Position: Cattle Camp Youth Technical Advisor
Locations: Mayendit, Tonj East, Panyijar, Rumbek North and Yirol East Counties; Warrap, Unity and Lakes states, South Sudan
Duration: 7 � 8 weeks, with possible extension
Background: Sudan's civil war created a series of conflicts that splintered the SPLM/A and pitted SPLA- and NCP-armed factions of Dinka and Nuer against each other in the central states of Warrap, Unity and Lakes, centered on the Warrap village of Wunlit, home to the historic 1999 peace agreement bearing the Wunlit name, between Dinka and Nuer. The echoes of these conflicts are still heard along the shared borders of these states, where groups compete for valuable dry-season grazing and water found at the toich (grazing grounds). Nonexistent road access, ill-defined borders, and little government presence often facilitates the expansion of competition into violent feuds and tit-for-tat cattle raiding between Dinka and Nuer and between opposing Dinka clans. In recent months, cattle raiding between Dinka and Nuer, feuding between Dinka groups in Lakes State, and a border dispute between Mayendit in Unity and Rumbek North in Lakes have killed dozens of people and shut down key transportation links between Rumbek and Bentiu, the capitals of Lakes and Unity states. These conflicts are further fuelled by large populations of idle and uneducated youth and a lack of livelihoods alternatives to cattle keeping and raiding, which funnels youth into participating in violent feuds. While tensions are still high, the provision of transportation and communication equipment and the construction and outfitting of county headquarters buildings in the neighboring counties of Tonj East in Warrap, Rumbek North and Yirol East ( equipment only) in Lakes, and Mayendit and Panyijar in Unity State by SSTCM, has significantly strengthened local government presence, reach and capacity to address local conflict. Instrumental to consolidating these gains, however, will be supporting stability through expanding local economies and creating opportunities for alternative livelihoods for youth.
Cattle are a significant element in the agricultural economy and important to many of the various cultures and ethnic groups of northern and southern Sudan. Cattle ownership is an indicator of wealth and status for many southern Sudanese men / families, regardless of whether they live in cities, towns or in villages. The source and price of cattle are linked to bridal dowries; and the cultural rituals by which a boy enters manhood are, in many tribes, interwoven with cattle care, cattle raiding, and successful navigation of life in a cattle camp. During 2010, inter-communal disputes particularly those driven by agro-pastoralist conflicts resulting from competition for grassland, water and migration routes accounted for 37 percent of all violent incidents and 50 percent of all fatalities recorded by GOSS and UNMIS in Southern Sudan. Conflict rates tend to be higher in the cattle triangle formed by Lakes, Warrap, and Unity States and within Jonglei and Eastern Equatoria States.
Scope of Work (SOW)
AISS is implementing the SWIFT III rapid response program for South Sudan through USAID's South Sudan Office of Transition and Conflict Mitigation. The program's purpose is to direct catalytic quick-impact conflict mitigation and stabilization programming to South Sudan's most volatile regions.
In close coordination with USAID, AISS will conduct an assessment of the social and economic structures defining cattle camp culture in the Wunlit Triangle of Lakes, Unity and Warrap states, with a focus on areas where access is possible in the next two months. Cattle raiding remains one of the most significant challenges to stability and peace in the region, but there is insufficient knowledge of the factors and mechanisms at play economically and culturally. In order to reduce conflict, a better understanding is needed of the livelihoods and interpersonal dynamics of cattle camp young men, and their interaction with the communities around them with regard to three areas: Leadership � an understanding of the role of cattle raiding in achieving manhood and leadership positions; the dynamics of interaction between cattle camp youth and their communities which encourage or discourage raiding; the role of women in encouraging raiding, shaming those who fail, and in identifying leadership characteristics among young men; the process by which women leaders emerge.
Livelihoods - an understanding of cattle camp economy and the financial motivators for raiding and cattle care as a driver of income generation for cattle camp young men and young women, with a view to identifying and developing possible alternative livelihoods for cattle camp youth.
Conflict Mitigation � an understanding of conflict drivers among cattle camp youth, and identification of potential conflict mitigation activities. The research will also look at areas in which disputes between cattle camps, nomadic groups and communities have been reduced as a result of conflict mitigation approaches.
Tasks:
Read background studies on agro-pastoralist populations & livelihoods including: - UN Strategic Assessment: Post-CPA South Sudan, Zero Draft, 1 March 2011, p5, UNDPKO, Juba - Challenging Orthodoxies: Understanding Poverty in Pastoral Areas of East Africa; Peter D. Little, John McPeak, Christopher B. Barrett, Cornell University, Patti Kristjanson, March 2008 (http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNADM455.pdf) - Taking Peace to Southern Sudan Cattle Camps, Lutheran World Federation; February 2011. (http://www.lutheranworld.org/lwf/index.php/taking-peace-to-southern-suda...) - Relevant reports from USAID Development Experience Clearinghouse (http://dec.usaid.gov), International Livestock Research Institute (www.ilri.org), Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (www.kari.org); Pastoral risk management project (PARIMA) of the Global Livestock Collaborative Research Support Program (GL-CRSP)- (http://www.plantsciences.ucdavis.edu/plantsciences/outreach/livestock_pr...) ; FAO (www.fao.org) and other sources.
Conduct interviews and focus groups with cattle camp young men and women in at least 12 cattle camps.
Conduct interviews and focus groups with other state level stakeholders: Ministry of Animal Resources and Fisheries; Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry; community animal health workers, veterinarians, Agricultural and Forestry Extension agents; women's and youth groups who have interactions with cattle camp youth; Peace Committees, Traditional Leaders, and others who adjudicate disputes arising from cattle; Ministry of Education (cattle camp tutors).
Conduct interviews with INGOs working in the areas of youth employment, livestock and livelihoods and in cattle camps (including, but not limited to ILO, FAO, GIZ).
Coordinate closely with AISS regional program managers, who will manage actual design and implementation of individual projects;
Work with AISS staff in designing other short-term AISS assignments, as needed, to support possible market development and livelihoods project implementation;
Work with AISS monitoring and evaluation staff in assessing project impact;
Other tasks related to conflict mitigation and / or markets development and livelihoods programming, as requested by AISS' Deputy Chief of Party or RPMs.
Expected Deliverables
Weekly activity reports synthesizing ongoing research findings and analysis;
At least three specific grant ideas for engaging cattle camp youth with in-kind grants per the SSTCM mechanism
Provide oral and written updates/reports to USAID OTCM staff, as requested;
Final report, documenting research conducted, analytical findings, challenges encountered and lessons learned;
Other reports, as requested by AISS' DCOP or RPM.
Qualifications and Experience
Advanced degree in conflict, development, agricultural economics, or related field
Significant experience in pastoralist and livestock related economic systems
Experience in field research and analysis
Excellent communications, assessment and writing skills
Fluency in English
Knowledge of South Sudan is desirable
Field Conditions Field conditions will be basic and primitive. There is likely to be considerable walking in wet, muddy conditions and irregular access to infrastructure or a mobile phone network; a satellite phone will be provided.
How to apply:
Please send your CV to Lauren Rushton at Lauren.Rushton@aecom.com.
Cattle Camp Youth Technical Advisor, Rumbek
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