TERMS OF REFERENCE (TOR)

Non-Financial Safeguarding Minimum Requirement Assessment for Trócaire Partners.

March 2025

1. Brief Overview

Trócaire is an Irish development agency that was established in 1973 by the Catholic Bishops of Ireland and whose work is inspired by Catholic Social teachings, with an overarching commitment to social justice. Trócaire in partnership with local organizations and with the people in Ireland works in 20 of the most at risk countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East to tackle the root causes of poverty and injustice and respond to the crises they create.

Trócaire has been operating in Rwanda since 1994 and is currently focusing on 3 strategic areas: Resource Rights, Women's Empowerment, and localisation& partnership. More information about Trócaire can be found on http://www.trocaire.org

About the Work 

Trócaire is committed to ensuring our policies and procedures are fit for purpose and that the actions of members of our governance structure, staff, contracted parties and other third parties including visitors and volunteers are always appropriate. We also require that our partner organisations demonstrate a similar commitment. In relation to this, Trócaire has identified as part of the institutional capacity strengthening process, the need to support its partners in developing/strengthening mechanisms (policies and processes) that promote a culture of zero tolerance to abuse. The mechanisms should have strong preventative measures in place and complaints/response mechanisms that are accessible and safe for sensitive complaints.

In line with the above, Trócaire will be supporting its partners to update a non-financial safeguarding minimum requirement self-assessment and strengthening plan. This activity should be conducted once every three years and seeks to identify key strengths and weaknesses in the partners’ safeguarding mechanisms and enable Trócaire to identify partners with high safeguarding support requirement. The assessment will include a comprehensive analysis of which partner(s) have capacity strengthening requirements and supporting them develop action plans to address identified gaps. 

Trócaire is therefore seeking the service of an experienced and interested consultant to review, update and verify the 16 partners’ safeguarding self-assessment data and improvement plans. The process will be different for each partner depending on where they are on their safeguarding journey. Generally, it will include desk reviews of partners self-assessments forms and safeguarding and related policies; conduct remote or in person data verification. Following this phase 2-3 partners may be identified for support and participatory actions planning to strengthen safeguarding systems. The process throughout should foster awareness on the importance of safeguarding mechanism, be participatory and promote openness and transparency with the partners. Noting that not meeting key minimum requirements would not exclude the partners from continuing partnership with Trócaire as long as there is a commitment and willingness to address critical gaps identified. 

To achieve this, the successful consultant will: 

• Collaborate with the Trócaire Safeguarding Team, to develop a plan for reviewing the partner safeguarding self-assessment forms.
• Conduct desk review and field visits (as identified by Trócaire) to 16 partner offices in Kigali, Huye, and Nyamagabe to review, verify and analyse the updated safeguarding self-assessment forms through one-to-one meetings with the partners. 
• Produce the partners Non-Financial Safeguarding Minimum Requirement Assessment verification and analysis report highlighting partners with high-capacity support needs, especially those not meeting minimum requirements. 
• Through one-to-one meetings support 2-3 (those identified by Trócaire) partners to develop individual safeguarding improvement action plans highlighting immediate and well as longer term measures to address identified gaps as well as common capacity strengthening needs identified.
• Conduct a desk review of Trócaire Rwanda Institutional Donors to identify in grant safeguarding requirements and reporting criteria. An excel spreadsheet will be provided for this analysis.
• Review the Rwanda Country Office Safeguarding Context analysis document and update the document where necessary. 

2. Objectives of the assignment – coordinating closely with Trócaire

• Review, verify and analyse non-financial safeguarding minimum requirement assessment data for 16 Trócaire partners.
• During the assessments process - evaluate the accessibility and effectiveness of complaints mechanisms within the 16 partner organizations for handling sensitive and non-sensitive complaints related to safeguarding issues. 
• Identify gaps and jointly with 2-3 partners (agreed jointly with Trocaire) develop tailored action plans to strengthen their safeguarding and complaints mechanism.
• Proffer recommendations to the partners and Trócaire on safeguarding improvement mechanisms.
• Populate donor requirements spreadsheet based on safeguarding adherence criteria of each donor.
• Update the Rwanda Country Office Safeguarding Context Analysis document 

3. Deliverables and Timelines

The consultancy will last for a maximum of 44 days over a period of two months (Mid-April-Mid-June 2026) to allow enough time for the consultant to produce quality deliverables and for Trócaire review and feedback. Within the 44 days period the consultant/consultancy firm will adhere to agreed submission timelines, which can be reviewed and jointly agreed in inception meeting: 

4. Deliverables 

• Inception report 
• Non-financial safeguarding minimum requirement assessment for each partner. Each Partner assessments to be shared with Trócaire when completed (not at end of assignment). This will enable Trócaire to further compile their assessment database and to analysis any immediate support requirements (e.g. sharing of policy templates). 
• Partner safeguarding capacity strengthening action plans with recommendations for 3-4 jointly agreed partners. 
• Final report containing overview of the assignment process and recommendations to Trócaire management team and partners.
• Spreadsheet of Trócaire Rwanda donor requirements based on safeguarding adherence criteria of each donor.
• Revised Safeguarding Context Analysis.

5. Profile of the Consultant 

 The consultant or consultancy firm should have the following expertise: 

• Knowledge and expertise on safeguarding (Child Protection, Prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse, harm and neglect, work with vulnerable populations) particularly in the context of Rwanda. 
• Experience of working with Civil Society Organisation in Rwanda. 
• Understanding human rights and protection legal framework in Rwanda. 
• Experience of working with senior management – making recommendations and providing guidance for change.
• Experience of conducting similar assessment for civil society organisations in Rwanda. 
• Experience of working with a range of stakeholders (management, staff team, communities), culture, contexts and local communities.
• Availability within the required period and for the required time.
• Desirable - Use of English, French and local languages within the geographic scope of the consultancy.
• Previous experience doing a similar role for Trócaire or partners is desirable.

6. Training and Guidance

The successful candidate will be supported through remote training and guidance sessions with Trócaire's Head of Safeguarding (based in Ireland). It is important that the successful candidate is flexible and open to shared learning and adhering to Trócaire safeguarding approach.

The successful candidate may be accompanied by the Organisational Development and Accountability Advisor for first two assessments (as agreed with partners) who is familiar with the assessment tool.

7. Safeguarding 

All consultants who work for Trócaire will be required to sign and abide by Trócaire’s Safeguarding and Data Protection principles. Any instances of breach of Trócaire’s safeguarding and data protection policy by the consultant and his or her team members will result into the immediate cancellation of the contract between Trócaire and the consultant. No photographs are required for this initiative. Therefore, in keeping with Trócaire’s Safeguarding Policy and Use of Images Policy no photographs should be taken by the consultant in the course of this project.

8. Performance-Linked Payment Schedule

• 30%: Inception report
• 30%: Safeguarding assessment reports. 
• 20%: Capacity plans. 
• 20%: Final report

Note: All required statutory Taxes will be applied. 

9 .Application Process 

Proposals must be clearly marked “Safeguarding Support for Trócaire Partners” and submitted via email to: inforwanda@trocaire.org not later than 20th March 2026.

Interested consultants should submit:

• A technical proposal (understanding of the assignment, methodology, work plan).
• A financial proposal (consultancy fees, travel, and other costs).
• CV(s) highlighting relevant experience (as per section 5 above). 
• At least two references from similar assignments
• Valid tax clearance certificate & business registration (only for consultancy firms)

Signed: