Consultancy-Advocacy and Influencing training for eco-advocacy groups in Ninawa

TERMS OF REFERENCE

Advocacy and Influencing training for eco-advocacy groups in Ninawa

1. Background

In partnership with SIDA, Oxfam is implementing a project targeting six communities in Ninewa. The project aims to build women’s economic resilience in specific agriculture value chains. Agriculture, which is the main livelihood of people within Ninewa, has faced a common challenge of drought in the past years. Iraq is currently facing one of the driest seasons. The water shortage has affected agricultural production due to the relative impact of climate change. The current project looks at working with the public and private sectors to address some of the adverse effects of climate change and proffer immediate and long-term solutions.

Under this project, Oxfam aims to work with eco-advocacy groups. The groups will consist of several activists and interested persons advocating for the environmental issues facing Iraq, focusing on Ninewa. The eco-group members will receive training on advocacy and influencing and will be asked to implement an advocacy campaign on their selected topic. The training and campaign scope will promote environmental issues in Ninewa and the Government of Iraq’s relevant environmental strategies and policies.

1. Purpose

This consultancy aims to provide training on campaigning, Advocacy and influencing to the eco-advocacy groups in Ninawa. There will be two groups, with 5-6 members in each group.

The Overall Objective is: Support the eco-advocacy group’s capacity strengthening to promote and raise awareness on environmental issues in Ninewa through increasing their skills and knowledge in lobbying, Advocacy, campaigning, and evidence-based influencing.

This should be achieved through providing training on the following topics (the consultant is encouraged to add to the topic as needed):

1. Context and problems analysis, this can include:

• Conduct a comprehensive analysis of the identified issues, with a focus on environmental issues in Ninewa.
• Effectively identify problems, gaps, and opportunities for Advocacy and policy change.

1. Audience/targets analysis and identifying opportunities, this can include:

• Mapping and analysis of targets and audiences
• Conducting a power analysis linked to the mapping

1. Campaigning, Advocacy and influencing, this can include:

• Advocacy strategy development and implementation with clearly defined activities, approaches, and messages.
• Persuading, Influencing & Negotiation.
• Principles of evidence-based Advocacy with a focus on environmental.

1. Communication, media, and social media:

• The difference uses of media and social media for Advocacy.
• Tailoring messages and tools for media and social media.
• Communication strategies designing and development.

1. Methodology

The consultant is expected to provide a training methodology that considers the following:

• Training should be done on the base of face-to-face methods of learning and utilising online tools if needed.
• Training should be tailored according to the needs and capacities of the eco-advocacy groups.
• Training should be based on the group’s interest and identified environmental issues in Ninawa.
• The training should aim to increase the group’s capacity by producing a campaign strategy and a communication strategy. The consultant and the eco-advocacy groups are expected to choose a topic within the mentioned scope and build a campaign and communication strategy. The groups will implement this campaign following the finalisation of the training.

1. Deliverables

The duration of the assignment is a maximum of 20 working days where the consultant is expected to provide a training package which will be revised alongside Oxfam’s advocacy toolkit. Afterwards, the consultant will train 2 Eco Advocacy Groups and provide a training report.

The assignment seeks the following deliverables:

• Inception report outlining the methodological approach and detailed understanding of the assignment (max. 10 pages).
• Tailored capacity building plan identifying the training approach and tools. This will be built on Oxfam’s advocacy toolkit, which will be provided to the consultant following the contracting process. The toolkit will be identified as part of the training tools.the number of participants will be around 10-15 people.
• A Campaign strategy, including a communication strategy to be developed with the participants. This should include identifying tools, messages, and identifying key stakeholders, including government bodies/ should include providing support, guidance and supporting the implementation of the campaign.
• Debriefing session with Oxfam and partners
• Final report indicating the summary of the activites, achievements, chllanges and lessons learned.

1. Supervision and Management

The Programme Manager (Advancing Gender Justice and Women’s Rights Programme), in coordination with the Policy, Advocacy, and Communications Manager, who will provide technical and practical supervision of the assignment.

1. Logistics and Constraints

Oxfam will be responsible to cover the following costs:

• Venue, meals, and other needs for the implementation of the training.
• Media & photos etc.
• Stationary and other material support required during the training.
• Follow-up on action plans developed and status of scaling.

The Consultant will be responsible to cover the following costs:

• All transportation and logistics related costs.
• Accommodation throughout the duration.
• In case of an international consultant, visa.

The consultant will be paid agreed rate, upon satisfactory completion of the assignment including submission of deliverables and reports as per below schedule:

• 40% will be paid upon signing the contract.
• 40% will be paid upon delivering the training.
• 20% will be paid after submission and approval of the final reports.

1. Time Frame

The consultancy is expected to be carried out from 19th June 2022 to 14th July 2022 for 15 working days. The timeline will be refined based on the consultant’s work plan and won’t be beyond 20th July 2022.

1. Budget

The consultant should submit a full financial plan. Oxfam will be responsible for covering the cost for venue and stationery and any related cost to the actual implementation of the training in agreement with the consultant.

1. Knowledge and Experience

The following key technical requirements will be taken into consideration when assessing consultants’ technical competencies:

• University degree in journalism, community development and communication studies, sociology, or other relevant fields.
• The consultant should have proven previous experience in conducting similar training.
• Experience in campaigns and communication strategy development.
• High proficiency in understanding Iraq’s environmental issues and the existing national policies and strategies in Iraq.
• Knowledge in context analysis, lobbying and influencing.
• Familiarity with constraints and challenges encountered while working on similar topics.
• Strong English and Arabic skills.

10. Scoring criteria for selection of the service provider/consultant

SN

Criteria

Weight %

Evaluation method

1

Technical proposal

60 %

Review of the technical proposal

2

Delivery time/assignment schedule

20 %

Submitted workplan/schedule

3

Financial proposal

20 %

Review of the financial proposal

Total

100 %