International Expert on Social Inclusion

Social Inclusion Policy: Ramallah grows on diversity and equality

Location: Ramallah, Palestine

Application deadline: 16 June 2020

Type of contract: Individual contract, consultancy

Duration: 9 months

Start of consultancy: immediately

Ramallah Municipality aims to develop a Social Inclusion Policy that aims at levering the diversity of the city and grow it to become a sustainable city that brings equal opportunities for everyone who inhabits it. The Social Inclusion policy development project is aided by the International Centre for Migration and Policy Development, ICMPD. Under this project, the Ramallah Municipality is seeking an international expert to support the development of a local Social Inclusion policy in Ramallah. The project will be based on the guiding principles of the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, and the Ramallah Resilience Strategy 2050[1]. The Expert is expected to work with a local Expert, to help integrating the local context of Ramallah, through a participatory process, that will lead to the development of the policy document.

Background:

Ramallah defines itself as a welcoming, open place, which has been enriched through the arrival and settling of diverse groups throughout history. As expressed in its motto, “WeRamallah”, everyone is part of the city. Diversity and equality are central to the future of a Resilient Ramallah.

The impact of conflict and occupation manifests itself, among others, leaving the city to be influenced by the political, economic, social and societal circumstances. This context has reinforced Ramallah’s status as a place of migration, and has strengthened its resilience. The city has ambitiously developed its urban resilience strategy in 2017, which followed an urban resilience framework to translate the city’s challenges into strategic interventions that build the resilience of the city by leveraging its potentials, resources, human capacities and most importantly to break silos.

This Social Inclusion Policy aims to provide opportunities for everyone living in Ramallah, whatever their status and origin, to enjoy wellbeing, and a desired quality of life. Through collaboration, exchange and inspiration, the policy can enrich social cohesion, cultural life in the city. The development of social inclusion in Ramallah should ensure inhabitants a sense of belonging, accessibility to equal economic and social opportunities.

The driving force of this Social Inclusion Policy is the affirmation of everyone’s right to take part in daily life. Making this right effective rests on the ability of public, private and civil society stakeholders to work together, addressing imbalances and obstacles, developing proactive policies and programmes and generating an enabling environment for individuals to participate and engage in decision making, public discussions, and social engagement, making other human rights effective, including freedom of expression and other fundamental freedoms.

Besides, several international agendas provide inspiration for this Social Inclusion Policy. The UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), establishes a set of global goals that can be best achieved through the strengthening of culture, social cohesion, gender equality, and economic empowerment and inclusion.

• Objective of Consultancy:

To accompany a process leading to the elaboration of a Social Inclusion policy document for Ramallah, taking into account the objectives and principles of sustainable development as regards the links between social inclusion and resilience.

Duties and Responsibilities

Collectively work with local consultant on preparation of inception report, workshop facilitations, drafting of social inclusion policy, and the adoption of policy document.

Preparation ( June – August 2020)

• Inception report to clarify the methodolygy and timeframe of acitivties, the inception report should be done in agreement between the two experts, and each to deliver his/her inception report detailing their individual tasks
• Conduct stakeholder consultations with all relevant target groups for social inclusion
• Share Detailed Workplan of key activities to lead workshops with target groups and key stakeholders, prepare workshop agenda and working templates

Thematic workshops: ( September 2020)

• Lead diagnoses and analysis workshop (Retreat): a set of thematic workshops addressing specific areas of the social inclusion. The Retreat will aim to discuss needs and proposals in the context of a mid-term social inclusion policy for Ramallah, to set the ground for social inclusion policy
• Support the local expert in facilitating the workshops, with a focus on bringing the international best practices to the discussion and analysis
• The City of Ramallah will ensure, in dialogue with experts, that the results are properly collected and submitted. A common template for workshop reports will be developed by the International Experts

Drafting of Social Inclusion policy document ( September – December 2020 )

• On the basis of the information collected, the local and international experts will work together on the drafting of the main guidelines of a Social Inclusion Policy document, which should be adapted to the sustainable development agenda and global best practices and submitted to the City of Ramallah
• Lead discussions with the City of Ramallah, the key stakeholders relevant for the implementation of the social inclusion policy
• After the discussions, a full draft of the Social Inclusion policy document to be produced by the expert

Adoption of the Social Inclusion policy document ( January – February 2021)

• The Expert will support the City of Ramallah with conducting the formal process of discussion and adoption of the Social Inclusion policy document.
• The experts will adopt any essential feedback to the document and send it to the City of Ramallah

Expected results

• Availability of a Social Inclusion policy document for Ramallah, on the basis of a participatory process and the principles and objectives sustainable development agenda 2030
• Participation of all relevant target groups in the discussions of social inclusion policy development process
• Highlight the focus of the policy intervention based on each target group
• Increased awareness among city stakeholders about the meaning and practices of social inclusion

Admission

Interested candidates should apply by 16 June 2020 the latest, applications are eligible if include the below requirements, and delivered to email: n.burbar@ramallah.ps under subject ‘Social Inclusion Expert’:

1. Comprehensive CV: highlighting the relevant professional experience, and educational background, skills, and references
2. Summary of previous relevant assignments
3. Technical proposal to undertake the assignment (1500 word max)
4. Financial offer to undertake the assignment