Call for Consultancy to Generate County-Level Evidence and Policy Briefs on Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV)

Job Details

Description

Search for Common Ground

Search for Common Ground (Search), is an international conflict transformation NGO that aims to transform the way individuals, groups, governments and companies deal with conflict, away from adversarial approaches and towards collaborative solutions. Headquartered in Washington DC, USA, and Brussels, Belgium, with 55 offices in 34 countries, Search designs and implements multifaceted, culturally appropriate and conflict-sensitive programs using a diverse range of tools, including media and training, to promote dialogue, increase knowledge and determine a positive shift in behaviors.

1. Background and Context

Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV) has emerged as a growing and urgent concern in Kenya, driven by increased digital engagement, evolving online harms, and heightened national and county-level attention to digital safety. While awareness of TFGBV is increasing, responses remain fragmented, with most interventions focusing on training and sensitization activities that are not consistently translated into consolidated, evidence-based reference materials capable of informing sustained policy dialogue, institutional reform, and advocacy.

Under the Catalyst Project, funded by the Christchurch Call Foundation, Search is implementing an initiative aimed at addressing online misogyny and Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV) as emerging drivers of social harm, polarization, and pathways to violent extremism. In Kenya, the project has delivered a series of Digital Stewards trainings across five counties (Nairobi, Mombasa, Kwale, Kilifi, and Lamu), engaging influencers, content creators, administrators of high-traffic social media pages, civil society actors, county officials, law enforcement, and institutional stakeholders. These engagements have generated rich qualitative insights on county-specific TFGBV patterns, institutional response gaps, reporting challenges, and emerging forms of digital abuse.

Emerging global research and Search’s own programming demonstrate a clear link between TFGBV, online misogyny, and violent extremism. Digital environments that normalize harassment, dehumanization of women, and rigid gender hierarchies often mirror and reinforce narratives used by extremist movements, particularly those rooted in grievance, identity threat, and power loss. Misogynistic online ecosystems can serve as early entry points into radicalization pathways by legitimizing hostility, undermining social cohesion, and lowering thresholds for violence. Within Catalyst, addressing TFGBV is therefore both a protection priority and a preventive peacebuilding strategy.

While the Digital Stewards trainings have strengthened frontline capacity, there is now a clear need to move beyond activity reporting and generate consolidated, county-level evidence that can inform policy, guide institutional coordination, and support advocacy. This consultancy will translate existing Catalyst learning and new primary data into county-tailored, advocacy-ready policy products that support both county-level action and national dialogue on TFGBV prevention and response. Search therefore seeks to engage a consultant to conduct a mixed-methods evidence-generation process and develop county-level policy briefs that translate grassroots insights into actionable policy guidance and advocacy tools.

2. Purpose of the Consultancy

The purpose of this consultancy is to : –

• Generate credible, county-level evidence on TFGBV beyond training outputs;
• Synthesize existing data and primary findings into usable reference materials;
• Identify county-specific TFGBV trends, gaps, and risks, including links to social cohesion and violent extremism;
• Highlight practical areas for collaboration between county governments, law enforcement, civil society, and digital actors;
• Produce advocacy-ready policy briefs to inform county-level and national engagement; and
• That findings and recommendations reflect diverse lived experiences through an explicit intersectional and inclusive lens appropriate to each county context

3. Scope of Work

The consultant will undertake the following tasks:

A. Desk Review

• Conduct a structured review of available TFGBV-related data, including:
  • National and county-level policies, laws, and strategies;
  • Existing research, reports, and datasets on TFGBV, online misogyny, and digital harms in Kenya;
  • Relevant regional and global frameworks applicable to county governance.
• Review Catalyst documentation, including Digital Stewards training reports, step-down activity reports, and engagement notes.

