Terms of Reference for Consultant: Developing a Strategy Paper on Enhancing Climate Change Policy through Democratic Institutions
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Context
ABOUT SEARCH
Search for Common Ground (Search) is a non-governmental organization working to transform the way societies deal with conflicts. We have over 30 years of experience in peacebuilding and are based in 53 local offices worldwide. We strive to build sustainable peace for generations to come by working with all sides of a conflict, providing the tools needed to work together, and finding constructive solutions. While conflict is inevitable, violence is not. Our mission is to transform the way the world deals with conflict, away from adversarial approaches and toward cooperative solutions. Instead of tearing down an existing world, we focus on constructing a new one. We shift the everyday interactions between hostile groups of people, so they can work together to build up their community, choosing joint problem-solving over violent means. We rely on local staff as well as local partner organizations in order to ensure our work is culturally sensitive, sustainable and well-grounded in the context.
PROJECT SUMMARY
The Community of Practice in Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance is a community of 37 organizations operating throughout Iraq. The primary objective of this project is to strengthen a Community of Practice (CoP) in Iraq’s fields of democracy, human rights, and governance, with the goal of enhancing the collaborative and inclusive impact of the Iraqi community of practice as a leading civil society space within the democracy, human rights, and governance sector. Additionally, this initiative seeks to foster increased coordination and collaboration among diverse Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and strategic partners operating within the democracy, human rights, and governance sector in Iraq.
- Project’s Theory of Change: IF diverse CSOs working in the democracy, human rights, and governance sector in Iraq, including smaller organizations, actively participate in and shape a CoP AND IF these diverse organizations leverage this CoP to meaningfully engage in learning and capacity building, resource creation and sharing, and facilitated discussions and actions that respond to their specific needs, THEN the democracy, human rights, and governance sector in Iraq will have improved effectiveness, ultimately contributing to durable solutions and enduring change in Iraq BECAUSE strategic collaboration and knowledge among leading organizations operating in the sector will improve, positioning them as leading civil society practitioners within Iraq’s civic space.
- Project’s Goal: Enhance collaborative and inclusive impact of an Iraqi community of practice as a leading civil society space in the democracy, human rights, and governance sector.
2.Background:
Democratic institutions play a crucial role in shaping and implementing effective climate change policies. However, there is a need to explore how these institutions can be leveraged to strengthen climate change policy further. This ToR aims to guide the development of a strategy paper that examines the nexus between democratic governance and climate change policy, identifying opportunities for enhancing policy coherence, effectiveness, and inclusivity.
3. Objective:
The primary objective of this initiative is to develop a strategy paper that explores how democratic institutions can strengthen climate change policy. Specifically, the strategy paper will:
- Analyze the role of democratic governance mechanisms in formulating and implementing climate change policies.
- Identify best practices and lessons learned from existing democratic frameworks for climate governance.
- Propose actionable recommendations for enhancing the role of democratic institutions in addressing climate change challenges.
4. Deliverables and Scope of Work:
The consultant or team responsible for developing the strategy paper will undertake the following tasks:
- Develop a comprehensive workshop agenda outlining session topics, objectives, and activities.
- Prepare facilitation materials and resources to support interactive discussions and group exercises during the workshop.
- Conduct a one-day workshop to engage relevant stakeholders in discussions on the intersection of democratic governance and climate change policy.
- Summarize outputs from workshop discussions, including key insights, recommendations, and action points generated by participants.
- Analyze the summarized outputs from the workshop in conjunction with the comprehensive review of literature, research, and case studies.
- Synthesize findings from the workshop and other data collection activities into a coherent strategy paper that outlines key findings, recommendations, and actionable steps for strengthening the role of democratic institutions in climate change policy.
- Prepare a final report documenting the workshop proceedings, outcomes, and actionable next steps, including any additional documentation or follow-up materials required to support ongoing collaboration and advocacy efforts.
5.Qualifications and Experience:
The ideal facilitator should possess:
a. Demonstrated expertise in climate change advocacy, policy analysis, or related fields.
b. Proven experience in facilitating workshops, meetings, or similar events with diverse stakeholder groups.
c. Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to foster collaboration and consensus-building among participants.
d. Knowledge of participatory methodologies and tools for engaging stakeholders in productive discussions and decision-making processes.
e. Familiarity with the socio-political context and environmental challenges specific to the region, particularly in Iraq.
f.Fluency in English and Arabic is required, with proficiency in Kurdish considered a bonus, both in spoken and written forms.
6.Stakeholder Engagement:
Active engagement with relevant stakeholders will be a critical component of this initiative. Stakeholders will be invited to participate in consultations, workshops and validation processes to provide input and feedback on the draft strategy paper.
7. Duration and Timeline:
The workshops are anticipated to take place over a one-day period during June. The facilitator will be engaged for pre-workshop preparation agenda and tools, workshop delivery, and post-workshop follow-up activities, as necessary.
8. Application Process:
Interested facilitators are invited to submit their proposals, including a detailed CV highlighting relevant experience, proposed methodology for facilitating the discussion, and any additional supporting documents, to Iraq@sfcg.org by 24 May 2024 with the subject: Strategy Paper: Strengthening Climate Policy via Democratic Institutions.
9. Evaluation Criteria:
Consultant proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
- Curriculum Vitae (CV) for the Consultants: Submission of comprehensive CVs detailing relevant experience and qualifications.
- Technical Proposal: Submission of a detailed technical proposal outlining the methodology and approach in alignment with the Terms of Reference or SoW.
- Financial Table: Completion of the financial table presenting expenditure breakdown in Iraqi Dinar (IQD).
- Please note that applications failing to meet the above criteria will not be considered during the shortlisting process.
9.Terms and Conditions:
Search for Common Ground reserves the right to select or reject proposals based on the evaluation criteria and event requirements. The selected facilitator will be required to adhere to the event guidelines and code of conduct throughout the engagement.
How to apply
8. Application Process:
Interested facilitators are invited to submit their proposals, including a detailed CV highlighting relevant experience, proposed methodology for facilitating the discussion, and any additional supporting documents, to Iraq@sfcg.org by 24 May 2024 with the subject: Strategy Paper: Strengthening Climate Policy via Democratic Institutions.
9. Evaluation Criteria:
Consultant proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
- Curriculum Vitae (CV) for the Consultants: Submission of comprehensive CVs detailing relevant experience and qualifications.
- Technical Proposal: Submission of a detailed technical proposal outlining the methodology and approach in alignment with the Terms of Reference or SoW.
- Financial Table: Completion of the financial table presenting expenditure breakdown in Iraqi Dinar (IQD).
- Please note that applications failing to meet the above criteria will not be considered during the shortlisting process.
9.Terms and Conditions:
Search for Common Ground reserves the right to select or reject proposals based on the evaluation criteria and event requirements. The selected facilitator will be required to adhere to the event guidelines and code of conduct throughout the engagement.