Vacancy for

Regional Consultant

AN INTRODUCTION TO KAICIID:

The International Dialogue Centre (KAICIID) is an intergovernmental organisation founded to promote dialogue among followers of different religions and cultures worldwide. KAICIID is implementing its interventions at both the global and regional/national levels. The Centre’s programmes are focused on Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Arab region. In these regions, the Centre aims to foster cooperation that is essential to building effective, long-term solutions to global challenges. We have trained thousands of actors worldwide to use dialogue as a tool to promote religious pluralism, uphold human rights, provide a voice for vulnerable groups, counter hate speech, protect sacred sites, foster interreligious education, and build cohesive, inclusive communities. We have contributed to building local platforms and harnessed their power, which has the trust and expertise to contribute to a positive, sustainable change. 

The Centre brings together religious leaders, policy makers, faith actors, civil society organizations and actors, and decision-makers to find constructive ways to address these issues of common interest through dialogue. Our work respects and values the differences between faiths and cultures and further promotes the idea that we share a common humanity and a collective demand to address these issues. 

The overall objective is to conduct a range of initiatives in the form of roundtables, expert meetings, and consultations at national and regional levels, which is envisioned to result in a set of recommendations to achieve greater impact in the region. In addition, this exercise is expected to help the Arab Region Programme in KAICIID better understand how other organisations and partners in the region are contributing through policy work to promote social cohesion peacebuilding and Intercultural Dialogue (ICD) and how the Centre, through Interreligious Dialogue (IRD), could complement their work and fill potential gaps through better partnerships with the relevant regional/national institutions, bodies, and networks. 

For more information on KAICIID, please click on the following link: https://www.kaiciid.org 

THE PROGRAMME DIVISION:

The primary objective of the Programme Division is to create the conditions, platforms and environment through which religious leaders and other actors, in particular policy makers, can engage in constructive dialogue, thus strengthening mutual understanding and respect with the ultimate aim of encouraging them to initiate action and influence change in the policies of religious institutions and governments, at various levels, build mechanisms to facilitate on-going dialogue and action, as well as strengthen networks of committed and experienced religious leaders and other actors in the use of IRD/ICD for peace and reconciliation in conflict situations in particular.  

The Arab Region Programme aims to instil the culture of IRD and ICD amongst its diverse partners in the region to promote social cohesion, common citizenship, and peacebuilding efforts and to counter hate speech. The programme engages and empowers religious leaders and communities, youth, women, media practitioners, dialogue experts and policymakers to form solid foundations for peace and recovery from crisis in the region. A regional Interreligious Platform for Dialogue and Cooperation (IPDC) in the Arab region was launched in 2018 to serve as an umbrella organization to coordinate dialogue efforts and initiatives and KAICIID’s work in the region. Several sub-networks and projects have also been established under the platform to promote dialogue, peaceful coexistence, and mutual understanding between followers of different faith traditions and cultures. 

OBJECTIVE:

The Arab Region Programme is currently looking for a consultant to conduct a detailed policy study with a specific focus on peacebuilding-related processes, including policy-based initiatives and policies (draft laws, legislations, regulations) addressing but not limited to the following topics:

- Countering Hate Speech

- Protecting Sacred Sites

- Diversity Management and Inclusion (ethnic, religious, and cultural diversity, minorities and refugees), women, youth, etc.)

- Interreligious Education 

The study must provide not only a comprehensive and analytical mapping of national and regional dialogue processes, initiatives, policy papers, legislations and regulations, and their respective entities but also the status of each policy-related initiative in terms of regional/national adoption and implementation, and the recommendations for the Arab Region Programme`s focus and operation in this regard. This exercise will focus on the Arab region and is expected to provide a solid understanding of how other organisations and partners are contributing to the topics stated above. It will also identify the existing gaps pertaining to the status of each item, and it will be utilised to consult and engage with the respective organizations and entities, discuss the Centre’s priorities in the regions and explore partnership opportunities.

The consultant will work under the direct supervision of the Senior Programme Manager for the Arab Region. The consultant will be responsible for developing the study and providing a detailed analysis, as identified earlier, with a focus on the following countries:  Iraq, Lebanon, Tunisia, Jordan, and Egypt. 

- Mapping of the policy-related initiatives addressing topics listed above.

- Identification of the main actors and peacebuilding policy-based initiatives at the national and regional levels (including government institutions, civil society and private sector bodies, UN agencies, youth & women organisations and movements, donors, foundations, global partnership programmes, etc.) that initiated such policies, and a short brief on each actor. 

- Specify the status of each policy-based initiative (Ratification and implementation) and provide details on the implementation mechanism in case the policy has already been adopted.

- Identify the most relevant initiatives and actors to partner with and provide a set of recommendations on the policy-based initiatives, draft laws and legislations or policies) which can be supported at the national/regional levels to be the basis of KAICIID's intervention.

These recommendations will include the suggested niche for KAICIID, taking into account its mandate, comparative advantages, as well as the potential partners and entry points. 

WORK PLAN: 

The consultant is expected to perform its tasks between mid October and mid December 2024 and shall be responsible for kicking off the process in close collaboration with KAICIID’s focal point and under the supervision of the Arab region Senior Programme Manager (i.e. fine-tuning the structure of the intended materials, clarifying the interaction modalities with the team, the work plan, timeline, etc.).

The timeline for the assignment will be established based on the completion of the recruitment process

Deliverables:

The consultancy is expected to take a total of 30 (thirty) working days. The following table provides an indicative breakout for activities and delivery:

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE: 

- University degree in Law, Political or Social Sciences, or any related field;

- At least 7 years of relevant working experience in legal research, implementing programmes and conducting policy research, preferably in the area of Interfaith Dialogue and Peacebuilding;

- Demonstrated exposure and technical understanding of policy, research approaches and tools;

- Experience in the planning, formulation, monitoring and assessment of programmes and projects in the field of interreligious dialogue or peacebuilding;

- Proficiency in English and Arabic is required, Good knowledge of French is desirable.

TERMS OF APPOINTMENT: 

The selected candidate is expected to start mid October and will be offered a consultancy contract until mid December 2024.

The timeline for the assignment will be established based on the completion of the recruitment process.

COMPENSATION: 

The fee will be offered in accordance with KAICIID consultancy rates, depending on the experience and expertise of the selected candidate.

LOCATION: 

Home based

HOW TO APPLY: 

- Please send a Curriculum Vitae 

- Cover letter which will include the expected daily rate 

- Portfolio showcasing relevant experience (preferably with links if available)

KAICIID is committed to diversity and inclusion and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all religious, ethnic and social backgrounds to apply.