TERMS OF REFERENCE

Consultant for the Design, Launch and Capacity Development of the Inter-Regional Peacebuilding Initiative (IRPI)

About CECOE

CECOE is a non-profit, non-governmental civil society organisation comprising over 190 member organisations. CECOE was licensed by the F.D.R.E. Authority for Civil Society Organisations (ACSO) in 2019 with registration number 4748 under the Civil Society Organisations Proclamation 1113/2019, to enhance and coordinate the role of Ethiopian CSOs in election observation, voter education, preventing electoral conflicts, and providing capacity building and support for its member organisations.    CECOE is a member of the East and Horn of Africa Election Observers Network (E-HORN), African Election Observers Network (AfEONet), and a member of the Global Network of Domestic Election Monitors (GNDEM), which connects regional networks and individual monitoring organisations across more than 88 countries worldwide.

Since its establishment, CECOE has conducted observation missions for various electoral events. These missions include the Sidama referendum, the 6th General Election, the South West Peoples Region referendum, the South Ethiopia Region referendum, the Wolaita Sodo referendum rerun, the outstanding and re-elections in Benishangul Gumuz, Afar, Somali, and Meskan and Mareko and the 7th General Election. For these missions, CECOE has deployed over 6,000 observers.

1. Background and Rationale

The Coalition of Ethiopian Civil Society Organisations for Elections (CECOE), with support from Agence Française de Développement (AfD), is implementing a project to promote inclusive democracy, civic engagement, human rights, and peacebuilding in Ethiopia. The project recognises that grassroots civil society organisations play an important role in promoting dialogue, trust-building, conflict prevention, civic participation, and accountable democratic practice.

CECOE is seeking to launch the Inter-Regional Peacebuilding Initiative (IRPI) as part of the civic engagement hub approach under the project. The project establishes six Biqu Zega Hubs as physical and programmatic spaces where CSOs, journalists, youth, universities, community representatives, and other civic actors can access information, convene dialogue, share learning, and design locally relevant civic and peacebuilding activities. These hubs will be used as the foundation for inter-regional cooperation by bringing focal points from conflict-affected regions together into clustered platforms that can exchange experience, build trust, coordinate dialogue, and develop joint peacebuilding initiatives across regional boundaries.

The assignment responds to gaps in CSO capacity for conflict analysis, dialogue facilitation, cross-regional collaboration, joint peacebuilding project design, and smooth operation of inter-regional clusters. CECOE therefore seeks a qualified peacebuilding consultant to design the IRPI approach, prepare practical training materials, facilitate the launch and capacity-building sessions, and support cluster-level action planning.

2. General Objective

To design, launch, support capacity development for, and guide the initial operational setup of the Inter-Regional Peacebuilding Initiative (IRPI).

Specific Objectives

• To develop a practical peacebuilding curriculum.
• To facilitate a two-day capacity-building training and a one-day launch workshop.
• To support the setup of three inter-regional clusters.
• To guide participants to prepare joint peacebuilding initiative concepts.

3. Geographic and Cluster Coverage

The consultant will design the IRPI around the following three inter-regional clusters. CECOE will confirm the final participant list and should show representation by region, cluster, organisation type, gender, and expected role in the hubs.

Cluster	Participating regions	Indicative focus
Cluster 1	Afar, Amhara and Tigray	Aftermath of the Tigray war, historical border disputes, inter-communal trust building, and conflict prevention.
Cluster 2	Somali, Oromia and Afar	Border disputes, inter-ethnic tensions, clan dynamics, resource-based competition, and cross-border cooperation.
Cluster 3	Benishangul-Gumuz, Amhara and Oromia	Ethnic tensions, resource access disputes, community dialogue, and joint peacebuilding initiatives.

4. Scope of Work
   1. Desk Review

The consultant shall conduct a focused desk review of the AFD project proposal and logframe, CECOE peacebuilding manuals, Biqu Zega Hub documentation, conflict profiles for target regions, relevant Ethiopian laws and frameworks, and CECOE policies on safeguarding and data protection.

