Climate-Induced Conflict Early Warning Systems Consultant

Sustainable Peace Foundation (SPF) is an Iraqi feminist Non-governmental Organisation (NGO) striving to build and sustain positive peace through vertical and horizontal approaches and participatory methods; addressing root causes of tensions and conflicts challenging positive peace in Iraq. SPF strives to achieve this by working on the grassroots level to reinstate and strengthen the lost trust between Iraq’s diverse ethno-religious communities; increase community resilience, empower and building the capacities of the very effected communities so they can mitigate and transform conflicts through dialogue and non-violent means.

SPF strives to achieve these objectives by working with vulnerable groups such as, youth, women and girls, people with special needs and IDPs through developing their capacities to take leadership roles and to actively participate in the peace and reconciliation processes; economically empower communities by offering them vocational trainings and providing them with livelihood means to ensure stability and a dignified living standard.

SPF also strives to engage local authority and security actors with the local communities through advocacy, round table dialogue sessions and developing local peace mechanisms and structures capable to acts as soundboards conveying their communities’ needs and challenges.

SPF also provides consultations for local and international NGOs on peacebuilding and social cohesion programming, such as: context analysis, needs assessments, actor and service mapping etc.

SPF’s focuses on minority protection, but through its Do-no-Harm approach, which ensures that SPF programming and implementation creates cohesion instead of doing harm.

Project Details

The “EmpowerHer: Women Transforming Climate-Induced Conflicts” project, implemented by the Sustainable Peace Foundation (SPF) in partnership with UN Women and co-implemented with Al-Firdaws Society, seeks to address the intersection of climate change, gender inequality, and conflict in Basra and Nineveh governorates. The project aims to empower women and girls as key actors in climate resilience and peacebuilding by enhancing their leadership in mediation, advocacy, and early warning mechanisms for climate-induced tensions.

Through a combination of capacity-building, gender-responsive early warning systems, women-led advocacy campaigns, and coordination with local authorities and institutions, the project promotes women’s participation in environmental governance and conflict prevention. It also integrates livelihood and climate adaptation components, fostering women’s socio-economic empowerment and reducing vulnerabilities linked to environmental degradation, water scarcity, and displacement.

This intervention is part of UN Women’s broader Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda, ensuring that women are not only beneficiaries but also decision-makers in conflict prevention, response, and recovery efforts.

Objective of the Consultancy:
This consultancy aims to develop and design an integrated community-based early warning system capable of identifying and responding to tensions and conflicts, with a particular focus on those triggered by climate change. The system must be gender-sensitive, addressing the diverse needs of women and girls and ensuring their active participation at all stages of the process.

Key Tasks and Responsibilities of the Consultant:

1. Review and Analysis of the Current Situation:
• Conduct a contextual analysis of the project areas (Basra and Nineveh) to understand the dynamics of climate-induced tensions.
• Identify key stakeholders, existing community structures, and traditional conflict resolution mechanisms.
• Assess the specific needs of women and girls regarding protection, access to information, and resources.
2. Design and Development:
   • Data Collection Mechanisms: Simple and effective tools for gathering community information on tension indicators (e.g., water conflicts, land degradation, displacement).
   • Measurement Indicators: A clear list of measurable indicators to predict climate-induced tensions.
   • Communication Channels: Secure and rapid channels for transmitting information and alerts between the community and relevant stakeholders (including trained women mediators).
   • Response Protocols: Clear procedures for responding to alerts, defining roles and responsibilities for various stakeholders (including women mediators, community leaders, and local authorities).
• Develop a comprehensive model and framework for the community-based early warning system, including:
• Ensure the design is flexible and adaptable to the distinct contexts of Basra and Nineveh.
3. Preparation of a Training Package:
• Develop comprehensive training materials (trainer’s guide, presentations, practical exercises) to build the capacity of participants (40 women and girls) to use and operate the early warning system.
4. Preparation of the Final Report:
• Submit a detailed report documenting the methodology, design process, final early warning system model, and training package.

Expected Deliverables:

1. Context analysis document and assessment results.
2. Complete gender-sensitive community-based early warning system model.
3. Comprehensive training package (in both Arabic and English, if possible).
4. Final report summarizing the process and outcomes of the consultancy.

Duration of the Consultancy:
The consultancy is expected to be implemented during October - December 2025, in accordance with the approved implementation plan.

Qualifications and Experience Required:

• University degree in Environmental and Peacebuilding Studies or relevant fields.
• At least 5 years of proven experience in designing and implementing early warning systems in humanitarian or fragile contexts.
• In-depth understanding of climate change issues and their impact on conflicts and fragility.
• Experience working in Basra and/or Nineveh governorates is a significant advantage.
• Excellent communication and facilitation skills.
• Proficiency in Arabic is essential; knowledge of English is required.

Interested candidates should submit to hr@sustainablepeacefoundation.org the following documents: 

1. An updated CV highlighting relevant experience.
2. A Cover Letter (applications without a cover letter will not be considered) detailing their relevant experience and motivation for the role
3. A technical proposal explaining their understanding of the task and the proposed methodology and work plan to achieve the deliverables.

Please include “Climate-Induced Conflict Early Warning Systems Consultant” in the subject line of your email.

For more information about the Sustainable Peace Foundation, visit our website at www.sustainablepeacefoundation.org.

SPF is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse work environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, religion, gender, ethnicity, disability, or age; however, female applicants are strongly encouraged to apply.