Consultancy Services for Mapping of Services for Victims of Explosive Ordnance (EO) and Explosive Weapons

1. Who is the Danish Refugee Council?

Founded in 1956, the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is a leading international NGO and one of the few with a specific expertise in forced displacement. Active in 40 countries with 9,000 employees and supported by 7,500 volunteers, DRC protects, advocates, and builds sustainable futures for refugees and other displacement-affected people and communities. DRC works during displacement at all stages: In the acute crisis, in displacement, when settling and integrating in a new place, or upon return. DRC provides protection and life-saving humanitarian assistance; supports displaced persons in becoming self-reliant and included in hosting societies; and works with civil society and responsible authorities to promote the protection of rights and peaceful coexistence.

DRC has had an uninterrupted presence in Ukraine since 2014 supporting the humanitarian response to the conflict from 2014 in Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts, eastern Ukraine. Since 2022, DRC has been active across four of its core sectors in Ukraine – Protection (including legal aid), Shelter and Settlements, Economic Recovery (including multi-purpose cash assistance and distribution of non-food items), as well as Humanitarian Disarmament and Peacebuilding (HDP). Within its HDP portfolio, DRC is the only organization in Ukraine implementing four HMA pillars: Humanitarian Demining, Explosive Ordnance Risk Education (EORE), Victim Assistance (VA), and Advocacy. DRC is co-chairing the VA Working Group aimed at improving policies, structures, and opportunities for survivors of EO accidents in Ukraine. Currently, DRC has seven offices in western, eastern, northern, and southern Ukraine (Lviv, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Kyiv, Chernihiv, Sumy, and Mykolaiv) with over 550 staff and scaling up activities across all sectors and areas of operations.

2. Purpose of the consultancy

The Danish Refugee Council based in Ukraine seeks proposals from a consultant to map and analyse the existing services for victims of EO and explosive weapons in Ukraine which are provided by state institutions (within and outside of the state budget), international non-governmental organizations, local and national non-profit organizations for victims of EO and explosive weapons as well as other actors in Ukraine as well as identifying population needs, demands, capacities and resources to access such services.

3. Background

Explosive ordnance (EO) in Ukraine is a critical, daily risk to civilians. According to data from OHCHR recorded 27,768 civilian casualties in the country: 9,806 killed and 17,962 injured since 24 February 2022. However, numbers are likely to be far higher and casualty rates continue to increase. Even if the war ends tomorrow, explosive ordnance will remain, continuing to put lives at risk. Despite high numbers of casualties, Victim Assistance capacity is currently very low. With increasing EO contamination, the number of people with disabilities (whose impairment or permanent injuries have been caused by EO accidents, bombing, and shelling) is increasing.

One of the primary challenges faced by victims of EO or explosive weapons is the absence of a centralized repository for accessing vital information regarding available assistance and services provided by state institutions, (inter)national/ local civil society organizations and other actors. While certain states and other institutions offer support, a centralized platform for accessing this crucial information is lacking. For instance, the Protection Cluster in Ukraine has introduced the Service Advisor tool, facilitating information-sharing among its members regarding available services. This resource, however, is accessible exclusively to members of the Protection Cluster, and it grapples with issues related to keeping data up-to-date and maintenance.

Hence, one of the strategic objectives of DRC Ukraine’s Victim Assistance framework entails the development of a Victim Assistance Service Directory creating a comprehensive mapping of available services, gaps in the overall assistance and needs, and potential challenges for victims of EO and explosive weapons regarding access. The Service Directory will be disseminated among relevant actors in the VA context in Ukraine as well as the target populations. The mapping shall also serve as the first step towards the option of developing an institutionalized and dynamic tool that centralizes relevant data about services while creating local ownership over the platform by involving e.g. the National Mine Action Authority (NMAA) or another relevant national actor (such as e.g. Ministry of Health, Ministry of Social Policy, Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine and other relevant state entities as well as local civil society organizations).

