Job Overview

Position: Civil Society Landscape Analysis Consultant – Libya

Location:

Tripoli, Libya

Job Id: 966

# of Openings: 1

Civil Society Landscape Analysis Consultant

Democracy International (DI) is seeking to hire a short-term Civil Society Landscape Analysis Consultant to support the Engagement with Voters for Equitable Representation (EVER) Project in Libya. The Libya EVER activity is a five-year program to support Libya’s democratic transition by enhancing the effectiveness of key Libyan institutions and empowering diverse Libyan actors to foster an inclusive democratic culture. DI is conducting a CSLA during the program’s initial Refine and Implementation (R&I) stage to assess the capacity and interrelationships of various civil society actors and organizations, including formal and informal, member-serving and public-serving organizations, and emerging categories such as “pop-up” organizations, decentralized organizations, or virtual organizations, and how they can effectively achieve desired results. The CSLA will provide insights into the current state, capacity, and dynamics of civil society in Libya and determine how USAID and DI can engage with it to promote the long-term objectives of EVER: (1) strengthening Libya’s election institutions and government stakeholders to carry out credible electoral and political processes at the local and national levels and (2) empower the diversity of Libya’s citizens and civil society to advance the democratic process in Libya.

Purpose of this Scope of Work:

This document outlines the Scope of Work (SOW) for a consultant to lead the completion of a Civil Society Landscape Analysis (CSLA) for the Libya Engagement with Voters for Equitable Representation (EVER) project, which is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by Democracy International (DI). This SOW provides background information about the CSLA and describes vital tasks, deliverables, timeline, qualifications for conducting this CSLA, and estimated level of effort to perform this analysis.

Objective:

The CSLA is intended to identify the civil society sector’s primary gaps, strengths, and weaknesses, emerging needs and opportunities for supporting civil society to achieve the Activity goals, and make recommendations on strategic interventions where engagement and investment in civil society (especially unions and professional associations) will lead to achievable results at the local and national level, and have the most impact on democratic reforms and the advancement of sustainable, inclusive democratic culture in Libya. Key areas to be covered by the Analysis:

Legal and regulatory environment: The analysis will examine the CSO’s legal and regulatory framework and the administrative apparatus’s practices in overseeing the work and registration of CSOs in Libya. The analysis will examine the laws governing civil society in the East, West, and South and determine if they encourage CSO formation, operations, communications, access to funding, and information. It is essential to ascertain whether there are onerous registration requirements, vague laws, selective enforcement, arbitrary interpretations of laws, criminalization of failures to comply, and laws limiting freedoms of association or assembly that can impede civil society’s ability to operate. The assessment will examine constraints that civil society may face in the different regions.

Organizational and technical capacity of civil society: Identify civil society actors’ and organizations’ capacity levels, challenges, and opportunities and how that impacts their ability to execute their mission effectively. The assessment would explore the extent and sustainability of these capacities and examine how well-equipped these actors and organizations are to maintain their operations over time and adapt to changing circumstances. The assessment would also look at the state of support infrastructure essential for the viability of civil society, such as access to training and development programs, funding opportunities, networks for collaboration, and platforms for information sharing. Inadequate support systems and limited access to and ability to receive resources pose significant barriers and can significantly influence the effectiveness of civil society actors and organizations.

Socioeconomic, political, and cultural environment: Analyze potential challenges and opportunities for civil society by examining the perceptions, attitudes, norms, and power dynamics prevailing among citizens, institutions, the public sector, the private sector, and the government. These factors can help identify potential obstacles and opportunities for supporting the civil society sector. For instance, private-sector interest could enhance the sector’s financial stability and amplify civil society’s messages, as private-sector entities aim to improve their image as socially responsible or conscious. Conversely, positive public perceptions of legitimacy can promote higher levels of citizen engagement.

Democratic culture and values: Assess the extent of civic education, awareness, and the prevalence of social democratic culture and values. Investigate citizens’ understanding of governmental operations, their awareness of civil rights, and their propensity to engage with governmental entities, institutions, and procedures. Enhanced civic education fosters greater awareness and comprehension, potentially catalyzing increased civic and political participation and nurturing leaders committed to democratic principles. This investigation will identify potential areas for CSO support.

Effectiveness and impact: Assess the effectiveness and impact of civil society actors, organizations, and/or activities and address the underlying reasons for any lack of effectiveness.

