Terms of reference to conduct a research on LGBTQI+ rights advocacy priorities in Eastern European countries

TERMS OF REFERENCE

to conduct a research on LGBTQI+ rights advocacy priorities in Eastern European countries

Background

Eastern European Coalition for LGBT+ Equality is comprised of six member organizations representing five countries of the Eastern European region. 

One of the primary goals of the Coalition is to provide timely and accurate information on the state of the rights of LGBTQI+ people in the region to international and interregional bodies and become active proponents of change within the organization’s advocacy efforts. It is especially essential in the times when the region is shaken by war and other events contributing to acute crisis points for vulnerable groups, out of which LGBTQI+ people stand out as those grappling with, simultaneously, lack of legal rights, marginalization, and violence. 

While each member organization has its own advocacy priorities and well-established expertise in the field of human rights, the challenge lies in fleshing out commonalities among the countries in the region which the Coalition would be able to concentrate on as a whole, as well as gaps in knowledge and clash points. 

Therefore, the completed research would serve as a baseline for Coalition’s further advocacy work in the current circumstances, so that it could be conducted in a targeted and coherent way.

Specific objectives of the survey:

Identifying:

• Commonalities: advocacy priorities that are of interest and contextually relevant for all member organizations. 
• Gaps in knowledge: “blind spots” and otherwise any challenges for LGBTQI+ people that member organizations share and have not yet been focusing on. 
• Clash points: advocacy topics to be avoided if they are specific to only a few of member organizations or are otherwise points of contention. 
• Best advocacy practices: advocacy instruments and expertise of member organizations that can be shared and/or implemented by the Coalition to boost its advocacy efforts.

Scope of work

The research is of a qualitative nature and is to be focused, mainly, on two research methods:

• In-depth online interviews with representatives of each member organization to analyze the country context, advocacy strategies and priorities (a minimum of 6 in-depth interviews); 
• Secondary data analysis via open sources and materials presented by member organizations to assess the situation with LGBTQI+ rights in the region and each country in question.

The research is to be conducted in English. 

The researcher will be responsible for the entirety of the research process, including providing a written research report as a final product.

This process will include research conceptualization, methodology development, secondary-data analysis, coordinating and carrying out in-depth interviews with representatives of each of the Coalition’s member organizations and writing the research report with detailed and practically applicable recommendations on further advocacy work.

Tasks/activities and deliverables

Skills and qualifications required

For this position, the Coalition is looking for an expert with the following qualifications:

• Advanced degree in social sciences or a relevant field with focus on gender issues, public policy, or human rights law and/or equivalent degree or working experience.
• At least three years of relevant experience conducting quantitative and qualitative research, involving in-depth interviewing. 
• Cross-country analysis experience.
• Strong analytical skills, high attention to detail and strategically inclined mindset. 
• Written and oral communication skills in the English language at a level no lower than C1.
• Demonstrable knowledge of and experience in conducting research in the field of human rights (especially LGBTQI+ rights).

Application

Interested candidates should submit their technical proposal, including timeline, plus the CV, proposed budget for the assignment and two recommendations to the following email: eeclgbtequality@gmail.com. Deadline for submission: April 12, 2024