External Evaluator - International Consultancy

Deadline for Applications

June 28, 2026

Hardship Level (not applicable for home-based)

B

Family Type (not applicable for home-based)

Family

Staff Member / Affiliate Type

CONS International

Target Start Date

2026-07-01

Terms of Reference

1. Introduction

This external review will assess the project’s achievements and performance against planned targets, identify lessons learned, and provide actionable recommendations to inform future programming and potential scale-up or replication. It will focus on implementation quality and early results, not long-term impact.

2. Purpose of the Review and its Context

Background and Context

The project “Support to Livelihoods and Economic Inclusion of Eritrean Refugees in the Afar Region and Addis Ababa Urban Area” was launched in September 2024 with the objective of strengthening the self‑reliance and economic inclusion of Eritrean refugees and host communities in the Afar Region and Addis Ababa. The project targets approximately 51,000 direct and indirect beneficiaries and focuses on expanding access to sustainable livelihoods and protection‑sensitive economic opportunities for refugees and host communities.

Key interventions under the project include: (i) expanding access to wage and self‑employment opportunities; (ii) promoting gender equality and strengthening gender‑based violence (GBV) prevention and response mechanisms; and (iii) supporting the issuance of digital refugee identity cards with embedded national ID (Fayda) numbers, thereby facilitating refugees’ access to legal documentation, financial services, and broader economic opportunities.

This external review will cover the implementation period from September 2024 to December 2025. The Terms of Reference (ToR) outline the objectives, scope, and methodology of the review, which will guide the review process and ensure transparency regarding its purpose and expected outputs. The findings of the review will be shared with the donor, the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), Switzerland, and disseminated among relevant partners engaged in supporting refugees and host communities in Ethiopia.

UNHCR Ethiopia is therefore seeking qualified individual consultant with demonstrated expertise in livelihoods, economic inclusion and protection review or evaluation to undertake this external review in accordance with the ToR.

Ethiopia context

With a population of approximately 126.5 million, Ethiopia has made significant progress in reducing poverty, with the proportion of people living below the national poverty line falling from 30 per cent in 2011 to 24 per cent in 2016. However, these gains are undermined by rising inequality, recurrent conflicts, and environmental pressures that slow progress and threaten stability.

Livelihoods are determined by agro-ecological diversity: 80 per cent of Ethiopians live in the humid highlands, which rely heavily on rain-fed agriculture, while the arid lowlands are home to pastoral communities. Climate change is intensifying vulnerabilities, with droughts and floods becoming more frequent and severe. Agriculture, the backbone of the Ethiopian economy, is under pressure from recurrent droughts, soil erosion, land degradation and deforestation. Rapid population growth puts additional pressure on fragile ecosystems, increasing risks to both food security and biodiversity.

Refugees in Ethiopia

Ethiopia hosts more than one million refugees and asylum seekers (approximately 1,115,839), making it the second-largest refugee‑hosting country in Africa. Refugees come mainly from South Sudan (43%), Somalia (32%), Eritrea (15%) and Sudan (9%), and reside in 20 camps and rural settlements near border areas. Although relations with host communities are generally peaceful, refugees face significant challenges. Around 80 per cent live in camps with limited economic opportunities, heavily dependent on humanitarian aid, informal trade, and subsistence support. Access to employment, education, and essential services remains restricted.

The situation for refugees is further complicated by Ethiopia's own humanitarian and development challenges. Internal conflicts in Tigray, Oromia, Amhara, and Gambella have displaced some 3.4 million people. Ethnic tensions, rising youth unemployment and economic decline, including persistent inflation, add to the strain. The effects of climate change exacerbate these pressures, creating overlapping humanitarian and development needs.

Policies and commitments

Ethiopia has demonstrated a strong commitment to refugee protection and inclusion through progressive policies and international frameworks, including:

• The 2019 Refugee Proclamation, which guarantees refugees access to education, health, employment, business and financial services.

• The extension of policy outside camps, the issuance of identity documents, and access to work permits and financial services.

• The commitments of the Global Compact on Refugees (2018) to promote self-sufficiency, integration, and access to national systems.

The commitments made at the Global Refugee Forum (2023), including those related to climate resilience, sustainable energy, transforming camps into settlements, strengthening GBV prevention, and integrating refugees into national systems.

