An assessment and documentation of long term advocacy initiatives on climate change
Job Description
Country Office Name
Sierra Leone
Contract Number
+23276749683
Donor
Irish Embassy
Project title
NuCAMPS
Location of the survey
Bonthe and Falaba
Survey sub-sector
Advocacy/MEAL
Survey Type
Assessment
Duration (precise starting and ending date)
25th January / 1st March 2026
Date of report (deadline for submission)
1st March 2026
Title of Assessment
An assessment and documentation of long term advocacy initiatives on climate change
PROJECT SUMMARY
1.1 BAckground
Climate change is increasingly affecting vulnerable communities in Sierra Leone, disrupting agricultural production, water availability, and livelihoods. These changes threaten food security, income generation, and overall well-being. Designing effective and long-term advocacy initiatives on climate change requires conducting an assessment to understand how climate change affects livelihoods in the targeted communities, where the Nutrition Sensitive Climate Change Adaption and Mitigation Program in Sierra Leone (NuCAMPS) project is implemented. The assessment will provide evidence-based insights to inform policies, programs, and interventions that enhance resilience and sustainability. Therefore, a consultant is required to lead this assessment and identify key entry points for further advocacy efforts around environmental protection and management in Bonthe and Falaba Districts. Recommendations from the consultancy will inform long-term advocacy initiatives to be pursued by ACF and partners in relation to mitigation of human activities contributing to climate change.
1.2 Purpose of the survey
The overall purpose is to conduct a comprehensive assessment and produce structured documentation of long-term climate change advocacy initiatives in Bonthe and Falaba Districts, with a view to informing future advocacy strategies, programming, policy engagement, and resource mobilization.
SURVEY OBJECTIVES and expected results
GENERAL OBJECTIVES OF THE SURVEY
The main objective is to assess and identify long-term advocacy opportunities on climate change at project operational levels.
SPECIFIC Objectives of the SURVEY
To map and assess existing and planned climate change advocacy initiatives at community, district, and national levels in Bonthe and Falaba Districts.
To analyze the effectiveness, inclusiveness, sustainability, and policy influence of current advocacy approaches.
To document good practices, lessons learned, and innovative advocacy models relevant to coastal and upland climate contexts.
To identify key stakeholders, power dynamics, and entry points for long-term climate advocacy at local and national levels.
Expected results
A comprehensive inventory of climate change advocacy initiatives operating at community, district, and national levels, disaggregated by location (Bonthe/Falaba), thematic focus, and lead actors.
An analytical assessment of advocacy strategies, identifying which approaches have demonstrated tangible influence on policies, plans, budgets, or institutional practices.
Evidence based findings on the level of inclusion of women, youth, and vulnerable groups in climate advocacy processes and decision-making spaces.
A synthesized set of good practices and transferable lessons that can inform replication or scaling of advocacy initiatives in similar contexts.
A stakeholder and power analysis identifying key influencers, decision-makers, allies, and blockers within the climate governance landscape.
METHODOLOGY of the survey
The assessment will apply a mixed methods, predominantly qualitative and participatory methodology designed to generate in-depth, context specific evidence on long term climate change advocacy initiatives in Bonthe and Falaba Districts. The approach will ensure triangulation of data, inclusiveness of perspectives, and alignment with Action Against Hunger (ACF) Advocacy, MEAL, gender, protection, and accountability standards:
Desk review
Key informant interviews
Focus group discussions
Participatory mapping and ranking exercises
Case study documentation
INDICATORS TO BE MESURED
Output indicators:
Number of climate advocacy initiatives identified and documented
Number of stakeholders consulted (disaggregated by gender, age, and role)
Number of advocacy case studies produced
Outcome indicators:
Level of stakeholder awareness of long term climate advocacy strategies
Evidence of policy or institutional changes influenced by advocacy initiatives
Degree of coordination among advocacy actors at district level
Process and Quality Indicators:
Inclusiveness of advocacy initiatives (gender, youth, vulnerable groups)
Use of evidence and data in advocacy messaging
Sustainability mechanisms embedded in advocacy initiatives
Indicator #
Indicator
Targets or key informants
(Mothers, children, local authorities, health centers, etc.)
Data Collection methodology
(Individual/household interviews, survey, FGDs, etc.).