4. Objective of the consultancy

The purpose of the consultancy is to map and analyze the existing services for victims of EO and explosive weapons in Ukraine which are provided by state institutions (within and outside of the state budget), international non-governmental organizations, local and national non-profit organizations for victims of EO and explosive weapons as well as other actors in Ukraine as well as identifying population needs, demands, capacities and resources to access such services. In particular, the consultant will:

• Conduct research on existing services, service providers, and gaps in the field of health care (prosthetics, treatment, rehabilitation, etc.), psychosocial support, retraining and employment, provision of financial assistance (targeted, multipurpose, and humanitarian), social services, legal assistance for victims of EO and explosive weapons in Ukraine;

• Conduct research on EO and explosive weapons victims’ needs, demands, capacities, and resources (as well as barriers and enablers) to access such services;

• Create a visual Service Mapping for further dissemination among the representatives of the stakeholders. The created Service Mapping is going to be a basis for a potential future discussion regarding the development of an agile and dynamic tool facilitating access to information about the available services to EO and explosive weapons victims.

  5. Scope of work and methodology

The contractor will be expected to provide the following services:

• Develop the research methodology in close cooperation with DRC;
• Conduct an overview of the provision of services in the field of health care (prosthetics, treatment, rehabilitation, etc.), psychosocial support, retraining and employment, provision of financial assistance (targeted, multipurpose, and humanitarian), social services, legal assistance for EO and explosive weapons victims in Ukraine (disaggregated by e.g., not limited to, types of services, oblasts of provision, and additional criteria/parameters (e.g. geography, gender, age, service recipient status and other characteristics) for providing and receiving such assistance;
• Hold interviews with key representatives of local (regional), national non-profit organizations, international non-governmental organizations (NGOs), state institutions that provide services, existing clusters of civil society organizations that provide services to the EO and explosive weapons victims in Ukraine (e.g. also DRC VA beneficiaries);
• Collect information from available resources (internet sites, social networks), organizations’ reports, state programs, and other necessary sources and prepare a high-quality content analysis of conducted interviews;
• Analyse and document the barriers and challenges faced by EO and explosive weapons victims in Ukraine when trying to access services;
• Prepare a full final report (in English and Ukrainian) with a detailed description of the results obtained, including maps, charts, and graphs, and present them, along with recommendations for eliminating identified gaps and overcoming barriers;
• Create a visual and easy-to-access Service Directory and categorize services currently available to EOand explosive weapons victims in Ukraine;
• Present the final report and main results among the DRC team, and other relevant stakeholders, and participate (upon request by DRC) in VA Coordination Round Tables;
• Develop and submit descriptive activity reports to DRC, describing research progress in accordance with the reporting standards and requirements of DRC;
• Active participation in coordination meetings with DRC representatives once every two weeks (or more regularly if necessary);
• Help liaise with the relevant state actors;
• Map how HMA operators can contribute to the directory, in line with IMAS 13:10, and using the Information Management System for Mine Action (IMSMA).

The Consultant will be required to prepare a detailed methodology and work plan indicating how

the objectives of the project will be achieved, and the support required from DRC.

6. Deliverables

The Consultant will submit the deliverables as stated in the Terms of Reference (ToR).

7. Duration, timeline, and payment

The total expected duration to complete the assignment will be no more than 3 months.

8. Proposed Composition of Team

Not specified

9. Eligibility, qualification, and experience required

• Eligibility:
  • The consultant and his/her team (if relevant) must have the authorization to work as a consultant**.**
• Qualification:
• At least a master’s degree in international development, social geography, or related social sciences.
• Experience:
  • A minimum of five years of research and/or academic work with experience in conducting (applied) research in difficult contexts.
  • Previous experience in conducting similar evaluations.
• Skills and knowledge:
  • A solid understanding of Ukrainian or similar context.
• Language requirements:
  • Written and spoken fluency in English.
  • Working knowledge of Ukrainian is an advantage.

10. Technical supervision

The selected consultant will work under the supervision of the DRC HDP Programme Manager and DRC HDP VA Specialists.

11. Location and support

The DRC Ukraine country office is in Kyiv. The Consultant will provide her/his own computer and mobile telephone. The consultant will comply with all applicable DRC safety rules throughout their work in-country.

12. Travel

The evaluation will be conducted in Ukraine. In the case of international experts, a tourist visa for Ukraine will last for three months; a longer (work) visa cannot be provided for the consultant(s). While the consultant(s) will have to budget for all travel-related and other costs in their financial bid.

13. Submission process

Please check the RFP Invitation letter.

14. Evaluation of bids

Please check the RFP Invitation letter.