Consultant to Develop Internal Rules of Procedure for CECOE’s Board and Design an Advisory Committee

Aug 7, 2025

1.   Background

The Coalition of Ethiopian Civil Society Organizations for Elections (CECOE) is a Coalition of over 180 civil society organizations (CSOs) engaged in the areas of elections, human rights, and democratic governance. Registered under Ethiopia’s Civil Society Organizations Proclamation No. 1113/2019, CECOE has played a pivotal role in election observation, civic and voter education, electoral advocacy, and inclusive political participation.

CECOE has observed the 6th general elections of Ethiopia and regional referendums in Sidama, South West Ethiopia Peoples’ Region, South Ethiopia, and the Wolaita Zone rerun. It has undertaken robust advocacy, including the “I Vote” digital campaign, and contributed to the legal reform process in the electoral space. CECOE is also committed to inclusive participation by targeting women, persons with disabilities (PWDs), and internally displaced persons (IDPs).

As CECOE grows in influence and scope, there is a need to strengthen its governance structure, particularly the Board’s operational framework and advisory mechanisms. This assignment seeks to recruit a consultant to develop internal rules of procedure for CECOE’s Board and to design a concept note for an Advisory Committee to guide the Board during electoral periods.

2.   Purpose of the Assignment

To support CECOE’s effective governance, the consultant will be tasked with:

1. Developing clear and comprehensive internal rules of procedure that:
   • Define the Board’s decision-making processes during CECOE’s citizens' election observation
   • Clarify the roles and responsibilities of Board members during CECOE’s citizens' election observation.
   • Establish oversight mechanisms during CECOE’s citizens' election observation; and
   • Propose procedures for evaluating Board effectiveness and performance during CECOE’s citizens' election observation.
   • Ensure the Board functions effectively during critical periods, particularly in overseeing the development, review, and approval of election observation reports.
2. Designing a concept note outlining:
   • The purpose and structure of an Advisory Committee for the CECOE Board during the election.
   • Options and models for advisory mechanisms based on comparative experiences from citizen observer groups (e.g., CODEO-Ghana, TMG-Nigeria, ELOG-Kenya, EISA-South Africa, NAMFREL-Philippines, and ADR-India);
   • The selection criteria and appointment processes;
   • Scope of work during election and non-election periods.
   • The rationale for establishing the Advisory Committee:- particularly its role in enhancing the technical quality, neutrality, and credibility of CECOE’s election observation reports.

3.   Scope of Work

1. Internal rules and procedures for the CECOE Board
   • Analyze relevant legal frameworks and governance standards;
   • Conduct consultations with CECOE Board members, management, and staff;
   • Review CECOE’s governing documents and any existing procedures or frameworks;
   • Benchmark board governance practices from comparable organizations in Ethiopia
   • Develop the internal rules of procedure, including formats/templates for decision-making, performance review, and meeting management;
2. Internal rules and procedures for the CECOE Board Advisory Committee
   • Conduct consultations with CECOE Board members, management, and staff;
   • Review CECOE’s governing documents and any existing procedures or frameworks;
   • Benchmark advisory committee practices from comparable organizations in Ethiopia, Africa, and Asia;
   • Draft the criteria for the size and composition  of the Advisory Committee (neutrality, integrity, expertise, inclusivity, and other relevant criteria)
   • Develop the internal rules of procedure, including formats/templates for decision-making, performance review, and meetings;

4.   Methodology

The consultant is expected to employ a participatory and context-sensitive methodology that may include:

• Desk review of legal frameworks, relevant CECOE documents, and international best practices;
• Key informant interviews and/or focus group discussions with Board members, CECOE staff, and relevant stakeholders;
• Comparative analysis of advisory committee models from peer organizations.
• Presentation of draft outputs to CECOE for feedback and refinement.
  

5.   Deliverables

The consultant shall submit the following deliverables:

• Inception Report – Including methodology, work plan, and timeline (within 1 week of signing the contract);
• Draft Internal Rules of Procedure for CECOE’s Board;
• Draft internal rule of procedure for the Advisory Committee;
• Facilitate Validation Workshop – discussing the drafts with CECOE stakeholders;
• Final Internal Rules of Procedure (revised based on input);
• Final Advisory Committee Concept Note (revised based on input).
• Submission of activity reports.

