Conflict Analysis Consultant at Save the Children Nigeria – Borno & Yobe

Save the Children is the leading independent organization for children in need, with programs in over 120 countries. We save children’s lives. We fight for their rights. We help them fulfil their potential. Save the Children is working in Nigeria because one in five children in Nigeria dies before their fifth birthday. About 40% of children miss out on school and have to work to survive while nearly 2 million children have lost one or both parents to an AIDS-related disease.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Conflict Analysis Consultant

Job ID: 200004QP
Locations: Borno & Yobe
Employee Status: Fixed Term

Child Safeguarding

• Level 3: The post holder will have contact with children and/or young people either frequently (e.g. once a week or more) or intensively (e.g. four days in one month or more or overnight).

Introduction

• Save the Children International (SCI) is a leading International Organization working in over 120 countries. Since its establishment in 1919, SCI has worked with the overall aim of improving the lives of children. SCI has been working in Nigeria since 2001, and presently implements across 20 states focusing on child survival, education and protecting children in both development and humanitarian contexts.
• SCI has been responding in Borno and Yobe since 2014 as one of the first agencies to bring relief to conflict-affected children and families in the areas of Child Protection, Nutrition, Education WASH, Food Security and Livelihood, and Education. The ongoing conflict in the North East continues to increase population displacements and worsen the humanitarian crisis.
• According to Education Under Attack 2018 report, Nigeria remains one of the countries where students and educators are most frequently targeted by parties to the conflict, which has reduced school enrollment and increased dropout probability. The high-profile kidnappings of the Chibok girls in 2014 and the Dapchi girls in 2018 also weakened parental commitment towards education – especially for girls. Further, many children are left emotionally and physically scarred by the conflict. Northern Nigeria displays the lowest school attendance rate in the country, especially for girls, having a female primary attendance ratio of 44% (Cluster, 2017). Likewise, the conflict continues to have an adverse impact on family nutrition status. According to 2019 Humanitarian Needs Overview for Nigeria, the Global acute malnutrition (GAM) levels in children aged 6-59 months remain consistently concerning, with over one million children suffering from SAM and MAM across 18 LGAs in the BAY states.
• Given the impact of the conflict, SCI is seeking to conduct a conflict analysis to understand the perceived historical and structural background of violent conflict in Borno and Yobe, and how conflict is linked to education and nutrition issues, as well as to understand different dynamics that come into play –  including political, economic, psycho-social and security concerns, and examining SC interventions – and their perceived influence in reducing or accelerating conflict in the targeted areas.

Description of Assignment:

• SCI Nigeria is seeking a qualified consultant to conduct a comprehensive conflict analysis in the geographic locations covered by the G7 Education for Crisis-affected Girls, and IHA Humanitarian Response projects.
• The objective of the conflict analysis is to generate data and evidence to better inform and provide the projects, and Canada/Nigeria program, with essential information for planning, and increase understanding of project activities undertaken in the conflict-affected states of Yobe and Borno.
• Specifically, the conflict analysis will investigate critical dynamics, barriers and capacities, trends and interlinkages between conflict, education and nutrition, while also assessing key risks and windows for peace/social cohesion from which to formulate conflict-sensitive and adaptive program strategies for use during implementation.

Specific Objectives:

• Compose a profile and analysis of conflict and inter-communal tensions in the zones of intervention by examining the following:
• Origins of conflict and inter-communal tensions
• Key stakeholders involved, and their typology, interests/motivations, resources, allies, methods, leadership
• Analyze how these actors relate with one another, including commonalities or faultlines between groups, and their attitude/behavior towards and influence on the conflict and/or relevant processes for peace or social cohesion
• Sustaining factors (i.e. political, economic, social, technological, legal, environmental factors) of conflict/tension
• Analysis of the inter-play between SCI’s activities and the actors and sustaining factors of the conflict
• Education: Specific focus should be given to aspects of the education sector that contribute to or exacerbate conflict, pose risks and those that promote social cohesion and contribute to positive peace gains.
• Nutrition: Identify the difference in needs, constraints, concerns and capacities of girls, boys, women and men related to nutrition activities in the project target local government areas.
• Provide information on why we get more SAM admissions for boys than girls and to find out if there’s any reason why more boys can be malnourished.
• Identify how nutrition outcomes for girls and boys under five years of age have been shaped and changed by conflict and inter-communal tensions in the zones of intervention, and if these changes have contributed to further conflict/tension.
• Enduring drivers of social cohesion (or ‘connectors’)
• To analyze the dynamics and trends of the conflict, including:
• Most likely developments in the near and medium-term (6 – 18 months)
• Triggers of change

Risk identification:

• Determining if and how COVID 19 is impacting the conflict in the area, and/or new and emerging inter-communal tensions or conflicts arising from the impact of COVID 19.
• Highlighting any identified window of opportunities for de-escalation of tensions or peacebuilding that the education and nutrition interventions can take advantage of, if applicable.
• Generate a conflict-sensitivity action plan, which includes the following:
• Recommendations for mitigation measures to be undertaken by SCI to counteract any negative impacts of SCI’s humanitarian action in the zones of intervention
• Recommendations for optimization measures to be undertaken by SCI to reinforce drivers of cohesion, and expedient actions for utilizing windows of opportunity for de-escalation of tensions or peacebuilding within the zones of intervention
• Recommendation on how any existing conflict-sensitive sector guidance (i.e. INEE Conflict Sensitive Education [CSE] Guidelines) can be built into key project activities.
• Define high-level context monitoring indicators based on short to medium-term outlook and identified triggers for change or escalation of conflict/tensions.

Approach and Methodology:

• This research will be carried out by consultant with a working knowledge of northeastern Nigeria and proven experience with conflict analysis and conflict-sensitive programming. The process will be consultative and based on principles of participation.  Data collection for the conflict analysis should include secondary and primary data sources, and utilize quantitative and qualitative methodologies.

