Consultancy Service for Developing and/or Adopting a Comprehensive Advocacy Strategy and Action Plans for Disability-Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction (DiDRR)

Consultancy Service for Developing and/or Adopting a Comprehensive Advocacy Strategy and Action Plans for Disability-Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction (DiDRR)
Cheshire Foundation Action for Inclusion (CFAI)

1. Organizational Background

Cheshire Foundation Action for Inclusion (CFAI) is a local indigenous organization established in 1985. It is a legally registered civil society organization under the Authority for Civil Society Organizations (ACSO), in accordance with Proclamation No. 1113/2019, with registration number 0298.

CFAI is dedicated to disability prevention, rehabilitation, inclusion, and the mainstreaming of disability rights across its operational regions. The organization implements programs in the Addis Ababa City Administration, the Amhara National Regional State, and the Oromia National Regional State, working to enhance the rights, wellbeing, and resilience of persons with disabilities through community-based services, capacity development, and policy engagement.

Currently, CFAI is implementing a project titled “Building the Capacity of CBM Ethiopia Strategic Partners on Disability-Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction (DiDRR).” As part of this initiative, CFAI seeks to develop and/or adopt a comprehensive advocacy strategy and corresponding action plans aligned with identified hazards, vulnerabilities, and capacities of Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) and persons with disabilities. This strategy will serve as a guiding framework for strengthening advocacy efforts for disability inclusion within Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) policies and future sectoral interventions.

2. Purpose of the Consultancy

The main purpose of this consultancy is to develop or adapt a comprehensive, evidence-based advocacy strategy and action plans that strengthen OPDs’ and disability stakeholders’ capacity to influence and advocate for disability-inclusive DRR policies, systems, and practices at local, regional, and national levels.

3. Objectives of the Assignment

3.1. Overall Objective
To design a context-specific advocacy strategy and action plans that enable OPDs and disability actors to effectively influence DRR policy and planning processes toward meaningful disability inclusion.

3.2. Specific Objectives

1. Review existing DRR, DiDRR, and disability-related policies, frameworks, and advocacy practices.
2. Conduct participatory assessments of OPDs’ capacities, gaps, vulnerabilities, and strengths in relation to disaster risk.
3. Facilitate stakeholder consultations and co-creation workshops to ensure inclusive input and ownership.
4. Develop a comprehensive advocacy strategy tailored to identified needs and contextual realities.
5. Formulate an actionable advocacy plan outlining priorities, responsible actors, timelines, and required resources.
6. Support OPDs and stakeholders with guidance for implementing the strategy (capacity building may be included if required).

4. Scope of Work and Key Tasks

The consultant(s) will undertake the following tasks:

4.1. Desk Review and Context Analysis

• Review national policies including the Disaster Risk Management policy, DiDRR guidelines, disability proclamations, and relevant legal frameworks.
• Examine international standards such as the Sendai Framework, UNCRPD, and other regional DRR instruments.
• Analyze existing CFAI and partner project documents, hazard assessments, and vulnerability and capacity analyses related to OPDs.

4.2. Stakeholder Mapping and Analysis

• Identify and map key DRR stakeholders including OPDs, government bodies, NGOs/CSOs, emergency service institutions, networks, and community structures.
• Assess stakeholders’ influence, interests, capacities, and potential roles in advocacy for DiDRR.

4.3. Participatory Consultations

• Conduct Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) with policymakers, OPDs, authorities, and disability experts.
• Facilitate Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with OPDs and persons with disabilities.
• Lead co-creation workshops to gather input and validate findings.

4.4. Development of a Comprehensive Advocacy Strategy

The strategy shall include at minimum:

• Context and problem analysis
• Advocacy goal and strategic objectives
• Prioritized focus areas for DiDRR advocacy
• Target audiences (primary, secondary, tertiary)
• Key advocacy messages and communication approaches
• Evidence-based arguments and influencing pathways
• Risk analysis and mitigation mechanisms
• Monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning (MEAL) framework

4.5. Development of a Practical Advocacy Action Plan

The action plan should:

• Outline specific advocacy activities
• Identify responsible actors and partnerships
• Provide a timeline and milestones
• Define resource requirements (technical, financial, human)
• Specify expected outputs and indicators

4.6. Validation and Finalization
• Present draft strategy and action plan during a validation workshop.
• Incorporate stakeholder feedback.
• Submit finalized, professionally edited documents.

5. Expected Deliverables
The consultant is expected to produce:

1. Inception Report
   • Methodology
   • Detailed work plan and schedule
   • Stakeholder engagement approach
2. Assessment/Situation Analysis Report
   • Summary of hazards, vulnerabilities, and capacities of OPDs
   • Policy analysis findings
   • Stakeholder mapping summary
3. Draft Advocacy Strategy Document
4. Draft Advocacy Action Plan
5. Validation Workshop Report
6. Final Advocacy Strategy and Action Plan (Refined, edited, and formatted (Word + PDF))
7. Training/Orientation Session for OPDs (optional, if included in the contract)

Duration of the Assignment

The consultancy is expected to be completed within 25–30 working days, starting from the date of contract signing. The consultant should provide a detailed timeline in the inception report.

Management and Coordination

CFAI Responsibilities

• Provide relevant documents and background materials.
• Facilitate access to project sites, OPDs, and stakeholders.
• Organize consultations, FGDs, and workshops as needed.
• Review and approve all deliverables.

Consultant Responsibilities

• Conduct all tasks with professional rigor and ethical standards.
• Deliver outputs in accordance with agreed timelines and quality standards.
• Maintain confidentiality and data protection throughout the assignment.

Reporting Requirements

• The consultant will report directly to the Program Manager or designated CFAI focal person.
• Bi-weekly progress updates may be required.
• All reports must be submitted in English, in both Word and PDF formats.

Payment Modality

Payments will be made upon satisfactory submission and approval of deliverables:

• 20% – Upon submission and approval of the Inception Report
• 40% – Upon submission of the draft Advocacy Strategy and Action Plan
• 40% – Upon submission and approval of the final documents

Ethical Considerations

The consultant must adhere to:

• CFAI’s safeguarding policies
• Do-no-harm principles
• Ethical guidelines for working with persons with disabilities
• Informed consent and data protection standards

. Required Qualifications and Competencies

Education

• A Master’s degree or higher in Disaster Risk Reduction, Public Policy, Human Rights, Social Sciences, Development Studies, or related fields.

Experience

• Minimum of 7–10 years’ experience in DRR, disability inclusion, advocacy strategy development, policy analysis, or related thematic areas.
• Proven experience working with OPDs, persons with disabilities, and community groups.
• Demonstrated ability to lead participatory processes and facilitate multi-stakeholder consultations.
• Experience in developing advocacy tools, policy briefs, or strategies is essential.

Skills and Competencies

• Strong analytical and report-writing skills.
• Excellent communication and facilitation abilities.
• Knowledge of Ethiopian DRR and disability legislative frameworks.
• Ability to deliver high-quality outputs within agreed timelines.