Terms of Reference (TORs) – Baseline Study on Transitional Justice and Reconciliation at Life and Peace Institute

Terms of Reference (TORs)

Baseline Study on Transitional Justice and Reconciliation

1. Background

Life & Peace Institute (LPI) is an international centre that supports and promotes nonviolent approaches to conflict transformation through a combination of research and action. At the core of this work is strengthening existing local capacities and enhancing the preconditions for building peace. For the past thirty years, LPI has partnered with civil society organizations and research institutions to strengthen locally-led peacebuilding processes through capacity development and accompaniment.**

The Horn of Africa Regional Programme (HARP) was designed in 2012/13 to link LPI’s peacebuilding work in the Horn to the regional level through policy engagement with regional actors. Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) with the African Union (AU) in 2014 and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in 2016 provide the basis for strong partnerships and collaboration. As such, LPI is well-positioned to build on its rich experience contributing to concrete regional policy initiatives informed by evidence from multiple stakeholders.

Since its establishment, HARP has been implementing strategic initiatives geared towards contributing to concrete regional policy initiatives – most notably the IGAD Policy Framework on Informal Cross-Border Trade and Cross-border Security Governance – informed by evidence from multiple stakeholders. Through its 2021-2024 programme phase, responding to the changing regional landscape in the Horn of Africa (HoA) region and aiming to add value to the structural prevention agenda of the AU, HARP will focus on three thematic areas: Transforming borderlands into centres of peace and enhanced human security, Transitional Justice and Reconciliation, and Climate Change and Conflict. In each theme, the programme will put a particular focus on promoting the role of youth and women.

Emerging from LPI’s previous work on Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development (PCRD), TJR is a new theme for LPI. It will build on LPI’s seminal work on PCRD as applied by the AU and IGAD. The focus on TJR at this point is opportune given the recent adoption of the African Union Transitional Justice Policy (AUTJP) and the regional contextual dynamics in the HoA region (particularly the national transition processes in Somalia, Sudan, and Ethiopia).

2. Programme Description

To conceptualize the thematic area and inform the overall programmatic thinking, in 2021, LPI finalized a mapping report on the TJR policy landscape at the continental and regional levels. The report also explored spaces for civil society actors’ engagement and identified key entry points for HARP and potential areas for collaboration with stakeholders engaged in the field. As the next phase, LPI-HARP is commissioning a national level baseline assessment looking at the existing policy space and gauging the engagement of relevant stakeholders. The study is a critical part of HARP’s four-year programme and will establish the baseline for the programme’s key indicators (i.e., related to the specific theme).

3. Purpose of the Baseline

This study shall establish baseline values on capacities of civil society actors (national and subnational levels) to influence and engage in TJR issues in the IGAD region, focusing on Ethiopia, Somalia, and Sudan. The study aims to understand and document their current capacity and gaps to determine the most appropriate interventions for LPI-HARP.

The baseline should increase the overall understanding of the policy landscape, including different government institutions and explore the entry-points for increased CSO engagement.

As transitional justice and reconciliation are cross-cutting areas of relevance to the entire organization, this baseline will be done with support and collaboration with country programs.

The findings will be used to enhance the programmatic results and M&E frameworks, which directly contribute to the overall programme impact assessment.

4. Baseline Objectives

The baseline study objectives shall include:

1. Identify existing and emerging national TJR processes in Ethiopia, Somalia, and Sudan that regional, national, and subnational actors are or could be involved in.
2. Assess the TJR capacity of relevant stakeholders in the selected countries and analyze:

a. Level of their knowledge and understanding of TJR processes and issues in their national, regional, and continental context

b. Level of engagement in identified TJR-related (state and non-state) policy processes in their respective countries

c. Document existing TJR knowledge and experience sharing networks/platforms at the national and local levels to identify potential areas for enhanced collaboration

d. Identify entry points for potential engagement with national and subnational CSO actors working on TJR issues.

1. Present an overview of TJR related activities and initiatives within LPI country programmes (mainly Somalia, Sudan, and Ethiopia) relevant to HARP’s priority areas to strengthen cross-programmatic collaboration and learnings:

o Map key TJR related initiatives LPI country programmes are engaged in

o Identify areas for potential collaboration and engagement between HARP and LPI CPs

1. Assessment of relevant processes and policy frameworks in state institutions (of selected countries) with TJR mandate, including highlighting potential roles and existing spaces for CSO engagement.
2. Assess the baseline values for the respective outcomes under TJR to identify SMART indicators, which were not indicated in the result framework under the theme.

5. Baseline Methodology

The baseline methodology shall overall be utilization-focused, participatory, and collaborative. The consultant shall work closely with the LPI/HARP team in developing capacity assessment tools for civil society actors. These tools shall be applied to assess stakeholders identified in the selected countries.

