Request for Proposal - Research of diaspora engagement in economic recovery and job creation

Request for Proposal

 Research of diaspora engagement in economic recovery and job creation

 In North and Beqaa areas of Lebanon

                                                                                RFP/BEY/22/011

FOR

DANISH REFUGEE COUNCIL (LEBANON)

Founded in 1956, the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is a leading international NGO and one of the few with a specific expertise in forced displacement. Active in 40 countries with 9,000 employees and supported by 7,500 volunteers, DRC protects, advocates, and builds sustainable futures for refugees and other displacement affected people and communities. DRC works during displacement at all stages: In the acute crisis, in displacement, when settling and integrating in a new place, or upon return. DRC provides protection and life-saving humanitarian assistance; supports displaced persons in becoming self-reliant and included into hosting societies; and works with civil society and responsible authorities to promote protection of rights and peaceful coexistence.

In Lebanon DRC has been delivering humanitarian programming in response to various humanitarian crises since 2004, working with Palestinian, Iraqi and Syrian refugees, in addition to internally displaced Lebanese affected by the 2006 war, migrant domestic workers, vulnerable host Lebanese populations, in addition to those affected by the Beirut Port Explosion in 2020. DRC Lebanon’s focus is to improve the living conditions of displacement-affected populations and contribute to the achievement of durable solutions.

To that end, DRC implements a multi-sectorial humanitarian response and is present across the country, particularly in vulnerable areas that are home to the highest concentrations of Syrian refugees. These areas include North Lebanon, Akkar Governorate, Central, West and North Beqaa, as well as Beirut and M. Lebanon in conjunction with local partners. DRC’s response includes protection services such as psychosocial support and legal counselling, and economic recovery programming including skills training and career counselling and advocating for the improvement of a protective environment with the Lebanese government and civil society.

For further information about DRC, please refer to our website: https://drc.ngo/

Purpose of the Consultancy

The overall purpose of this consultancy is to establish the knowledgebase for development of a “Diaspora component” as part of DRCs endeavor to improving employment and livelihood opportunities in the Tripoli, Akkar, and Beqaa (Ksarnaba) areas of Lebanon through engagement with existing or new diaspora business actors and with relevant local / international stakeholders.

Objective of the Consultancy:

In view of the overall objective of the CHASE (Capable, Hopeful, Accepted, Safe, and Engaged Youth) project in Lebanon (self-reliance and economic empowerment), DRC has decided to include an explorative diaspora component to document impact and existing practices around diaspora economic engagement.

Under this, the consultant is required to:

• Assess /document the economic and job creation impact of ongoing diaspora economic engagement in DRC’s focus areas that are home to the highest concentrations of Syrian refugees, including North Lebanon, Akkar Governorate, Central, West and North Beqaa.
• Describe existing types and modalities of diaspora economic engagement (from individual remittances in support of household consumption, to large-scale business investments etc.).
• Identify the main diaspora related stakeholders in Lebanon and abroad that can be leveraged to further support with job creation and self-employment among youth in the target area. Such stakeholders may include diaspora individuals, diaspora associations (abroad), charities established in the diaspora, chambers of commerce in Lebanon, authorities, etc.
• Describe the national/local political/administrative framework that shape diaspora economic engagement in the target area.
• Identify any general challenges for economic support from outside of Lebanon, mainly in relation to financial transfers

The findings from the research will be used to inform subsequent programming in addressing existing challenges to diaspora engagement and to further enhance positive impact of diaspora engagement within job creation and self-employment among youth in the target area and potentially also broader.

RFP Issuing date: 15 September 2022

Online technical meeting: 22 September 2022 at 11:00 am Via Teams.

RFP Closure Date: 30th  of September 2022 14:00 PM (Beirut time)