Consultant – Social Media Strategy and Training Social Media Influencers

[Erbil,Iraq ]

Terms of Reference for Consultant(s)

Social Media Strategy and Training Social Media Influencers

 

Program Context

Following Iraq’s military victory over ISIS in December 2017, efforts to rebuild a shattered country and to re-establish the rule of law have been underway. But general insecurity continues. The reconstruction efforts have been carried out amid sporadic attacks by ISIS, socio-economic instability and pre-existing vulnerabilities, especially in the Disputed Territories of Iraq, where ethnic, political and sectarian divides have long affected social cohesion. Despite these constraints, the humanitarian context in Iraq has gradually transitioned into a new phase allowing humanitarian actors to plan and implement recovery and development interventions addressing community reconciliation, resilient livelihoods, as well as participation in governance structures and decision-making. The situation of many women and girls requires a particular attention. The crimes committed by ISIL have left deep psychological scars on many women and their families. Displaced women continue to suffer sexual and gender-based violence in both in-camp and out-of-camps settings even while the military offensive by ISIL is over. Despite some progress in the legislative protection of women’s equal rights, most of the women in Iraq are affected by long-term social, economic and political exclusion exacerbated by deeply entrenched patriarchal values held by a large proportion of the population.

 

Women and Girls Rebuilding Iraq

The intervention entitled by Women and Girls Rebuilding Iraq implemented by OXFAM in Iraq contributes to shaping policy, decision-making mechanisms and peacebuilding processes at multiple levels with the specific objective to ensure women and girls play a significant role in the new rehabilitation and development agenda. The initiative is working with women and girls in Kirkuk and Diyala governorates, both of which have endured a protracted conflict. Part of the project also takes places at national level involving public policy engagement and advocacy on women and girls’ rights. The project is implemented in cooperation with Women Rights Organizations (WROs) promoting transformative leadership in formal and informal governance structures. The initiative seeks to engage 9,000 vulnerable women and girls in Iraq. In addition, 40 men and boys from local communities are to be trained to act as role models for progressive masculinities. They will act as change agents in shifting attitudes and practices that hinder women’s equal rights to further reach 4,000 men and boys in the two governorates.

 

Two intermediate outcomes have been envisioned for the project:

• Increased active participation of women and girls in public decision-making processes as transformative leaders.
• Improved social and political environment for the effective participation of women and girls in government structures.

 

Four immediate outcomes include the following:

The project works at 3 levels:

• Micro: individual capacity building and community engagement (involving both women and men);
• Meso: working with WROs and women’s right defenders to improve the wellbeing of women and girls;
• Macro: work with opinion formers and policymakers for increased active participation of women and girls in governance structures.

 Objectives of the Consultancy

The main objective of this consultancy is to develop a social media strategy that will support the 2021 16 Days of Activism Campaign carried out by Oxfam, women’s rights organisations (WROs) and other partners.

 

 

Specifically, the consultant will:

1. Consult with Oxfam’s Gender and Policy, Communication and Advocacy (PAC) teams on the plans for the 16 Days of Activism Campaign.
2. Engage with selected WROs to understand their advocacy priorities and use of social media in advocacy work related to the 16 Days of Activism.
3. Based on the data analysis, develop recommendations for engagement through social media, including specific outlets and messages.
4. Support with designing content of media messages.
5. Assess possible risks related to the use of a social media approach in advocating on issues related to the 2021 16 Days of Activism Campaign, which can prove to be controversial (e.g. shelters). Propose risk mitigation measures that Oxfam and partners need to adopt.
6. Develop training materials for social media influencers associated with WROs to implement the social media strategy in cooperation with Oxfam and WROs.

Methodology

The consultant will apply qualitative methodology to delivering this assignment, including methods such as a secondary data review (SDR), key informant interviews (KIIs), focus group discussions (FGDs) and observation. Data collection for the assignment can take place online and/or through direct visits in Kirkuk, Diyala, Erbil and Baghdad. In developing this mixed methods methodology, the consultancy will make sure Oxfam’s feminist principles to programming are respected.

Due to the challenges associated with the global COVID 19 pandemics, the selected consultant(s) will be required to consult with Oxfam on adopting appropriate measures to mitigate potential COVID 19 risks. Potential security risks should be also assessed, and mitigation measures adopted, particularly during field-based work.

 

 Key Deliverables

– An inception report based on the understanding of the assignment. The report will be submitted in English and reviewed by the Oxfam team before commencement of data collection. The report should not be longer than 15 pages, including description of tools. The consultant will translate the validated tools in Arabic, where relevant.

– A social media strategy to be reviewed and approved by the Oxfam team.

– Training materials for social media influencers including a monitoring tool with proposed measurable indicators.

– Conducting a training for social media influencers on key advocacy issues for women and girls using the social media strategy and targeting a variety of social media platforms.

