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Consultancy for Study of humanitarian aid as a “pull factor” for displacement in Niger

Niamey

  • Organization: DRC - Danish Refugee Council
  • Location: Niamey
  • Grade: Consultancy - International Consultant - Internationally recruited Contractors Agreement
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Humanitarian Aid and Coordination
  • Closing Date: Closed

CONTEXT 
 
The Danish Refugee Council/ Danish Deming Group (DRC/DDG) has been present in Niger since 2014 and launched an emergency response programme in the Diffa region in March 2016, as part of the regional response to the Lake Chad crisis. In 2017, a new project started, funded by USAID’s Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA). The project timeframe spans from 1 June 2017 to 31 May 2018. The project aims to deliver an emergency response to meet the most urgent needs of displaced populations that are not addressed by the existing Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM), particularly populations displaced for more than three months that are ineligible for assistance under the RRM.  
 
In the Diffa region of Niger, concerns are increasing that humanitarian aid may be a pull factor triggering displacement rather than exclusively responding to displacement. In the cases where this holds true, displacement is artificial as populations choose to relocate in order to receive humanitarian aid, rather than due to a conflict directly putting at risk their lives and livelihoods. For example, in the last quarter of 2015, the majority of the displaced populations left their host villages to join/ create spontaneous sites along National Road 1 (RN1) which humanitarian and security forces were using on a daily basis. In addition, several actors perceive that in some cases, after assistance was provided to a group of persons in a given location, the number of persons displaced in the same location rapidly increased. The humanitarian community also perceives that the figures on the number of displaced or refugee populations are artificially increased by people registering and receiving assistance more than once. Cases of entire communities displacing in order to access assistance have also been noted. 
 
These movements entail various protection concerns, particularly along unsafe access routes and at distribution sites. The risk of encouraging displacement and the overcrowding of distribution sites caused by humanitarian interventions pose a serious “do no harm” concern as it exposes the most vulnerable people to potential risks of harassment, physical attacks and GBV, dependence on humanitarian aid, disruption of regular economic activities, weakening of land tenure related to continuous movements and conflicts over scarce resources. Lastly, this could also negatively impact the optimisation of available resources that humanitarian organisations, including DRC/DDG, require in order to continue to provide life-saving assistance to conflict-affected populations. 
 
DRC/DDG acknowledges that this situation is not specific to the Diffa region of Niger and is also a concern in other conflict-affected countries, although evidence is mostly anecdotal. The traditional response to these situations consists essentially of additional, immediate, short term, control measures that do not allow a durable solution to this situation. 
 
For the purpose of the study, contextual elements are assumed to be largely exogenous. At the same time, the research approach shall recognise the causal link between the security/ conflict situation, the humanitarian space and the geographical coverage of humanitarian interventions. From this point of view, the underlying security context can be seen as a cross-cutting element, which the study will need to unpack as a possible root cause of risky population movements to a limited number of intervention sites. 
 
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY 
This study aims at better understanding the “pull factors” of humanitarian aid. Specifically, the study will aim to: 
 
  1. Determine to what extent the availability of humanitarian aid triggered displacement along the RN1 and other locations in the Diffa region, whether as a sole reason or a combination of reasons. In the latter case, the drivers of displacement other than the availability of aid in a specific location will be outlined;  
  2. Determine the extent to which populations choose to durably settle in specific locations and/or choose not to return to their areas of origin due to the availability of humanitarian aid in specific locations; 
 
By collecting data and analysing the possible causes of this phenomenon, DRC/DDG expects actionable recommendations in order to mitigate the harmful effects of aid, ensure a better use of available resources and ultimately contribute to analyse and address the root causes of displacement, including constraints to humanitarian access. The main conclusions and recommendations will also be shared externally and could inform future humanitarian strategies in the region.  
 
 
Scope: 
 
The scope of the study will include the effects of the international humanitarian response in the Diffa region, including but not limited to DRC/DDG funded interventions. In addition to DRC/DDG activities, the scope of the study will include the following activities in the Diffa region:  
  • Activities implemented by other INGOs, organisations of the Red Cross Movement, UN agencies and bilateral donors;
  • Advocacy activities conducted by international humanitarian aid organisations towards local populations and/or government bodies.
 
Target audience: 
 
The findings will be used to refine DRC/DDG interventions. Findings will also be shared beyond DRC/DDG country and regional offices with programme managers, country directors and local authorities as well as the sectorial working groups in Diffa and the clusters in Niamey.  
 
METHODOLOGY
 
The study will involve a literature review of secondary sources. This will enable the collection of preliminary information on the “pull factors” of humanitarian aid, including definitions and existing relevant conclusions drawn, including from other countries. Liaison with research institutes and universities, including abroad, or the West Africa RMMS will be conducted as relevant during this stage.  
 