Despite these measures, practical obstacles remain. Refugees face complex procedures to access work permits or register businesses, hampered by multiple agencies, inconsistent regulations and unclear implementation guidelines. Harmonising laws, simplifying administrative requirements and drafting enabling regulations are essential to unlocking the economic potential of refugees.

Makatet Roadmap: a platform for implementation

The Makatet Roadmap offers a timely and strategic opportunity to implement Ethiopia's commitments on refugee inclusion. It represents a multisectoral approach that links livelihoods, education, health, climate adaptation and protection interventions, while ensuring meaningful benefits for host communities. The roadmap provides a structured platform for coordinating the actions of the government, UNHCR and partners, translating political commitments into concrete and measurable outcomes and. It aligns closely with the country's development priorities and the Global Compact on Refugees, reinforcing efforts to improve the self-reliance, social integration, and resilience of refugees.

In conclusion, Ethiopia's long tradition of hosting refugees is commendable, but the scale and complexity of the current challenges require stronger and more coordinated action. Progress towards sustainable solutions must address the root causes of poverty, conflict, and environmental degradation, while prioritizing the rights and needs of vulnerable groups, including refugees and host communities.

This assessment will provide critical evidence on what has worked and where gaps remain in improving refugees' self-reliance and resilience. Its findings will help shape future programming, strengthen accountability to donors and stakeholders, and guide strategies to more fully integrate refugees into Ethiopia's social, economic and environmental systems, using the Market Roadmap as a guiding framework.

2.1 UNHCR response

UNHCR's commitment to promoting the livelihoods and economic inclusion of refugees is central to providing forcibly displaced populations with access to employment and self-reliance opportunities essential to rebuilding their lives disrupted by conflict or persecution. In Ethiopia, UNHCR has developed a Multi-Year Strategy for Livelihoods and Economic Inclusion (2020-2024), which serves as a blueprint for its livelihood programmes. The strategy's objectives are ambitious, aiming to increase the self-reliance of refugees and host communities by creating viable economic opportunities. This involves promoting policies that enable refugees to work, increasing access to employment, engaging development partners and the private sector in job creation, and improving the capacity of government entities and stakeholders to support the economic inclusion of refugees. These efforts are aligned with broader regional strategies for the East Africa and Horn of Africa and Great Lakes regions, which seek to address significant socio-economic challenges and improve the livelihoods of people affected by displacement.

In collaboration with a broad network of stakeholders, including national and local governments (Refugees and Returnees Services (RRS), relevant ministries, regional offices), bilateral donors and governments (European Union-International Associations, BMZ and KfW, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, FCDO), international financial institutions (WB, IFC, AfDB) and international and local partners, UNHCR aims to improve the livelihoods of refugees. This includes improving skills, financial inclusion, and resilience to climate change, while promoting policy reforms. Despite these ongoing efforts, there is a constant drive to further strengthen livelihood programmes and expand their reach. By adopting a market-based approach and deepening cross-sector partnerships, UNHCR strives to strengthen the resilience and economic integration of refugees, ensuring they have the tools and support they need to build a sustainable future.

2.2 Subject of the Review of the Program and Background

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), with funding CHF 1,200,000

from the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) of Switzerland, is implementing a 16-month project titled “Support to Livelihood and Economic Inclusion of Eritrean Refugees in the Afar Region and Addis Ababa Urban Area.”

The project seeks to strengthen self-reliance and economic inclusion of Eritrean refugees and host communities by:

• Expanding access to wage and self-employment opportunities.

• Enhancing gender equality and GBV prevention and response; and

• Supporting the issuance of digital refugee ID cards with embedded national ID (Fayda) numbers to facilitate access to legal and economic opportunities.

Targeting 51,000 direct and indirect beneficiaries, including 1,000 working-age individuals, 15,000 participants in GBV prevention and gender equality initiatives, and 35,000 recipients of digital refugee ID cards, the project operates in Aysaita and Barahle refugee camps (Afar Region) and the Addis Ababa urban area.

The implementation of the project is coordinated by UNHCR, in collaboration with its government counterpart, RRS, and mainly delivered through NGO implementing partners.

3 Purpose, Objectives and Scope of the Review

3.1 Purpose

The review will assess relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency, progress toward outcomes, and sustainability using adapted OECD-DAC criteria. It will not assess long-term impact but will focus on implementation quality and early results. Findings will inform future programming and scale-up.

