Title of the Consultancy: Provision of Safeguarding Consultancy for NRC Yemen

Introduction    

The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) Yemen Country Office is seeking the services of a qualified safeguarding consultant to support a comprehensive review of safeguarding systems, practices, and operational application across the country programme. The consultancy will examine NRC’s organisational policies and global standards relevant to safeguarding, assess how these policies are currently understood, applied, and operationalised within the Yemen context, and identify safeguarding-specific gaps, risks, and areas requiring further strengthening. Based on this review, the consultant will develop practical, country-fit, and contextually appropriate guidance, standard operating procedures, tools, and other relevant materials necessary to support the systematic mainstreaming of safeguarding principles, practices, and measures across NRC Yemen’s programmes, support functions, partnerships, and field operations. The consultancy is intended to strengthen NRC Yemen’s capacity to prevent, mitigate, identify, and respond to safeguarding risks in a manner that is accountable to affected populations, staff, partners, and other stakeholders, while ensuring alignment with NRC’s global safeguarding commitments and the operational realities of the Yemen response.

Objectives of the Consultancy:    

Objective 1: To review, culturally adapt and roll out the implementation of NRC Safeguarding Policy, and Minimum Safeguarding Requirements.
Objective 2: To assess gaps and propose actions to strengthen leadership engagement, reporting mechanisms, and survivor-centred prevention and referral systems.
Objective 3: To produce and introduce country specific contextualized safeguarding guiding documents including but not limited to Context Specific Behaviour Protocols, PSEAH Decision Trees and Referral Mapping, CO Standard Operating Procedures, templates, awareness materials, training
packages in line with existing NRC materials, and other relevant documents needed to address the gaps identified in objectives #1 and #2.

Guiding Principles    

1.    Apply a survivor-centred and do-no-harm approach.
2.    Respect confidentiality, neutrality, and operational realities.
3.    Reinforce    NRC’s    zero-tolerance    to    inaction    approach    on    sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment.
Detailed description of objectives    

Objective 1: Menu of Activities

1.    Review and Map Existing Actions
a.    Analyse the SIP Action Plan and supporting documents.
b.    Map progress against NRC Minimum Safeguarding Requirements (MSRs)
2.    Validate Implementation in Practice
a.    Hold a cross-functional workshop to confirm what is actually working
b.    Use a simple traffic light system (Red/Amber/Green) to assess status
3.    Conduct Targeted Deep Dives
a.    Focus on key high-risk areas (e.g. function specific activities)
b.    Test how systems work in practice (e.g. simulations, process walkthroughs)
4.    Identify and Prioritise Gaps
a.    Compare current practice against MSRs
b.    Prioritise gaps based on risk, impact, and feasibility
5.    Update SIP Action (as appropriate) and agree on key safeguarding actions
a.    Identify capacity growing options with clear priorities and responsibilities
b.    Validate with senior management and align with resources and timelines

Objective 1 Outputs
1.    Validated and prioritised list of PSEAH / safeguarding actions
2.    Clear, concrete and SMART management-level actions/recommendations per department to fill identified gaps and risks with the support of enabling factors for immediate, intermediate and longer term follow-up.

Objective 2: Menu of Activities
1.    Review and provide guidance on how leadership can strengthen communication that builds a safe work environment (CMG, managers, AO/FO)
2.    Assess staff understanding and use of Speak Up and CFM to escalate reportable concerns
3.    Review dissemination and accessibility of referral pathways at CO, AO levels
4.    Review survivor-centred practices, including:
a.    Confidentiality and consent
b.    Follow-up and feedback to survivors
c.    Linkages with investigation processes (Global Integrity Unit)

5.    Engage with partners and/or area teams (sample-based) on:
a.    Safeguarding awareness
b.    Contractual obligations
c.    Reporting and escalation pathways

Objective 2 Outputs
1.    Practical recommendations to strengthen survivor-centred response and reporting
2.    Agreed leadership actions to reinforce accountability and safe culture

