Purpose of consultancy:

Background

According to the United Nations, youth constitute 16 percent of the total world population. This implies that the youth population is a notable group of the global population that is subject to the impact of different global events, including conflicts. The positive role of youth in resolving conflicts and contributing to peace processes has often been overlooked, regardless of their crucial role in ending conflict and establishing peace. However, this positive role was cultivated globally for the first time in the Amman Youth Declaration on youth and peacebuilding, which was later adopted by 400 youth delegates that attended the Global Forum on Youth, Peace and Security in 2015. The Global Youth Forum was followed by the adoption of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2250 (UNSC2250) on the Youth, Peace and Security Agenda that urges Member States to ensure the participation of young people in decision-making processes and to consider the establishment of mechanisms that allow young people to actively participate in peace processes, which was followed by the adoption of UNSCR2419 and UNSCR2535. At the level of the Arab region, various initiatives have been done to enhance the implementation of UNSC2250, last of which was the development of the Regional Arab Strategy on Youth, Peace and Security for the years 2023-2028.

Lebanese Youth

At the Lebanese national level, the positive role of youth in different sectors has been acknowledged in different instances, though not systematically. This was demonstrated by the approval of the Lebanese Council of Ministers of the National Youth Policy in 2012. This policy includes 137 policy recommendations that have been adopted by the Lebanese government with the aim of improving the lives of young people between the ages of 15 and 29. The full implementation of the policy was obstructed by the absence of adequate funding, relevant laws, and a concrete action plan. These challenges necessitated the development of the National Youth Policy Action Plan in 2017 through a partnership between the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MoYS), UNFPA, and UNICEF culminated through the finalization and endorsement of the action plan in 2022 with patronage of Prime Minister Najib Mikati. The National Youth Policy Action Plan consists of five main policy sectors, including Social Inclusion and Political Participation. The Action Plan proposes interventions in these five policy sectors to strengthen the participation of youth and to overcome their challenges within these sectors and identifies the key stakeholders for implementing these interventions.

 In response to these challenges, the National Youth Policy Action Plan (NYPAP), under Sector 3 on Social Inclusion and Political Participation, and Outcome C on Enhancing the Ability of the Youth to Participate in Decision-making and Supporting Youth Volunteering, has listed the development of a national strategy for youth, peace, and security in line with UNSCR2250 as one of the key interventions to enhance the political and civic engagement of young people. The implementation of this intervention in the Social Inclusion and Political Participation sector is vital in view of the current status of youth participation in the political sphere and their level of involvement in the decision-making processes in Lebanon.

In parallel, MoYS has expressed its willingness and support to provide overall guidance and co-leadership for the development of an action plan on YPS aligned with the national action plan of the youth policy in view of the continuously changing and challenging context in Lebanon affecting youth among other.

Moreover, the Youth and Sports Parliamentary Committee would be engaged in the development of the Action Plan as the leading legislative entity on the issues of youth in Lebanon.     

In response to this pressing need, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Lebanon, in partnership with the Ministry of Youth and Sports and UNICEF, aims at developing a National Action Plan (NAP) for the Youth, Peace and Security Agenda in Lebanon. The Action Plan would contextualize the Youth, Peace, and Security Agenda to the national strategic framework in Lebanon, while taking into account the challenges and opportunities to advance the rights of youth in the political realm.

The National Action Plan will also suggest an oversight mechanism of its implementation through the formation a youth coalition, body, structure to ensure the representation and systematic engagement of youth in YPS-related processes and activities.

As such, UNFPA CO seeks to engage a consultant to support the development of the Youth, Peace, and Security Action Plan in Lebanon.

Scope of work:

(Description of services, activities, or outputs)

The scope and focus of the assignment are to provide technical, strategic and facilitation support for the development of the 3-year Action Plan on Youth, Peace and Security, which would be aligned with the timeline of the NYPAP (2022-2024) and its expected extension.

The scope of work for the Consultancy will include, but will not be limited to:

1. Hold an inception meeting with the Ministry of Youth and Sports and UNFPA Lebanon (and possible other relevant UN agencies) to ensure the clear understanding of the Terms of Reference and the mentioned deliverables.
2. Develop an inception report consisting of a workplan, timeline, and methodology to conduct the milestones and submit key deliverables.
3. Review the relevant legislations, policies, as well as regional/national strategies related to youth, politics, security, and peace, etc. and assess relevance for the engagement/inclusion of youth in decision and peacemaking.
4. Explore the current implemented programs by different stakeholders on youth empowerment in Lebanon, in general, and youth participation in politics, peacemaking, in specific.
5. Propose a methodology for consultation and develop relevant data collection tool(s) to be used with relevant stakeholders, especially youth groups and networks (I.e. Focus Group Discussions, online surveys).
6. Hold consultations with the Ministry of Youth and Sports and youth parliamentary committee, in addition to other relevant governmental entities/stakeholders engaged in youth issues, and peace and security issues (relevant ministries, governmental institutions, parliamentary committees, etc.)
7. Hold consultations with non-governmental entities/stakeholders with a special focus on civil society organizations that work on youth issues, youth groups and networks, student unions, and other local structures engaged with youth initiatives and peace and security initiatives (UN agencies, CSOs, donor agencies, etc.) to understand current challenges, ongoing efforts, and proposed interventions/priorities to strengthen youth’s involvement in politics, decision making and peace and security in Lebanon. Consulted entities and stakeholders can be suggested by MoYS, UNFPA, UNICEF, and the team of consultants.
8. Develop an action plan with a set of priorities under each of the 5 pillars (mentioned earlier). The framework should include a clear description of the role of relevant stakeholders who are involved in the implementation of the expected outcomes.
9. Contribute to the validation meeting for all relevant stakeholders and document the different views and perceptions.
10. Suggest and assist in the implementation of a national youth structure, body, or any other suggested modality to support with the oversight of implementation of the Action Plan and the systematic engagement of youth in peace and security processes, activities, and policies.
11. Finalize the action plan based on input by UNFPA, MOYS, participating entities in validation meeting.

Duration working schedule:

 July 10 to October 10 (30 working days)

Place where services are to be delivered:

Beirut, Lebanon

Monitoring and progress control, including reporting requirements, periodicity format and deadline:

- Under the direct supervision of UNFPA Lebanon Head of Office, the consultant will work closely with assigned office and MoYS focal points.

- Adhere to UNFPA M&E requirements.

Supervisory arrangements:

The consultant will work under the direct supervision of UNFPA Lebanon Head of Office

Expected travel:

N/A

Required expertise, qualifications and competencies, including language requirements:

The Consultant should fulfil the following requirements:

Education:

• The consultant should possess a Master’s degree in a relevant field in the area of public policy, social sciences, human rights, development studies, planning, or any other related area.

Experience:

• • At least 7 years of professional experience in the field of public policy development, and planning
  • Experience in management, programming and coordination development, and related  work
  • Strong knowledge of the Lebanese context and youth in particular
  • Good knowledge of the Youth, Peace and Security Agenda and other global/regional conventions related to youth empowerment
  • Excellent written and oral communications skills in Arabic and English
  • Excellent interpersonal and professional skills in interacting with government and other development partners
  • Demonstrated Skills in the facilitation of stakeholder meetings and workshops
  • Current/Previous experience in undertaking similar assignments
  • Current/Previous experience in working with governmental and public institutions

Language and other skills: Proficiency in oral and written Arabic and English.

Inputs / services to be provided by UNFPA or implementing partner (e.g support services, office space, equipment), if applicable:

- Provide all available relevant documents and reports

- Feedback on the first draft of the national action plan