Addressing forced displacement in national development plans and donor development co-operation strategies

UN High Commissioner for Refugees

Purpose of project

While possible benefits of an inclusion approach are known, the actual extent of inclusion of refugees and IDPs in national development plans and international co-operation strategies is not known. The overall objective of this project is to assess the de-facto extent of inclusion of refugees and IDPs in development plans and strategies, and to contribute to translating recent policy commitments on forced displacement into practice. It will contribute towards shaping the policy debate at the 2023 Global Refugee Forum (GRF).

Duty Station: Home-based

Duration: Starting asap for seven months

Closing date: 26 June 2022

Organizational context

Recent policy developments have provided responses to refugee and IDP situations across the spectrum of the Humanitarian-Development-Peace (HDP) Nexus. In terms of “development” dimension, the inclusion of refugees and IDPs in national and donor development plans and strategies is seen as a pragmatic and mutually beneficial way of protecting and assisting refugees and IDPs, and to achieve durable solutions. However, while there is momentum at the global policy level on the “inclusion paradigm”, there is limited knowledge and data about the actual extent of inclusion of forced displacement in national development plans in low and middle income countries (LMICs), and in donor development co-operation strategies.

This development policy project will close the knowledge gap and undertake a baseline analysis to what extent refugees and IDPs have actually been included, globally, in national development plans, including in certain sector plans, in development co-operation strategies, and in UN development co-operation frameworks. The assumption is that national development plans constitute an important entry point for international development co-operation financing. If refugees and IDPs are not specifically included in national development plans, there is a risk that development financing will not reach them. What impact did “inclusion” actually have on development financing for forced displacement? The policy research will draw on specific examples and provide recommendations for how development strategies can support successful inclusion, and what humanitarian and peace actors can do to support this.

This development policy project is jointly managed by the OECD Development Co-operation Directorate, the OECD Development Centre, and UNHCR. It forms part of the DAC INCAF (International Network on Conflict and Fragility) work stream on forced displacement, and will contribute to the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR). The findings and key recommendations will be presented in related policy dialogues and international fora, including possibly the High Commissioner’s Dialogue on Protection Challenges in 2022, and at the Global Refugee Forum (GRF) in 2023.

Context

Forced displacement situation

The number of forcibly displaced persons has been in constant rise over the last two decades. As of mid-2021, UNHCR reported over 84 million forcibly displaced persons, of which 26.6 million were refugees, 4.4 million were asylum seekers, 51 million IDPs, and 3.9 million Venezuelans displaced abroad (UNHCR, 2021)[i]. By mid-2021, low and middle income countries (LMICs) were hosting 86% of the world’s refugee population. In light of the Ukraine situation, the extent of forced displacement is heading towards a stark 100 million mark, making this a key issue for managing fragility, development, and international co-operation.

The refugee context has changed over the past two decades. 60% of refugees live outside of refugee settlements in urban areas (World Refugee Council, 2018). Protracted displacement is the norm for the majority of refugees and IDPs. The average length of stay of a refugee is approximately 10 years (Devictor and Go, 2016). Given the limited progress towards achieving durable solutions such as voluntary repatriation, local integration, and resettlement, 76% of refugees were in a protracted situation at the end of 2020 (UNHCR, 2021).

Policies on forced displacement

The recognition that forced displacement is not solely a humanitarian, but also a longer-term development and peace issue, is reflected in recent policy. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), adopted in 2015, aim “to reach the furthest behind first” and to “leave no one behind”, which includes displaced populations. The GCR, adopted in 2018, calls for pursuing integrated responses among the humanitarian, development, and peace dimensions to support refugees in rebuilding their lives (United Nations, 2016; UNHCR, 2018). The Development Assistance Committee (DAC) INCAF Common Position on comprehensive refugee responses, developed in 2019, states that refugee situations benefit from a Humanitarian-Development-Peace (HDP) Nexus approach that includes humanitarian assistance, development, and peace interventions from the outset of a crisis (DAC INCAF, 2019). The report of the UN Secretary General’s High-Level Panel on Internal Displacement (UN, 2021) calls for making solutions for IDPs a nationally owned, whole-of-Government priority, and for embedding a development approach to internal displacement. In the light of such global commitments, related policy instruments are increasingly being developed by DAC members, other donors and their partners, reflecting the objectives of the HDP Nexus (Gagnon and Rodrigues, 2020).

