Participatory Methodologies Toolkit Consultant

TERMS OF REFERENCE

Individual Consultant for the Participatory Methodologies Toolkit

UNHCR/Community Based Protection – Division of International Protection (DIP)

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is offering this consultancy within the Field Protection Service in the Division of International Protection in our Geneva Headquarters in Switzerland.

UNHCR is a global organization dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights and building a better future for refugees, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people. Every year, millions of men, women and children are forced to flee their homes to escape conflict and persecution. We are in over 125 countries, using our expertise to protect and care for millions.

Title: Human Rights Engagement Consultant

Duty Station: Home-Based

Duration: 4 months (70%)

Contract Type: Individual Consultancy

Start date: ASAP

Closing Date:: 1 April 2022

Organisational Context

UNHCR applies a community bases approach and an age, gender and diversity approach in its engagement with persons of concern to promote the role of women, men, girls, and boys of all ages and backgrounds as agents of change in their communities. To support meaningful participation of forcibly displaced and stateless people, UNHCR issued key policies and tools such as the Tool for Participatory Assessment in Operations (2006), the Manual on a Community-Based Approach in UNHCR Operations (2008) and its accompanying toolkit, the Age, Gender and Diversity Policy (2018), the Operational Guidance on Accountability to affected people (2019) and the Gender Equality toolkit (2020).

UNHCR AGD policy requires that AGD considerations and the views of persons of concern are captured in assessments and analyses and inform actions and results in operational plans. To support this, modes of participation need to be in place throughout the programme phases. These methodologies need to be culturally and contextually adapted and accessible to all groups in a community, with particular attention to groups at heightened protection risks, such as women and girls, minorities, persons with disabilities, and people with diverse sexual orientations and gender identities, as well as under-represented groups such as adolescents, youth and older people.

As part of the community-based approach manual, UNHCR created a Toolkit: Participatory Methods for data collection, analysis and planning (2007). Over the years, UNHCR staff in the field have developed participatory methodologies to better engage with various groups in the communities they work with. As more forcibly displaced people are currently hosted in urban settings, new participatory methods emerged to ensure that the humanitarian actors are able to engage with various communities. The COVID pandemic, and the resulting barrier to participation have forced humanitarian actors to develop new means for participation, including through digital technology that makes way for new, innovative methods.

The position

The consultant will be tasked to review the effectiveness of the methods included in the 2007 Toolkit, and research participatory methodologies that have been identified as effective in humanitarian and development contexts, specifically for forcibly displaced and stateless persons. The consultant will also consult Regional Bureaux to identify innovative participatory methodologies that have proved successful in UNHCR operations and lessons learned from their implementation. The main outcome of this consultancy is to produce an updated toolkit of participatory methodologies that can be used by field staff and partners to support continuous participation of various AGD groups in different settings.

Duties and responsibilities

The main purpose and scope of the assignment is to draft the Participatory Methodologies Toolkit (2022), including the following tasks:

• Conduct a desk review of the use of participatory methodologies across UNHCR.

Research participatory methodologies from humanitarian and development contexts that can be effective in the context of forced displacement.

• Consult the Regional Bureaux to identify and analyze best practices of participatory methodologies that have been proven to be effective in UNHCR operations.
• Draft the Participatory Methodologies Toolkit in consultation with various regional offices and technical units
• Draft Terms of Reference (ToRs) for the editor and designer of the Toolkit.
• Coordinate with the identified editor and designer to create the final product of the Participatory Methodologies Toolkit.

The Participatory Methodologies Toolkit should be finalized no later than 20 July, 2022, so that it can be shared with Regional Bureaux and country/field operations to facilitate their ongoing and annual participatory assessments.

The consultant will prepare a work plan to ensure deadlines are met. The consultant will report to the Protection Officer (Community-Based) with regular meetings held between the consultant and the Protection Officer (Community-Based) and Associate Protection Officer (Community-Based) to monitor progress. Monthly meetings will also be held with the Snr. Community-Based Protection Advisor (Head of CBP Unit) for further feedback.

1. Monitoring and Progress Controls (report requirements, periodicity, format, deadlines):

a. The final product:

Participatory Methodologies Toolkit (2022)

• Deliverable 1: Draft 1 of the Participatory Methodologies
• Deliverable 2: Draft 2 of the Toolkit
• Deliverable 3: Final draft of the Toolkit
• Deliverable 4: Edited and designed Toolkit

b. Work on the basis of time employed: Yes (70%)

c. If it is to result in a written product specify:

• Number of pages: The Toolkit is expected to be 35-40 pages.
• Language(s): All deliverables are expected in English
• Number of copies: 1 copy of the Toolkit (and all annexed documents as necessary).

2. Qualifications and Experience

a. Education (Level and area of required and/or preferred education):

A university degree (Bachelor’s or equivalent) in social sciences, community development studies or a related field.

b. Work Experience

• 6 years work experience if with BA/5 years work experience if with post-graduate degree in the field of social sciences, public health, social work, development, or a related field.
• Preference will be given to candidates familiar with UNHCR’s community-based protection work.
• Experience in AGD-inclusive programming and / or gender equality programming.
• Experience in research and conducting participatory methodologies is required.

c. Key Competencies

• Proven research and analytical skills to be able to identify effective methodologies as applied to forcibly displaced and stateless persons in humanitarian and development contexts.
• Ability to draft and write with clarity
• Ability to present content in a concise, practical and visually appealing manner
• previous experience in developing similar toolkit is highly desirable.
• Experience in working with Microsoft Office programmes is required.
• Strong oral and written English skills are required. Knowledge of French, Arabic or Spanish is an asset.
• Must have strong communication skills and experience working in a diverse team.
• Must be able to work independently, be proactive and adapt quickly to fast changing requirements.