Consultancy to undertake Conflict & Conflict Sensitivity Analysis in the Mandera Triangle for the Haanaano Programme 58 views0 applications

Terms of Reference (ToR)

Concern Worldwide is an international non-governmental humanitarian organization dedicated to the reduction of suffering and working towards the ultimate elimination of extreme poverty in the world’s poorest countries

Background and context

The Mandera Triangle – the area where Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia intersect surrounding the Kenyan town of Mandera – is a dynamic crossroads where people, livestock and goods move freely across international borders. The area is largely inhabited by Somali communities who have close social, familial and linguistic connections that extend across borders. The Triangle is isolated, poor and insecure; it has limited infrastructure, minimal levels of social service provision, and offers few livelihoods options. The movement of people, goods, and services is frequently restricted for security reasons; and local governance arrangements (a mixture of traditional and secular systems) are weak and hybrid.

Mandera Triangle has a long history of trans-boundary conflicts over resources such as water and pasture and external factors such as spill over political contestation, increased flow of small arms and light weapons across the borders and periodic attacks by violent extremists worsened by an already fragile context. The three countries that constitute the Triangle have distinct border policies that affect cross border trade, commerce and basic service delivery.

BORESHA (2020) Conflict Technical Brief: Integrating Conflict Sensitivity in Cross Border Programmes

Concern Worldwide together with the Rural Community Development Agency (RACIDA) in Kenya, Pastoralist Concern in Ethiopia, Lifeline Gedo in Somalia and the Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD) are implementing a new programme to prevent child wasting in the Mandera Triangle dubbed ”Haanaano” (Somali word for nurturing) and funded by Irish Aid. The programme aims to prevent child wasting among over 305,000 people living in the most vulnerable communities in the Triangle through three main pathways:

1. Improving feeding and caring behaviours for infants, young children, adolescents and women of reproductive age;
2. Improving food security and supporting engagement in profitable, climate resilient livelihood strategies;
3. Informing and influencing relevant country and regional strategies to prevent wasting by demonstrating evidence of what works, particularly at community level

Purpose of the Consultancy

The purpose of the consultancy is to lead Concern and partners to undertake a conflict and conflict sensitivity analysis that will help the programme teams develop a clear understanding of the conflict context in the Triangle and use this context information to ensure a conflict sensitive approach to implementation. Specifically, Concern would like to ensure that the Haanaano programme interventions and operations minimise negative effects (contributions to new or existing conflict), if possible, maximise positive impacts (contribution to peace), and ensure a “do no harm” approach is taken in every aspect of programme implementation.

Objectives and Specific Tasks to be undertaken by the Consultant(s)

Objectives of the conflict and conflict sensitivity analysis include:

1. Understand the conflict context in the Mandera Triangle. Paying particular attention to its profile and dynamics, the actors involved and the key issues that connect (unite) and divide (separate) people and groups.
2. Understand the interactions between Concern’s and Partners’ activities, processes and operations and the conflict context
3. Identify practical ways to avoid negative impacts and maximise positive impacts on the existing conflicts and tensions and the Haanaano programme
4. Develop an action plan to integrate the identified mitigation actions and regular up-to-date analysis/ conflict scans into programme implementation/ M&E processes.

Geographical scope: The analysis should cover conflict dynamics in the programme’s target locations: Dolo Ado and Suftu in Liben zone and Dolo Bay in Afder zone in Somali Region in Ethiopia; Banisa, Mandera North and Mandera East sub-counties in Mandera County in Kenya and Belet Hawa and Dollow Districts in Gedo Region in Somalia.

Programmatic scope/activities: The conflict sensitivity analysis will focus on the conflict-related considerations of the three programme components: Food Security and Livelihoods (particularly, improving access to food, natural resource management, animal health extension services and agricultural inputs/ training); Nutrition (infant and young child feeding, diverse household diets, promoting behaviours critical adolescent and maternal nutrition); Gender (women’s empowerment and male engagement); Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH); and early warning and early action systems and advocacy.

Concern and partners propose that the conflict and conflict sensitivity analysis comprises of three parts: conflict analysis, conflict sensitivity analysis and development of a conflict sensitivity strategy for the programme.