6.   Duration and Timeline

The assignment is expected to be completed within 20 working days from the date of contract signing. A detailed schedule shall be agreed upon during the inception phase.

7.   Required Qualifications and Experience

The ideal consultant should possess the following:

• Advanced degree in Law, Public Administration, Political Science, Governance, or a related field;
• Proven experience in institutional governance, civil society strengthening, or organizational development;
• Demonstrated ability to draft governance policies, rules of procedure, or bylaws for CSOs or Boards;
• Familiarity with the Ethiopian legal and civil society context;
• Strong analytical and writing skills;
• Knowledge of election observation and advisory practices in Africa and Asia is an added advantage.

8.   Application Process

Interested consultants should submit the following:

• A technical proposal detailing the approach and understanding of the assignment;
• A financial proposal (in ETB) indicating the total cost, including taxes;
• Renewed consultancy license
• Updated CV highlighting relevant experience;
• At least two samples of similar work undertaken;
• References from previous clients (at least two).
• Application deadline should be August 17, 2025
  
  

Consultant for asssess the arrangement of electoral constituencies

Dec 16, 2024

1. Background

The Coalition of Ethiopian Civil Society Organizations for Elections (CECOE) is a non-profit and non-governmental civil society organization with more than 175 member organizations. CECOE was licensed by the F.D.R.E. Authority for Civil Society Organizations (ACSO) in 2019 with registration number 4748 under the Civil Society Organizations Proclamation 1113/2019. CECOE was established with the aim of enhancing and coordinating the role of Ethiopian CSOs in election observation, voter education, preventing electoral conflicts, and providing capacity building and support for its member organizations. CECOE is a committed member of the East and Horn of Africa Election Observers Network (E-HORN), African Election Observers Network (AfEONet), a pan-African coordinating platform, and a founding member of the Global Network of Domestic Election Monitors (GNDEM), which connects regional networks and individual monitoring organizations across more than 88 countries worldwide. CECOE is currently implementing a project titled ‘Strengthening and promoting democratic processes and peaceful elections through enhanced engagement, capacity, and awareness of electoral stakeholders’ with the financial support from Irish Aid.

Elections are the only legitimate means of assuming state power. However, these elections must be democratic and reflect the true will of the people. To achieve this, the election process should be free, fair, periodic, and based on universal and equal suffrage. Moreover, to ensure proper representation in the electoral process constituencies are demarcated. The demarcation of these constituencies should not be arbitrary but must guarantee fair representation of citizens. At the same time, there should be considerations for convenience for the election administration and for the people to elect their representatives, including the existing administrative boundaries often shaped by various factors. Therefore, the arrangement of electoral constituencies should be regularly reviewed and updated, ideally following each periodic population census. This process ensures that constituency boundaries can be adjusted as necessary to reflect changes including in population.

In Ethiopia, Article 54(2) of the Federal Constitution states that members of the House of Peoples' Representatives (HoPRs), who are representatives of the Ethiopian citizens as a whole, are elected from candidates in each electoral district by a plurality of the votes cast. The Ethiopian Electoral, Political Parties Registration, and Election’s Code of Conduct Proclamation further clarifies this provision, stating that to be a member of the HoPRs, the candidate with the highest number of votes among the contestants shall be declared the winner. This means that the electoral system follows the First-Past-the-Post system. Furthermore, the constitution specifies that the number of HoPR members shall not exceed 550, with seats allocated based on population and special representation for minority nationalities and peoples. The House of Federation is the responsible organ for determining which minority nationalities require special representation, based on criteria established in advance.