2. Consultations

The consultant will consult with CECOE and hub representatives to ground the initiative in local operational realities. These engagements will identify peacebuilding assets and regional sensitivities, gathering Biqu Zega Hub input to tailor the IRPI curriculum and cluster action plans.

3. Inception

The consultant will execute an inception phase to align the proposed approach with CECOE’s strategy. This involves reviewing expectations to finalise a robust methodology, multi-phased workplan, and deliverable schedule. Additionally, the consultant will establish communication and coordination protocols with the CECOE program team.

4. Curriculum Development

The consultant shall consult CECOE's existing peacebuilding manual to develop an IRPI-specific curriculum package. The package should contextualise relevant content for the three inter-regional clusters and add practical facilitation guidance, exercises, and tools needed for the IRPI launch and follow-up.

5. Training

The consultant shall design and facilitate a 2-day capacity building training and a one-day launching workshop in Addis Ababa for 15 selected IRPI focal points drawn from the six Biqu Zega Hubs and relevant CECOE or partner technical staff. CECOE will finalise participant names and ensure appropriate regional, organisational, gender, and role representation.

6. Cluster Operational Design

The consultant shall facilitate the formal setup of three inter-regional clusters and prepare a short governance note for each cluster. The governance note shall cover coordination roles, member responsibilities, decision-making, meeting frequency, escalation pathways, documentation, risk management, and immediate next steps.

7. Mentorship

The consultant will provide mentorship to clusters during the collaborative strategy development phase. Through this process, each cluster is expected to develop a draft concept for a joint peacebuilding initiative. This output must include a comprehensive conflict or problem analysis, a stakeholder map, and a detailed implementation plan. Furthermore, the drafts should incorporate a basic risk matrix, specific inclusion measures, defined roles and responsibilities, and preliminary indicators to monitor ongoing progress.

5. Methodology and Quality Standards

The consultant shall use participatory adult-learning methods that are practical, inclusive, and adapted to the conflict context of each cluster. The methodology shall avoid lecture-heavy delivery and prioritise simulations, case scenarios, group problem solving, trust-building exercises, concept note exercises, and cluster-specific action planning.

• conflict-sensitive moderation;
• ensure meaningful participation by women, youth, persons with disabilities, marginalised groups, and representatives from all participating regions;
• track attendance, administer pre/post-tests, collect anonymous participant feedback, and document daily reflections;
• adapt exercises to each cluster's conflict context without reinforcing stereotypes or political bias;
• Submit editable files and incorporate one consolidated round of CECOE feedback for major deliverables.

6. Deliverables and Timeline

No.	Deliverable	Acceptance criteria	Indicative due date
1	Inception report	Methodology, detailed workplan, consultation plan, curriculum outline, risk and conflict-sensitivity plan, document request list, and deliverable schedule approved by CECOE.	Within 5 working days of contract signing
2	Draft peacebuilding curriculum package	Trainer guide, participant manual, handouts, exercises, cluster case studies, pre/post-tests, and evaluation forms submitted in English for CECOE review.	Week 2
3	Training and IRPI launch facilitation package	Final agenda, session plans, facilitation tools, participant materials, and delivery of two-day training plus one-day launch workshop in Addis Ababa.	Week 3
4	Cluster governance and initiative design package	Governance notes for three clusters and at least three cluster project concepts with implementation steps, roles, timeline, risks, inclusion measures, budget assumptions, and indicators.	Week 4
5	Final consultancy report and handover package	Final report with executive summary, participant profile, training results, evaluation findings, cluster outputs, challenges, lessons learned, recommendations, annexes, and all editable materials.	By Day 30

7. Roles and Responsibilities
   1. Consultant Responsibilities

• Submit the inception report no later than 5 days following the signing of the contract.
• Lead technical design of the IRPI curriculum, facilitation approach, and cluster operational tools.
• Prepare and submit all agreed deliverables within the approved timeline.
• Facilitate training, launch, and technical support sessions professionally and neutrally.
• Apply conflict sensitivity, do-no-harm, confidentiality, safeguarding, and inclusive participation standards.
• Submit all final materials in editable formats and incorporate the agreed CECOE feedback.