Across recent policy developments, the inclusion of forcibly displaced populations in broader development planning and in national socio-economic systems has emerged as an important approach, with the potential to benefit both the hosting communities and the forcibly displaced themselves. Conditions and capacities permitting, and if the right policies are applied, forcibly displaced populations can contribute productively to the local economy, and become one beneficiary group, alongside host community members, of broader education, health, and social protection systems.

Development strategies and plans

National development and sector plans in LMICs constitute an important tool for the deliberate, prioritised and nationally-led development of the concerned countries, for mobilising related international development resources, and for coordinating the support efforts by the international donor community in the country. National development and sector plans are typically costed and resourced from fiscal and/or development finance resources. UN development co-operation frameworks support national development strategies and offer the capacities, resources and insights of UN agencies operating in the country to advance national development priorities. Donor development co-operation strategies, including regional strategies, constitute a reflection of the priorities by donors for the utilisation of their official development assistance (ODA) resources, in terms of themes and prioritisation.

The position

Overall purpose of the project

While possible benefits of an inclusion approach are known, the actual extent of inclusion of refugees and IDPs in national development plans and international co-operation strategies is not known. The overall objective of this project is to assess the de-facto extent of inclusion of refugees and IDPs in development plans and strategies, and to contribute to translating recent policy commitments on forced displacement into practice. It will contribute towards shaping the policy debate at the 2023 Global Refugee Forum (GRF).

More specifically, it will:

  • Establish a baseline for the inclusion of forced displacement in:
    • National development plans of all LMICs hosting at least 50 000 forcibly displaced (refugees and IDPs combined);
    • Government sector strategies in LMICs hosting at least 50 000 forcibly displaced: Tentatively (final sector list will be finalised after initial screen of strategies): 1. Education, 2. Health, 3. Social Protection, 4. Urbanisation;
    • Donor development co-operation strategies, including regional strategies: DAC members; other significant donors; MDBs;
    • UN development co-operation frameworks in LMICs hosting at least 50 000 displaced.
  • Deep-dive into some specific case studies to analyse the context, process and approach to inclusion (tentative: Moldova; Uganda; Colombia);
  • Identify drivers and obstacles for inclusion of refugees and IDPs;
  • Review policy documents and expert literature on relationship between development planning and forced displacement;
  • Analyse the relationship between development financing for refugee situations, and inclusion in plans / strategies
  • Develop policy recommendations for host governments and donors how to design, facilitate, and strengthen the inclusion of forced displacement in broader development strategies.

Role of the consultant

Under the guidance by OECD and UNHCR, the consultant will carry out undertake the literature review, the underlying data collection, key informant interviews for the project, systematise the data, and carry out initial quantitative and qualitative analysis, and deliver a set of high-end data visualisation products (see section on specific deliverables and timelines). These inputs will be used by OECD and UNHCR to carry out the final analysis, and to develop the publication. Depending on the quality of the inputs, OECD/UNHCR will credit the consultant as the co-author of the published policy paper.

Key areas of inquiry

These indicative areas of inquiry will be further developed as the analysis of the baseline is progressing.

  1. Literature and policy review: What is known about the guidelines, opportunities, benefits, and obstacles of including refugees and IDPs in national development plans and sector strategies on the one-hand, and in donor development co-cooperation strategies and UN development co-operation frameworks on the other hand? What is the underlying theory of change of inclusion?
    • What are the benefits of inclusion for the host country and host population?
    • What are the benefits of inclusion for refugees and IDPs themselves?
    • What are the limitations and barriers of inclusion policies on forced displacement? How should contextual analysis be designed to ensure that a realistic approach is undertaken? What contexts are favourable and unfavourable to inclusion policies?
    • What is the role of humanitarian, development, and peace actors for inclusion based approaches?
    • What are the findings of evidence-based studies on inclusion of forcibly displaced populations?
    • Are there examples of “inclusion” and “non-inclusion” of forcibly displaced? Under what specific contexts, and what was the impact?
  2. De-facto inclusion and adaptation: To what extent have protection and assistance for refugees and IDPs been included in national development plans, sector strategies, and bilateral development co-operation strategies? This baseline analysis will be undertaken on the basis of a comprehensive global database of the aforementioned plans and strategies.

