Refugee-Led Organizations Mapping Assessment in Addis Ababa – RFP-RO01-004102 Full Time NEW

Terms of Reference (TOR) for Refugee-Led Organizations Mapping Assessment in Addis Ababa

1. Who is the Regional Durable Solutions Secretariat?

ReDSS is a secretariat working on behalf of 14 international and national NGOs working on forced displacement in East Africa, the Horn of Africa and the Great Lakes region. We were established in 2015 in response to a desire by the NGO community to be more proactive in shaping durable solutions policy and programming in the region. Our team works both at regional and country level and focusses on the translation of evidence and research into policies and programmes that can better deliver for displacement-affected communities. We do this through a range of activities, including: convening key stakeholders at multiple levels to produce consensus around collective actions that can be taken; supporting new evidence generation through commissioning and undertaking research and analysis; and building the capacity of key actors through delivering training and developing tools and guidance. We do not implement programmes directly, and by maintaining this distance are better able to play a neutral role across the system.

2. Purpose of the consultancy
Ethiopia is both a host and source of a significant number of forcibly displaced people. Regarding this, there have been several legal and institutional efforts being undertaken by the Ethiopian government alongside other concerned stakeholders across the country. While recognizing these, wedged in between implementation gaps, one finds the pressing predicament of urban refugees in Addis Ababa. Against this backdrop, ReDSS, under its current Conrad N. Hilton Foundation Project, aims to address this critical gap via Refugee-led Organizations (RLOs) operating within the city who are emerging as key first responders and service providers to these vulnerable communities. As such, the project, by enhancing the former’s capacity as well as competency, will contribute to strengthening their strategic positioning to effectively and adequately serve the needs of the latter as well as to advocate for their rights within and across key policy and decision-making platforms for the realization of durable solutions in the context of urban refugees in Ethiopia.

3. Background
Ethiopia is both a source and host of significant forced displacement, with over one million refugees and asylum seekers, primarily from Eritrea, Somalia, South Sudan, and Sudan, alongside newer arrivals from Somaliland and Yemen. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported
that as of July 2025, there were 1,094,380 refugees and asylum-seekers. While most refugees remain in camps across six hosting regions, Addis Ababa has become the main urban destination, hosting refugees of diverse nationalities, with actual numbers likely higher. According to the UNHCR August 2025 data, the registered urban refugee population in Addis Ababa is estimated to be 70,000.
The Ethiopian government has demonstrated progressive policy commitments through the 2019 Refugee Proclamation (No. 1110/2019), directives on the right to work and residence, the revision of the Right to Work Directive in 2024 (No.1019/2024), and the launch of the Makatet Roadmap in 2025, all aimed at integrating refugees into national systems. Ethiopia has also reinforced its pledges at the 2019 and 2023 Global Refugee Forums, emphasizing refugee self-reliance, urban integration, and the transformation of camps into settlements.
Despite these advancements, significant implementation gaps remain, particularly for urban refugees in Addis Ababa. They face structural barriers, uneven access to rights and services, and limited participation in decision-making processes. Refugee-Led Organizations (RLOs) have emerged as vital actors, providing first-response support, protection against harassment, and community-based assistance. However, most remain informal, under-resourced, and excluded from structured engagement in policy and programming processes.
Recognizing this, ReDSS, with funding from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, is implementing an 18-month project (July 2025–December 2026) to strengthen the role of RLOs in Ethiopia’s urban refugee response. A core entry point is a comprehensive and nuanced understanding of the RLO landscape in Addis Ababa, enabling structured engagement, targeted capacity strengthening, and multi-stakeholder dialogue.

4. Objective of the consultancy
Considering the overarching purpose of the Hilton Foundation Project, the current TOR aims to address the following key objectives:
1. Generate an up-to-date mapping of formal, informal, and emerging RLOs in Addis Ababa, analyzing their structures, operational models, achievements, challenges, and contribution to refugee protection and assistance.
2. Draw on and complement existing research, particularly by RefugePoint, the Refugee Self-Reliance Initiative (RSRI), LERRN, UNHCR Ethiopia, and the Refugee and Returnee Service (RRS), to avoid duplication and ensure alignment.
3. Identify structural, institutional, and operational gaps that limit the ability of RLOs to meaningfully participate in policy processes, coordination forums, and service delivery.
4. Provide recommendations to inform the development of an RLO engagement strategy and guide strategic approaches for capacity strengthening, policy influence, and multi-stakeholder collaboration.
5. Catalyze dialogue by using the findings as a platform to foster shared understanding and strengthen trust between RLOs, government entities, UN agencies, NGOs, and donors.

5. Scope of work and Methodology
The consultant assigned with the assignment is expected to:
• Review existing policy, legal, and programmatic frameworks relevant to RLOs and urban refugees in Ethiopia.
• Map RLOs in Addis Ababa, identifying their profiles, membership, focus areas, governance structures, operating models, partnerships, achievements, and constraints.
• Assess the enabling and constraining environment for RLOs, including legal recognition, access to resources, and inclusion in coordination structures.
• Analyze RLOs’ relationships with other actors (government, UN agencies, NGOs, civil society, and community-based structures).
• Document examples of promising practices, lessons learned, and innovative approaches by RLOs.
• Contribute data-informed engagement strategy and policy brief documents that will help to solicit RLO capacity-building, policy influence, meaningful dialogue and multi-stakeholder collaboration.
• Facilitate consultations with key stakeholders to validate findings and co-develop actionable recommendations.
The assessment will adopt a primarily qualitative approach, ensuring participatory and inclusive engagement:
• Document Review: Review legal frameworks, government directives, organizational reports, research studies, and prior assessments.
• Key Informant Interviews (KIIs): Conduct semi-structured interviews with government actors (RRS, ACSO, Addis Ababa City Administration), UNHCR, NGOs, RLOs, and relevant researchers.
• Focus Group Discussions (FGDs): Engage diverse refugee groups, RLO members, and the Refugee Central Committee to capture perspectives and experiences.
• Validation Workshops: Convene stakeholders to review and refine findings, ensuring ownership and practical applicability.

