External Evaluator - Living in Dignity II Project (Consultancy)

TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR THE EVALUATION OF THE PROJECT "LIVING IN DIGNITY II"

1. Introduction

medica mondiale e.V. and Emma Organisation for Human Development are commissioning a final external evaluation of the project “Living in Dignity II”, implemented in the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI), and invite qualified evaluators to submit proposals.

2. Subject of the evaluation

About medica mondiale e.V.

medica mondiale is a feminist women’s rights organisation. For over 30 years, we have been campaigning against conflict-related sexualised violence and against power dynamics that oppress women. Together with local partner organisations in Northern Iraq/Kurdistan, Afghanistan, West Africa, the African Great Lakes Region and South-eastern Europe, we support survivors of sexualised violence, work to dismantle discriminatory power dynamics, and empower women’s rights activists.

Through programmes and in partnership with local women’s rights organisations, medica mondiale e.V. takes a multi-level approach to address the various factors contributing to violence against women and girls: On the individual level, medica mondiale e.V. provides access to holistic services (psychosocial, health, legal, economic) for survivors of (sexualised and) gender-based violence (SGBV). On the level of women’s and girls’ social environment, medica mondiale e.V. supports communities to recognise and protect women’s and girls’ rights and to support survivors of and women affected by (S)GBV. On the institutional level, medica mondiale e.V. capacitates relevant public institutions from the health and legal sector to adopt a Stress- and Trauma-sensitive Approach (STA) in their work with survivors and to establish cross-institutional referral and support systems. On the political level, medica mondiale e.V. advocates for laws, policies and resolutions that address (S)GBV and promote women’s political participation. On the societal level, medica mondiale e.V. campaigns against sexism and gender stereotypes, raises awareness on (S)GBV and the long-term impacts of trauma within societies. Stress- and trauma-sensitivity are fundamental principles of our work and are articulated in the Stress- and Trauma-sensitive Approach (STA), which was developed collaboratively by medica mondiale and our partner organisations.

Our mission is to end sexualised violence worldwide. Together with our partner organisations, we strengthen women and girls in conflict areas and support them in coping with violence and trauma.

We stand up for women's rights and work towards social transformation. We do this as part of a diverse feminist movement.

Further information on medica mondiale e.V. can be found on our website: www.medicamondiale.org/en

About Emma Organisation for Human Development

Emma Organization is a non-profit organization established in 2013 that works to enhance community well-being in both KRI and Northeastern Syria, with a focus on rehabilitation, skills development and support for women and vulnerable groups, including those affected by displacement or conflict. The organization provides psychosocial support and practical assistance to women who have experienced violence, while also encouraging their positive participation in social, community and peace-building efforts. Emma also offers capacity building for staff of public institutions to strengthen effective support for women affected by violence. In addition, the organization contributes to program development that improves services and protection for women and families and does advocacy and networking work.

Project Context and Security

The Living in Dignity II project is implemented in KRI within a fragile and evolving context shaped by the aftermath of the conflict with the so-called Islamic State (IS). Despite the formal defeat of IS, large numbers of internally displaced persons (IDPs), particularly Yazidi communities from Sinjar, remain unable to return due to ongoing insecurity, destroyed infrastructure, and limited progress in reconstruction and service provision. Humanitarian needs remain high, with over one million IDPs still present in Iraq, including significant populations living in camps and host communities in KRI. Camp closures have further increased uncertainty, disrupted services, and contributed to secondary displacement and pressure on host communities. Due to security reasons, some camps remain in Dohuk province; however, they receive only limited support from the Iraqi government.

The security situation has further deteriorated since early 2026, with intensified drone and missile attacks affecting Erbil, Dohuk and Sulaymaniyah governorates. Repeated strikes on civilian areas,

infrastructure, and strategic sites have heightened an already volatile environment, increasing risks for civilians and humanitarian operations. This has led to greater unpredictability for programme implementation and has contributed to heightened stress and insecurity among affected populations, particularly IDPs and vulnerable groups.