Focus group discussions (FGDs) will be organised within the target communities. In DRC/DDG areas of intervention, FGDs will be held with DRC/DDG beneficiaries. Beneficiaries of other organisations (UN agencies, organisations of the Red Cross Movement, INGOs, LNGOs) operating in the Diffa region will also be consulted. The consultant/ consultancy firm will reach out to these organisations with support from DRC/DDG.  
 
Furthermore, qualitative interviews will be held with primary stakeholders, duty bearers and humanitarian and development partners (UN agencies, INGOS, LNGOs) operating in Niger (Diffa and Niamey), in view of sharing experiences and to collect case studies. Community leaders and local authorities will also be interviewed in order to collect their perceptions of the situation and their recommendations to mitigate it. The consultant/ consultancy firm will reach out to these stakeholders with support from DRC/DDG. 
 
The conclusions drawn from the FGDs and qualitative interviews will include variables such as age, gender and status (IDPs, refugees, returnees, host communities) as relevant. 
 
Actionable recommendations: 
 
Actionable recommendations will be developed based on the findings of the study, with the objective to minimise the potential harmful effects related to the provision of humanitarian assistance to displaced persons and host communities, particularly in the Diffa region. 
 
Ethical considerations: 
 
In designing and conducting research activities, DRC/DDG’s standards of ethical conduct will be upheld. These include “do no harm” assessments and confidentiality of information provided during interviews and FGDs as well as confidentiality of data, documents and results. Furthermore, the purpose and scope of the evaluation must be clearly communicated to beneficiaries and stakeholders before any FGD or interview. Beneficiaries and stakeholders must therefore give their informed consent before being interviewed. The consultant/ consultancy firm must also abide by DRC/DDG’s Code of Conduct that will be signed simultaneously with the contract. 
 
Security: 
 
The consultant/ consultancy firm must abide by DRC/DDG’s security guidelines and procedures applicable in Niger, particularly in the Diffa region.  
 
EVALUATION MILESTONES AND CONSULTANCY OUTPUTS
 
The study will be divided in the following 3 phases: 
 
  1. Desk study and elaboration of a sound research methodology and tools to be shared and approved by DRC/DDG; 
  2. Field visits including a maximum of 10 working days in Diffa and 5 working days or more in Niamey. This phase will include interviews and consultations with a range of humanitarian and development actors, including working groups and with local authorities and conflict-affected communities in Niger; 
  3. Elaboration of a final report and annexes, including a bilingual presentation of the study to be shared externally. 
The consultancy outputs are as follows: 
  1. A short secondary data review report and a tentative methodology in French at the end of the desk study; 
  2. A draft final report in French to be presented to and reviewed/ validated by DRC/DDG;  
  3. A final report in French; 
  4. Annexes to the final report including a standard presentation of the study in both English and French, a list of all persons interviewed and, if feasible, the database of all interviews conducted. 
 
 
 
CONSULTANT OR CONSULTANCY FIRM PROFILE 
 
REQUIRED  
  • Higher education degree in Development Studies, Humanitarian Action, International Relations, Political Science, Anthropology or other related fields; 
  • At least 5 years of demonstrated experience in research and project evaluations on humanitarian/ development/ conflict management issues; 
  • Demonstrated experience in humanitarian operations and knowledge of the humanitarian coordination architecture; 
  • Experience conducting “do no harm” assessments, an in-depth knowledge of humanitarian principles, of access challenges usually faced by humanitarian operations, and of the main concepts of humanitarian protection; 
  • Demonstrated track record in elaborating high-quality, informative and analytical reports with concrete recommendations; 
  • Fluency in French and English is mandatory. 
 
DISIRABLE 
  • Previous experience working in West Africa/ the Sahel region; 
  • Previous experience in a conflict or post-conflict setting;  
  • Flexibility and adaptability to remote and insecure areas. 
 
APPLICATION PROCEDURE 
 
Applicants are required to submit:  
 
  1. A cover letter of maximum 5 pages comprising the following: 
  • Proposed evaluation methodology;
  • Tentative work plan; 
  • Detailed budget, including consultancy fees and health and repatriation insurance. DRC/DDG will cover international and national transport, accommodation and other study-related costs (enumerators, equipment…)
  1. The consultant/ consultancy firm’s Curriculum Vitae, specifying relevant expertise and experience as detailed in the section above;  
  2. Two excerpts from recent evaluations in French in the humanitarian/ development sectors and/ or protection and/ or conflict analysis. 
This vacancy is now closed.
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