Call for Proposals: Strengthening Local and State Level Peace Architectures for Peacebuilding and Prevention in Nigeria

Deadline: 10-Mar-23

UN Women Nigeria country office seeks the services of two qualified international or national NGOs as responsible partners (RPs) to support the implementation of a joint UN project on Strengthening Local and State Level Peace Architectures for Peacebuilding and Prevention in Katsina and Kaduna States of Northwest Nigeria”.

Specifically, the RPs would support the advancement of gender equality and women’s empowerment in conflict prevention, resolution and peacebuilding in target areas.

Project Objectives and Expected Results

The two-year joint UN project aims to reinforce non-military responses to conflict and insecurity in Kaduna and Katsina States by strengthening existing infrastructures for peace, providing safe spaces for inclusive (inter-and-intra)-community dialogue, enhancing the resilience of communities directly affected by conflict through the provision of psychosocial support and increasing access to sustainable livelihoods.
The project is designed to catalyse key partnerships within the target states and revive local peace processes; widen representation and increase the participation of young men and women in peace processes; strengthen prevention capacities, including the protection of women and girls from violence, and initiate a roadmap towards a gender-sensitive peace and security infrastructure for resilience and sustainable peace in Kaduna and Katsina States. Efforts at sustaining capacities for peace in Katsina and Kaduna States will also provide an entry point for broader engagement and support in Northwest Nigeria that is needed for robust and responsive peace infrastructures.
Specifically, the project will:
- Enhance the capacities of Kaduna and Katsina states to respond to inter and intra communal violent conflicts in a timely, coordinated, inclusive, gender-responsive, youth-inclusive and collaborative manner.
- Contribute to community resilience to trauma caused by cycles of violence through the ration of psychosocial support, mental health services for healing; and
- Contribute towards increased access to sustainable livelihoods by communities affected by violence Kaduna and Katsina State.

Funding Information

LOT 1: (Total budget: $60,000 (NGN30,833,600.00)
LOT 2: (Total budget: $50,000 (NGN 22,024,000).

Outcomes

The expected outcomes are:
- Improved capacities of Kaduna and Katsina State Government and Local Stakeholders to design and implement peace building and prevention responses to conflict risks in a collaborative, coordinated and inclusive manner.
- Community-wide trauma-healing and psychosocial support provided to victims of violence in affected LGAs in Kaduna and Katsina States.
- Affected communities in sampled LGAs have increased access to sustainable livelihoods opportunities.

Required services/results:

As a part of the project implementation strategy, UN Women is seeking to engage two qualified international or national Non-Governmental Organisations as Responsible Partners (RPs) to support the implementation of the Strengthening Local and State Level Peace Architectures for Peacebuilding and Prevention in Katsina and Kaduna States of Northwest Nigeria project in Kaduna and Katsina states and in target LGAs in the states. The implementation of the project is divided into two mutually reinforcing Lots, applicants can apply for either Lot 1 or Lot 2 or both Lots.
The partner will work closely with UN Women, UNDP and IOM; relevant government ministries, departments and agencies in Kaduna and Katsina states; CSOs, women’s groups and other key partners in the implementation of the project. Specifically, the RPs would advance gender equality and women’s empowerment in conflict prevention, resolution and peacebuilding efforts through dedicated interventions targeting the specific needs of women from the target communities to the state level, including the specific needs of vulnerable women, young women and girls. Specifically, the project will contribute to gender equality and women empowerment through several interventions, including the following:
- LOT 1:
  - Ensure a gender-sensitive and risk-informed 2023-2027 Strategic Plan for the Kaduna State Peace Commission and an operational plan for Katsina’s Peace and Security Strategic Framework, respectively as requested by State level authorities.
  - Support the implementation of the State Action Plan (SAP) on Women, Peace and Security in Kaduna state and support the implementation of the SAP in Katsina state.
  - Support the design and adoption of State Action Plan on Youth Peace and Security for Kaduna and Katsina State as provided for under Nigeria’s National Action Plan on UNSCR 2250.
  - Build/expand a platform of women leaders to be equipped with mediation, dialogue facilitation and reconciliation skills and competencies to lead and support local-level peacebuilding interventions at community levels.
- LOT 2:
  - Support the establishment of safe spaces for victims of violence, including the provision of psychosocial support through women’s empowerment hubs (one per target state), to facilitate access to GBV response services and to enhance referral for victims/survivors of GBV, whilst also providing livelihood opportunities for women and young women affected by GBV.

Competencies

Technical/functional competencies required.
- Reputation of Organisation and Staff
- Documented successful track record in the subject field;
- A proven commitment to results (able to provide records of successful projects);
- Proven credibility engaging in the Northern region of Nigeria.
- Proven credibility in gender tracking, mainstreaming and responsiveness.
- Proven credibility working towards gender equality and the empowerment of women, policy and practice level engagements on women peace and security, human and women’s rights, governance and women’s leadership, sexual and gender based violence response, trauma healing and psychosocial support, women’s economic empowerment, cooperative establishment and management, livelihood and economic/income generating opportunities, stakeholders (government, CSO, community) engagement and management and other relevant thematic areas.
General Organizational Capability:
- Strength of project management on creating or managing knowledge networks, convening a wide range of stakeholders, and generating policy advice.
- Track record of effective mainstreaming of gender and gender responsiveness in the implementation of the project, including implementing active gender tracking systems.
- Track record of working with governments, civil society, UN, community-based structures and other major multilateral or bilateral actors, other networks.
- Record and evidence of the organizational culture of accountability, such as a written code of conduct, measures on anti-corruption and sexual harassment policy and accountability to the affected population.
- A track record of delivering quality and timely project results.
- Capacity to integrate intergenerational learning, social inclusion and localisation in programming
Organizational expertise in specified programme Area:
- Evidence that the organization has previous experience and expertise of successfully managing projects of the same nature, related to gender equality and the empowerment of women, policy and practice level engagements on women peace and security, human and women’s rights, governance and women’s leadership, sexual and gender based violence response, trauma healing and psychosocial support, women’s economic empowerment, cooperative establishment and management, livelihood and economic/income generating opportunities, stakeholders (government, CSO, community) engagement and management and other relevant thematic areas.
Other competencies, which while not required, can be an asset for the performance of services.
- Accountability and Financial Control:
  - A functioning internal control framework and process to deliver quality and timely project results against budget.
  - Evidence of registration in Nigeria with Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC)
  - Audit reports for last two years
  - Certificate of job completion issued to the organization in the past for similar activities implemented.