TERMS OF REFERENCE for Consultancy to Conduct a ‘Gender Landscape Analysis of WASH programmes in Somaliland’

Action Aid International
Somaliland, Somalia
Consultancies

Job Description

A new consultant opportunity for a TERMS OF REFERENCE for Consultancy to Conduct a ‘Gender Landscape Analysis of WASH programmes in Somaliland’ has been announced by Action Aid International in Somaliland. This Consultancies sector position calls for a professional with 9 - 10 years of demonstrated expertise. Interested applicants should submit their applications before Jul, 06.

ACTIONAID INTERNATIONAL SOMALILAND

TERMS

OF

REFERENCE

CONTRACT

MODALITY

:

Individual

Consultancy (open to International and National consultants)

DURATION

OF

CONTRACT

4

months

Purpose

of

Assignment

The purpose of this consultancy is to undertake a comprehensive gender landscape analysis of the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) sector in

the four focus

districts of

Erigavo, Aynabo, El Afweyn and Burao in Somaliland.

The

analysis

will

identify

gender-related

gaps,

p

ower

dynamics,

inequalities,

barriers,

opportunities,

and systemic issues affecting WASH access, governance, participation, and outcomes. It will generate practical, evidence-based recommendations and tools to strengthen gender- transformative and inclusive WASH programming across the programme cycle.

To ensure analytical rigour and comparability, the analysis will be structured around UNICEF’s nine WASH GALA transformative principles: (1) Transforming Ourselves; (2) Transforming WASH Organisations; (3) Transforming WASH Systems; (4) Transforming WASH Services; (5) Transforming Safety; (6) Transforming Engagement of Men and Boys; (7) Transforming Agency of Women and Girls; (8) Transforming Partnerships; and (9) Transforming Data. Together these principles examine how gender dynamics shape WASH access, decision-making, safety, and outcomes — from individual attitudes and organisational practice through to systems, services, and gender-disaggregated data

Specific

objectives

1.

Use

UNICEF’s

global

gender

WASH

landscape

assessment

package

to

carry

out

an

assessment

in

the

four

districts

in

Somaliland.

2.

Assess

gender

and

gender

dynamics

shaping

WASH

access,

participation,

leadership,

and

decision

making

in

the project target districts.

3.

Analyze

how

gender

norms,

roles,

and

inequalities

affect

WASH

service

delivery,

management,

and sustainability, including in fragile contexts associated with recurrent climate induced disasters and clan induced conflicts.

4.

Identify

gaps

in

WASH

policies,

systems,

strategies,

and

programmes

in Somaliland

related

to

gender

equality

and

assess

how current frameworks support or hinder objectives.

5.

Assess

protection

and

GBV-related

risks

linked

to

WASH

access

and

facilities

and

propose

mitigation

measures.

6.

Provide

actionable

recommendations,

guidance,

and

practical

tools

to

integrate

gender

equality

across

design, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and accountability.

7.

Adapt, translate, and contextualize the global WASH GALA data collection tools — including key informant interview and focus group discussion guides, participatory activity guides, and consent/assent forms — into Somali and locally relevant terms, and pilot them before full deployment.

8.

Lead the WASH GALA scoring exercise, applying the assessment’s scoring framework to generate principle-level scores grounded in the evidence gathered, in collaboration with ActionAid and partners.

9.

Support the co-development of a gender- WASH action plan for the ASWA programme and strengthen the capacity of UNICEF and partner staff to apply gender-equitable approaches, translating findings into concrete, time-bound commitments

Scope

of

Work:

The

assessment

will

be

conducted

in

the

four

districts

in

Somaliland.

It

will

engage:

Government

relevant

Line

Ministries,

Departments

and Agencies

WASH

actors

(UN,

NGOs,

CSOs),

private

sector/service

providers

Community

members

and

leaders

(women,

men,

adolescent

girls/boys,

children)

Women’s

groups,

youth

groups,

minority

groups,

IDPs

and

displacement-hosting

communities

Persons

with

disabilities

and

organizations

of

persons

with

disabilities

WASH

committees

and

institutional

governance

structures

School

and

Health

facility

staff/management

committees

and

patients/caregivers.

All

respondent

groups

must

be

disaggregated

by

sex,

age,

and

disability.

The

consultant

will

be

responsible

for

successfully

completing

the

following

tasks

under

this

assignment:

Task

1:

Inception

and

design

Conduct

a

desk

review

of

relevant

policies,

frameworks,

project

documents,

and

prior

studies.

Map

stakeholders

and

respondent

groups

to

ensure

inclusive

representation.

Hold

inception

meetings

with

ActionAid Somaliland and WASH Cluster partners

to

confirm

expectations

and contextual dynamics.

