Research on Climate Change, Migration & Social Cohesion

Call for Applications

Terms of Reference for a Research

(Contract for Consulting Services November 2024 - April 2025)

1. Organizational Context

The Berghof Foundation is a global leader in conflict transformation, leveraging research, dialogue, and peacebuilding to address the root causes of conflict. In Iraq, The Berghof Foundation, headquartered in Germany, is a leading organization in conflict transformation and peacebuilding, with a long-standing presence in Iraq and the wider Middle East. Berghof’s work in Iraq focuses on addressing the critical intersection of climate change, environmental stressors, migration, and social cohesion to foster sustainable peace. Drawing on decades of experience in conflict zones worldwide, Berghof combines research, dialogue, and advocacy to address complex, interlinked issues that weaken social cohesion and governance structures in Iraq and the region.

The Foundation’s research in Iraq is designed to generate evidence-based insights into how climate-induced migration impacts social cohesion, particularly among marginalized groups such as women and displaced populations. This research plays a pivotal role in informing Berghof’s broader peacebuilding efforts by providing data that guides policy recommendations, dialogue facilitation, and community-driven interventions.

The envisioned research methodology combines desk research with fieldwork, including Key Informant Interviews and Focus Group Discussions, to capture the local realities of migration patterns and conflict dynamics. A participatory approach ensures that local stakeholders, including community leaders and civil society organizations, are actively involved in shaping the research findings, making them directly relevant to the region’s specific challenges.

The results of this research will serve as the foundation for policy briefs and reports, providing actionable recommendations aimed at strengthening Infrastructures for Peace (i4p) in Iraq. These findings will inform strategies to reduce conflict, promote social cohesion, and foster inclusive governance in response to the pressures of climate change and migration.

Through this research, Berghof aims to provide a robust, locally grounded understanding of Iraq’s social and environmental challenges, ensuring that future peacebuilding efforts are both effective and sustainable.

2. Consultancy Description

Recognizing the advantage of multi-track intervention, the Berghof Foundation is looking to commission research on the linkages between climate change, migration and social cohesion, with a focus on gendered impacts. Findings will be used as a base for the programming on infrastructures for peace in Iraq, funded by the Dutch MFA. This programming aims to strengthen capacities and bolster

infrastructures for peace in Iraq by using research, dialogue, and policy engagement to promote inclusive governance, strengthen community resilience, and foster trust between communities and authorities.

The research component will generate data on conflict drivers and opportunities for enhancing social cohesion, informing both dialogue facilitation and policy recommendations.

As part of a research to be conducted in November 2024 -March 2025 (5 months), funded by the Dutch MFA, the consulting party will conduct desk and field research in selected (4) governorates in Iraq including Kurdistan Region of Iraq, in close coordination with the Berghof Foundation (Germany).

3. Geographical Scope of the Research

As part of their application, interested applicants are requested to propose four governorates across different regions of Iraq. The selection of these governorates should align with the research's focus on climate change, migration, and social cohesion, and each proposed location should be justified in relation to its relevance to the thematic areas of the research.

While applicants are encouraged to carefully select governorates based on their analysis, it is important to note that this selection will not be considered final. The Berghof Foundation reserves the right to modify the locations of the research based on further analysis and coordination with local stakeholders and partners to ensure the most effective and comprehensive coverage.

4. Main Tasks and Responsibilities

In close coordination with, and with technical support from, the Berghof Foundation, the Consulting party will partner in:

· Developing a detailed methodology and workplan to achieve the abovementioned study objectives.

· Engaging with a diverse range of stakeholders during the research process to ensure a comprehensive and inclusive analysis of climate change, migration, and social cohesion dynamics. Stakeholder engagement should include:

o Community leaders (tribal, religious, local authorities) in areas affected by climate change and migration, to gain insights into local perspectives on migration trends, resource allocation, and social cohesion.

o Migrants and displaced populations, to capture their experiences, challenges, and perceptions regarding social integration, access to resources, and participation in local governance.

o Local civil society organizations (CSOs), particularly those working on migration, climate, gender, and peacebuilding, to inform the research with grassroots knowledge and ongoing initiatives.

o Government representatives from both the Government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government on a local and federal level, to assess existing policies on climate

change, migration, and social cohesion, and explore opportunities for collaboration and policy influence.

