SCOPING STUDY ON THE PROTECTION GAPS, RESOURCE AND NEEDS ASSESSMENT IN SUB-REGIONAL NETWORKS OF HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS IN AFRICA

CALL FOR CONSULTANTS TO CONDUCT A SCOPING STUDY ON THE PROTECTION GAPS, RESOURCE AND NEEDS ASSESSMENT IN SUB-REGIONAL NETWORKS OF HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS IN AFRICA ( Call for North Africa HRD Network)

Introduction

African human rights defenders (HRDs) face a spectrum of interlocking challenges that often create a hostile working environment. At the inaugural All Africa HRDs Conference held in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1998, these challenges were enumerated and a strategy was developed to establish five sub-regional networks to meet the needs of HRDs in these sub-regions and build protection institutions at the national level. Significant progress has been made since 1998. Pan-African HRDs Network (PAHRD-Net) is made up of five sub-regional networks i.e. Cairo Institute for Human Rights for Northern Africa HRDs community, East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Network, West Africa Human Rights Defenders Network, South African Human Rights Defenders Network hosted by the International commission of Jurists, and Central African Human Rights Defenders Network. PAHRD-Net has as its primary objectives the improved capacity of and cooperation between the sub-regional networks and stabilizing Pan-African access to financial resources for protection measures, with a cross-cutting focus on meeting the needs of most at-risk HRD.

The five sub-regional networks have different program activities, objectives and capacities resulting in significant protection gaps for African HRDs. Furthermore, the sub-regional networks have largely developed and operated independently of one another with little dialogue and no fora through which to share best practices, cross-pollinate protection expertise, establish rigorous reporting, track continental trends, or deal with trans-regional protection issues, emergency relocations and resource shortfalls.

In this regards, Pan African Human Rights defenders seeks to conduct a new scoping study to identify HRD protection gaps and as well as resources and needs mapping within each of the five sub-regional networks.

A scoping study will help PAHRD-Net prepare short-term and long term strategies on the specific activities to be undertaken. The study will cover areas such as administration of the network, resources, coordination, good practices and approaches to protection of most at risk HRDs. It will also focus on the internal system of the network, public information, and decision.

1.0 Objectives

• Produce a profile on the specified sub-regional human rights defenders network • Assess capacity to protect human rights defenders within the sub-region • Assess capacity in fields of advocacy and research • Identify main challenges obstructing fulfillment of network objectives • Map existing resources • Assess situation of HRDs within the sub-region • Produce an organizational directory

2.0 Call

As part of the activities under component “Protection gaps, resource and needs assessment in each sub-regional network” Pan African HRD-Net is hereby seeking consultant resident in Egypt for North, to carry out an assessment of the North Africa HRDs Networks secretariat.

To achieve the objectives of the Project, Pan African HRDs-Net is specifically seeking applications from experienced and qualified external evaluators/consultants for the studies.

The selected consultant will work closely with the selected sub-regional network (‘target organization’) to produce a profile and assessment of the North Africa HRDs Networks secretariat according to guidelines provided by PAHRD-Net. The task is not a full organizational assessment, however contains elements of assessments regarding capacity, primary challenges, network strength, and ability to protect HRDs.

The results of the assessment will be used to tailor PAHRD-Net program strategies and promote communication and collaboration between all sub-regional networks.

3.0 The Consultant The consultant must be practitioners, specialists or analyst, with appropriate education and employment background. The consultant will be expected to show evidence of previous relevant work in the indicated sub-region. The consultant must be orally fluent with excellent written communication skills in Arabic language(s) spoken by the study organization as well as a high level of English in order to communicate with PAHRD-Net.

4.0. Terms of Reference

The Consultant shall:

• Produce a work plan according to a provided information objectives • Collect textual information on the target organization including, where available, prior external evaluations and audits • Conduct oral interviews with program management, staff, and board of directors, collecting further materials where necessary, in order to fulfill information requirements • Produce a draft report fulfilling information objectives • Amend draft report of approximately 15 pages and conduct further research as necessary according to feedback from PAHRD-Net secretariat

5.0 Time Frame/Reporting The Consultant will submit a draft questionnaire to the Secretariat of Pan African HRDs-Net before 3st February 2013. Pan African HRDs-Net will agree on the questionnaire, before distribution. The Study shall start on 6 February 2013; the first report will be drafted by the 21 February 2013. Final draft will be completed by the 25 February 2013. All the reports generated in this study will become properties of the Pan African HRDs-Net.

6.0 Remuneration: The Consultancy which is on part-time basis is for a period of 15 days and will attract a reasonable remuneration. Applicants are however expected to provide a budget that includes their proposed remuneration in the application. Selected consultant will be paid 30% of the agreed consultancy fees upon signing the Agreement and the balance upon the receipt of the final report.

How to apply:

7.0 Mode of Application Interested consultants should submit their applications electronically, including full Curricula Vitae (detailing qualifications and work experience), work-plan and budget, by email toProgram@defenddefenders.org not later than 28 January 2012.