Protection and psychosocial needs remain acute, particularly among women affected by sexualised and gender-based violence (SGBV) and conflict-related sexualised violence. SGBV is widespread and underreported due to stigma, patriarchal norms, and limited access to services and justice. Women in displacement face compounded vulnerabilities, including restricted access to livelihoods, healthcare, and education. Yazidi women and girls, who were systematically targeted by IS, continue to experience severe and long-term trauma, social exclusion, and legal and economic barriers affecting their recovery and reintegration. While the Yazidi Survivors Law (2021) represents an important step towards recognition and reparations, implementation remains limited and access to compensation is constrained by complex and often retraumatising procedures. For example, because the Directorate of Survivors office is located in Mosul—a former ISIS stronghold—visiting the area can retraumatize survivors who were subjected to prolonged torture and abuse there.

At the same time, the operational environment for women’s rights organisations has become increasingly constrained. Reduced international presence, political and economic instability, and growing backlash against gender equality programming have limited funding and institutional support. In this context, local civil society organisations such as Emma play a critical role in providing survivor-centred, stress- and trauma-sensitive support. However, they operate under increasing pressure, including security risks, shrinking civic space, and the emotional burden of working with highly traumatised populations. Sustained support to these actors remains essential to ensure continued service delivery, advocacy, and protection for women and girls affected by violence.

Project description

The “Living in Dignity II” project is implemented with funding from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) to provide holistic stress- and trauma-sensitive support for women.

• Project title: Living in Dignity – a safe environment and an empowering connection for
• women affected by (S)GBV in the Kurdish Autonomous Region in Iraq by access to a holistic
• stress- and trauma-sensitive support
• Project focus: Protection and support for women, including displaced and vulnerable groups
• Project country: Kurdistan Autonomous Region in Iraq (KRI)
• Project duration: 01.10.2024-31.03.2027

Overall project objective (impact):

Contribution to improved prospects for a more dignified and self-determined life for SGBV survivors in the Kurdish Autonomous Region in Iraq

Project goal:

The relative well-being of SGBV survivors has increased through joint efforts of governmental and non-governmental institutions

The project is implemented in the Autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI), with a particular focus on the governorates of Erbil and Dohuk. Emma delivers holistic services through women’s counselling centres and safer spaces in host communities and through mobile team outreach and service provision in IDP camps across the region.

The project is structured around five interlinked outcome areas designed to achieve its overall objective. It is grounded in medica mondiale’s multi-level approach, which operates across different levels: at the individual level, the project works directly with women affected by violence; at the institutional level, it strengthens the capacity of key actors and referral systems; at the community level, it promotes awareness and understanding of gender roles and responsibilities; and at the broader societal level, it raises awareness of the long-term impacts of trauma and violence.

Outcomes and project activities:

Outcome 1: Holistic stress- and trauma-sensitive services for women and girls affected by (S)GBV

• Under Outcome 1, the project provides survivor-centred, stress- and trauma-sensitive support to women and girls affected by SGBV in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, with a focus on Yazidi survivors in IDP camps and host communities.
• Services are delivered through women counselling centres, camp-based service points, and mobile outreach teams, and include psychosocial support, legal assistance, referrals, and support with civil documentation and compensation mechanisms. Education, vocational activities, and peer groups complement these services by strengthening resilience, social support, and access to rights.

Outcome 2: Increased awareness and reduced stigma around (S)GBV

• Under Outcome 2, the project aims to address stigma, discrimination, and social exclusion faced by survivors of SGBV by strengthening awareness of their rights, needs, and available support services among families, communities, and the wider public.
• Activities include community-based awareness sessions in IDP camps and host communities, as well as public campaigns and media engagement to promote informed dialogue, reduce stigma, and foster broader societal support for survivors.

Outcome 3: Strengthened institutional capacity and coordination

• Under Outcome 3, the project strengthens the capacity of governmental and nongovernmental actors to provide quality, stress- and trauma-sensitive services to survivors of
• SGBV, while improving coordination and joint advocacy.
• Activities include targeted trainings for state and non-state actors on SGBV identification, survivor-centred approaches, and service provision, as well as multi-stakeholder dialogue and advocacy platforms to enhance coordination, promote implementation of relevant frameworks, and strengthen institutional collaboration.

Outcome 4: Strengthened organisational capacity and sustainability of Emma

• Under Outcome 4, the project strengthens Emma’s institutional resilience and sustainability as a feminist organisation providing holistic, stress- and trauma-sensitive support to survivors of SGBV.
• Activities focus on organisational development, implementation of strategic priorities, staff capacity strengthening, and staff wellbeing, including training, supervision, and internal coordination to support effective, sustainable service delivery in a complex operating environment.

