Supporting Return Preparedness Through Livelihood Study
Mercy Corps
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Supporting Return Preparedness Through Livelihood Study
Programs and Technical Specialities
Middle East – Various Locations,
Jordan
Description
About Mercy Corps
Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within. Now, and for the future. To do this, we know our teams do their best work when they arediverseand every team member feels that they belong. We welcome diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be stronger and havelong-term impact.
Mercy Corps has developed a Crisis Analysis function to support our programming in the most complex contexts, including Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Ukraine, and others. The Crisis Analysis supports Mercy Corps’ in-country programming as well as the wider humanitarian response in the region through the provision of quality,timelyand relevant analytical products. This analysis is grounded inMercyCorps’ position as an operational NGO, keeping our products constructive and relevant for humanitarian, early recovery, anddevelopmentresponders and donors within a given crisis.
Context
The Syria crisis, now in its fifteenth year,remainsone of the most protracted displacement crises globally. While large-scale returnsremainlimited, most Syrian refugees in neighboring countries continue to express an intention to return under the right conditions.
Access to sustainable livelihoods isa central factorshaping return intentions, preparedness, and broader displacement trajectories for both refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs).
This study, conducted in partnership with UNDP and UNHCR, examines the relationship between livelihood opportunities and durable solutions. It aims to assess how current livelihood interventions respond to existing and future needs, and how this influences return-related decision-making.
Project Description
Funded byRegional Development and Protection Program(RDPP),the ‘Strengthening Regional Policy Dialogue and Partnerships on Solutions’ projectseeksto promote adaptive solutions for Syrian refugees through evidence-based policy dialogue, advocacy, and strategic alliance-building. Implemented by the United Nations DevelopmentProgramme(UNDP) and Mercy Corps, the project leverages Mercy Corps’ Crisis Analysis to support ongoing and emerging policy and advocacy efforts underpinned by a bespoke body of evidence and grounded in contextual realities. As a multi-donor platform managed by the Kingdom of Denmark, RDPP was firstinitiatedin 2014 as a multi-donor response to address the humanitarian and development needs of refugees and displacement-affected communities in the countriesneighbouringSyria.
This study directly serves RDPP audience and aligns with the advocacy priority of driving progress in improving the socio-economic conditions of Syrian refugees and host communities through inclusion and self-reliance.This study will generate adescriptive, explanatory, and interpretive analysisof how livelihood interventions shapereturnspreparedness and durable solutions pathways. It will provide actionable recommendations to inform the work ofpractitioners, including NGO and UN partners,as well as theLivelihoods Working Groupsand theRegional Durable Solutions Working Group (RDSWG).It will also inform the design of the intendedUNDPworkshop on Designing Interventionsin Protracted Displacement Contextsand will enrich the workshop content.
Research Objectives and Questions
Overall Objective:
To generate robust evidence base on the role of livelihoods in shaping return preparedness and durable solutions for Syrian refugees and IDPs.
Key Research Questions:
Howdocurrent livelihoodconditionsand support influencereturn intentions and preparedness among refugees?
How have Lebanon’s successive and compounding crises since 2019 — including the financial and banking collapse, COVID-19 pandemic, Beirut Port explosion, the 2024 Israel-Hezbollah war, and the 2026 war — shaped livelihoods programming targeting displaced Syrians, including donor priorities, targeting approaches, perceptions and preparedness for return, and the balance between stabilization-oriented and emergency response modalities?
To what extentarelivelihoodsinterventions aligned with economic opportunities inside Syria(e.g., skilling, MSME support etc.)?
What constraints do returnees and IDPs face in accessing sustainable livelihoods inside Syria?
What livelihoods-related factors influence displacement trajectories and return decisions(e.g., timing, areas of return,who returns etc.)?
How have the assumptions, findings, and recommendations of the 3RP “Livelihood Preparedness for Syrian Refugee Returns” study evolvedin light ofthe socio-economic, political, and security transformationsobservedin Syria and host countries since 2022?
How do these dynamics differ across demographic groups, including women,youthand persons with disabilities (PwDs)?
How can(country-specific and regional)livelihoodsprogramming in host countries and areas of return better prepare refugees for eventual return while simultaneously supporting resilience and social cohesion in host communities?
Consultant Activities:
The Consultant will:
Provide overall project management and technical oversight for the study
Ensuring compliance with Mercy Corps’ research standards, methodological requirements, and agreed deliverables and timelines.
Lead onqualitativeresearchmethodologyand design.
Develop theinceptionreport and lead the review and revision process through to finalization, incorporating feedback provided by Mercy Corps and UNDP.
Liaise withthe CAteamfor external stakeholder engagement, to conduct key informant interviews (KIIs), and tovalidateanalytical findings.
Conduct KIIs withan agreedlist of stakeholders.
Leadtheresearch analysis, in coordinationwiththe Crisis Analysis regional team.
Produce KIIs transcriptsand ensure they areanonymized andimported into a qualitative coding structure.
Leadtheproduction of thethematic report.
Present theinitialfindings internally toMercyCorps and UNDP.
Leadreview and revision process with multiple iterations of feedback,ultimately leadingto a high-quality final product.
As relevant,produce andpresent findings within external events (briefings, workshops, panels, roundtables,etc).
Consultant Deliverables:
Theconsultant willdeliver:
Inception Report:Methodology, analytical framework, data collection tools, detailed workplan
Data Collection Outputs:KII summaries/transcripts and coded qualitative data,Draft AnalyticalReport(Approximately 15–20 pages, including clear findings and recommendations)
Final Analytical Report(Incorporating feedback from Mercy Corps and partners)
Presentation Materials(Slide deck and summary outputs for dissemination)
Timeframe / Schedule:
Estimated duration: 12–14weeks, structured as follows:
Inception phase:2–3 weeks
Data collection: 4–5 weeks
Analysis and drafting: 3–4 weeks
Review and finalization: 2-3weeks
Consultant Fees
The consultancy is expected to require up to 25 working days.Proposed fees will be commensurate with the consultant’s level of experience and expertise.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, national origin, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristics protected under applicable law.
Safeguarding & Ethics
Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct elearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.