Consultancy - Stakeholder mapping of the Belgian (institutional & private sector) peacebuilding landscape

Search for Common Ground (Search) and International Peace Information Service (IPIS) are looking for a consultant to conduct a stakeholder mapping of the Belgian (institutional & private sector) peacebuilding landscape for their 5-year, DGD-funded programme 'United for Peace and Sustainable Development in Fragile and Conflict-affected Settings. 

Within this programme, both Search and IPIS will have to target advocacy activities towards specific audiences in the Belgium. This approach requires a solid understanding and knowledge of the different stakeholders present in this sphere, so that the necessary advocacy activities can be tailored to their specific profiles. This is especially relevant concerning institutional and private sector stakeholders. Therefore, a stakeholder mapping of the different policymakers and private sector actors that describes their objectives and mandates, their relationship and recommended points of entry, is required. 

Context

Search for Common Ground (Search)

Founded in 1982, Search for Common Ground is an international non profit organisation with operations in 30 conflict-affected countries across the globe, and headquarters in the USA and in Belgium. Our Belgium entity is an international AISBL with 30 staff based in our Brussels office and 1,000 colleagues across the globe, 90% of whom are locals from the places where we implement our peacebuilding work. As per our 2018-2028 strategy, Search for Common Ground is entering its expansion phase and is looking at increasingly influencing policy-makers in Belgium, Europe and across the world to make peacebuilding a credible option. 

International Peace Information Service (IPIS)

IPIS is an independent research institute that provides tailored information, analysis and capacity enhancement to support those actors who want to realise a vision of durable peace, sustainable development and the fulfilment of human rights. Throughout the years, IPIS has developed a geographic focus on sub-Saharan Africa and a thematic focus on natural resources, conflict motives of armed actors, business and human rights, and international arms transfers. Within this scope, IPIS strives to be a centre of excellence on field-based research.

The DGD programme

The United for Peace and Sustainable Development in Fragile and Conflict-affected settings (FCAS) joint programme, is a 5-year DGD-funded programme, implemented by Search and IPIS in Belgium, Burundi, DRC and Tanzania. Within the Belgian component, both organisations work together to achieve the following outcome: 

Policymakers, private sector actors and development stakeholders in Belgium, as well as key actors at the European, international and multilateral level apply policies and practices that:

1. support and regulate sustainable business practices;
2. mainstream conflict sensitivity and/or integrated peacebuilding to shape interventions that are conducive to durable peace and sustainable development in fragile and conflict-affected situations. 

The outcome contains 4 results, which focus on different target groups:

Result 1: Policymakers in Belgium, as well as targeted policy actors at the European, international, and multilateral level are better informed on and incentivised to apply sustainable business, conflict-sensitive, and/or peacebuilding policies and practices. 

Result 2: Private sector stakeholders in Belgium and selected OECD member countries in the natural resources, arms trade, and digital sector are better informed on and incentivised to apply sustainable business, conflict-sensitive, and/or peacebuilding policies and practices. 

Result 3: Targeted Belgian NGOs/CSOs and international networks have strengthened expertise and alliances to generate a higher impact on durable peace and sustainable development in FCAS. 

Result 4: The Belgian public better understands the importance of peacebuilding and sustainable business practices in FCAS. 

The outcome and results are achieved, among others, through (joint) evidence-based policy advocacy, capacity building, engagement in multi-stakeholder initiatives (MSI) and networks, learning and awareness-raising activities and media work. 

Stakeholder mapping of the Belgian peacebuilding landscape

In order for this programme to have its intended effect, both Search and IPIS will have to target their advocacy activities towards specific audiences in the Belgian, European and international, peacebuilding landscape. This approach requires a solid understanding and knowledge of the different stakeholders present in this sphere, so that the necessary advocacy activities can be tailored to their specific profiles. This is especially relevant for Search and IPIS for the results 1 and 2 with a focus on the Belgian landscape. Therefore, a stakeholder mapping of the different policymakers and private sector actors that describes their objectives and mandates, their relationship and recommended points of entry, is required. 

