US: Request for Proposals: Advancing a Gender Analysis of Conflict, Displacement, and Climate Change

Dec 26, 2021 | Women’s Environment and Development Organization
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Founded in 1991, the Women’s Environment and Development Organization (WEDO) is a women’s global advocacy organization based in New York. WEDO works on issues of climate and environmental injustice from a feminist perspective. Environmental degradation and in turn, increasing climate chaos, are the symptoms of broken political and economic systems that fail to center people and planet, and fail to value systems of care and regeneration that are central to WEDO’s intersectional feminist epistemology. WEDO believes that access to rights, voice and justice drives solutions; that women, as a result of socially constructed gender roles, are often more directly or severely impacted by negative environmental change  while also having a unique perspective for creative and appropriate solutions; and that addressing complex  environmental problems must incorporate women’s human rights to avoid increasing gender inequality and  violence against women and to secure sustainable development for future generations.

WEDO works to ensure that women are empowered to claim their rights as decision-makers and leaders, especially on issues related to environment and sustainable development. Through a focus on advocacy, leadership development and intersectional knowledge generation, WEDO builds power by linking and amplifying grassroots and frontline feminist experiences of environmental impacts into global movements and policy spaces. As advocates, WEDO focuses on mapping spaces for influence and resourcing women leaders with the tools and knowledge to be effective advocates.

Background and Purpose of Project

To support the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, the Women’s Environment and Development Organization (WEDO) is developing guidance and analysis of women’s roles in risk management and anticipatory action ahead of climate shocks and in the management of potential displacement and conflict that arise from climate shocks.

This work will employ a systems analysis to identify modes of enhancing the meaningful engagement of women through an increasingly proactive and anticipatory approach in identifying and managing climate risks. The project will identify the gaps and best practices involved in the critical role of women in the prevention and management of climate-driven displacement and conflict, with particular attention to approaches linked to agriculture and natural resource management. As displacement and conflict are increasingly being linked to multiple drivers (for example, climatic stressors from slow onset events may be irreversible with very limited options for adaptation, and climate impacts such as drought and floods may render livelihoods untenable and exacerbate conflict, especially in fragile states), gender dynamics and the role of women are critical sites of analysis in the climate-conflict nexus.

Throughout 2022, WEDO will the articulation of gender in guidance materials and analysis of the context of climate-driven displacement. This analysis will be used practically to support the partners project development and country gender assessments to include climate displacement, peace and conflict, and to integrate and support the mainstreaming of a gender, biodiversity and peace dimension into their programming. Focusing specifically on climate change programming, the project will identify ways to lead in implementing a humanitarian- development-peace (HDP) nexus approach that could support transformational change in gender equality, in both immediate responses and longer-term outcomes. The project will also contribute to advancing WEDO’s workstreams on peace and conflict and agroecology from a feminist perspective. 

WEDO seeks a consultant to support this work throughout the duration of 2022 (mid-January through mid-December), to deliver a series of outputs as outlined below. The hiring timeline is envisioned as follows:

• January 7, 2022 - Deadline for expressions of interest
• January 10-12, 2022- Interviews
• January 14, 2022- Finalize consultant contract 
• January 17, 2022- Work begins
• December 10, 2022- Conclusion of work 

Project Scope

The overall objective of the project is to support the increased engagement of women in natural resource management, prevention of displacement and conflict, and anticipatory climate action, as contributors to food security, sustainability, and peace. Over the course of one year (2022), as outlined below, the project will encompass six outputs, each drafted by the consultant and workshopped through a collaborative and iterative process. WEDO will manage the relationship with the partner and oversee the work of the consultant, bringing in relevant colleagues from within WEDO and our networks as useful to brainstorm, finalize recommendations, and envision potential projects (e.g. in output 5 on project proposals).

Deliverables and Timeline

Below are the anticipated deadlines for submission of first drafts to WEDO collaborators, after which WEDO will submit to the partner. Earlier submission would of course be welcome if possible. Please note that each step has a feedback period built in to enable FAO and WEDO to work collaboratively with the consultant on each output. Each output is intended to build upon the previous stage of work.

