Proposal to Consultancy-Land Rights Tender, Liberia - 34616167

Procurement Summary

Country : Liberia

Summary : Proposal to Consultancy-Land Rights

Deadline : 22 Jul 2019

Other Information

Notice Type : Tender

TOT Ref.No.: 34616167

Document Ref. No. :

Competition : ICB

Financier : United States Agency for International Development (USAID)

Purchaser Ownership : -

Tender Value : Refer Document

Purchaser's Detail

Purchaser : FORUM SYD
Asa D. Chon Mobile.no. +231 0880418156/0770187477 Roselyn K. Theoway Mobile no. +231 0886552087/0777988564
Liberia
Email :job.liberia@forumsyd.org

Tender Details

Tenders are invited for Proposal to Consultancy-Land Rights

Term of Reference Request for ‘Proposal to Consultancy-Land Rights
REFERENCE NUMBER 22/07/2019’
1. BACKGROUND/INTRODUCTION
1.1. Introduction Forum Syd
Forum Syd is a Swedish non-profit member based civil society organization that contributes to strengthening a pluralistic civil society and empowering people using a human rights-based approach and comprises of 150 Swedish civil society organizations. Forum Syd’s operations consists of actions in four main areas: development cooperation, sub-grants, advocacy and capacity development. In these areas, Forum Syd engages hundreds of projects around the world and its work is guided by its rights-based theory of change. Organized rights-holders, civil society and duty-bearers are supported to use human rights instruments, analysis of power relations, context knowledge, and strategic partnership to address change in attitude, behavior, relation and work methods, to achieve its vision for a just and sustainable world where all people have the power to affect change.

Forum Syd has more than 20 years of experience of peacebuilding and post conflict work in countries such as Nicaragua, Colombia, Guatemala, Cambodia, Liberia, Somalia, and the Balkans, to name a few countries. Forum Syd is a strong niche for pro-poor and rightsbased participation in development, including tools for genuine participation. From its partnership with CSOs in Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America, Forum Syd has built experience in participation and influence of civil society actors and to build trust and create constructive communication channels between rights-holders, institutions of state, and other duty-bearers. This experience is vital to the Liberian context. Forum Syd has since 2001, provided a total of SEK 13 million to cooperation projects between Swedish and Liberian civil society organizations (CSOs) in the areas of Human Rights and Democracy, Gender equality, HIV/AIDS, Education, Culture, Health, as well as support to the UN Association in Liberia.

In 2012, the Embassy of Sweden in Monrovia andForum Syd began a dialogue to involve Forum Syd in the support to civil society in Liberia. This dialogue resulted in the Embassy supporting Forum Syd with a 12-month pre-study in 2016-2017 with the overarching objective to expand Forum Syd’s operations in supporting civil society development in Liberia through a multi-annual, rights-based programme and long-term strategic presence. Forum Syd conducted the study in closed dialogue and collaboration with key CSOs, including community-based organizations (CBOs), and other stakeholders in nine of Liberia’s 15 counties: Bomi, Bong, Gbarpolu, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Gedeh, Margibi, Montserrado (rural), and Nimba Counties. Based on the results of the study, Forum Syd has for the first time started direct operations and support to civil society in Liberia. This will be done through working with and strengthening CSOs under the programme: “Sustainable ownership, empowering communities and civil societies in Liberia”.