Goal and Objectives of the consultancy

The consultant will be expected to conduct a thorough stakeholder mapping of the Belgian peacebuilding landscape (taking into account the different competencies at the federal, Flemish, Wallonian and Brussels levels), focusing on the actors related to the DGD programme’s results 1 and 2:

1. Institutional policymakers that have the potential to have an influence on Belgium’s foreign affairs policies in conflict-affected countries (including, but not limited to DGD, DGM, DGB, Enabel, BIO, FIDO, Departement Kanselarij en Buitenlandse Zaken, WBI, etc.) and have a connection to:
   1. Natural resources management, climate change and conflict (i.e. extractive industries and the green transition) 
   2. Digitalisation and conflict
   3. Business and human rights 
   4. Peacebuilding
2. Private sector stakeholders (sectors, associations, networks) that have a specific connection to: 
   1. Digitalisation
   2. Natural resource management
3. Other key actors that have a high capacity/potential of influencing (1) and (2) (e.g. specific parliamentarians, MPs, commissions, study departments of political parties, organisations etc.).  

For each strategic stakeholder, the consultant will need to:

• Develop a short profile on their objectives/mandates/positioning;
• Develop a contact list;
• Explore the relationship between the stakeholders, possibly including a schematic visualisation;
• Recommendations on how Search and IPIS might be able to influence these actors in a relevant way (points of entry), including a timeline for the period 2022-2026 containing ongoing or upcoming processes /products /events /initiatives that could potentially be joined and/or influenced;

The final report should give Search and IPIS a better understanding of the main policy and private sector stakeholders in the Belgian landscape (related to the different topics outlined above) and provide recommendations on how to best approach these actors. This work should be done mainly through desk research and should provide Search and IPIS with a basis to build and further cultivate relationships with relevant stakeholders through direct contacts and interviews for the coming 5 years.

Key Deliverables

Search and IPIS expect the following deliverables from the consultant:

• Inception report outlining the methodology of the consultant (max. 5 pages).
• Draft stakeholder mapping report.
• Final stakeholder mapping report containing the elements mentioned above (profile on stakeholders, contact list, description and possible visualisation of relationships, recommended points of entry). Max. 15-20 pages. Ideally, the report should be structured in the following way:
  • Introductions
  • Methodology
  • Chapter 1: Policymakers
    • Sub-chapter 1: Natural resource management / environment and conflict
    • Sub-chapter 2: Digitalisation and conflict 
    • Sub-chapter 3: Business and human rights
    • Sub-chapter 4: Peacebuilding
  • Chapter 2: Private sector stakeholders 
    • Sub-chapter 1: Digitalisation
    • Sub-chapter 2: Natural resource management / environment
    • Sub-chapter 3: Business and human rights
  • Recommendations

Timeline

Activities	Expected output	Estimated deadline
Preparatory meetings	Inception report Presentation of methodology	May
Desk study		May-June
Presentation of findings to Search and IPIS + draft stakeholder mapping report		End of June
Final report	Final report	End of July

 

The consultant’s work will be conducted between May and July 2022. Deadline for the delivery of the final report will be at the end of July 2022 at the latest The inception report and final report should be submitted in English. An estimated budget of between 8.000 EUR - 10.000 EUR is foreseen for this work. 

Requirements

Minimum

• University level degree in Political Science, International Relations, Conflict Studies, Social Sciences, Communications, or related area and extensive relevant research experience.
• Strong knowledge and understanding of the various institutional and private sector actors within the Belgian development, humanitarian or peacebuilding sphere.
• Good understanding of advocacy strategies by NGOs/CSOs.
• Demonstrated experience in similar research capacity and in synthesis and preparation of strategic information for policy influencers. 
• Excellent research skills and fluency in written and spoken English AND French OR Dutch (with a good understanding of the other national language).

Desirable

• Expertise on peacebuilding, natural resource management/environment/extractive industries, digitalisation and conflict and/or business and human rights.
• Demonstrated experience in stakeholder mapping in Belgium.
• Advocacy experience at (inter)national level.
• Experience of working in a multicultural environment.

Applications

To apply, interested candidates are requested to submit the following:

• Curriculum vitae of 3 pages maximum;
• Narrative proposal highlighting the methodology of the stakeholder mapping (max. 5 pages), including a detailed budget in EUR.

Applications must be submitted via the online portal by the 13th of May 2022, 23:59 CET. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and we reserve the right to close the position before the deadline if a suitable candidate is identified.