Given the project duration and recent completion, the review will not assess long term impact but will focus on implementation quality, early results, and progress towards impact.

3.2 Specific Objectives:

1. Assess the relevance of the project design in relation to the needs of Eritrean refugees, host communities, and Ethiopian government policies and donor priorities.

2. Review the effectiveness of project implementation and progress toward planned outputs and outcomes.

3. Analyze the efficiency of resource utilization and management, including partnership arrangements.

4. Assess the coherence and complementarity of this intervention with other donor-funded and government programmes (e.g. PROSPECTS, DRDIP II, World Bank, PRM, Netherlands).

5. Analyze progress towards impact in terms of refugee self-reliance, economic inclusion, gender equality, and protection.

6. Examine progress towards the sustainability of outcomes beyond SEM funding, including institutional, policy, and community‑level ownership.

7. Identify lessons learned and actionable recommendations for future programming, scale up, or replication.

3.3 Scope of the External Review

• Geographical Coverage: Afar Region (Aysaita and Barahle refugee camps) and Addis Ababa urban area.

• Timeframe Covered: Full implementation period of the project is from 01 September 2024 to 31 December 2025.

• Thematic Focus Areas:

• Livelihood and economic inclusion (vocational skills, business support, public–private dialogue).

• Gender equality and GBV prevention and response.

• Refugee registration and digital documentation (Fayda integration).

• Coordination, partnerships, and monitoring mechanisms.

4.External Review Criteria and Key Questions

The external review will draw on the OECD DAC evaluation criteria in an adapted manner, appropriate to the scope of a learning‑oriented review. The review will seek to answer the following guiding questions:

Criterion Key Review Questions

Relevance

To what extent did the project respond to the needs and priorities of refugees and host communities?

How consistent are the interventions with Ethiopia’s refugee policies (2019 Proclamation, GRF pledges) and SEM migration priorities?

Coherence

How did the project complement and align with other interventions by UNHCR, donors, and national authorities?

What synergies or overlaps exist with related programmes?

Effectiveness

To what extent were the intended outputs and outcomes achieved?

What factors facilitated or hindered results (e.g. security, policy environment, partnerships)?

Efficiency

Were resources (financial, human, technical) used in a timely and in accordance with agreed standards?

Were implementation and reporting mechanisms proportionate and timely?

Progress Towards Impact

What early or emerging changes can be observed in relation to refugee livelihoods, economic inclusion, and protection outcomes?

Were there any notable unintended positive or negative effects resulting from the project’s interventions?

Progress Towards Sustainability

To what extent are the benefits of the project likely to continue beyond the project period and SEM funding?

What elements (e.g. capacities, partnerships, systems, policy linkages) contribute to or limit the sustainability of project outcomes?

5. Approach and Methodology

The review will use a mixed-methods approach combining desk review, key informant interviews, focus group discussions, and quantitative surveys where feasible, with purposive and stratified sampling to ensure AGD representation. Analysis will combine quantitative and qualitative techniques, with triangulation across sources. Validation steps include stakeholders and peer review. Detailed methodology, tools, and ethical safeguards will be finalized in the Inception Report.

Methods are expected to include:

• Employ a combination of interviews, focus group discussions (with refugees and host community members (with age, gender, and diversity considerations), and other appropriate qualitative and quantitative tools.

• Desk review of project and monitoring documents

• Use a balanced mix of quantitative and qualitative instruments, complemented by a participatory approach that incorporates the perspectives of key stakeholders, including refugees, host community members, local authorities, implementing partners (EECMY, JRS, DICAC), and private-sector actors.

• Conduct field visits to Afar (Aysaita and Barahle) and Addis Ababa

The consultant is expected to adequately utilise triangulation in the review design, data collection methods, analysis and presentation of findings, utilizing findings emerging across different data sources

The above are the minimum expectations; the consultant will prepare an Inception Report detailing the final agreed-upon and approved methodology, data collection tools, review matrix and ethical safeguards.

Data and Information Sources

The external review should reflect an age, gender and diversity (AGD) perspective in all primary data collection activities carried out as part of the assessment (including focus group discussions with women, young people and disadvantaged individuals and groups), as well as in the data analysis and reporting phase as provided for in UNHCR’s age, gender and diversity policy. While this is a review and not an evaluation, the consultant is expected to utilise to the most extent possible the following policy and guidance documents in conducting the review:

• To the extent possible, consult and use internationally agreed evaluation criteria, such as those proposed by the OECD DAC and adapted by ALNAP for use in humanitarian situations, as well as UNHCR evaluation policy and standards.

