessments

These will be used to inform a review and potential reconfiguration of intervention activities (activity 1.1.5) to ensure subsequent activities are tailored to respond to dynamic conflict drivers, gender drivers and shifting needs of target groups.

This TOR addresses the studies that will focus on Kenya and South Sudan implementation area of the cluster. Specifically, it will focus in Kenya Turkana County, specifically: Lokichogio sub-country, Turkana North and Kibish sub-counties, and the following in South Sudan-Eastern Equatorial, Budi, Kapoeta South and Kapoeta East.

To ensure coherence across project locations and to allow for synthesised analysis, a consistent research framework and methodology should be applied across all project locations (with adjustments in approach made to respond to constraints and needs of each specific context, where necessary).

We are seeking a consultant jointly to produce products a), b) and c) namely the mapping of peace infrastructure, gender sensitive conflict analysis and community security assessments in Kenya and South Sudan. This will be done independently from but in coordination with another consultant who will be conducting equivalent studies in Ethiopia and another who will be mapping the information ecosystem across all locations.

To maximise efficiency and minimise burden on research participants, primary data collection relevant to all three analytical products should be conducted at the same time wherever possible. The consultant will also be able to draw on data collected by Saferworld and partners in initial engagements and consultations with project stakeholders and should avoid duplication of this data collection.

The specific purpose and content of each information product will be as follows:

Mapping of Peace Infrastructure

Peace infrastructure can be defined as ‘a network of interdependent systems, resources, values and skills held by government, civil society and community institutions that promote dialogue and consultation; prevent conflict and enable peaceful mediation when violence occurs in a society.’[1]

The mapping of peace infrastructure should identify the full range of community, civil society, government and inter-governmental institutions and initiatives that are part of the peace infrastructure relevant to the project area. This must include local customary and informal structures and processes. It should include institutions and initiatives that address local conflict and security issues as well as those which cross administrative and international borders.

Examples of institutions should include but not be limited to entities such as:

Regional level structures -:

Inter-governmental Authority on Development (IGAD)

African Union (AU)

East African Community (EAC)

COMESA

Community structures

National Level Structure -:

National Cohesion and integration commission,

National steering committee on peacebuilding and conflict management

Kenya National focal point on small arms and light weapons

Uwiano Platform for peace

Peace and Development networks

County level structures -:

County directorate of peace building and conflict management

District Peace committees

County Peace Committees

CBOs, FBOs INGOs and local NGOs

Turkana cultural and tourism event
Atanayeche and Peace caravan

Community structures

Kraal (50- 100 households for peace and settlement

Kraal leaders

Peace committees

Seers

Council of elders, Clan structures and
Nyumba Kumi Initiative
Youth and women peace councils

For each institution and initiative, the analysis should identify:

what it is
where it is active
since when it has been or was active
which people are involved in it, including whether there are roles for women and any differences between the roles of women and men
To what extent are women able to participate in decision-making processes and leadership roles within the peace architecture?
the resources it has available and whether they are allocated equitably to address the diverse needs of women, men, and other minorities within peacebuilding initiatives
how specifically it contributes to the peace infrastructure, the types of conflict or security incidents to which is it has responded, and specific case examples
whether and how gender norms shape the way it operates
the extent to which it is trusted and perceived as legitimate, responsive and effective by different social groups, including differences in perceptions of women and men
whether and the extent to which it is perceived to be politicised (i.e. whether it has been captured by specific interest groups)
which aspects of its responses appear to be working, in which ways, to what extent
whether any aspects of what it is doing could be understood as causing harm and exacerbating inequalities
how the perspectives and experiences of different genders are integrated into conflict analysis and resolution strategies
the impacts of its activities for different groups, including differences in its impacts on women and men
How the peace architecture engages with local women’s organizations and grassroots movements to amplify their voices and contributions to peace efforts

The analysis should also identify how these different institutions and initiatives interact and the extent to which they coordinate and complement or contradict and compete with one another.

Additionally, drawing on the Do No Harm framework, the analysis should identify the connectors across the project area.[2]

Connectors are those things that:

‘Bring people together despite their differences
Decrease suspicion, mistrust and inequality in a society.’

