Review of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement approach to safer, inclusive and resilient education communities and systems

The Norwegian Red Cross (NorCross), on behalf of the informal advisory group for a Movement approach to education (made up of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), and NorCross representatives), is looking for an external consultant to review the development process of an International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (hereafter “the Movement”) approach to education from the adoption of the 2017 Council of Delegates resolution “Education: Related Humanitarian Needs” onwards. The review will ultimately support the setting up of clear operational and strategic directions for the further implementation of such a complementary Movement approach at national, regional, and global levels.

Background

Since their creation, Movement components (i.e., ICRC, IFRC and National Red Cross or Red Crescent Societies) have engaged with government authorities and supported formal and non-formal education throughout the resilience continuum. Statutory commitments such as the 2017 Council of Delegates resolution “Education: Related Humanitarian Needs” and the joint IFRC and ICRC pledge “Addressing education-related humanitarian needs”, alike the IFRC and ICRC’s strategic frameworks on education, affirm the Movement’s potential to take up a stronger role in ensuring safe, continuous, and equitable access to inclusive, quality education, especially for crisis-affected children and young people.

The journey made since the 2017 resolution was taken stock of at a global Council of Delegates (CoD) workshop held on the 5th of May 2022. The workshop demonstrated a continued and widespread interest for the strengthening of a coordinated and complementary Movement approach to education. Key recommendations and outcomes are being followed upon including through this proposed consultancy and in preparation of the next statutory milestone – namely the International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent to take place in October 2024.

Purpose and deliverables

The main purpose of this consultancy is to assess the progress made since the adoption of the 2017 resolution in defining and implementing a Movement approach to education, including ongoing pilot work in Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Ukraine, in order to inform global advisory group members and their partners at the national level vis-à-vis viable future directions for continued, fit-for-purpose and impactful work aligned with Movement components’ key education strategies and statutory decisions. The comprehensive review will provide guidance on how to better enact the Movement approach to education in practice. It is moreover expected to help further position education, especially in emergencies, as an institutional and operational priority for the Movement, with a view to make a stronger contribution by the Movement to global collective efforts towards Sustainable Development Goal 4 and the evolving transforming education agenda.

Under the guidance of the advisory group and reporting directly to NorCross, the consultant shall complete the following main tasks:

• Produce an inception report that includes a work plan and methodology outline.
• Conduct comprehensive research including through desk studies, online and face to face interviews with relevant stakeholders, two or three study trips to national contexts, and participation in two planned events.
• Produce a comprehensive review report with clear and actionable recommendations for further operationalization of the Movement approach to education.
• Present final findings and recommendations to and participate in a review workshop with all stakeholders.

Expected timeline

The expected timeline is four to five months with preferred start date around 26 September 2022.