TERMS OF REFERENCE (ToRs): Development of a Policy Framework for Gender-Sensitive and Youth-Inclusive Community Conflict Resolution and Strategic Negotiation Mechanisms
1. Background and Context
Communities continue to experience social, political, economic, and resource-based conflicts that disproportionately affect women and youth. While women and young people are often most impacted by conflict, they remain underrepresented in mediation, negotiation, and decision-making processes.
A structured policy framework is required to:
- Institutionalize gender-sensitive and youth-inclusive conflict resolution mechanisms
- Promote meaningful participation of women and youth in strategic negotiations
- Strengthen local governance and community peace architecture
- Align with international commitments and national legal frameworks or policies such as:
- UNSCR 1325 (Women, Peace and Security)
- UNSCR 2250 (Youth, Peace and Security)
- SDG 5 (Gender Equality)
- SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions)
- NSDP II extended; Key Priority Area 4
- Relevant local legal frameworks
This Terms of Reference guides the development of a comprehensive, participatory, and actionable policy framework.
2. Overall Objective
To develop a comprehensive, gender-responsive, and youth-inclusive policy framework that strengthens community-based conflict resolution systems and institutionalizes strategic negotiation mechanisms at local and district levels.
3. Specific Objectives
- Conduct a situational analysis of existing conflict resolution and negotiation structures.
- Identify barriers limiting women’s and youth participation in peace processes.
- Develop principles, standards, and operational guidelines for inclusive mediation and negotiation aligning with existing progressive cultural conflict resolution practices.
- Establish institutional coordination mechanisms.
- Design monitoring, evaluation, and accountability frameworks.
- Provide implementation and capacity-building guidelines.
4. Scope of Work
- The assignment shall include the following components aligned with international commitments and national legal frameworks or policies such as:
- UNSCR 1325 (Women, Peace and Security)
- UNSCR 2250 (Youth, Peace and Security)
- SDG 5 (Gender Equality)
- SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions)
- NSDP II extended; Key Priority Area 4
- Relevant local legal frameworks
4.1 Situational and Institutional Analysis
- Review existing policies, laws, and traditional mechanisms related to conflict resolution
- Identify barriers limiting women’s and youth participation in peace processes
- Map formal and informal dispute resolution actors
- Conduct gender and youth participation gap analysis
- Identify power dynamics and structural inequalities
4.2 Stakeholder Consultations
- Community leaders and traditional authorities
- Women-led organizations
- Youth networks and groups
- Civil society organizations
- Relevant line ministries
- Local government structures
- Security sector representatives
- Faith-based institutions
- Consultations must intentionally target the following groups:
- Women
- Youth
- The marginalized groups; women and youth with disabilities, gender minorities
5. Key Components of the Policy Framework
The policy framework must include the following sections:
5.1 Guiding Principles
- Gender equality, equity and non-discrimination
- Gender mainstreaming
- Youth empowerment and leadership
- Do no harm principle
- Intersectionality
- Participation and inclusivity
- Accountability and transparency
- Cultural sensitivity with rights-based safeguards
5.2 Institutional Framework
The framework shall define:
- Roles and responsibilities of relevant line ministries
- Role of traditional leadership
- Role of Faith-based Organisations
- Community Peace Committees structure
- Women and Youth Peace Councils
- Inter-agency coordination mechanisms
- Referral systems for complex disputes
5.3 Gender-Sensitive Conflict Resolution Mechanisms
The framework must:
- Mandate gender- inclusive mediation processes
- Strengthen quotas for women in negotiation teams
- Provide survivor-centred approaches for GBV-related disputes
- Ensure confidentiality and protection protocols
- Integrate trauma-informed mediation practices
5.4 Youth-Inclusive Mechanisms
The framework must:
- Institutionalize youth mediation committees
- Strengthen youth leadership in community peacebuilding
- Provide intergenerational dialogue platforms
- Integrate digital mediation and early warning systems
- Offer capacity-building in negotiation, mediation and dialogue skills
5.5 Strategic Negotiation Architecture
The policy framework shall outline:
- Structured negotiation processes
- Stakeholder engagement protocols
- Pre and post negotiation assessment tools
- Power analysis frameworks
- Documentation and agreement validation procedures
- Escalation and arbitration pathways
5.6 Capacity Building Guidelines
- Gender-responsive mediation, reconciliation and re-integration training modules
- Youth-inclusive leadership, negotiation, mediation, reconciliation and re-integration training modules
- Community awareness campaigns on conflict resolution, mediation, reconciliation and re-integration.
