The Regional Durable Solutions Secretariat (ReDSS is a member organisation comprised of 14 international and national NGOs responding to forced displacement in East Africa, the Horn of Africa and the Great Lakes regions. ReDSS was established in 2015 in response to a desire by the NGO community to be more proactive in shaping durable solutions policy and programming. ReDSS operates at both regional and country levels, focusing on translating evidence into policies and programmes that deliver meaningful outcomes 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 evidence generation through undertaking research and analysis; and building the capacity of key actors through delivering training and developing tools and guidance.
Background and purpose
ReDSS commissioned a Solutions Landscape Assessment (SLA) for Kenya in June 2025. The Assessment sought to critically analyse - through a political economy lens - the fundamental obstacles that limit the achievement of durable solutions for displaced persons in Kenya despite the progressive policy frameworks in place. The analysis aimed to generate actionable and contextually relevant recommendations to effectively bridge the persistent gap between policy and on-the-ground practice in Kenya's refugee response.
ReDSS engaged a consultant, who, in carrying out the SLA, employed a qualitative methodology that included desk review, key informant interviews (KIIs) with targeted stakeholders and focus group discussions (FGDs) with refugee communities in Dadaab and Kakuma/Kalobeyei. Through a structured review process, ReDSS identified an opportunity to further strengthen the draft report by deepening its political economy analysis and enhancing its articulation of the structural, institutional, and contextual dynamics shaping refugee socio-economic inclusion in Kenya. This is with a view to extrapolating recommendations, through a decision paper, that are positioned to effectively inform policy dialogue, influence sectoral thinking, and support evidence-based decision-making among key stakeholders.
In addition, the peer review consultant will be expected to develop a communications and advocacy plan drawing on the key findings of the SLA. The plan should provide a strategic framework for engaging relevant stakeholders and translating the report's evidence and recommendations into targeted advocacy and policy engagement efforts.
Objective of the consultancy
More specifically, the Peer Reviewer will evaluate the following key themes in their review of the available draft report as envisioned in the initial ToR for the assignment, where they are insufficiently captured or not analysed entirely.
In so doing, the reviewer will:
- Strengthen the political economy analysis of the draft report by reviewing and synthesising the evidence generated through the original assignment to provide a more robust understanding of the incentives, institutions, interests, and power dynamics shaping refugee socio-economic inclusion in Kenya.
- Refine and enhance the draft report by ensuring the political economy analytical framework is consistently applied throughout the analysis, strengthening the coherence of the findings, enriching the contextual analysis, and sharpening the strategic recommendations to support policy dialogue and sector-wide influence.
- Develop practical decision pathways by identifying and documenting actionable entry points, opportunities, and recommendations that government, development, humanitarian, and refugee-led stakeholders can use to address key political economy constraints and advance more inclusive and sustainable socio-economic inclusion outcomes.
- Develop a communications and advocacy plan that translates the report's key findings and recommendations into a strategic engagement framework, identifying target audiences, key messages, influencing opportunities, and dissemination approaches to maximise uptake and inform policy and practice across the refugee response sector.
Scope of work and methodology
The specific scope of work will be established between ReDSS and the Peer Reviewer during the inception phase. The consultant will undertake a comprehensive peer review and refinement of the draft SLA report, with the primary objective of strengthening its political economy analysis and positioning it as a strategic evidence product capable of informing policy dialogue, influencing sectoral discourse, and supporting decision-making on refugee socio-economic inclusion in Kenya
The Peer Reviewer will in consultation with ReDSS, undertake comprehensive editorial review and revision of the draft report to ensure that the final report is of good quality and responds to the original ToR. However, the peer reviewer is invited to propose refinements to the original ToR where their assessment of the evidence base, the analytical gaps, or the needs of the intended audience suggests that the original framing would benefit from sharpening, reframing or clarification.
