The Other Foundation
Call for Proposals to Conduct a National Attitudinal Survey in Lesotho
Background
The Other Foundation is an African trust that advances equality and freedom in Southern Africa, with a particular focus on sexual orientation and gender identity. It gathers support to defend and advance the human rights and social inclusion of homosexual and bisexual women and men, as well as transgender and intersex people in Southern Africa. It supports groups in a strategic way that enables them to work effectively for lasting change, recognising the particular dynamics of race, poverty and inequality, sex, national origin, heritage, and politics in the region.
In 2015, the Other Foundation commissioned the first-ever nationally representative survey on social attitudes towards LGBTI people in South Africa. Conducted by the Human Sciences Research Council, the study culminated in the publication of Progressive Prudes, a landmark report that helped shape public debate and policy engagement on LGBTI inclusion. Since then, the Foundation has significantly expanded this body of work to other countries in the region, supporting national attitudinal studies in Malawi, Botswana, Eswatini, and Mauritius, in addition to a new round of data collection in South Africa.
The Foundation now seeks to extend this evidence-building agenda to additional countries in Southern Africa, namely Lesotho, Angola, and Namibia. The purpose of this work is to generate reliable, context-specific evidence on public attitudes, social norms, and behaviours relating to LGBTI people, and to better understand the conditions under which inclusion can be advanced. The research should be useful not only as a technical exercise, but also as a practical tool for advocacy, public communication, alliance-building, policy engagement, and movement strategy.
Objectives
The Other Foundation invites proposals from suitably qualified research teams to conduct a comprehensive and statistically representative survey and analysis of public attitudes towards, understanding of, and experiences of homosexuality and gender diversity in Lesotho.
Scope of Work
In close collaboration with the Other Foundation and a national reference group, the selected research team is expected to:
- Submit a proposed methodology and work plan with a clear implementation schedule, aligned with the approach used in previous public opinion surveys in South Africa, Malawi, Eswatini, Botswana, and Mauritius.
- Work closely with a national reference group composed of activists, academics, and other stakeholders to ensure a participatory approach. This group will advise on survey design, key questions, implementation, and the interpretation of results.
- Prepare a comprehensive questionnaire, adapting an existing instrument provided by the Other Foundation to ensure comparability with other countries while incorporating emerging themes relevant to the context of Lesotho.
- Obtain ethical clearance from the appropriate authority in Lesotho, where required.
- Identify, train, and supervise fieldworkers with experience in conducting sensitive social research, especially related to LGBTI topics.
- Administer the survey nationally, ensuring quality control mechanisms throughout fieldwork and data collection.
- Put in place a safety and security plan to uphold ethical standards, ensure participant privacy and data protection, and safeguard the wellbeing of fieldworkers and participants.
- Provide a clean, complete dataset using appropriate software, with anonymised responses.
- Deliver a comprehensive analytical report of the results, highlighting trends and analysing the correlation between social attitudes and specific socio-demographic indicators (location, economic status, age, ethnicity, religious background, gender, etc.).
Qualifications and Experience Required
Research teams must:
- Demonstrate extensive experience in designing and implementing large-scale social surveys in Lesotho or the region.
- Have specific experience with surveys on sensitive social topics, including LGBTI-related issues.
- Show familiarity with ethical considerations, statistical methods, and rigorous quality control in attitudinal research.
- Be proficient in using statistical analysis software (e.g. SPSS, R, Stata).
- Have worked with civil society and/or LGBTI movements in Lesotho.
- Include a Project Manager with experience in survey research and a postgraduate degree.
- Include a National Coordinator with experience in managing fieldwork logistics.
- Include a Data Analyst with experience working with attitudinal survey data and comparative analysis.
- Ensure that all trainers and supervisors demonstrate creativity, competence, and sensitivity in delivering fieldwork training.
Deliverables
Deliverable 1: Methodology and Work Plan
- Detailed research plan and timeline.
- Methodological framework aligned with previous research commissioned by the Other Foundation, allowing for comparison while reflecting the specificities of the national context and best practices in LGBTI research.
Deliverable 2: Survey Instruments and Ethics Approval
- Final questionnaire approved by the national reference group.
- Sampling frame and data collection mapping.
- Final training manual for fieldworkers.
- Proof of ethical clearance issued by the relevant authorities. Where appropriate, submission of an official letter explaining why ethical clearance is not required.
Deliverable 3: Fieldwork and Data Collection
- Training of research supervisors and fieldworkers.
- Clean database of completed surveys (Excel, SPSS, etc.).
- Documentation of quality control measures.
Deliverable 4: Final Reports
- Technical report summarising fieldwork, successes, and challenges.
- A 30–40 page analytical report analysing the data, including trends and correlations between social attitudes and socio-demographic indicators.
- Full anonymised dataset and metadata (Excel, SPSS, etc.).
Conditions of the Consultancy
- Location: Applicants may be based anywhere in Southern Africa but must be able to implement the research in Lesotho.
- Timeline: August 2026 – February 2027.
- Payment: Payments will be linked to the timely and satisfactory delivery of key milestones.
Reporting
The research team will report directly to the Research Officer of the Other Foundation and will coordinate closely with the national reference group throughout all stages of the project.
Submission Process and Timeline
- Deadline for submissions: Friday, 07 August 2026 at 17:00 SAST.
- Notification of outcome: Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their submission within 10 days after the proposal submission deadline.
- Proposal requirements: Submit a detailed proposal including:
- Methodology
- Budget
- Timeline
- Team composition and qualifications
- Relevant experience
- Contract value: Proposed budgets should not exceed R1.5 million (one and a half million South African rand), inclusive of all applicable costs and taxes.
How to Apply
Submit proposals by email to:
Caio de Araújo
Email: [email protected]
Subject Line: Proposal for Lesotho National Attitudinal Survey