Part 1: Conflict Analysis

Concern and partners seek to understand the profile of the conflict dynamics in the Triangle in relation to food security and nutrition. Below is a list (not exhaustive) of issues to be studied.

• Conflict Profile and Dynamics: What are the main patterns of conflict visible in the Mandera Triangle (high/low intensity; escalating / sporadic, persistent/ seasonal)? How do factors such as land/ grazing rights, agriculture activities and seasonality, access to water, among others, influencing the conflict? What is the impact of conflict on food security, nutrition of women and children and WASH? Who does conflict affect gender equality and vice versa? Who are the people targeted and impacted by the conflicts?
• Actors: Which groups (political, social etc) are present and/ or exercise control in the Mandera Triangle? What role do they play in the conflict? And what role do they play in promoting peace? Which groups experience exclusion and what are their grievances? What role does identity (ethnicity, religion, language, political affiliation etc) play in the conflict? How are tensions between groups manifested (including between host communities and IDPs/refugees)? How do gender issues impact the outlook of key actors –does gender affect how key players interact with each other?
• Dividers and Connectors: Which actors, policies, resources or issues are particularly divisive (a source of tension or contributing to tension) and which connect (a source of unity, contributing to social cohesion) people in the community? What connectors are present (common language, religion, culture, schools and other social amenities, markets, trade, intermarriage, common infrastructure etc)? Are there functioning and trusted conflict resolution systems in place (formal/informal) that people use and consider legitimate)?

Part 2: Conflict Sensitivity Analysis

Concern and partners seek to undertake a conflict sensitivity analysis to enable them to translate the conflict analysis into program design and implementation. This will involve analysing Haanaano proposed programme choices, to understand their potential positive and negative impacts on conflict in the Mandera Triangle and making programme modifications.

The conflict sensitivity analysis will identify potential actions to ensure a “do no harm” approach, mitigate minimise negative effects and if possible, maximise positive impacts. This will be based on an analysis of : how the programme will be implemented including procurement, logistics, human resource management, security management, representation and negotiation; where we site our offices and other facilities; when we implement our interventions especially livelihoods interventions that are often seasonal; who we work with particularly Concern and partner’s relationships with different institutions and groups and targeting of programme participants and planned exit strategies.

Part 3: Development of a conflict sensitivity action plan for the Haanaano programme

Concern and Partners require a practical action plan with steps/ activities to promote a positive impact of the programme on conflict or at least to do no harm and steps to maintain an up-to-date analysis of conflict (conflict scans). It will also include a plan for effectively monitoring and responding to any concerns over conflict sensitivity that may arise including approaches for adjusting programmes to respond to and minimise potential conflict as result of Concern and partner’s actions. One of the practical actions may include a follow up training for Concern and Partners.

Proposed Methodology and Ethical considerations

Concern and partners propose the following methods to perform the analysis:

• Desk Review of existing programme and contexts documents.
• Primary data collection, primarily via key informant interviews (KII) with Concern and partner staff; government actors in Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia, including IGAD; and non-governmental actors (national and international NGOs, religious organisations, community leaders and private sector) to build an understanding of the conflict and identify current and future conflict-related risks and potential mitigation measures. This will likely include a visit to the Kenya partner office (RACIDA) in Mandera town and remote engagement with Concern/ Partners in Ethiopia and Somalia. NB: Concern strongly recommends using confidential and private KIIs for community consultations as opposed to FGDs but is open to the consultant’s suggestions.
• Validation Workshop to engage Concern, Partners and external stakeholders such as government authorities, community representatives and other civil society organisations to validate findings, discuss, and identify potential mitigation measures. This will likely include a visit to the Kenya partner office (RACIDA) in Mandera town and remote engagement with Concern/ Partners in Ethiopia and Somalia
• Conflict Sensitivity Analysis Workshop: Concern and Partners translate validated findings into concrete approaches in the final design of the programme and integrate concrete activities into the programme cycle. This will likely include a visit to the Kenya partner office (RACIDA) in Mandera town and remote engagement with Concern/ Partners in Ethiopia and Somalia

The following ethical considerations (list not exhaustive) will guide the conflict sensitivity analysis.