Specifically, the analysis should identify:

Which institutions or systems help people overcome their differences or promote coexistence
How people express tolerance, acceptance or appreciation for other groups
What specific values are shared among groups
Which interests are shared by different groups?
Whether and how they work together
What experiences groups have shared in the past
Whether there are there universal symbols of togetherness or peace recognized and celebrated by all groups, and if so what

The analysis should identify to which groups and in which locations these ‘connectors’ apply, including whether they extend across borders between the different countries. It should specifically identify the gender aspects of the connectors, such as whether a specific connector exists between women or men.

Ultimately the analysis should identify

what is working to promote dialogue and consultation, prevent conflict and enable peaceful mediation
why it works
what potentially could be strengthened to increase the effectiveness and inclusiveness of the peace infrastructure, and how
which connectors could be built upon, and how
whether there are any critical gaps, including gender gaps, that need to be addressed, in which ways
whether there are any harmful or counterproductive gender norms or practices within the peace infrastructure that should be counteracted, in which ways
how to effectively support the institutions to better coordinate and support peacebuilding initiatives and processes

Gender-Sensitive Conflict Analysis

Conflict analysis can be defined as ‘the systematic study of the profile, causes, actors, and dynamics of conflict’.[3]

The SPREAD: Peace and Resilience consortium requires a conflict analysis which identifies the range of conflicts occurring across the target area, at different levels (such as for example: within households, within communities, between communities, across administrative borders, across international borders) as well as the connections between them.

There are numerous available frameworks for conflict analysis, including those developed by Saferworld, referenced in the footnotes in this section. We are receptive to suggestions about which frameworks will be applied in the study. However, at a minimum we expect the analysis should provide

an overall conflict profile, outlining the social, political, economic, demographic and environmental context of conflicts in the project area
the causes and drivers of conflicts and how they interact – including livelihoods and environmental factors
the actors involved, their interests, goals, positions, capacities and relationships
a concise explanation of conflict history
analysis of conflict dynamics including current trends, likely scenarios and potential peacebuilding opportunities

As with all of the analysis products in the study, the conflict analysis must be gender-sensitive.

Gender refers to socially constructed characteristics of men, women, boys or girls, and sexual and gender minorities, in a specific context. Gender can refer to the role of a man or woman in society, to the expectations of their behaviour (norms) or to an individual’s concept of themselves (identity). Gender is different to sex, which refers to biological differences between males and females.

Integration of gender analysis into conflict analysis can among other things:

provide a better understanding of underlying social power relations and how these influence conflict and are affected by itshed light on gender drivers of conflict and violence, as well as opportunities for peace help determine who to work with, in order to change attitudes, to design interventions, or to address particular vulnerabilities.[4]
help understand how systems of power – such as ethnicity, race, age, socio-economic status, religion, (dis)ability, sexual orientation, indigeneity and geographic location – interact with gender to shape how different people engage with conflict and peace building. provide an understanding of how gender inequality shapes the social, economic and political systems, institutions and structures that influence conflict

Furthermore, we see Gender Sensitive Conflict Analysis as a starting point to understanding, responding to and transforming the ways in which gender inequality causes conflict and discrimination, exclusionary politics and violence against some groups in society. [5]Therefore as part of the conflict analysis this productshould highlight gender issues, including:

How conflict and insecurity impact women, men, girls and boys differently, as well as what they experience in common.
The different roles (and potential roles) of women, men, girls and boys in driving conflict, and insecurity and in peace-making.
how gender norms (e.g. notions of what makes a ‘real man’-masculinity or a ‘good woman’- femininity) contribute to conflict and insecurity, in which ways do they pressurise men and women to participate in violence (by whom against whom?) as well as how they could contribute to peace.
Is there specific gender-based expectations or responsibilities that exacerbate vulnerabilities or risks during conflict?
How women’s contributions to conflict resolution and peacebuilding is recognised and supported
What are the barriers and opportunities for women’s participation in decision-making processes related to conflict resolution, peace negotiations, and governance
How do intersecting factors such as ethnicity, age, disability, and sexual orientation intersect with gender to shape experiences of conflict and marginalization
Are certain groups of women or gender minorities disproportionately affected by conflict due to multiple forms of discrimination
What are the gaps and opportunities for integrating gender considerations into peacebuilding initiatives, and conflict resolution strategies
Recommend mechanisms for monitoring and evaluation of gender responsive and transformative conflict programming.