Output/Activity

1. Inception Report and Initial Workplan

• Description: The inception report should include information on the approach / methodology that will be undertaken to deliver on the tasks as outlined; an indicative list of topics to be covered in assessing the gaps in gender / climate / displacement and conflict prevention; and a clear workplan/timeline.
• Responsibilities: collaboration with WEDO on the approach and methodology, drafting and delivery of an initial draft to WEDO, incorporation of feedback for submission to partner, incorporation of partner feedback, and finalization.
• Anticipated Level of Effort: 10 days, including all initial planning conversations with WEDO, partner, and any other collaborators
• Suggested Deadline for Initial Drafts: February 16, 2022

2. Literature Review and Gap Analysis Report

• Description: This report should distil relevant work on nexus of gender, climate, displacement and conflict, outlining opportunities and examples for a gender analysis of natural resource management and peacebuilding and identifying gaps where projects have overlooked the role of women in the prevention and reduction of disasters, displacement, and conflict, as a basis for suggestion of best practices. 
• Responsibilities: drafting and delivery of an initial draft to WEDO in line with workplan, incorporation of feedback for submission to partner, incorporation of partner feedback, and finalization.
• Anticipated Level of Effort: 15 days
• Suggested Deadline for Initial Drafts: May 11, 2022

3. Compendium of Best Practices

• Description: This compendium will feature five best practices, related to policies, programs, and/or projects, where women have played a pivotal role in anticipatory climate action, natural resource management, and/or prevention of displacement and conflict.
• Responsibilities: Application of criteria for determining best practices in line with inception report; development of structure, content and focus of compendium in line with inception report; drafting and delivery of compendium, incorporation of feedback for submission to partner, incorporation of partner feedback, and finalization.
• Anticipated Level of Effort: 15 days
• Suggested Deadline for Initial Drafts: June 29, 2022

4. Recommendations

• Description: Two accessible and well-structured sets of recommendations,  targeted to the partner and Governments, will address:
• How the partner and Governments can mainstream gender / climate / displacement / conflict prevention nexus across the partner's divisions and Government Ministries and Agencies. b. How the partner and Governments can enhance their efforts to promote the increased and active role of women in natural resource management and anticipatory action as contributions to peace and sustainability.
• Responsibilities: drafting and delivery of recommendations in alignment with and emergence from previous deliverables; drafting and delivery of compendium, incorporation of feedback for submission to partner, incorporation of partner feedback, and finalization.
• Anticipated Level of Effort: 10 days (maximum)
• Suggested Deadline for Initial Drafts: September 2, 2022

5. Project Proposals

• Description: Outline scope and content for two pilot projects on gender / climate / displacement / conflict prevention, in two regions/countries (one each for Africa and the Pacific). These concept notes should include climate rationale, baseline, investment reasoning, sets of activities / outcomes / outputs, key stakeholders, potential funding sources etc. These projects will pilot a clear and strategic approach to advancing the role of women in prevention of conflict and displacement in the context of climate change in these two regions (Africa and the Pacific). 
• Responsibilities: drafting and delivery of proposals, incorporation of feedback for submission to partner, incorporation of partner feedback, and finalization.
• Anticipated Level of Effort: 8 days
• Suggested Deadline for Initial Drafts: November 3, 2022

6. Final Report

• Description: Produce an assignment completion report, summarizing the key take-aways from the research including lessons learned and gaps that remain.
• Responsibilities: conducting a process with collaborators, in line in the inception report, for any final insights on process; drafting and delivery of final report; incorporation of feedback for submission to partner, incorporation of partner feedback, and finalization.
• Anticipated Level of Effort: 5 days
• Suggested Deadline for Initial Drafts: December 5, 2022

Qualifications of Consultant

Required:

• Relevant and applicable expertise in gender, conflict prevention, displacement, peace, and/or climate change;
• Broad understanding and gender lens in the fields of agriculture, agroecology, natural resource management, disaster risk management, the humanitarian-development-peace (HDP) nexus approach, and climate risk/resilience;
• Research background and familiarity with latest debates, sources, discourse etc. on gender, climate (including climate-related displacement), and conflict prevention;
• Demonstrable experience in similar projects, whether as a consultant or as part of an organization.

Strongly Preferred:

• Networks and experience with gender and climate work in the Pacific and the African continent;
• Familiarity with FAO and/or other agencies within the UN system.

Proposals and Criteria for Selection

WEDO welcomes written proposals from any interested party. We are flexible on the approach you take, but we ask for the following key details to be covered in a brief proposal: 

• A brief description of your background and why you would be a good fit for this project
• Examples of research/policy work you have undertaken
• Resume/CV
• Outline (1000 words maximum) of how you would approach the subject matter, with some examples of sources/organizations you would consult as a basis for the literature review and in outlining best practices
• Your availability for an interview between January 10 and 12, 2022
• Cost estimate/request for remuneration, within the range outlined above ($25,000-$35,000)

Please send your proposal via email to the primary point of contact below by January 7, 2022.

Primary point of contact:

Katie Tobin, Senior Program Manager, Women’s Environment and Development Organization: katie@wedo.org