Objective 3: Menu of Activities

1.    To produce country specific safeguarding guidelines and SoPs that are aligned and comprehensively aligned to the organizational global guidelines.
2.    To produce country contextualized safeguarding awareness materials to be used within the organization and externally with stakeholder as well as communities we serve.
3.    To produce country specific and contextualized training package targeting NRC Yemen’s staff and implementing partners inclusive of trainers’ manuals, training materials, training methodology and training delivery plan.
4.    Deliver induction sessions of each newly developed and approved SoPs and guiding document to all NRC Yemen staff with different session tailored to level of staff.
5.    Deliver a comprehensive a series of safeguarding training workshops (at least 4 workshops) using the newly developed and approved training package.

Objective 3 Outputs:

1.    Safeguarding SoPs and Guiding documents for NRC Yemen’s Operations.
2.    Safeguarding awareness materials contextualized to targeted groups by NRC Yemen.
3.    Safeguarding training packages for NRC’s staff and implementing partners.

All products and document under this consultancy will have to be reviewed and approved by NRC relevant focal points, including the Global Safeguarding Expert. This means that the consultant is expected to share a draft of the product and address any comments or observations that might be noted by NRC then a final approval of the product will be issued.

Methodology    

The consultancy will apply a supportive and assurance-oriented approach, including:
1.    Document review where appropriate
2.    Bilateral and group discussions (CMG, HR, Programmes technical leads, CFM, support department leads, Risk and Compliance)
3.    Targeted engagement with area teams and/or partners (where feasible)
4.    Continuous feedback during the visit (no end-of-mission surprise findings)

Key Deliverables    

1.    An inception report highlighting the consultancy’s detailed implementation plan including detailed description of how the consultancy’s objectives would be achieved.
2.    Gap analysis report highlighting the main findings following finalization of review of existing safeguarding systems, guidelines and practices with NRC Yemen Country Office. The report should clearly capture existing strengths and good practices as well as priority gaps and risks.
3.    Improvement plan capturing clear recommendations and actions to address the identified gaps from key deliverable #2 above with clear distinction between short term and medium term and long terms actions.
4.    Country specific safeguarding guidelines and SoPs that are aligned and comprehensively aligned to the NRC Safeguarding Policy and Minimum Safeguarding Requirements.
5.    Country contextualized safeguarding awareness materials to be used within the organization and externally with stakeholder as well as communities we serve.
6.    Country Contextualized training package targeting NRC Yemen’s staff and implementing partners inclusive of trainers’ manuals, training materials, training methodology and training delivery plan.
7.    Enhanced country SIP action plan incorporating key actions to enrol and apply new introduced systems and guidelines.
8.    Induction sessions of each newly developed and approved SoPs and guiding document to all NRC Yemen staff with different session tailored to level of staff.
9.    Comprehensive series of safeguarding training workshops (at least 4 workshops) using the newly developed and approved training package.

Roles and Responsibilities    

1.    HO / Global Advisors
a.    Provide technical safeguarding support and independent perspective
b.    Propose practical, context-appropriate recommendations

2.    Country Director & CMG
a.    Ensure leadership availability and engagement
b.    Validate implementation status and risks
c.    Facilitate access to teams, documentation, and partners
d.    Endorse follow-up actions

3.    Safeguarding Focal Points / CFM / SIP / Functions
a.    Support information-sharing and discussions
b.    Contribute operational perspectives and lessons learned

Application    

I.    CV of the consultant demonstrating clearly relevant experience to the consultancy.

Requirement    

II.    Implementation plan for the consultancy specifying a breakdown of the sub-tasks that will be done to achieve the final deliverables.
III.    At least 3 references from previous relevant assignments. Only the contact information is requested indicating the name, position, email, agency and country.
IV.    Financial offer indicating the total cost of the consultancy.
    
Other information    

-    This consultancy will support the NRC Office in Yemen.
-    This consultancy does not require on-site presence and can be delivered remotely.
-    The consultant will have to fit his/her calendar for the Yemen time zone.
-    The language of this consultancy will be English including for all engagement as well as all final deliverables.