1
Number of climate advocacy initiatives identified and documented
Local, District and National stakeholders
KII
2
Number of stakeholders consulted (disaggregated by gender, age, and role)
Local, District and National stakeholders
KII
3
Number of advocacy case studies produced
Local, District and National stakeholders
Individual interviews
4
Level of stakeholder awareness of long term climate advocacy strategies
Local, District and National stakeholders
KII
5
Evidence of policy or institutional changes influenced by advocacy initiatives
Local, District and National stakeholders
KII
6
Degree of coordination among advocacy actors at district level
District and National stakeholders
KII
7
Inclusiveness of advocacy initiatives (gender, youth, vulnerable groups)
Local, District and National stakeholders
FGD
8
Use of evidence and data in advocacy messaging
Local, District and National stakeholders
FGD
9
Sustainability mechanisms embedded in advocacy initiatives
Local, District
FGD
SURVEY SCOPE
Geographical scope: The assessment will be conducted in Bonthe and Falaba District.
Study population: The study population for this assessment will comprise a diverse range of stakeholders involved in, affected by, or influencing climate change advocacy initiatives at community, district, and national levels, with particular focus on Bonthe and Falaba Districts. The study population include Community, District and National levels stakeholders:
Demographic Considerations
The study will ensure gender balance and age diversity, with deliberate inclusion of women and youth.
Data will be disaggregated by sex, age group, role, and geographic location (coastal vs. upland).
Particular attention will be paid to social inclusion, ensuring voices of marginalized and climate vulnerable populations are adequately represented.
This inclusive study population will ensure that the assessment captures multiple perspectives on long term climate change advocacy, from grassroots experience to policy level influence, in line with the objectives of the ToR.
Cross-cutting issues:
Ensure equal participation of women, men, youth, and marginalized groups (including persons with disabilities and the elderly) at all stages of the survey.
Apply gender sensitive data collection tools that capture differentiated climate impacts, advocacy roles, and decision making power.
Disaggregate all relevant data by sex, age, and vulnerability status to inform inclusive advocacy strategies.
Create safe spaces during FGDs to enable women and vulnerable groups to express views freely, in line with ACF safeguarding and protection principles.
Integrate environmental and climate risk considerations into assessment questions, including ecosystem protection, natural resource use, and local adaptation practices.
Ensure that the survey does not cause harm to sensitive ecosystems or contribute to environmental degradation during field activities.
Promote meaningful community participation by involving community members in identifying advocacy issues, validating findings, and proposing solutions.
Apply participatory approaches (FGDs, community mapping) to ensure local ownership and contextual relevance of results
Ensure the assessment adopts a rights based and advocacy focused lens, recognizing communities as rights holders and institutions as duty bearers.
Capture evidence relevant for long term advocacy, including policy gaps, governance challenges, and power dynamics.
Sampling
Purposive sampling will be used to deliberately select respondents who are directly involved in, affected by, or influential in climate change advocacy initiatives.
Stratification by geography and stakeholder category will ensure balanced representation from:
Bonthe District (coastal/island context)
Falaba District (upland/agricultural context)
Quota considerations will be applied to ensure gender balance, youth inclusion, and representation of vulnerable groups, in line with ACF Gender and Protection policies.
Target population
COMMUNITY Level Stakeholders
FBO, MSGs, FMCs, and Villages Savings and Loan Association (VSLA)
Women’s groups
Youth groups and climate clubs
Vulnerable groups (PWDs, elderly, marginalized households)
Traditional and religious leaders
District Level Stakeholders
District Council official and technial staff
District level line ministry representatives
CSOs, CBOs, and NGO staff
Media practitioner and social mobilizers
National Level Stakeholders
National policymakers and technical officers
National CSO networks and advocacy coalitions
Development partners and donors
Research and academic institutions
Sample size and sampling method
Purposive sampling, targeting individuals with strategic influence on climate policy and advocacy. Overall a total of 64 (8 FGD by 8 participants)/144 (12 FGD by 12 participants), 16-24 KII (Bonthe and Falaba) and National level 10-15 KIIs.
Estimated sample size:
Level
Estimated Number of Respondents
Community level
64–144 participants
District level
16–24 respondents
National level
10–15 respondents
Overall Total
90–183 respondents
The assessment will use a non-probability sampling approach, specifically combining purposive sampling and stratified sampling.
Purposive sampling: will be used to intentionally select respondents who are directly involved in, affected by, or influential in climate change advocacy initiatives at community, district, and national levels.
Stratified sampling: will be applied to ensure balanced representation across key strata, including:
Geographic location (Bonthe District coastal context; Falaba District upland context)
Stakeholder category (community members, CSOs, local authorities, policymakers, development partners)
Gender, age, and vulnerability groups (women, youth, marginalized populations)
In addition, key informant sampling (a form of purposive sampling) will be used for interviews with policymakers, technical officers, and advocacy leaders who hold strategic positions within the climate governance and advocacy landscape.