– Final report detailing the entire process in English that will annex the final social media strategy and training materials. The main report should not exceed 10 pages.

 

 

All deliverables will be considered final upon receiving a written acceptance note from OXFAM’s Gender Justice and Women’s Rights Programme Manager.

 

 Supervision and Management

The assignment will be supervised by the Gender Justice Programme Manager and directly managed by the Gender Project Manager responsible for the management of Women and Girls Rebuilding New Iraq. The Gender Justice team will ensure coordination with Oxfam’s PAC team and that the partners and other stakeholders in the project have adequate space in providing their feedback on the processes.

 

 Logistics and Constraints

Considering the limitations of movements due to the COVID 19 pandemic, international consultants may not be able to travel to Iraq. Access to the targeted communities is also likely to be limited. Therefore, it is recommended to form a team including Iraq-based counterparts and adopt a flexible work approach.

 

 Timeframe

It is estimated that the assignment would require 10 working days, preferably undertaken in September/October 2021. The consultant(s) will present a work plan of activities leading to completion of the assignment accompanied by a detailed financial proposal (budget) in USD, including the costs for translation of tools used in the assignment.

 

 

 

 

 

Terms of Reference for Consultant(s)

Social Media Strategy and Training Social Media Influencers

 

Program Context

Following Iraq’s military victory over ISIS in December 2017, efforts to rebuild a shattered country and to re-establish the rule of law have been underway. But general insecurity continues. The reconstruction efforts have been carried out amid sporadic attacks by ISIS, socio-economic instability and pre-existing vulnerabilities, especially in the Disputed Territories of Iraq, where ethnic, political and sectarian divides have long affected social cohesion. Despite these constraints, the humanitarian context in Iraq has gradually transitioned into a new phase allowing humanitarian actors to plan and implement recovery and development interventions addressing community reconciliation, resilient livelihoods, as well as participation in governance structures and decision-making. The situation of many women and girls requires a particular attention. The crimes committed by ISIL have left deep psychological scars on many women and their families. Displaced women continue to suffer sexual and gender-based violence in both in-camp and out-of-camps settings even while the military offensive by ISIL is over. Despite some progress in the legislative protection of women’s equal rights, most of the women in Iraq are affected by long-term social, economic and political exclusion exacerbated by deeply entrenched patriarchal values held by a large proportion of the population.

 

Women and Girls Rebuilding Iraq

The intervention entitled by Women and Girls Rebuilding Iraq implemented by OXFAM in Iraq contributes to shaping policy, decision-making mechanisms and peacebuilding processes at multiple levels with the specific objective to ensure women and girls play a significant role in the new rehabilitation and development agenda. The initiative is working with women and girls in Kirkuk and Diyala governorates, both of which have endured a protracted conflict. Part of the project also takes places at national level involving public policy engagement and advocacy on women and girls’ rights. The project is implemented in cooperation with Women Rights Organizations (WROs) promoting transformative leadership in formal and informal governance structures. The initiative seeks to engage 9,000 vulnerable women and girls in Iraq. In addition, 40 men and boys from local communities are to be trained to act as role models for progressive masculinities. They will act as change agents in shifting attitudes and practices that hinder women’s equal rights to further reach 4,000 men and boys in the two governorates.

 

Two intermediate outcomes have been envisioned for the project:

• Increased active participation of women and girls in public decision-making processes as transformative leaders.
• Improved social and political environment for the effective participation of women and girls in government structures.

 

Four immediate outcomes include the following:

The project works at 3 levels:

• Micro: individual capacity building and community engagement (involving both women and men);
• Meso: working with WROs and women’s right defenders to improve the wellbeing of women and girls;
• Macro: work with opinion formers and policymakers for increased active participation of women and girls in governance structures.

 Objectives of the Consultancy

The main objective of this consultancy is to develop a social media strategy that will support the 2021 16 Days of Activism Campaign carried out by Oxfam, women’s rights organisations (WROs) and other partners.

 

 

Specifically, the consultant will:

1. Consult with Oxfam’s Gender and Policy, Communication and Advocacy (PAC) teams on the plans for the 16 Days of Activism Campaign.
2. Engage with selected WROs to understand their advocacy priorities and use of social media in advocacy work related to the 16 Days of Activism.
3. Based on the data analysis, develop recommendations for engagement through social media, including specific outlets and messages.
4. Support with designing content of media messages.
5. Assess possible risks related to the use of a social media approach in advocating on issues related to the 2021 16 Days of Activism Campaign, which can prove to be controversial (e.g. shelters). Propose risk mitigation measures that Oxfam and partners need to adopt.
6. Develop training materials for social media influencers associated with WROs to implement the social media strategy in cooperation with Oxfam and WROs.

Methodology

The consultant will apply qualitative methodology to delivering this assignment, including methods such as a secondary data review (SDR), key informant interviews (KIIs), focus group discussions (FGDs) and observation. Data collection for the assignment can take place online and/or through direct visits in Kirkuk, Diyala, Erbil and Baghdad. In developing this mixed methods methodology, the consultancy will make sure Oxfam’s feminist principles to programming are respected.

