1. Background

Since the 1990s, the Great Lakes Region has been facing political instability, insecurities, and inter-community conflicts. This has increased the number of people seeking refuge in Rwanda. As of August 2024, the total population of refugees, asylum seekers, and other displaced populations registered with UNHCR in Rwanda was 135,077. Mahama Camp is the largest camp in the country and hosts 68,287 individuals1 including 40,950 Burundians, 22,837 Congolese, 403 Sudanese, 23 South Sudanese as well as other individuals from Ethiopia, Kenya, Afghanistan, Yemen and Egypt. Due to the recent influx of asylum seekers and refugees into the country, mainly from DRC and Sudan, Mahama camp has been expanding and has received around 3,400 Congolese refugees from Nkamira transit center in October 2024.

Overcrowded conditions regarding housing and access to services in the camp increase the potential for conflicts among the refugees. Solving these conflicts requires legal aid support, which often outweighs the capacity of the existing legal aid service providers that are meant to address the existing disputes. This results in prevailing conflicts intensifying. In addition to inadequate access to legal services, refugees often lack awareness of their legal rights as well as available protection services. This contributes to the underreporting of cases and further perpetuates cycles of violence. Recent PFR reports highlight that the disputes refugees are mainly involved in are conflicts with host community members. As refugees often explore economic opportunities outside the camp to cater to their basic needs, they encounter conflicts with host community members who are also trying to make a living with limited opportunities and resources. This can result in physical assaults, fraud, theft and robbing. To address such challenges, holistic approaches are needed that include tools addressing legal issues and mitigating the diverse disputes between the two communities.

Many refugees have experienced trauma in their home countries due to wars and conflict, which negatively affect their mental health. Therefore, there is an urgent need for adequate provision of mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) services. However, in Mahama Camp (where proportionally more women are affected by trauma) the available services are not sufficient to cater to the needs of the residents. Due to the increase of new refugees coming. into the camp from different countries the provision of MHPSS services is even more demanding and requires tailored services.

Since 2020, Prison Fellowship Rwanda (PFR) in partnership with UNCHR and MINEMA3 has been implementing legal assistance and community-based protection projects in all five refugee camps throughout the country (Kigeme, Mugombwa, Mahama, Nyabiheke, and Kiziba); in two transit centers (Emergency Transit Mechanisms, Gashora, and Nkamira Transit Centers) as well as in the cities of Huye and Kigali. More than 30,000 refugees and asylum seekers have been assisted and reached through different project activities including the provision of legal assistance, civil registration, community-based protection as well as MHPSS activities (through community-based sociotherapy approach).

In partnership with GIZ, Prison Fellowship Rwanda is implementing “Enhancing legal and psychosocial support to Mahama refugees, asylum seekers and host communities”.

Purpose of the Consultancy:

To assess the current needs, gaps, and opportunities in legal service delivery, conflict resolution mechanisms, and mental health support systems in Mahama Camp and its host community to inform the design of targeted, inclusive, and sustainable interventions. The study population will include adult people aged between 26-60 years old, young people aged between 18-25 years old, people with disabilities, survivors of SGBV, single parents and unaccompanied and separated youth. The assessment will take the diversity of their nationalities into account.

Objectives:

 Legal Services

• Identify barriers to accessing legal services for civil and criminal cases, particularly among juveniles, women, SGBV survivors, and asylum seekers.
• Assess the needs and capacities of Refugee-Led Organizations (RLOs) to deliver legal support.
• Explore gaps in legal awareness and access to justice at custody/police station levels.
• Recommend strategies to provide legal advice and representation to at least 350 cases (250 civil and 100 pending civil).

 Conflict Resolution

• Examine the root causes of conflict within refugee communities and between refugees and the host community.
• Assess existing traditional/community-based dispute resolution mechanisms.
• Identify training needs for the Council of Elders and other local actors.
• Recommend strategies for establishing a Mediation Desk and implementing Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) approaches.

3.3. Mental Health and Psycho-Social Support (MHPSS)

• Evaluate the mental health needs of refugees and host community members, especially those affected by trauma, displacement, or SGBV.
• Assess the availability, accessibility, and effectiveness of MHPSS services.
• Recommend approaches such as sociotherapy, group counselling, and integrated community-based support systems.