1.2. Description of concerned activities
Liberia’s land administration and management system has negatively impacted
the socioeconomic and political wellbeing of all Liberians. Property rights in land
need to be more secure and characterized by strong governance, including
policies, laws and regulations, institutions with more institutional coordination,
and accountability; all of which creates a stable and working environment,
reduces conflicts over land, and addresses corruption in the land sector. The
institutional framework for land is fragmented among a variety of government
agencies, which has led to ineffectiveness, considerable confusion, poor delivery
of services, and corrupt practices.
In many parts of Liberia, there are numerous land conflicts that are having grave
effects on the wellbeing of the people and their ability to survive. These conflicts
are among individuals, families, communities, clan and districts, counties, etc.
The conflicts range from wrongful acquisition of land to double sale of the same
parcel of land; from boundary issues between communities, counties, and districts
to several other irregularities.
In 2018, President George M. Weah made history when he signed into law both
the Local Governance Act (LGA) and the Liberia Land Rights Acts (LLRA). The
Land Rights Act seeks to strengthen rights over customary land. Lands without
deeds are classified as public land, a practice which has been used by government
to give large swathes of land to private investors as concessions.
Under the law, a community’s claim of ownership of customary land will be
established by evidence including oral testimonies of community members, maps,
signed agreements between neighboring communities and any other confirming
documents.
The new law requires that a nationwide survey be undertaken to confirm the
boundaries of all customary lands.
This survey is to be conducted by the Liberia Land Authority within 24 months
of the effective date of the Act. Under the law, a maximum of ten percent of
customary lands in each community will be set aside and allocated as public land.
1.3. Context and Problems addressed
At the end of 2018, Forum Syd secured additional support from the Swedish International
Development Agency (SIDA) to support programming which promote the
implementation of the recently approved Land Rights Act in Bong, Bomi and Grand
Gedeh Counties.
Forum Syd has set up a satellite office in Monrovia to ensure coordination and
networking on Land Rights with relevant partners as well as relevant institutions of
Forum Syd in Stockholm, Sweden.
3 (6)
The Land rights component of the programme:’Sustainable ownership: empowering
communities and civil scoiety in Liberia’ needs to be further developed to ensure
relevance and guarantee that it contributes to addressing those challenges that may serve
as a barrier to the full execise of the rights that are outline in the new law by communities
and marginalized individuals.
This support also seeks to contribute to defining of the roles of CSOs and to further
idenity and strengthen their abilities to fully support the enforcement of the
implementation of the Land Rights law.
Forum Syd is therefore seeking a national consultant who will serve as the Lead and
work with Forum Syd’s Land Rights Team for the development of the Land Rights aspect
of the ongoing program.
2. ASSIGNMENT
2.1. Assignment purpose, aims and objectives
Overall Objective
To provide leadership and provide technical guidance to Forum Syd team to
structure the Land Rights Component under the Sustainable Ownership,
Empowering Communities and Civil Society Organizations in Liberia archieves its
expected results.
Specific Objective
• Lead the development of Forum Syd’s Land Rights intervention
• Reveiw all necessary and available land rights related documents
• Provide technical support to Forum Syd Land Rights program team
• Develop an Outreach and Advocacy Strategy and Plan for use by Forum Syd
• Produce Capacity development plan for CSOs and relevant stakeholders
• Prepared a well-structured, and realistic annual work plan and budget
•
The consultants should demonstrate expertise and experience in Land tenure security,
Community based natural resource management/community forestry management, Legal
empowerment/paralegal training and supervision, Community land rights, advocacy
(both with governments and bilateral agencies), etc.
2.2. Scope, Focus and limitations
The consultants shall be mostly based at Forum Syd’s Country office in Gbarnga, Bong
County. But they shall also use remote communication means where necessary to speak
to relevant stakeholders across the country. The Consultant will work with Forum Syd’s
Land Rights programme staffs and the networks and the Land Rights working groups in
Bong, Bomi, and Grand Gedeh Counties.
4 (6)
There will also be strong links with all of the relevant agencies of government and
partners whose work are relevant to the Land Rights-including the Liberia Land
Authority, USAID funded Land Governance Support Activity, Forestry Development
Authority (FDA), and all other necessary institutions and authorities.
METHODOLOGY
2.3. Methodology
It is exepected that 50% of this consultancy will be based on field consultation with all
parties that are important to Land Rights issues, 30% will be for Desk Review and 20%
will be used for reporting and capacity building for key program staffs.
The consultant will spent their time evenly between Gbarnga, Bong County and
Monrovia, Montserrado. At the close of the consultancy, the consultants are expected to
produce a set of deliverables that correspond to the overall objective of this study.
3. OUTPUTS AND REPORTING
3.1. Outputs
The consultants shall be responsible to produce the following deliverables:
• Produce Advocacy and Awareness and Outreach Strategy and Plan
• Prepare Capacity Development Plan for Civil Society Organizations
• Produce Annual costed work plan detailing areas for intervention
• Produce Consultancy Report hold a validation workshop for Forum Syd Team
4. TIME SCOPE
Forum Syd has estimated that the volume of the assignment amounts to a total of 30 days.
The total scope of work will be aligned in consultancy with the winning tenderer
accordingly.
The assignment shall be undertaken between 29th July and the 29
th of August 2019.
5. BUDGET
5.1. Fees
The consultants shall specify the fee per working day including all taxes and social
costs but excluding VAT.
5 (6)
5.2. Reimbursable
The Consultant are to specify anticipated reimbursable costs. If per-diem costs are
included, he/she shall be specific and follow the thresholds from the Swedish Tax Agency
(or equivalent). The details of the budget for reimbursable costs shall be indicative only

Documents

 Tender Notice