• Consult and use relevant sectoral standards and specific analytical frameworks and other related frameworks, including the UNEG Ethical Guidelines for Evaluation and the UNEG Guidance on Integrating Human Rights and Gender Equality in Evaluations

• Collect and utilise a wide range of data sources (e.g. mission reports, coordination group meetings, strategy descriptions) to demonstrate the impartiality of the analysis; minimise bias and ensure the credibility of the review findings and conclusions.

• Follow UNHCR's data protection policy, including data storage and access, as well as consent and confidentiality. Ensure that protocols for conducting interviews with identified individuals are ethical and well-developed before conducting interviews.

6. Key Actors in the External Review

The external review will engage a broad range of internal and external stakeholders who are directly or indirectly involved in, or affected by, the project “Support to Livelihood and Economic Inclusion of Eritrean Refugees in the Afar Region and Addis Ababa Urban Area.” The engagement of these actors will ensure that the review is participatory, balanced, and grounded in operational realities, while remaining independent and impartial.

The review will also benefit implementing partners, government counterparts, and donors by informing policy dialogue, strategic planning, multi-year programming, and collective advocacy efforts in Ethiopia.

6.1. Primary Actors

Beneficiary Population

Refugees and host community members targeted by the project are central actors in the external review. Their perspectives will be captured through interviews, focus group discussions, and other participatory methods, ensuring representation across age, gender, and diversity groups. Their feedback will be critical in assessing the relevance, effectiveness, and sustainability of livelihood support, gender empowerment initiatives, and registration and documentation activities, and in informing future donor investment decisions.

Government Counterparts

Relevant government institutions at federal, regional, and local levels will be engaged, including:

• Refugees and Returnees Service (RRS)

• Relevant regional and woreda-level authorities in Afar Region and Addis Ababa

• Technical line ministries and services related to livelihoods, labour, skills development, and registration

These actors have been involved in implementation and coordination and have a strong interest in ensuring that project interventions align with national policies, refugee inclusion priorities, and development plans.

Implementing and Operational Partners

UNHCR implements this project in partnership with national and international NGOs, including:

• Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus (EECMY) – Afar Region

• Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) – Addis Ababa

• Development and Inter-Church Aid Commission (DICAC) – GBV prevention and response

The external review will examine partnership arrangements, coordination mechanisms, and implementation modalities, with a view to strengthening effectiveness, accountability, and learning.

6.2 Secondary Actors

UNHCR Ethiopia Country Operation

The UNHCR Representation in Ethiopia is responsible for overall project management and for commissioning and facilitating the external review. UNHCR Ethiopia is the user of the review findings, which will inform operational learning, decision-making, and future programme design. UNHCR will facilitate access to documentation, stakeholders, and field locations, while maintaining the review’s independence.

UNHCR Regional and Headquarters Levels

UNHCR’s Regional Bureau and relevant Headquarters Divisions (including technical and policy units) may participate as secondary actors. Their engagement could support reflection on the project’s:

• Strategic coherence and alignment with UNHCR global policies and frameworks.

• Complementarity with regional and global initiatives.

• Transferability of lessons learned to other operations.

Their inputs will enrich the analysis without influencing the independent judgment of the reviewer.

Donor - State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), Switzerland

As the project donor, SEM is a key stakeholder in the external review. SEM has a strong interest in assessing whether the project has:

• Achieved its intended objectives and outcomes.

• Used resources efficiently and in accordance with agreed standards.

• Generated sustainable results aligned with Swiss migration and international cooperation priorities.

SEM will review the Terms of Reference and receive the final review report but will not be involved in the conduct of the review.

Other UN Agencies and Organizations

Other United Nations agencies, development actors, and organizations operating in the areas of livelihoods, protection, GBV prevention, and refugee inclusion may be consulted, as relevant. Their engagement will help assess coherence, complementarity, and coordination with broader humanitarian–development efforts in Ethiopia.

7. Management of the External Review

The external review will be managed by a designated UNHCR staff member (External Review Manager) in Ethiopia, with remote support from the Senior Regional Evaluation Officer at UNHCR's Regional Office for East and Southern Africa, who will provide technical guidance.