· Conducting desk research and fieldwork (including Key Informant Interviews and Focus Group Discussions) in Iraq to gather existing data on:

o Climate change impacts: How specific environmental changes (e.g., droughts, desertification, temperature rise) are influencing internal and external migration patterns in Iraq.

o Migration trends: Analyzing migration drivers, routes, and destination regions, focusing on the interplay between climate-induced migration and pre-existing migration flows.

o Social dynamics and cohesion: Investigating how migration is perceived by both migrating and host communities, with attention to social tensions, integration challenges, and cohesion-building opportunities.

o Gender perspectives: Research how climate-induced migration affects different genders, particularly women and marginalized groups, and analyze the intersection of gender, migration, and social cohesion.

o Age Perspectives: Research how climate-induced migration affects different age groups differently (women and girls, men and boys), and analyze the intersection of age, migration, and social cohesion.

· Analyzing and identifying linkages between climate change and social cohesion, such as:

o The role of environmental stressors in exacerbating or mitigating social conflicts.

o Pre-existing power dynamics within communities (tribal, religious, economic) and their influence on social cohesion, dialogue, and mediation efforts.

o Existing capacities (at local or national level) to prevent and manage social conflicts linked to climate and environmental change and how they can be strengthened.

· Producing and publishing a research report and policy brief providing:

o Key entry points for environmental peacebuilding in Iraq, focusing on actionable strategies to strengthen social cohesion in the face of climate-induced migration.

o Policy recommendations for local and national authorities on addressing the impacts of climate-induced migration and fostering long-term social stability.

The research report is expected to be approximately 20-30 pages, using an academic style suited for policymakers and practitioners, with clear analysis and actionable insights. The policy brief should be 5-8 pages, presented in accessible, non-technical language to engage a wider audience.

For examples of similar formats, please refer to Berghof Foundation publications.

· Participating in dissemination events (in-person or virtually) to present the research findings, with a focus on:

o Sharing insights with key stakeholders, including local authorities, civil society, and international partners.

· Discussing practical avenues for integrating research findings into the infrastructures for peace project and broader peacebuilding efforts in Iraq.

In addition to the above list, the Berghof Foundation reserves the right to request deliverables not explicitly mentioned in the above list of tasks but related to the scope of the present framework service contract.

5. Project Background and Objectives

The project which this research will support aims to:

· Strengthen infrastructures for peace (i4p) in Iraq by researching the effects of climate change-related migration on social cohesion, with particular attention to gender dynamics. The research will aim to produce gender-disaggregated data to better understand how these impacts vary across different groups. Linkages between the previously mentioned thematic areas, and mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) may also be explored.

· Address these challenges and develop conflict resolution and community mediation mechanisms.

· Facilitate community, local, and governorate-level dialogues in Basra, ensuring gender-sensitive approaches to promote inclusive peacebuilding.

6. Scope of the Service Contract

The duration of the service contract is envisioned to start 17.11.2024 and runs until 30.04.2025. interested applicants are expected to share a rough timeline of key deliverables including but not limited to:

· Desk research completion

· Submission of a draft report

· Final report submission

A maximum budget of 50.000 EUR is available for this consultancy. The experts are asked to propose a timeline and budget within their offer, including a daily fee, travel costs, security costs as well as costs for organizing and implementing the stakeholder’s engagement and the fieldwork mentioned above. When reviewing the offer, value for money will play a vital role in the selection.

7. Supervision and Reporting

The consulting party will primarily report to the Berghof Foundation Project Managers in Berlin and Iraq as well as members of Berghof’s Conflict Transformation Research Department.

The research institution will be responsible for designing and implementing the study. The Conflict Transformation Research (CTR) department at the Berghof Foundation will provide feedback on the

research design and interview questionnaires and offer guidance on enhancing participatory elements within the approach.

8. Qualifications

- Proven track record in data collection and conducting field research and producing research reports with international organizations within a relevant research scope across Iraq.

- Relevant research experience on migration, social cohesion, conflict transformation, and climate and/or environmental issues in Iraq;

- A large network of key political and community stakeholders in Iraq (Government of Iraq and Kurdistan Regional Government);

- Good relations with key stakeholders in Iraq, not perceived as politicized or biased;

- Ability to work across all/almost all areas of Iraq;

- Strong willingness to collaborate and ability to work as part of a team;

- Excellent verbal and written language skills in English and Arabic;

- Excellent coordination and financial reporting skills;

9. Application Procedures

To apply to the call, interested organizations/teams should submit a detailed proposal, including an estimated cost outline, CVs, a list of relevant publications, a proposed research methodology and your offer portraying how the organization/team fits within the qualifications listed above to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the subject title of: I4P-Research until 17.11.2024.

Please submit all clarification questions by 06.11.2024 to Kenza Rady at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The evaluation of the applications will be based on the information provided as per the below evaluation matrix:

Tenders - Berghof Foundation

Tender's Files

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