Conflict Mapping Consultancy

Terms of Reference

WE’AM Conflict Mapping

Background

Oxfam in partnership with Right to Play, SHiFT and ALEF is implementing a European Union-funded project entitled “Working for Engagement, Acceptance and Mediation: A Community-based Approach to Social Cohesion in Lebanon – WE’AM.” The project is implemented between March 2023 and February 2026 in Lebanon. WE’AM aims to leverage experiences and complementarities to build consensus and stimulate lasting social cohesion initiatives in Lebanon following three working streams: addressing drivers of tensions at the community level; disseminating gender-responsive conflict prevention and resolution tools and methods; mainstreaming community-level social cohesion into programming.

Purpose and Objectives

As part of the project design, the Consortium partners plan to complete 12 area-specific Conflict Mappings that serve the development and rolling out of the approaches and tools that contribute to addressing conflict drivers, tackling root causes of tension, minimising the negative impact of the social instability in Lebanon, and maximising the positive effects of WE’AM’s interventions on the dynamics, relationships, and power influence of various groups.

This work will also serve as a starting point for the Consortium to understand the current tensions in between community groups, their willingness to engage in collaborative initiatives for the sake of addressing community problems while alleviating existing tensions and assessing the role that women play in promoting social cohesion. Data will be analysed to allow the Consortium to investigate history, local traditions, beliefs, trends and scenarios and ensure engagement with relevant stakeholders in the focus areas and get their buy-in on the project.

More specifically, the consultancy should aim at:

1. Conducting an Area Profiling with a view of exploring the characteristics and specificities of each community; including (but not limited to) their economic status, their financial situation, access to services, social capital, protection status, civic participation, etc, and this to lay out the existing Power Dynamics in each area of intervention.
2. Identification of conflict drivers and actors to understand connectors and dividers, triggers of tensions.

Consultancy Description

Within the framework of this consultancy, Oxfam is looking to contract a consultant to conduct 12 qualitative, area-specific Conflict Mappings. Studies are expected to be inclusive of all demographics and population groups within each target area.

Targeted areas include:

• Mashta Hammoud/Mashta Hassan – Akkar
• Fnaidek – Akkar
• Tikrit – Akkar
• Beddawi – Tripoli
• Jabal Mohsen/Tebbeneh - Tripoli
• Mina – Tripoli
• Deir el Ahmar – Bekaa
• Baalback – Bekaa
• Saida – South Lebanon
• Barja – Mount Lebanon
• Ein el Remmeneh/Shiyah - Beirut
• Hay el Gharbeh/Ghobeiri - Beirut

Oxfam understands that considering the geographic reach of the assignment, the diversity of the areas and the existing timeframe, individual conflict mappings cannot be comprehensive. The mapping of actors and conflict will present a solid basis for continued engagement in the areas and a good-enough understanding of conflict dynamics.

Expected Deliverables

The consultant(s) is expected to deliver the following:

1. Submit an Inception report, including a detailed methodology, data collection tools (KIIs and FGDs), and target stakeholders, to be reviewed and approved by Oxfam and the Consortium partners;
2. Conduct a Literature Review of relevant published articles, reports, databases, and official records;
3. Submit first draft list of actors and stakeholders involved in the Conflict Mapping in the areas of intervention (with complete list to be included in the final report);
4. Carry out primary data collection with targeted stakeholders;
5. Submit clean, transcribed data sets;
6. Submit drafts of the report to Oxfam for revision. Oxfam reserves the right to provide two rounds of comments per draft as a minimum;
7. Present findings to Consortium members (including a PowerPoint Presentation summarizing main findings per area);
8. Submit a Final report.

Timeline

This consultancy is expected to be finalized in 3 to 4 months since contract signature as per the following timeline. The days refer to working days and reflect the maximum number of working days for completion of a deliverable.

Deliverable

Timeline

1. Submit Inception Report

10 days

1. Conduct Literature Review

10 days

1. Submit first draft list of actors and stakeholders involved in the Conflict Mapping in the areas of intervention

10 days

1. Complete data collection

20 days

1. Submit first draft report

15 days

1. Organize workshop for Consortium to present findings (with PowerPoint Presentation)

7 days

1. Submit Final Report with all annexes

7 days

Qualifications of the consultants/consultancy firm

• Graduate degree or equivalent working experience in peacebuilding or conflict studies or other relevant fields;
• Proven experience working in conflict-torn and fragile states and communities;
• Minimum of 5 years of working experience and strong background in developing methodologies and research work, conducting surveys, conflict analyses, contextual studies, and similar publications including collection and interpretation of qualitative data;
• Strong facilitation and community engagement skills;
• Proven skills related to qualitative participatory research;
• Fluent in spoken and written English and Arabic;
• Solid knowledge of the Lebanese historical and political context, as well as social dynamics of the different populations;
• Cultural sensitivity and cultural understanding of the areas of intervention.

Management of the Assignment

This study is commissioned by Oxfam and facilitated by the Consortium partners working in the different geographic areas mentioned in this ToR. The consultant/consultancy firm will coordinate the associated task requirements, logistical and operational support needed with the different partners.

The administration of and oversight to this assignment will be managed by Oxfam.

Expression of Interest (EOI)

Interested consultants should submit their:

• CV or an overview of the consultancy firm with updated CVs of consultants and role of each under the scope of this assignment for firms;
• A Technical Proposal which includes a detailed methodology and a workplan for the study;
• A Financial Proposal detailing all costs associated with the assignment;

• 2-3  samples of a previous Actors Mapping and/or Conflict Mappings produced before.

Oxfam in Lebanon reserves the right to reject any and all bids, including the Bidding processes, or not to award the contract at any time, without thereby incurring and liability to the affected Bidders.

Please submit the full application documents to (as mentioned above) to [email protected] by no later than midnight of July 16th, mentioning “WE’AM Conflict Mapping” in the Subject Line.