SURVEY TOOLS, DATA MANAGEMENT and QUALITY MONITORING
Survey tools
Focus group guide and key informant interview tools will be used.
Data processing, analysis and interpretation
For the above assessment, mobile data collection technology (where appropriated) will be used to enhance data quality, efficiency, and security, in line with Action Against Hunger (ACF.
Application of Technology by Tool:
Key Informant Interviews (KIIs):
Semi-structured KII questionnaires will be programmed into Kobo Collect to capture qualitative responses, with built-in skip logic and validation checks.
Focus Group Discussions (FGDs):
FGD guides will be used to capture in-depth information, and systematic recording of key themes.
Stakeholder Mapping and Power Analysis Tools:
Structured matrices and ranking tools will be administered and recorded using Kobo forms to ensure consistency and ease of analysis.
Consent and Participant Information:
Informed consent will be recorded digitally within the Kobo forms, in compliance with ACF data protection and ethical standards.
Data Management and Security:
Data collected will be uploaded to the ACF Kobo server on a daily basis, subject to connectivity.
Access to the server will be restricted to authorized personnel to ensure confidentiality and data protection.
Regular data quality checks will be conducted during collection to identify and address inconsistencies.
Data processing and analysis will be done using appropriate analysis tools-Excel, SPSS etc.
Quality monitoring
All data collection tools (KII guides, FGD templates, stakeholder mapping matrices) will be standardized, clearly worded, and aligned with the assessment objectives.
Tools will be pre-tested in a non-sample community to assess clarity, relevance, flow, and cultural appropriateness.
Revisions will be made based on pre-test findings before full deployment.
Enumerators and facilitators will receive comprehensive training on the objectives of the assessment, data collection tools, ethical standards, and use of mobile data collection technology (Kobo/ODK).
Field supervisors will conduct daily supervision and spot checks to ensure adherence to protocols and consistency in data collection.
ORGANISATION OF THE SURVEY
ROLES/ RESPONSABILITIES
Phase / Task
Responsible
Contributors
Preparation phase
Protocol / ToR writing and planning
MEAL Team
Advocacy/MEAL/Logistics
ToRs validation
MEAL/HoDs
Program Team
Development of tools
Consultant
Advocacy/MEAL/HoD
Enumerators Recruitment
Consultant
HR Team
Field work
Trainings to enumerators
Consultant
MEAL/Advocacy
Field test
Consultant
Program Team
Data collection / supervision
Consultant
Program Team, Logistics, Finance team
Data Management
Questionnaire Kobo encoding
Consultant
MEAL
Daily data quality check
Consultant /MEAL team
Consultant
Data processing and cleaning
Consultant
Consultant
Data analysis
Consultant
Consultant/MEAL
Interpretation of data
Consultant
MEAL
Submission of draft report
Consultant
MEAL
Submission of final report
Consultant
MEAL
dissemination of findings
Consultant/MEAL
MEAL
Archiving
MEAL
Programme team
SCHEDULED TIMELINE
PHASE
January
February
Wk1
Wk2
Wk3
Wk4
Wk1
Wk2
Wk3
Wk4
1. Preparation phase
data collection
3. Data cleaning
4. Data analysis
5. Data interpretation & reporting
key delivrables
Specify expected deliverables (activity report, database, etc.)
Deliverables
Deadlines
Responsible
Contributors
ToRs
15th January
MEAL
HoD/Advocacy
Development of tools
28th January
HoD/Advocacy
Consultant/MEAL
Training of enumerates
28-29th January
Consultant
MEAL/Advocacy
Data collection and analysis
28th Jan – 15th February
Consultant
MEAL
Submission of draft report
20thFebruay
Consultant
Advocacy/MEAL/HoD
Submission of final report
1st March
Consultant
MEAL/HoDs
DATA MANAGEMENT AND ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS
Ethics
ACF has a data protection policy in which respect for the rights of data subjects is a key element. All the survey will be carried out on a voluntary basis. Survey participants will be given the option not to respond to a specific question or the whole survey, if at any time they believe a response would contain sensitive information. They can withdraw at any time from the survey without loosing their rights to participate in ACF programme. This must be clearly explained from the start.
ACF applies the data protection principles when sharing data, and in particular the principle of data minimization, which consists of sharing only the necessary data and assessing in advance the risks associated with sharing and disclosing data. This implies that the information provided will be kept confidential and used for programme purposes only. Any information that could be directly linked to an individual will not be used. ACF will ensure that data will be used solely for the purpose originally communicated to the data subject, and if the purpose changed significantly, the data subject’s consent will be renewed.