- Mentorship programs
- Training-of-trainers model
5.7 Risk Management and Safeguarding
- Protection against retaliation
- Safe reporting channels
- Conflict sensitivity analysis
- Political neutrality safeguards
- Prevention of elite capture
5.8 Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Framework
The framework shall include:
- Gender, age, geographical, vulnerability (disability, gender minority)-disaggregated indicators
- Youth participation indicators
- Peace perception surveys
- Conflict recurrence tracking
- Annual policy review mechanisms
- Community scorecards
6. Methodology
The Consultant shall adopt:
- Participatory action research
- Gender analysis tools
- Youth engagement methodologies
- Desk review of existing frameworks
- Key informant interviews
- Focus group discussions
- Policy drafting workshops
- Validation workshops
7. Deliverables
- Inception Report (work plan and methodology)
- Situational Analysis Report
- Draft Policy Framework
- Validation Workshop Report
- Final Policy Framework (incorporating feedback)
- Implementation Roadmap (3 years)
- Monitoring and Evaluation Matrix
8. Timeline
The assignment is expected to be completed within 8-10 weeks, structured as:
- Weeks 1–2: Inception phase
- Weeks 3–4: Research and consultations
- Weeks 5–6: Drafting
- Weeks 7: Validation
- Weeks 8: Finalization
9. Governance and Reporting
The consultant will report administratively and technically to Lesotho Council of NGOs
The consultant will submit regular written progress reports and participate in coordination and review meetings as required. All deliverables will be subject to joint review and approval by the Technical Working Group
LCN will serve as the civil society coordinating partner, facilitating engagement with NGOs, community-based organizations, faith-based actors, women’s and youth networks, and traditional leadership structures.
10. Required Expertise
Minimum educational requirements; Master’s degree in:
- Law
- Gender Studies,
- Mediation and strategic negotiation
- Policy drafting and governance reform
- Conflict analysis and peacebuilding
- Public Policy
- or any related studies especially Women, Peace and Security
At least 5 years of demonstrated experience in policy development and conflict resolution is required for the consultant.
11. Ethical Considerations
- Informed consent for all participants
- Confidentiality and data protection
- Safeguarding vulnerable populations
- Conflict-sensitive data handling
12. Interested consultants are required to submit the following on or before the 18th of May 2026 to [email protected], with the subject “Policy Framework Consultancy Application”:
- A technical proposal demonstrating understanding of the assignment, detailed methodology, stakeholder engagement approach, workplan, and risk mitigation measures
- A financial proposal (LSL) with a clear budget breakdown and justification, inclusive of professional fees and reimbursable costs
- Updated curriculum vitae
- At least two samples of similar assignments (national strategies, action plans, or peacebuilding frameworks)
- A signed declaration of availability, impartiality, and absence of conflict of interest
- Proposals must demonstrate commitment to LCN’s principles of transparency, accountability, value for money, gender equality, human rights, and conflict sensitivity.
13. Evaluation Criteria
- Applications will be evaluated in accordance with donor procurement standards using the following criteria:
- Technical approach, methodology, and workplan (40%)
- Relevant experience and qualifications of the consultant (30%)
- Demonstrated understanding of Lesotho’s peace, security, and governance context (20%)
- Cost-effectiveness and value for money (10%)
Only shortlisted candidates may be invited for interviews or presentations.