Community Security Assessments

Community security assessments in selected locations across the project area will help inform and complement the overarching conflict analysis.

These should give voice to and focus on the experiences of people living in the selected areas, identifying

Their perceived security concerns,
How people seek to address their security concerns and/or access justice
The current relationships between communities and formal and informal authorities and other security and justice providers, including
- which state and non-state institutions are involved in security and justice provision,
- which issues they each respond to,
- how they respond, with which resources, and with which results
- the extent to which they are perceived as legitimate, effective, responsive, inclusive and accountable, by different sectors of the society.

People often consider security to relate to many different issues – economic, social, environmental, cultural, political, and so on. Often, harder security concerns such as crime, violence or armed conflict are linked to other ‘human security’ issues related to, for example, people’s health, access to basic services, gender equality, education and livelihoods. Therefore, community security assessments identify and analyse issues which are conventionally understood to relate to security as well as potentially also covering wider human security concerns, in line with people’s priorities.

As with all other analysis products, Community Security Assessments must be gender sensitive, identifying, at minimum:

How men and women’s and other groups’ security concerns differ,
Their different vulnerabilities and sources of resilience
The different options of accessing security and justice available to men and women,
The different obstacles they face in accessing security and justice
Their roles in contributing to security and insecurity,
How gender norms influence the security situation.

While the community security assessments will focus on local experiences and perceptions, they should nevertheless include analysis of how cross-border dynamics impact the local security situation, and the roles of local populations in security dynamics which cross borders.

The Community Security Assessments will assist the project team in identifying

Which peace and security issues to address
Considerations in relation to engaging with local communities and state and non-state authorities in the project area
Operational security risks and mitigation measures

The methodological approach of the research:

The consultant is expected to employ a mix of methodological approaches that comprises:

Desktop/Literature review

A desk review of available literature to assess existing evidence. This will include materials already collated by Saferworld in addition to materials identified by the consultant.
It is expected that the desk review, in addition to further discussions with Saferworld will inform the development of the final field research plan and help identify themes and issues to explore in the primary research.
The consultant is to triangulate data from multiple sources in order to develop a comprehensive preliminary/inception report

Primary data collection

Methods will include key informant interviews, focus group discussions, and case studies from different locations (the research methodology to be agreed on discussion with Saferworld). Research participants should include Saferworld partners, representatives of civil society organisations, women and youth groups and activists, relevant government officials, security apparatus and justice providers, representatives from relevant INGOs and possibly UN agencies, regional bodies, and any other relevant persons/institutions at national, sub-national or international level.

Analysis and synthesis

Each analysis product should convey findings unique to specific to each location as well as findings about cross-border and overall dynamics across the project area.

Reporting and Deliverables

During the term of the assignment, the consultant will:

Produce a preliminary desk review report to inform the primary field research methodology and aims.
Develop a work plan detailing expected timeframes, budget, methodological approaches, security and ethical considerations, and data collection tools that will be used in each planned activity.
Conduct coordination and consultation meetings with Saferworld staff, partners, and other recommended interlocutors including a feedback and review meeting to review drafts and develop relevant recommendations.
Produce the three analytical products listed above, each a maximum 20 pages (so maximum 60 pages in total) excluding recommendations, annexes, and references. Include matrices and maps as part of each analysis product to help effectively communicate the findings
A 4-page summary of the main findings/key points of all analytical products as well as providing an overview summary.

Quality delivery

Saferworld expects the consultant to produce reports that meet the highest level of standard to inform project implementation and dissemination. The consultant is also expected to produce a practical report that is devoid of plagiarism and false data/information.

Ethics and security

It is expected that the lead researcher/research team will, in consultation with Saferworld, inform relevant authorities in the research areas, take due consideration of the safety concerns of researchers as well as participants. It is expected that this will include consideration of how gender dimensions will be incorporated into the research.