Despite a constitutional requirement to conduct a national population census every ten years, Ethiopia's last census was held in 2007. As a result, electoral constituencies have not been adjusted for population changes over a long period, despite increasing calls for such adjustments. Furthermore, in the past seven years, particularly in the now-defunct Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region (SNNPR), administrative boundary changes have occurred mainly due to internal secession. These factors have made the Ethiopian constituency arrangement prone to errors, raising concerns about the quality of legislative representation and underscoring the need for a comprehensive scientific study to assess its theoretical and practical implications. Additionally, it is necessary to examine the implementation of the constituency demarcation system to evaluate its effectiveness, strengths, and weaknesses, especially in relation to citizens' right to equal representation and participation. To address this gap, CECOE seeks to hire a consultant(s) to conduct an in-depth study on the demarcation of electoral districts and the quality of people's representation rights.

• Objective 

The main objective of the study is to critically examine the effectiveness of electoral constituency demarcation in ensuring fair and equitable representation in Ethiopia. The study must consider changes in population growth since the approach was originally designed, as well as potential demographic shifts and boundary changes observed in Ethiopia. It shall also review the practices employed in past local and general elections, as well as referendums in Ethiopia. The study is required to thoroughly analyze the system’s strengths and weaknesses and provide alternative recommendations. In addition, it shall examine international best practices in constituency demarcation to draw lessons for Ethiopia and assess the impact of the current approach on the representation of minority groups.

• Scope of Work

To achieve the objectives outlined above, the consultant(s) is/are required to conduct a comprehensive literature review, covering both conventional and grey literature, including relevant legal frameworks. The study must also be supported by empirical data. Therefore, it is essential to collect data from relevant stakeholders using accepted scientific research methods. Geographically, the research will be focused at the federal level.

4. Deliverables

The consultant(s) is/are expected to carry out the following activities within the given time frame:

• Submit an inception report and receive feedback from CECOE.
• Draft the research report based on the study conducted.
• Incorporate feedback and comments on the report from CECOE.
• Present the major findings at a one-day validation workshop that will be organized by CECOE after the feedback and comments are addressed and submitted to CECOE.
• Address the comments and feedback received during the validation workshop, as appropriate, and submit the final version to CECOE.

5. Duration

The consultant (s) is/are expected to deliver the study within 25 days after signing of the contract.

6. Reporting

The Consultant (s) will report to the CECOE project manager and provide regular updates on the progress of the assignment.

7. Qualifications/ Eligibility criteria

The Consultant (s) should possess the following qualifications:

• Academic qualification in Election law, Constitutional law or other related fields.
• Strong understanding and experience working within the electoral system, including knowledge of election laws, procedures, and the role of various stakeholders.
• Extensive experience in qualitative and quantitative research methods, including data collection, analysis, and reporting.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present complex information clearly and effectively to different audiences.
• Ability to work collaboratively with a diverse group of stakeholders.
• Experience in conducting workshops.
• Demonstrated ability to meet deadlines and manage multiple tasks effectively.

8. Submission of Proposals

Interested qualified applicants shall submit their detailed technical and financial proposals, including:

• A cover letter
• CV
• Proposed methodology

Application Link:

Applications are to be submitted electronically through the CECOE website for the consecutive 7 days:

Terms of Reference (ToR) for Lesson Learning Consultant

Oct 23, 2024

1.  Background

The Coalition of Ethiopian Civil Society Organizations for Elections (CECOE) is a non-profit and non-governmental civil society organization with more than 175 member organizations. CECOE was licensed by the F.D.R.E. Authority for Civil Society Organizations (ACSO) in 2019 with registration number 4748 under the Civil Society Organizations Proclamation 1113/2019. CECOE was established with the aim of enhancing and coordinating the role of Ethiopian CSOs in election observation, voter education, preventing electoral conflicts, and providing capacity building and support for its member organizations. CECOE is a committed member of the East and Horn of Africa Election Observers Network (E-HORN), African Election Observers Network (AfEONet), a pan-African coordinating platform, and a member of the Global Network of Domestic Election Monitors (GNDEM),  which connects regional networks and individual monitoring organizations across more than 88 countries worldwide. CECOE has a proven track record of success, having observed the 6th General Election of Ethiopia, the Sidama referendum, the South West Ethiopia Peoples’ Region referendum, the South Ethiopia referendum, and the referendum rerun in Wolaita Zone. CECOE has also been engaged in various advocacy activities, including advocating for electoral reforms, peacebuilding, and enhancing the participation of women in Ethiopian politics. Currently, CECOE is implementing the project titled “ Strengthening and promoting democratic processes and Peaceful Elections through Enhanced Engagement, capacity, and Awareness of Electoral Stakeholders”  which is funded by the Embassy of Ireland.