The External Review Manager will supervise the external review process and act as the main point of reference within UNHCR. The Eternal Review Manager will provide the consultant(s) with access to relevant data sources, facilitate contact and access to key actors, oversee the dissemination of information and results within UNHCR and to other participating parties.

8. Risks

Potential risks include data collection challenges, and GBV safeguarding concerns. Mitigation measures include flexible scheduling, remote interviews if needed, and strict adherence to ethical protocols.

9. Deliverables and Indicative Timeline

Activity Deliverables Indicative timeline

Inception phase includes:

(i) Initial desk review and key informant interviews.

(ii) Discussion on broad framework/approach

(iii) Draft Inception report circulated

(iv) Incorporation of comments on the inception report and production of a final report.

1. Draft and final inception report, including the methodology, data collection tools (survey questionnaires, FGD and KII guides), and review matrix. June 2026

14 working days

Fieldwork: Data collection and cleaning conducted.

1) Primary data collection and cleaning finalised.

2) A debrief on data collection conducted with the UNHCR CO office team, UNHCR Field and/or Sub-Offices. June 2026

14 working days

Analysis and Report writing phase. 1) Presentation of key findings and recommendations to UNHCR, SEM, and partners.

2) Draft report 1 (for circulation and comments internally), including internal presentation of preliminary findings, conclusions, and preliminary recommendations to UNHCR Ethiopia.

3) Draft report 2, which addresses UNHCR internal comments, is submitted for circulation to external stakeholders. July 2026

21 working days

Revision of Draft Report 2 and integration of external feedback Draft report 3 addressing external stakeholders' comments is submitted by the consultant. July 2026

7 working days

Finalisation of the External Review Report (not more than 30 pages – excluding Annexes) and an Executive Summary (3- 5 pages long) Final version incorporating feedback; structured per SEM reporting checklist, including executive summary and annexes including dissemination materials. June-July 2026

15 working days

External Review Action Plan Prepared by UNHCR to address needed actions proposed by the External Review. June-July 2026

10. Profile and Qualifications of the External Reviewer

The external review will be conducted by an independent consultant selected through a competitive process by UNHCR Ethiopia in cooperation with the UNHCR Evaluation Office.

Guided by the UNHCR Evaluation Policy for 2022, actual or potential conflicts of interest will be assessed prior to hiring the reviewer. The engagement will be on a consultancy contract basis. O

The external consultant must sign the UNHCR Code of Conduct, complete its protection training module and comply with its confidentiality requirements. Guided by established standards and the Ethical Guidelines for Evaluations in the United Nations system, external review at UNHCR is based on the interrelated principles of independence, impartiality, credibility and usefulness. In practice, this requires, among other things: the protection of sources and data; the systematic seeking of informed consent; respect for dignity and diversity; and the minimisation of risks, harm and constraints to individuals involved or participating in the external review, without compromising the integrity of the exercise.

Required Competencies and Qualifications:

Academic Background: Advanced degree in development studies, social sciences, economics, or related field; or a bachelor’s degree with at least 10 years of relevant experience.

Professional Experience: Minimum 5 years in evaluating or reviewing humanitarian or development projects, preferably in refugee livelihoods or GBV programming.

Institutional Knowledge: Familiarity with UNHCR’s mandate, operations, and approach to livelihoods and protection.

Technical Expertise: Proven experience with diverse data collection and analysis methods (e.g., participatory reviews, focus groups, outcome mapping, vulnerability classification, self-reliance index scoring, survey design).

Analytical Skills: Ability to conduct complex analyses and present findings using clear graphics and visualizations.

Language Proficiency: Excellent English and good French (written and spoken). Previous experience in Ethiopia is an asset.

11. Ethical Considerations

While this is not a full evaluation, the External Review is expected to adhere to United Nations Evaluation Group (UNEG), Swiss Evaluation Society (SEVAL), and OECD-DAC ethical standards, ensuring confidentiality, informed consent, and safeguarding of all participants, particularly refugees and GBV survivors. Data protection provisions under UNHCR’s Data Protection Policy and Ethiopia’s regulations must be respected.

Standard Job Description

Required Languages

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Desired Languages

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Additional Qualifications

Skills

Education

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Other information

This position doesn't require a functional clearance

Remote

No