In addition to refining the report, the consultant will develop practical decision pathways that identify strategic entry points for addressing key political economy constraints and advancing refugee socio-economic inclusion. The consultant will also prepare a communications and advocacy plan that translates the report's findings into an actionable influencing strategy, identifying target audiences, key messages, engagement opportunities, and dissemination approaches to maximise the report's uptake and influence among government, development, humanitarian, and refugee-led stakeholders.
Methodology
The consultant is expected to adopt a participatory and evidence-driven methodology combining:
- Comprehensive document and literature review;
- Political economy analysis informed by recognised analytical frameworks;
- Triangulation of qualitative evidence with secondary literature;
- Iterative review and feedback sessions with ReDSS throughout the assignment to ensure quality, relevance, and alignment with the intended policy and influencing objectives; and
- Dissemination workshop.
The final methodology will be agreed between the Peer Reviewer and ReDSS and should balance breadth of perspectives and the need for practical recommendations with time and resource considerations.
Deliverables, timeline and payment
The Consultant will be requested to submit the following deliverables and timelines
The total expected duration to complete the assignment will be no more than 30 official working days within a span of no more than 40 days and the starting date will be jointly discussed with the selected consultant(s).
Phase
Expected deliverables
Indicative description tasks
Timeline
Payment Tranche
Phase 1
Inception report
A short inception report, outlining the peer reviewer's assessment of the evidence base, the analytical gaps identified in the original draft, the sections identified for direct contribution, and the proposed approach to the engagement.
Days 1 – 3
Days 4 – 5: Review by ReDSS
30%
Phase 2
Review and Revision note
The note must identify, for each section what specific revision is required based on the gaps identified between the draft report and original ToR, particularly as it relates to the identified topics. The review note should include the peer reviewer's direct analytical contributions that include synthesised findings, strengthened political economy analysis and strategic framing of recommendations.
Days 5 – 10
Days 11-13: Review by ReDSS
40%
Phase 3
Presentation of Revised Report
A presentation of the revised report to be presented to ReDSS and other for feedback to inform the final report.
Phase 4
Final report
Final report summarizing SLA findings, including an executive summary, analysis of key stakeholders, and recommendations for a comprehensive engagement/advocacy strategy (draft advocacy strategy document).
Presentation of Decision Paper and Advocacy Plan
Days 14-16
30%
Phase 5
Uptake and dissemination plan
Facilitated uptake and dissemination of the report and plan
Days 17- 20
The Consultant will provide the documentationby email in both word and pdf format***.*** The Consultant will be expected to integrate comments from ReDSS and other key stakeholders in each phase.
Proposed Composition of Team
This consultancy is open to submissions by individuals or research teams. We expect the proposal to prominently feature locally led analysis, particularly emphasizing the lived experiences of refugee communities. 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.
Technical supervision
The selected consultant will work under the supervision of the ReDSS Kenya Manager with support from the Kenya Policy Coordinator*.*
Location and support
Submissions for this consultancy are open to bids for remote work or work with team members based in the East, Horn of Africa and Great Lakes Member States. Ideally the (lead) consultant will be based in Kenya.
The Consultant(s) will provide her/his/their own computer and mobile telephone.
Travel
This consultancy is not expected to include travel.
Eligibility, qualification, and experience required
The consultant(s) should possess the following qualifications:
- Advanced degree in Social Sciences, Political Affairs, International Relations, Development Studies or a related field;
- Proven experience (at least 8 years) in conducting political economy analyses, particularly to inform responses to displacement, migration or refugee issues;
- Strong understanding of political dynamics in the East, Horn of Africa and Great Lakes region and experience engaging political actors;
- Demonstrated ability to engage with governmental and civil society actors in the East, Horn of Africa and Great Lakes region, including on sensitive topics;
- Knowledge of displacement and migration dynamics in the East, Horn of Africa and Great Lakes region is a strong added advantage;
- Excellent analytical, writing and communication skills;
- Fluency in English and/or Swahili (spoken and written).