Due to the challenges associated with the global COVID 19 pandemics, the selected consultant(s) will be required to consult with Oxfam on adopting appropriate measures to mitigate potential COVID 19 risks. Potential security risks should be also assessed, and mitigation measures adopted, particularly during field-based work.

 

 Key Deliverables

– An inception report based on the understanding of the assignment. The report will be submitted in English and reviewed by the Oxfam team before commencement of data collection. The report should not be longer than 15 pages, including description of tools. The consultant will translate the validated tools in Arabic, where relevant.

– A social media strategy to be reviewed and approved by the Oxfam team.

– Training materials for social media influencers including a monitoring tool with proposed measurable indicators.

– Conducting a training for social media influencers on key advocacy issues for women and girls using the social media strategy and targeting a variety of social media platforms.

– Final report detailing the entire process in English that will annex the final social media strategy and training materials. The main report should not exceed 10 pages.

 

 

All deliverables will be considered final upon receiving a written acceptance note from OXFAM’s Gender Justice and Women’s Rights Programme Manager.

 

 Supervision and Management

The assignment will be supervised by the Gender Justice Programme Manager and directly managed by the Gender Project Manager responsible for the management of Women and Girls Rebuilding New Iraq. The Gender Justice team will ensure coordination with Oxfam’s PAC team and that the partners and other stakeholders in the project have adequate space in providing their feedback on the processes.

 

 Logistics and Constraints

Considering the limitations of movements due to the COVID 19 pandemic, international consultants may not be able to travel to Iraq. Access to the targeted communities is also likely to be limited. Therefore, it is recommended to form a team including Iraq-based counterparts and adopt a flexible work approach.

 

 Timeframe

It is estimated that the assignment would require 10 working days, preferably undertaken in September/October 2021. The consultant(s) will present a work plan of activities leading to completion of the assignment accompanied by a detailed financial proposal (budget) in USD, including the costs for translation of tools used in the assignment.

 

 

 

 

 

Knowledge and Experience

The following key technical requirements will be taken into consideration when assessing consultants’ technical competencies:

• University degree in gender studies, community development and communication studies, sociology, or other relevant fields.
• Experience in strategy development, policies reviews, appraising and capacity building organizations and similar assignments in humanitarian and development interventions.
• Expertise in influencing behavioral change though social media platforms and moderating content to minimize any risks to users.
• Familiarity with qualitative methodology used in social research.
• High proficiency in understanding gender transformative and rights-based approaches and how these are relevant in evaluating civil society interventions.
• Familiarity with constraints and challenges encountered by civil society actors working on gender transformative interventions in a conflict-prone and fragile context.
• Familiarity with issues affecting women’s participation in decision-making in Iraq and the purpose of the 16 Days of Activism.
• Full English proficiency by the lead consultant.
• Spoken Arabic in the team skill mix.

How to Apply

Interested individuals, organizations, research or consultancy firms, with relevant experience and skills based on the ToR, can submit their Expression of Interest (EOI), including the following:

 

1. Cover letter of no more than 2 pages introducing the consultant /firm and how the skills and competencies described above are met, with concrete examples. Please also use this cover letter to indicate the consultants’ availability for the proposed period.
2. Technical proposal should include an interpretation of the objectives of the consultancy, detailed methodology and a work plan. It should also provide details on organization/individual capacity statement, past experience with similar assignments, CVs of the consulting team directly involved in the assignment, including their specific roles along with three professional referees.
3. Financial Proposal includes a one-page budget of the offer, covering all major anticipated costs.
4. Two examples of similar assignments carried out in the past 5 years.
5. Statement on conflict of interest.
6. Statement on the OXFAM Code to be followed when interacting with project participants and other stakeholders during the assignment.

 

Please submit the EOI and other documents by 12:00 am Iraq time by 13 September  2021 to  [email protected]   with “Social Media Strategy for the Women and Girls Rebuilding New Iraq Project (2019-2022)’’ in the subject line. No EOIs will be accepted after deadline.

All questions or clarifications of a technical nature are to be sent to: [email protected]   not later than 12 September  2021, 5 pm. Interested applicants can collect the Terms of Reference (TOR) at OXFAM in Iraq Country Office, starting from 31 August 2021 (during working hours). Alternatively, the Oxfam Logistics team can send the ToR via email upon request.

 

TOR Link:https://jobs.oxfam.org.uk/vacancy/15608/description 

 

 

 

This invitation to tender has been issued for the sole purpose of obtaining offers for the provision of the services requested against the TOR. Oxfam reserves the right not to enter in or award a contract as a result of this invitation to tender. Oxfam also reserves the right to terminate any contract issued as a result of this invitation to tender as set out in the contract terms and conditions.