6. Deliverables
The Consultant will be requested to submit the following deliverables:

Phase 1: Review

Expected deliverables: Inception Report

Indicative description tasks: Detailing methodology, tools, workplan, and stakeholder engagement approach.

Maximum expected timeframe: Late November

Phase 2 Data Collection and Analysis

Expected deliverables: RLO Mapping Report

Indicative description tasks: Comprehensive analysis of RLOs in Addis Ababa, including profiles, operational modalities, challenges, opportunities, and recommendations

Maximum expected timeframe: Nov-December

Phase 3 Strategic Document Preparation and Review I

Expected deliverables: Stakeholder–RLO Engagement Strategy

Indicative description tasks: A practical blueprint to guide collaboration between RLOs, government, UN agencies, and NGOs, ensuring structured engagement and policy influence.

Maximum expected timeframe: Within the first 20 days of January

Phase 4 Strategic Document Preparation and review II

Expected deliverables: Policy Briefs

Indicative description tasks: 4 Short, accessible briefs synthesizing key findings and recommendations from the assessment, workshops, and trainings.

Maximum expected timeframe: January- February 2026

Phase 5 Stakeholder Engagement

Expected deliverables: Trainings and Workshops

Indicative description tasks: Facilitation of validation workshops, targeted RLO capacity-building sessions, and multi-stakeholder convenings to strengthen collaboration and the community of practice (COP)

Maximum expected timeframe: Mid-January- February 2026

Phase 6 Conclusion

Expected deliverables: Dissemination

Indicative description tasks: In-person stakeholder conveying will be utilized as a strategic dissemination platform, parallel to other modalities.

Maximum expected timeframe: TBD

The Consultant will provide the documents by email in both word and pdf format. The Consultant will be expected to integrate comments from ReDSS and other key stakeholders in each phase.

7. Duration, timeline, and payment
The assignment should be completed within a total of 70 consultancy days between Late-November 2025 and March 2026.
Payment of 30% of the agreed fee shall be provided upon submission of an inception report with the remaining 70% provided upon successful completion of the deliverables.

8. Proposed Composition of Team
This consultancy is open to registered individual consultants or firms/research teams. ReDSS expects the proposal to prominently feature locally led analysis, particularly emphasizing the lived experiences of urban refugee communities in Addis Ababa city. This can be achieved either through the expertise of the consultant or team, targeted partnership or collaboration, or other specific design approaches to effectively integrate these perspectives in the process and conclusions.

9. Eligibility, qualification, and experience required
The consultant(s) should possess the following qualifications:
• Advanced degree (MA or equivalent) in Social Sciences, Development Studies, Human Rights, Political Science, Law, International Relations, or related fields.
• At least 7 years’ experience conducting research and assessments in forced displacement contexts.
• Proven track record in participatory research, stakeholder facilitation, and strategy development.
• Strong knowledge of the refugee context in Ethiopia, particularly urban refugee dynamics in Addis Ababa.
• Demonstrated expertise in durable solutions, localization, and/or organizational capacity strengthening.
• Excellent analytical and writing skills, with the ability to produce accessible, high-quality reports.
• Fluency in English (written and spoken); knowledge of Somali, Tigrinya, or Arabic is a strong advantage.

10. Technical supervision
The selected consultant will work under the supervision of:
• ReDSS Ethiopia Country Manager
• ReDSS Ethiopia Policy and Learning Coordinator

11. Location and support
Submissions for this consultancy are open to bids for remote work or work with team members based in Ethiopia. Ideally, the (lead) consultant will be based in Addis Ababa.

12. Travel
This consultancy is not expected to include travel outside of Addis Ababa city. Travel within Addis Ababa will be agreed beforehand with ReDSS and costs covered by DRC.

13. Submission process
Interested registered individual consultants/firms that meet the requirements should send both their proposal and other required documents as stipulated in the RFP Invitation Letter submission guidelines to the email address [email protected]

Please indicate “RLO Mapping Assessment – RFP-RO01-004102” in the subject line of your email application.

14. Evaluation of bids
Please refer to the RFP Invitation Letter

15. TERMS & CONDITIONS
DRC will evaluate proposals and award the assignment based on technical and financial feasibility in line with DRC Procurement guidelines. DRC reserves the right to accept or reject any proposal received without disclosing reasons to applicants and is not bound to accept the lowest bidder.

16. CONFIDENTIALITY
All information presented, obtained, and produced is to be treated as DRC’s property and is considered confidential for all other purposes than what is outlined in these terms of reference.

17. Additional information
For additional information regarding these terms of reference, please send your questions to Regional Supply Chain Manager: [email protected]

Please find complete bidding documents in the following link: RFP-RO01-004102 RLO Mapping Assessment Consultancy

Tagged as: Danish Refugee Council, Ethiopia