Consultancy on Civic Space in MENA

Terms of Reference

Consultancy on Civic Space in MENA:

Strengthening MENA civil society’s resilience to shrinking civic space

Background

In the MENA region, human rights and democracy are under severe pressure and civic space under unprecedented threat, placing the region amongst the worst performing on civic freedoms globally. Censorship, harassment, intimidation and detainment of journalists and human rights’ defenders are within common violations. Women and those advocating for women’s rights continue to be systematically targeted online and offline by the authorities, and cybercrime laws are being used to punish and criminalise dissent. Additionally, Covid-19 is causing further shrinking civic space as control measures to contain the pandemic are being used to repress civic freedoms.

Reasons invoked by governments in the region for the need to restrict civil liberties include national security, ‘terrorism’ and/or ‘extremism’, foreign interference, or public health (spread of disease/Covid-19).  Many governments in the region take a securitized approach to public policy, often restricting movement of refugees and internally displaced people and often enabling policies that disproportionately impact the poor, women and youth and other groups often politically marginalised in the region.

As outlined in Oxfam’s Global Strategic Framework (2020-2030), Oxfam aims to support and connect communities, civil society organisations and movements across the region. Oxfam will work with national and regional civil society organisations to help shift the narratives and change the terms of the debate on civic space. Oxfam’s relationships are informed by and visibly reflect our commitment to transforming unequal power relations, raising the voices of the most marginalised and vulnerable, and protecting and expanding civic space in the MENA countries where we work. Civic space forms a core part of the OI MENA regional strategy (2019-2029) and complements Oxfam’s efforts to protect civic space. In MENA, Oxfam works with partners to address key drivers of inequality, including patriarchy, elite capture, clientelism, corruption, ineffective and unjust economic policies and restrictions on civic space. Civic space and humanitarian space protection are key to an enabling environment for civil society to realise their key role of holding power to account, including for the equitable provision of essential services.

Purpose

Oxfam seeks to strengthen local civil society organisations and actors and help the region’s peoples to have a stronger voice and reclaim and create civic space, including in times of (political and or humanitarian) crises. This aims at fully realising Oxfam’s Global Strategic Framework and regional vision, as well as to more actively contribute to its global Influencing Strategy on Shrinking and Shifting Civic Space, while building on existing strategies and tools and lessons learned from work around protecting civic space and working in political crises in other regions, such as Latin America.   

In order to achieve this, Oxfam is seeking research consultant to work with Oxfam teams to help identify relevant entry points and opportunities for civic space protection in MENA.  

Key Outcomes of the Consultancy

1. An analysis of the current civic space situation in MENA: main challenges and trends; emerging issues and scenarios; impact and implications; responses by civil society, activists, etc.  A gendered, conflict sensitive and political economic lens will be ensured
2.  Mapping of stakeholders (including donors) relevant to work on civic space in the region
3.  Identification of opportunities for Oxfam’s engagement on civic space in the region
   1. Review of existing Oxfam work in MENA on civic space across the 10 countries it operates in:
   2. Analysis of strengths, added value of Oxfam and available resources in MENA, as well as areas to improve – recommendations.
   3. Opportunities for Oxfam in MENA to engage in supporting and protecting civic space, to be validated in a workshop before finalization.

Methodology

The research consultant may propose a suitable methodology, using existing toolkits on monitoring and analysing civic and humanitarian space protection and possible entry points for an international NGO like Oxfam. It is recommended that the research includes: a desk review of existing literature and analysis (internal and external to Oxfam), as well as key informant interviews and focus groups (where relevant) to be identified jointly with Oxfam teams in the region.

Expected Outputs

The report (for internal use) should include the following:

1. Analysis -- 10-15 pages

2. Mapping – summary of 3-5 pages, with all the relevant data in annex

3. Opportunities for engagement – 15 pages

4. Facilitation of a validation workshop with relevant stakeholders.

Timeline

Total of 40-45 working days, with the suggested below timeline to be adjusted based on agreed methodology:

1. Inception workplan and methodology – 1 week after signature of contract
2. Draft report – 1.5 month after approval of workplan
3. Facilitation of workshop and final report 15 days after delivery of draft report
4. please submit the proposal to lebanonprocurement@oxfam.org.uk