Consultancy: Conflict Analysis Job at American Friends Service Committee

Terms of Reference

1. Background and Context: The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) is a Quaker organization that includes people of various faiths who are committed to social justice, peace, and humanitarian service.

Its work is based on the Quaker belief in worth of every person and faith in the power of love to overcome violence and injustice.

AFSC promotes non-violent approaches to conflict resolution. As such, we seek to promote the transformation of cultural and societal norms, values, and behaviors to reject violence.

We strive to create a society with:

• Increased capacity for communities to transform conflict.
• Engaged young people who promote a culture of peace.
• Victims from all sides of a conflict who are able to improve their livelihoods using approaches that weave back together the social fabric and rebuild trust.
• A wide variety of community stakeholders, including civil society, government, academicians, business representatives and professionals, engaged in reducing violence.

With Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, Equality, and Stewardship as our values, AFSC works in partnership with other peace builders. Our work incorporates best practices such as Do No Harm and Reflecting on Peace Practice (RPP).

AFSC’s program goal in Somalia is to ensure the Youth are taking leading roles and responsibilities as citizens and agents for social change, are active in non-violent and innovative community-based initiatives, and are contributing to building peaceful and safe communities in Somalia and the Horn of Africa with the objectives to:

a) Promote sustainable peace and reconciliation in Somalia through strengthening youth capacities in leadership, conflict mitigation, civic engagement, community service, psycho-social support, vocational skills and business placement.

b) Contribute towards Community, National, Regional (Horn of Africa) and International level initiatives in finding peace and reconciliation for Somalia through Advocacy efforts.

c) Improve organizational, management and project implementation capacity of local partners to plan, implement and manage their development activities through adequate training and technical support.

AFSC works in partnership with six local CSOs (Civil Society Organizations) in six areas in Somalia, namely Mogadishu, Galkayo, Baidoa, Kismayu, Dhobley and Dadaab refugee camp across the border in Kenya to implement the program focusing on advancing peace within communities, youth development, fostering non-violence and social reconciliation.

AFSC uses the Public Achievement Model which provides young people with the opportunity to get practical experience in advocacy and conflict resolution eventually becoming agents of change.

The Somali Youth Development and Livelihood Program is contributing to AFSCs’ overall global strategic direction by creating opportunities for strengthening sustainable and resilient livelihood and reducing the risk of youth engagement in conflict or youth economic migration.

It empowers the youth with capacity building, peace building, leadership and social mobilization skills to engage in community reconciliation and decision making, hence reducing their vulnerability and improving their active participation in peace building, decision making and reconciliation processes.

The programs emphasizes alternative character formation for the Somali youth and seeks to help them to become a new generation that explores opportunities for peaceful coexistence and cherishes innovation, creativity, leadership, economic wellbeing and dissemination of good practices.

This program is premised on the thinking that it is essential that the youth be involved in constructive/positive actions in their respective locations and apply their energies, new skills, creativity and unique potentials for the realization of just and peaceful societies in Somalia.

AFSC wishes to carry out a conflict analysis in the areas we work.

The conflict analysis is meant to ensure an improved and upto date understanding of the context and conflict dynamics in our areas of operation and the larger Somalia.

2. Consultancy Objectives

The objective of this consultancy is to produce a high-quality conflict analysis report exploring the nature, causes, dynamics and actors involved in conflict the 6 areas in South Central Somalia where the AFSC Somalia Program is implemented.

The analysis will give special attention to the changing dynamic caused by; the election of a new president, impending closure of Dadaab Refugee camp, gender roles and the looming famine.

Issues of land access and ownership, water resources and challenges of livelihood shall be carefully investigated. The analysis is intended to inform AFSC as well as other development actors, national and international policy makers.

The report will offer preliminary recommendations to the peacebuilding programme on how to use the analysis as a basis for conflict sensitization in the current peace building program and AFSC’s future interventions.