• The conflict analysis must be carried out in conflict sensitive manner to avoid the analysis itself contributing to tensions.
• The conflict analysis must be conducted in a gender sensitive manner paying particular attention to the different ways in which men, women, boys and girls participate in, experience and try to prevent or reduce conflict. The analysis must disaggregate between sexes and pay attention to important intersecting inequalities and identities. The analysis should also consider hidden and less visible features of conflict such as gendered power relations within the community.
• Transparent and open communication with programme participants, wider community and local government concerning the purpose of the study.
• Informed Consent and confidentiality in relation to the study respondents considering their safety.

Outputs

The following key deliverables of the consultancy

• Conflict Analysis Report (10 pages maximum, template will be provided)
• Conflict Sensitivity Analysis Report (10 pages maximum, template will be provided)
• Conflict Sensitivity Action plan (10 pages maximum, template will be provided)

Financial Proposal

Concern Worldwide will make payment after satisfactory delivery of agreed outputs and outcomes subject to withholding tax. Concern and Consultant will agree on a detailed payment schedule during the consultancy’s inception period.

Lines of Communication

The consultant will liaise with the Haanaano Programme Management Unit Coordinator, Regional Advocacy and Policy Officer both based in Nairobi. Additionally, s/he will liaise with the Humanitarian Policy Adviser, Senior Nutrition Adviser, Senior Adviser Food and Nutrition Security based at Concern Headquarters.

Timeframe

The consultancy will take a maximum of 30 days during the period April- June 2024.

Essential and Desirable Experience/Qualifications

The consultant must possess the following skills and qualifications

Essential:

• Immediate availability
• Strong, technical skills and experience in undertaking conflict and conflict sensitivity analysis with a focus on food security and nutrition interventions
• In-depth knowledge of the conflict and security crisis in the Mandera Triangle
• Commitment to participatory approaches conflict analysis and conflict sensitivity analysis
• Strong analytical, facilitation (including listening) and writing skills
• Post graduate qualification in Development Studies, International Relations, Social Sciences, Conflict and Peace Studies, Conflict Analysis, or other related discipline
• At least 5 years’ experience in humanitarian and resilience programming in insecure contexts with specific experience in natural resource management, stakeholder engagement, conflict analysis and conflict-sensitive programming as well as experience in designing and delivering capacity building programmes and activities.

Desirable

• Previous experience undertaking similar consultancies in Mandera County in Kenya, Dolo Ado and Suftu in Liben zone and Dolo Bay in Afder zone in Somali Region in Ethiopia and Belet Hawa and Dollow Districts in Gedo Region in Somalia.
• Has Somali language skills and ability to travel to the programme target locations

Required documentation with your proposal:

1. Company / Consultant profile
2. Certificate of Incorporation (firms) or National ID card (individual)
3. Valid Tax Compliance Certificate
4. PIN Certificate
5. Company / Consultant’s Profile
6. CVs of key staff
7. Certificate/reference information of previous undertakings of similar contracts with NGOs/UN agencies
8. Safeguarding Policy, Code of Conduct etc. or what are the necessary provisions have you put in place to keep everyone safe in the course of your engagement.
9. Attach copy of Certificate of Good Conduct or proof that you have applied for the same
10. A detailed work plan with milestones
11. Confirm the gender ratio for the team that you will be engaging in this exercise
12. Technical proposal
13. Financial proposal
14. Evidence of previous related works in Mandera
15. Work plan (Gantt chart) showing specific milestone

Concern Code of Conduct and associated policies

Concern has an organisational Code of Conduct (CCoC) with three Associated Policies; the Programme Participant Protection Policy (P4), the Child Safeguarding Policy and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Policy. These have been developed to ensure the maximum protection of programme participants from exploitation, and to clarify the responsibilities of Concern staff, consultants, visitors to the programme and partner organisation, and the standards of behaviour expected of them. In this context, staff have a responsibility to the organisation to strive for, and maintain, the highest standards in the day-to-day conduct in their workplace in accordance with Concern’s core values and mission. Any candidate offered a job with Concern Worldwide will be expected to sign the Concern Staff Code of Conduct and Associated Policies as an appendix to their contract of employment. By signing the Concern Code of Conduct, candidates acknowledge that they have understood the content of both the Concern Code of Conduct and the Associated Policies and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these policies.