2. CECOE Responsibilities

• Provide evaluative comments regarding the inception report no later than 3 working days following its submission.
• Provide relevant project documents, policies, manuals, and background information.
• Select and invite participants and confirm regional, cluster, gender, and organisational representation.
• Provide venue, refreshments, participant travel or per diem arrangements, printing, and note-taking or documentation support unless otherwise stated in the contract.
• Review and approve deliverables in a timely manner and provide one consolidated feedback round for major outputs.
• Manage the contract, payments, approvals, safeguarding escalation, and final acceptance of outputs.

8. Reporting and Review Arrangements

The consultant will report to the CECOE Program Manager or assigned Project Coordinator. All deliverables shall be submitted electronically. CECOE will review each major deliverable and provide consolidated feedback. Before final acceptance, the consultant shall present key findings and draft recommendations to CECOE, submit all editable materials, incorporate one consolidated round of CECOE feedback, and provide the final approved consultancy package.

9. Required Qualifications and Experience

• Advanced university degree in peace and conflict studies, peace and security studies, political science, law, international relations, sociology, development studies, or another relevant social science field. Equivalent professional experience may be considered where the candidate demonstrates strong practical expertise in peacebuilding and facilitation.
• At least five years of professional experience in peacebuilding, conflict resolution, mediation, dialogue facilitation, curriculum development, and CSO capacity building, preferably in Ethiopia or comparable multi-ethnic and conflict-affected contexts.
• Demonstrated experience designing and facilitating participatory training, ToT sessions, community dialogue, conflict-sensitive action planning, or inter-regional collaboration processes.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English and Amharic.
• Deep understanding of Ethiopia's local socio-political context, civil society landscape, and peacebuilding needs.
• Demonstrated ability to deliver high-quality outputs under tight deadlines in complex, politically sensitive, and conflict-affected operating environments while maintaining neutrality, confidentiality, and do-no-harm standards.

10. Application Requirements

Applicants shall submit the following documents:

• technical proposal explaining understanding of the assignment, methodology, facilitation approach, conflict-sensitivity approach, and workplan;
• financial proposal, showing professional fees and any reimbursable costs separately;
• A business license that has been renewed, along with a Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) and a VAT registration certificate.
• CV of the consultant or CVs of all proposed team members;
• at least two references from similar assignments;

11. Payment Schedule

Installment	Condition for payment	Share
First installment	Approval of the inception report and detailed work plan.	30%
Second installment	Approval of draft curriculum package and successful delivery of the two-day training and one-day launch workshop.	40%
Final installment	Approval of the final curriculum package, cluster initiative design document, final consultancy report, and handover of all editable materials.	30%

12. Contractual Conditions

• Ownership: All final materials, data, tools, manuals, reports, and outputs produced under the assignment shall belong to CECOE unless otherwise agreed in writing.
• Confidentiality and data protection: The consultant shall keep project information, participant data, and sensitive conflict-related information confidential and shall use such information only for this assignment.
• Safeguarding and do-no-harm: The consultant shall comply with CECOE safeguarding requirements and shall immediately report any safeguarding concern through the agreed CECOE channel.
• Conflict of interest: Applicants must disclose any actual, potential, or perceived conflict of interest before contract award and throughout implementation.
• Neutrality and professional conduct: The consultant shall maintain political neutrality, respect all participants, and avoid language or methods that may inflame tensions or reinforce stereotypes.
• Termination: CECOE may terminate the contract for non-performance, breach of confidentiality, safeguarding violation, conflict of interest, or other material breach in accordance with the contract.