Secondly, the consultant shall utilize both primary and secondary data collection. The primacy data should use a rapid mixed-method assessment of an agreed list of policy actors in the IGAD region. This shall involve targeted key informant interviews in the selected countries. In conducting these interviews, the consultant, in collaboration with the LPI team, should develop structured interview questioners to assess the practice and experience of the relevant CSOs and members states on TJR policies, AUTJP, IGAD Regional Reconciliation Framework. The consultant should work with the LPI team to analyse national and local level CSO’s presence and experiences for secondary data gathering and analysis.

The rapid assessment shall also rely on a desk review of existing literature and relevant policy documents related to the focus of this study. This review shall benefit from LPI TJR program documents and outputs, including the policy landscape mapping document.

The consultant shall leverage LPI’s presence in the region to secure interviews with respondents.

6. Deliverables

The consultant(s) will be expected to provide the following deliverables:

1. An inception report, which includes a proposed conceptual methodology, data collection instruments, and work plan. The data collection instruments shall include:

a. TJR Capacity assessment tool(s)

b. Rapid assessment data collection tools

1. All data collected for the baseline study
2. Feedback workshop including presentation of preliminary findings and parameters for data validation and presentation of initial findings, facilitated by the consultant with the participation of LPI teams and partners as relevant.
3. A draft baseline study report submitted for comment and feedback to the HARP team, including updated baseline data for the programme’s results framework.
4. A final baseline report of a maximum of 30 pages long (excluding annexes), taking into consideration at least two rounds of comments from the HARP team. The report must include: an executive summary, Introduction and context, methodology and limitations, analysis of the main findings/results per indicator, conclusions, and recommendations).
5. Baseline study datasets, including all primary data collected in LPI’s preferred format.
6. A summary of findings that may be used for external communication/publication, including LPI’s primary donor and partners.

The consultant will be supervised by HARP Program Manager.

7. Timeframe

The estimated duration of the contract for the Baseline Study is 25 days spread over March to May 2022. The consultant will submit a clear work plan with specific timelines, which will be reviewed and agreed on at the beginning of the consultancy work.

8. Consultant’s Qualifications

· Education – advanced degree in peace and conflict studies, history, political science, public policy studies, development studies, human rights, or related fields.

· Experience in conducting mixed-methods research on peacebuilding, particularly in the thematic areas of TJR, including in conducting complex monitoring and/or evaluation efforts.

· Experience in designing and utilizing participatory methods of data collection and analysis.

· Knowledge of global, continental, and regional instruments/frameworks related to the focus of this study.

· Previous professional experience and working relationships with the AU and IGAD and its member states will be an asset.

· The consultant will be expected to comply with LPI’s code of conduct and privacy policy during the study.

9. Specifications for Submission of Applications

The applicant(s) is/are requested to submit a technical and financial offer:

i. A technical offer of a maximum of six (6) pages, including:

§ A cover letter with an expression of interest and a brief description of relevant previous experiences in baseline studies, qualitative data collection and planning and conducting semi-structured interviews, baseline value target setting, etc.

§ A proposed methodology based on your understanding of the ToR, presenting the overall approach and methods suggested for the conduct of the evaluation and conflict sensitivity considerations.

§ A work plan, with estimated working days.

§ A brief Curriculum Vitae (CV) of the applicant(s), including references.

ii. A financial offer, including:

§ Expert fees including the estimated number of working days for each team member.

§ Other expenses, including travel expenses.

§ VAT, if applicable

10. Publication and Processing of personal data:

During initiation and performance of contracts, LPI may process personal data[1] of natural persons that are collected by LPI or transferred or disclosed to LPI by prospective contractors or third parties under their instruction, e.g., personal data of employees, legal representatives, agents, or other partners of the prospective contractors or such third parties.**

For any inquires related to this consultancy, please contact Tsion Belay via tsion.belay@life-peace.org and Eden Matiyas via eden.Matiyas@life-peace.org before the deadline.

11. Budget

The total budget of the baseline study will not exceed 15,000USD. The proposed budget is to be considered an upper limit that will not necessarily be reached. Financial aspects will be included in the evaluation of the best bid. The contracted sum includes the consultant(s) ‘s remuneration[2] and all expenses for the services described above, including, for example, travel, board and lodging, communication expenses, (potential) interpretation costs, and taxes, and will be paid linked to the deliverables being accepted. Payment shall be effected in a lump-sum payment upon delivery of the deliverables above.

[1] By submitting information to LPI, you, as a prospective contractor, acknowledge:

• to have taken note of LPI’s Privacy Notice https://life-peace.org/policies (Life & Peace Institute’s Privacy Policy (2018).);
• to ensure that each direct or indirect transfer or disclosure of personal data to LPI during the initiation or performance of a contract is lawful pursuant to applicable data protection law;
• to ensure that all persons, whose personal data are transferred or disclosed to LPI, were promptly and demonstrably provided the LPI Privacy Notice; and
• that if a contract is concluded and in accordance with its terms, LPI or its donor publishes, in particular on the LPI or donor website, information about the contract and the contracting parties.

[2] LPI will pay a daily fee for an agreed number of payable days. The total number of days will be agreed upon, informed by the technical proposal submitted to LPI. The fee will be subject to negotiation based on the experience of the evaluation team members.