The analysis should also provide valuable new information and analysis on the relationship between livelihood and conflict, the role of the youth in conflict and peace building efforts, and non-violent way of peace building and reconciliation.

AFSC will use the assessment findings to advocate for peace building programs, call for more humanitarian action on peace initiatives and effectively engage non-violent ways of achieving peace in Somalia

3. Scope of Consultancy

The consultant will be responsible for producing a high quality conflict analysis report. The analysis will be based on thorough desk research as well as field research carried out by the consultant.

The consultancy is composed of in-depth desk review and field research, entailing but not limited to the following:

Key tasks:

a) Carry out desk research to identify and summarise existing key analysis and baseline studies, academic reports and identify national and regional issues that may have an impact on local conflict and security in the target areas.

b) Design, plan, conduct and oversee the collection of data during field research, which will be carried out by the consultant with the help of AFSC and partner organization. The field research will collect data using focus group discussions (FGD) and key informant interviews (KII). Through these; local perspectives and up-to-date information will be sought as a supplement to information already available and identified through the desk study. In addition to addressing conflict dynamics, the interviews will collect stakeholder views on past and possible future interventions which may contribute to peace building activities.

c) Following the production of the draft report, validation meetings will be held in the target areas to provide feedback to interviewees and enable further refinements of the analysis and recommendations.

d) Produce good draft report, incorporate comments from AFSC and the partners and produce final report according to structure and guideline agreed with AFSC.

4. Methodology

The consultant will be expected to:

a) Carry out a desk research.

b) Work with AFSC team and partner organizations to plan and collect data from field, and oversee data collection to ensure highest possible quality of data.

c) In collaboration with AFSC and partner organizations, prepare validation meeting in the target areas and Nairobi AFSC Africa regional office

5. Deliverables

The main output that the consultant will provide is a consolidated conflict analysis report covering the target areas in Somalia as well as wider national and regional dynamics.

The analysis should be comprehensive but concise. The structure of the report will be agreed with AFSC.

The following outputs are expected from the consultant:

a) A technical and financial proposal with proposed evaluation framework/design and a description of the consultancy team.

b) Inception report upon signing a contract submit an inception report detailing the consultancy design, methodology and data collection methods to be discussed and agreed upon with AFSC.

c) Produce a draft report of the Conflict Analysis consultancy.

d) Facilitate a validation workshop in Nairobi on the basis of the draft report.

e) Final consolidated Conflict Analysis report covering the target areas in Somalia as well as wider national and regional dynamics, incorporating comments from the validation workshop.

6. Duration of Assignment: It is anticipated that the consultant will be able to complete the work in 25-30 days. This is to be agreed with AFSC. A work plan will be developed by the consultant in consultation with AFSC.

7. Expected Profile of Consultant

• Advanced university degree in conflict analysis, peace studies, political sciences or similar field
• At least 5-7 years of experience conducting conflict analysis.
• Extensive experience in field research in Somalia.
• In depth knowledge of conflict contexts in Somalia is highly desirable.
• Advanced knowledge of the Somalia political system from community to national level is highly desirable.
• Excellent research, report writing and analytical skills.
• Well conversant with qualitative methods of research.
• Proven capacity to write analytical, understandable and simple reports on conflict dynamics (candidates must submit 1 or 2 relevant examples of previous conflict analysis work they have carried out).
• Experience of working with secondary data analysis/desk reviews.
• Experience of developing research tools and carrying out research.
• Advanced knowledge of the new trends and developments in Somalia.
• Ability to provide clear guidance to field research teams.
• Proven ability to deliver against targets and meeting deadlines within short timeframe.
• Fluency in English.
• Somali language added advantage.
• Relevant computer skills: Word, Excel, internet, Power point.

8. Inquiries

Questions that help clarify the work to be completed may be submitted to Zaina Kisongoa, Somalia Country Representative, at ZKisongoa@afsc.org.

Inquiries by email are preferred; telephone calls can be arranged via email as necessary.