Terms of Reference (ToR) for Social Cohesion and Peacebuilding (Need Assessment) Consultant
JOB TITLE: Consultant for Evaluating Social Cohesion and Peacebuilding Efforts in project communities of Hong and Michika LGAs in Adamawa state.
JOB LOCATIONS: Hong & Michika LGAs, Adamawa State, Nigeria
Employment Type: Contract
Project Brief
The project name is: Multisectoral strengthening of resilience of vulnerable households in conflict-affected areas of Northeastern Nigeria and Northern Cameroon. The project supported 224 active participants (62 males and 162 females). Among these, 5 participants are people with disabilities (PWDs) with 16-week skills acquisition training in carpentry, sewing, mechanics, grinding, electrician work and oil processing. All 224 participants were matched with skilled artisans for hands-on learning. Start-up kits were distributed to the beneficiaries at the end of the training.
A total of 200 peace ambassadors (124 males, 76 females) from Michika LGA were trained to enhance community-level conflict mitigation efforts. Their training focused on 3B methodology of binding, bonding and bridging to develop mediation, dialogue facilitation and conflict resolution skills. The peace ambassadors included community leaders, religious figures, local security providers, women’s group representatives, youth leaders and community members. The peace ambassadors are serving as community peace champions, facilitate dialogue and mediation and report resolved and unresolved conflicts to the Social Cohesion/Peacebuilding.
The unit also supported 135 women from host communities with financial support to boost their income-generating capacity providing them with ₦49,000 per beneficiary. This is to initiate small-scale economic activities and foster financial independence.
A one-day Peace Conference was also organized in Yola, Adamawa State, in partnership with Caritas Germany under the theme: “Cultivating the Culture of Peace through Dialogue.” Participants at the peace conference included Academia, Civil society organizations, Military and paramilitary agencies, Government ministries and departments, Religious and community leaders, Men, women, and youth. The conference provided a platform for inclusive dialogue, shared learning, and collaborative strategizing on sustainable peacebuilding and conflict resolution within the region.
The project continues to make significant strides in enhancing vocational skills, promoting social cohesion, supporting women’s economic empowerment, and fostering a culture of peace through strategic partnerships and inclusive interventions.
The project aims to strengthen and support existing community dialogue and problem solving mechanisms through dialogue forums between religious and ethnic groups and reactivating or creation of groups as, (women groups, GBV groups, Youth groups and child protection groups) and making sure these groups exist and are active in the community in search for solutions to intra and inter family conflicts in the area of gender based violence and child protection, and improving the economic condition of the vulnerable population by supporting them with Income generating activities, vocational training and supporting them to form a saving and internal lending communities (SILC) group. The establishment of peace committees creates community-level bodies that can be called upon in the event of conflict. These committees are supported to be able to solve identified problems thus strengthening legitimacy. The composition of the peace committees ensures their impartiality and broad acceptance of the proposed solutions. The inclusion of particularly vulnerable women and youth in the vocational training component improves the incomes of these marginalized population groups and thus reduces the appeal of harmful alternatives, e.g. child marriage, prostitution. The project will therefore strengthen and if not already in place, establish dialogue structures across the implementing communities.
Purpose and Goal
The goal of this consultancy is to assess the impact of the project’s peace building initiatives, effectiveness of conflict resolution mechanisms and drivers of conflict and peace.
Specific Objectives
- To assess the current state of social cohesion and identify key drivers of conflict and peace
- To understand the social cohesion and peacebuilding Needs and challenges faced by communities of intervention
- To assess level of Awareness and participation in dialogue forums.
- To evaluate the impact of peacebuilding interventions And Perceived effectiveness of dialogue forums in addressing conflict.
Approach and Methodology
This consultancy will employ a mixed-methods approach to assess the specific needs and challenges faced by communities of intervention and enhance social cohesion. The targeted population will include community leaders, local stakeholders, and residents of the sampled communities.
Expected Outcomes
The assessment would provide insights into:
1. The effectiveness of peacebuilding initiatives and conflict resolution mechanisms.
2. The drivers of conflict and peace in the target communities.
3. Recommendations for improving peacebuilding initiatives and conflict resolution mechanisms.
Geographic Coverage of the Consultancy
Adamawa State, Nigeria – Hong and Michika Local Government Areas (LGAs).
Expected Timelines
The consultancy will be conducted for a duration not exceeding 25 working days, including fieldwork, data analysis, and report writing.
Activities
| Activity | No. of days | Person Responsible |
| Consultancy preparations (Development and validation of protocol and tools, selection of teams & preparation of necessary logistics) | 3 | Consultant |
| Train the peacebuilding teams | 5 | Consultant |
| Conduct community dialogues | 10 | Consultant |
| Review the data, final analysis, submit and present preliminary results to stakeholders | 3 | Consultant |
| Final report compilation and submission | 4 | Consultant |
| Total number of days | 25 working days | Consultant |
Key Deliverables
The consultant will be responsible for:
- Developing the consultancy protocol following the project format.
- Developing/adapting tools for community assessment and capacity building.
- Training peacebuilding team.
- Presenting initial findings to stakeholders.
- Providing electronic files of the clean (final) qualitative and quantitative data collected and analysis as a final deliverable.
- Sharing a summary version of findings as a final deliverable.
- Submitting a final consultancy report as per the specified format.
Budget:
The consultant fees should include technical fees, and any other costs related to travel and accommodation. JDPC & Caritas Germany will work with the consultant to recruit personnel and prepare relevant logistics for training and community engagement.
The Consultant(s) will report to:
Senior Program Manager, and work closely with the MEAL & Social Cohesion/Peacebuilding officer.
Required Expertise
The selected consultant is expected to have strong expertise in social cohesion and peacebuilding in conflict-affected contexts.
Interested applicants should have:
- Academic qualification in Peace Studies, Conflict Resolution, Social Sciences, or a related field.
- Demonstrated experience in designing and implementing peacebuilding initiatives.
- Proven experience in facilitating community dialogues and workshops.
- Experience in Northeast Nigeria or similar conflict-affected contexts is preferred.
- Excellent analytical, research, writing, and communication skills.
- Language skills: Professional capacity in English and Hausa.
HOW TO APPLY
Interested and qualified candidates should send their profile and required documents to: [email protected]
Timeline for recruitment:21/05/2025
Application Documents
Applicants must submit the following documents:
- Technical proposal that defines, among others, understanding of the terms of reference, methodology, and plan for community engagement.
- Cost of planned activities.
- Examples of similar assignments, curriculum vitae.
- Financial proposal – expected consultant fees on a per day basis and terms of payment.
JDPC will examine all applications to ensure that they contain no amendments to the terms or any other irregularities and/or errors. Applications will be assessed according to the following criteria:
Technical Evaluation:
The applications will first be evaluated on technical merits. The technical evaluation assesses the capacity of the applicant, based on the submitted technical proposal, performance history, and references submitted. For this purpose, certificates and additional references may be requested and subsequently examined.
Financial / Cost Evaluation:
The financial/cost evaluation is based on the cost of services presented in the application. The evaluation is intended to assess and confirm that applicants provide good value to JDPC & Caritas Germany for the services offered.
Other Evaluations:
After ranking applications and applicants according to technical and financial criteria, JDPC & Caritas Germany may consider other variables, including, but not limited to, record of past performance, integrity, and social responsibility.