Practical measures should include the following:

Ensuring all research team members are properly trained and are aware of ethical considerations and their importance, including gender-specific considerations.
Ensuring the physical and mental health and safety of all staff and external people involved in the research process to ensure staff well-being.
Research teams should include men and women in equal numbers, where possible. When research questions include sensitive issues, such as gender-based violence, teams should take additional steps to ensure that women interviewers and interpreters are available and are the default option for interviewing women and men also have the option to be interviewed by women in places where high levels of sexual violence are suspected.
Ensuring all phases of the project have the approval and backing of relevant authorities and the backing of key local-level leaders, both formal and informal (unless in exceptional circumstances).
Ensuring respondents are aware of the research aims, the potential risks, and of the need to consent to participating in writing or orally (written consent may be viewed as a risk by respondents), and informing respondents that they are free to withdraw consent at any point (see Saferworld’s guidance on informed consent).
Seek additional permission before photos or recordings are taken.
Agree how data will be managed and stored with the research team beforehand. Clearly state to participants how long the data will be retained, who will have access to it, and how or if it will be destroyed after the research is complete. Consider the safety of participants when deciding how data will be shared or disseminated. What are the implications of sharing data with communities and/or what are the risks associated with sharing data publicly more widely?
Ensuring that resources and protocols are in place for referring beneficiaries/respondents who require such services – including gender-based violence survivors -to relevant legal, medical or psycho-social services in case such a need arises over the course of the research.
Ensuring the anonymity of research subjects where necessary, including when researching people’s experiences of violence. This includes providing confidentiality to respondents by systematically anonymising and encrypting interview data.
Any discussions on sensitive issues will be carried out in safe spaces, in a manner that will not draw attention to the respondent.
Ensuring that respondents with disabilities are able to participate in the research in a manner that takes their particular needs into account.
Discuss in advance the implications of providing material or monetary compensation to participants. Consider whether provisions of incentives might lead to tensions in the community or put the integrity of both the research and/or the broader programme into question in the eyes of community members.

To ensure that our research and analysis processes are inclusive the lead researcher should:

Aim for gender equality in the research team including research design, management, data collection and workshop facilitation, and analysis (this means having an equal number of and equivalent roles for women and men)
Interview women and hold women-only focus group discussions, in which no men are present, using women only facilitators for these groups. This principle should also apply to groups of different ages and to the inclusion of other groups that might be marginalised (such as people with disabilities or minority ethnic groups).
Plan the timing and location of activities in a way that will not inconvenience participants and will not expose them to danger, and be aware of different participant’s needs; for example, for those with child-care roles, consult intended research participants about how best to accommodate them in advance of the interview, discussion or workshop.
Provide the financial or logistical means necessary for participants to attend so that they do not incur expenses or lose income.
Share the initial findings of the analysis with research participants for validation and to confirm that our analysis reflects their reality.

Timeframe of the consultancy

Final research outputs must be completed not later than 15 August 2024. The consultant/s is/are expected to submit a proposal including a timeframe and work plan indicating the number of working days needed to conduct the research, in addition to drafting and reviewing the outputs (including the number of days needed for Saferworld’s feedback):

The final report must be submitted to Saferworld by 15 August 2024
Deadlines for interim submissions (e.g. draft report) will be agreed in consultation with the selected applicant and included in the consultancy contract.

Compensation & Expenses

Saferworld will compensate the consultant in instalments upon completion of the following milestones: Milestone

Percentage

Submission of research plan and methodology – 40%

Submission of the first draft of the report – 10%

Submission of a second draft report -10%

Submission of the final report – 40%

Payment will be made based on a satisfactory output delivered rather than the number of days worked. The consultant will be compensated for costs associated with conducting the research task, including per diem, transport and accommodation, as outlined in the agreed budget. Each cost will be agreed in advance with Saferworld and form part of the instalment payments.

Confidentiality and publication of materials

Saferworld will retain the right to edit the final draft prior to publication and will have copyright over the publication and data collected during the research.

Required skills and competencies

Considerable and proven knowledge of peacebuilding
Considerable and proven knowledge and understanding of gender, conflict, security, livelihoods and environmental issues in the border lands of Kenya, South Sudan and Ethiopia
Demonstrable knowledge and proven experience of gender and conflict sensitivity approaches.
Proven experience and previous consultancy work on similar research in conflict affected settings.
Proven experience coordinating a complex research process across multiple locations in different countries
Proven ability to access data and information and strong relevant networks.
Ability to write succinct, high-quality reports in excellent English.
Availability to complete the assignment within the designated timeframe.