ToR: Policy Review and Assessment on the Rights of Ethnic Minorities in Benishangul-Gumuz Region (BGRS)

1. Background

Development for All (DFA) is an independent civil society organization established in 2016 and licensed under Ethiopian law (Registration No. 3610). Guided by the vision of an inclusive and sustainable society where everyone lives in dignity, DFA works to advance minority rights and promote equitable and sustainable development. The organization focuses on empowering marginalized and minority communities, ensuring their voices are heard and their rights are protected.

As part of its ongoing efforts to strengthen the protection of minority rights in the Benishangul-Gumuz Region (BGRS), DFA seeks to engage a qualified consultant (or group of consultants) to conduct two interrelated but distinct policy and legal assignments focusing on the status of ethnic minorities and the adequacy of existing legal and policy frameworks in ensuring their inclusion and protection of their rights

2. Objectives of the Assignment

The overall objective of this consultancy is to generate evidence-based analysis and actionable policy recommendations to enhance the protection and promotion of ethnic minority rights in BGRS, in line with national, regional, and international legal frameworks.

The specific objectives are to:

• Assess the current status of ethnic minorities in BGRS, including key challenges, opportunities, and good practices related to the protection of their rights and promoting their inclusion for equitable development.
• Review and analyze relevant national and regional policies, legislation, and international legal frameworks on minority rights, and identify gaps and areas for improvement.

3. Scope of Work

The consultancy consists of two separate but complementary assignments, to be conducted independently and submitted as distinct outputs.

Assignment 1: Comprehensive Assessment on the Status of Ethnic Minorities in BGRS

The consultant will:

• Conduct a comprehensive assessment of the current status of ethnic minorities in the Benishangul-Gumuz Region.
• Analyze key challenges and opportunities affecting the protection and realization of ethnic minority rights.
• Document existing good practices and community-level initiatives that promote minority inclusion and protection.
• Examine access to and inclusivity within key sectoral policies and practices, including:
• Education
• Health
• Financial inclusion
• Investment and economic participation
• Develop clear, actionable, and context-specific policy recommendations based on findings.

Assignment 2: Legal and Policy Review on Minority Rights

The consultant will:

• Review and analyze relevant national and regional legal frameworks, including:
• The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Constitution
• The Benishangul-Gumuz Regional State Constitution
• Assess the extent to which these frameworks align with international standards, particularly the 1992 UN Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities.
• Examine how minority rights are recognized, protected, and implemented within federal and regional constitutional arrangements.
• Review relevant national and regional policies related to education, health, financial inclusion, and investment from a minority rights and inclusivity perspective.
• Identify legal, policy, and implementation gaps, as well as areas for reform and improvement.
• Propose practical legal and policy recommendations aligned with international minority rights standards.

4. Methodology

The consultant is expected to apply a mixed and participatory methodology, which may include:

• Desk review of laws, policies, strategies, and international legal instruments
• Key informant interviews with relevant stakeholders
• Stakeholder validation meetings to review findings and recommendations
• Comparative legal and policy analysis

A detailed methodology should be clearly outlined in the technical proposal.

5. Deliverables

The consultant shall submit:

• One comprehensive assessment report for Assignment 1
• One legal and policy review report for Assignment 2
• Separate executive summaries and policy recommendations for each assignment
• Validation workshop report incorporating stakeholder feedback

6. Duration

The duration and timeline for each assignment will be agreed upon with DFA and clearly specified in the approved work plan.

7. Required Qualifications and Experience

The consultant (or team of consultants) must have:

• An LL.B and LL.M in Law (or closely related field)
• A minimum of six (6) years of relevant professional experience in legal and policy research, constitutional law, or human rights
• Strong knowledge and understanding of Ethiopian laws, legal systems
• Proven experience in conducting similar policy reviews or legal assessments
• Demonstrated analytical and report-writing skills

Applications from qualified consulting firms with complementary expertise are highly encouraged.

8. Application Requirements

Interested applicants are required to submit:

• Two separate technical proposals, one for both assignment
• Two separate financial proposals, one for each assignment
• Updated CV(s)
• Copies of academic certificates
• Samples of previous relevant work (e.g., reports, articles, policy briefs), if available
• Given that the two assignments are highly interrelated and complementary, DFA seeks to engage a single qualified consultant to undertake both assignments.

9. Reporting and Coordination

The consultant will work under the overall supervision of Development for All (DFA) and coordinate closely with the assigned project team throughout the assignment.