Secondary Data / Desk Review:

• A review of documents pertaining to the humanitarian/conflict situation, particularly root causes and sustaining factors of the ongoing conflict in Borno state and their intersection with current education and nutrition outcomes amongst girls and boys
• Includes recent conflict analyses from partner agencies (if drafts or published versions are available).
• A review of local laws, policies and strategies related to the target groups or the work of SCI Nigeria.
• Mapping of existing documents and existing data on conflict sensitivity and nutrition and education that are relevant to this research (i.e. INEE Conflict Sensitive Education Guidelines, Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack, etc).
• A review of the existing project-specific program frameworks, sectoral guidance and tool kits, the SCI Child Safeguarding policy, etc.

Primary Source Data/Field Research
Interviews, focus group discussions, key informant interviews, or questionnaires using survey link with relevant stakeholders. Stakeholders include but are not limited to:

Government Agencies:

• INGOs, NGO, and Community Based Organizations (including youth and women’s groups)
• Community leaders, religious leaders, community structures
• Women, men, youth, boys and girls from the selected communities
• Coordination bodies, including national Education, Nutrition and Protection Clusters, Access Working Group, Protection Working Group
• Education Specific Stakeholders: Education Authorities, Teachers and School Administrators/Principals, Students and out-of-school youth (girls and boys), etc
• Nutrition Specific stakeholders: Caregivers of u5, support groups members, Community leaders, Nutrition cluster, BSPHCB.
• Use of participatory techniques for all data collection from communities. Participatory data collection should ensure meaningful participation of women, girls, boys and men.
• Observations and any additional data collection techniques and analysis tools to be determined by the researcher/consultant (should be elaborated in the consultant proposal).

Other approaches within the proposed objectives and methodology that should be taken into account in this context conflict analysis are:

• Gender-Sensitive & Disability Inclusive – data collection should ensure engagement and meaningful participation of women, men, girls and boys, and include people living with disabilities across all categories of stakeholders.
• Youth Engagement – Borno/Yobe youth (ages 15 – 29) constitutes 60 percent of the population and is increasing. This group is an influential part of the society, with the potential to contribute towards either perpetuating the conflict/inter-communal tensions or stabilization and positive peace.  They are also key target demographic for education outcomes, and should thus be engaged in data collection methods.
• Do No Harm – data collection should be participatory, including ensuring enumerator team composition effectively balance the gender, ethnic and religious dynamics in target locations.
• Compliance with National and Local COVID-19 Policies and Protocols –  all primary data collection must be planned and undertaken in line health and safety policies and protocols provided by the Ministry of Health, local authorities and in consultation with Save the Children.
• Protection and Trauma-Informed Approaches: Applicants are expected to mainstream protection by describing the risks for harm, exploitation, or abuse faced by the affected population in general and in relation to the proposed interventions. In addition, applicants will be required to take into account the negative impacts of psychosocial trauma on beneficiary populations related to education and nutrition, and provide approaches to counter those impacts.

Additional Considerations
Enumerators should be trained, at minimum, on the following topics:

• Gender equality, Safeguarding, Data protection, Existing protection referral pathways
• Safety & Security, Observance of COVID 19 Healthy and Safety Protocols

Deliverables
Timeframe and Period:

Activities: No of days:

• Desk reviews: 2
• Submission of the inception report: 2
• Development of tools: 2
• Training of enumerators
• 8 (4 days each in Yobe and Borno states)
• Field testing of the tool: 1
• Data collection: 10
• Data analysis and submission of the first draft report: 5
• Presentation and submission of the final report: 3
• Total number of days: 33

All reports should include the table of contents, executive summary, initial findings, methodology and process of collecting data, any difficulties encountered or expected in addition to the work.

Conflict analysis design/inception report outlining the following:

• Methodology (including sampling methodology), analysis tools and analytical framework
• List of documents to be used as references and people who will participate in the conflict analysis
• Time-table
• Workshop designs, if any
• Data gathering instruments to be used
• Raw data and transcription of workshops and interviews

Final Report Containing:

• A profile and analysis of conflict and inter-communal tensions in the zones of intervention
• A conflict-sensitivity action plan which outlines measures that must be taken to ensure that the Do No Harm principle is upheld and that the program does not exacerbate or contribute to divisions and tensions within and between communities; as well as optimization strategies for contributing to social cohesion;
• Recommendations on how sectoral conflict-sensitive guidance should be absorbed by the project.
• Context monitoring indicators based on conflict projections and triggers to the escalation of violence or tensions.

Competencies
Functional Competencies:

• Track record in developing, conducting and reporting on various types of assessments or evaluations including qualitative and quantitative data collection for international NGOs
• Excellent existing network of contacts and proven ability to build strong relationships with local authorities in Borno and Yobe State, and other local actors, using interpersonal skills to network effectively;
• Excellent analytical, negotiating, and communication skills;
• Excellent writing, reporting and presentation skills;
• Excellent command of English required; any local languages (Kanuri/Hausa) highly desired

Required Skills and Experience
Academic Qualifications:

• Post Graduate University Degree in Social Science, Sociology, Political Science, Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding, or in any other related field.

Experience:

• Minimum of 5 years of relevant experience in conducting conflict analysis exercises;
• Proven knowledge and experience in peacebuilding and conflict prevention mechanisms at the local and national levels and a good understanding of gender sensitivities is essential
• Knowledge or experience working in the Basic Education, and Nutrition Sectors an asset
• Previous experience working with Borno and Yobe State authorities, local actors and non-government organizations;
• Proven working experience in the conflict context in Northeast Nigeria is an asset

Application Closing Date
31st August, 2020.