Call for Syrian Experts: Protection, GBV & Child Protection (Syria)

Contract Type: Individual Consultancy; Project-Based
Eligibility: Syrian nationals or non-Syrian consultants currently residing in Syria only

Trust Consultancy & Development (TCD) is seeking experienced consultants to join its roster of experts in Protection, Gender-Based Violence (GBV), Child Protection (CP) and related protection programming to support upcoming evaluations, assessments, research, Third-Party Monitoring (TPM), programme design and advisory assignments in Syria.

Selected consultants will be included in TCD's consultant roster and may be considered for future short-term consultancy opportunities based on their technical expertise, geographical experience, availability and the requirements of specific assignments.

Primary geographic scope: Syria

About the Call

Trust is expanding its roster of experts with strong technical and practical experience in protection, GBV, child protection, protection monitoring, case management, safeguarding and community-based protection.

We are particularly interested in experts with recent, first-hand knowledge of Syria's protection context, including protection risks affecting conflict-affected, displaced and returning populations; women and girls; children and adolescents; persons with disabilities; older persons; and other groups facing heightened protection risks or barriers to accessing services.

Experts with experience in protection assessments, evaluations, research, programme quality, monitoring and Third-Party Monitoring are particularly encouraged to apply.

Areas of Expertise

Applicants should have strong experience in one or more of the following:

1. General Protection, including protection analysis, protection monitoring, identification of protection risks, vulnerability analysis, referrals and protection-sensitive programming;
2. Gender-Based Violence (GBV), including GBV prevention, risk mitigation, response services, survivor-centred approaches, referral pathways and community-based interventions;
3. Child Protection (CP), including prevention and response to violence, abuse, exploitation and neglect, child protection case management, family strengthening and community-based child protection;
4. Protection Case Management, including identification, assessment, case planning, referrals, follow-up, case closure, supervision and quality assurance;
5. GBV Case Management and Referral Systems, including safe and confidential referral pathways, survivor-centred service provision and coordination among relevant service providers;
6. Child Protection Case Management, including best-interest procedures, referral mechanisms, family tracing/reunification where relevant, alternative care and case-management quality;
7. Protection Monitoring and Analysis, including monitoring protection risks and trends, community consultations, protection assessments, service mapping and evidence-based protection analysis;
8. Community-Based Protection, including community protection structures, community engagement, awareness raising, outreach and strengthening community capacities to identify and address protection risks;
9. Protection of Women and Girls, including safe spaces, women's and girls' empowerment, GBV risk mitigation, access to services and participation in community decision-making;
10. Protection of Children and Adolescents, including child-friendly approaches, psychosocial wellbeing, violence prevention, positive parenting, safe spaces and adolescent participation;
11. Protection of Persons with Disabilities and Older Persons, including disability inclusion, accessibility, age-sensitive programming and identification of barriers to services and participation;
12. Gender, Inclusion and Protection Mainstreaming, including gender analysis, age, gender and diversity approaches, disability inclusion and integration of protection principles across humanitarian and development programmes;
13. Safeguarding, PSEA and Child Safeguarding, including prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse, safeguarding systems, codes of conduct, complaints and reporting mechanisms, risk assessments and organizational capacity strengthening;
14. Housing, Land and Property (HLP) and Civil Documentation, including documentation-related protection barriers, tenure issues, displacement and return-related HLP risks and access to relevant services;
15. Mine Action-Related Protection and Explosive Ordnance Risk Education, particularly where protection programming intersects with risks affecting children, displaced populations and returning communities;
16. Protection and MHPSS Linkages, including psychosocial support, safe referrals, community-based support and integrated approaches for individuals affected by violence, displacement and other protection risks;
17. Protection in Cash and Assistance Programmes, including protection risk analysis, safe and inclusive targeting, protection mainstreaming and identification of risks associated with humanitarian assistance;
18. Protection Coordination and Institutional Strengthening, including coordination mechanisms, referral systems, service mapping, capacity development, localization and engagement with authorities and protection actors;
19. Protection Research, Monitoring and Evaluation, including protection assessments, baselines/endlines, evaluations, outcome monitoring, perception surveys, qualitative research, mixed-method studies and Third-Party Monitoring;
20. Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP), including participation, feedback and complaints mechanisms, information provision, community engagement and safe and accessible accountability systems.

Qualifications & Experience

Applicants should have:

• Syrian nationality and current residence in Syria, or be a non-Syrian consultant currently based in Syria;
• A relevant university degree in social sciences, psychology, social work, law, human rights, gender studies, development studies, international relations, public health or another relevant field;
• At least 5 years of relevant professional experience; senior/lead experts should preferably have 10+ years;
• Recent professional experience related to Protection, GBV and/or Child Protection in Syria, preferably within the last three years;
• Demonstrated experience conducting or contributing to protection assessments, evaluations, research, programme design, monitoring, TPM or technical advisory assignments;
• Strong understanding of Syria's protection context, displacement and return dynamics, vulnerable populations, service-delivery environment and key protection risks and barriers;
• Experience engaging with communities, protection service providers, local organizations, authorities, NGOs, UN agencies and other relevant stakeholders;
• For GBV specialists, demonstrated understanding of survivor-centred approaches, confidentiality, safe referrals, GBV risk mitigation and ethical principles for GBV-related data collection;
• For Child Protection specialists, demonstrated understanding of child safeguarding, best interests of the child, child-sensitive research and ethical engagement with children and caregivers;
• Strong understanding of confidentiality, informed consent, do-no-harm principles and safe data collection when working with vulnerable populations;
• Strong research, analytical, facilitation and report-writing skills;
• Arabic fluency; professional English is strongly preferred.

International Organization & Donor Experience

Previous experience with UNHCR, UNICEF, UNFPA, UN Women, IOM, UN agencies, EU/ECHO-funded programmes, international NGOs, Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement actors or other organizations working on protection, GBV and Child Protection is a strong advantage.

Experience with relevant international approaches and standards, including Protection Principles, GBV Minimum Standards, Child Protection Minimum Standards (CPMS), IASC Guidelines, PSEA, safeguarding, protection mainstreaming, survivor-centred approaches and community-based protection, should be clearly highlighted.

Applicants should indicate relevant assignments, including the client, assignment, year, role and main responsibilities.