Qualifications and Experience:

 Education Background

• PhD or a Master’s degree in Psychology, Social work, Law, Peacebuilding and conflict resolution, Public Health, or a closely related field.

 Professional Experience:

• At least 5 years of relevant experience in conducting assessments or evaluations in humanitarian or development contexts.
• Proven experience in legal aid programming, particularly in access to justice for vulnerable populations such as refugees or internally displaced persons.
• Demonstrated experience in MHPSS (Mental Health and Psychosocial Support) programming and/or assessments.
• Solid understanding and experience in conflict resolution mechanisms, peacebuilding, or mediation at the community level.
• Experience working with or in refugee settings.
• Previous work with UN agencies, NGOs, or humanitarian organizations is highly desirable.

Skills and Competencies:

• Strong assessment and analytical skills (both qualitative and quantitative).
• Excellent interpersonal and facilitation skills, with experience in participatory approaches and stakeholder consultations.
• Ability to produce high-quality reports and recommendations tailored to multi-sectoral programs.
• Fluency in English; knowledge of Kinyarwanda or French is a strong advantage.
• Familiarity with human rights, humanitarian principles, and refugee protection frameworks.

 Additional Assets:

• Knowledge of the local context in Rwanda, particularly in humanitarian settings.
• Understanding of gender dimensions.
• Ability to work under tight deadlines and adapt to complex, dynamic environments.

Methodology and implementation plan

• The study shall adopt qualitative and quantitative methods to conduct the Needs assessment among refugees and host communities. Prison Fellowship Rwanda is looking for a KAP (Knowledge, Attitudes and Practice) based survey to best capture the needs of the target population. Gender sensitive approaches should be integrated into all steps of the study: sampling, elaboration of tools (interview and focus group discussion guides, data collection tools), and data analysis.

Scope of the Assignment

The appointed consultants/experts will be required to carry out their tasks in the following way:

• Submit an inception report that clearly shows a comprehensive, detailed methodology for the need assessment: data collection and analysis techniques and methods, triangulation approaches, sampling framework (sample size and selection techniques, etc.), and the work plan;
• Develop well-designed Quantitative and Qualitative questionnaires;
• Train data collectors;
• Responsible for collecting, analysing, and presenting data in a variety of formats;
• Present the draft report to Prison Fellowship Rwanda
• Finalize the report and submit the final copy.
• Presentation of the findings to different partners.

Timeframe

The deadline for the submission of both technical and financial offers is on 15^th May 20. The study will take place during May and June 2025. The consultants will submit a work plan, and specific dates will be agreed upon at the beginning of the consultancy.

Reporting

A draft report will be submitted in 15 days after the completion of data collection, and Prison Fellowship Rwanda will have a maximum of 5 days to review and provide comments that the final report must take into consideration. The final report will be submitted in 10 days after receiving all the comments and inputs.

The final report should be written in English and should be a maximum of 45 pages (without the annexes). It must include the following sections:

• Executive summary
• Introduction
• The purpose of the study
• Context and literature review
• Methodology
• Analysis of the main results (per objective)
• Conclusions and recommendations.

HOW TO APPLY?

PFR invites eligible bidders to submit their bids for the above tender to the address indicated in the above table. BID Documents are attached to this TOR.

Enquiries regarding this tender may be addressed to: PFR Procurement Office, Email: rmuzima@pfrwanda.org and copy recruitment.pfrwanda@gmail.com ; phone number: 0787473588.

Well printed bids, properly bound and presented in three copies, one of which is the original must reach the Procurement Office at the address mentioned above Not later than 16^th May 2025, at 04:00PM. Late bids will be rejected and returned unopened. Bids will be opened in the presence of bidders or their representatives who choose to attend at PFR meeting Hall on 20^th May 2025 at 3:00 pm. The Outer envelope should clearly indicate the tender title, Tender reference number and kind of document (Technical or financial). Bidding will be conducted in accordance with the PFR Procurement policy.