Call for Expressions of Interest – Providing Support to Iraqi Civilians in Submitting Reparations Claims in Iraq

Call for Expressions of Interest: Providing Legal Support to Iraqi Civilians in Submitting Reparations Claims in Iraq

The Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights (www.ceasefire.org) is an international initiative to develop civilian-led monitoring of violations of international humanitarian law or human rights; to secure accountability and reparation for those violations; and to develop the practice of civilian rights. Ceasefire is currently implementing two projects: ‘Advancing Justice and Reconciliation by and for Youth in Post-Conflict Iraq’ and ‘Defending Rights and Securing Accountability in Iraq’, with the support of ifa – Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen and the Swedish Postcode Lottery Foundation, respectively. One of the aims of the programme is to strengthen the ability of civilian victims of conflict in Iraq, including young victims, to submit credible claims for reparation under national and provincial reparations programmes and to secure redress for violations by connecting them with lawyers and legal support. In pursuit of this aim, Ceasefire is inviting entities and groups of consultants to submit applications for the provision of services that support civilians in accessing reparations in Iraq. This includes increasing awareness of national reparation programmes, assisting individual victims in submitting credible claims, and guiding them through the process.

Background Iraq’s Law No. 20 on ‘Compensating the Victims of Military Operations, Military Mistakes and Terrorist Actions,’ first enacted in 2009, provides civilians with an avenue to access monetary compensation and other forms of reparation for personal or property damage suffered as a result of conflict in the country since 2003. On 1 March 2021, the Iraqi parliament passed the Yazidi Survivors’ Law, which provides reparations to Yazidi, Christian, Shabak and Turkmen survivors of sexual violence and other serious crimes carried out during the conflict with ISIS. Ceasefire’s work with potential reparations claimants in Iraq has highlighted a series of procedural challenges (see: Ceasefire, Mosul after the Battle: Reparations for Civilian Harm and the Future of Ninewa, December 2019). In general, knowledge and understanding of the compensation procedure established by Law No. 20 is poor, despite the fact that many members of the public are eligible for compensation under this mechanism. In addition, the application process for compensation is complex and subject to frequently changing procedural requirements. The Law 20 mechanism was designed and implemented to avoid false claims and corruption. However, the numerous types of administrative proof required can be impractical, particularly for IDPs. Submitting a compensation claim requires civilians to make repeated visits to government offices and obtain multiple types of documentation, all of which require the payment of fees. These costs can discourage many eligible civilians, and especially women who lost their husbands, from accessing the compensation mechanism at all. Meanwhile, the implementing regulations for the Yazidi Survivors’ Law, which would provide further clarity on the administrative procedures involved in making a claim, have yet to be issued.

Eligible applications

Ceasefire is accepting applications aimed at addressing the challenges mentioned above and facilitating civilians’ access to reparation mechanisms. The services requested from entities/groups of consultants are as follows:

Legal Support: Activities designed to support civilians eligible for compensation throughout the process of preparing and submitting credible compensation claims. Examples include the provision of pro bono legal advice, assistance in filling out forms and completing case files, drop-in centres or mobile legal clinics, telephone hotlines, etc.
We advise that applicant teams/entities include the following roles to ensure the proper delivery of services:

• Lead Consultant: Responsible for managing the operations of legal support and providing timely advice and assistance to civilians seeking compensation. This role is essential for supervising/recruiting field lawyers, monitoring progress in terms of quality, schedule, and budget, and providing narrative and financial reports on legal support. The lead consultant is also responsible for offering detailed guidance on the steps required to submit claims, liaising with field lawyers, monitoring case progress, and advising on appeal processes where applicable. This consultancy is comparable to a 0.4 FTE position. The lead consultant must have technical expertise and knowledge of Iraqi reparation schemes.

• A team of at least three field lawyers: Field lawyers for providing pro bono legal support to assist civilian victims in determining their eligibility for compensation and guiding them through the complex process of compiling the required documentation. This includes follow-ups and/or legal representation when needed during the compensation application processing phase. The lawyers should be available to provide legal services for at least four days a week.

  Project activities may be delivered in any part of Iraq, but priority will be given to projects that focus on areas most affected by conflict.

  Funding available and contractual considerations:

  The funding initially available for this project is USD 35,967. The delivery of activities must be implemented between the 1st of April 2025 and 31 December 2025 (9 months). The contract may be renewed for subsequent years.

  This cost should cover:

• Fees for the lead consultant.

• Fees for the three field lawyers.

  The financial bid should not include:

• Legal and court fees associated with the filing of compensation cases, such as court fees and power of attorney fees (when legal representation for clients is needed).

• Mobile top-up credit for the three lawyers for the helpline and online consultation services.

• Office rent, mobile clinic costs, office supplies, maintenance, and utilities.

• Monthly transportation costs, including trips to court and other coordination visits to government institutions and CSOs involved in reparations.

• Refreshments and water for clients.

  Ceasefire will provide reasonable financial resources for the above-associated costs for service provision. Hence, the financial offer should not include any of the above costs.
  The financial bid should be all-inclusive, including any VAT or applicable taxes.

  Selection Criteria:

  Applications will be assessed on the basis of the following:

• Demonstrated experience of the proposed lead consultant and field lawyers in successfully providing legal support to civilians seeking reparations

• A well-structured project proposal with clear outcomes and outputs

• Clear identification of target beneficiaries and/or audiences and a plan to reach them effectively

• Familiarity with the compensation process under Law No. 20 of 2009 on Compensating the Victims of Military Operations, Military Mistakes and Terrorist Actions

• Demonstrated commitment to human rights and non-discrimination

• Ability to implement a gender-sensitive and inclusive approach

• Experience delivering projects involving vulnerable civilians

• Clearly justifying a budget that represents value for money.

Application process and deadline:

Please submit the following documents:

1. A proposal (not exceeding 5 pages in length) outlining knowledge of the issue area, relevant experience, approach to the project, and detailed description of project activities, target groups, and locations
2. Timeline for implementation (NB: activities must be concluded by 31 December 2025)
3. A detailed budget (presented in USD)

Deadline Deadline:

Please submit applications (in English or Arabic) by email to rami.maarawi@ceasefire.org by the deadline of 31 March 2025.

For the full details of the call in Arabic, please visit this link

How to apply

All applications must be submitted by email to rami.maarawi@ceasefire.org. Incomplete applications will not be considered.