Outcome 5: Strengthened feminist actors and networks

• Under Outcome 5, the project strengthens feminist actors and the Kurdistan Women Alliance
• (KWA) to enhance coordinated advocacy and resilience in a context of shrinking civic space.
• Activities include support to joint campaigns, strategy workshops, and coordination platforms, as well as the development of shared advocacy priorities and evidence-based outputs to strengthen collaboration, visibility, and collective action for women’s rights.

3. Purpose of the evaluation

The purpose of this evaluation is to assess the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact, and sustainability of the Living in Dignity II project, while generating actionable learning to inform future programming and strategic decision-making.

The evaluation serves both accountability and learning purposes. It will provide accountability to BMZ by assessing whether resources have been used effectively and whether the project contributes to sustainable improvements in the lives of survivors of SGBV, informing future funding decisions. It will also support medica mondiale and Emma, as key users of the evaluation, in critically reflecting on the project, including the application of survivor-centred and stress- and trauma-sensitive approaches, and in generating deeper insight into outcome-level changes. Findings will inform programme design, strategic direction, and future support to survivors of SGBV. The recommendations will also be taken into consideration for future initiatives and programmes.

The following list summarises the main prospective users of the evaluation and their interests in the evaluation.

Stakeholder Expected objective per stakeholder medica mondiale Learning and accountability; assess effectiveness and impact; reflect on survivor-centred and trauma-sensitive approaches; inform programme design and strategic direction

Emma Identify achievements and challenges; strengthen learning and reflection; deepen understanding of outcome-level changes; improve support to survivors of SGBV Donor BMZ Accountability for use of resources; assess relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact, and sustainability; inform future funding decisions

4. Scope of the evaluation

The evaluation will cover the full duration of the Living in Dignity II project and assess all outcome areas. It will focus on activities implemented in KRI, particularly in host communities around Erbil and Dohuk as well as Mamrashan camp, Essyan camp, Sharya camp, and Shekhan camp.

The evaluation should assess impact across all levels of the project’s multi-level approach, including direct support to survivors and activities targeting communities, institutions, and feminist networks.

The evaluation is expected to address evaluation questions including assessing progress against the project’s results framework and key indicators defined in the logframe. This includes analysing available monitoring data and complementing it with additional data collection, as needed, to assess outcome-level changes and the effectiveness of different intervention components.

Given the sensitive nature of the project, the complex operating context, and the security situation, the scope and modalities of data collection may be subject to ethical, security, and confidentiality constraints. Access to locations, stakeholders, and participants may vary depending on conditions on the ground, including security developments, availability of staff, and the situation of project participants. These factors may also influence which methods and questions are appropriate and safe to use in different settings.

Participation of survivors must be carefully considered in line with safeguarding and stress- and trauma-sensitive principles, and access to highly sensitive data may be restricted. The evaluation

team is therefore expected to apply a flexible, context-adaptive approach, ensuring that all data collection is ethically sound and prioritises the safety, dignity, and wellbeing of participants.

In addition, the evaluation should be sensitive to the operational realities and workload of staff, and avoid placing undue burden on teams in the field. Overall, the approach should balance

methodological rigour with feasibility and ethical responsibility.

Application Procedure

Applications with the subject line “Final Evaluation – Living in Dignity II (KRI)” should be submitted to evaluation@medicamondiale.org no later than May 15th 2026. Questions can be asked until April 29th.

Offers shall be submitted in a pdf-document and contain the following:

• Date of offer submission (equal to email submission)
• Name of company and/or expert(s)
• Composition of proposed evaluation team including dedicated responsibilities of each expert
• Description of Evaluation Team with short bio per Evaluation Expert, max. 1 page for entire Evaluation Team
• Detailed CV of each team member
• Proposed methodology (including on-site and remote data collection options)
• A complete and detailed budget breakdown, including VAT (if applicable), specifying daily consulting fees and all additional costs (e.g. travel). The proposal should include two budget options: (1) a fully remote option and (2) an option including on-site data collection, with a total budget not exceeding EUR 30,000.
• Two references per team member, incl. reference contact details
• Links to publication of earlier conducted work in relation to evaluations etc.

Only complete applications shall be considered.

Only short listed/successful candidates will be contacted.

The interviews are likely to take place between the week of May 25th 2026 and the week of 11th of June.

For detailed information, please check the complete version of the advert attached below