Consultant

The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) established its ICLA programme in Somalia in 2013 to support secure land tenure for shelter beneficiaries. The programme operates in Somaliland, Puntland and South Central Somalia and focuses on housing, land and property rights through the provision of information services, legal counselling, and legal assistance. In addition, the ICLA programme conducts training activities for both humanitarian and local actors on housing, land and property rights. NRC is committed to including IDPs in land dispute resolution and decision-making processes to help them achieve a durable solution (return, local integration or relocation) to their displacement.

NRC is looking to hire a consultant to conduct an assessment to identify challenges facing displaced women living in informal settlements in Somalia in exercising their housing, land and property (HLP) rights. The research will be conducted in country in South Central, Somaliland and Puntland during August – November, 2015. The purpose of the consultancy is to identify the main challenges and formulate recommendations for policy and programmatic approaches for NRC and partner agencies to strengthen displaced women’s HLP rights in Somalia.

PURPOSE OF THE CONSULTANCY:

The aim of the research undertaken by the Consultant is to identify challenges facing displaced women living in informal settlements in Somalia in exercising their housing, land and property (HLP) rights. On this basis, the consultant will make recommendations for policy and programmatic approaches for NRC and partner agencies to strengthen their programme so as to better support displaced women’s HLP rights, durable solutions and prevent forced evictions. The recommended activities need to be adapted to women’s specific capacities and vulnerabilities in this context. The research will: a) contribute to NRC’s global work on women’s HLP that NRC is undertaking and b) help NRC design a programmatic as well as an advocacy response to help women overcome the obstacles they face in exercising their HLP rights.

OBJECTIVES

• Document NRC’s support for IDP women’s HLP rights in current ICLA programme activities
• Identify specific challenges facing IDP women living in the settlements in Somalia to exercise their housing, land and property (HLP) rights during displacement
• Identify the needs and rights of IDP women living in the settlements in Somalia facing forced evictions and/or voluntary relocation/return, including appropriate compensation schemes and rights under existing Somali laws and policies.
• Assess the capacity of government and civil society to address these challenges to HLP rights of displaced women within the framework of support for durable solutions
• Review family/Sharia law of Somalia specifically marital property and inheritance, two of the main ways for women to get access to HLP assets and produce an annex with the list of all the current laws in relation to HLP as well as all the laws and policies specifically targeting IDPs and laws and policies specifically aimed at protecting women’s rights
• Draft realistic and practical recommendations to address programmatic gaps in order for NRC and partner agencies to support IDP women’s security of tenure
• Ensure linkages/complementarity with NRC Head Office global project on women’s HLP and NRC Somalia protection and advocacy initiatives.

EXPECTED RESULTS

The Consultant is expected to produce a 40 page report (excluding annexes) as follows:

• The report needs to address the various objectives listed above
• The report needs to have a list of concise and actionable recommendations
• The report needs to have a 2-3 page executive summary highlighting the main findings and recommendations
• The report needs to include a documented account of stakeholder meetings held for this consultancy
• The report needs to be accompanied by a power point presentation with main findings and recommendations for use with relevant stakeholders
• The Consultant is expected to present initial findings to stakeholders during final week of research in Somalia.

SCOPE OF WORK AND METHODOLOGY

The consultant shall use NRC existing tools and frameworks (to carry out the analysis of the conflict and displacement situations and to identify possible responses and implementation modalities). By using such tools it is expected that the consultant conduct the following:

• A desk review of relevant NRC HLP documentation as well as relevant documentation on HLP issues in Somalia;
• Meetings/emailing of different actors in the land sector i.e. International actors, Somali actors including civil society, beneficiaries, government institutions and IDP representatives among others and NRC literature review and stakeholder consultation on key challenges for displaced and IDP women in terms of HLP rights and durable solutions (i.e. specific challenges and potential vulnerabilities).
• Consultation, in partnership with the ICLA programme, with IDP women and girls to identify risks and proposed solutions to the HLP challenges associated with displacement; supplemented by broader community consultation and in particular with vulnerable groups
• Interviews with authorities, humanitarian community and other key stakeholders
• Regular meetings with the ICLA team to present findings to date and during the drafting of the report – particularly the recommendations.

Qualifications & Personal qualities

• Relevant professional experience in displacement context, programme development including experience of working as a researcher. Experience in working in Somalia is a high added value.
• Experience in working in complex and volatile contexts, and ability to work independently in a result oriented, multi-cultural environment and manage conflicting priorities;
• High level of professional expertise/knowledge in housing, land and property rights;
• Experience in developing and implementing policy/strategic guidance, and developing practical tools and resources;
• Fluency in English, knowledge of Somali is an asset.
• Good analysis capacity and excellent ability in report writing
• Ability to work under pressure, independently and with limited supervision
• Ability and willingness to work and live under difficult circumstances
• Willingness to travel to the above mentioned areas within Somalia

Terms & Conditions

• Consultancy Terms and conditions will be as agreed with NRC Somalia country programme.
• Consultant will be working from and accommodated in NRC offices in Somalia.
• Travel Insurance will be provided by NRC for the Consultant for the dates of travel and days spent in Somalia.
• The Consultant will be supported by Somalia national staff contracted by NRC, in order to: Support and facilitate research (before, during and after the Consultant’s travel to Somalia), provide translation in meetings and translate documentation (if the Consultant does not read /speak Somali).

How to Apply

To apply, go to the “vacancies” link at www.nrc.no or send application package to the following address:evelyn.aero@nrc.no with copy to barnabas.asora@nrc.no by Friday 10th July 2015.

The application should consist of the following:
A cover letter addressing the research criteria highlighting the dates of availability for the assignment. The consultant’s profile through a concise CV or resume (team composition and updates CVs – if a team is proposed)
A brief explanation about the Consultant/s with particular emphasis on previous
experience in this kind of work with evidence of relevant prior work
Tentative research plan, with timeline and
Financial proposal: The financial proposal should provide cost estimates for services to be rendered including daily consultancy fees.

Only shortlisted candidates will be informed about the outcome.

NRC may be required to verify the identity of its partners/employees and to check that its partners/employees have not been involved in illegal activities. NRC reserves the right to use electronic screening tools for this purpose.