This baseline analysis will also consider the following questions:

  • When included, how has forced displacement been integrated into broader strategy, for example as a contextual consideration, cross-cutting issue, separate sector, or sub-population category? In terms of the quality of inclusion, to what extent have refugees and IDPs been included as full target groups alongside other populations?
  • In terms of socio-economic data, to what extent have refugees and IDPs been specifically included in socio-economic or national household surveys? Is the data on the survey findings dis-aggregated by displacement status?
  • How has inclusion in strategies developed over time? Has the extent and quality increased or decreased? Can specific external factors be attributed which led to a change to the approach?
  • Is the development co-operation practice consistent with the GCR and the DAC Recommendation on the Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus. What is the role of the Global Compact on Refugees and Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF) on inclusion of refugees and IDPs in broader development co-operation?
  • When included, to what extent have development strategies been adapted to account for the specific/increased vulnerabilities of refugees and IDPs?
  • For national development and sector plans: Has the inclusion of forcibly displaced been costed?
  • For development co-operation strategies: How is the inclusion of forced displacement been rationalised, are there specific stated associated objectives?
  • What are the drivers and obstacles for inclusion? How can development partners and host countries better facilitate inclusion with a tangible impact on forcibly displaced and host communities.
  1. Financing: What is the relationship between inclusion of forced displacement in development strategies, and development financing for refugee and IDP situations? Is there evidence of additional development financing for refugee situations due to inclusion? The analysis will consider the relationship between the findings of the baseline analysis, and the available OECD data on financing for refugee situations in 2018/19, and additional financing data from the OECD Creditor Reporting System.
  2. Policy findings and recommendations: To what extent have recent policies on forced displacement been translated into practice in actual development co-operation frameworks? What can actors do to better include refugees and IDPs in development strategies in a meaningful and impactful way?
    • What is the extent of the gap between recent policies on forced displacement and their application in development co-operation implementation, by host countries, UN and development donors? If there is a gap, how can it be explained?
    • In what way should forced displacement, and development co-operation policies, be adjusted further to achieve the best possible impact for refugees and IDPs, and for host populations? How can the benefits of inclusion be better explained and communicated?
    • What can humanitarian, development and peace actors do to promote and facilitate inclusion?
    • What can host countries do to promote and facilitate inclusion?

Analytical framework:

The analysis will draw on three main policies as the reference framework for the analysis, and from thereon determine in how far these policies have been translated into the practice of development co-operation:

  1. Global Compact on Refugees (GCR, including the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF)
  2. The report of the UNSG High Level Panel on Internal displacement, and the draft UNSG’s Action Agenda on Internal Displacement
  3. The DAC Recommendation on the Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus
  4. The DAC-INCAF Common Position on Comprehensive Responses in Refugee Situations

At the heart of the CRRF and the GCR is the idea that refugees should be included as active members of their host communities from their arrival. When refugees gain access to education and labour markets, they develop skills and become self-reliant, contributing to local economies and fuelling the development of the communities hosting them. Allowing refugees to benefit from national services and integrating them into national development plans is essential for both refugees and the communities hosting them, and is consistent with the pledge to “leave no one behind” in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The GCR “can help attract support to ensure that refugees and their host communities are not left behind in a country’s progress towards Sustainable Development Goals. […] Without affecting humanitarian assistance, development actors will work in a complementary manner to humanitarian assistance interventions to ensure that the impact of a large refugee situation on a host country is taken into account in the planning and implementation of development programmes and policies with direct benefits for both host communities and refugees.”

The draft Action Agenda on Internal Displacement calls for “high-level leadership and a whole-of-government approach, bringing together all relevant line Ministries service providers, and rule of law and judicial actors” at national and local level. It also call upon States to “[…] proactively address displacement in national and local development action, urban and rural development planning, and disaster risk reduction and climate change plans. […] These steps are crucial for ensuring that IDPs of all ages, genders and diversities have equitable access to the systems and services of the State without discrimination.”