B. Primary Data Collection

Using a mixed-methods approach, the consultant will collect original data from stakeholders already engaged under Catalyst:

1. Surveys
   • Design and administer structured surveys to trained and non-trained Digital Stewards cohorts.
   • Capture data on TFGBV prevalence, awareness, reporting behavior, institutional interaction, and perceived response gaps.
2. Focus Group Discussions (FGDs)
   • Conduct FGDs with selected trained and non-trained Digital Stewards, Influencers, Journalists, activists, Women Leaders, and community actors in each county.
   • Explore lived experiences, contextual risk factors, and emerging TFGBV trends.
3. Key Informant Interviews (KIIs)
   • Conduct KIIs with stakeholders engaged in the first five trainings, including county officials, law enforcement, justice actors, CSOs, trained and non-trained Digital Stewards, Influencers, Journalists, activists, Women Leaders, and community actors.
   • Examine institutional readiness, coordination challenges, and collaboration opportunities.

C. Data Analysis and Synthesis

• Analyze qualitative and quantitative data to identify:
  • Intersectional lens and minimum variables, i.e., age, gender, disability status, socio-economic vulnerability/proxy indicators, urban/peri-urban/rural locations, and predominant language/platform use.
  • County-specific TFGBV patterns and typologies;
  • Links between online harms, offline violence, and risks of polarization or extremism; the analysis should also include resilience factors and successful interventions/approaches to help Search build on what works
  • Cross-cutting and divergent themes across counties.

D. Policy Brief Development

• Develop five stand-alone county-level policy briefs (one per county), each tailored to county leadership and stakeholders with an evidence pack.
• Ensure briefs are concise, accessible, evidence-based, and advocacy-oriented.

E. Validation and Advocacy Orientation

• Facilitate validation discussions with Search and partners.
• Refine briefs to support advocacy campaigns, stakeholder dialogues, and policy engagement.

4. Key Deliverables

• Inception report (The inception report should include: detailed methodology, sampling approach, tools, analysis plan (including intersectionality), ethical safeguards (including referral protocol), and a realistic workplan aligned to the level of effort.
• Desk review synthesis note.
• Survey tools and anonymized dataset.
• FGD and KII summary notes.
• Five county-level policy briefs (4–6 pages each). (The package should comprise the County Evidence pack; reports alongside the policy brief)
• Cross-county synthesis brief highlighting national implications and priority reforms
• A consolidated study report and policy briefs with the following structure :-

I. Executive summary

II. County context and digital landscape

III. TFGBV trends and risks identified

IV. Institutional and coordination gaps

V. Implications for social cohesion and violent extremism prevention

VI. Opportunities for county-level collaboration

VII. Policy and programmatic recommendations

VIII. Advocacy entry points and next steps

5. Duration and Level of Effort

The consultancy is expected to run for 10-12 weeks, with an estimated 30-35 consultant days. Final timelines will be agreed upon at inception. (Ideally, March to May 2026)

6. Reporting and Coordination

The consultant will report to Search for Common Ground – Kenya, under the Catalyst Project team, and work closely with designated partners.

7. Required Qualifications and Experience

• Advanced degree in social sciences, public policy, gender studies, peacebuilding, or related fields.
• Demonstrated experience in conducting Implementation Research(IR), Intersectional Rapid Gender and Protection Analysis (IRGPA) using mixed-methods research (desk review, surveys, FGDs, KIIs).
• Proven expertise in TFGBV, online misogyny, or digital safety.
• Strong policy analysis and policy brief writing experience.
• Familiarity with Kenya’s county governance systems.
• Excellent analytical, facilitation, and writing skills.

8. Ethical Considerations

The consultant must adhere to Search’s safeguarding, data protection, and ethical research standards, ensuring confidentiality, informed consent, and survivor-centered engagement throughout the assignment.

9. Use of Outputs

All outputs will be owned by Search for Common Ground and used to:

• Inform county-level advocacy and stakeholder engagement;
• Support institutional coordination and policy dialogue;
• Strengthen Catalyst’s national and regional positioning on TFGBV and violent extremism prevention.

FULL TERMS OF REFERENCE

To apply, please submit your Expression of Interest (EOI), along with the CVs of key technical personnel, to [email protected] by February 25th, 2026, COB. The application package should include a covering letter, proposal, workplan, proof of previous related works and professional fees. Search for Common Ground will cover field logistics for the consultant.

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