External influences and emerging trends: The assessment will examine operational threats and potential threats from resurgent authoritarian regimes and malign state and non-state actors who seek to restrict civic space and sway public opinion through various channels, including the media. The analysis would highlight any critical need to combat social media manipulation, disinformation, and efforts to intimidate and silence state criticism.

Consultant Tasks and Responsibilities:

The consultant will be responsible for the following specific tasks. Throughout each task, the consultant will be responsible for conducting regular check-ins with the research team and EVER Activity staff regarding the research progress and eventual report writing.

Task 1: Conduct Desk Review: Conduct a desk review of USAID guidance on political economy analysis and relevant academic papers, reports, project documents, and program evaluations from funders, think tanks, international organizations, implementing partners, Libyan-based organizations, and other analyses. This will inform the Inception Report, including the research methodology and associated tools.
Task 2: Design Research Methodology: Develop research questions, data collection tools, and the fieldwork plan for the research team to complete data collection and analysis.
Task 3: Conduct Field-based Data Collection: Lead field-based data collection according to the methodology finalized in the inception report and work plan.
Task 4: Conduct Data Analysis: Analyze data to inform key findings across research questions and political economy problem/issue level domains.
Task 5: Develop Key Recommendations, Produce an Analysis Report and Presentation of Findings: Prepare a comprehensive report detailing the analysis and findings. Revise the report based on feedback from the activity team. Provide actionable recommendations to inform the design of EVER program interventions—present findings and recommendations to stakeholders through workshop(s) or presentations.

Deliverables:

The consultant will be responsible for producing the following deliverables:

Inception Report including the summary of main desk research findings; a research methodology, including research questions and data collection tools and protocols/interview guides; proposed stakeholder interview list; and field-work plan based on the proposed methodology.
Post-data collection interview notes, meetings schedule, information gathered from roundtable discussions, etc.
Draft Report including an executive summary, introduction, methodology, rationale for the assessment, findings, and findings-based recommendations.
Final Report in English. The report should incorporate the feedback received from the Project team (and other relevant stakeholders they may invite to comment)
Stakeholder presentation to discuss key findings and proposed actions

Compensation/Level of Effort:

DI will compensate the consultant with a daily rate based on market value for similar consultancies and the selected consultant’s level of relevant experience. The consultant will be paid for a maximum of 22 days over three months based on the following estimated level of effort for each of the previously described tasks and/or deliverables:

Task	Estimated Level of Effort
Task 1 & 2	8 days
Tasks 3	8 days
Task 4 & 5	6 days

Consultant Qualifications:

The consultant must meet the following qualifications:

Experience conducting civil society landscape analyses to inform activity design within the democracy, human rights, and governance.
Experience operationalizing USAID CSLA framework and guidance into research methodology, fieldwork data collection, and comprehensive report writing preferred.
Experience leading applied research in diverse cultural contexts and conflict-affected areas. Prior research and work experience in Libya or the region preferred.
Strong analytical skills and excellent English writing and verbal communication skills. Arabic language skills are strongly preferred.
Ability to engage with diverse stakeholders, including marginalized groups, with sensitivity and awareness.
Demonstrated ability to lead research within a team environment effectively.

Application Process:

Interested applicants should submit their CV and a cover letter indicating their daily rate. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. DI will only contact candidates of interest.

Democracy International maintains the highest ethical standards. We are committed to the prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment as well as other ethical breaches. All our positions are therefore subject to stringent vetting and reference checks.

About the Organization:

DI provides technical assistance, analytical services and project implementation for democracy, human rights, governance and conflict mitigation programs worldwide for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the U.S. State Department and other development partners. Since its founding in 2003, Democracy International has worked with civil society organizations, political parties, election-management bodies, government agencies, legislatures, justice-sector institutions, and others in 80+ countries.

DI welcomes and supports a diverse and inclusive work environment. We are committed to equal employment opportunities (EEO) for all applicants seeking employment and for DI employees. DI makes employment decisions based on organizational needs, job requirements and individual qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, personal appearance, military status, gender identity or expression, genetic information, political affiliation, educational status, unemployment status, place of residence or business, source of income, or reproductive health decision making. Additionally, harassment or discrimination based on these characteristics will not be tolerated at DI. To perform the essential functions of this position, reasonable accommodations are available to qualified individuals with disabilities.