Submit

an

inception

report

including

refined

methodology

and

analytical

framework;

sampling

plan;

tools; workplan/timeline; ethics and safeguarding measures.

Review all global WASH GALA tools and guidance thoroughly before commencing fieldwork and identify priority knowledge gaps for the assessment to address.

Complete the WASH GALA Stakeholder Mapping Template across all nine principles, paying particular attention to women’s organisations, disability networks, and community-based groups that may be under-represented in formal WASH stakeholder lists.

Complete the WASH GALA Directory of Referral Organisations for all field locations before data collection begins, verifying that listed services are operational and accepting referrals.

About Somaliland

Somaliland is a self-declared republic in the Horn of Africa with a relatively stable political environment and growing economy. Employment opportunities are concentrated in the main cities of Hargeisa, Burao, and Berbera, spanning government, NGOs, telecoms, and the private sector.

Ereyada Soomaaliga (Somali Keywords): La-talin • Shaqo Soomaaliya • La-talinta • Shaqo Cusub

Qualifications & Requirements

Education:

Master’s

D

egree

in

Gender

Studies,

Sociology,

Development

Studies,

WASH,

or

related

fields

Work

Experience:

ü

Minimum

10

years

of

consulting/professional

experience

on

gender

in

development

programmes.

ü

At

least

5–7

years

of

experience

conducting

gender

analyses

/

assessments

in

development

and/or humanitarian contexts.

ü

Demonstrable

experience

with

WASH

programming,

including

conducting

gender

responsive

WASH

assessments.

ü

Proven

experience

conducting

field

research

in

fragile,

complex,

or

conflict-affected

environments, including Somaliland.

ü

Strong

track

record

in

coordinating

and

managing

fieldwork

teams,

including

recruitment/training

of enumerators/facilitators, quality assurance, and safeguarding oversight.

ü

Strong

understanding

of:

ü

Gender equality

and

intersectionality

(e.g.,

how

gender

interacts

with

clan/minority

status,

disability,

age, displacement, livelihoods, etc.).

ü

WAS

H-related gender dynamics (e.g., decision- making power, menstrual health and hygiene, safety/GBV risks,

access

and

control

of

resources,

time

burden,

facilities

accessibility).

ü

Do

No

Harm

principles,

conflict sensitivity,

and

ethical

research

practices

(including

informed

consent,

confidentiality,

safeguarding,

and referral pathways where relevant).

ü

Demonstrated ability to design and implement robust qualitative research using participatory and empowering

methods

(e.g.,

FGDs,

KIIs,

safety

mapping,

mobility

mapping,

daily

activity

clocks,

participatory

ranking).

ü

Excellent

skills

in

qualitative

data

collection

and

analysis,

including

mixed-methods

triangulation

and synthesis into actionable recommendations

ü

Strong

communication,

analytical,

facilitation,

and

presentation

skills,

with

the

ability

to

engage

diverse stakeholders (communities, local authorities, implementing partners, donors)

ü

Excellent

report-writing

skills

(clear

structure,

evidence-

based

findings,

practical

recommendations,

and accessible visuals where needed).

ü

Ability

to

work

effectively

in

multi-cultural

teams

and

with

local

partners.

ü

Strong

organizational

skills,

with

the

ability

to

meet

deadlines,

manage

multiple

tasks,

and

work

with minimal supervision, including remote coordination with dispersed teams

ü

Strong

contextual

knowledge

of

Somaliland’s

gender,

political,

social,

and

conflict

landscape,

including

local

norms,

power

dynamics,

and

access

constraints.

ü

Practical

understanding

of

operating

safely

and

ethically

in

fragile/conflict-affected

settings.

Language

requirements:

Fluency

in

English

(spoken

and

written)

is

required

as

well

as

Somali

language (and other relevant local languages for the project context)

TENURE OF THE ASSIGNMENT

: The consultancy will be for a period of

60

days over 4 months non-continuous.

How to Apply

Application Process

Interested consultants are asked to provide a

written proposal (max. 5 pages),

including the proposed methodology, time schedule, financial offer. The CV of the consultant may be submitted as a separate document and should only contain relevant experience, not exceeding

5 pages

. Submission

deadline:

6th July 2026

, to these emails

admin.somaliland@actionaid.org" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">admin.somaliland@actionaid.org

. Questions can be submitted to the email –

joseph.madzvamuse@actionaid.org" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">joseph.madzvamuse@actionaid.org

.

Apply on

admin.somaliland@actionaid.org" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">admin.somaliland@actionaid.org

Apply at: admin.somaliland@actionaid.org" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">mailto:admin.somaliland@actionaid.org

Job Details

Posted: June 22, 2026
Organization: Action Aid International
Location: Somaliland, Somalia
Sector: Consultancies