Somalia: Consultancy on Legal and Psychosocial Counselling Manual Development

1.Background and context

Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is an independent, non-governmental organization (NGO), founded on the basis of humanitarian and human-rights principles to ensure the protection of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs), and to promote long-term solutions to the problems of forced displacement. DRC has been working in Somalia since 1997 and implements protection, livelihoods and emergency response programs throughout the country. The Country office of DRC Somalia is located in Mogadishu.

Within its broad project portfolio, DRC is working to facilitate the attainment of durable solutions for protracted IDPs, returnees and host communities in Somalia. As part of this strategy, DRC is implementing an Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration (AVRR) project in Mogadishu, and other cities in Somalia, to promote and facilitate the sustainable reintegration of voluntary returnees from abroad. Beneficiaries of the reintegration project receive a cash grant for immediate needs upon arrival, individual counselling sessions and a comprehensive livelihood package including VST/entrepreneurship training and start-up grants based on individual reintegration plans. Constant monitoring of the reintegration process is carried out by DRC staff.

2.Purpose

DRC is seeking a consultant with strong and broad knowledge on the Somalia legal environment and psychosocial support services, to research and prepare a manual on legal and psychosocial counselling for returnees in Somalia.

3.Key Responsibilities

3.1. Scope of consultancy

The manual to be created should be relevant to the Somali context and include legal information on all regions in Somalia, as well as contain a section on psychosocial care and support. The main deliverable is a manual which will be easy to use and easily adaptable to the changing Somali situation.

3.2. Key tasks with list of ‘key activities’, under each responsibility.

The key task of the consultancy is to deliver a detailed manual on how to provide legal counselling and psychosocial support to returnees in Somalia (for Somaliland, Puntland, and South Central Somalia), including:

a. The Somali legal system, with particular reference to Housing, Land, and Property (HLP) and civil documentation.

b. Dispute resolution mechanisms available in Somalia under different legal frameworks (formal and informal) – provision of referral mechanisms throughout Somalia.

c. Specific regulations of the main business sectors in which the returnees operate (SMEs).

d. Mechanisms for providing personalised legal information and psychosocial counselling face to face and through ph one.

Counselling sessions should be relevant, useful, participatory and practical. They should be directed at specific needs of the returnees and cover the main aspects in details. The manual should include procedures, information, and guidelines, on how to provide legal and psychosocial counselling.

3.3. Methodology

The consultant will conduct law reviews and research specific legal information relevant to returnees’ reintegration, and will also research and provide quality methodologies on how to provide legal and psychosocial counselling.

3.4. Key deliverables/outputs

The key deliverable of the consultancy is a concise and easy-to-use manual in English and Somali, which focuses on the legal information and support returnees are entitled to, as well as the psychosocial aspects of reintegration (psychosocial counselling methods). The manual will be reviewed by the DRC team and shall be finalized by the consultant upon receiving feedback from DRC.

4.DRC/DDG’s responsibilities

DRC will provide guidance and coordinate with the consultant, DRC will also provide information about the project to the consultant.

5.Reporting Arrangements

The Consultant will report to the Protection and Solutions Coordinator in DRC Somalia, who will also be the focal point for coordination and liaison.

6.DURATION OF ASSIGNMENT

The timeframe for this consultancy is 30 days. The consultancy will start 15^th November 2017 and will end on 15^th December 2017. The first draft of the manual will be shared by the consultant in the first week of December for review, and the report shall be finalized and submitted on 15^th of December 2017.

7.EXPECTED PROFILE OF CONSULTANT

The consultant(s) is/are expected to be highly qualified professional(s) in possession of the following requirements:

• Advanced university degree in Law, and/or relevant Social Sciences;
• At least three years of experience in providing legal and/or psychosocial services in Somalia.
• In-depth knowledge of the Somali legal and justice systems, throughout all regions in Somalia/Somaliland.
• Proven and advanced knowledge on counselling methodologies (legal and psychosocial).
• Specialist in the legal and/or psychosocial field.
• Proven experience in humanitarian protection and/or reintegration strategies for Somalis.
• Proven experience in the development of practical manuals that are ready to use.
• Three year experience in working with vulnerable clients, IDPs and returnees.
• Experience working with international organisations on protection and legal assistance programmes;
• Excellent communication skills;
• Strong writing skills;
• Fluent in English and Somali.

8.TERMS & CONDITIONS

The consultant will be bound by and must adhere to all DRC security procedures while traveling in Somalia for this assignment.

9.GeneralCommitments:

DRC/DDG has a Humanitarian Accountability Framework, outlining its global accountability committments. All staff are required to contribute to the achievement of this framework

Interested applicants who meet the required profile and methodology are invited to submit an expression of interest to drcjobs@drcsomalia.org no later than 8^thNovember 2017 including:

i. CV of participating consultants with details of qualifications, experience and names of three professional referees.

ii. Technical proposal that summarizes understanding of the TOR, methodology and tools to be used.

iii. Work-plan clearly indicating the activity schedule.

iv. Financial proposal providing cost estimates and consultancy fees.