The political reform process in Ethiopia, initiated in 2018, resulted in significant legislative changes, including updates to electoral law and the re-establishment of the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE). NEBE organized the Sidama referendum in 2019 and the Sixth General Elections in mid-2021. However, conflicts in Tigray, Oromia, Amhara, Benishangul-Gumuz, and Afar severely impacted the 2021 elections, complicating the democratic reform process amid ongoing security challenges and the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the September 2021 elections, serious irregularities were reported in the Meskan and Mareko constituencies, including voter coercion and militia presence, leading to a decision for re-elections. Similar issues arose in the Muye Muluqe Constituency, prompting a recount due to discrepancies in voter numbers. In Jigjiga Town, coercion was reported, preventing observers from monitoring 13 constituencies, resulting in another re-election decision to ensure process integrity.

These cancellations left some seats in the Federal Parliament and Regional Councils vacant, highlighting NEBE's challenges in ensuring a credible electoral process. In regions where the 2021 general elections didn't take place due to security and logistical reasons and whose results were invalidated by the NEBE, specifically in the Benishangul Gumuz, Afar, Somali, and parts of Central Ethiopia, NEBE took the step of holding outstanding elections and re-runs for these areas on June 24, 2024.  CECOE, in line with its mandate to observe electoral processes, was engaged in the observation of the pre-election, election day, and post-election processes by coordinating its member organizations in Benishangul Gumuz, Afar, Central Ethiopia, and Somali regions.

Following its observation, CECOE has issued a preliminary statement and has prepared a final observation report summarizing the findings and recommendations of the observation. Driven by its commitment to gather lessons from its observation projects, CECOE is seeking to hire a consultant who will assess CECOE’s observation of the June 24, 2024, outstanding and reelections.

2.  Scope of Work:

The consultant will be responsible for the following tasks:

1. Workshop Design and Facilitation
   • Develop a detailed workshop agenda and methodology in consultation with CECOE
   • Facilitate a participatory workshop employing interactive methods to identify strengths, weaknesses, challenges, and opportunities for improvement in CECOE’s election observation.
2. Data Collection and Analysis
   • Conduct key informant interviews with CECOE staff, partners, zonal coordinators, and observers using a semi-structured approach.
   • Analyze interview transcripts, workshop outputs, and relevant documents to identify key lessons learned, considering contextual factors and emerging trends.
3. Draft a comprehensive lesson-learned report
4. Dissemination and Feedback
   • Present key findings and recommendations to CECOE in a debriefing session, facilitating discussion.
   • Incorporate CECOE’s feedback into the final report.

4. Deliverables

• Detailed workshop agenda and methodology.
• Facilitated lesson-learned workshop.
• Comprehensive lesson learned report.

5. Timeline

The consultancy will be undertaken for 10 days.

6. Required Qualifications and Experience

• MA or BA in political science, law, peace and security studies, or a related field.
• Proven experience facilitating participatory workshops and conducting qualitative data analysis, ideally within election observation or similar contexts.
• Strong understanding of election observation methodologies and best practices, including international standards and principles.
• In-depth knowledge of the Ethiopian political context and electoral system.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English and Amharic.

7. Application Process

Interested consultants are invited to submit their applications including:

• Business license.
• Curriculum Vitae (CV) highlighting relevant experience.
• Technical proposal outlining the proposed methodology and work plan.
• Financial proposal detailing consultancy fees and expenses.
• Sample of previous works

Applications should be submitted electronically on or before October 30, 2024

8.  Contractual Arrangements:

The selected consultant will be contracted by CECOE for the duration of the consultancy. Payment will be made in installments upon satisfactory completion of deliverables as outlined in the agreed-upon contract.