Duties and responsibilities

Deliverables and timelines

Note: All narratives to be provided in Word format

Deliverable 1: Literature and policy review; development of final analytical framework Timeline: Max. 1 month after start of consultancy

  • Succinct, comprehensive literature and policy review (10-12 pages)
  • Full bibliography in OECD format
  • Analytical framework (final areas of inquiry; what are the specific criteria for analysing national development plans / donor development co-operation strategies) (2-5 pages)

Deliverable 2: Databases, baseline analysis, and data visualisations

Timeline: Max. 4 months after start of consultancy

Note: OECD has existing databases of below documents, which will serve as the basis for the consultant’s work, and the consultant will further complete and organise these

  • Database 1: National development plans of all low and middle income countries (LMICs) hosting at least 50 000 forcibly displaced (the last two iterations for each country)

  • Database 2: Sector plans of all LMICs hosting at least 50 000 forcibly displaced (the last two iterations for each country):

        • Education – Health – Social protection – Urbanisation

  • Database 3: Donor (DAC members, other government donors) development co-operation strategies (the last two iterations by donor)

  • Database 4: UN development co-operation frameworks:

        • LMICs hosting at least 50 000 forcibly displaced, – LMIC country of origins of at least 50 000 refugees
    • Analytical overview of content of all databases (graphic or table, including country lists) – Comparative baseline analysis narrative, describing the factual findings after the databases were analysed according to the objectives of the study, using also the qualitative data analysis software NVIVO (20 pages) – A set of 10-15 high end, well designed, data visualisations capturing the findings of the baseline analysis. The objective is to prepare the data visualisations in such a way that they can be used to disseminate the findings, possibly without the narrative. The data visualisations will be a key element of the final published paper of the project. – Raw data and underlying editable files for the data visualisations

Deliverable 3: Deep dive studies

Timeline: Max. 5.5 months after start of consultancy

  • Tentative deep-dives: Ukraine (IDPs); Uganda (refugees); Colombia (refugee-like) – final selection tbc. The final selection of three deep dive LMIC host countries of refugees and IDPs will be decided on the strength of the evidence of inclusion good practices
  • Secondary data review, and key informant interviews
  • Bibliography in OECD format, and key informant overview table
  • 3 pages of succinct analysis per deep dive (total of 9 pages)

Deliverable 4: Inputs for policy discussion and recommendations

Timeline: Max. 7 months after start of consultancy

  • Drivers and obstacles for inclusion of refugees and IDPs, including political economy analysis (3 pages, possibly table form for drivers/obstacles)
  • Theory of change: How can we achieve better inclusion and what will be the impact on refugees and IDPs, and on host countries? (2 pages + 1 well designed graphic)
  • Underlying editable files for the table / graphic
  • Policy recommendations (4 pages) for:
    • Refugee / IDP host governments
    • Donors
    • UN agencies
    • NGOs and civil society

Essential minimum qualifications and professional experience required

The consultant should be deeply familiar with the concepts of international development co-operation, the Agenda 2030, and the practice of bilateral international development co-operation. Knowledge about related forced displacement policies and practises is desirable. Specific qualifications and experience:

Academic qualifications: MA/MSC, or higher, degree in Development Studies, Economics, Social Sciences or similar.

Experience:

At least 5-10 years of experience in any of the following fields:

  • Bilateral development co-operation with a government agency
  • Applied policy research on international development co-operation, possibly with specialisation in forced displacement
  • Consultancy services to bilateral or multi-lateral development actors in the areas of evaluation, empirical data analysis, programme design

Desired specific skills:

  • Sound written English language skills and track record in drafting reports for organisations / clients;
  • Understanding and experience with the qualitative data analysis software NVIVO;
  • Ability to use advanced data visualisation software and track record in generating well designed data visualisations (samples may be requested).

Experience with quantitative data analysis desirable but not essential.

Location

The successful candidate will be working home-based.

Conditions

The consultancy contract is for a period of seven months with a starting date as soon as possible.

How to apply

To apply

Interested applicants should visit UNHCR website (www.unhcr.org/consultancies) and submit their letter of motivation and Personal History Form (PHF) to [email protected] indicating Vacancy No. DRS/2022/008; First name/Last name, and OECD-UNHCR Inclusion baseline Consultancy in the subject of the email.

Applications without Personal History Form will not be considered – PHFs and Supplementary Sheet are available on UNHCR website.

The UNHCR workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages and opinions. UNHCR seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal 13 opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. Applications are encouraged from all qualified candidates without distinction on grounds of race, colour, sex, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity.

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