Prior to the start of any survey, the enumerators (including transcribers, guides, etc.) will sign a confidentiality agreement. The final report will be a synthesis of the team’s analysis drawn from surveys. Any quotes provided to highlight particular issues will not be attributed to an individual by name.
Informed Consent, Right to Privacy and Data Protection
As per ACF’s data protection policy, the collected consent of interviewees will be collected prior to the survey. After a clear information is given to the targeted people about the survey aim, risks and benefits of participating and confidentiality of data provided, written consent will be collected from voluntary participants, or a designated witness on behalf of the participant, and kept under lock in ACF premises.
Collecting and storing personal information or personally identifiable information (PII) from local populations poses ethical obligations for M&E to avoid compromising individuals’ privacy and security. PII consists of information from which an individual can be identified, such as names, ID numbers, physical, postal or email addresses, telephone numbers, photographs, age, gender or biometrics.
The team will ensure that the consent is free, specific, informed and not ambiguous. The collecting team will ensure understanding of risks and benefits from survey participants when collecting primary source data. During the preparation phase of the survey, all enumerators and field workers related will be trained in the importance, approved use and the collection of their informed consent from all survey participants according to ACF procedures.
ACF undertakes to process data in a way guaranteeing appropriate security of personal data, against unauthorized access or use of personal data during all stages of data collection and processing within the data “lifecycle”.
Do No Harm, Safeguarding, Gender and intersectionality
ACF operates under the principle of “Do No Harm” and is aware that vulnerable populations require special sensitivity when extracting data. For this reason, the survey team is being careful in designing methodologies, sampling, and tools of data collection regarding women, men, children, persons with disabilities, refugees/IDPs, returnees and different ethnicities as well as vulnerable host communities in order to ensure that data collection is appropriate and mitigates risks associated with vulnerable populations.
The questions in the data collection tools will be examined for exclusionary, offensive and disenfranchising language. Wherever possible, the survey team will collect data from women and children using female enumerators.
Important considerations include:
Data collectors and those disseminating M&E findings/reports should take into account where information might endanger or embarrass respondents or those non-community members involved in conducting the M&E.
While the integrity of findings should not be compromised given the legal and ethical responsibility to report evidence of criminal activity or wrongdoing that may harm others (e.g. child abuse or domestic violence), no harm should come to those involved.
Care should be taken when working with marginalized groups (e.g. internally displaced people or ethnic minorities) or following traumas (e.g. natural disaster, conflict, or domestic violence)
Systematic inquiry
All research should be thorough, using appropriate methods of enquiry and the highest technical standards, and based on valid data. Information should be validated using multiple approaches and sources. All reasonable efforts should be made to remove or minimize bias. Staff should remain neutral and promote evidence based inquiry and reporting. Clearly communicate the methodology or approach to allow stakeholders to understand and critique M&E activities. Methodologies should include tools and questions to capture both the intended and unintended project impact, whether positive or negative
Survey limits & constraints
Time constraints may limit the number of FGDs or length of interviews, particularly with government officials and community members during farming or fishing seasons.
Language barriers may affect depth of responses, requiring translation into local languages, which can introduce interpretation bias.
Reliance on digital data collection (Kobo/ODK) may be affected by poor internet connectivity, requiring delayed uploads or temporary paper-based tools.
Potential respondent fatigue among stakeholders who have participated in multiple assessments or projects.
As a predominantly qualitative assessment, analysis relies on perceptions, experiences, and self-reported information, which may introduce subjectivity or recall bias.
Measuring long-term advocacy influence and policy impact is inherently complex, as outcomes may not be directly attributable to specific initiatives.
Annexes
Data collection tools
Etc.
CHAIN OF APPROVAL
Requested by:
Date:
Name surname:
Position:
Approved by Humanitarian Access and Security
Approved by the Field coordinator
Approved by Finance:
Date:
Name surname:
Position:
Date:
Name surname:
Position:
Date:
Name surname:
Position:
Submission Instructions: Please submit your Expression of Interest as directed to the
Logistics Department.
All documents must be submitted in a sealed envelope to our Coordination Office 10 Sall Drive, Cocklebay Freetown, our field offices or via email to supplyofficer@sl-actionagainsthunger.org (with the subject line: “An assessment and documentation of long term advocacy initiatives on climate change”
The deadline for submission is 3rd February
