Consultancy: Assessment on Coordination of Conflict-Related Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (CR-SGBV) Initiatives in Ethiopia

Background

Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR) is an Ethiopian civil society organization that re-registered on September 19, 2019, before the FDRE Civil Societies Organizations Agency in accordance with Proclamation No. 1113/2019. LHR aims to promote and advocate for human rights by strengthening lawyers’ participation through training and capacity-building; facilitating the exchange of ideas and experience among lawyers nationwide; litigating to uphold rights recognized under the FDRE Constitution and other laws; raising awareness among justice sector actors on international human rights instruments ratified by Ethiopia; providing free legal services to victims of human rights violations, particularly marginalized communities; advocating for legal reforms; and promoting the role of human rights defenders among lawyers.

Objective of the Consultancy

Several civil society organizations in Ethiopia are engaged in documentation, assessment, legal aid services, awareness raising, humanitarian assistance and psychosocial support, advocacy, and action planning related to conflict-related sexual and gender-based violence (CR-SGBV). However, these efforts remain fragmented and often do not complement one another. This fragmentation limits the effectiveness of interventions aimed at ensuring justice for victims and delivering coordinated support services.

To address these challenges, LHR plans to organize a national conference in Adama that will bring together regional and national stakeholders. The conference aims to discuss and resolve gaps, enhance coordination, and identify opportunities for improving CR-SGBV documentation and service delivery.

The conference will be informed by an assessment report focusing on coordination gaps and recommendations among CSOs and victims’ support groups working on CR-SGBV in Ethiopia. To this end, LHR seeks to hire a qualified consultant who will conduct an assessment on the stated issue, provide actionable recommendations and facilitate a national conference in Adama that will bring together regional and national stakeholders.

Objective of the Assignment

The overall objective of this consultancy is to assess the current state of coordination among stakeholders working on CR-SGBV in Ethiopia and to propose practical mechanisms for improving collaboration, information sharing, and service delivery.

Scope of Work

The consultant will be responsible for undertaking the following tasks:

• Review and analyze relevant laws, regulations and polices addressing conflict-related sexual and gender-based violence (CR-SGBV);
• Define and specify the roles of civil societies and victims support groups in responding to CR-SGBV;
• Conduct a comprehensive mapping of existing civil societies and victims’ support group initiatives addressing CR-SGBV in Ethiopia;
• Assess whether coordination mechanisms currently exist among the initiatives of stakeholders relating to CR-SGB;
• Identify key gaps, overlaps, and challenges in coordination, information sharing, and service delivery of stakeholders;
• Analyze barriers to effective collaboration, including institutional, operational, and resource-related constraints;
• Document good practices and lessons learned from existing local and foreign initiatives;
• Analyze and articulate the importance of coordinated efforts in addressing CR-SGBV;
• Provide actionable recommendations for improving coordination and collaboration among stakeholders;
• Propose and develop a practical framework/model for establishing a loose coordination network among stakeholders etc.

Methodology

The consultant is expected to employ a mixed-methods approach, including but not limited to:

• Desk review of relevant literature, reports, and policy documents
• Key informant interviews (KIIs) with relevant stakeholders
• Focus group discussions (FGDs) with selected groups
• Stakeholder mapping and analysis
• Review of comparative experiences and best practices from similar contexts

The consultant shall propose a detailed methodology in the inception report.

Deliverables

The consultant is expected to deliver the following:

• Inception Report: Outlining the proposed methodology, tools, and work plan, to be submitted within one week of contract signing.
• Draft Assessment Report: To be submitted within 25 days of contact signing.
• Final Assessment Report: Incorporating LHR feedback, to be submitted within five (5) working days of receiving comments.
• Presentation of key findings and recommendations: To be delivered at the national conference on the date and venue determined by LHR.

Duration of the Assignment

• The assignment is expected to be completed within thirty (30 days) from the date of contract signing.

Reporting and Supervision

• The consultant will report to LHR and work closely with relevant project staff throughout the assignment.

Required Qualifications and Experience

The consultant should possess the following qualifications:

• Advanced university degree in law, human rights, transitional justice, or a related field.
• At least 7 years of demonstrated professional experience in human rights, transitional justice, accountability mechanisms, or related areas.
• Demonstrated experience in research and assessments related to SGBV, human rights, or conflict-related issues
• Strong understanding of the Ethiopian CSO landscape
• Proven experience in stakeholder coordination and analysis
• Excellent analytical, writing, and communication skills